The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-07-17
SERVICE OF THE NINTH
One of the Famous Regiments of the
United states Army.

The Ninth Infantry. which suffered sc
heavily at Tientsi9. is one of the famous
regiments of the United States Army. II
served through the war OF 1912, performed
gallant service in tbs Mexican war and
was engaged In Indian campaigning from
1856 to 1891.
Under the authority granted to the Pres
ident by the act of Congress of July 16
179s. to raise twelve additional regiments
of infantry, the Ninth Infantry came inc
existence in the Army of the United States
in January. 1899, with Josiah Carville Hall
OF Maryland. as lieutenant colonel COM
mandant. ALI of the officers were APP
pointed from Maryland, and an order from
the War Department Of January 5, 1860.
directed that the regiment be recruited In
| that State. All OF the officers were ap-
pointed. and confirmed by the Senate. but
it Is probable that few enlistments wera
made, as the act of February 20, 1900. sus-
| pended snlistments for the new regiments.
The act of May IA, 1900. authorized the
| President to discharge them, and under
this authority the Ninth Infantry was dis
! banded June Is. 1900.
| Ninth Infantry was again organized In
March, 1872. with Simon Learned of Mass
achusetts, as colonel. The regiment wa.
raised in Massachusetts,, and, though
part OF the Regular Army, was accredite,:
to that State. 1t took an active part ~
the war OF 1912 on the Northern border.
being present at the battles of Niagara
Falls. Lundy's Lane, and other actions in
that vicinity.
In bo p;,a. - he rd,r
the act of March 3, 1915, this regiment was
disbanded and no regiment bearing the
designation existed until April 1S4I, when
the Ninth Infantry was again organized.
The colonel was Truman b. Ransom, OF
Vermont, who was killed in the assault
upon Chapultepec. He was succeeded by
Col. James NJ. Withers. who resigned
May %. 1s4S, and he by Col. Henry L.
Webb. The regiment rendered efficient
service in the series Of actions In the i'm
mediate vicinity of, and ending with the
capture OF, the City Of Mexico. At Contre-
ras. ';hurubusco. San Antonio. Moline del
Rey, and Chapultepec. it took a distin- /
guished part. AT Chapultepec it was in +
support Of the storming force, but Joined 4
with and become part of 1t in the assault
on the citadel. Sixteen officers and eleven
enlisted men were mentioned in the report
of Major General Riblow. for meritorious
conduct in this battle. among the former
being Gen. r. C. Drum. then a second
lieutenant. In August, 1s4s, the regiment 1
was again dsbanded.
Under the authority OF the act Of March /
3, 1855. the Ninth Infantry was again Or |
ganized. Lieut.. Col. George Wright, /
Fourth Infantry. was appointed colonel, |
Capt. Silas Casey, Second Infantry, lieu
tenant colonel. and Capts. Edwards ].
Steptoe Third Artillery. and Robert S.
Garrett. First Cavalry. majors. The head
quarters OF the regiment were established
at Fort Monroe. Virginia. March &c 1850
and recruiting rendezvous were opened by
officers of the regiment in Maine. Connecti-
cut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania,
see. Companies A. F. and G were
in May. B. H, an
in June. D and X in August.
E in September and C in November. 1855.
In the following month the regiment was
ordered to the Pacific Coast by way OF Pam
anna. arriving in the latter part of jan
nary. 1856. The headquarters and Compa-
MES A. B. C. d. F. G. 1. and K took sta
lion at Fort Vancouver. Washington Lieu
tenant Colonel Casey. with Companies d
and II, going to Fort SteiIacoom. Wash
ngton. thence in a few Gays into the
field OF active operations against the In
lians Of that locality.
In March, 1856. Colonel Wright with
Companies A, C. F, ard / left Fort Van
,ouver on an expedition to Fort Wal!a ,
Nalla, then an abandoned Hudson Bay
post. After leaving Fort v
Dalles. Oregon. on the Goth. information ,
vas received Of an attack by Indians on .
he settlers at the Cascades, and the COM q
nand returned to that point by forced S
marches and dispersed the Indians, the c
an1 hx.tvx
remained at the Cascades until c
he latter part Of the following month.
when the colonel. with Companies and c
;. left on an expedition to the Yakima | C
river, being Joined in May by Companies n
3. F. G. l, and X. This expedition re- a
NAMED in the field until August and a
,rought about the surrender OF 500 hostile S
indians on the Weuache River. in the lat c
er part Of July. Companies d and H re- C
NAMED in the field nearly all the year and Y
lad several engagements with Indians.
From the close of field operations In :
$50. until the spring of 1885, the regiment :
ias principally engaged In building posts
nd making roads. In August. 1857, Com
any was detached as escort to the
iorthern Boundary Commission and re-
lained in the field on that duty nearly
nree years In May. 1855. Company E
,rmed part Of force of 1853 men sent to
lake a reconnaissance OF the country to y
lie north of Fort Walla Walla On May II a
lie command was attacked by ever LOCO a
ldians and after fighting till dark and 4
early eIhausting its ammunition was COM j
elled TO retire. A forced march was be-
IN that night and distance of seventy j.
We miles was covered by 10 O'Clock the L
blowing morning. without the loss of a v
an or horse II
In August 1885, an expedition was or Fl
,nized under command OF Colonel Wright 81
proceed against the Spokane Indians and G.
eir allies. Companies B and c formed D
lrt OF this expedition and after two en-.
gements at Four Lakes and on Spokane r.
aims. 1t was successful in bringi lg abou, W
lasting peace with the Indians of that ir
ction. A.
Companies c; C. and 1 were In the se.s -
August and September of this year with
expedition under Major Garnett against
dians to the north of Fort Lincoln. Ore IT,
In October 1860. Company B, with n de-
chment of Company C, under command of
,pt T. L. Dent. left Fort Waila Walla tn
the rescue of enigrants who had es- VI
ped from the massacre of September | of
ID 10. 1860. on Snake River. =,
In May. 1861. two officers and leo men OF
o regiment were detailed as escort to %
g Fort Benton wagon road expedition. W.
ID remained absent on this duty nearly at
teen months. "
In the autumn Of 1851. after nearly six DC
ars of arduous service in Oregon and IN
ashington. the regiment. with the excep- Sc
IN CT Companies and C, was ordered pa
San Francisco, preliminary TO its trans II
r to the East. The latter order was
wever revoked and but one company E.
Il the Pacific Coast. In January. 1859.
mi cd nf tn ba