The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-03-01
TWenty-First lnfantry's
NOn=COmmissiOned Staff.

Teh regimental and post non-com-
mlssioned stats of the Twenty-f1rst
infantry, stationed at Fort Smelling,
are composed of men who have been
long in the service, and who have had
extensive military experiences In the
Indian wars and in the recent conflicts
In Cuba, the Philippines and China,
The sergeants and corpora1s are al
ways men who have been. found com:
petent and trustworthy. They have
been graduated from the ranks and
their promotion is invariably the re-
suit of long service, regular habits, So
ponds greatly the maintenance Of
proper discipline in the ranks, for by
their example and their attention to
the conduct of their subordinate COM
rades they help to preserve the high
standard that characterizes the army
of the United States.
To them a great deal Of the hard
work incident to the management Of
large body Of men is intrusted by the
higher officers, who are not able to
keep in touch so directly with the
rank and file. The men with the chew
rons stand between the commissioned
officers and the enlisted men, ana
bridge the gap between. The former
depend upon them for the execution
of the orders and the observance Of
military regulations, and the latter
have a natural confidence in them,
which helps to preserve harmony and
order.
At Fort Smelling the duties Of SER
geant major are discharged by George
Merdinger, who has served Uncle Sam
for thirty-one years, and is still only
fOrty-flVe years Of age. He was ell
gible last May for retirement on three
quarters pay and full allowances. but
Sergeant Major Merdinger believes
himself quite fit to serve his country,
even though he has worn the blue for
over twenty-seven years. The differ
ence between the actual term of his
service and the length of time he Is
credited with having been in the army
is due to the double time allowed SOL
dlers who have fought in the Philip
pines.
He was born in Alsace, Germany,
but at an early age came to America.
At the age Of sixteen, Joined the
United States marine corps in New
York, May Is, 1875. He remained in
that branch of the service for five
Central railroad strike occurred, and
the marines, among whom Merdinger
was serving, were sent to Albany to
help quell the strikers. 1t required
eight months to accomplish this, and
many Of the troops were seriously in
JuIGu. 1 he strikers USED everything
available as weapons. Stones, sticks,
rotten eggs and fruit were among some
of the missiles employed, and many of
the blue jackets sustained broken
limbs and other wounds. Sergeant
Merdinger escaped without a bruise.
He was honorably discharged in
1881. AT Fort Slocum, N. Y, he enlist
ed in the Twenty-first Infantry, and
he has been with that regiment ever
since. In August Of last year he was
appointed sergeant major.
In the Indian Wars.
In 1888 the Indians took the war
path In the territory of Washington
The Twenty first was ordered there, !
and followed the Indians till the braves
Were glad to bury the tomahawk
In 1885 the Twenty first, while sta |
toned in Wyoming, was called upon to |
take part in the quelling of the Chi |
Ilese labor riot, in the town Of Rock |
Springs, Wyo. The entire Chinese |
quarter of that town was burned to !
the ground in one night, and hundreds !
of the Celestials died in the flames. |
The laborers seemed to have gone mad |
with hatred Of the Cinnamon, and |
town from entire destruction. The |
troops were there six months
In 1S9O-91 the Sioux Indians, under |
Swing Bow, went on the Warpath, and !
the IWenty-hTSt was ordered from |
Fort Robinson. Neb., to subdue them. |
Sergeant Merdinger was with the COM
mand all through the campaign |
against the Sioux till at the close Of |
1891 they made terms for peace.
Then came long grind of garrison |
duty for the Twenty-f1rst, reaching to |
April, 1898, when war was declared !
against Spain.
During this war First Sergeant Mer- |
dinger had charge of a platoon, and |
at the close of hostilities he was pre- |
sented with q certificate of merit |
Etgned by President William McKin-
ley, for 'meritorious service In San
tiago de Cuba"
Peace with Spain was then declared, |
but fighting was still TO be done in the
far-on Philippines, and the Twenty
first, among other regiments, was sent |
Three years the boys OF the Twenty
nrst spent in the Islands, taking part
In fights at Calamba, Lipe, Las Pinas
and Mount Niaga.
Has Long cheered Soldier Hearts.
Charles Waters Graves, chief must
clan, Familiarity known as Charlie"
was born in Ohio thirty-siX years ago.
he has served sixteen years in the
United States army, having enlisted In
The Third Infantry in 1887. He saw
service at Fort Shaw and other Mon
tana points up to the outbreak of the
late war. He went to Cuba AS chief
musician of the Third and served the
entire campaign. When that regi-
ment was ordered back to the United
States, Chief Musician Graves was
transferred to the Twenty-first infan-
try. Chief Musician Graves is recog.