Iowa State Militia: Lansing City State Guards Lafayette Guards & McGregor Rifles "In Times of Peace Prepare for War" |
Unless otherwise credited, the following information was compiled
by S. Ferrall for Allamakee co. IAGenWeb
| There are two basic kinds of militias
— State Defense Forces (also known as State Guards,
State Military Reserves or State Militias) and Naval
Militias. These forces are distinct from their
state’s National Guard in that they cannot be
mobilized for federal service and they are not funded by
the federal government. ~source: Military Times (note the URL used for this website is no longer valid) The Guard, or State Militia, began to organize after the Civil War, in the early 1870's. The first mention of a State Guard in Allamakee county was in 1875 when the Lansing City State Guards was organized. The McGregor States Guards (aka McGregor Rifles) were mustered into the National Guard in 1877 ... it's likely that the Allamakee county organizations were also mustered into the National Guard about the same time. Further information on these post-civil war, pre-Spanish American war militia groups is welcomed. Contact the site coordinator with your information (and sources) |
| Company name | Location | Officers | Arms |
| Lansing City State Guards | Lansing, Allamakee co. IA | Capt. Peter Karberg 1st Lieut. T.C. Medary 2d Lieut. T.B. Spurner |
Enfield rifles |
| McGregor State Guards aka McGregor Rifles | McGregor, Clayton co. IA | Capt. J.P. Patrick 1st Lieut. Geo. H. Otis 2nd Lieut. Quincy A. Sloan |
Springfield B.L. rifles |
| Baker State Guards - formerly known as the McGregor Artillery | McGregor, Clayton co. IA | Capt. Wm. Rowland 1st Lieut. Philander N. Drake 2d Lieut. Thomas W. Williams |
1 6-pdr. Cannon |
source: Report of Nathaniel B. Baker, Adjutant
General and Acting Quartermaster General of the State of Iowa
January 1, 1875 to January 1, 1876
| Adjutant General Baker has named the
militia company of this city the "Lansing State
Guards." The boys are now anxious to go to the front
and create a panic among the - rations. We'll bet they
can make a charge on a hen roost as valiantly as such old
soldiers as Pete Cummins, D.G. Grippen, and another chap
we know of. ~North Iowa Journal, Wednesday, September 22, 1875; pg 3 The McGregor State Guards have been organized, armed and equipped - Captain, J.P. Patrick; First Lieutenant, Geo. H. Otis; Second Lieutenant, Quincy A. Sloan. ~Lansing Mirror, Friday, November 5, 1875; pg 3 First Lieut. T.C. Medary, of the Lansing City State Guards, started for Des Moines, last Monday, to represent our county in the military convention to be held there to-day. All the militia companies in the State, some 70 or 80, will probably be represented. The object of the convention is to take the necessary steps for a more thorough organization of the militia and also to consider the matter of having IOwa represented at the centennial celebration, next year, by a regiment of her soldiers. ~North Iowa Journal, Wednesday, December 22, 1875; pg 3 Capt. T.C. Medary of the Lansing State Guards ... reported at General Baker's headquarters, as delegate to the Military Convention. ~Lansing Mirror, Friday, December 24, 1875; pg 3 Military Convention (Hall of the Olmstead Guards, Des Moines, January 1876) - George H. Otis, 1st Lt., McGregor Rifles; was appointed to the following: Military Law committee, committee on credentials, committee on permanent organization, committee to prepare resolutions of thanks, and the uniform adoption committee - T.C. Medary, 1st Lt., Lansing State Guard; chosen Secretary & appointed to the committee on credentials ~North Iowa Journal, Wednesday, January 12, 1876; pg 1 Adjutant General Baker has issued an order, assigning the Lansing City State Guards, Capt. Karberg, to a battalion of the 4th Regiment. An election for Colonel, Lieutenant Colonel and staff officers of the regiment will be held on the 8th of Feb. ~Lansing Mirror, Friday, January 28, 1876; pg 3 The Lansing City Guards held an election in Spencer's Hall last evening for the purpose of voting for batallion officers, in parsuance of the general order of the Governor. the result was as follows: For Major - D.J. Duane, of Dubuque, 43 votes For Adjutant - T.C. Medary, Lansing, 42 votes For Quartermaster - Q.A. Sloan ,of McGregor, 43 votes The Guards also voted to lease Spencer's Hall for armory and meeting purposes and will hereafter meet regularly once a week. The boys mean business now, and are determined to make perfect soldiers of themselves and become an organization that our citizens will take pride in. ~North Iowa Journal, Wednesday, February 9, 1876; pg 3 The celebration of the Irish Benevolent Society was almost a failure. Detachments of companies "E" and "F" of the Battalion of the 4th Regiment Iowa State Guards made the only parade on the streetss that was made. Co. "F" of Lafayette, expected to turn out 37 uniformed men, but the roads and weather were so bad that scarcely half that number could possibly get to town. ~North Iowa Journal, Wednesday, March 22, 1876; pg 3 The 4th of July in Lansing - the grand procession: Old soldiers and sailors Lafayette Guards Lansing City Guards Centennial regiment ~Lansing Mirror, Friday, June 30, 1876; pg 3 The members of Co. E, 4th Regiment Iowa State Guards, are requested to meet at the Council Room, next Friday evenig at 7 o'clock sharpe, for the purpose of electing a Captain, vice Capt. Karberg, whose time has expired, and also a vote for regimental officers. T.B. Spurrier, Lieut. Com'd'g Co. ~North Iowa Journal, Wednesday, November 29, 1876; pg 3 Decoration Day, Lansing - exercises at the Cemetery: At the Oak Hill cemetery the procession decorated the grave of Capt. S.W. Hemenway, and next the grave of Jas. Bort. These two were the only ones in the new cemetery. The phalanx then repaired to the old cemetery, where the graves of Thomas McGarrity, Jacob Beisel, Geo. Nye and Thomas Healy were each in turn decorated. There are two or three other soldiers buried in the old cemetery but their graves could not be identifed. After the little girls finished strewing flowers over each grave, volleys of musketry were fired over each by a detachment of the Lafayette Guards, commanded by Capt. Ed. Joyce. the assemblage then returned to the new cemetery [to conclude the ceremonies] ~North Iowa Journal, Wednesday, May 30, 1877; pg 3 At a special meeting of the Lafayette Guards, held at Wexford, on the 9th day of June, 1877, resolutions of condolence on the death of James Keenan, late of Company "F" 4th Regiment National Guards of Iowa were adopted. Capt Edward Joyce, Lieut. Niell McCafferly, Lieut. John F. Kernan, committee ~North Iowa Journal, Wednesday, June 20, 1877; pg 3 The Lafayette Guards will celebrate the Fourth, at Wexford, and have made arrangements for a very pleasant observance of the day. The Guards will parade in uniform, and the proceeds of the picnic will be applied for the benefit of the Company. ~Lansing Mirror, Friday, June 29, 1877; pg 1 Company "E" Lansing State Guards - company meeting for drill and other important business, will be held at the Council room, Monday evening next, July 16th. A full attendance is requested. By order of the Captain W.F. Purdy, secy. ~Lansing Mirror, Friday, July 13, 1877; pg 1 The Lansing State Guards were given the use of the City Hall one evening each week until May 1st next. ~Lansing Mirror, Friday, November 8, 1878; pg 3 |
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