re destroyed in this way, but it was about
as effectual as fighting a Northwestern blizzard with a lady's fan, and
they were all abandoned as useless and powerless to cope with the
scourge. Nothing proved effectual but the governor's proclamation, and
all the old settlers called it "Pillsbury's Best," which was the name of
the celebrated brand of flour made at the governor's mills.

Prof. N. H. Winchell, the state geologist, in his geological and natural
history report, presents a map which, by red lines, shows the
encroachments of the grasshoppers for the years 1873-76. To gain an idea
of the extent of the country covered by them up to 1877, draw a line on
a state map from the Red River of the North about six miles north of
Moorhead, in Clay county, in a southeasterly direction, through Becker,
Wadena, Todd and Morrison counties, crossing the Mississippi river near
the northern line of Benton county, continuing down the east side of the
Mississippi, through Benton, Sherburne and Anoka counties, there
recrossing the Mississippi, and proceeding south, on the west side of
the river, to the south line of the state in Mower county. All the
country lying south and west of this line was for several years
devastated by the grasshoppers to the extent that no crops could be
raised. It became for a time a question whether the people or the
insects would conquer the state.

MILITIA.

During the territorial times there were a few volunteer militia
companies in St. Paul, conspicuously the "Pioneer Guard," an infantry
company, which, from its excellent organization and discipline, became
a source of supply of officers when regiments were being raised for the
Civil War. To have been a member of that company was worth at least a
captain's commission in the volunteer army, and many officers of much
higher rank were chosen from its members.

There was also a company of cavalry at St. Paul, commanded by Capt.
James Starkey, called the "St. Paul Light Cavalry"; also, the "Shields
Guards," commanded by Capt. John O'Gorman. There may have been others,
but I do not remember them. The services of the pioneer guards and the
cavalry company were called into requisition on two occasions, once in
1857 and again in 1859. During the summer of 1857 the settlers near
Cambridge and Sunrise complained that the Chippewas were very
troublesome. Governor Medary ordered Captain Starkey to take part of his
company and arrest the Indians who were