The sun., 1917-09-21
40'RYAN COLONELS
SAFE IN BIG SHIFT
Seventh. 28d, Sd and I'd Regi-
ments to Get Pick Of
Guard Officers.
) SKELETON COMMANDS
Camp Wadsworth Awaits
Shakeup-Gen. Phillips
Now in Charge.
) SKELETON COMMANDS
Special Dsspdfch TO The Sun.

sPARrANBURo. s. c., Sept. 2o.-in the
absence OF Major-Gen. John F. ORyan,
who. according to an order made public
by the War Department to-day. is en-
gagged on a highly important and secret
mission. Brig. Gen. Charles l.. Phillips.
L. 8. A.. IL now In command OF the
Twenty-seventh division.
Gen. Phillips Is 4 seasoned artillery
man and prior to being assigned to
command the artillery brigade Of this
division was in charge OF all such oper-
atoms in the zone extending from Port
land. Me-, to Newport. with headquar-
ters at Boston.
The following temporary assignment
Of officers of the division stan was an
nounced to-day. due to the absence Of
Gen. O'Ryan: Lieut,-Col. Franklin w.
Ward. Adjutant, to be acting Chief Of
stan; Major Allen L. Reagan, Assistant
Adjutant, to be acting Adjutant
Major William H. Allen. Medical
Corps. to-day obtained a ten days leave
| OF absence under exceptional circum-
| stances.
The Colonels OF the four regiments
composing the Fifty-third and Fifty
fourth infantry brigades Of the hrst
line Of the Twenty-seventh Division are
to retain their commands under the
reorganization plan Just affected. There
will be some changes among the Lieu
tenant -Colonels and Majors and many
among the Captains and First and Sec
ond Lieutenants Of these regiments.
General Readjastment Coming.
Before the reorga nixation is executed
| the officer personnel Of the other fve
infantry regiments at present In the d.
| vision but excluded under the new or
der Of things. will be ripped and torn
until they hardly will be recognized.
| Under the readjustment the four In
fantry regiments In the division will be
the 105th. 1o6th, 10Th and l0sth, here
tofore known respectively as the Second.
Third. Seventh and Twenty-third. The
Seventh Is from Manhattan: the Twenty
third. Brooklyn: the Second, Troy, and
| the Third. Rochester. Their commanders
| In the order last named are Col. Willard
c. Fisk. Col. Frank II. Norton Col. James
NJ. Andrews and Col. Edgar S. Jennings
As predicted In THE Sun a few days
ago the biggest shakeup in the history
Of the New York National Guard Is
pending. When the pick Of the officers
Colonels excepted. are taken from the
First. Tenth. Twelfth. Fourteenth and
Seventy-first regiments to hll UP the
four others these commands will be sc
skeletonized that they will have to b
Several hundred privates. and pos.
sibiy non-commissioned officers. will be
taken from each Of these commands tc
brirg the four regiments retained in the
division UP to the highest standard.
Both officers and rnen are completed!
In the dark as to just what officers anG
privates will go. since the commanding
General can do nothing until he receive.
ANAL instructions from the War De
partment as to where officers for thes,
skeletonised regiments are to com,
from.
All Will Stay In Division.
These ave skeletonixed regiments ar,
to remain with the division after all
and not be scattered around among
other divisions as previously indicated
But they will be formed into a depo
unit and will be recognized at once
Instead Of having surplus Of offlcerl
Gen. Phillips now finds that he IL
suffering from a shortage Of Officer
material.
Should the reserve officers now her,
be welded into the vFfty-third and
Fifty-fourth brigades and into the depo
battalions as well tho problem will b.
partially solved. Otherwise there is tn,
possibility OF non-commissioned officer,
now in the nine infantry regiment
being called on to stand their examina
ton for commissions as Second Lieu
tenants. the officers In their respective
commands moving up notch or tw'
in the line Of advancement
| 1t can be authoritatively stated tha
the five skeletonized regiments will
draws their recruits from the conscripts
and these will be brought South as sool
as room can be found for them here.