The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1900-12-13
THE OLD FIRsr REGIMENT.
Capt. Davenport Could Have Also
Been Lieutenant Colonel.

Been Lieutenant Colonel.
Col clifford W Anderson has written
letter to Mr. Thomas Gamble. which
throws considerable light upon the rela-
tions existing between the military com
mands OF Savannah IN days gone by the
main point brought out by Col. Amber
son being that it was possible for the
late Capt A. G.. Davenport TO havc been
q Lieutenant colonel OF the First Regimen
a the same time that he was - lcuteu-
ant Of the savannah Volunteer Guards.
To the letter OF Mai. ". $ Baringer 81
Athens. 10 Mr. = NJ Russell OF Sevan-
nah, published In last Sundays Morning
News. Maj Basinger sEreed Ia the main
with Dir Gamble In his article upon the
status Of the military parade ground. a.
shown by the records OF Council. hut
corrected what he believed 20 be- an error
IN the statement that Lieut.. Col. Daven-
port" had appeared hefore Council In he-
half Of the military. Lieut.. Davenport
having been az that time an officer 81 the
Guards. and having never attained the ii
tie Of Lieutenant colonel
Nearly twenty-five years ago Col.
Anderson states. II was unanimously
elected colonel Of the First Volunteer
Regiment Of Georgia. and few months
thereafter spent the summer az Tate
springs. East Tennessee. IN company with
Capt. George A. Stiles city marshal Or
savannah. Capt stiles was q member
81 one Of our oldest families IN Savan-
ruh. and az the time. the senior captain
% the Savannah Volunteer Guards Bat
talon. one OF the most strlkingly hand
some officers OF the volunteer forces. no.
only Of Savannah. but OF Georgia. aud
above all. man Of the very highest and
most exalted chamctcr. We were to-
geiher at the springs morning. noon and
night. and one day In one OF our ramblcs
over the mountains. ne casually mentio.
81 the fact. that az one time he had been
lieutenant colonel of the First Volunteer
Regiment OF Georgia told him Il was
news 70 me. and that had never heard IL
few months after our return 90 Savan-
nah, Colonel. or as ne was more popu-
.arly known, Capt. STILES. died. and was
buried by the Savannah Volunteer
Guards Battalion The day OF the
funeral / summoned the board Of officers
pf the First Volunteer Regiment Of Geor-
sla 20 appear IN full uniform. and We
marched 10 Capt. Stiles residence. to pay
the last tribute Of respect and affection
70 his memory
When ! subsequently told the officers
Of my regiment OF Col Stiles former con-
nection with them q was news to most. n
not all, OF them. The First Vo.unteer
Regiment Of Georgia. prior 10 the war
between the states. was a regiment only
In name. such was the deep rivalry be-
tween the companies comprising a. par
tcularly the Guards and Blues The regi-
ment paraded once a year and rs colonel
GEM A. r. LawtOn. when elected colo
mel. was a Lieutenant IN the Republican
Blues. Capt. a. c. Davenport wa n man
much older than Col G. 4. Stiles ana Is
De D.
~ between the Guards and Blues that as
an officer Of the Blues was elected colonel
Of the regiment that an officer OF the
Guards las Capt. Davenport was then. I
believe. a Lieutenant In the Guards was
elected lieutenant colonel capt. Daven-
port as I said. was an older man than
Col Stiles and a contemporary OF Gen.
I.awton.
III memory serves me night when Col.
G. A stiles was lieutenant colonel Of the
First Volunteer Regiment OF Georgia he
was and continued 10 remain orderly SER
geant OF the Savannah Volunteer Guards.
Possibly Capt Archie C. Davenport was
lieutenant colonel Of the regiment and a
lieutenant Of the Savannah Volunteer
Guards az the same time"
Col Anderson shows that this was pos
slhle by his own experience. lie says;
When I was rendered the adiutancy Of
the First Volunteer Regiment % Georgia
by Col Charles H Omstead tn 1872 de-
clined q unless ] could hold my position
as second lieutenant Of the Republican
Blues. and when the majority Of the
First Volunteer Regiment was rendered
vacant By the resignation Of THAI fine SOL
der. Mai Gazaway b. Lamar ! was
elected 10 the petition. holding nt the
time the dual position Of second llcuten-
ant OF the Republican Blues and aiju-
tant (arst LIEUTENANT OF the First Volun-
feer Regiment Of Georgia and holding two
commissions from the state
Il hope this may make some Of our old
citizens-for nearly all Of them o. one
time belonged TO one Of our volunteer
companiee-brush the c0b-webs on their
memory and try and 1row some light on
the question IN dispute
Col. Anderson says IL r. possible that
CAPT Davenport may have held the po-
gltlon or lieutenant colonel only a few
months lie believes his theory r. correct
FOR the reason that the rivalry between
the Guards and the Blues was 20 great
that with a lieutenant OF the Blues made
colonel OF tho regiment the guards would
not have been satisfied unless thc next
highest ONCE had been awarded 20 one Of
their officers.