Phoenix weekly herald. [volume] (Phoenix, Maricopa County, Ariz. Territory) 1896-1899, 1898-11-17
McCoRD'S REGIMENT.
The Finest Body of Men now in the
South.

| In the Sunday Leader of Lexington.
Kentucky. of a week ago, appears a
most interesting account of the First
| Territorial Regiment Gov. McCord' s
regiment. of nearly n page in length.
| giving a history of the organi2a ton of
each company and of the regiment.
| From it we have space only for the
following interesting excerpt The
| regiment left Lexington on Saturday
last for Albany. Georgia. and it is ex.
pected that it will be inCuba soon af-
ter the first of December. The clip
ping is as follows:
"The nation owes the little terrific
res of the southwest a boundless debt
of gratitude Being partially stripped
of their youth by the Presidents first
call. it was not an easy matter for the
territories to furnish tlle number and
character of men demanded for the
territorial regiment. In forming the
organization 1T was found necessary to
appease the demands for commissions
of four governors and placate a horde
of politicians who desired relatives and
friends promoted in nlilitery careers.
Governor McCord. a man possess
ing rare tact. unquestioned executive
ability. and great popularity. was the
one for the task above all others He
tism by placing his son in the ranks
as a private, and before the Rough
Riders were in the field had accom-
pIished the work of recruiting the dis
tinctive Territorial Regiment.
1.-THE people of the southwest expect |
ed much of their gift to the government
bit the abrupt ending of the war pre-
vented their fond hopes from being |
realized. While the big Four" was
being uniformed and equipped the bat
ties of FL Caney Las Guasimas and |
Santiago were fought. Another bloody I
page was written in the history of war
and the book closed. But the dawn of
peace did not terminate the usefulness
of this remarka bic regiment, for it is
now destined to perform a Herculean
task in the territories wrested from
the vanquished foe.
''In the original plans the regiment
was intended for service in Manila
where it was expected TO perform n
duty similar to that executed in Cuba
by their fearless brothers. the Rough
Riders. 1t was to become in a sense.
a free lance regiment. unattached TO
any brigade or division By reason of
the fact that the men are superb horse
men, excellent rife and pistol shots.
and are imbued with that spirit of
bravery and recklessness which char
acterizes westerners who live Oh
horseback, and defy the elements by
sleeping in the open air, they are emf
nently fitted for such distinctive duty
''As an evidence or their superior
attributes, the men average
feet 10 inches in height and many
have never taken a dose of medicine
in their lives. There is plentiful
sprinkling of six footers'' in the COM
mand. Although suffering the usual
of camp life incident to equip
ing volunteer regiments, and being
quartered in places where typhoid few
err was later declared epidemic the
regiment has lost but three members
and the general health of the men is
now above par.
at was thought that the low altitude
and damp atmosphere of the eastern
camps would have a disastrous effect
but the reverse is the case From n
total of 1,22O men, 1,1O7 are reporting
for daily duty. After deducting those
fuTloughed. etc, it is shown that the
sick list carries an average of men
from each company of 1O6 Many of
those marked sick are laid up from
bruises sustained while playing foot
bail. boxing, wrestling and indulging j.,
In other athletic sports.