The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1904-07-28
THREE COMPANIES OUT
INEFFICIENT MILITARY TO LEAVE
THE SERVICE.
Colonel Mcconnell Recommends that
Organizations at Decatur, Hunts
Vile and jasper BE Retired
from Third Infantry.

Three companies of the 3rd Infantry,
Alabama National Guard, will be mus
tered out of the service for inemciency
as a part of the plan of Lieutenant
Colonel F. P. Mcconnell of Talladega
to rehabilitate the regiment of which
he is commander.
The companies that are to be forced
out of the service are E. company.
stationed at -ecatur, Captain w. H.
Long; F. company, stationed at
Huntsville, Captain R. L. Hay, and
M" company, stationed at Jasper, Cap
tain Cecil Lacy.
The information concerning the mus
tering out of the three companies was
secured from unofficial sources. but it
is nevertheless authentic. Adjutant
General w. w. Brandon is absent from
Mont gomery. His Chief Clerk, Cap
tain D. w. McIver, declined to confirm
or deny the report
1t is known that Lieutenant Colonel
Mcconnell has recommended the mus
tering out of the three companies for
inefficiency and that his recommended
ton has been forwarded to Governor
Cunningham with the approval of the
Adjutant General
A Montgomery officer said yesterday
that the companies stationed at Deca-
tur, Huntsville and Jasper were in
camp at OWenlOn last week WITH rev
men and that their lack of discipline
and inefficiency was marked.
1t is said there will be little difficulty
to fill the three vacancies in the 3rd
regiment as there are a number of APP
plications from tentative companies in
Ncrth Alabama cities. A company at
Sylacauga will probably fill one of the
vacancies. The minimum number of
men TO a company is forty, the maxi
mum 106. over forty young men have
subscribed to the application from Syl-
acauga.
Some time ago, it will be remem-
herea, it, was intimated to Lieutenant
Colonel Mcconnell by Governor Jelks
that his entire regiment would be mus
tered out unless it was made more eff
rent. The troubles in the regiment
goes back to the controversy between
its commander, Colonel f. l.. Higdon
of Birmingham and Lieutenant Colonel
Osceola Kyle. This controversy divid-
ed the regiment into factions. Colonel
Higdon whose commission does not eX-
pire until March 20, 1905. was relieved
from duty by Governor Jelks on June
Z 1902. and has not had anything to
do with his regimental affairs since
that time. Subsequently Lieutenant
Colonel Mcconnell was elected and has
been in active command of the regi-
ment.
The first move of Lieutenant Colonel
Mcconnell to improve the service of
his command was to call for the resig-
nation of all staff officers who were
not in complete harmony with his ad-
ministration. Now comes his recon-
mendation for the mastering out of in
efficient organizations.
In local military circles 1t Is be-
lieved that the 3rd Infantry will he
put back in its proper place as one of
the States best military organizations
although there is some anxiety over
the course to he pursued by Colonel
Higdon when his commission expires
next year. If he should be candi-
date for reelection the situation would
be further complicated.
The 3rd Infantry also has financial
troubles that require settlement. Some
Of the bills for provisions furnished for
the encampment in Montgomery last