Military Organizations

The following is a list of the militia organizations in Monroe County from 1861 to 1865, as shown by rolls on file in the Adjutant-General's office:

• Monroe Guards, Captain H. Saunders; organized May 11, 1861; accepted for Sixth Infantry.
• Monroe Light Horse, Captain Daniel Anderson; organized May 11, 1861; accepted for First Cavalry.
• Volunteer Militia of Urbana Township, Captain J. M. Taylor; date of organization not given.
• Albia Rifles, Captain H. Bachelder; organized August 24, 1861.
• Stacyville Union Guards, Captain Levi J. Bidwell; organized June 15, 1861.
• Melrose Guards, Captain W. H. H. Lind; organized October 21, 1861.
• Urbana Grays, Captain J. M. Taylor; organized July 156, 1861.
• Monroe Guards, Captain Geo. P. Bartow; organized September 16, 1862.
• Melrose Grays, Captain James M. Blue; organized July 10, 1862.
• Albia State Guards, Captain John Hull; organized May 30, 1863.
• Franklin Sharpshooters, Captain Jno. L. Smith; organized August 23, 1864.
• Military Company of Monroe Township, Captain Elias Combs; organized August 20, 1864.
• Lovillia Independent Company, Union Township, Captain John Walker; organized August, 1864.
• Urbana Union Company, Captain Newton VanCleve; organized September 16, 1864.
• The Albia Invincibles, Captain Levi S. T. Hatton; organized September 16, 1864.
• Union Township Military Company, Captain Allen Roberts; organized August 27, 1864.
• Rough and Ready Company, Mantua Township, Captain W. J. McCormick; organized August 18, 1864.
• Military Company, Cedar Township, Captain John Amos; organized August 24, 1864.
• Pleasant Corner Company, Pleasant Township, Captain Wm. Glass, organized August 12, 1864.
• First Company, Troy Township, Captain Henry Saunders; organized August 6, 1864.
• Osprey Rangers, Captain John M. Hays; organized September 6, 1864.
• Wayne Township Company, Captain Thos. P. Jones; organized August 6, 1864.
• Bluff Creek Rangers, Captain Chas. Claver; organized August 18, 1864.
• Gilford Township Company, Captain Isaac P. Babb; organized August 23, 1864.
• Pleasant Township Company, Captain Wm. Robb; organized August 27, 1864.

A number of companies in the foregoing list of militia organizations were but partially organized and did not receive any arms or accouterments from the State, in sufficient numbers. Indeed, at the present day, there is some dispute as to the actual existence of one or more of these companies, but their rolls are on file in the Adjutant-General's office at Des Moines. The threatened invasion of the southern Iowa border by rebels during the war, and especially during its closing period, when a guerrilla band did make a raid into Davis County, called some of this "raw militia" into existence. They were armed principally with their own squirrel rifles, shotguns, and firearms of every description. The State distributed a few old muskets among them, and also supplied many citizens with arms, which, when the scare was over, and quiet restored, were called in by the Adjutant-General, and were recovered to the State arsenal with some delay and difficulty.

In 1875 two militia companies were organized in Monroe County. The Albia City Guards, organized independently of the State militia law, was organized by John Doner, who is at present [1896] sheriff of Monroe County. He acted as captain of the company. The company was soon organized as Company E, Fifth Regiment, Iowa National Guards, and was assigned as the color company of the regiment, carrying with it the regimental band, with Cass Ramsay as leader. Captain Doner continued in command of the company. Captain Doner's company was also enrolled in the State Militia as Company E.

The other company was chiefly composed of veterans of the late [Civil] war, and was enrolled as Company K, with W. A. Gray, as captain. Captain W. S. Coen also commanded the former company on the resignation of Doner, and Harry Moore succeeded Gray as captain of the latter. Both companies disbanded in two or three years.