In the fall of 1861, the War Department authorized the governor of Dakota Territory to raise two companies of cavalry for the War of the Rebellion, to be employed in patrolling and garrison duty in the territory. Three recruiting stations were established by Governor Jayne, by proclamation of December 7, 1861, viz.: At Yankton, Vermillion, and a third at Bon Homme, at that time the three principal towns on the Missouri slope....The governor appointed J. Kendrick Fowler, a brother-in-law of Secretary Hutchinson, recruiting officer at Yankton; Nelson Miner at Vermillion, and James M. Allen at Bon Homme. These recruiting officials entered at once upon their duties, and Company A had raised its complement of men during the winter following and was mustered into the service of the United States at Yankton in April 1862. Its commissioned officers when mustered in were Nelson Miner, captain, Vermillion; J. K. Fowler, 1st lieutenant, Yankton; Frederick Ploghoff, 2nd lieutenant, Bon Homme. The company rendezvoused at Yankton awaiting the formality of 'mustering in' to the service of the United States.The company was claimed by some of the Yankton people as a local organization, though no more than one-third of its members had been residents of the future county prior to enlistment, the remainder coming from Clay, Cole, Bon Homme, Minnehaha, and one from Nebraska. Its membership included several veterans who had seen service in the regular army. Taken collectively it was a fine body of men, physically, intellectually, and morally. Quite a number of the recruits were farmers and nearly all claimholders. The ceremony of 'mustering in' took place at Yankton on the 29th day of April, 1862, Lieut. M. R. Luce, of the Forty-first Regiment of Iowa Volunteers, being mustering officer. The term of service was for three years or during the war..." ---from History of Dakota Territory by George W. Kingsbury, Vol. I, pp. 191-192 (1915)