Origins
On March 3, 1791, Congress added to the Army "The Second Regiment of Infantry" of which today's First Infantry draws its heritage. In September of that year, elements of it and the original 1st Infantry Regiment (today’s 3rd United States Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard)), with sizable militia complements, all under command of General Arthur St. Clair, were sent against the Miami Indians. St. Clair served as a major general in the Revolutionary Army and was now appointed "General in Chief," superseding the first commander of the regiment, Josiah Hamar. Fighting against the Miamis, St. Clair's Soldiers were untrained, ill equipped, underfed, and sickly. This resulted in a disastrous defeat, at the Battle of the Wabash, in which the entire U.S. Army suffered a loss in killed and wounded of nearly 900 out of a total strength of 1,400. It was (and remains) the greatest defeat in the history of the U.S. Army.
Read more about this topic: 1st Infantry Regiment (United States)
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