New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1916-05-24
I'LL HEALTH CAUSES
COLONEL TO RETIRE
HAS SERVED STATE MILITIA
IN MANY CAPACITIES FOR
80 YEARS
TRANSFERRED TO GOVERNORS
STAFF AS COLONEL AT
OWN REQUEST

+ After having served in the National
Guard of the State of Minnesota in
every capacity from private to COM
mander of the regiment for nearly thirty
years, Colonel John Buschers will re-
tire from the service on June Goth of
this year. At his own request he was last
Wednesday relieved Of the command of
Second and appointed as member of
the staff by Governor J. A. A. Burn
quist.
Buschers will be held at the state capitol
in St. Paul today Wednesday,, orders
for the election having been sent out by
Adjt. Gen. Wood last Thursday. The
election will be participated in by all Of
the field and line officers of the regiment
and it is expected that the contest for
the honor will be spirited one, because
several candidates are lining up their
forces and the election may require a
session lasting several days on account
of the various factions in the organiza-
ton.
! While Major Mollison, the senior maj
or of the regiment seems to have the lead
on the other candidates because of his
many years Of service the ''Y oung Turks
are lining up for Major Duane of St..
Peter, who is an avowed candidate for
the position and has considerable of a
personal following. Lieut.. Col. Smith,
who virtually assumes command OF the
regiment upon the transfer Of Col.
Buschers, also is candidate, but like
the position of vice president of the
United States this position does not seem
} to be a popular stepping stone to the
higher one. Major Pfaender states
that while he would accept the colonelcy
if elected to the position he would regard
his avowed candidacy as breach OF
etiquette, Major Mollison being his
senior in service and in every way
qualified for the higher rank. Major
Mollison, on the other hand, is said to
have declared that he would not be a
candidate, in case Major Pfaender seeks
the promotion. Major Duane evidently
is not strong on this Alphonso and
CASTOR stuff and, although the Junior
major in the regiment, is determined
to change the insignia on his shoulder
ST no fro,,o +bo 1oof IN %bo oor1o
Colonel Buschers' reason for asking
for the transfer to the staff is his con-
tinuous ill health and he had planned
to resign a number of months ago, but
was urged to remain in office until COM
pletion of the New Ulm Armory. He
laid the matter before Governor Burn
quist when the latter visited the city
Tuesday of last week and the chief
executive agreed to conform with the
coloners wishes.
Colonel Buschers became member
of company "A" of New Ulm June 80,
1886, and has served continuously since
that time in every grade from private
to commanding officer of the regiment.
He received his first commission in
June, 1889, when he was elected second
lieutenant of the company. Five years
later he was promoted to first lieutenant
upon the resignation of Lieut.. L. B.
Krook. In that capacity he served
during the Spanish-American War, but
like many others of his command he
became ill with typhoid fever while at
Chickamauga Park and was invalided
home to recuperate. His regiment came
back to the state before he had recovered.
When "a" company was re-organized
the year after the war he was elected
captain, five years later major and in
1912 colonel of his regiment.
The retirement of Col. Buschers will
mean a distinct loss to the military
organizations of the state, because he is
regarded as the best posted man in
state. During sham battles at Camp
Robinson, Wis, it is related that he
showed an almost uncanny anticipation
of the moves of the opposing forces
to the chagrin of commanding officers
his senior both in years and service anc
he handled his troops in manner tt
draw the praise from regular army
officers under whose supervision thu
maneuvres were carried out. His cool
headed actions have been the admiration
of the enlisted men of the regiment wht
keenly regret his retirement.
When we hear person say that he