talion
occupied a position with the signal and engineer corps and hospital,
near corps headquarters.

When the Peace Jubilee was held in Philadelphia, the battalion was one
of the representative commands from the Second Army Corps, being given
the place of honor in the corps in the parade, following immediately
General Graham and staff. When the corps was ordered South the
battalion was assigned to the Second Brigade under Brigadier-General
Ames. The battalion left Camp Meade November 17. Up to this time it
had done the guard duty of corps headquarters and was complimented for
its efficient work by the commanding general. The battalion arrived
in Summerville, S.C., November 21, 1898. It was brigaded with the
Fourteenth Pennsylvania and Third Connecticut.

When the battalion arrived in the South the white citizens were not at
all favorably disposed toward colored soldiers, and it must be said
that the reception was not cordial. But by their orderly conduct and
soldierly behavior the men soon won the respect of all, and the
battalion was well treated before it left. November 28-29 Major Philip
Reade, Inspector General First Division, Second Army Corps, inspected
the Ninth Battalion, beginning his duties in that brigade with this
inspection. He complimented the battalion for its work both from a
practical and theoretical standpoint. Coming to the Fourteenth
Pennsylvania he required them to go through certain movements in the
extended order drill which not being done entirely to his
satisfaction, he sent his orderly to the commanding officer of the
Ninth Battalion, requesting him to have his command on the drill
ground at once. The battalion fell in and marched to the ground and
when presented to the Inspector orders were given for it to go through
with certain movements in the extended order drill in the presence of
the Pennsylvania regiment. This done, the Inspector dismissed the
battalion, highly complimenting Major Young on the efficiency of his
command. Just after the visit of the Inspector General, General S.B.M.
Young, commanding the Second Army Corps, visited Camp Marion. Orders
were sent to Major Young one morning to have his battalion fall in at
once, as the General desired to have them drill. By his command the
battalion went through the setting-up exercises and battalion drill in
close and extended order. The General was so well pleased with the
drill that the battalion was exempted from all work during the
r