It is with feelings of pride and national patriotism we have watched
through many a stormy year the steady growth and accomplishments of our
immortal Army, whose splendid display of true valor and military
discipline has attracted the attention and well-deserved admiration of
all nations through the universe, whether exhibited on the expansive
parade ground, under the balmy, azure blue skies of our Western
Continent, of perpetual freedom, or on the far away "Eastern Isles,"
under the warm rays of the tropical sun, where many a true and
stout-hearted son of "Fair Columbia" has sacrificed his young life for
his country's cause. And as we look back to the long misty vale of
tumbled years, in silent perusal and contemplation of the pages of our
nation's history, we cannot help being for the moment awestruck, as we
read from those cherished pages of the many bloody battles and more
glorious victories, which have been won at all times, adown the ages,
since first the cold, haughty invader sought to enter and deprive us of
that freedom for which so many of our revered ancestors so nobly fought
and died. But although those brave warriors of olden days have all
passed away, and the regiments, by whose gallantry our "Stars and
Stripes" was borne to victory, are now known to us only by name, yet we
are more than proud to be able to acknowledge to the world, that they
have been supplanted by regiments as noteworthy as ever faced in combat
a mortal foe. And among them, and perhaps the most illustrious of them
all, is the gallant 27th Infantry, whose distinguished achievements
since its organization at Plattsburg, New York, and Fort McFerson, Ga.,
in the early part of the year 1901, are unexcelled and unequalled by any
regiment that has been ordered forth in defence of our country and flag.
In December 1901, the 27th Regiment of U. S. Infantry was ordered from
Plattsburg Barracks, N. Y., to proceed with all haste to Manila, P. I.,
and thence to the Island of Mindanao, to aid in suppressing and
overthrowing the semi-civilized savages, whose defiant, inhuman, and
brutal treatment of the American soldiers was in every sense appalling.
They arrived in Manila on February 3, 1902, and after encamping there
for a few days, proceeded to the very centre of hostilities, which was
at that time in the Island of Mindanao.
And since then the broad road to civilization has been opened to the
hitherto savage Moro tribes, and chiefly by the brave officers and men
of the 27th Regiment.
And in conclusion we can only say that the memories of the true, loyal,
and ever dauntless heroes of this new, though historical regiment, who
gave and sacrificed their lives in the defence of, and for the glory of,
their country, shall be indelibly printed on the tablets of our memories
adown the annals of time.