The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-10-25
GUARDS IN THE REGIMENT.
ORDER HAS COME FoR THE Bat
TALION's TRANSFER.

mics, the Brunswick Rifles Having
Also Been Transferred to the
First RegIment-savnnnnh VoIun-
teer Guards Retain Their Corps
Name, But the Designation of the
Companies IL ChanEed-They Are
Companies 1, IA, l. and NJ in the
Regiment and, Respectively, First,
Second, Third and Fourth I'm the
BnttaIiOn-Re,sim ent VIII Have
Two Lieutenant Colonies.
The Savannah Volunteer Guards First
| Battalion. Georgia Volunteers, will be
merged with the First Regiment Col. A.
r. Lawton's command. The order has al
ready been issued from the Office of the
acting adjutant general. Col. Phil G. Byrd.
| and is practically in effect, though Col.
william Garrard, the commanding officer
IF the battalion has not yet reported TO
| Col. Lawton.
1t Is not believed that Col. Garrard Is yet
aware of the issue of the order from the
office OF the acting adjutant general
Though there had been a hint that such
action might be forthcoming as a result of
the recommendation of the military advis-
DRY board of the state, there were a great
many who did not believe that the bat
TALON of Guards would ever be assigned
to any other command and that it would
remain, as 1t has been, separate and dis
tinct. The news of the order making 1t
part of the First Regiment will be receiv-
ed with great surprise by the officers and
members of the corps. this will be the
q int tt,o nf
have received.
Col. Garrard has been out OF the city
for some days. He is expected back to-
day, and it is quite probable that ne will
report to Col. Lawton as he is directed,
at an early date The Guards command
ing officers rank Is that of a lieutenant
colonel and It is believed it viii be as the
second In command of the regiment, while
retaining his command Of the Guards. that
he Will be identified with the First Regi-
ment. Lieut.. Col. Jordan It. Brooks is
now second in command, but Col. Garrard
is his senior, having held the rank for
several years longer than Col. Brooks.
The matter of precedence will be submit
ted to the acting adjutant generals Of
flee.
The order for the transfer of the Guards
to the regiment conveys that ii is in ac-
cordance with the military law of the
state that the former is to be attached,
and It thus corresponds to the belief many
officers and men have expressed that it
was in violation Of That law that the bat
TALON has remained apart and distinct.
TIL designation of the companies of the
Guards is now A, B, c and d. At least,
that is the way they are known to their
officers and men, but to the acting adju-
tant general they are Companies /, X, L
and NJ Il will be by those letters that
they viii be recognized in the regiment,
while In the battalion they become, re-
spectively, First, Second Third and Fourth
Company.
The administration of the Guards in a
military way will be directed through the
regular military channels, documents and
| papers being transmitted from the conf
handing officer of the battalion to Col
Lawton. All official business will be so
conducted though the transfer does nor
in any way effect the civil rights of the
Guards, and particular emphasis Is laid
upon the fact that the order is issued with
out prejudice thereto. The special name
OF savannah Volunteer Guards, which
| has become endeared TO so many members
OF all classes OF the battalion, may be re-
TONED and, of course, there is nothing
In the order that would require the bat
talon making a Change of quarters.
The Guards are not he only command
| TO be transferred to the First Regiment.
| The Brunswick Rifles, erstwhile Company
| l. Fourth Regiment, has been transferred
also. The transfer of the two commands
! gives the First Regiment twelve compa-
MES, full regimental strength under the
! law.
| Never before have there been twelve
1 companies in the regiment and the officers
| and men of the companies already belong
/ ing to 1t will welcome the advent of the
| others. A certain degree of pride is 10 be
! for n think in "a
/ regiment filled to its strength and ii is
not doubted that the most cordial entente
! will exist among officers and men of the
integral parts.
When the order for the transfer Of the
| Guards and the Brunswick Rifles was is
sued there were seven companies in the
| regiment the Bullock Light Infantry,
/ Capt. wilkins, of Waynesboro having re
| Gently been added to the six, which were
the Republican Blues, the Irish Jasper
Greens, the German Volunteers. the Ogle-
thorpe Light Infantry, The Savannah Ca
diets. Savannah, and the IIell Rifles of
| Statesboro
Following is a copy of the official order
for the transfer.
State of Georgia. Adiutant Generals
/ ONCE. Atlanta, Ca Oct. 10. 1899. Cen
eral orders No H. In compliance with
the law and in furthetance Of recommen-
dations Of the Military Advisory Board,
| the folrowing transfers in the Georg a
| Volunteers are announced:
Brunswick RiGemen from Company I,
Fourth Infantry, to Company II, First In
fantry.
First Battalion, Infantry Savannah
! Volunteer Guards 20 First Regiment, In
fantry, as Companies l. *, l. and NJ, re-
| sDec lively.
The integrity of this battalion will not
be destroyed by this assignment: il viii
form a separate battalion of the First
| Reeimont and may retain its special name
| and the companies thereof will be dasig-
mated in said battalion as First Second
Third and Fourth, respectively as in Or
der now lettered, but as constituting parts
of the First Regiment these companies
viii be officially designated in such regl-
meut as l. X, L and NJ. respectively.
For administrative and executive pur-
poses, this battalion win constitute a fac
tor of the First Regiment and all official
| communications, reports and returns will
be forwarded and transmitted. and all