No, that headline is not from now but from 1916.
Friction between the U.S. and Mexico quickly arose after Pancho Villa’s raid on Columbus, New Mexico, in 1916. Then after Gen. “Black Jack” Pershing led U.S. troops into Mexico in pursuit of Villa and did not withdraw back to the U.S. when demanded by Mexico, the two neighbors almost went to war. Fearing war with Mexico, President Woodrow Wilson called up much of the National Guard. The Columbus and West Point companies were called up as infantry, and the Aberdeen was called up and became the machine gun company. This marked the end of the old local militia units as such.
The Columbus Riflemen, an existing company since the 1830s officially became Company I of the 1st Mississippi Infantry Regiment. It was also at this time that the Army began transferring individual soldiers to units from different towns if needed. This is evident in the rosters of soldiers in the Aberdeen, Columbus and West Point units below.
Thanks to Carolyn Kaye and Grady Davis for assistance in uncovering information on this little known deployment of the local National Guard. The column will continue next week with a more detailed history.
Company I-Columbus
Capt. John C. Sheffield, Arkabutla
First Lt. M.L. Geisenberger, Natchez
Second Lt. John Lawley, Columbus
First Sgt. Harry G. West, Caledonia
Supply Sgt. Fred L. Bridges, Inverness
Mess Sgt. Charles R. Carney, Caledonia
Sergeants:
Robert A. Able, Artesia
Clarence Holloway, Arkabutla
William R. Nash, Columbus
Halbert H. Savage, Columbus
William E. McClain, Columbus
Corporals:
Stewart W. Chandler, Columbus
Arthur H. Halbert, Columbus
Louis H. Meaut, Biloxi
Herbert Harker, Biloxi
Grady L. Smith, Steens
Rolley W. Summey, Columbus
James A. Stephenson, Columbus
Frank McGahey, Reform, Alabama
Cooks:
Martin Enochs, Biloxi
Sam L. Thomanson, Columbus
Mechanic:
Raymond Morgan, Arkabutla
Privates:
Albert K. Ackley, Biloxi
Hopley Anderson, Biloxi
Jim. L. Beaty, Columbus
Sam Bolling, Columbus
Edgar S. Butts, Columbus
Arnold S. Burkett, Columbus
Henry Burkhalter, Reform, Alabama
Ira T. Bogue, Gulfport
Edward Catchet, Ocean Springs
Carr Deshaze, Coldwater
Marcus Dixon, Senatobia
Ray Dickey, Coldwater
William Draper, Melborn, Alabama
Bennet Ellis, Columbus
Louis C. Franks, Columbus
Jim Freeman, Arkabutla
Joe Freeman, Arkabutla
Sam Gesa, Gattman, Alabama
Claude Green, Senatobia
Calvin H. Granger, Franklin, Kentucky
Albert Gunn, Starkville
Emmet K. Gartman, Melborn, Alabama
William F. Geree, Columbus
Green B. Huddleston, Gulfport
Kenneth K. Hoffman, Starkville
John Harris, Richmond, Virginia
Benny W. Locke, Artesia
Elgin D. Lightner, Biloxi
Luther G. Loller, Caledonia
Hans G. Larsen, Copenhagen, Denmark
William R. Lee, Caledonia
Will Myrick, Columbus
Jessie F. Neyman, Coldwater
Cosby Neusome, Meridian
John Phillips, Coldwater
Nick T. Pegues Jr., Winona
Dewy D. Patrick, Arkabutla
Charles Patrick, Postelle, Arkansas
Lowry Presley, Coldwater
Clyde C. Pope, Caledonia
Louis C. Ryan, Biloxi
George Ryan, Biloxi
Joseph M. Rutherford, Biloxi
Fred E. Ragsdale, Ethelsville, Alabama
John H. Smith, Caledonia
Eddie C. Surcouf, Bay St. Louis
Herbert Whatley, Pascagoula
Guy P. Williams, Arkabutla
William D. Wallace, Reform, Alabama
Tolbert H. Walker, Coldwater
Theodore Webb, Ocean Springs
A.S. Anthony, Cedar Bluff
D.T. Farthing, Silver Creek
Company L-West Point
Capt. Barney S. Semmelman, West Point
First Lt. John W. Franks, West Point
Second Lt. Thomas A. Rhodes, West Point
First Sgt. Henry Hardy, West Point
Supply Sgt. Paul S. Armor, Baldwyn
Mess Sgt. George Turbeville, West Point
Line Sergeants:
Charlie Townsend, West Point
Thomas East, West Point
H.J. Russell, Cedar Bluff
Elzie B. Nash, West Point
John E. King, West Point
Ray Marshall, Montpelier
Corporals:
George Sergeant, Matheston
Dee Berry, Longview
W.H. Wright, Cedar Bluff
Thad M. Mosley, West Point
Oliver E. Hart, Greenwood
Edwin Ervin, West Point
Val McAdams, West Point
Edgar Clower, Lexington
Cecil W. Clark, Mayo, Florida
Alfred M. Stampley, Hamburg
Mechanic:
John W. Vail, West Point
Cooks:
John R. Hackett, Moorhead
Lacy L. Allison, Carsilla
Buglers:
John East, West Point
Dudley Brand, West Point
First Class Privates:
Irie L. Amacker, Poplarville
James C. Bryan, West Point
Frank T. Crowe, Longview
Bert L. Chambers, Starkville
John Crawley, Greenwood
Herbert W. Cummins, Longview
Charlie R. Franklin, Greenwood
Ernest L. Hall, Longview
George Hartley, Holly Springs
Walter D. Hicks, Greenwood
Eugene E. McCarty, Richton
James E. Robertson, Montpelier
Henry R. Rich, Richton
Frank J. Short, Macon
William Stacy, West Point
Clayton Tate, West
Herald A. Wood, Roxie
Privates:
Thomas Baird, West Point
Stephen Baird, West Point
Barry G. Beard, Cedar Bluff
William G. Blair, Starkville
John H. Bentley, Guntown
Robert F. Baughn, Lexington
Leon J. Breland, Barbara
Joyner Carroll, West Point
Erle M. Cox, Tibbee
Hal. C. Carson, Greenwood
Kirk C. Chambliss, Rome
James C. Easter, Aberdeen
Mike R. Feeney, Picayune
Robert T. Gaston, Derma
Harvey Houston, West Point
George Hamilton, Holly Springs
Alfred O. Hamlin, West Point
Paul T. Horton, Lexington
Hugh V. Jacobs, Wiggins
Raymond J. Kelly, Mayhew
Jessie O. Kitchens, Ebenezer
Isaac P. Moragne, Purvis
Jessie W. Mitchener, Starkville
George E. Mullens, Mayhew
John W. McFadden, Griffith
Ben B. McDonald, Carrollton
Sidney E. Odom, McAdams
Arthur C. Ryans, Baldwyn
George H. Ryans, Baldwyn
Dan W. Rhyne, Lexington
Carroll Skelton, Longview
Lonnie J. Tate, Picayune
John E. Thomas, Lexington
James E. Watts, Purvis
William B. Watson, Lexington
Jay H. Wood, Roxie
Marvin Walker, West Point
John. S. Woodward, Starkville
James G. Wright, Carsilla
Rodney C. Young, Greenwood
Thomas O. Wood, Laurel
Barclay Millsaps, Griffin
Machine Gun Company -Aberdeen
Capt. Samuel W. Clark, Macon
First Lt. Burnie W. Rye, Aberdeen
Second Lt. Henry M. Dent, Macon
Second Lt. Martin M. Bush, Vicksburg
First Sgt. Allan B. Smith, Aberdeen
Supply Sgt. L.D. Corey, Yazoo City
Stable Sgt. W.R. Jones, Aberdeen
Mess Sergeant C.R. Herring, Hattiesburg
Sergeants:
D.O. Jones, Aberdeen
C.E. Joudon, Aberdeen
L.Y. Ede, Greenville
Harrod Nichols, Aberdeen
Mack Shaw, Aberdeen
Corporals:
F.B. Nisbet, Aberdeen
Joe Durham, Belzoni
K.L. Butler, New Orleans, Louisiana
Dan Ferguson, Greenwood
P.W. Bradford, Houston
Cooks:
Mike Christopher, Jackson
H.F. Lawless, Hattiesburg
Horseshoer:
E.L. Basham, Hamilton
Mechanic:
G.A. Frazier, Aberdeen
Bugler:
J.D. Bethea, Sumrall
First Class Privates:
Talton Cannon, Hazelhurst
L.W. Fletcher, Vicksburg
A.D. Hitts, Bellefontaine
A.K. Holloway, McGhee
Milas Mangum, Gulfport
Frank Vaught, Macon
W.J. Rea, Gulfport
C.M. Cain, Hamilton
Privates:
B.M. Bittle, Aberdeen
Earl Brougher, Aberdeen
Norman Brown, Hazelhurst
J.B. Cox, Nettleton,
R.P. Curray, Merigold
E.D. Davis, Okolona
W.E. Dent, Macon
W.W. Dent, Macon
Needham Dunn, Prairie
C. C. Gentry, Amory
Milton Hilliard, Amory
William Hirsch, Hattiesburg
T.C. Monaghan, Okolona
J.S. McNeily, Vicksburg
Joseph Pace, Aberdeen
W.D. Pruitt, Aberdeen
J.D. Sheppard, Aberdeen
L.T. Smith Jr., Macon
J.R. Stephens, Nettleton
C.U. Timmerman, Blountsville, Alabama
Herbert Ware, Mt. Olive
Clary Webb, Amory
Rufus Ward is a local historian.
Rufus Ward is a Columbus native a local historian. E-mail your questions about local history to Rufus at [email protected].
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 36 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.