The Washington herald., 1909-06-21
Regulars and Volunteers.

Editor The Washington Herald:
President Taft on the field of Gettys-
burg Memorial Day IN paying a glowing
tribute 20 the vaIor OF the regular SOL
diers stated that 20 the regulars engaged
IN that fight the Union army was indebted
Tor the victory.
Here are his exact words.
More than half this army was engaged
IN the battle Of Gettysburg. Time does
not permit me 10 mention the names OF
the heroes Of the regular army whose
blood stained the historic field and whose
sacrifices made the Union victory pos
Bible"
Tho President stated that about half OF
the standing army OF 5000 men fought at
Gettysburg. and to the 1850 regulars the
nation is indebted for that glorious VIC
tory Of the pivotal battle OF the war,
The writer did not participate in the
battle Of Gettysburg. being al the time
too young 20 bear arms. I learn for the
first tine from the lips Of the President
Of the United States that 1880 regulars
made the Union victory possible" 7
have heard the generals. colonels. and
thousands OF the private soldiers who did
participate in that battle speak Of the
events Of the great contest and crushing
of Lees magnificent columns. but never
heard either from the lips Of Gen Sickles
or Private Miles O'Reilly. not even from
Corporal Tanner. that the Union army
was indebted for its victory to a handful
Of regular soldiers; which goes to prove
that the history Of the great conflict
has yet 10 be written
Now, I am second TO no one IN admlra-
ton OF the regular army and its splendid
record. especially in the West. although
the citizen frontiersmen Will assert that
half q dozen OF their number could find
fight, and whip more Indians than a COM
pany Of regulars. I do protest, however
against the latter-day tendency in high
quarters 10 minimize the services OF the
gallant youths who left the farm. the
forge, and the factory at the call OF the
immortal Lincoln (whom Mr. Taft failed
10 mention IN his Gettysburg address).
and who in their hundreds OF thousands
nay. their millions-sprang to arms 70
save. and did save. the republic without
the aid, example, or assistance OF either
regular army officer or soldier
In the brigade I served First Brigade.
First division. Ninth COrps) in the battle
OF the Wilderness there were two regular
army regiments, the Fourth and Tenth
Infantry. They occupied the left flank
and my regiment touched elbows with
them. At precisely the critical point of
the battle, when we young volunteer SOL
diers were shouting Advanced advance
being anxious 10 close with the enemy.
these two regular regiments broke and
ran, leaving our flank exposed 70 the foe
I never saw or heard Of a regular sol
oier after that sanguinary fight The ex-
periences OF all the former volunteer Of
hcers and soldiers with the regular sol
dierS in the civil war that ! ever heard
speak at camp fire or reunion never as
cribed even a skirmish line victory 10 tbe
handful OF professional soldiers in the
service Of the United States And this IS
not by any means a reflection on the
valor Of the regular soldier. but stata-
ment OF fact on their Insignificant num-
bers. Numerically speaking, they counted
for no more on the firing line than the
camp followers who helped us do the
cheering after a fight and victory.
This, I repeat. is no reflection on the pro-
fessionaI soldiers. but a challenge to
those who win assert that either numert-
cally as a fighting equation or in patriot
ism there can be any comparison between
the man who enlists TO follow the pursuit.
Of arms and the citizen volunteer who
takes up arms in defense OF his country
and its institutions.
I cannot help but reflect that II our
President had but put one former Union
soldier In his Cabinet and one less former
Confederate. he would see the battles and
the results Of the civil war from the view
pJlIIS- - the former Union veteran To
clinch the contention here set forth OF
the utter inslgnihcance OF the regular
soldier az Gettysburg I quote the follow
Ing from the monument dedicated to their