Nebraska Military Regiments and Officers

During and after the Civil War, various companies of Militia were kept organized for protection against the Indians, and were known as the First Regiment of Nebraska State Militia.

In 1879 the term of enlistment of all this class of companies expired and in 1880 the organization of what is the present Nebraska National Guard was commenced.

The current biennial appropriation for the support of the Guard is $33,250.00. In 1902 a Signal Corps was organized at Fremont and a Hospital corps at Lincoln. The aggregate authorized strength in the Guard is 116 commissioned officers and 1,196 enlisted men. The troops are armed with new SS magazine rifle caliber 30. The present Second Regiment was authorized and organized in 1887. Also the Milford Cavalry Troop and in the same year the brigade organization was effected. The state law requires that the Guard go into camp of instruction annually for a period of not less than six or more than ten days; which has been done since 1880.

 The Indian War

In the latter part of 1890 the Sioux Indians at Pine Ridge Agency in South Dakota began to make trouble, which increased to such an extent that in January, 1891, the entire Guard was sent to the northern part of the State and distributed along the line of the C. & N. W. Railway, and north of there, where they remained twelve days, this in the middle of winter. The Indians were quieted by U. S. troops without their getting into the State.

Spanish-American War. For this service the State furnished three regiments of Infantry and one troop of cavalry. The First Regiment was mustered into the United States volunteer service on May 10, 1898 at Lincoln, and left for San Francisco and the Philippines on May 16. This regiment did splendid service, and brought honor to themselves and to the State. The regiment returned to San Francisco, and was mustered out there August 23, 1899. This organization had enrolled during the period of service 1.376 men; and lost, killed in battle, 21, died of wounds, 13, of disease, 30.

The Second Regiment was mustered in on May 10, 1898, at Lincoln, and left for Chickamauga Park. Georgia, on May 20, where they remained in camp preparatory to the advance on Cuba; but the war ended without their being called further, and they were returned to old Fort Omaha and mustered out there on October 24. 1898, having lost 27 men by disease and accident.

The Third Regiment was mustered in at old Fort Omaha on July 13, 1898, and moved to Jacksonville, Fla., on July 18. From there sailed to Havana on December 30, where they remained until the next April, when they were returned to Augusta, Ga., and mustered out there on May 11, 1899. Lost from disease, 30 men. Troop A, Nebraska National Guard, was mustered in as Troop K, Third U. S. Cavalry, at Lincoln, on May 14, and moved on May 20 to Chickamauga Park, Georgia, remaining there until September 8th, when they were mustered out.

The officers for the war with Spain are as follows;

U. S. Military Posts in Nebraska

There are three government military posts in Nebraska where United States troops are regularly garrisoned: Fort Crook, near Omaha; Fort Niobrara, near Valentine and Fort Robinson, near Crawford. These military posts are beautifully located and finely equipped with every convenience and necessity for the health and comfort of the soldiers. From one to two regiments are garrisoned at each of these places.

John H. Hickey, Governor of Nebraska, was born in September, 1845, near Burlington, la. In the common schools of the day he received his early education. At the beginning of the war he enlisted as a private, and with his regiment was in service in Eastern Tennessee, with Sherman until after the surrender of Atlanta, and with Hood and Thomas in their Tennessee campaign. After the war he attended the Wesleyan College at Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, for two years and afterwards taught school. In 1867 he was married to Miss Morinda McCray, and a year later took up a homestead in Polk County, Nebraska, and a few years later removed to Osceola.

In 1870 he was elected the first County Treasurer, an office he held for nearly ten years, when he was elected a member of the Legislature, where he was one of the leaders in the house. In 1879 he opened the Osceola Bank, of which he has been a President ever since its organization. Governor Mickey has always been a Republican, having cast his first vote for Lincoln in 1864. He has been prominent in church work, donating $5,000 for the Osceola church, $11,000 to the Wesleyan University at Lincoln, and there is hardly an enterprise of his church in the State toward which he has not given liberally. He has married twice. Has five children by his first wife and four by his second wife.

Nebraska AHGP

A Condensed History of Nebraska for fifty years to date, Compiled by Geo. W. Hervey, Editor, and Published by Nebraska Farmer Co., Omaha, Nebraska, 1903.

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