Mower County, Minnesota - Chapter 48: Minnesota National Guard, 1911

Second Infantry M. N. G. - Company "G" of Austin - Company " G " in the Twelfth Minnesota Volunteer Infantry, Spanish- American War - OflBcers and Men - First and Present Officers - By Col. Arthur W. Wright.

Company G, Second Regiment Infantry, was organized in Austin, September 8, 1882, by J. S. Anderson, who was chosen captain. At first the company was organized as a cavalry troop, but assigned to the infantry the following year. It first met at Armory hall and later at Jones hall. The original officers and noncommissioned officers were : Captain, James S. Anderson ;

The company numbered forty-six in all. Captain Anderson died at the hospital at Bremerton, AVashington, April 12, 1911. He was born in Pavillion, New York, July 6, 1835. Joined Company F, Twenty-fourth Wisconsin Volunteers and served three years in the rebellion. For eighteen years he had charge of the shops of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul road at Austin, jNUnnesota. He was a charter member of the St. Bernard Commandery, K. T., and a member of General Grant Post, G. A. R., Bremerton, of which he was past commander. In 1888 the family moved to Seattle and later to their present home in Bremerton, Avhere for the past six years he had the position as engineer in the navy yard.

The company has been in the continuous service of the state ever since its organization, except that pursuant to a prejudiced report of the then Major George AY. Mead, made January 30, 1885, it was mustered out and made the Austin Reserve Alilitia. A reinstatement was demanded and a competitive drill for such reinstatement had between such Reserve Company and companies of reserves at St. Cloud and AA^adena. It was reinstated without the loss of time as a result of a favorable report made by Capt. Ed S. Bean, of the First Infantry, AI. N. G., dated Alay 6, 1885.

The membership at that critical time in the history of tlie company was as follows : Allies M. Trowbridge, captain ; L. A. Pierce, first lieutenant ; Dwight G. Skinner, second lieutenant ; Alartin B. Davidson, Fred B. AVood. Henry Greenman, AYorthy S. Sterling, William Theo. Alollison, AVilliam Holt, Lyman Sher- Avood, Charles F. Cook, Thomas Revord, William Crane, Henry W. Clark, Charles F. Clark, Nicholas Nicholsen, Clarence D. Heflin, William A. W'illard, Lansing 0. Hollister, George AVard, Frank H. Sterling, Carl Fairbanks, Joseph E. Sehwan, Smith Davison,

Adelbert "Wright, Arthur AV. Wright, Commodore L. Geraghty, Nordahl B. Sohier, William C. Hocking, James M. Engle, AYilliam H. Teeter, AYilliam M. Vile, Elmer S. Hall, Jacob Maueh, Ira Padden, AVilliam G. Hunter, George "W. Bliss, Suwarrow A. Smith, William R. Earl, William H. Officer, Levi W. Decker, Samuel D. Catherwood, Charles A. Litchfield, George C. Dodge, Tom Hillam, Oliver C. Comfort h, Henry Herzog, Adelbert B. Hunkins, Landon Taylor, William B. Woods, Sumner A. Emerson, Amil H. Retsloflf, Wert F. Anderson, and D. F. Blythe, privates. The captains of the company have been: James S. Anderson, Miles M. Trowbridge, John A. Sands, Arthur W. Wright, now colonel; Fred B. AVood, now adjutant general; Alfred C. Page, now regimental adjutant; Nicholas Nieholsen, now major; Lee M. Sargent, Charles F. Cook, now in command. The first lieutenants have been : Horace W. Elms, Franch A. Richards, Luvern A. Pierce, Ira Padden, Fred B. Wood, Charles F. Cook, Alfred

C. Page, Nicholas Nieholsen, and Frank B. Teeter. The second lieutenants have been: Frank A. Richards, James E. Crews, Dwight G. Skinner, Henry W. Clark, Arthur W. Wright, Charles F. Cook, Ira B. Sherwood, John E. Detwiler, Nicholas Nieholsen, Frank B. Teeter, and Peter Johnson, Jr. The present officers are : Charles F. Cook, captain; Frank B. Teeter, first lieutenant; Peter Johnson, Jr., second lieutenant.

Company G forms a part of the Second Regiment Infantry, Minnesota National Guard, which consists of twelve companies, with headquarters at Austin. It is officered and made up as follows : Colonel, Arthur W. Wright, Austin ; lieutenant colonel, George S. AVhitney, Faribault; major, Nicholas Nieholsen, Austin; major, John Buschers, New Ulm; major, William T. Tdollison, Faribault; regimental adjutant, Capt. A. C. Page, Austin; lieutenant and surgeon, Arthur N. Collins, Austin. There are additional staff' officers scattered through the state.

Major Mollison was a charter member of Company G, the worthy son of a worthy father, Allan ]Mollison, one of the few who lived to recount the deeds of the historic First ^Minnesota Volunteer Infantry.

At the outbreak of the Spanish-American War. Company G volunteered in a body, others being mustered in to bring the company up to a war strcngtli, and became Company G of the Twelfth Minnesota Volunteer Infantry.

The following is a list of tlie officers and men who made up that company: PVed B. Wood, captain; Alfred C. Page, first lieutenant; Nicholas Nieholsen, second lieutenant. Noueommis-

Private AVilliam H. Burchell, discharged for disability at Camp George H. Thomas, July 28, 1898; Musician AVilliam R. Crandall, transferred Regimental Band, May 23, 1898; Musician Clarence E. AVoodward, transferred Regimental Band, May 23, 1898; Private Norman C. Sutherland, transferred Regimental Band, May 23, 1898; Private Roy Atkinson, transferred to Hospital Corps, July 20, 1898 ; Private AVallace L. AA^oodward, transferred to Hospital Corps, July 20, 1898 ; Private Frank E. Hubbard, on detached service as cook Third Division Hospital; Private Elmer Jeen, transferred to Hospital Corps, October 14, 1898, and also on detached service ; Sergeant Guy Herman, transferred to band, October 26, 1898 (died of disease, etc.) ; Sergeant Harvey A. Chapin, sick at Third Division Hospital, July 25 to August 23, 1898 (died in Third Division Hospital, Camp G. H. Thomas, August 23, 1898, of typhoid fever) ; Private Mikel Mikkelson, sick at Third Division Hospital, Camp 6. H. Thomas, August 8 to 19 (died in Third Division Hospital, August 19, 1898.

of typhoid fever) ; Private Christen (Christian) Paulsen, sick at Third Division Hospital, Camp Hamilton, August 28 to 30 (died August 30, 1898, of typhoid fever) ; Private Salva Torgenson, died at Camp Mueller, New Ulm, October 25, 1898. It will be seen that four men who went out full of health and hope answered the grim call, victims of disease.

The Twelfth Minnesota Volunteer Infantry went into camp at Camp Ramsey (State Fair Grounds), April 29, 1898, was mustered into United States service May 6, 1898. Remained in Camp Ramsey until May 16. Arrived at Rossville, Tennessee, May 19. Went into camp at Camp George H. Thomas, near Lytic, Georgia, May 20, 1898, being a part of the First Brigade, Third Division, First Army Corps. Removed to a new camp, August 14, 1898. Removed to Camp Hamilton, near Lexington, Kentucky, August 22-24, 1898. Left Lexington on return to Minnesota, September 15, and went into camp at Camp ]\Iueller, near New Ulm, September 17, 1898. September 22 furloughed for thirty days. ]Mustered out November 5, 1898. During this period the regiment was under the command of Col. Joseph Bobleter, of New Ulm, a thorough soldier, beloved by officers and men alike. The First Battalion Avas under the command of Major George W. Mead. The Second Battalion was under the command of Major Arthur W. Wright. The Third Battalion was under command of ]\Iajor George S. Whitney.

Officers and men longed for active service and regretted the inactivity of camp life. The regiment, Company G, and all the component parts, were exceedingly well prepared, drilled and equipped, and no better body of soldiers ever answered a call to arms ; that they remained inactive was no fault of theirs ; the war was too short, too quickly over, to require them at the front.