USA > Indiana > A history of the National Guard of Indiana, from the beginning of the militia system in 1787 to the present time, including the services of Indiana troops in the war with Spain > Part 11
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The same general plan was adopted for the camp of 1890, which was held from August 4 to August 9, inclusive, in Coquillard Park, a short distance east of South Bend. The only deviation from military routine was on Thursday, August 7, when Governor Hovey reviewed the troops in camp. In the evening the entire brigade paraded in the city. All separate companies had been assigned before this camp opened, so the three infantry regiments and the artillery regi- ment were camped together, with no others. The entire strength in the camp was 1,520.
Ft. Wayne secured the camp of 1891, which was held in the Driving Park, or "Hayden's Farm," near that city, from July 20 to July 25, inclusive. By this time the Fourth Regi- ment of Infantry had been organized and all the troops in the Legion were ordered into camp. An innovation was tried with great success, in a contest between the regiments as to which would be on the march to the camp grounds in the shortest time after disembarking from the trains. All the troops arrived between 6 and 7 o'clock on Monday morning and the Second Regiment was on the road in five minutes after the arrival of the train. None of the regiments occu- pied over eight minutes. For the first time a rifle range was established and instruction was given to all the com- panies. Governor Hovey reviewed the brigade on Thursday, July 23. and at 6 o'clock that evening, on the urgent request of the people of Ft. Wayne, a parade was given through the streets of the city. The results of this camp were the most satisfactory in the history of general encampments, and the attendance, 1,669, was the largest.
During 1892 the Legion came together twice. The first time was for the annual encampment, which was held about one and one-half miles north of Frankfort, from July 25 to July 30, inclusive. The attendance slightly exceeded that of
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the previous year, there being 1,680 men in camp. The weather was intensely hot and there were many prostrations from the heat. but none with serious results. Governor Chase reviewed the brigade on Friday, July 29, and again the troops had the benefit of a rifle range.
Later in the year, the First, Second, Third and Fourth Regiments Infantry attended the opening exercises of the Columbian Exposition at Chicago on October 21. The signal honor of being assigned to the right of the line of the Na- tional Guard organizations of the United States fell to In- diana, and the brigade, under the command of Colonel W. J. McKee, of the Second Regiment, made a fine appearance and caused much favorable comment. The Indiana Legion fol- lowed the organizations of the United States army.
The encampment of 1893, held at Terre Haute, showed 1,717 men present out of a total of 2,294 enrolled, and 163 officers out of 191 enrolled. The encampment was held at Forest Park from July 21 to July 27, inclusive. The grounds were not well adapted to the encampment, as they were too small to properly accommodate the number in camp and were at times fairly overrun with picnic parties. Short rifle ranges were established and, in a limited degree, instruction was given in shooting. Governor Claude Matthews reviewed the brigade on Tuesday, July 25, and with this exception there was no break in the usual routine. This was the first encampment held under the completed brigade organization, and Brigadier-General Will J. McKee was in command.
The remaining annual camps were held at Fairview Park, a short distance north of Indianapolis. That of 1895, held from July 21 to July 27, inclusive, was the best arranged of any of the camps. The First, Third and Fourth Infantry Regiments were in an open grove east of the park and the Second Infantry and Artillery were in a grove south of the park. There were ample drill grounds and the rifle range was the best one in years. Many companies were in camp before sunset of Saturday, July 20, and those which arrived after sunset were quartered in the State House over night on account of a heavy rainfall which commenced late on Sat- urday afternoon and continued through the early part of the night. All were in camp early Sunday morning and camp routine was taken up at once. Thursday, July 25, the usual regimental drills were abandoned and the brigade was re- viewed by Governor Matthews.
The encampment the next year was held in the same place and the same regiments were assigned the same positions.
UND
MAJOR F. E. STROUSE
LIEUT .- COL. F. W. FRANK
LIEUT. J. N. LEHEW LIEUT .- COL. J. T. BARNETT
BRIGADE STAFF OFFICERS
LIEUT. H. K. SCOTT
MAJOR W. H. KERSHNER
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The troops arrived during the night of July 25, and camp routine was commenced on the following morning. The amount of work performed was not as great as in former years on account of the frequent rains. The review by Gov- ernor Matthews, which was set for Thursday, July 30, was abandoned on account of a heavy downpour of rain. Many of the troops had already taken their places in the field, but they were rushed back to quarters. The rifle practice was abandoned, as the river overflowed the range set apart and but little was accomplished in this direction.
An innovation was introduced in the camp work and General McKee decided to give the troops some training which might be of value in actual service. On Tuesday after- noon, July 28, the First and Second Regiments of Infantry and Batteries C and E left camp about the middle of the afternoon, under command of Colonel James R. Ross, of the Second Infantry. The troops were in heavy marching order, with one day's rations and forage, and were ordered to march to a point about eight miles north of the camp and there bivouac for the night. The march was to be conducted as though through an enemy's country, and the following morn- ing this detachment was to attack the camp. The Third and Fourth Infantry and Battery A were designated as the de- fending party, and were to oppose the attacking party at a crossing of the river about a mile and a half north of the camp. Sufficient blank ammunition was issued to indicate the positions of each organization when under fire, but not enough to make the movement degenerate into a sham bat- tle, it being the intention to make it a test of the ability of the commanding officers to make the proper tactical dispo- sition of their forces to attain the objects of each. Four officers of the regular army volunteered to act as umpires.
Shortly after the attacking force left the camp, a heavy rain set in, but the troops continued their march without complaining. The rain ceased for a short time and was then followed by a still harder one which flooded the coun- try. It was decided by the medical officers that the troops should be recalled to camp, and this was done, although both officers and men desired to carry out the original pro- gram. They reached camp about 11 o'clock that night, mud covered but happy and cheerful.
Even though the attack had to be abandoned, the pro- gram for the defense was observed. Colonel George W. Gun- der was in command of this force, and it left camp at 3:30 Wednesday morning and formed for the defense. The enemy
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was imaginary, but the movement was executed in all de- tails. The position assumed was held to be faulty and un- tenable by the umpires, and the troops were withdrawn and formed on the south side of the river.
The camp was broken July 31, and was one of the best in results that had been held, considering the interference in drills which was necessary by reason of the rain.
The troops were again called together at the outbreak of the Spanish-American War, which is fully treated else- where. The next and last camp was of the reorganized Na- tional Guard, and it was also held at Fairview Park, Indian- apolis, in 1900. The several camps were located in an open grove east of the Park, and ample drill grounds were near by. Battery C reported in camp Sunday evening, July 22, having marched overland from Attica. The camp was formally opened July 23, and was continued until July 28, inclusive. It was a camp of work, as many of the men had never been in a camp before, although the majority of officers were men of experience. Governor James A. Mount reviewed the troops Friday evening, July 27, at the hour when evening parade was usually held. Particular attention was given to rifle practice, and the same range was used that had served in previous years.
During the last twenty years, or since the formation of regiments, the State has found it necessary to call the troops to its aid but few times. There have been threatened out- breaks several times for which troops have been ordered under arms, but the instances are few where they left the armories. Timid civil officers have hesitated about calling on the military branch until it was too late, and the name of Indiana has suffered from one end of the country to the other when, had the civil authority showed the same zeal and earnestness that the military has always displayed, many of the blots on Indiana's name would never have been placed there.
One of the earliest instances of this kind was a threatened lynching when the State was called on for aid. Company C, of the First Veteran Regiment, of Lafayette, was ordered out near midnight, without previous warning, and within an hour and a half every one of the forty-eight members was in the armory fully armed and equipped. Some of the men lived two miles in the country and every man was a veteran of the civil war. Each one had forty rounds of ball cartridges in the cartridge boxes and the company was prepared to uphold the law. The sheriff then withdrew the call and the men went to their homes, but as soon as this action was made
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known the prisoner was lynched. The assembling of troops to respond to a call has many times had the salutary effect of preventing disturbances of the peace, and there has not been a single case in the history of the State which could not have been prevented by the troops.
The years 1893 and 1894 are memorable in the history of Indiana for disturbances which the military arm of the State had to attend to. The Columbian Athletic Club completed arrangements to hold a prize fight near the State line be- tween Indiana and Illinois at Roby, Lake county, and a large body of men in Chicago boasted that they would see that the arrangements were carried out. The local authorities did not feel able to cope with the situation and Judge J. H. Gillett, of the Thirty-first Judicial Circuit, asked that troops should be sent to Roby to assist in enforcing order. Governor Mat- thews acted promptly and early in the morning of September 4, 1893, Adjutant-General Irvin Robbins, Quartermaster-Gen- eral S. M. Compton. Assistant Surgeon-General E. E. Carey, Major H. B. Smith, Adjutant W. S. Rich and Lieutenant C. A. Garrard left for Roby. They arrived there early in the even- ing, and within a few moments Companies A, of Bremen; B, of Ft. Wayne; C, of Goshen; D, of Plymouth; E, of Elkhart; G, of Rochester; I, of Waterloo; K, of Auburn, and L, of La- porte, of the Third Regiment, were on the ground under com- mand of Colonel .J. K. Gore. Companies K, of Frankfort, and L, of Kokomo, of the Second Regiment, and D, of Wabash, and H, of Warsaw, of the Fourth Regiment, were attached to the command. Ten men of Battery E, of Ft. Wayne, with a Gatling gun, completed the force. The troops had 24,000 rounds of ammunition and the total force on the ground was 613 men.
In Chicago two trains had been loaded with men deter- mined to hold the prize fight, but as soon as it was learned that troops were on the way the attempt was abandoned. General Robbins learned of this and at 2 o'clock the follow- ing morning ordered all troops to return home except Com- pany B, of the Third, of Ft. Wayne; Company H, of the Fourth, of Warsaw, and the section of Battery E, of Ft. Wayne, which was left under command of Major John E. Miller, of the Third Regiment. They remained on duty until the following Wednesday, when they were ordered home.
This was the first test of the Legion under the new form of organization, and it proved conclusively its good condi- tion and the rapidity with which a large body of men could be mobilized in a distant part of the State.
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During the months of June and July, 1894, nearly all the troops in the State were in active service. The coal strikes in the southern part of the State and the railroad strikes in the northern part, combined to produce constant calls for troops. During these two months forty companies were in the field in Daviess, Sullivan and Lake counties, serving from eight to twenty days each. This extraordinary expense was not provided for by any appropriation by the Legislature at its previous session, and Governor Matthews, by his personal work and on his personal credit, provided the money to pay the men who had served, a total of $41,917.49. He did this, trusting to the next Legislature to reimburse him, in order that those who had served might not be compelled to wait for their money. They were promptly paid and the Legisla- ture afterwards refunded the money to Governor Matthews.
The strike of miners in the southern part of the State and their determination to permit no trains to be operated which contained cars of coal, seriously interfered with traffic| on all railroads and threatened the destruction of much property. The orders were issued to the troops on June 2. The First Infantry was ordered to Vincennes to await the arrival of General McKee and his staff. Company G, of Jeffersonville, joined Company C, of New Albany, and a special train hur- ried them to Princeton, where they were joined by Company K, of that city, and Company E, of Evansville. The train then proceeded to Vincennes, where Company A, of Vin- cennes, and Company D, of Washington, were awaiting it. Colonel John W. Ebel, of the First, was in command, and his entire staff reported with him.
General McKee, with his staff, left Indianapolis by special train at 10:30 the night of June 2, taking rations for 250 men for three days and additional ammunition. The train ran direct to Vincennes, but at a point west of Switz City an at- tempt was made to flag it by a crowd of men supposed to be striking miners. Warning had been given that this would be done so as to delay the train, and the engineer paid no at- tention to the signal. General McKee's train and that of the First Regiment arrived at Vincennes within a few min- utes of each other. about 3 o'clock in the morning.
In the meantime troops under the command of Colonel James R. Ross, of the Second Regiment, were being hurried to Sullivan county. The train for Colonel Ross' command left Indianapolis at 6:30 p. m. on Saturday, June 2. The troops on board when the train started were Companies A, D and M, of Indianapolis; C, of Anderson, and B, of Lebanon, of the Second Regiment; M, of Indianapolis, of the Third, and
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fifteen men of Battery A, of Indianapolis, with one Gatling gun. Adjutant-General Robbins, Quartermaster-General Compton and Assistant Surgeon-General Cary, of the Gov- ernor's staff, and the staff of the Second Regiment, accom- panied these troops. At Seymour, Company F, of Aurora, of the Fourth, was taken on board, and the train was run to Mitchell. At that point Companies B, of Terre Haute, F, of Brazil, and I, of Greencastle, of the First, under the command of Major D. McAnliff, were added to the force and the train was run to Clark's Switch, or Cannelsburg, where it arrived shortly after daybreak.
None of the officers of the First Regiment knew the des- tination of their commands until after they reported to General McKee at Vincennes. The troops did not leave the cars at Vincennes, but were at once moved to Sullivan and arrived there about 5 a. m. As the troops were to aid the civil authorities, the sheriff was summoned to Sullivan, and there was a delay of some hours owing to that fact. The first blockade on the road was at Shelburn, but the railroad company had no engine with which to move the train, and word was sent to Evansville to send out an engine and crew. As soon as the engine arrived, at 11 o'clock, the train pro- ceeded to Shelburn, where seventeen cars loaded with coal were found, which had been there for some days. A crowd of some 500 citizens and miners had collected there, but no violence was attempted. The crowd tannted and jeered the troops, but contented itself with that. A guard was thrown ont and the cars were moved under this protection.
This train was escorted through Currysville, when the troops returned, were reloaded on cars and moved to Alum Cave, a branch of the Evansville & Terre Haute road, where more loaded cars were detained. Before the troops reached that point it was necessary to remove obstructions from the track. Heavy timbers, portions of car wrecks and many other things had been piled on the track, and all were re- moved. A large number of miners had collected and were greatly angered by the moving of the cars. They were the most threatening that had been seen, but the display of force prevented any outbreak other than the pulling of a single coupling pin. The cars which the company desired were cut out and started on their way and the train was guarded as far as Farmersburg. The coal train then passed on north and the troops returned to Shelburn, where they went into camp about 7 p. m., in a grove a short distance from the rail- road station. This force numbered 246 officers and men.
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The troops under command of Colonel Ross had a quiet day on Sunday. When the train arrived at Seymour the sheriff of Daviess County and the officers of the railroad in- . formed Colonel Ross that 250 miners had assembled at Can- nelsburg and 300 more were on the way and were expected to arrive about the time the troops would reach there. Prep- arations were made for possible trouble and maps of the surrounding country were carefully studied while the run was being made to Cannelsburg. That point was reached soon after daylight, and the crowd of 550 miners proved to be a committee of twenty-five which had come to confer with the authorities. The troops had debarked about half a mile east of the switch. and the full force of 453 officers and men marched to the station. When the real condition of things was seen, the train was run to the station and the troops went into camp in a grove near the railroad. The coal which had been held there was sent to its destination without trou- ble and details were sent out to scour the surrounding coun- try for miners. but none were found. The regular routine of a camp of instruction was therefore taken up and, beyond placing a heavy guard on duty at night and keeping scouting parties out as a precaution, there was nothing to indicate that it was active service.
It was evident that so large a force of men was not needed at Cannellsburg and that General McKee and the smaller force under his command had the hardest work to do. Mon- day morning General Robbins ordered Companies B, of Terre Haute, and F, of Brazil, of the First, to report to General McKee at Shelburn, and those companies reached Sullivan in time to take part in the operations of General McKee's com mand on that day. Later in the day General Robbins ordered that Companies I, of Greencastle, of the First, and F, of Aurora, of the Fourth, with the detachment from Battery A, of Indianapolis, should remain at Cannellsburg under com- mand of Major Charles B. Rockwood, and that the rest of the troops, under command of Colonel Ross, should at once re- port to General McKee. This left a garrison at Cannellsburg of 127 men. Colonel Ross and his force embarked at 6 o'clock Monday evening and reached Sullivan about 10.
While the day had been quiet for the troops at Cannells- burg, it had been a busy one for those at Sullivan. The civil officers met with General McKee at Sullivan on Monday morning, and it was decided that an effort should be made to serve the writ of injunction against the residents of Shel- burn and vicinity who were charged with being responsible
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for detaining the trains. It was also decided to appoint new deputy sheriffs to assist the sheriff, and this was done on the spot, so that all officers could accompany the train of troops. Just before noon, Companies B and F, of the First, reported and were attached to the force. Camp was broken at noon and the train started for Shelburn, but while on the way the sheriff stated that he had no papers to serve and there was nothing for the troops to do at that point except see that the coal train passed in safety. It was reported that the miners had placed obstructions on the track about two miles north of Sullivan at a point opposite what is known as Ebenezer Graveyard, and at the top of a long grade called Stannard's Hill. The troops therefore followed the coal train, and just before it reached the point named it stopped.
The military train stopped instantly and the troops de- barked rapidly and were hastily sent out to endeavor to ar- rest the miners who were said to be assembled in the woods, but the stopping of the train and the time necessary to make the formations enabled any who might have been there to escape.
The obstructions on the track were fence rails driven be- tween the ties, brush and old railroad timbers which had been laid on the track. It was not considered necessary to escort the train farther, and after waiting until it was out of sight, the train with troops on board started back.
This return proved to be a most fortunate thing for the troops. Threats had been freely made that the military train would be blown up with dynamite, but little attention had been paid to them, as rumors of all kinds were in circulation. The unexpected return of the train alone prevented the plot from being carried out. The train had not proceeded more than half a mile on its return before a number of men were seen coming on to the track, and the train was stopped for in- vestigation. The train was heavy and, as it was on a grade, it was difficult to bring it to a sudden stop and the men com- menced to run. Deputy sheriffs and the troops jumped from the train and pursued them, but they had secured too great a start to be overtaken.
The pursuit revealed the fact that many of the miners had been in concealment. While Major T. F. Stunkard, of the First, was in pursuit of one of the men who had been seen near the railroad, he was fired upon by a man who dropped out of a tree and ran. Major Stunkard returned the fire, but without effect and the man disappeared in the timber. This was but one of many instances in which men were driven
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from hiding places and showed that a well laid plan had been adopted, as these men intended to join those surprised on the track. Deputy Sheriff Willis also fired on one of the men whom he was pursuing, but without effect.
The entire plan was exposed by four sticks of dynamite which were found beside the track, which had been dropped by the men who had first fled. With the dynamite was the necessary amount of fuse for firing it, and it was the un- doubted intention to place it on the track so it would blow up the train on its return. The men had expected that the military train would accompany the coal train further on the road, and its unexpected return played havoc with their plans.
While some of the troops and the civil officers were pursu- ing the fleeing men, others were scouring the neighborhood and stopping all passers-by. Many of them were there from curiosity, but the deputy sheriffs arested four who could not give satisfactory accounts of themselves. They had come up the track with a man on a bicycle who was, it later devel- oped, a messenger for the strikers who were concealed in the graveyard.
The troops had no sooner returned to the train than the report was received that the train which they had just es- corted was stopped at Farmersburg by some twenty-five strikers, and that the engineer and fireman had been forced to run the five cars of coal down the Alum Cave branch to a place called Miller's Switch. about five miles from Farmers- burg. There the cars were set on fire and an attempt was made to burn a high bridge to prevent the engine from re- turning to Farmersburg. The fire at the bridge was extin- guished by the engineer and fireman before great damage had been done. but the five cars of coal were entirely de- stroved.
On receipt of this news the military train was run to Farmersburg instead of to Sullivan, and there it remained for the night. the men staying in the cars. While there word was received from Colonel Ross that his force was at Sulli- van and he was ordered to Farmersburg at once and arrived there at midnight with Companies A, D and M, of Indianapo- lis, and C, of Anderson, of the Second, and M, of Indianapolis, of the Third, aggregating 236 officers and men.
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