Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 152, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 June 1913 — STORIES of CAMP and WAR [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

STORIES of CAMP and WAR

BRIEF HISTORY OF 20TH U. & Organized by Order of President, May 4, 1861, and iMade Up Wholly of Volunteers. In response to a request for a brief history of the Twentieth U. 8., the National Tribune makes the following reply: The Twentieth U. S. was organized: by order of the president, May 4, 1861, as the Second battalion of the Eleventh U. S. It remained part of the> Eleventh V. S. during the war, and in, 1866 was separated from that regiment and completed as a separata regiment. At the time of the reorganization of the Eleventh IT. 8. into a three-battalion regiment, the commander was Col. E. D. Keyss. It was made up wholly of volunteers and officers appointed from civil life, the only veteran at Fort Independence, whera it was organized, being Orderly Sergeant Parr. Some sergeants from the regular army were detailed to get tha men in shape, and who finally becam* lieutenants. The Eleventh U. S. had a very important part in all the battles of the Army of the Potomac, and at the conclusion of the war was stationed at Richmond, Va., under the immediate command of its major, Thomas H. Neill, brevet brigadier general. The first field officers of the regiment were Col. Frederick Steele, Lieut. CoL Louis I>. Watkins and MaJ. Thomas HNeill. These were all generals In the volunteer army. The captains had also attained high rank during the war, and included such men as Gen. A. S. Webb, Charles S. Russell, Charles C. Pomeroy and John C. Bates. The regiment remained in Richmond, patrolling the city and acting as police for the preservation of order and property. In 1867 1t was transferred to Baton Rouge,. La., and then distributed to various posts In that state, where it remained for two years on reconstruction duty. Lieutenant Colonel Watkins commanded the regiment until his death> March 29,1868, and was succeded by Lieutenant Colonel George Sykes. In 1869 the regiment was transferred to the department of Dakota, with headquarters at Fort Snelling, Minn. Tt bad a troublous times in keeping the Sioux In order, and in 1877 was transferred to the department of Texas, with Colonel Sykes establishing headquarters at Fort Brown. Colonel Sykes died at Fort Brown, February 8, 1880, and was succeeded by Col. Etwell S. Otis. In 1881 the regiment was transferred to the department of the Missouri, with headquarters at Fort Leavenworth. In 1885 the regiment was returned to the department of Dakota, with headquarters at Bismarck. In 1891 company I, which had been disbanded, was re-established as an Indian company, and filled up with enlistments from the Sioux, Gros Ventres and Assiniboines. This experiment proved unsuccessful, and the Indian company was eventually discharged. The regiment is now compaanded by Col. James A. Irons, Lieut. XJel. Arthur C. Ducat and Majors William P. Burnham, Richard C. Croxton and Frank D. Webster.