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 14
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Captain English became identified with Indiana military affairs at an early date and was one of the charter members
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of the well known Indianapolis Light Infantry, signing the original charter agreement April 14, 1877, and with the rest of the company being " mustered service in the Indi- ana National Guard on July 14, 1877. He was a member of the committee that prepared and filed the original articles of incorporation, member of the first committee on finance and member of the board of audit during the first year of the company's existence, and for many years was one of the most active members, serving through the Coal Creek riots and on other important and notable occasions. The "William E. English Guards," named for Captain English, was organized and mustered into State service May 16, 1886, and was the first colored company in the State to enter the Indiana Na- tional Guard. The "William E. English Zouaves," of Indi- anapolis, one of the crack zouave companies of the United States, is also named in his honor, as is "Captain William E. English Camp No. 64" of the National Associationof Spanish- American War Veterans.
Captain English is one of the largest property owners in Indiana and devotes the greater part of his time to his ex- tensive interests in the city of Indianapolis, where he resides, although spending considerable time at his beautiful country seat in Scott county also. His magnificent block fronting on Monument Place in Indianapolis (occupying one entire square), in which is located English's Hotel and English's Opera House, is universally conceded to be one of the finest and handsomest buildings in the United States. Captain English, however, never permits his private interests to cause him to neglect public affairs or to lessen his activity and public spirit in all that affects the requirements and duties of good citizenship.
Colonel Harold C. Megrew, of Indianapolis, was appointed by Governor Mount, April 12, 1897, and was designated as chief of staff. He served through the war with Spain as major of the One-hundred-and-Sixty-first Indiana Volunteer Infantry.
Colonel William J. Henley, of Rushville, Judge Advocate General, was appointed by Governor Mount. Judge Henley is one of the judges of the Appellate Court of Indiana.
Dr. Orange S. Runnels, of Indianapolis, surgeon-general, with the rank of colonel, was appointed by Governor Mount and rendered the State signal service at the close of the war with Spain. Governor Mount realized that many of the sol- diers would return home sick, and, without waiting for the sanction of the Washington authorities, he directed Dr. Run-
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nels to establish a State hospital at Camp Mount and to be present to handle all such cases that might come to him. Indiana was the only State in the Union to provide this serv- ice, and Dr. Runnels prepared everything that sick men would need. The orders to establish the hospital were issued Aug- ust 30, 1898, and Dr. Runnels had it prepared for the recep- tion of patients September 2. From that date untll Decem- ber 1, when the hospital was closed, 417 patients were treat- ed. The men came from the warm climates exhausted, and many of those who were suffering from typhoid fever were also inoculated with malaria, and yet there were but six deaths in the hospital.
Dr. Runnels for the first time combined both allopathic and homeopathic schools of medicine in the hospital, and he was tireless in providing everything required in a well-estab- lished hospital. There was no delay in transferring the sick from the cars to the hospital, and at different times there were employed six physicians, fifteen trained nurses and twenty-five other employes.
W. J. Robie, of Richmond, Chief of Ordnance, with the rank of colonel, was appointed to his present place April 12, 1897. He enlisted in several New Hampshire regiments dur- ing the war, but, being so young, his father took him out. He then ran away from home and enlisted in the Sixtieth Massachusetts on July 1, 1864, and was mustered out Novem- ber 28 following.
George E. Rockwell, of Cincinnati, was appointed chief of engineers, with the rank of colonel, April 12, 1897.
Colonel James R. Henry, of Indianapolis, was appointed by Governor Mount chief signal officer at the beginning of his term. He had no previous experience with the Guard.
Colonel A. R. Beardsley, of Elkhart, chief inspector of riffle practice, was appointed by Governor Mount when he first assumed the office.
Colonel Charles Kahlo, of Indianapolis, Assistant Adju- tant-General, was appointed and commissioned February 12, 1892, as inspector of rifle practice, with the rank of colonel, on the staff of Governor Ira E. Chase. He was reappointed to the same position on the staff of Governor Matthews and was again appointed by Governor James A. Mount in 1897, and by Governor Durbin.
Colonel Kahlo is a veteran of the civil war, having en- tered the three months' service as second lieutenant of Com- pany D, Fourteenth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, on April 23, 1861. He took part in the campaign in West Virginia under
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General McClellan from June 2 to July 17, 1861. He re-en- listed for the three years' service in the Thirty-eighth Ohio, on August 13, 1861, and on the expiration of that term re- entered the service as first lieutenant in the One-hundred- and-Sixty-third Ohio, on May 12, 1864. The regiment was at- tached to Haskin's Division, Twenty-second corps, in the de- fense of Washington. He was assigned to the First Brigade, Third Division, Tenth Corps, Army of the James, and de- tached as aide-de-camp on the staff of Colonel Miller. He was ordered to Columbus, Ohio, August 28, 1864, and on the September 10 following was mustered out and honorably dis- charged.
Lieutenant-Colonel Samuel T. Murdock, assistant military secretary, was appointed by Governor Mount.
Lieutenant-Colonel James E. Roberts, of Indianapolis, as- sistant inspector-general, was appointed by Governor Mount.
Lieutenant-Colonel William G. Irwin, of Columbus, was appointed by Governor Mount and made assistant judge ad- vocate-general.
Lieutenant-Colonel David A. Coulter, of Frankfort, as- sistant commissary-general, was appointed by Governor Mount.
Lieutenant-Colonel Charles A. Carlisle, of South Bend, as- sistant chief signal officer, had no previous experience with the Guard when he was appointed to his present position.
Lieutenant-Colonel Charles C. Schreeder, of Evansville, assistant chief of engineers, was born at Berlin, Germany, January 19, 1847, and when five years old was brought to this country and shortly thereafter moved to Evansville. He enlisted in Company D, Second Ohio Volunteer Infantry, on December 14, 1862, when but fifteen years old, and served un- til September 20, 1863. On January 17, 1865, he enlisted in Company E, One-hundred-and-Forty-third Indiana, but was mustered out October 26, 1865, on account of the close of the war. He entered the State service February 12, 1892, having been commissioned lieutenant-colonel of artillery by Gov- ernor Chase, and the June 1st following he was promoted and made chief of ordnance with the rank of colonel. Gov- ernor Mount appointed him to the position he now occupies on April 12, 1897, and he was reappointed by Governor Durbin.
Lieutenant-Colonel H. F. Houghton, of Indianapolis, was commissioned as such on the staff of Governor Mount, June
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28, 1898, as master of transportation. He had charge of the assembling of the One-hundred-and-Sixty-first Regiment at Camp Mount during the war with Spain and of the troops at the State encampment during 1899. He is superintendent of the Chicago division of the C., C., C. & St. L. railroad.
Lieutenant-Colonel W. T. Gott, of Crawfordsville, assist- ant surgeon-general, was commissioned during the spring of 1897. He has since served in that position.
Lieutenant-Colonel A. F. Ramsey, of Crawfordsville, was appointed assistant chief of ordnance, with the rank of lieu- tenant-colonel, April 12, 1897.
Lieutenant-Colonel W. A. Rider, now of Peoria, Ill., was appointed assistant paymaster-general by Governor Mount.
Lieutenant-Colonel William C. Burk, of Thorntown, was appointed by Governor Mount and made assistant chief in- spector of rifle practice.
E. J. Robison, of Indianapolis, was appointed aide on the staff, with the rank of major, in March, 1897.
Major R. L. Kennedy, of Center Point, entered State serv- ice in April, 1897, as aide-de-camp on the staff of Governor Mount, with the rank of major. During the civil war he served with the Fifty-fourth, One-hundred-and-Thirty-third and One-hundred-and-Forty-ninth Regiments Indiana Volun- teer Infantry. During the last year of the war he was chief clerk in the commissary department.
Major John D. Welman, of New Albany, aide-de-camp, with the rank of major, was appointed to his present position in September, 1898.
Major Frank E. Stevenson, of Rockville, aide-de-camp, is a native of Greencastle and graduated from the military de- partment of DePauw University in 1879. While in school he was first sergeant of the Asbury Cadets for two years, and after his graduation he moved to Rockville and assisted in the organization of the McCune Cadets in 1880. He was the first lieutenant and served two years. During that time he was drill master of the Cadets. He was mustered out of serv- ice in 1883 and in the fall of that year was placed in com- mand of the newly organized Battery F, and remained in command until 1890. In addition to his duties as commander Captain Stevenson maintained the prize drill team which is mentioned in the sketch of the Rockville organizations.
Major George W. Krietenstein, of Terre Haute, was ap- pointed aide-de-camp by Governor Mount.
U.S.V.
U.S.K.
BRIG .- GEN. W. J. MCKEE INDIANAPOLIS BRIGADE COMMANDER
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Major L. M. Dunlap is aide-de camp and was appointed by Governor Mount.
Major Leigh R. Gignilliat, of Culver, was appointed by Governor Mount. Major Gignilliat is instructor at Culver Military Academy.
Major Sherman Trout, of Crawfordsville, was appointed aide-de-camp with the rank of major.
Major Harry L. Kramer, of Indiana Mineral Springs, is an aide-de-camp, having been appointed by Governor Mount.
Major Fletcher M. Durbin, of Anderson, aide-de-camp, served during the war with Spain in the One-hundred-and- Sixty-first Volunteers as second lieutenant of Company A. He was appointed to his present position by Governor Mount.
THE BRIGADE STAFF.
All the troops of Indiana constitute the First Brigade, which was organized in 1893. From the organization Brig- adier-General W. J. McKee has been in command. The head- quarters organization was at once perfected, and has been maintained from the first.
Brigadier-General W. J. McKee, of Indianapolis, was a member of the Indianapolis Light Infantry before it was iden- tified with the State. When it was mustered into State serv- ice on July 16, 1877, General McKee was a sergeant. He was promoted second lieutenant on January 27, 1880, and became first lientenant May 5, 1883. He was elected major of the Second Regiment and commissioned August 16, 1883, and be came lieutenant-colonel July 24, 1888. He served as such until July 24, 1889, when he became colonel.
He was in command of the Second when the brigade was organized, and was promoted to his present rank, his com- mission dating from March 23, 1893. He was in command at the beginning of the war with Spain, and on May 27, 1898, was appointed a brigadier-general in the United States Vol- unteer service. He was assigned to duty at Camp George H. Thomas, and in August established Camp Poland at Knox- ville. The following December he established the winter camps at Camp Heiskell and other places. He was discharged March 15, 1899, and the same day was re-appointed to his present position.
Lieutenant-Colonel F. W. Frank, of Indianapolis, assist- ant adjutant-general, was a charter member of the Indian- apolis Light Infantry in 1877. From that date to the present he has responded to every call by the State, and while with
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the Light Infantry served during the railroad strikes of 1877; at Salem, Washington County, in protecting a prisoner in 1878, and at the Coal Creek miners' strike of 1879. In 1885 he was elected first lieutenant of Company A, Second Infan- try, and while so serving went to Shoals, Martin County, to protect a prisoner. In 1886 he was elected captain of the company. He became first lieutenant and quartermaster of the regiment June 1, 1888, and first lientenant and adjutant July 1. 1890. On May 5, 1893. he was appointed to his present position with the rank of major, and on June 1, 1895, was pro- moted lieutenant colonel. He has attended every encamp- ment since 1886 and served during the coal miners' strike of 1894. At the outbreak of the war with Spain he was on duty at Camp Mount. and when the Guard was reorganized in 1899 he was re-appointed to his present position on May 22.
Lieutenant-Colonel William M. Wright, of Indianapolis. chief medical officer, was a member of the Indianapolis Light Infantry. He was appointed assistant surgeon of the Sec- ond Regiment on June 9, 1891. On May 6, 1893, he was ap- pointed chief medical officer with the rank of major, and June 1, 1895, was given the rank of lientenant-colonel. He was re-commissioned November 3, 1899.
Lientenant-Colonel John T. Barnett, of Indianapolis, as- sistant inspector-general, entered the United States Military Academy at West Point July 1, 1873, and gradnated June 13, 1878. From October 10, 1876, to July 1, 1877, he was absent from the academy on sick leave. After his graduation he was assigned to the Fifth United States Cavalry, and was com- missioned second lientenant June 13. 1878. He was stationed in the Department of the Platte and served with the regi- ment and on detached duty until August 10, 1886, when he was placed on the retired list on account of disability in- enrred in the line of duty. His service with the Indiana troops commenced May 5. 1893, when he was commissioned assistant inspector-general of the First Brigade with the rank of major, and he so served until 1896. when he resigned on ar- count of temporary absence from the State. On April 25. 1898, he was again commissioned assistant-inspector-general with the rank of lieutenant-colonel. a commission he resigned May 12. 1898. to take the commission as colonel of the One- hundred-and-Fifty-ninth Indiana Volunteers in the war with Spain. He went into service with the regiment and served through the full time. About half the time he was in United States service he was in command of the First Brigade, Sec- ond Division, Second Army Corps, and for a short time was
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in command of the Second Division, Second Army Corps. He was honorably discharged November 23, 1898. When the brigade was reorganized he was again appointed assistant in- spector-general with the rank of lieutenant-colonel.
Major William H. Kirshner, of Indianapolis, chief com- missary of subsistence, enlisted July 29, 1882, as a private in the Richardson Zouaves, which later became Company A, Second Infantry. He was promoted corporal in July, 1883, and sergeant in September, 1885. After nine years' contin- nous service he did not re-enlist, but he served in the quar- termaster's department under General Richardson from April 1 to September 1, 1898, and was in charge of the field hospital at Camp Mount under Surgeon-General Runnels from that date until December 1. He was appointed to his present position November 10, 1899.
Major Frank E. Strouse, of Rockville, engineer officer, entered the State service in May, 1890, as private in the Rock- ville Light Artillery, Battery C. First Artillery. He was pro- moted corporal in 1891 and sergeant the following year. He drilled as gunner corporal in the prize team of the Rockville Battery. and during 1894 and 1895 was captain of the DePauw University Artillery. Under his training it broke the world's record in mounting and dismounting piece and carriage, and in appreciation of this the University was given the first breech-loading pieces coming to the State. He was appointed aide-de-camp on the staff of General McKee in June, 1895, and promoted to his present position in 1900.
Captain Carrol B. Carr, ordnance officer and inspector of small arms practice, was born in Wooster, Ohio, December 28, 1865. He was educated at Franklin School, Washington, D. C., and later at the University of Wooster. From 1884 to 1886 he received military instruction from an officer of the regular army assigned to the University. He entered mili- tary service as second sergeant of the Steele Cadets. an inde- pendent company at Wooster. This was one of the best drilled companies in the country, and Captain Carr served from 1880 to 1882 as a member, and in that time saw service at the Silver Creek mining strike. From 1882 to 1884 he was a member of the Wooster City Guards, also an independ- ent company, and which had a high reputation for efficiency and as a prize drill company. He entered the service of Indi- ana June 5. 1895, as second lieutenant of Company H. Second Infantry, and when the regiment went into United States service for the war with Spain he went in as second lieuten- ant. He was appointed regimental commissary May 12. 1898,
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and was mustered out with the regiment November 4, 1898, but was retained as a civilian employe by Colonel W. T. May to assist in mustering out the other regiments. He was ap- pointed to his present position November 3, 1898. Captain Carr was the first responsible Indiana officer to settle his ac- counts with the government and draw pay after the Spanish war. Captain Carr has lived in Indianapolis since 1893, hav- ing been for the seven years previous with the Standard Oil Company at Lonisville. He is now actuary of the American Central Life Insurance Company and is a member of Indiana Commandery of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion, and a past member of the Board of Officers; a member of the Military Order of Foreign Wars, and one of the board of officers of the Indiana Commandery; a past captain of the Sons of Veteran, and a member of Poland Camp, Spanish War Veterans. Captain Carr was married in 1889 to Miss Gibbons, of Lonisville, Ky., and their only child and daughter, Octavia, is known to many National Guardsmen as the "third lieutenant of Company H."
First Lieutenant William A. Kreber, of Indianapolis, aide- de-camp, entered the service in Company D, Second Infantry, March 1, 1890. He was promoted sergeant May 10, 1895, and elected second lieutenant July 16. 1897. In this capacity he served through the war with Spain. He was appointed to his present position.
Harman L. Hutson, of Indianapolis, chief quartermaster with the rank of major, entered the service as a private of Company H, Third Infantry, January 26, 1893. On May 19 following he became commissary sergeant of the regiment, and May 19, 1894, was appointed quartermaster sergeant. He became quartermaster of the regiment May 2, 1898, and served through the war with Spain. When the brigade was reorganized he was appointed to his present position and commissioned.
Major Charles T. MacIntire, of Indianapolis, chief signal officer. first entered the State service as a private in the In- dianapolis Light Infantry in 1886, and was promoted quarter- master sergeant in 1889. He was appointed captain and as- sistant chief signal officer by Governor Hovey, June 15, 1891, and was re-commissioned with the same rank and same duties by Governor Chase in Jannary, 1892. He was promoted major July 1, 1892. On the organization of the First Brigade he was commissioned captain and chief signal officer, and was present during the Roby and Sullivan county trouble. When the National Guard was organized he was appointed chief
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signal officer with the rank of major. When the war with Spain commenced he was commissioned a captain in the United States Volunteer Signal Corps on June 22, 1898, and was assigned to command the fourteenth company. When the Indiana Brigade was reorganized he was appointed to his present position and commissioned.
First Lieutenant Harry K. Scott, of Angola, aide-de- camp, was mustered into State service in Company H, Third Infantry, of Warsaw, in 1887, and served two years. In Jan- uary, 1893, he was mustered into Company H, Third Infan- try, of Angola, and the following June was appointed quar- termaster sergeant. He became battalion adjutant in May, 1894, and on June 5, 1896, he was promoted regimental adju- tant, and as such served with the regiment through the war with Spain. He served with his regiment during the strike at Hammond. He was appointed to his present position Decem- ber 18, 1899.
THE SIGNAL CORPS.
The Signal Corps of the Indiana National Guard was first organized in 1892 under command of Major C. T. MacIntire, at that time major and chief signal officer. Its rapid progress is largely due to the interest and faithfulness of Major Mac- Intire. When it was first organized the Major gathered up and put together old pieces of wire until he had enough to put up a line. He next secured some old telegraph instru- ments from the scrap pile and overhauled them. This is the way the Signal Corps first started, and it caused no little amusement at its first encampment. The corps has made rapid progress since its organization, and is now equipped with two sets of fine heliographs, flags, torches, wire, tele- graph instruments and all tools connected with a telegraph line and used in constructing one. The corps is a staff organ- ization under the general charge of the chief signal officer upon the brigadier-general's staff. There is appointed and commissioned a first lieutenant, who has immediate command of the corps under the direction of the chief signal officer. Members of the corps must be telegraphers, electricians or linemen.
First Lieutenant John N. LeHew, of Warsaw, command- ing the Signal Corps entered the service as a private of Com- pany H. Fourth Regiment, in 1892. While in camp at Terre Haute in 1893 he was detailed from the company for signal work. He returned to the company and served with it at Roby in September, 1893, and at Hammond during 1894. He
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was then transferred from the company to the Signal Corps as a private and was appointed signal sergeant June 5, 1895. During the Spanish-American war he served in the Four- teenth Company, United States Volunteer Signal Corps as first second-class sergeant. He re-enlisted in the Guard after the close of the war as a private in the Signal Corps in 1899 and was appointed by Governor Mount to his present position on December 8 of that year.
COL. GEORGE W. MCCOY VINCENNES COMMANDING THE FIRST INFANTRY
CHAPTER VI.
THE FIRST REGIMENT, INFANTRY.
The present First Regiment of Infantry was organized June 12, 1882, and it was unique in that all the companies were composed of veterans of the civil war, and the regiment was known as the First Veteran Regiment, Indiana Legion. The regiment was of particular value to the Legion because of the experience of its members and the example it set for the other organizations. During the first encampments the mem- bers were of great benefit to the organization in their in- structions to those who were inexperienced.
The organization was 449 strong, and the regiment went into the first camp ever held in the State. During the camp the Union Oyster Company, of Baltimore, Md., presented the regiment with a handsome silk national flag and a regimental banner on which was the seal of the State. The value of the stand of colors was $150. In this, the first encampment, the regiment showed a strength of 295 officers and men. In 1883 it lost its adjutant, I. E. Kirk, of Kokomo, who was appointed colonel of the newly organized Third Regiment.
The encampment near Lafayette in 1886 was marked for the regiment by the death from sunstroke of John Shroyer, a member of Company D, of Andrews, which occurred August 1. The regiment had 379 men in camp, and the prize of $200 for the best company in the regiment was won by Company L, of Ft. Wayne, under command of Captain Weldon. . The ag- gregate strength of the regiment at this time was 578.
By the time of the encampment at Evansville in 1888, the character of the regiment had undergone a great change. Nearly all the veteran companies had been mustered out of service on the expiration of their terms. Other companies were assigned to the regiment, and in the competitive drill for infantry companies the regiment took two prizes. The second prize of $200 was won by Company G, of Evansville, under the command of Captain C. H. McCarer, and the fourth prize of $50 was won by Company E, of Evansville, under command of Captain Henry Horster. The regiment, under command of Colonel Ewing, formed the attacking party in
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