Source of Article: “Muscatine Journal”, Muscatine Iowa, Saturday, September 12, 1903 pg 1
Submitted by Beverly Witmer, January 31, 2013
Hundreds of Soldiers are Coming
Monday the annual encampment of the 54th Regiment occursTented city on the outskirts of Muscatine will be inhabited
Friday Area Big Day
Governor A. B. Cummins will be present and review the troopsPhotos of Col. H. H. Carghlan of Ottumwa, Commander and
Capt. D. A. Emery of Ottumwa, Adjutant of the Fifty-Fourth Regiment, Iowa National GuardTrouble Each Company in the Guard Has Been Called on to Quell
Including Company C Roster of the Last Named Company.Resplendent in gold lace, brass buttons and the accoutrements of war a colonel, adjutant of the regiment, four majors and other officers will take command of Camp J. B. Dougherty, Fifty-fourth regiment, Iowa National Guard, next Monday morning where the white tents of the regiment are being erected today on the outskirts of the city to the northeast. As heretofore stated in the Journal, the first company will arrive at 8:10 o’clock Monday morning and a few hours later the entire regiment will have reached this city, according to travel orders heretofore printed in this newspaper as was the routine to be observed by the soldiers in the daily camp life.
The climax to the encampment will come Friday when Governor A. H. Cummins will review the troops. On this day it is expected thousands of strangers will be in Muscatine, arrangements having been made for a special rate on the Rock Island railroad.
History of the Fifty-Fourth. Among the regiments of the state none stand higher than the fifty-fourth. When at the outbreak of the Spanish-American war the guard regiments throughout the country were ordered out, none answered the call with more willingness nor more bravely started upon the long trip to Jacksonville, Fla. where the regiment was assigned. The record of the regiment in active service at the call of the state, aside from the service rendered during the late war, is as follows:
1879 - Company A, Fairfield, Captain W. A. Daggett, ordered to guard jail and protect prisoner threatened by mob.
1883 - Company E, Centerville, Captain J. T. Conner, ordered out to disperse mob and protect railroad property.
1884 - Company B, Davenport, Captain E. I. Cameron; Company C, Muscatine, Captain F. Welker; warned to be ready for duty, in anticipation of violence from striking miners at What Cheer, Keokuk county.
1885 - Company E, Centerville, Captain J. T. Conner; ordered by sheriff of Appanoose county to disperse mob organized to lynch prisoner.
1887, August 9 - Company C, Muscatine, Captain C. F. Garlock; ordered to oust proprietors of saloon, established contrary to law, adjoining camp of first brigade.
The Trouble at Muchakinock. During the trouble in May, 1894, when the workmen from neighboring mines, who were on strike, concentrated at Evans to force the white miners out, in order that the entire force might unite in an attack on the colored miners at Muchakinock, the governor was appealed to for assistance. The Evans miners refused to go out and the strikers annoyed them as they passed to and from their work. Adjutant General Prime went in person to the scene of disorder, and by his cool judgment and decision averted what might have been a bloody battle, for the colored miners would not have hesitated to defend themselves. On May 30, 1894, General Prime called out Companies A, H and F. of the third regiment. Under command of Major Loper they were placed at Evans to protect the working miners. Companies G and K of the fifty-fourth, then the second regiment, were also called out, and were stationed at Muchakinock. General Prime said if the miners at Evans and Muchakinock wanted to work he would see they were not disturbed. He was as good as his word. The appearance of the troops at once restored order, not a gun was fired, and what, with less judicious management, might have resulted in a deadly conflict, was settled without bloodshed. In addition to the service rendered by the second regiment to the state, every regiment of the Iowa National Guard has at some time or other, since its organization been called out and rendered efficient service on occasions similar to those in which the second regiment was used.
Company C. The coming of the encampment has brought to the front the local company who will act as hosts during the next week. Below is the entire roster of the company:
Officers.
Captain – Harry Kern.
First Lieutenant – C. U. Frack.
Second Lieutenant – F. E. Norwood.
1st Sargeant – George Luckhardt.
Quartermaster Sargeant – Chas. P. Hanley.
Sargeants – Drew Davidson, Homer Junkin, Albert Keonig, Ralph Othmer.
Corporals – Edwin Stuart, Henry Ficken, Chas. Kulp, Jack Kennifick, Alfred Wagner, Roy Brown.
Musicians – Wm. Tiecke, John Berry.
Privates – Harry Asthalter, Fay Bennison, Fred Bast, John Beard, Tom Brannon, E. H. Dreier, Henry F. Edson, V. Fuller, C. J. Fifer, W. J. Fayle, I. J. Frack, George Howe, Earl S. Hudler, Jas. B. Hill, Harry Holmes, J. A. Kennefick, Fred Kopp, W. C. Kautz, Harry Kautz John Mamerer, Ben G. Lily, A. L. Madden, Matthew Murran, Howard Parsons, C. W. Richards, A. W. Schmidt, B. Schmidt, W. Scholten, J. Schumaker, M. Thompson, T. Wiggim, A. Weidlein, A. Zueg.
Requested to Decorate. Merchants are earnestly requested to decorate their places of business with flags and bunting during the coming week. A good royal welcome will be given the visiting soldiers, and the help of the merchants is earnestly desired. Considerable comment has been caused by the fact that on Friday we will have as our guest the governor of Iowa, who will review the troops with his staff in person. It is desired that all business houses close the doors that day and make it a holiday for all.
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