Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-11-28
REGIMENT CUT DOWN
EIGHTH NEW YORK REDUCED TO
BATTALION.

ALBANY, November Ex-Governor Hig-
gins approved yesterday a recommendation
of Major General Charles F. Roe, COM
handing the state National Guard, under
which the Sth Regiment Of New York city
Is to be reduced from ten companies to a
battalion of seven companies. The COM
mand of the battalion is placed with Major
Gilmore F. Austin. engineer on the staff OF
Brgadier General George Moore Smith.
The Sth Is the oldest regiment in the state
service.
Adjutant General Henry issued last night
an official order directing the disbandment
OF Companies A. and E of the regiment
on December TO- Companies B, D. F. G, H,
l and are to be reorganized into the 9Th
battalion of Infantry and attached to the
LIST Brigade. Major General John r, Hege-
man, inspector of small arms practice and
ordnance officer for the 1st Brigade, is
designated to receive regimental property
from the discharged officers.
The reduction of the regiment is the out
come or the fractional trouble between the
officers. Under the changed conditions Col
onel Jarvis and the other field and staff off,
GERS and the officers of companies af-
fected by the order reducing the organize
ton to battalion will be rendered SUPER
numerary The members of the discharged
companies may, If they desire, re-enlist in
the companies which are to make up the
new battalion
Major Austin. the new commander, served
In the list Regiment in the Spanish
American war. The order reducing the Or
ganization is expected to go into effect at
once.
The Presidents Regiment.
President Roosevelt, who was a National
Guardsman from 1884 until 1888, was once
captain In the Sth Regiment, which Is the
Oldest In the state service and had an
honorable career for more than a century.
In 1888 the officers got to scrapping among
themselves and the regiment was reduced
TO battalion. 1t was reorganized as a
regiment on February IA, 1896. In 1898 1t
was made twelve-comany regiment, en-
tered the service of the United States and
served In the Spanish war.
The present trouble has been brewing
since the late '9Gs. but it Is pretty well
agreed that the crisis came with the cleo
ton of regimental officers held last spring.
There were two candidates for the vacant
lieutenant coionelcy. Colonel James N. Jar
Wis, man was not the choice Of q majority
Of his officers. Major J. f. Kirby got the
job after Colonel Jarvis had held up the
election until headquarters had to inter-
fere
The immediate result Of the fuss was that
Colonel Jarvis subordinates openly limited
that he ought to resign. Major General
Roe, division commander, started an in
vestigation, the upshot Of which was q re-
quest for the resignation Of Colonel Jarvis,
Lietenant Colonel Kirby and Major Ed
wards. The two latter resigned, but Colo
mel Jarvis declined to retire Since then
the discipline and efficiency of the 9Th have
been anything but Joy to the brigade
commander Major General Charles F. Roe
left the solution of the problem to General
Smith General Smith recommended the re-
duction of the regiment to battalion, and
yesterday the governor approved the move
Regimentai reductions have been rare in
the state militia service. The most notable
case of the sort was that of the Goth Regi-
ment, which on December 6, 1893, was
panies. 1t was afterward reconstructed
regiment on September 4, 1895, and is now
in good standing. The Goth Battalion was
the first command of Brigader General
Smith. who for years had been lieutenant
colonel of the 7th.