The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1915-05-04
Local Company Made as Good Show
ing In Inspection as Any Other
Company in the -.
81, State.
CREDIT TO THE OFFICERS
Captain Powell and Lieutenant Ham
III Responsible for Retention
Here Of This Or
ganization.

regiment of the recognized Iowa
militia, having made in the annual in
| spection one of the best, II not the
best, showing of any other company in
the state. Fears that the company
might be mustered out were dispelled
! this morning when word was received
here that the showing of the local
company placed it among the front
ranks.
| Plans for the reorganization of the
/ Iowa national guard were perfected at
a meeting of the adviory board OF the
militia held at Cedar Rapids yester-
day. The changes will be effective as
soon as orders can be issued.
One entire regiment of infantry will
be dispensed with in the reorganiza-
ton. The present numbering of the
regiments will be abandoned and the
three new infantry regiments will be
known as the First, Second and Third.
At present they are known as the
Fifty third, Fifty-fourth, Fifty-fifth.
and Fifty-sixth. Company L is in the
Fifty-fourth.
! Companies in Regiment.
! Col. John E. BARLEY, of Upton, WI
ment, which will be made up of the
companies in the following cities:
Keokuk, Dubuque, Cedar Rapids,
w abingdon, Fairfield, Burlington. Man
chester, Vinton. two at Waterloo, two
at Cedar Rapids, and a machine gun
company at Upton. The band will be
| located at Cedar Rapids. Company l.
probably will be known hereafter by
some other designation. ...-..
Captain Powell and Lieutenant
Hamill will attend the school Of in
struction for infantry officers to be
held at Camp Dodge June Fl to "a.
To Captain Powell and Lieutenant
Hamiil must go the great share OF
fcredit for the retention of Company L
in this city and for the showing made
by the company in the annual inspec-
ton held some time ago. These two
men took charge OF the company la It
fall at time when it seemed impos-
sibIe that it be held here any longer.
The company was without officers and
the members of the company poorly
trained. -..-,r.-.
At about this time officials of the
state militia were sent here prepared
to make arrangements to muster out
the company. Captain Powell and
Lieutenant Hamill, learning that
these officers were coming, gathered
E! a large number Of men in the company
and met these officers on their arrival,
not with three or four men as they had
anticipated, but with between forty
five and fifty men. They told the WIS.,
iting officers that Keolkuk did not want
/ to lose it's company.
Company Feoreanized.
The result of this meeting was that
the local company was, in effect, plac-
ed on probation. Captain Powell and
Lieutenant Hamill were placed in
charge of the company and given a
short length of time to reorganize the
company and place it on sound basis
They went to work at once with the
reorganization, recruiting the cou-
pany to practically full strength and
drilling the men carefully. When the
annual inspection was held a few
months later, they went through every
drill without a mistake. Captain Pow
ell and Lieutenant Hamill made such
a favorable impression that they we're
given their commissions without be-
ing put through special examination
the first time this has been done in
the history Of the Iowa national guard.
With Company l. assured of it's po-
sition, it's officers expect to start activ-
tiles at once in making the organiza-
ton the strongest in the state in
every possible way. Plans for futur
activities by the company and it's
members will be announced within a
short time.