Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-07-23
Arranging for a Grand Re-
urion in Washington.
SOME OF IT'S HISTORY
REGIMENT WITH A RECORD FOR
DUTY 49, BRAVERY.
Incidents Of It's Service in Cuba, the
Philippines and at the Siege
of Picking, China.

| The Inauguration of Santiago day i'm this
| city by Company of the First District OF
| Columbia Volunteers several evenings ago.
as described at the time by The Star has
| aroused the enthusiasm OF Spanish war
| soldiers who served In the Santiago cam
paign, together with all those who enlisted
| Tor service In that war, whether they
reached the front or not
! Many of these have given their hearty
| approval OF the initiative taken by the
members of Company in commernorating
| the surrender of the army OF the Spanish
Gen Toral and the fall of Santiago. and It
| is conceded that the celebration July IL,
| 1906, will be more general
Falling in line with Company c. num-
| Der of Uncle Sans regulars who served with
| the 9th United States Infantry or the
| Fighting Ninth as 1t is more Familiarity
termed, are preparing to hold reunion In
TINS city IN the near future. The Fighting
Ninth not only saw hard service and won
| laurels in the Santiago campaign, but it
wrote splendid record In blood i'm the
philippines ard i'm the advance on Picking
ana the capture of that city during the
| Boxer uprising.
The cooperating committee which will
assist the regimental committee is headed
ny MI John j Strain, assisted by Capt
Charles S. Domer, Mr. William A. Hickey
and Commander J. J. Gordon of the Col
roosevelt Garrison, Army and Navy Union.
Important Part in Spanish War
In referring to the coming reunion last
night Mr.. w. A. Hickey said the fighting
9Th infantry took most prominent part in
the surrender of the Spanish forces at San
tiago and was the first United States regi-
ment to enter the old Cuban city after that
stronghold had succumbed TO the strong
arm of the American forces under Con
Shafter. They were also under the terrible
are or the Spanish sharpshooters IN the
trenches from July ! to July 10 lss,S and
after hostilities had ceased had charge of
the hosting of "OId Glory" over the gov
ernors palace In the city of Santiago
capt Frank Dewitt Ramsey. who is on
the staf of Gen. Chaffee, was with the
boys of the 9th during these trying times
and when seen by the committee yester-
day afternoon he said he would be more
than pleased to have the boys again meet
IN reunion He promised to be with them
as "one of the boys of the old Fighting
Ninth, as he expressed it,
Mr.. John j. Strain, who was a battalion
sergeant major In the 9th. is very much
interested in the intended gathering of
the veterans of the regiment and Is he
says, heart and soul in the movement.
me committee selected to bring about
the gathering are Capt. Frank Dewitt
Ramsey, John Perkins, late quartermas-
ter sergeant; w. II. Matter. late sergeant
major; Tim Corners, late first sergeant
of Company l.; T. b. Brown. late sergeant
of Company G.; II. Utter. late hospital
steward; Charles S. Lawrence. late hos
pital steward; D. Callaghan, late SER
geant of Company b; Edward +. Smith
late sergeant of Company A; William NJ
Armstrong. late corporal of Company l.;
Alfred W. Parham. late sergeant of Com
pany H; Alfred C. Chatfleld. late chief
musician OF Company a; John J. Strain,
late battalion sergeant major.
The committee Will meet in a few DAYS
to devise ways and means for the cele-
bration and to select the date on which
the reunion will be held.
Record of the Regiment
The 9th Infantry sent to Cuba April
10, 1898. from Sackett's Harbor. 1t re-
turned to the states after the war with
Spain, and on March II. 1899, the regiment
departed for the Philippines and played
well the part assigned 1t in those far-away
islands of the sea. From the Philippines
the 9th went to China during the Boxer
uprising, and there its gallant and chival-
rous colonel, Emerson Ii. Liscum and many
of its brave officers fell. The regiment
next returned to the Philippines, and was
scattered about those islands to preserve
peace and prevent uprisngs.
While stationed at Samar Company &,
commanded by Capt. Thomas Council, well
known in Washington, was attacked one
morning while at breakfast by treacherous
natives, and nearly all the members of the
company. including Captain Council, his
first lieutenant and the surgeon, We're killed
In all its campaigns the 9th bore the
brunt of the fighting and by its dash and
readiness for duty gained the appellation
THE Fighting Ninth"
An incident of the regiment participa-
ton in the seige of Picking was recalled last
night by the tentative arrangements being
made for the reunion. The 9th was sweep
ing through maize field toward the walls
of the sacred city. They were making what
have become known the American
PUSHES. and giving the American fighting
yell as they advanced. On one side OF
them a regiment of fancful fighters
from India, forming part of the English
army. On the other side was a regiment
of French infantry, proceeding toward the
wall with the dainty little steps for which
the French soldiers are noted and I'm strik-
ing comparison with the long swinging
stride of Uncle Sans fighting men.
The NINTH Appears.
group OF English officers had been
watching the advance.
''Ah,' said monocled lieutenant. "theah
go the brave Indians, and theah beyond
are the French"
Just then the 9th, in American fighting
trim, with badly soiled khaki trousers dis
Notwithstanding campaign hats, blue
shirts, with the sleeves rolled up to the
elbows of their wearers. and looking gem
orally unkempt, came bursting through n
field of particularly high maize. yelling like
demons.
WHO are those blarsted beggahs." added
the nlonocled Englishman. They certainly
look unsolderly."
THAT regiment" said German officer
10 hiioWu do the FlBHliflS otn american
Infantry, which has made such gallant
record In Cuba and the Philippines They
may not wear the gaudy uniforms OF the
European soldiery but they tight like devils
and when they are rushing nothing but
death stop them"
The German officers statement was
borne out by the splendid and courageous
part the 9th played in the China affair
which helped to maize the fighting fame of
the American soldier secure in all parts
Of the earth.