The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-06-20
MAKING GOOD SOLDIERS
Praise for the Montana Troops
of Cavalry.
THEY ARE THE REAL THING
Not Pets OF Society Like Teddy Roose-
velt's Boys, but Men From b
Plains. Sure Shot and
Rough Riders.

Missoula, June 19.-The everydayness
of the Missoula troop that Joined the
Grigsby rough riders was the fact that
led so many who saw the boys and
their early work 10 feel that h boys
characteristic seems to pervade the
whole command for the Eastern critics
who have been writing about the trop
have all said that the regiment is by
far the NOSE serviceable of all the vol
unteer riders that have shown up at
the Eastern rendezvous. The corre-
spondent of the New York Herald, in
GERS. has the following to say. which
will be interesting to the friends of the
Missoula troopers:
n of the most spectacular incl
dents of the var with Spain has been
provided by Teddy" Roosevelt and his
band of trough riders" Dispatches
from the South TEEN with the doings of
the strange conglomeration of Fifth
avenue dudes and so-called cowboys
until one grows heartily sick of it all.
When Colonel Roosevelt resigned his
ItSDOISIOIG pObt aS
OF the navy to raise his BAL of terrible
warriors, the more conservative of his
friends did not hesitate to indulge In
hostile criticism. They argued, and not
without good grounds. that 1t was. to
use a bit of expressive slang. a grand
stand play"
And we in New York have grown
quite hysterical over the doings of the
redoubtable Teddy and his kid
gloved cohorts, unless, perchance, we
have been gifted with a sense of humor,
in which event we have been quietly
amused. But there are many of us
who take Teddy" and his rough riders
quite seriously. not realizing that down
at Chickamauga, eagerly awaiting an
opportunity to get into the fighting. is
another ban of rough riders. who are
just exactly what they seem to be.
l refer to Col. Milt Grigsby's troop OF
volunteer cavalry. consisting of SAC
genuine Simon Pure cowboys and
plainsmen. They are perhaps not as
pretty as Roosevelt's nets. They are
big, bronzed fellows. every one a born
horseman n "A dead shot. every one
used to exposure and hardened by
years of life on the plains. Many OF
them hav records as Indian fighters
and all are imbued with an intense
patriotism.
There are no Wallets i'm the camp OF
Colonel Grigsby's Third regiment a
Chickamauga. There are no golf sticks
and polo clubs to be kept in order. Th'
society reporter would pass this cam
of plainsmen by with a sniff of disdain
And yet there are men there, from IN
colonel down to the most obscure troop
err, who have records to be proud of
and who have in them the stuff tina
heroes are made of.
There are no pampered sons of tn
rich In this outfit. These men do no
look pom their enlistment as a holida!
jaunt. They are there to fight. not a
posers. and the fighting can't begin an,
too soo to suit them.
You true Westerner can only b
commanded by a man for whom ne ha
the respect born of superiority. And Il
Colonel Grigsby they have "A man Il
whom that respect is very deep rooted
Although comparatively a young ma
his life has been filed with adventure
A. the close of the civil war. throug
which he fought with distinction, h
went to Dakota and grew up with tn
country. He has seen II i'm its mos
lawless days. For % years he has re
sided In the state, and is at present at
torpey general of South Dakota.
During the civil war he was once
prisoner at Andersonville and twice
prisoner at the equally horrible prise
pen at Florence, s. G. On both occas
ions he escaped. being recaptured tn
first time after having spent 35 days |
the swamps His sobriquet, 18th
Smoked Yank." was given him afte
he reached Sherman's army. because
his grimy face. the result OF long eS
posture and the SCOT Of many solitar
campfires in the wilderness. At tn
conclusion of the war he wrote a boo
OF his experiences which he called "Tf
Smoked Yank."
The regiment is differed by men a
OF whom have made names for then
selves in the West. Lieutenant Co
onel Floyd of Helena, Mont, Is a grat
uate Of West Point who has passt
through many exciting Indian can
palgns. Major Leigh II. French. ii
senior major of the regiment, is
Washington urgeon but he has spel
most of his life i'm the West. Durir
the last few years. however, he h,
l been hunting big game In the Junsl'
of Africa.