The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-07-10
Rumored at Fort Smelling That.
Col. Williams and His Men
Must Soon-Leave Minnesota
Post Regiment. According
to Gossip, Is to Go Into Cam
comments at the Presidio,
San Francisco, and Later Sail
for the Philippines

1t is rumored at Fort Smelling that
the Twenty-f1rst infantry, two battal-
ions of which now constitute the larger
part Of the garrison, must soon leave
Minnesota on its way to the Philip
pines. So far as details are provided
by the gossips, the regiment is to start
from Minnesota this fall and go into
environments at the Preside, San
Francisco. About next March it is to
return to the Philippines for tour Of
two or three years in the islands.
AT Washington last night Gen. Aims
worth, the military secretary of the
war department, Informed The
Clio b e correspondent. that the Nine.
teenth and Twenty-first regiments Of
dered to the Philippines. The Twenty
first, however, would not go before next
spring.
Il shouldn't be surprised if the re-
port had basis of fact" said an off,
Ger at the fort last night, though I've
heard nothing but talk on the subject.
We were expecting to leave within
year, and we have been in the States
more than two years already.
IT'S been proposed that a definite
term of foreign service be established
in the army; that we spend two years
in the Philippines and then four years
at home But the plan has never been
carried out. In fact, some other regi-
ments, notably the Seventeenth infan
try, had to go back to the islands after
remaining here less than two years.
The Seventeenth was at home only
eighteen months. If we don't leave
San Francisco until next spring we
shall consider ourselves lucky.
There are eight companies Of the
Twenty first here, two at Fort Lin
coin, N. D., and two at Fort K@ogh,
Mont. All the invalids that came back
| from the Philippiace nave recovered or
left the service, and not more than
IL per cent of the enlisted men have
seen any service in the islands. The
men have now had two years target
| practice and are all well trained The
| only pity is. that, the enlistments of
SO many competent soldiers will ex-
pire next year. before we start back"
History of Twenty first
When first organized, in May, 1861.
the TWenty-hrst infantry was the Sec
ond battalion of the Thirteenth in
fantry. After the Civil war, however,
In September, 1866, that battalion was
designated the Twenty-first infantry.
Inc same year the regiment saw
service against Indians in Arizona and
New Mexico, and was transferred in
the early '70s to oregon and Washing
ton. 1t followed Gen. Howard in the
Nez Perces outbreak of 1877, and
Gen. Miles in the Bannock troubles of
1878. The Twenty-first fought against
the southern Cheyennes in 1885. 1t
participated in the campaign against
Sitting Bulls Sioux during 1890 ard
1891 in Nebraska and South Dakota.
The next year several companies
went East and in 1894 the whole regi-
ment was concentrated at Pittsburgh
Barracks, N. Y, on the shores of Lake
Champlain. During two seasons that
President Mckinley and his family
spent the summer at the Hotel Cham
plain the Twenty-frst became much
attached to the president. 1t received
from Gen. Alger a flag which was
practically a gift from the ladies of
McKinley's cabinet. The same flag ex-
cited much attention when it was car
rled by the Twenty first at Manila,
during the memorial services held
there after the presidents death.
The Twenty-first took a brilliant role
IN the campaign against Santiago.