The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-10-26
HISTORIC REGIMENT.

| one Tennessee regiment-thc First
has been making history this hhndred
years ana more Ut was organized and
commanded by John SEWER, when the
state was merely Tennessee County
OF North Carolina. says the 81 Louis
Globe Democrat. SEWER led it over the
mountains when revolutionary fortunes
were at the lowest ebb. 10 fan upon
Tarloton at tngs Mountain, and turn
a wavering fight into a brilliant victory.
| Twenty years later Andrew Jackson
was its colonel through the b lody In
dian wars thai, broke the power OF
Choctaws Creeks and Cherokees. \ lit
| Tie later Cen. Andrew Jackson posted
| MS Old regiment i'm the very forefront
at the battle Of New Orleans. where,
side by side with the hunters OF Ken
| tucky. its uncrr1g rifles moved down
The redcoats like grass.
AfterWard the First Tennessee slept
upon it's laurcls until there were grum-
blings of war I'm the southwest Many
OF It's original members had gone 10
Texas. but they had left kinsmen "a
Ia nty 20 hi he ranks afresh. The re-
newcd First Tennessee went 10 the
help of "Oli Rough and Ready as
Gen Zachary Taylor was aifectionattly
called. and soon showed that il meant
10 live up 20 IT'S reputation. At Mont
Grey. a walled fortified town which Tay-
Tor was forced 10 cary by assault, tt
was the Fdrst Tennessee which set the
first American flag triumphantly IN the
breach, and what is very much more
% the military purpose. kept IL there
unul it was carried forward.
All through Mexico il went. winning
golden opinions from even the starched
and stately regular army men. when
it came home. after the old fashion, lt
kent up "a sort OF skeleton organization.
\ skeleton the Civil War found il. but
skeleton that quickly took on III and
stl ength. \ state OF war superVened
late in April, I'm May tennessee seced-
ed in Jun thu FIRST Tennessee Idly
brigaded with the Seventh and Four
tr nth regiments. left for Virginia
where the Tennessee brigade was as
signed 10 Lees corps, then operating
IN West Virginia.
The next winter Lee took command
in front Of Richmond. and the Tennes
see brigade became part Of Jackson's
foot cavairys II stayed with him uu-
til his death. bearing reputation for
d sperate and distinguished daring,and
more than once winning special mention
for exercising It, AT Gettysburg IL made
part Of Pickett's charging column. los
ing more than half It's numbers in killed
wounded and prisoners
The cankers, of calm world and a
long peace even, could not destroy the
fighting spirit i'm the famous old First
Regiment. When the Spanish war came
ln SONS and grandsOns and great-gTand
sons of First Regim mt wefI ioyously
nto its ranks. They almost prayed TO be
cent to cuba. The powers that be
hought nit TO send them 10 the Philip
)ines instead. Hut IL was October, 1898,
fore they embarked. and they grum-
lied nightly that the fighting was all
'Ver
Since events have proved their mis-
AXE the regiment has lived up to it's
raditiOns. The regimenkal history has
n autograph letter from Admiral Dew
Y. saying
II am happy to have an opportunity
eXpressIng my admiration OF this |
regiment. its splendid work |
the Philippines i'm actual warfare.
nd of its late colonel"
Cen. Otis adds
Nothing can be said of ft (the First |
ennessee Regimen) which is not COM |
of VI as a military organiza-
on. Next to it's admirable fighting |
1alities, what has impressed me most |
'rcibly Is the universal good feeling |
nd close comradeship which exists |
mong it's members, and the regard |
hich the enlisted men have for their |
hCerS VINO look carefully after their
ants. As an admirable fighting ma
nine it has shown it's excellence, both
ere and at iloilo.'
Col. w. Q Smith. commanding when
le regiment went into action died of |
cart disease uDon the firing line His I
uccessor Col. GraCey Childress. Ken |
lcky-born but by adoption a loyal Ten
essean. will therefore. have the dis
nction Of being the last Of a famous
ne OF colonels, for he is bringing the
egiment home-lt IL expected carly in
n final mastering out. Tn |
er the new order of things the old reg |
nent will lose ITS identity. II is not 1
TRANCE therefore that a history Of il |
now in preparation.