ADJUTANT GENERAL: NATIONAL GUARD:

An Inventory of Its Home Guard Records at the Minnesota Historical Society

Government Records

Expand/CollapseOVERVIEW

Creator: Minnesota. National Guard.
Title:Home Guard Records.
Dates:1917-1919.
Language:Materials in English.
Abstract:Enlistment papers and oaths of office for each soldier and administrative files.
Quantity:3.85 cubic feet (2 boxes and 2 partial boxes).
Location: See Detailed Description for shelf locations.

Expand/CollapseSCOPE AND CONTENTS

The latter contain correspondence, circulars, general and special orders, medical reports, newspaper clippings, officer bonds and officer/enlisted men rosters, and related records documenting the duties and activities of the home guard. Topics covered include operations, payroll, enlistments and discharges, supplies, unit establishment, the 1918 influenza epidemic, assistance following the 1918 Moose Lake forest fire, and historical data on the various units.


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Expand/CollapseARRANGEMENT

The collection is organized into the following sections:

Enlistment papers and oaths of office.
Administrative files.


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Expand/CollapseADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION

Availability:

The collection is open for research use.

Preferred Citation:

[Indicate the cited item and/or series here]. Minnesota. National Guard. Home Guard Records. Minnesota Historical Society.

See the Chicago Manual of Style for additional examples.

Accession Information:

Accession number: None

Processing Information:

Catalog ID number: 990081133380104294


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DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Expand/CollapseENLISTMENT PAPERS AND OATHS OF OFFICE, 1917-1919

Enlistment form (with oath) for each soldier including name, date enlisted, prior service (if any), date and place of birth, marital status, occupation, and brief physical description.


Arranged first by battalion, then by unit, there under alphabetically by soldier’s surname.


Location
109.K.11.1B1st Battalion:
Companies A-D, St. Paul.
2nd Battalion:
Companies A-D, Minneapolis.
3rd Battalion:
Headquarters, Companies A-D, Duluth.
Company E, Two Harbors.
4th Battalion:
Headquarters, Company A, Virginia.
Company B, Hibbing.
Company C, Chisholm.
Company D, Grand Rapids.
Company E, Keewatin.
Company F, Buhl.
Company G, Deer River.
5th Battalion:
Company A, Red Wing.
Company B, South St. Paul.
Company C, Winona.
Company D, Chatfield.
Company G, Hastings.
6th Battalion:
Headquarters, Mankato.
Company A, Pipestone.
Company A, Fairfax.
Company B, Redwood Falls.
Company C, Mankato.
See also Mapleton.
Company C, Mapleton.
Company C, Windom.
Company D, Worthington and Mapleton.
See also Mankato.
Company E, St. James.
Company F, Sleepy Eye.
Company F, St. Peter.
7th Battalion:
Company A, Northfield.
Company B, Faribault.
Company C, Austin.
Company D, Albert Lea.
Company E, Spring Valley.
Location
109.K.11.2F8th Battalion:
Company A, Eveleth.
Company B, Gilbert.
Company C, Biwabik.
Company D, Ely.
Company E, Aurora.
9th Battalion:
Company A, Morris.
Company B, Breckenridge.
Company C, Moorhead.
Company D, Fergus Falls.
Company E, Frazee.
Company F, Detroit Lakes.
10th Battalion:
Company A, St. Cloud.
Company B, Sauk Centre.
Company C, Foley.
Company E, Long Prairie.
Company F, Little Falls.
Company G, Grey Eagle.
Company H, Montevideo.
11th Battalion:
Headquarters, Warren.
Company A, Crookston.
Company B, East Grand Forks.
Company C, Thief River Falls.
Company D, Stephen.
Company E, Ada.
12th Battalion:
Company A, Anoka.
Company B, Columbia Heights.
Company C, Elk River.
Company D, Cambridge.
Company E, Osseo.
Company F, Rock Creek.
Company G, North Branch.
Company H, Hinckley.
13th Battalion:
Headquarters, Band, Ambulance, and Companies A–D, Minneapolis.
14th Battalion:
Headquarters, Band, and Sanitary Squad, Bemidji.
Company A, Park Rapids.
Formerly 10th Battalion, Company D.
Company B, Wadena.
Formerly 14th Battalion, Company F.
Company C, Motley.
Company D, Ortonville.
Formerly Company G.
15th Battalion:
Headquarters, Companies E-G, St. Paul.
Location
109.K.11.3BHeadquarters, Company H, St. Paul.
Company I, Stillwater.
16th Battalion:
Headquarters, Colored, Band, and Companies A and B, St. Paul.
Companies C and D, Colored, Minneapolis.
17th Battalion:
Company A, Fairmont.
Formerly 6th Battalion, Company B.
Company B, Elmore.
Formerly 6th Battalion, Company E.
Company D and E, Wells.
Company F, Minnesota Lake.
Company I, Jackson.
Company L, Lakefield.
18th Battalion:
Company A, Crosby Ironton.
Formerly 6th Battalion, Company B, and 9th Battalion, Company E.
Company B, McGrath.
Formerly 10th Battalion, Company C.
Company C, Moose Lake.
Company D, Aitkin.
Company E, Hill City.
19th Battalion:
Company A, Silver Lake.
20th Battalion:
Company A, International Falls.
Formerly 4th Battalion, Company E.
Company B, Baudette.
Formerly 11th Battalion, Company D.
Company C, Roseau.
21st Battalion:
Company A and Sanitary Department, Bemidji.
Formerly 14th Battalion, Company B, and 11th Battalion, Company D.
Company B, Bagley.
Company C, McIntosh.
Company D, Pine River.
22nd Battalion:
Company A, Cass Lake.
Formerly 14th Battalion, Company D, and 11th Battalion, Company F.
Company B, Akeley.
Formerly 14th Battalion, Company C.
Company C, Nevis.
Formerly 14th Battalion, Company E.
Company E, Walker.
Home Guard officers’ oaths of office, 1917-1919.
Includes the same information as in the enlistment form, except for prior service question and marital status.

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Expand/CollapseADMINISTRATIVE FILES, 1917-1919

Location
109.K.11.3BCirculars, 1918.
Issued to battalion commanders regarding administrative duties.
Correspondence, 1917-1918. 3 folders.
Correspondence with the Adjutant General concerning operations, payroll, enlistments and discharges, special orders, supplies, and related administrative matters. Included are Conference of the Majors of the Home Guard, newspaper article about the Fairmont Guard, an outline of the plan and scope of the Motor Corps, information from the American Protective League (Minnesota branch), Order No. 4 from the Minnesota Commission on Public Safety, Minnesota Insurance Department Bulletin No. 92, June 15, 1918, and sales materials from uniform and firearm companies.
Correspondence concerning the establishment of new units, 1917-1918.
Letters from citizens to the Adjutant General inquiring about establishment of a Home Guard unit in their communities. Includes Circular No. 2 to battalion commanders in lieu of new Home Guard units.
Correspondence concerning medical personnel, 1918.
Includes recommendations for appointments of battalion medical officers, transmittals of papers, suggestions for forming sanitary squads, and resignations of medical officers.
Forms requests from local units, 1918-1919.
Requests to headquarters for enlistment, officer oath, and other reporting forms.
General Orders, 1918.
Outlines general organization of the battalions.
Location
109.K.11.4FMedical Director: Flu epidemic, 1918.
Summary report by Dr. F. L. Smith, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, and detailed reports from various Northern District medical facilities. The latter may include names of patients treated in-hospital and as out-patients, diagnoses, and deaths.
Medical Services reports, December 1917.
Lists of those reporting for sick call in St. Paul, as well as reports on building conditions. Includes some booklets by regimental company.
Moose Lake [Forest] Fire, 1918. 3 folders.
Requisitions, receipts, inventories and correspondence, 1918.
Concerns Home Guard units’ response and assistance in the fire’s aftermath. Many of the documents are countersigned by the Chief of the Emergency Bureau and appear to be for forest fire emergency supplies, including food, food preparation equipment, auto parts and tires, clothing, ammunition and dynamite, towels and mirrors for shaving, tents, and augers.
Receipts for supplies, 1918. 2 folders.
Receipts from individuals for such items as clothing, firefighting equipment (axes, shovels, etc.), and auto supplies.
Arranged in no apparent order.
Location
106.F.9.8F-2Newspaper clippings, 1918. 1 folder.
Location
109.K.11.4FOfficer Bonds, 1917-1918. 2 folders.
Surety bonds for commissioned officers.
Arranged alphabetically by officer’s surname.
Order Establishing Home Guard, 1917.
Order No. 3 outlining the purposes and functions for a Home Guard, as well as the procedures for enlisting men into its service.
Publicity, 1918.
Receipts for supplies: Non-Moose Lake Fire, 1918.
Concerning supplies issued to units, including tents, food, straw and hay, clothing, hardware, auto repair, and general administration.
William Rosch claim: Fergus Falls Grand Hotel Fire, 1919.
Concerning the fire and lost property.
Rosters of Commissioned Officers, 1918.
Rosters of commissioned officers for the entire organization, including the Motor Corps and medical officers, and a listing of troops on duty during the December flu epidemic in Virginia, Minnesota.
Rosters: Home Guard and Motor Corps officers and enlisted men, 1917.
Lists of officers and enlisted men, with ranks, from the state’s six battalions.
Rosters: 1st-15th Battalions, 1917-1918. 15 folders.
Lists of officers and enlisted men, by rank, within each company. Information includes address, nearest relative/contact person, and address. Early battalion lists are not complete.
Special Orders, 1918.
Concern unit assignments as well as announcements of officer appointments and resignations.
Unit Reports, 1917-1918.
Responses to Adjutant General Circular No. 8 requesting historical details on all units. Contain information on individual company formation, mustering and activities including such duties as escorting drafted men to railway stations, riot duty in St. Paul during the strike, funeral escorts and firing squads, assistance provided to YMCA and the Red Cross, drills, guard duty, parades, Liberty Loan campaigns, and combating propaganda from the Non-Partisan League.

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Expand/CollapseCATALOG HEADINGS

This collection is indexed under the following headings in the catalog of the Minnesota Historical Society. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons or places should search the catalog using these headings.

Topics:
Forest fires -- Minnesota -- Carlton County.
Influenza Epidemic, 1918-1919 -- Minnesota.
Veterans -- Minnesota.
Organizations:
Minnesota Motor Corps.
Minnesota. Office of the Adjutant General.
Minnesota. National Guard -- History.
Minnesota. Home Guard -- History.
Minnesota. National Guard -- Officials and employees -- Salaries, etc.
Minnesota. National Guard -- Organization.
Minnesota. National Guard -- Recruiting, enlistment, etc.
Places:
Minnesota -- Militia -- History.
Moose Lake (Minn.)

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