The History of Genesee, MI, Ch. 25, Flint Union Blues

The History of Genesee County, MI
Chapter XXV
Flint Union Blues, Part I

Online Edition by Holice, Deb & Clayton

FLINT UNION BLUES.

The Flint Union blues was a patriotic society organized after the Civil War, in 1872, for the purpose of raising and maintaining a military company in Flint. The first meeting was held at Awanaga hall in June, 1872, and at a meeting in July, the following officers were elected:

President Charles s. Brown
Vice-President Ira H. Wilder
Secretary O. F. Lochhead
Treasurer S. N. Andrus

It was resolved to adopt a uniform of dark blue, with white trimmings, and to assume the title of the "Flint Union Blues." As the state only furnished muskets, equipments and rent for armories, the question of paying for the uniforms was an important one, which was solved by a subscription circulated among the citizens, who contributed liberally, Messrs. Alexander McFarlan, J. W. Begole and William B. McCreery heading the list with handsome amounts.

The first election for company officers occurred on August 14, 1872, with the following result:
Captain	William R. Morse
First Lieutenant	O. F. Lochhead
Second Lieutenant	George E. Newall
First Sergeant	Ira H. Wilder
Second Sergeant	W. Rosenthal
Third Sergeant	Peter Lennon
Fourth Sergeant	Charles H. Wood
Fifth Sergeant	J. D. Lavin
Corporals
First	Charles A. Fox
Second	W. J. Seymour
Third	Alexander McFarlan, Jr.
Fourth	Andred Bailey
Fifth	Thomas J. Post
Sixth	A. E. Foote
Seventh	H. N. Gay
Eighth	W. H. Pier

The company was mustered into the state service by Adjutant-General John Robertson, October 18, 1872, and made its first street parade the same day. During the evening following this event they gave a military ball and reception, by which they realized one hundred and eighty dollars. The Blues soon after were the guests of the Detroit Light Guard, received the most cordial hospitality and won many encomiums for the excellence of their drill and gentlemanly deportment. During the same year the ladies of the first ward presented the company with a beautiful silk flag; thereupon George E. Childs was appointed color-sergeant, and A. E. Foote and John King color guards.

In 1873 the company was ordered to Lansing to participate in the ceremonies connected with the laying of the corner-stone of the new state capitol. During 1874 the Detroit Light Guard were its guests and the occasion of their visit is a memorable one in the annals of the company. The company was ordered to the scene of the railroad riots in 1877 and promptly responded, as they did also on a subsequent similar occasion when required by the sheriff.

The principal officers of the company from 1872 to 1878 were as follows:
1873	Capt. O. F. Lochhead	1^st. Lieut. Geo. E. Newall	2^nd. Lieut. Ira H. Wilder	1^st. Serg. John King
1874	Capt. O. F. Lochhead	1^st. Lieut. Geo. E. Newall	2^nd Lieut. Ira H. Wilder	1^st. Serg. John King
1875	Capt. Geo. E. Newall	1^st. Lieut. John King	2^nd Lieut. Geo. E. Childs	1^st. Serg. C. A. Fox
1876	Capt. Geo. E. Newall	1^st. Lieut. John King	2^nd. Lieut. Geo. E. Childs	1^st. Serg. C. A. Fox
1877	Capt. Geo. E. Newall	1^st. Lieut. Ira. H. Wilder	2^nd. Lieut. Geo. E. Childs	1^st. Serg. H. M. Sperry
1878	Capt. Ira H. Wilder	1^st Lieut. Geo. E. Childs	2^nd Lieut. H. M. Sperry	1^st. Serg. W. H. Pier

The Blues were members of the Third Regiment of Michigan state troops, and were designated as C Company in regimental formation. Flint is the headquarters of the regiment and among the regimental officers who have emanated from the company are the following: Col. O. F. Lochhead, Adjutant C. S. Brown, Sergeant-Major John King, Color-Sergeant C. H. Wood, Commissary S. V.. Haker.

Since 1872 the Union blues have had fifteen commanding officers, as follows: Captains, William R. Morse, O. F. Lochhead, George Newall, Ira wilder, George E. Childs, Edward S. Lee, Charles H. Miller, Fred W. Brennan, George M. Sayles, Frank D. Buckingham, W. E. Stewart, James S. Parker, Charles F. Martin, Guy M. Wilson and Thomas Colladay, who is now captain. Of the above captains, O. F. Lochhead became colonel of the Third Infantry; James S. Parker also rose to the same rank; Guy M. Wilson is now major in the same regiment.

The company has the best rifle range in the country, about four miles out of the city on the road to Mt. Morris, and allows shooting up to one thousand two hundred yards.

At the outbreak of the Spanish-American War the following officers and men were mustered into the United States service on may 14, 1898, at Island Lake, Michigan:
Captain William E. Stewart	First Lieutenant James S. Parker	Second Lieutenant Charles S. Martin
First Sergeant Joseph J. Carscadden	Quartermaster Sergeant Heinrich M. Gagnus	.
Sergeants
Hubart M. Long,	G. Arthur McConnelly	.Thomas W. Hamilton
Claude G. Webster	.	.
Corporals
Samuel J. Kimbrose	Ordell E. George	Fred V. Favereaux
Clarence L. Booth	Willis A. Coe	George Piggott
Musicians
Fred J. Wright	Bert E. Bryan	.
Artificer
Wallace Eddy	.	.
Wagoner
Charles H. Ferguson	.	.
Privates
John H. Baker	Elmer Baker	John Baird
David H. Blaine	Claude Breede	William J. Barritt
James B. Ballinger	Barney E. Bathwell	John M. Brown
George H. Cox	Robert A. Catlin	William B. Carr
Charles M. Corville	Philo E. Carr	Claude B. Cole
Jesse H. Dickerson	Percy D. Davison	Charles E. Davis
Willard A. Delong	Neil A. Dewar	Stephen DeLisle
Edward G. Evans	Arthur G. Evatt	Rodney W. Eaton
Walker B. Foster	Michael Flynn	William A. Frise
Bert Fredenburg	Irvin Hall	Albert H. Hauer
Herbert E. Hempstead	Cornelius J. Hayes	Harry F. Hosler
Clarence Hartford	Henry G. Jason	Edwin E. Jones
Frank E. Johnson	George Kenewell	John Kenewell
Karl Kendrick	William A. Winters	Thomas J. Welch
Claude C. Lowry	William Loranger	Weldon M. Lewis
William E. Locke	James E. McReady	Duncan McColl
Ernest McLean	Frank P. McAuley	Arthur McCormick
Harry C. Hulty	Wallace Reid	Lewis S. Ross
Harry M. Stevenson	William J. Stringer	Daniel T. Stanton
Frank Stewart	Albert J. Stanard	William L. Scully
Martin Skall	Guy F. Scott	Roy L. Scott
George L. Soper	Robert Sinclair	John Scanlon
William C. Stevens	Lewis Talmadge	Albert J. Stevenson
James M. Tubbs	Allie Van Slyke	James P. Van Buskirk
William Varb	John N. Wagoner	Charles M. Williams
Martin Welsh	William J. Weidman	George J. Weil
James A. Wheeler	Fred W. Warren	Wilbur H. Warren
Cornelius Wilcox	Edward A. Wilson	Henry W. Ziegel

After the company had reached Camp Alger, near Dun Loring, Virginia, Captain Stewart was detailed for other duty, and so the company went to the island of Cuba under command of Lieutenant, afterwards Colonel James S. Parker, who commanded the company through the war.

The company landed in Cuba on June 27, 1898, and the first day of July they took part most valiantly in the battle Agnadoras. Their next duty was to guard a camp of Spanish prisoners and, being men of Michigan and renowned for versatility, they were ordered by General Young to build a dock. This they commenced on July 4, 1898, and after its accomplishment they were employed in improving the roads. They next had a rest in a camp of recuperation and came back to Montauk Point, New York, and thence home.

A tablet of marble in the armory of this company of Flint has the following inscription:

"In Memoriam--Company A, Thirty-third Infantry.
Ablino J. Babcock, promoted lieutenant Company L, died Siboney, July 26, 1898.
Alfred J. Stevenson, died Siboney, July 26, 1898.
Allie P. Van Slyke, died Siboney, August 17, 1898.
Clyde Breede, died at sea, August 21, 1898.
Edward A. Wilson, died at sea, September 4, 1898.
Wilbur H. Warren, died at Otisville, September 18, 1898.
James M. Tubbs, died at Holly, September 25, 1898.
William J. Weidman, died at Detroit, October 3, 1898
Walter B. Foster, died at St. Ignace, December 24, 1898.

"This company organized at Flint, Michigan.
Mustered in at Island lake, May 14.
Left by railroad for Camp Alger, May 29.
Marched from Camp Alger to Dun Loring, June 22.
From there by railroad to Alexandria.
Took S. S. Washington for Fortress Monroe
Thence by U. S. S. Yale at Hampton Roads for Cuba, June 23.
Arrived at Siboney, June 27
In Action at Agnadoras before Santiago, July 1
In camp at Siboney until July 20.
Left Siboney by railroad for Sardinaries.
Remained there until August 20
Left by railroad for Santiago and sailed on Harvard for Camp Wikoff.
Landed, August 26.
Left for Flint, September 2.
Arrives home, September 4, 1898."

The company was mustered out of the United States service at Flint, December 19, 1898.

Twice since the Spanish-American War has the call come for the Blues to perform military service at critical times. The first was when the state institution at Lapeer was visited by an epidemic and the quarantine regulations required a strong arm for their enforcement. The company under Captain Wilson performed this duty in an eminently satisfactory way. The routine of guard duty in the severe winter weather was very trying, but the men met every requirement and won the praise of their superiors.

Again, when the peace of the copper country was jeopardized by the strike, the company was called on. In the first instance the company was ready on three hours call, and in the last, on two and a half hours call. The call for mobilization of the state troops came from colonel Bersey, adjutant-general, to Major Guy M. Wilson, commanding the second battalion, on the afternoon of June 18, 1916; the quick response of the Union Blues, Company A, Thirty-three Infantry, Capt. Thomas Colladay, evidenced the high spirit of the company.

History of Genesee County, Michigan, Her People, Industries and Institutions
by Edwin O. Wood, LL.D, President Michigan Historical Commission, 1916