DAVENPORT MILITARY ORGANIZATIONS There were some attempts at the organization of companies of the citizen soldiery prior to 1857, but nothing of permanent character.  In that year, February 3d, a number of German-born citizens who had seen service in the fatherland, organized the Davenport Rifle Corps.  On July 4th of that year they made their first appearance in parade under command of Captain A. Iten.  They had their armory at Second and Ripley streets.  Captain H. Haupt was later in command. The Davenport City artillery was organized July 9, 1857, and served a double purpose in the community.  It had civil officers, John Johns, Jr., president; F. B. Wilkie, vice president; C. C. Harris, secretary; and D. W. Van Evera, treasurer; also a full complement of military officers headed by C. N. Schuyler.  R. M. Littler was orderly sergeant.  The rank and file numbered forty and they possessed two six-pounders.  Their armory was at Second and Brady steets.  The artillerists were notable both upon the drill ground and also in the ball room.  They gave public assemblies through the winter and still linger in the memories of many citizens of Davenport. The veterans of the Schleswig-Holstein uprising formed the nucleus and furnished the officers for the Davenport City Guards, organized in March, 1858.  July 4, 1858, they made their first appearance in uniform.  Their captain was F. Unrow.  Later they were commanded by Captain D. H. Stuhr.  Their armory was on Second near Ripley. The Davenport Sarsfield Guards was another company organized at a date slightly previous to that on which the City Guards were organized, but they did not make their first appearance in parade in uniform until March 17, 1859.  From that date and the name chosen to designate this body of militia it is not difficult to tell the nationality of a large part of its membership.  Edward Jennings was the first captain.  He resigned later and R. M. Littler was given the command.  A hall on Brady street near Fourth was utilized as an armory. In Barrow's history, written in 1859, there is this paragraph:  "There is no young city in the west that can equal Davenport in her display of military.  The companies are all excellently uniformed and officered and should their services be ever needed by their country they will not be found in the background." That prophecy was amply fulfilled a few months after when Davenport was the scene, April 17, 1861, of a public meeting that immediately followed the receipt of the news of the fall of Fort Sumter.  The war spirit there kindled found expression in the enlistment of Scott county men in every regiment that Iowa sent to the front.  Company G of the First regiment, commanded by August Wentz was composed entirely of men from this county. Debbie Clough G-erischer G-erischer Family Web Site http://gerischer.rootsweb.com/ Assistant CC, Iowa Gen Web, Scott County http://www.celticcousins.net/scott/ List Manager for: IASCOTT-L * G-erischer-L * D-encker-L Fitzpatirck-L * V-lerebome-L * Huntington-L * Otis-L * Algar-L EIGS-L * Pickens-L * McNab-L * Patris-L - Rankin-L