The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-06-18

Page, Third United States infantry,
upon the Birth of the Regular Army
During Revolutionary Days." was in
teresting, as he commands the oldest
continuous military organization in the
United States. He said:
Our continental congress realized
that troops of long service, in the pay
of, and commissioned by the general
government were a necessity, and laws
were passed, bringing into existence
the continentals. Washington was
made general of the army and given
subordfnates, subject to his orders, and
the laws Of congress- Uniform regula-
lions and stringent articles of war,
copied for the most part from the
English code, governed the discipline Of
the new troops. They improved in
moral and staying qualities.
Congress had become so accustomed
to state of war, they forgot there
might be an end to it, and made no
provisions for an army in time of peace.
They found, as trustees of the people,
large amount of property on their
hands, belonging to all people of the
United States, purchased with funds
raised by general taxation. 1t was
their duty to take care of it, and it
being war material, soldiers were the
proper guardians.
"A regular army was distasteful to
the American population. AS L have
already mentioned, the British regulars
were the bugaboos of the land, repre-
senting crowned heads, and considered
dangerous to the liberties of a free
people. 1t never occurred to Them that
American regulars would be volunteers,
and We're of, and from the people; that
they were simply professional soldiers,
educated and trained for their chosen
vocation. So congress directed the
discharge Of the continentals, except
twenty five enlisted men at Fort Pitt,
and fifty-fiye with three officers at West
Point, no officer to be above the rank
of captain, to be retained in the employ
of the government, to take care Of ar
SenalS, powder mills and magazines,
forts, guns and other general property
OF the common country. Here we have
the birth, the nest egg of abe regular
army Of the United States.
1.-THE stock of war material on
hand was SO large the small force
of continentals was soon increased to
properly take care of it. Distinguished
officers of the Revolution were selected
to command this increased force More
men were needed to man the forts, they
were authorized, and were called ar
tlllerists. Works had to be kept in re-
rair and completed. A corps Of en-
gineers was created. Before long, there
was regiment, so a colonel was COM
mfssiOned. All this military organiza-
ton was known to the people as con-
tinentals, with which they were
familiar
THE governors or states furnished
their quotas, for this army of peace,
but had no control over it, but might,
under the laws, be troublesome if their
inclination was to be cantankerous
Cur frontier was in contact with Eng
lands, congress saw the necessity of
an educated and professional army.
Subject to orders from the general gov
eminent, and free from the influences
of governors. So they named the fif-
teen hundred continentals then in the
service, the Sub Legion, a name that
is meaningless. It did not convey an
idea that it meant !, 500 regular profess
slonal soldiers, or they would have
scented danger in the air to their Hber-
ties. Finally congress passed the bill
creating standing army, entirely I'M
der the control Of the general govern
ment. They authorized the raising Of
three regiments of infantry The sub
legion that started with the few con-
tlnentals at Fort Pitt and West Point
and was added to from time to time,
were assigned the number three and
became the Third United States IN
fantry'
1T is now stationed at Fort Shell
ing, equi-distant and between your
Twin Cities, and is the oldest contin-
uous military organization in the Unit
ed States"