Knox College - Gale Yearbook (Galesburg, IL)

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' s '. 27 I., fl'112Gialefl I Like most every other cflucge in the country, lxnox was considerably stirred up by thc proba- ' billtb' of the United States going to war with Ger- mimY- A number of men were anxious to take up Soine kind of military dwflll and Captain Alfred l j'Mi1lCr, of the local Cn, A mlhtifl Company, volun- tfcred to take charge ofthe work. The iirst drill was held in the Knox gymnasium on the mght of March 20th, 1917, and work progressed very favorably. Captain Miller was soon forced to leave for Texas with his company and Roy A. VVohlford, a local insurance agent, H11 had some eight years' experience as a sergeant in the regular army, was secured to Hftv 0r'I1'gCx0f the drill. 'Iwo companies and a band .were formed from the one hundred and tcrgld tl l10l'L'IX'lCI'l,t!llilIlg' the work. Sergeant Vtlohlford, along Wltll many undergraduates, cn- f 10 Ufhcers Training Camp at Fort Sheridan on May 8th. Captain NV. A. Barton. for-- military instructor at Hedding College, now took command of the Knox companies. Due ' exodus of men to the various training camps, the companies were merged into one good- SlZCd unit. Drill was held for an hour and a half on three afternoons a week and the funda- mentals of close order drill and the manual of arms were learned. The college was unable to secure a man to act as instructor for this year, so work started m'dCl' Student oflicers, who had had some military experience. The local recruiting officers as- ted, whenever possible. Three periods a week of an hour and a half each were devoted to the drill. Eurlysle to a lack of an inside place to drill, work was discontinued from December until spring. . ll March it was resumed with Captain Miller again as instructor. He had been retired ml i10C0llnt of physical disability and was willing to take command. Drill rifles had been se- cured and other necessary X arrangements rnggdg. A very thorough course was given and the men got a great deal of practical ex- perience from the work. Efforts are being made to establish a unit of thc R. O. T. C. here at Knox and if this is secured, of- ficial. recognition will be 'rivcn bv the fvovcrnm t Co.B -' '2- CU- ll9l9f

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26 y I ,, 1 In rl1q2iGaIe li fi . 0 U - D rl-lie College Companies ILITARY drill was first established at Knox College in 1881. In that year a bill lil was passed by Congress that gave details of army officers to act as Professor of Military Science and Tactics, to additional schools throughout the country. Knox was one of these schools that secured a detail and in the fall of 1884, Lieutenant Stephen C. Mills reported for duty. A cadet corps, consisting of two good-sized companies, was formed and work began on a thorough basis. linroll- ment was at first voluntary to any male student of the college. Prizes were given for proficiency in military tactics and everything done to stimulate good work. Lieutenant liaton A. l'ldwards had charge of the military department in the years 1887. 1888 and 1889. He brought the Knox companies to a high point of efficiency and was very well liked. The next army ofiicer detailed here was Lieutenant G. O. Cress, of the 7th United States Cavalry, who was a graduate of lVcst Point. The corps was enlarged by the formation of a third company and a band. Any grad- uate of the military department of Knox College could obtain a brevet second lieutenant's commission in the Illinois National Guard from the governor and the three most efiicient men were reported to the Secre- tary of lVar, to be called on later, perhaps, for duty as ofiiccrs. Lieutenant VVilliam A. Phillips, of the 22nd United States ln- fantry, was military instructor at Knox from 1893 to 1897. Captain John G. Ballance, also of the 22nd Infantry, was detailed here in 1897. In 1898, due to the Spanish-American war, Captain Ballanee was called into service. The military equipment of the college was also called for and the course in military science and tactics was dropped Cara-. Mn.r.icu from the curriculum. IQIQ '

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