St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-02-12
SKETCH OF COMPANY X.
A Saltwater Biographer With a
Vein of Sarcasm.

In 1877 small company was organ
lied in Saltwater under the high sound
ing title of 1.-THE Washington Light
Guard" 1t was very light-in num-
bers. The uniform consisted of cap
Gin Difference, however, to the preju
dices of society the members Wore other
clothes). the light guard dragged out
an existence of about six months, at the
expiration of which it ''just died." The
notable events of the light guards ex-
istence were a parade on Decoration
day. 1877, and target shoot on Thanks
giving day of the same year. On the
last named occasion Private Rhodes,
now of Co. K. distinguished himself by
his GOODNESS and intrepidlty in firing his
gun by proxy. Others of the company
wished after the first fire that they had
had half his sense.
After the decease of the Washington
light guard the military spirit lay dor
mant until 1883, when E. NeXsen, the
present regimental quartermaster ser
geant, at that time resident of Still
water, and William f. Barstow, who
died in 1886, attempted to revive it, with
such success that on the 31St OfsMarch,
1883, meeting of tine SignerS of the
house and committee of ''inflooentiaT'
citizens was appointed to interview the
governor ON the subject. His excel
lency, Gov. Hubbard. granted the re-
uuired permission, and on the 5th of
April, 1883, forty-Seven men were en-
rolled in the service of the state for
five years.
On May 25 the company held their
first drill in uniform, and in July the
first camp at White Bear Lake was at
tended. This was the camp where one
of the companies from Minneapolis
made the record to which they have so
fondly chung ever since. they fired the
cannon, and, in the words of the poet.
'.they haven't done anything SINCE"
The next camp was at Lake Calhoun,
in 1884. The writer well remembers
the cream-colored, upside down chev-
rons won by the Glover of the Flour
City" and also the imitation Off
GERS caps, which with the imperious
bearing of the wearers sufficed to pass
them into the lines at any hour of the
night. especially if the sentry was some
what verdant, taking them for members
of the band. In January, 1884, the COM
pany saw service for the first time at
the Minnesota state prison fires and
subsequent events. On this fOrbear to
dwell. for is it not set down land at
length in the chronicles" of ex-Ser-
geant Nethaway, the hOnOred judge of
the Saltwater municipal court.
In February, 1886, the company one
evening amused themselves with new
game called "the exhibition drill" 1t
was a game gotten up between Com
pany K and a company from one of the
other cities in the state which was dis
tinguished by the height and purity of
the linen worn by the members thereof.
K Company in spirit of fun dressed
in flannel shirts and wore brogan shoes
and in order to further carry out the
spirit of the play admitted certain init
mate companions of the REGULARS"
Crhis last is furnished on the authority
of a speech by one of the collar COM
pany, made at supper held to COM
memorate the sad evenly At the con-
cluslon of the play some officers OF the
regular army who were in the joke COM
PEELED the flannel shirted company to
take to their quiet Bluff City home
banner suitably Inscribed. These
officers while they were were willing to
admit the existence of some insects
failed to discover any flies on the
broganS or flannel shirts.
Since that amusement the company
has pursued the even tenor of its way,
furnishing, whenever called for, staff
officers both for general and regimental
stats "a large supply of which is kept
constantly on handy. and are happy at
all times to furnish men to any COM