New-York tribune. [volume], December 01, 1901, Page 9, Image 35

About New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924

Image provided by: Library of Congress, Washington, DC

                
[JIMENT ARMORY.
LL 5
NEW-YORK TRIBUNE ILLUSTRATED SUPPLEMENT.
COMPANY B ROOM (THE OLD "VARIAN GUARDS").
THE COLONEL'S ROOM.
Colonel J. M. Varian, again enlisted and did
duty at Baltimore. Fort Monroe. Fort Wood,
Hampton, Torktown and Point Lookout. The
third enlistment of the regiment took place on
June 17, 1863, and when the men returned to
New- York they were sent to the arsenal, and
performed forty-two days' duty during the draft
riots.
These services to the State and the nation
gave the Bth a lii^h standing, and it was tailed
upon on ill occasions when military escort was
required, and always attracted favorable notice.
In December, 18G6, William S. Carr was elected
to succeed Colonel Varian, who had been chosi n
brigadier general of the Third Brigade.
The Washington Gray Troop, a cavalry or
ganization which bad for years been a part of
the Bth, was transferred to the First Brigade
of Cavalry in January, 1567, and with this
move the Bth Regiment became for the tirst
time an infantry organizati >n, with no artillery
or cavalry annex. When the Orange riots took
plan- ii July, lsTl. the Bth Regimen! was or
dered on duty, and was the last regiment to
be reli<-\ •■ ■!.
In October, ISG9, Lieutenant Colonel George
D. Scott was elected colonel. He had been a
member of the regiment sine- July. 1857, when
he enlisted as a private. He remained in com
mand of the Sth until December 28, 1594, and
is still the idol of the regiment
In its early days the Sth, like other military
bodies in New-York, had meeting and drill
rooms which were only large enough for com
pany use. Its first large armory was in Centre
fIKNKK.U. "ROE P. SCOTT.
Tho oldest living colonel of the Eighth Regiment.
Murk' t. an < 1 frurii ■';.:■■ I i . . ■ regiment moved
to .. more rn<mi< "mm.- In '•" vt-nty-third St. In
February, 1 7S ihls armory was destroyed by
fire, nd all th' d« cumentary history of the old
regiment, its trophies and its relics were de
stroyed. Nothing was saved except the color?.
and for that reason there is little "f the antique
to be seen In th.- present beautiful home of the
Sth. The command was reduced to a battalion
in December, ! v '.'.'l, but was readmitted •■ the
sisterhood of regiments in February, 1 ■'■' ; . and
its popular major, Henry Chaiim-ey, jr.. was
elected colonel. Under him the regiment went
to Camp Townsend at, the outbreak of the war
with Spain and he was its commander while
it was stationed at Camp Thomas,. in Chicka
mauga Park, tleorgia. While at Chickamauga
the regimental athletic team won the tirst prize
In a contest ■■;•■ to all commands. There were
i;- 1 ■ i .ii troops encamped there it the time, and
the silver cup which was brought back from
that tie Id is one < '• the. highly p:';;-.. d possessions
of the n giinent.
The retirement cf Colonel Chnuncej ivas a
blow t.. tii.- Sth ■ mi-lit, and his death caused
sincere mourning in the command which In lid
much to elevate. li.- was succeeded by the
present coii-iiiander, Colonel James Morgan .Jar
vis, who was elected on January -•>. 1 *■'••'•'
The (in in rs of the Sth Regiment are proud
of the regiment's historj and its good standing;
they take a just pride in their hand nine armory
and the silver rings which are carried mi the
lanes of their colors. The include "ii the na
tional colors Fort Oansevoort, lvl'-':l v l'-': Fort «!rei lie,
IML'. Washington, April, I »M; Bull Run, July
I'l, ISIil; Vi.rktbwr;, INil'; Gettysburg campaign,
1st;:;; Spanish-American War, l>'.iV
on the State colors: Flour ri"t, isa«; stone
cutters' riot, Is-""';I s -""'; great fire. New-York, is IT.;
Astor Place riot, 1SI0; police riot, IS.">7: "Dead
Rabbit" riot, IS-"; Sepoy riot, IS.V; Caiup Cor
coran Legion, IS<»-: Draft Riots, l '''">: Orange
riots. 1S71: Syracuse, isTT: Bro .klyn. I.SBH;.
Hut there is one point in the regimental his
tory which the in. -nil- n< •• r fail to mention
which seems to outweigh in importance all others
at the present time, and thai is the fact that
President Roosevelt served his apprenticeship
as a military man in the Sth. He was .i second
lieutenant in Company Ii in ISS2, advanced to
the rank of tirst lieutenant n year later, and
when ire signed from the command he was the
captain of his company. Men who were in the
regiment at that time sa> that he was a pains
taking ..tii. r who kn ■« the value of discipline,
and showed at that time that he knew how to
carry out Ihe commands of his superiors and
how to enforce obedience to those which he
Issued.
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