Detroit Light Guard 'trap-door' & Krag experience 1898-1899
Posted: Tue Oct 05, 2021 5:42 am
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.
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.