Detroit Light Guard 'trap-door' & Krag experience 1898-1899

Ammunition, reloading, shooting, etc
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butlersrangers
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Detroit Light Guard 'trap-door' & Krag experience 1898-1899

Post by butlersrangers »

Michigan had five Volunteer Infantry Regiments that were mobilized and sworn-in at Island Lake, (near Brighton, Michigan), for Federal Service in the Spanish War.
When they left for Federal 'staging' camps, the Michigan Troops left their National-Guard rifles in Michigan.
They were to be armed by the Federal Government and were expecting to be issued brand new Krag-Jorgensen rifles.
It didn't work out that way.

The 33rd and 34th Michigan Vol. Inf. were sent to Camp Alger, in Virginia.
They were equipped with new model 1873 'trap-door' Springfield rifles at Camp Alger. Those were the rifles they drilled with and carried when they sailed from the Potomac to Cuba, to take part in the Santiago Campaign.
Company 'M' of the Detroit Light Guard had been placed, incomprehensibly, in the 33rd regiment. They were envied by their three 'brother' companies from Detroit, who had been sent to Georgia and had declining prospects of getting into what was promising to be a short war.

Companies 'J', 'K' and 'L' of the Detroit Light Guard were part of the 31st Michigan Vol. Inf. They were sent from Island Lake to Chickamauga, Georgia, in mid May of 1898.
The DLG were called "Tigers" and traced their unit's history back to the 1830's. They now had no rifles and did not feel like soldiers.
They did form a strong bond with the 1st Georgia Regiment and other southern units, that their fathers had fought during the CW. Now the DLG struggled with 'the art of waiting'.
Seeing CW Monuments at Chickamauga, commemorating earlier Michigan Regiments, just drove home the point that the 31st Mich., was missing the War.
Eventually in July 1898, the 31st Michigan received model 1873 Springfield rifles and began drilling and target shooting in the vicinity of Chickamauga.
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Last edited by butlersrangers on Tue Oct 05, 2021 2:48 pm, edited 4 times in total.

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butlersrangers
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Re: Detroit Light Guard Krag experience 1898-1899

Post by butlersrangers »

In late August, 1898, typhoid was breaking out in the Camp at Chickamauga.
The regiments were moved to Camp Poland in the vicinity of Knoxville, Tennessee.
The 31st Michigan's prospects for foreign service grew dimmer and boredom set in.
Other regiments were being sent home and the weather was becoming colder.

There began to be rumors that the 31st Michigan might be sent to Cuba, to help preserve order and protect property.
This gained credibility around November 20, 1898, when the 31st Michigan Vol. Inf. was issued Krag-Jorgensen rifles and begin to drill and shoot them.
It became bitter cold at Camp Poland. January 9, 1899, the 31st regiment traveled by rail to Savannah, Georgia.
On February 1, 1899, they arrived at Cienfuegos, Cuba, for 2 1/2 months of peace-keeping duty amidst POWs, brigands, and Tropical Diseases.

The 31st Michigan left Cuba on April 13, 1899. They arrived near Savannah on April 16,1899, and were Quarantined on Daufuskie Island, S.C.
On May 10, 1899, they were photographed, while turning in Ordinance Equipment at Savannah, prior to being sent by rail to Detroit, where their Home-Coming was warmly celebrated.

(I share this brief summary and attached pages, because it is likely indicative of how 'boring' military camp life was in 1898. It offers some insight into firearms training and shooting practice for the 1898 Volunteer).
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butlersrangers
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Re: Detroit Light Guard Krag experience 1898-1899

Post by butlersrangers »

(The text, I have copied, is from "The Detroit Light Guard - A Complete Record of This Organization from Its Foundation to the Present Day", by Walter F. Clowes, Detroit, Michigan, 1900.
The two clear photographs are from the Detroit Public Library's - Burton Collection and 'match up' nicely with events described in the Clowes' book).

Some period comments on Krag rifle shooting & care and a photo of preparations for the May, 1899, return of Ordnance Supplies:
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