The Washington herald., 1910-04-03

Spokane, Wash. April 2-highly dis
tingulshed in action and Oldest in service
in the United States army is the Fight
ing Third" Regiment, infantry. now on
duty at Turang. in the Philippines. Eight
companies of the First and Third bat
tallons were stationed at Fort George
Wright three miles west of Spokane,
Lieut.. Col Lea Febige. cOmmandant
and four companies under Col 7. {.
Woodbury. at the regimental post. Fort
Lawton, before leaving for the island pos
sessions.
The regiment participated in many i'm
rortant campaigns and uprisings. begin
ming with the protection of the Western
f.cnters more than a century ago. sery-
ins also with distinction in the war with
the Seminole Indians, in the Mexican and
civil wars, taking a prominent part in the
first Bull Run campaign. 1t assisted in
the opening of Territories in the South
west and Northwest. suppressed Indian
uprlsings and railroad riots in various
parts of the United States. assisted in
putting down the guerrilla warfare on
the South Atlantic and Pacific islands,
and did duty in Alaska, whence it came
to the State Of Washington. three years
ago, after the longest and hardest march
in the armys history
Orr nniEed in 17S4.
The organization dates back to 1884,.
when. because the finances Of the nation
were exhausted. Congress disbanded all
that remained of the Continental army.
save one battery of eighty men at West
Point. as guard for the public stores.
Several months afterward Congress re-
solved that it was necessary 10 raise a
body OF 700 troops by States, composed
OF infantry and artillery, 10 protect the
Northwestern frontiers. The following
year the organization was defined and
designated as national body.
The Third Regiment. organized under
the act of March 3, 1872, came into being
at Pittsburg headquarters of the Legion
of the United States, September 4, 1892
under direct charge Of Mai. Gen. An
thOny Wayne. commander-in-chief. 4
week later It was given its marks OF
yellow bindings TO the caps. yellow
plumes. and black hair" which colors
are to-day borne in the regimental in
sigma. The regiment accompanied Gen.
Wayne on his successful campaign
against the Indians In 1854. The regiment
was stationed along the Northwestern
frontier until 1900. was discharged in 1902,
and remained out of service until its re-
organization in 1SOS. with Col. Pasteur as
it's first colonel He was succeeded in 1slo
by Col William Dent Bean. whose de-
scendants In the army had much to do
with the opening OF the Inland Empire,
as the Spokane country IS now known.
Served Under Gen. Jackson.
During the war of 1872 the regiment
served in the South, principally against
Indians. and part of it was with Gen.
Jackson at the taking OF Pensacola, Fla,
in 1914
Col John Miller. OF the Seventeenth,
was retained as colonel of the Third regi-
ment and Mai. Charles K. Gardner. au-
thor Of the designation of companies by
the first letters Of the alphabet, became
major Of the regiment. He was succeed
ed the following year by Maj. Zachary
Taylor afterward President Of the Unit
ed States
The regiment was moved from the Lake
region in 1876, going 20 Missouri under its
new colonel. Henry LeavenwoTth. after
whom the city and fort in Kansas are
named, and constructed a new post at St,
Louis, the present jefferson Barracks.
-Four companies under Col LeaTenwOrth
assembled the Missouri River in 1877 to
select a site for new post. which result
ed in the present Fort Leavenworth.
l.. a. -
served in the Southwest, along the Dor
ders of what is now the State OF Texas.
and during that time the companies were
almost continuously on the march. doing
service of various kinds. including the
building of military roads through the
wilderness and opening rivers for naviga-
ton. with occasional expeditions against
the Indians and other work incidental TO
the frontier Of that period.
Watches Mexican Border.
The regiment was employed during part
of 1896 in watching the revolution in the
Mexican province of Texas with the idea
OF extending aid. Happily. the success of
the Texans at the battle of San Jacinto
obviated any further action.
In 1910 the entire regiment proceeded by
transport 10 Fort Brook, Tampa Bay,
Fla. where for the next two and a half
years It bore its full share of the hard
ships and arduous duties incident to the
war with the Seminole Indians. During
it's service there the regiment lost three
men killed and three officers and sixty
Eve men from disease and hardships.
In the spring of 1874 the Third Regi-
ment. with others, was concentrated on
h. Ir,-e nh
of the army of observation" under Brig.
Gen. Zachary Taylor. its former major.
The regiment was soon after moved into
Texas and took part In the actions OPP
posite Matamoras, participating in the
battles of Palo Alto and Resaca de Ia
Pelma It accompanied the advance on
Monterey. forming part of the assaulting
column upon Camargo. In these two en-
gagements Mai. William Lear. regimental
commander, and five officers and a pro-
pOrtionate number Of enlisted men were
killed. Following the surrender of Mon
terey. the regiment was moved to the vi
entity of Vera Cruz, where it took part In
the siege and capture of that city.
First 10 March ON City of Mexico.
The Third Infantry, as part of Gen.
Twiggs' division (Gen. Persifer F. Smiths
brigade), was the first to leave Vera Cruz
on that brilliant and remarkable march
to the City of Mexico, during which there
was not even a skirmish in which Ameri-
can troops were not victorious and al
ways against greatly superior numbers
posted in strong works and natural de-
lenses
The regiment formed part of the adj
vance on the City Of Mexico, participant
ing with great credit in all the engage
nents that followed, and at Churubusco
particularly distinguishing itself in the
assault on the citadel. a strongly forth
fed convent. The ever-gallant Buff
Sticks" a designation by which the regi-
rIent was universally known. on account
u. Il. u