The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-09-25
History of Minnesota Citizen Soldiers


In defense of the flag during the strug-
gle OF 1S61-1865, but her troops were
also the Arst mustered into the service
at the outbreak Of the Spanish Ameri-
can war.
1t was in April. 1861, that Gov.
Ramsey made. his tender of United
States troops, and it was also in April,
tnlrty-seven years later, that three
minnesota state regiments went into
rendezvous at the camp which had
peen named after Minnesotas first war
governor.
Gov. Clough received dispatch
April 3, 1898. stating that Minneseta's
quota under the presidents call for
volunteers would be three regiments OF
infantry, and requesting in the name
or the president, that the regiments
OF the national or state militia be used
SO Tar as their number will permit, for
the reason that they are armed.
equipped and drilled" In reply to the
telegram Gov. Clough Immediately
wired Secretary of War Ager, giving
IuH information as to all the arms and
equipments on hand The president
had called for troops to serve two years
or during the war;
By an official order the militia regi-i
ments lost their Identity as such upon
oelng mustered into the national serv-
Ice. The Minnesota regiments were
numbered, therefore, from the last vol
unteer infantry regiment of the Civil
war. The Second regiment, because of
the seniority of It's colonel, Joseph
Bobleter, became the Twelfth Mime
sofa; the First, under the command of
Col. c.. McC. Reeve, became the Thir-
tenth; and the Third under the COM
mand Of Col. G. A. Van Duzee, became
the Fourteenth,
Guard Goes into Camp
Friday, April 20, the various COM
panies of the First regiment, consisting
OF Companies A, B, I and f, Of Mime
apoI1s; c, D. E and H, of ST. Paul; G,
OF Red Wing, and K, of Saltwater, to-
gether with two newly formed COM
panies-L, of Minneapolis, and M, of
st. Cloud-met at their armories and
started on the first march of their real
army life. They camped on the state
CERT, of the regular army, commenced
to muster the different companies into
the United States service
On May II Gov. Clough received or
ders that two of the Minnesota regi-
ments should go to Chickamauga and
one to San Francisco for service in the
Philippines. To the bitter disappoint-
ment of the other two regiments, the
Thirteenth was selected for the Philip
pines.
What followed is not history of the
Minnesota guardsmen, but history Of
Minnesota volunteers. Yet, because the
latter We're once guardSmen, some of
the history of the one regiment that
saw active service during the Spanish
war deserves to be mentioned.
The Thirteenth broke camp and
started on their westward journey,
Monday, May 16 On Sunday, July 81,
1t arrived in Manila A landing was
made at Paranaque Aug. Z, and the
regiment marched from there to Camp
Dewey, about mile beyond. The bat
tie Of Manila was fought Aug. 13. Col.
Reeve was in command of the regi-
ment, Maj. Gen. Merritt was the gen.
eral in charge.
In the battle of Gettysburg, during
the Civil War, more than half million
men were engaged, and the First Min
nesota lost in killed, wounded and
missing, more than two thirds of its
number. The Thirteenth Minnesota at
the battle of Manila lost more than all
the other troops engaged. Col. Reeve,
in his report commended for bravery,
Capt. Bjornstad, who was wounded;
Capt. Seebachs who was also wounded;
CaptS. Spear and Metz, Lieuts Jack
son, Trowbridge, Bunker, Falls and
Garcelon. and Sergt. Maj. Loye. Capts.
Masterman and Morgans services were
also praised. -
Mentioned in Reports
Gen. MacArthur's report highly com
plimented the Minnesota men and Col.
Reeve. Later the regiment acted as
provost guard for the city of Manila,
and afterwards took part in the Luzon
campaign. But the efficiency and gall
lantry of the regiment that was given
a chance to show what it could do is
too we'll known to need repetition. 1t
has been referred to merely to show
that the national guardsman of Min
nesota has invariably proved himself a
brave soldier when given the chance.
The Thirteenth regiment started
home Aug. 10, 1899. In April 1900, the
regiment reorganized and resumed its
place as First regiment in the National
guards of the state. Companies H, F,
L and M did not reorganize, but went
out of existence when the cause for
which the latter two existed needed
them no more. A new company, F, has
since been added to fill the regiments
quota. More than 20 per cent of the old
members Of the regiments have re-
turned to the guards.
The Dick bill, passed by congress in
January, 1903, makes the state troops
subject to the call of the president. In
return for this readiness for service
Lie SoVeIulHeut pIoVIuSS Luz their
equipment.
In 1889 the Minnesota legislature
passed an act creating a battalion of
mounted troops, to consist of major
and staff, two battalions of artillery
and troop of cavalry. The Emmett
light artillery became Battery A. The
artillery reserve became Battery B, and
a troop of cavalry that had been or
ganized in ST. Paul some two or three
years before became the first troop of
cavalry and completed the First bat
TALON of mounted troops, n. 6. S. M
John B. Hawley was elected major
April 8, 1889. but served only until
September, 1900. Elias D. Libbey was
commissioned major to succeed him
Oct. 3, 1880, and has served ever since
Maj. Libbey is adjutant general on the
staff of the governor. He is veteran
of the Civil war, having enlisted when
he was seventeen years old in Maine
regiment He served with distinction
throughout the war.
Lake citys Generous Gift
In 1888 Lake City gave to the Ma
tional guard the site of their present