The Irish standard., 1914-04-04

t.sr N0Sa0lS army Or0aulZatlon.
Down at Texas City. Texas, waiting
for the word to cross over the Mexi-
can border, should it be ordered to do
so. is the 22nd regiment of Infantry,
United States Army, one Of its most
notable organizations.
In the opinion of many military men,
this regiment has just completed
record without parallel in the annals
Of our military history, in that it has
completed its second year of continu.
;ous service under canvas in the field,
and it is confidently asserted that
never before during the 139 years that
have elapsed since the battle of Lex
tngton, the first battle Of the war of
American independence, has any regi-
.ment in our service been kept under
canvas for SO long a time, unbroken
at least by occasional periods of life
in houses or barracks.
It Is also believed that the 22nd In.
>fantry holds another record that has
mot been eQualed by any other regi-
'ment in our service, which is: That
never during its existence as a sepa-
rate organization has it remained in
any post for two years undisturbed by
the demands of actual field service,
and the regiment has been. continu.
ously in conflict.
The regiment was first organized un.
der an act Of Congress, June 26, 1912,
at the outbreak of the second war
with Great Britain, and participated in
eight engagements during that war.
Two of its Colonels were killed in &C.
tion-Wykoff and Egbert.
This regiment has had long and &C.
tive service against the Indians on the
western frontier, especially against
Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse in the
Big Horn Mountains in 1877. 1t also
played an important part in the fight
ing around Santiago, incident to the
Cuban campaign, and witnessed its
surrender on July IL, 1898. The Chap
lain of the regiment at this time was
Father Edward FtzGerald, now re.
tired and residing at Avalon, Califor-
,nia-and who was mentioned for dis.
tinguished gallantry in action.
On its return to the United States,
the 22nd regiment sailed for the Phil
:ippines on February 1, 1899, and re-
turned to the States in 1902; and in
1908 was off again to the Philippine
Islands. It returned home in 1905, and
arrived at San Francisco on January
IA. 1906, taking stations on Angel and
Alcatraz Islands, San Francisco Har-
Dor. When the terrible earthquake
and fire occurred in the city of San
Francisco, April 1S, 1906, true to it's
record, the 22nd Infantry went on
duty in the stricken city at a. M, on
April 18, and remained there until
July 10th. On June 20, 1908, the regi-
ment sailed for Alaska, and spent the
following two years garrisoning the
six small posts scattered throughout
Alaska, with detachments continually
in the field repairing and rebuilding
the government telegraph lines.
In July, 1910, the regiment sailed
for the United States, and entrained
at San Francisco for Fort Sam Hous-
ton, Texas, where it arrived on August
z. 1910, and on April II, 1911, it moved
into camp at the maneuver division
camp, Fort Sam Houston, Texas. Its
next station was at Ell Paso, Texas.
The regiment during it's existence
has participated in over $50 battles
and engagements; its loss in killed
and wounded has always been larger
than the average loss of the forces en-
gagged. 1t has generally been the fate
of this Infantry to be near, or to be
called upon whenever trouble threat
ens-and should they be ordered
across the border, the regimental mot
to, Deeds Not Words" will be lived
up to.
The present chaplain of the regi-
ment is another Catholic priest, Faith
er Joseph G. Kennedy, native of Mis-
souri,, and who was appointed to the
Army from Oregon.
Clergy Plan Official Visit to Rome.