Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1915-02-11
STORY OF SALEM O.N.G
IN EARLY DAYS RELATED
Man Summoned For Jury
Duty Excused For PartiCi-
pating In Sham Battles

m not eligible for Jury duty,
Your Honor" said a prominent Salem
business man to the Judge, "I should
be exused on my record for military
service -
''Where did you servel" asked the
Judge.
Well, your honor, fought nthe
bloody battles of "Dog Rum Ank.
eney Flat and was carried to camp on
stretcher after leading my men in a
night attack on Caccidy's Bar. was
one of the original members of Com,
pany By, Second regiment 0. N. G..
Of Salem and it was a notable body of
men, Your Honor"
The Judge called for the muster rolls
and found the statement to be true by
the rolls of Company b under the date
Of June 4, 1889, signed by the name Nf
T. Willis, quartelmaster sargeant. p.
Willis is now Major Percy Willis, U.
5. A. and the commandant at Fort
Stevens. Prominent among the names
on the roll was that of the late NJ. W.
Hunt, popularly known as Captain
Hunt who was elected second lieuten-
ant of the company June %, 1887 and
promoted to first lieutenant on the
staff Of Colonel Smith July 81, 1887.
Sanford Watson, relative of Cor.
pOration Commissioner Ralph Watson
was captain Of Company B when the
organization made its first trip to a
state encampment held at Eugene The
encampment was held in ploughed
field about four miles from the town.
Most Of the old time members of the
company prefer to ignore the "pre.
digested beef' upon which they were
fed at this encampment, They said it
was probably good enough beef in its
prime, but it was not prime beef, when
they got 1t and II was far too active
for the sober members Of Company B.
On July 4 there was a grand cele-
bration in Eugene and a sham battle
scheduled for this day to end up with
grand military ball in the evening.
| The reveille was sounded at a. m. and
the boys were compelled to get out to
make an early morning attack on the
Coos Bay cavalry that was taking part
in the maneuvers. After a march OF
IL miles around by Coburg, the com
pany forded the river and was brought
back to q point about three miles from
where they started without firing a
| shot. Breakfast consisted of a cup Of
coffee and a promise of biscuit. They
marched eight miles from this point
and then climbed a hill where they
secuted through the brush For two
hours. Then came the order to retreat
and they retreated in double quick
time for four miles out in the country.
| Later came the order TO come back
and fight and the two armies came to.
gether about four O'Clock in the
afternoon in the boiling sun on top Of a
| hill. After chasing each other up and
| down the Hill for two hours the tired
and footsore Company B was chosen
as the company to capture the enemy e
| colors. They had orders not to fire
until they could see their red noses
but the enemy would not stand still and
they chased cavalry company across
the plains until O'Clock when they
/ gave il up aud marched four miles to
camp where they had some hardtack
and coffee and then the colonel dis
missed them aud told them to go to
town and enjoy themselves at the
military ball. They were scheduled to
/ be reviewed but not man was able
to stand on his feet and the colonel
mercifully suspended the rules. Cooke
Patton, who had been languishing In
the guard house for trading the col
one's charges Of For q wagon load of
pies from the bakery, was the only man
| who was able to attend the dance. lie
escaped from the guard house disguised
as the officer Of the day in uniform
which the boys took from u sleeping
car porter and o Knight Templars hat
borrowed for the occasion.
The colonel of the regiment at that
time was s. l.. Lowell well known
about Salem The armory of the com
pany was the building now occupied by
the Salem laundry 1t was in this
building that the company feverishly
murked time for three days while
awaiting call to entrain for the
"Swecds Insurrcction " when the AS
torio fishermen went on strike.
The company numbered d3 men and
among It's members were many men
now prominent in the business aud po'
litical world Of the state today. j,
Frank Hughes, Of fish and game com
mission fame, was the first lieutenant,
and y. =, Dearborn, now deceased, was
the second lieutenant, Frank b. Mere
|dith, secretary of the state fair board
who then practiecd dentistry, was pro-
NOTED to the post OF Surgcaut Major ON
May 90, 1882 An ambitious young man
who gave bis name as Lee steiner now
DR.. r. 4. Lee Steiner superintendent OF
the Oregon state hospital for the n'
suuo, was promoted corporal for Ral
nntry November II, 1850, w. II, Cook
was first sargent Of the company. a,
10. Condit Il wen known attorney of
this city, was member of the company
and gave his occupation as county
treasurer. Dr. u, G.. Griffith
was also member Of the
company. u, j, Frasier now In the
real estate husiness In Eugene was Q
member of the company
Harvey Jordan prominent in politics
In seattle was on the rolls with An
dres Coss, former city marshall OF
lGoldcndule. Scott BoEworth well
I known newspaper man Of this city, and
/ Richard Riley, now an attendant at the
usylum were enrolled. G. A, Mmrphcy
+ also member Is now IN charge Of Oh,
Eastern Oregon branch Of the state in
sane asylum w. G. Anderson Is nov
a tcacher IN the Portland schools, w. +
Cotterlin, and W. i. Clark are now N
business In Portland. Hurry Fisk
then a private In the rear ranks is nov
an officer In the regular army and al