9th Regiment, Infantry
New York Volunteers

Spanish American War

The discontent among the officers of the Ninth Regiment in the field, which has led to the resignation of six of them, is not surprising to those acquainted with the affairs of that regiment, and only surprise is that the “expected” did not happen sooner. The very day Col. Seward resigned, Col. G. J. Greene, then Assistant Inspector General, journeyed to the camp at Peekskill to accept the position of a field officer offered him in another regiment there. Seeing a chance for higher office he naturally took it when the opportunity came. There was a decided opposition at the time, however, to his being Colonel, but in order not to injure the interests of the Ninth the trouble was smoothed over. Service in the field did not improve between the Colonel and those antagonistic to him, and an officer writing from camp at Chattanooga throws a little light on the unpleasant state of affairs which has existed.

The officer in question says:

“Life in the Ninth is becoming very tiresome, especially when our officers are divided and there is such an opposition to the administration of Col. Greene. Some of us who favored him for Colonelcy now regret our action, but at the time it was thought the life of the organization depended practically upon it, and open opposition would have done no good, as the Governor would have filled the vacancy anyway by appointing members or assistants on his staff who were after office. Greene wanted the place, and got it. It has simply been a case of “too much headquarters.” Our Colonel has been cold toward us, fault-finding, and he has apparently picked out certain of us to visit his displeasures on more than others. I could not begin to enumerate the trifles he picks at us for. On a drill floor in time of peace it would be bad enough, but here in the field, where “common sense” and not “fine points” of book learning should govern, it is surprising. Poor Lorigan is getting it the worst, and I wonder he has stood it so long. He is out of it now, and a number of others will be also. Some of the companies are very bitter at losing their officers, but I hope it will end there. If I am not mistaken, you will see vacancies filled with some of Greene’s friends from up the State, and this we think is part of the game. We are still hoping to leave here every day for Cuba, or Puerto Rico, and oh! let it be soon, when perhaps a change of scene may allay the discontent in our military family. We have a hardy lot of men, finely drilled and seasoned, and I believe will accomplish anything they set out to do. There are about 50,000 troops at Chickamauga, while the population of Chattanooga is only 37,000. You see, our canvas city is larger than theirs. Our camp is in the woods, and we have got rid of nearly all the snakes, lizards, and other creeping things that used to bother us.”

Of the six officers of the Ninth who have resigned, Major George T. Lorigan has been a member of the regiment over twenty-five years, and during the war of the rebellion served with the Eighth New York Militia. Capt. John D. Walton was senior Captain in the regiment, which he joined in 1880. Capt. Arthur M. Tompkins was third senior Captain, and joined the command in 1884. Capt. W. E. Bryde joined the Ninth in 1881, and Lieut. E. J. Winterroth in 1885. Lieut. H. C. Leonhardi joined the regiment in 1890. Of course all these officers have resigned for reasons of “business or disability.”

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