The Glasgow courier. [volume] (Glasgow, Mont.) 1913-current, 1919-06-06
18TH The HARD LUCK
REGIMENT OF The ARMY
Historic Outfit Never Got to Go
Across to Fight Huns-MOntana
Men Among Them.

Washington, May 31.-Here is the
story of the hardest-luck regiment of
the war, the famous old 18th infan-
try, n Of the oldest regiments in the
country. It's hard luck consists of the
fact that it never got to fight in
France, much to the grief of it's SOL
diers, who come from Montana, Texas,
Oklahoma, California, Washington,
Oregon, Idaho, Colorado, Utah, Ariz-
ona, New Mexico and Illinois.
The 18th infantry dates is organ
ization back to 1893. Although these
men had behind them the training and
the traditions of a. hard-fighting reg
iment and counted confidently on their
share of the glory in France, but they
had no opportunity to go across. They
were halted heart-breakingly at the
port of embarkation on the eve of de-
parture. The Germans had had
enough.
Nevertheless, former President
Taft says it should not be forgotten
that the army who never had a chance
to go over, as we'll as the men in the
trenches, helped win the war. In a
preface just issued by the regiment,
he says in part:
"Nor should these typically Amer
lean boys and their commander allow
themselves to feel that they did not
take part in winning this war. The
Germans showed a yellow streak in
not fighting the war through to the
end. They surrendered in anticipa-
ton of the just punishment they and
their country would have suffered by
being subjected to the devastation Of
war had they further resisted. They
did not further resist because they
knew that the United States had
1000, 900 men on French soil and
100000 at home who were being
fastened by the hundreds of thous-
ands to the front and that with these
reinforcements defeat was as certain
for them as if they accepted it by
immediate surrender. The army of
the United States was a unit. Those
who were in front were strengthened,
protected and given weight by those
who were back of the front. Every
man in khaki was part of the forces
that won the war. The 18th regular
infantry was a unit in the army of the
republic and carries the laurels of
the victory"
In 1912.
The history of the 18th infantry is
the history Of the American army
They fought in the war of 1872, at
one time carrying their colors vic
~toriously into Canada. Later they
were present at the battle of Fort
McHenry, when Mexico City surrend-
cred to General Scott, the regimenta
colors were again carried VIGOROUSLY
into the land of the enemy. At the
opening of the civil war the 18th in
fantry was ~reorganized by persona
decree of President Lincoln and made
part of the army of the Potamac.
The conquest of the west is the
most picturesque phase of the life
of this regiment. Its activities were
Arizona, the Sioux in Montana, Mo
docs in Oregon and California; the!
varied. They fought the Apaches il
built telegraph lines in the grea
southwest, did patrol duty in the In
dian Territory, and were called TO
duty in the great railway strike il
Chicago.
War With Spain.
During the war with Spain, tn
18th was at the front in the battle
of Ell Caney and San Juan Hill. Late
they were ordered to the Philippin
Islands and took part in the guerilla
warfare there.
When the United States entere'
the great wal in 1917, the 18th, jus
returned from service on the border
was raised to war strength by me-
transferred to it's ranks under tn
CONSUMPTION act and trained at Cam,
Fremont. When 1000 Texans, Okla
Romans, Montanans and lllinolsan
were sent away with the Siberian eS
petition it was again raised to wa
strength and kept at intensive train
ing while awaiting for orders to en-
train for the port of embarkatior
They came the third week in October
1916. By the time they had reache
the embarkation port the orders wer
%rescinded.
Most of the large book just issue
deals with life at Camp Fremont. Tn
description of the different forms G
training are wildly and humorousl
given by the men in the regiment VIII
wrote the history. The following II
structions of the regimental bayone
instructor are given:
Can you hear me, man? The fir:
thing about bayonet drill is to /
hard. Look hard. Look like ma
Look so hard that when a Hun see
you he will get scared and run.