The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-12-29
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war was declared with Spain Colonel Higdon, who at that time commanded Il | regiment of the National Guard rendered | the services of his regiment intact The 1 infantry company at Decatur was d part | of Colonel Higdons regiment and Lieu | tenant Colonel Kyle was its captain. The services of the regiment were accepted and 1t was ordered to mobilize in Mobile and became known as the 1st Alabama Volunteer Infantry.
 Soon after the regiment reached Mobile Colonel, then Captain Kyle, was ap- pointed a major by Governor Johnston. It is said that Colonel Higdon urged the appointment of another officer to thIs place and was chagrined when he was informed that the Governor had appoint ed Colonel Kyle.
 The regiment went from MoMle to Miami, Fla, thence to Jacksonville, Fla, and after about eight months of camp duty was mustered out at East Lake, Ala, over the protest of number of the commissioned officers, who made strenuous efforts to remain in the army. 1t was claimed that the private soldiers with practical unanimity desired to be mustered out and it Is claimed that Colo nel Higdon representing their wishes succeeded in having his command mus tered out.
 The trouble between the officers of the regiment began at Miami and reached it's climax at Jacksonville. When the war with Spain was over the government declared its purpose to send certain vol unteer regiments to Cuba and Porto Rico tO garrison those islands. It Is said the private soldiers and non-commissioned of- ficers of the 1st Alabama commanded by Colonel Higdon claiming that the war was over and that they did not volunteer to do police duty" in Cuba and Porto Rico formally requested Colonel Higdon to use his influence to have the regiment mustered out.
 Higdon Asked to Resign.
 Forty-tive commissioned officers of the regiment expressed their desire that the regiment should remain in the service and took issue with Colonel Higdon Right here a feud developed among the officers and a committee consisting of Majors Thomas C. Smith. D. D. Mcleod and osceola Kyle waited upon Colonel Higdon and formally requested him to resign as commander of the regiment. This he declined to do.
 Military men who were with the reel- ment at this time declare that two bitter factions developed in the regiment. One faction was led by Colonel Higdon and the other was practically led by Major Kyle, who had ferty-hve commissioned officers arrayed on his side. Colonel Higdon had the sympathy of about eight commissioned officers, inclGling his ad- jutant, Lieutenant Lucien c. Brown and Captains c. L. Ledbetter and Hughes .B. Kennedy, who commanded Birmingham companies.
 As a result of the pertinacity of Colonel Higdon the regiment was finally muster ed out of the government service When it was reorganized as a regiment and be- came known as the 3rd Infantry of the National Guard, Major Thomas o. Smith of Birmingham, was elected it's com mander ,Colonel HigGUn not being a can didate, and Major Kyle was elected Lieutenant Colonel
 Early in this year Colonel Smith re- signed as commander of the 3rd Infan- try ard the friends of Colonel Higdon S~. about to have him elected to succeed Colonel Smith in order to vindicate his action during the Spanish war Major T. T. Huey of Bessemer. was pit ted against Colonel Higdon and the con test was very warm, resulting in the election of Colonel Higdoh over Major Huey by a small majOrity.
 Diplomacy Was Necessary.
 The friends of Colonel Higdon claim that he realized that owing to the close ness of the election and the bad feeling engendered during the war with Spain officers together and that with this idea in view he issued the following order