The First Nebraska Militia was a temporary military force mobilized by Territorial Governor Alvin Saunders

Alvin Saunders

Alvin Saunders was a U.S. Senator from Nebraska, in the United States, as well as the governor of the Nebraska Territory for most of the American Civil War.-Education:Saunders was born in Fleming County, Kentucky...

 in August, 1864 during the Indian uprising of 1864 which threatened travelers on the Overland Trail

Overland Trail

The Overland Trail was a stagecoach and wagon trail in the American West during the 19th century. While portions of the route had been used by explorers and trappers since the 1820s, the Overland Trail was most heavily used in the 1860s as an alternative route to the Oregon, California and Mormon...

 and settlers on the frontier. The First Nebraska Militia reinforced the Seventh Iowa Cavalry, which had previously been deployed and had constructed Fort McPherson

Fort McPherson, Nebraska

Fort McPherson was originally called Cantonment McKean, and was popularly known as Fort Cottonwood. The Fort was an Indian Wars-era U.S...

 near present day North Platte, Nebraska

North Platte, Nebraska

North Platte is a city in and the county seat of Lincoln County, Nebraska, United States. It is located in the southwestern part of the state, along Interstate 80, at the confluence of the North and South Platte Rivers forming the Platte River...

, and the First Nebraska Veteran Volunteer Cavalry.

The Nebraska MILITIA were frontiersmen who furnished their own horses and arms. They were, as soldiers, first-class in every respect. The companies were small but efficient.

Companies

• First Regiment, Second Brigade:
  • Company A: fifty-three men with a captain, a first lieutenant, and a second lieutenant, mustered into service August 12, 1864 who served four months and nine days.
  • Company B: fifty-three men with a captain, a first lieutenant, and a second lieutenant, mustered into service August 13, 186i who served six months.
  • Company C: fifty-seven men with a captain, a first lieutenant, and a second lieutenant, mustered into service August 24, 1864 who served five months and thirteen days.
• First Regiment, First Brigade:
  • Company A: forty-seven men with a captain, a first lieutenant, and a second lieutenant, mustered into the service August 30, 1864 who served two months and twelve days.
• A detachment of artillery militia under command of Captain Edward P. Childs, numbering thirteen men, rank and file, was mustered into the service August 30, 1864, and served two months and twelve days.

Companies "B" and "C," First Nebraska Militia (mounted) were present at the January, 1865 attack on Camp Rankin and Julesburg and under the command of General Robert B. Mitchell

Robert Byington Mitchell

Robert Byington Mitchell was a brigadier general in the Union Army during the American Civil War and the Governor of the New Mexico Territory from 1866 to 1869.-Early life and career:...

were part of the force which engaged in a fruitless pursuit of the marauding Indian forces after the battle.