this is the final part of the section to be posted, on Jacksonville Military Organizations in "The History of Jacksonville" by T. Frederick Davis: Wilson's Battery The First Florida Light Artillery was organized in Jacksonville July 17, 1877, with the following officers: Captain, George C. Wilson First Lieutenant, Franklin Jordan; Second Lieutenant, Theodore Ball First Sergeant, H. Ernest Murphy; Second Sergeant, Henry A. L'Engle; Ordnance Sergeant, W. A Gilbert First Corporal, Byron E. Oak; Second Corporal, George R. Reynolds Secretary, Arthur T. Williams; Treasurer, Bion H. Barnett; Surgeon, C.J. Kenworthy, M.D. The company was organized with 30 enlisted men, but the roster was soon increased to fifty-five. (footnote says that the record was from local newspapers.) On July 4, 1878, the battery was presented with a handsome silk flag made by the ladies of Jacksonville. The ceremony of presentation took place in front of the Windsor hotel, in the presence of a throng of people. Major A. J. Russell presented the flag and in his speech drew attention to the fact that among the members were those who represented the gray and others the blue in the late conflict. The battery was well maintained, being armed with sabres and side arms and two 12-pounder brass pieces, with suitable harness, caissons, etc. Their uniforms were light gray; afterward the artillery uniform of the regular army was adopted. In 1884 it possessed the latest improved five-barrel, 45 calibre Gatling gun. On April 1, 1884, the name was changed by unanimous vote to Wilson's Battery in honor of its commander, and ever afterward through the various reorganizations of State troops, though given an official letter designation and later called First Battery, Field Artillery, F.S.T., it was known to Jacksonville as "Wilson's Battery". Its guns spoke the welcome in all local celebrations and the booming of "Old Betsy" was frequently mentioned in the newspapers of the time. The battery answered the call for thirty years, in riot, epidemic and fire. It offered its services to the Government for the Spanish-American war, but it was not fortunate enough to be called with the first quota and its services were never required. A feud broke out at Baxter, Baker County, in September, 1904. Wilson's Battery was sent there to arrest the ringleaders and it awed them into surrendering, for as one of them said: "I looked down the muzzle of a 38 revolver once and saw a hearse and four hacks; if I looked down one of them Gatlings I s'pose I'd see a whole cemetery full of dead men". Twenty of the feudalists were brought to Jacksonville and it was a sight to remember when they were marched up Bay Street from the depot under guard, headed by a battery of two Gatling guns. Wilson's Battery was an organization unique in the history of the city and the first of its kind in Florida. A great deal of sentiment clustered around this command; looking backward upon its career, the members of the old company point with pride to the position it held in the community. Wilson's Battery, then officially known as First Battery, Field Artillery, F.S.T., was disbanded March 24, 1906. Captains of the battery: (a footnote states: Head dates are usually those of election by the company as noted in the local newspapers at the time; commissions followed later.) George C. Wilson, July, 1877 to 1886 W. D. Barnett, 1886 to 1888 (promoted to major) G. R. Reynolds, 1889 - 90 M. P. Turner, October, 1890 to June, 1893 (promoted to major) George Emery, June, 1893 to March, 1894 Jacob Gumbinger, March, 1894 to August 1899 (promoted to major of artillery) C. B. Duffy, August, 1899 to December, 1903 L. C. Moore, December,1903 to February, 1904 W. J. Driscoll, June, 1904 to March, 1905 W. I. Lyman, September, 1906 to March, 1906 Metropolitan Light Infantry The Metropolitan Light Infantry was organized in April, 1883, with the following officers: Captain, O. J. Keite First Lieutenant, M. W. King; Second Lieutenant, George R. Foster At organization there were 30 enlisted men. The uniforms of the company were blue sack coats and blue pants of a lighter shade with black side-stripe. It was armed with Springfield rifles. The history of the Metropolitan Light Infantry is interspersed with periods of lulls and fresh outbursts of enthusiasm among its members. Internal troubles produced rather a checkered career for the company. It did not re-enlist under the State military law of 1890, but was not officially disbanded and continued to exist, though in a badly disorganized state. It was reorganized after the law of 1891 was passed, requiring all military organizations to enlist or disband, but in the course of time the old troubles reappeared, and finally came to a climax on August 14, 1895, when all of the officers resigned. J.D. Maxwell, second lieutenant of the Jacksonville Light Infantry, was assigned by Major Turner to the temporary command of the M.L.I., and he was theoretically in command of the company until it was reorganized September 4, 1895, as the Jacksonville Rifles. Members of the Metropolitan Light Infantry possessed a fund of interesting and amusing anecdotes of instances in its history. The discussed the happenings during the encampment at Pablo Beach in the Murray Hall days of 1886. With a twinkle in the eye they told of a momentous occasion when, spick and span in their white duck pants, they were ordered on dress parade and given the command to kneel and fire upon a dirty field; and further, as they executed that order, about the ripping sound akin to the parting of seams. And many other occasions of fun and frolic during the company's career. But history also points out that whenever emergency called them they were there, and for that reason the people of Jacksonville always had a kindly feeling for this company and viewed with regret the troubles that beset it from time to time. The company changed uniform several times. The most striking was the bottle-green uniform of 1889-90, militia days when a company could choose its own uniform. For the officers the coast was cut frock-style, three rows of brass buttons, with gold epaulets and trimmings; gold pants-stripe, and a helmet decorated with a flowing white plume. Enlisted men wore the same bottle-green; but their coats were cut "swallow-tail", silver decorations instead of gold, and plumes of green instead of white. O.J. Leite was the first captain of the M.L.I. He was succeeded in 1884 by W.J. L'Engle, and Captain L'Engle by F.P. Fleming in 1885. Captain Fleming resigned in July, 1888, being engaged in a campaign for Governor; J.B. Morello was elected to fill the vacancy. J.E. McGinnis was captain in 1889 and the forepart of 1890. Failing to enlist under the law of 1890, the company was without a commissioned captain until it was reorganized under the law of 1891, when L.H. Mattair was commissioned captain; he commanded the company until August, 1895. Jacksonville Rifles The Jacksonville Rifles was a direct reorganization of the Metropolitan Light Infantry. This reorganization took place on September 4, 1895, with a new constitution and new bylaws, under the name Jacksonville Rifles. On September 18, 1895, the Rifles elected its first officers, namely, Wm. LeFils, captain; A.G. Hartridge, first lieutenant. The company immediately took on new life and ever afterward was an important factor in the military life of the State. It was reorganized April 25, 1898, with 77 men, for service in the Spanish-American war and soon recruited to full war strength. Under the command of J.Y. Wilson, captain; C.H. Chestnut and J.H. Stephens, first lieutenants, and T.C. Watts, second lieutenant, the company entrained for Fort Brooke (Tampa) May 12, 1898, and was there mustered into the United States service May 27. It was then transferred to camp at Palmetto Beach. The company was not sent to Cuba. On July 21 it entrained for Fernandina and remained there a month, going thence to Huntsville, Ala. It was mustered out of U.S. service at Huntsville January 27, 1899. Returning to Jacksonville, the Rifles resumed its former designation in the Florida State troops. Soon afterward its letter designation was changed from C. to F., as the latter was its war designation and it wished to retain it. In the following years the company kept very well recruited and came to be one of the prize military companies of the State, and one of the most feared in competitive drills at State encampments. However, it felt the lack of interest that beset the other military organizations preceding the World war, though it was successful in recruiting to full strength as required by the National Defense Act of 1916, and was preserved as a full company of the First Separate Battalion. This battalion formed the central unit about which was built the Florida regiment that was sent to Camp Wheeler and ws there broken up to become amalgamated with other commands. Captains of the Rifles: Wm. LeFils, September, 1895 to April, 1898 James Y. Wilson, April, 1898 to March, 1899 T. C. Watts, April, 1899 to March, 1901 Wm. LeFils, April 1901 to March, 1906 F.G. Yerkes, March to October, 1906 W.D. Vinzant, Jr., November-December, 1906 George J. Garcia, June, 1907 to 1917. Metropolitan Grays This company was organized at a meeting August 3, 1905, when an application for muster into the State Troops was drawn up and signed by 32 men. On September 4, 1905, the company was mustered in as Co. D, First Regiment, F.S.T., George L. Dancy, Captain; S.C. Harrison, Jr., first lieutenant. The "Grays" was brought to a high state of military perfection in the first years of its existence and won a number of prizes and two State pennants for efficiency; but like the other companies of the old First Florida Regiment, it absorbed some of the feeling that disrupted the Regiment prior to the World war. It did not recruit to full strength as required by the Defense Act of 1916, but it was saved by uniting with a platoon of the St. Augustine company. In this way the company became a unit of the First Separate Battalion that went to Camp Wheeler during the World war. Captains: G. L. Dancy, September, 1905 to January, 1906 S.C. Harrison, Jr., March, 1906 to June, 1910 (promoted to major) Reuben Ragland, June, 1910 to December, 1911 G.R. Seavy (assigned temporarily) A.E. Barrs, April, 1912 to April, 1913 C.B. Duffy, August, 1913 to March, 1914 W.M. McCrory, April to December, 1914 A.Y. Milam, January, 1915 to January, 1916 G.R. Seavy, 1916 to World War Dixie Guards The company was organized June 19, 1908, and mustered into the State service as Company B, First Regiment, F.S.T., July 3, 1908, with a roster of 62 men. Its first officers were: Captain, R.F. Metcalf First Lieutenant, W.E. Sweney; Second Lieutenant, A.J. Bassett There was not room enough in the armory and the company occupied a room at No. 120 W. Bay Street until December, 1914, when it moved to a building at Orange and Main Streets. The Dixie Guards was a well-drilled company and won several competitive prizes. It served on riot duty during the street car strike in Jacksonville in 1912. The company was disbanded in November, 1916, for failure to recruit to full war strength as required by the National Defense Act; some of the members then joined the other local companies. Captains: R.F. Metcalf, July, 1908 to November, 1909 W.E. Sweney, November, 1909 to August, 1910 H.L. Covington, October, 1910 to March, 1912 W.A. Daniel, May, 1912 to March, 1914 H.R. Payne, April 1914 to November, 1916 Jacksonville Blues Jacksonville already had four infantry companies when this company was organized. To meet the requirements of the War Department that the First Regiment be increased to 12 companies, the Blues was the first of the extra companies to organize. It was mustered in with 62 men on September 12, 1913, as Co. E, First Regiment, N.G.F. The company was composed largely of young Hebrews of the city. Its history is short, as the company failed to recruit s required by the National Defense Act, and was disbanded in November, 1916, some of its members going to the other local companies in order to save them. Captains: Lewis Landes, September, 1913 to January, 1914; G.R. Seavy (detailed), January to June, 1914; B.F. McGraw, June, 1914 to November, 1916