New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-09-12
Guardsmen Expect New
System to Wipe Out
Old Commands
Many Officers to Go
Camp Wadsworth Fighting
Units To Be Made Over on
Allies Plans
tStar Correspondencel


The approved plan under which the
9th Division will be reorganized TO
conform with the Allies standards was
received at Spsrtanburg from Washing
ton to-day, signed and sealed, and Sc
GREETED IN the headquarters safe. Not a
detail will be officially divulged until
the War Department authorizes publ
cation Of the plan, but parts of the
programme have leaked out, and there
is not an officer in the division who is
not thoroughly assured that the knell
has been tolled over the National Guard.
Not only are they convinced that
long stsrdng traditions and associa-
tons will be wiped out by the new
system, but May who have seen years
Of service in the Guard are trying to
reconcile themselves 10 losing their
commands. That scores Of officers, from
colonies down to second leutenants,
, VIII be eliminated from the organizs-
non under the reconstruction plan is
certain, and entire regiments, whose
I histories are a record OF proud achieve
ments, may be disbanded and swallowed
/ up IN the operation OF reorganization.
MANY Changes Planned
The following outline Of the reor-
gahiLatlon plan wa. received from a
source OF unquesticnsble authority:
There are nine infantry regiments,
with total OF l8,01s men in the pres
ent organization. OF three brigadier
posts in the division. only two are at
present occupied. Three brigadier gem
erals were nominated 10 commands in
. this division, but only two were con-
frmed BIZ the Senate. The infantry Is
now differed by nine colonies, nine
Lieutenant colonels, twenty-seven ma
jors. l0S captains, lO8 first lieutenants
and los second lieutensnts.
Under the new plan of organization
there will be four infantry regiments,
tota!ling l4,400 men. There will be two
instead of three regiments in a brigade
and two instead Of three brigades in
the division. The division will be Of
ficered by , brigadier generals. 4
colonies, Lieutenant colonies, 10 ma
jors, 81 captains, 81 first lieutenants
and 81 second lleutenants.
The following number Of officers will
have to be dropped: colonies, lieu
tenant colonies, 10 majors, 10 captains.
10 first lieutenants and 10 second lieu
tenants. Owing to the fact that only
two of the three brigadier posts are
occupied, there will be no change in
! the leadership.
Little Change in Artillery
Under the existing organization
there are three regiments of artillery
comprising 1870 men and al officers.
There will be little change under the
new plan, which provides for one bril-
gade of artillery commanded by Major
General c. +. Phillips, U. S. A.. and
consisting Of the lst and I'd Field Ar
tillery, equipped with three-inch guns,
and the Sd Heavy Artillery, formerly
the 65th Infantry, with headquarters
in Buffalo, equipped with Al guns.
In addition 20 the artillery brigade,
there will be numerous trench mortar
batteries, which will have weapons Of
a new and more powerful type than
were ever previously used in the United
States army. They will be manned BY
the 3,6l8 troopers who will be left
over from the infantry after it is re-
organized, and they will be detailed
70 the various regiments.
The total strength Of the line troops
in the division under the new organiza-
ton will be 1S,4ll men. To these must
be added the headquarters train, head
quarters troop. military police, supply
train, ammunition train, LIST, "a, 80
and 4th field hospitals, the lst, I'd. Sd
and 4th ambulance companies, the
headquarters ambulance company and
the LIST Field Bakery.
Reorganization Next Week
The actual work OF reorganization
will be in full swing by the beginning
If next week. when several infantry
regiments will have arrived. The TIN
is due to arrive here Thursday, and the
18th on Friday. By Sunday it IS eX-
pected that the I'd Infantry. from Troy,
\. y. and the Sd, from Buffalo, Will
have reached here.
The lst Squadron Of the lst Cavalry
also is due at that time. This squad
ron and Squadron A, as has ALREADY
been announced. will be dismounted
and thei, horses will be used by the
military police The csvalrymen Will
be turned into machine-gun companies.
General Organ was sworn IN to-day
as major general in the new National
Army. The oath was administered at
headquarters BY Major j. Leslie Kin