The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1900-07-12
COL. REILLY'S RETIREMENT.
RESOLUTIONS Adopted by His Brother
Officers of the First Regiment.

officers of the First Regiment
Col. Peter Reilly has just received from
Capt. Walter Z. Coney a copy of the res
buttons adopted by committee OF the
board of officers of the First Regiment Of
Infantry upon the occasion of his retire
ment as lieutenant colonel of the regiment
over two years ago. This was the first
notice ever received by Col. Reilly of the
action OF his brother officers with whom
he was SO long and so honorably associ-
ated. Many of his friends thought it
strange that no notice was taken of the
retirement of an officer who had been con-
nected with the regiment in a high posi-
non Tor so many years and Col Reilly
himself thought il strange that there had
been no recognition.
Capt. Coneys letter explains the appar-
ent oversight. The resolutions were aGopt-
ed in due time and were as COM im ntary
as Col. r lily and tbs f lends could wish.
The SpanishAme lean war had just b. gun
anu Col. LAYTON and his off1c, RS and men
were Justly enga ged in preparing 10 bear
an hon orr BIZ Fart in the conflict. This
doubtless exp aims the oversight on the
part of the then adjutant
Capt. Coney apolog yes in his letter to
Co. Reilly for the delay and states tina
ne had just received from Cart Gratz
Myers he former jutant now livi
W York, the Draft of he re outionS
18th the raQues mat T e tr rs NIT them
to col r lily, as he ID not link the lat
Ter Lad ever b en- presented with a copy,
at tie same time apoiogizirg for having
overlook the mattcr
The connection OF Lieut.. Col. Reilly,
with the First Regiment covers nearly
the entire period of It's existence COM
mencing with his service in the Irish Jas
per Greens in June, 1861, of the second
company of which organization he was
commissioned a second lieutenant in that
year this command being transferred TO
the Confederate states service in 1852 In
1858 he became first lieutenant, and in
March, 1855 adjutant of this regiment,
the First Volunteer Regiment of Georgia.
+. A. c. s.. as il was then called, which
position he filled until the close of the
war At the reorganization of the Irish
Jasper Greens in May. 1871, he was elected
hrst lieutenant and from 1882 until his
retirement, has been lieutenant colonel Of
the regiment, only physical disability
forcing him to retire from a command
which he had served faithfully and eff
GENTLY for nearly thirty-seven years.
1T is with sincere regret" states the
resolutions, that this board is obliged
10 lose the active cooperation of one.
who, as commander and brothe officer,
has endeared himself to one and all. His
whole military career is a brilliant ex-
ample of self-sacrfce for the good of
the volunteer service. His services were
not solely confined to the duties of an
othcer OF this regiment, but extended over
the entire state. AS member of the
Georgia Legislature, to which body he
was elected for three consecutive terms
by his fellow-citizens, he devoted his en-
ergies to the welfare and progress Of the
state forces. He was one of the orig
inators and promoters of the special leg
islation enacted for the present organi-
cation Of the Georgia volunteers, and as
a member of the Military Advisory Beoard
he worked increasingly for the welfare of
Georgia soldiers, always courteous and
polite in his dealings with every member
of the regiment, yet a rigid disciplinarian
and jealous of the good name and high
reputation of the First Georgia. He re-
tires with the universal respect of the
entire command, whose earnest prayers
for the restoration of his health and It's
prolonged enjoyment follow him into his
retirement.
"As the originator of the Legislative act
making the birthday of Gen. Robert e.
Lee a legal holiday in Georgia (this state
has taken the lead of the entire South in
this movement Col. Reilly has endeared
HlLiSell 10 tne people OF georgia ana ms
name will ever be held in honorable re-
membrance by the First Regiment of In
fantry, Georgia Volunteers"
The committee which prepared the reso-
lutions consisted of Maj. Edward Karow,
Maj. W. S. Rockwell, Capt. Henry Kol-
shorn, Capt. J. J. Gaudry, and Capt T. S.
Lucas, all OF whom, strange to say, have
since ceased their connection with the
regiment Col. Reillys retirement was
hxr fc
of health continued until recently. His
friends will be glad to know. however
that he is now improving steadily and that
he has been able to take short drives daily
during the last week