page_title: Franklin Guards
section_title: Post-Civil War Reorganization through World War I
hierarchical_section_title: Franklin Guards / Post-Civil War Reorganization through World War I
caption_attribution_description: English: Appears to be officers of Company E, 106th Engineer Battalion, from Apalachicola, Florida. One of three men, possibly the man on the far right, is Herbert O. Marshall of St. George Island. Company was organized as Company E on Feb 3, 1927. Photo circa 1929.
context_page_description: The Franklin Guards was a unit of the Florida Army National Guard, stationed in Apalachicola. The company was founded in 1836 by Captain Abraham K. Allison as the Franklin Volunteers and fought in the Second Seminole War under General Richard K. Call's battalion of volunteers. The Territorial Legislature incorporated the company as the "Apalachicola Guards" on March 14, 1843. This act formalized their relationship with the territorial governor and afforded them territory-funded arms and equipment. During the American Civil War, the Apalachicola Guards mustered into service as Company B, First Florida on April 5, 1861. After the war, the company reorganized as Franklin Guards, under the command of Captain Robert Knickmeyer and Lieutenant William Orman. The Guards served as an infantry unit for most of their existence, including in the Civil War and World War I. The Guards had reorganized into an engineer company after World War I and deployed as such to the Pacific Theatre with the 31st Infantry Division in World War II. After the end of World War II, the company became an artillery and then infantry company of the 124th Infantry.
context_section_description: The Franklin Guards were established in Apalachicola shortly after the Civil War by the former commander of Company B, Fourth Florida Infantry, Captain Robert Knickmeyer as local militia company. By 1883 the Franklin Guards are listed in the Adjutant General's Report as a volunteer company under command of Captain William T. Orman with 1LT A. F. Myers. William Orman was listed as far back as 1870 as a Lieutenant, presumably under Captain Knickmeyer's command. By 1885, the unit was commanded by J. H. Coombs and Fred Butterfield as a "detached company of infantry" in the Florida militia. When a vacancy in the Florida State Troops opened in 1890, the Franklin Guards were accepted as Company C, Third Battalion. On June 17, 1891, they participated in a parade for the dedication of the Confederate monument on Lee Square in Pensacola along with the rest of the battalion. The Franklin Guards were ordered to Tampa in 1898 in preparation for service during the Spanish–American War. They were one of the last four companies of state troops to arrive at the camp there on May 14, with 76 men under Captain A.S. Mohr's command. The company was released and did not enter federal service, but many individuals from the company volunteered to serve in the twelve Florida companies selected. Those that remained returned to Apalachicola on the night of 19 May. After the war, the Florida State Troops reorganized into two regiments of infantry and the Franklin Guards became Company L, First Regiment on August 18, 1899, still part of the 3rd Battalion.
  Their first permanent armory in the city was built of wood, simulated as brick, in 1898 and was destroyed by a fire that damaged much of downtown Apalachicola on May 25, 1900. A new brick armory, known as Fort Coombs after one of their commanders, was quickly completed in 1901 at the cost of $12,000 and was the home of the Franklin Guards for the rest of their service. In a 1903 report of inspection the armory was described as, "without question the finest armory in the State."
  The report also described Company L and its officers and 33 men: "The ceremonies of inspection and muster were correctly executed and the company made an excellent appearance. The arms were in fair condition, and clothing clean, neat and uniform, except as to collars, of which there was a great variety of styles. Accouterments were in good condition and brasses, buttons and leather had been well polished. Proficiency in drill was shown, both in field movements and in manual of arms. Administrative work with this company is fair; money and property accounts are kept, but letter books were not posted. There is a Summary Court which is properly conducted, and discipline is good." The company encamped with all of the Florida State Troops at Camp Jennings in Jacksonville from September 8 to 15, 1903.
  The Guards were called to service during street car strikes in October 1907 and in 1912. Company L entered service for World War I on August 5, 1917.
caption: Officers of Company E, 106th Engineer Battalion circa late 1920s.
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