2nd Infantry Regiment (United States) - Origin of The Present 2nd Infantry Regiment

Origin of The Present 2nd Infantry Regiment

No sooner was the war of 1812 over than Congress scrambled to get rid of more than 30,000 soldiers. Under an act of Congress dated 3 March 1815, the Regular Army was drastically reduced. Eight infantry regiments, one rifle regiment and an artillery regiment were formed from the remains of the 46 existing regiments, while the cavalry was eliminated. This was done with no respect for honor or tradition. The old regiments which happened to be closest together were pooled to form new regiments and the numbers assigned the regiments were based on the seniority of the colonels commanding them.

In accordance with the act, on 17 May 1815 a new Second US Infantry was created by the consolidation of the 6th, 16th, 22nd, 23rd, and 32nd Regiments of Infantry, all then located in upper New York and Vermont. The date of organization of the present regiment is that of the 6th Infantry, 12 April 1808. At this time the original 2nd Infantry was consolidated with the 3rd, 7th and 44th Infantry Regiments, which were in the New Orleans, Mobile and Creek Nation area, to become the new 1st US Infantry Regiment. The regiment's headquarters was in the cantonment at Sackett's Harbor. Colonel Hugh Brady became the regiment’s commanding officer with Henry Leavenworth as major and Ninian Pinkney as lieutenant-colonel. The regimental number "2" was because Brady was the second most senior regimental commander in the United States Army. Colonel Brady was in command of the 22nd Infantry at the time of the consolidation and though he served in several other commands and reached the rank of major general, he remained colonel commandant of the 2nd Infantry Regiment until his death on 15 April 1851.

The War Department ruled that the present 2nd Infantry inherited the honors of the regiments consolidated into its organization. Thus the regimental colors bear campaign streamers for Canada, Chippawa and Lundy’s Lane, even though the original 2nd Infantry did not participate in any of the battles in Canada during the War of 1812. The present 2nd Infantry was also allowed to retain the battle honors of the original 2nd Infantry and bears the campaign streamers earned by the old 2nd Infantry for the Miami Campaign (1790-1795) and Alabama 1814.