Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1898-05-12

Sioux Falls. s. D., Special, May 5.-The
entire First regiment lis now in camp
here, and the recruiting officer is busy
mastering the troops. During the last
two weeks, or since 1t became known that
the militia was to be mustered in as vol
unteers, more than half the original men,
bers have resigned and their PLACES have
been filled by farmers sons and idle men
In the towns, who really want to join the
army. The recruiting officer and the
quartermaster designated by the war de-
partment are here and are busy making
real soldiers of the boys who are able to
pass muster. Col. Frost, who was APP
pointed colonel OF the regiment by Gov.
Lee, was until short time ago the
United States military instructor assigned
by the war department to South Dakota,
and it was in this capacity that he be-
came acquainted with the n......a men
of the state, and became extremely popu-
lar with them.
When it was found that the state troops
would be called out, nearly all of the
officers and members of the regiment pc
titioned the governor to try and secure
the appointment of Lieut.. Frost to COM
mand the regiment. For some time the
governor was not disposed to grant the
request, but finally he yielded to the
pressure, and made the appointment.
Then began fight to defeat him through
senatorial influence, those opposing Frost
doing so under the impression that it was
against the wishes of the people of this
state. Finally, when these protests
| reached the war department, after Lieut..
Frost had twice been ordered to join his
regiment, through the influence thus
brought against him, the secretary Of
war produced the endorsements and reso-
lutions adopted by all but two companies
of state troops, and then it was discov-
cred by those who were working for
Frost's defeat that they had been mis-
| informed, and the colonel of the First
regiment received his commission.
The Battalion Commanders
are Maj. Lee Slower of Watertown. reg
lister of the ljaited States land office at
| that place; 5iaj. John T. Doxhead Of
Yankton; Maj. faoner J. Mosier, Rapid
City. There is fear among the troops
that Gov. Lee may appoint other officers
of battalions, and fill other places with
new men, but it is hardly probable that
he will make so unpopular move as this
| would be, and for the reason that the
men are we'll acquainted with their Off
GERS, and would much rather have them
| all retained than to have new men ap-
pointed to fill their places.
| The captains of all She companies, who
are chosen by the men, will remain as
| they are at present These are:
| Company A, A. L. Fuller. Pierre; Company
B, A. B. Sessions. Sioux Falls; Company c,
W. s.. Gray, Yankton; Company D, G. P.
| Van Houten, Worthng' Company E. George
f. Masters, De Smet; Company F, Charles A.
Howard, Aberdeen: Company G, T. R. Cooper,
Huron; Company H, c. H. Englesby, Water
| town; Company I, c. S. Denny, Custer; Com
pany L., Adria, Gray, spearhsh; Company M,
r. w. Medbnsy, Rapid City agoao
pany of students that will offer their
services Captains Fuller and Sessions
are graduates of military schools, while
many other Of the troopers have also re-
| ceived military instruction and are in line
for promotion on this account. The re-
cruiting of a company of cavalry by Col.
Grigsby of Sioux Falls, one of the three
colonies appointed under a recent act Of
! congress, is attracting far more atten-
ticn than the state troops The enlist
ment of
| A Regiment of Cowboys
is a novelty, but the fact that Col. Grigs-
| by has been directed to assemble his
troops at Sioux Falls from as far north
as Montana, where he will recruit four
companies, gives the city added dignity
and gives it military air that she has
| never before experienced. Col. Grigsby
is restricted to five companies from South
| Dakota, and these have been secured and
the following appointments have been
| made: Captain Pierre troop, r. Il. Stew
art; captain Deadwood troop, Seth Bull
lock; captain Belle Fourche company.
George u. Hair; captain Sturgis company,
J. E. HAMMOND; captain Sioux Falls COM
pany, Otto P. Sues.
| Of these captains "Bob" Stewart is one
| of the most prominent lawyers in the
state and a man popular with everybody.
Seth Bullock of Deadwood is known to
everybody in The Northwest as the terror
of Western desperadoes; he was sheriff at
Helena when the country was overrun
| with highwaymen and thieves, and 1t was
| he who organized a crusade against them
which drove them from the state. He
| went to the Black Hills when gold was
| first discovered, was the first sheriff or
Lawrence county, and has since resided
| in Deadwood, where he has been extern
sively engaged in business for twenty
| three years. He is a typical Westerner, a
| ranchman, and as much at home IN the
saddle as ne is, in bed. George II. liar
| lives in the cowboy district. and is pretty
much Of a cowboy himself. He served
two terms in the legislature, and was the
author of the bill to prohibit the ladies
from wearing hats in public places. John
E. Hammond has lived among the cow
boys and Westerners for many years, ana
understands their character perfectly. He
was induced by them to form a company
when it was learned that the government
would recruit from the borders. Capt.
Otto p. Sues is Il veteran of the Civil war
with a record that he is proud OF. lie has
been for a number of years pension ex-
aminer for the government. He will be
valuable acquisition to the regiment.
Col. Grigsby was notified to-day that
he was expected to recruit his regiment
with all possible dispatch, as they would
be sent to the front as soon as mustered
into service.
The Montana Cavalry.
Four troops of the cowboy cavalry
mustered in Montana for Grigsbys regi-
ment are ready for service and will arrive
in Sioux Falls within week. They are
Differed as follows. Captain, Joseph L.
Brown, Miles City; Capt John c. Bond.
Billings; Capt Frank G. Higgins, Mis-
soula; Capt. Il. c. Stivers, Butte. Col.
Grigsby said to-day that his twelve com
panies are complete, yet there are 2ooo
men who want TO enlist. North Da-
kota has raised three companies, but
only two will be received and nothing
can be done until they settle among
themselves which two companies are to
come Three companies are Being mus
tered into the service at Fort Meade to-
day and the regiment will be ready to go
to the front whenever ordered. This is
the first regiment to notify the war de-
partment of its readiness for service
DR.. French of Washington arrived to-day