The Savannah morning news., 1904-09-18
DOINGS OF FIRST AND
SECOND BATTALIONS
Majors Elliott and Coney Give Details of Move
mentS at ManeuVerS

from the Guards. the Oglethorpe Light
Infantry and one company from
Rome has prepared the following
statement of the conduct and opera
tions of his battalion at the Manas-
sas maneuvers:
Not being a regularly organized bat
talon the handicap was great at the
start, but by frequent drills and
meetings this was overcome in a large
measure and the battalion made a
fine showing at the maneuvers.
The Savannah companies were Capt.
Hutton's and Capt. Travis of the
Guards, and the Oglethorpe Light In
fantry, under temporary command of
Capt. c. G. Anderson, Jr. The re-
naming company was from Rome, I'M
der Capt. H. J. Stewart, and was up
to the standard.
AS the brown uniform was habitual-
ly worn the only dissimilarity was in
the hat cords and chevons, the Guards
having red and the infantry blue and
white. On one occasion bystander
shouted at the Guards, What do you
artillery fellows mean by carrying
rit1es?"
Each of the companies did splendid
work. Company F, Capt. Hutton's
company, was at the head of the bat
TALON and made a reputation for
splendid marching, which did much to
inspire those that followed. On one
occasion this company was sent over
half mile to relieve a company of the
Twelfth New York Regiment on the
firing line, and was almost immediate
ly recalled to join the Georgia Regi-
ment on forced march. 1t regained
its place at the head of the column by
swift marching and considerable "dou-
BILE timing"
On the terrific hike" to Manassas it
stuck to its post through dust and
mud and went on the firing line in
tact. In our most important af-
fair at Wellington station, Capt. Hut
ton handled the company to splendid
I advantage and took up a position be-
hind some railroad cars from which
he drove back in confusion a blue COM
pany, which is reported to have been
Capt. LeVy's company from Augusta.
The Oglethorpes were in the thick
Of the fight at Wellington and were
the first troops to enter the station,
capturing an officer and a number of
! men. While the company became
split up at the conclusion of the march
to Manassas (the terrible ''hike"), vet
each Of the detachments got into the
fight, and did good work for the
Browns. One detachment marched
right across the field upon which stood
tree bearing a board stating that
Gen. Francis S. Barlow was killed
there. This was worth the trip to
the Oglethorpes.
Company G, Capt. Travis company
! took to camp more men than any other
company in the battalion and general
| lV turned ont tho a roact g.
duty. The company was short one Of
ficer, a second lieutenant, but was for
tunate in having in First Sergeant
VIM. Robertson, a on-cOmmiSsioned
| officer of high class.
This Company was operating on de-
tached service at Wellington, but got
into the fight in time to take a few
prisoners and to open vigorous fire
on some Blue cavalry. The company
became separated from Maj. Coney at
Manassas, but pitched in and did ex,
cellent work. Capt. Travis reports
having captured Col. Boden, of the
Fifth United States Infantry, who
was passing through a corn field.
The Rome Company had a splendid
commander in Capt. Stewart, who was
the adjutant of Capt. ]. c. Gilmore,
Jr., of Fort Screven, when he was
a major of volunteers in the Philip
pines. This company was well handled
and took a conspicuous part in every
thing. It became separated from the
rest at Manassas, and went in and
did fine work with the First North
Carolina. Capt. Stewart made many
friends among the Savannah officers.
The conspicuous work of the battal-
ion as a whole seems, perhaps, to have
escaped the notice of the home corre-
spondent, although it was noticed by
M fha writ
Barry's Foot Cavalry" as the bat
talon styled itself, was certainly favor
ed by that officer with his choicest
assignments. His brigade made two
long marches from camp against the
Blues. In the first one which began