Photographs

Texas National Guard
112th Cavalry Regiment
New London March 18-22, 1937

"Probably no unit of the guard has seen as extensive martial law duty as has the 112th Cavalry, which participated in the following duties: Longview riot, July, 1918; Galveston strike duty, June 5 to October 10, 1920; Borger martial law, September 28 to October 29, 1928; Sherman riot, May 9-24, 1930; East Texas oil field martial law, August 17, 1931, to July, 1932; New London school disaster, March 18-22, 1937, and Mexia oil field martial law."¹

Immediately after the explosion, Governor James V. Allred declared martial law and called out the National Guard. Twenty-two officers and 194 enlisted men, under Major Gaston S. Howard, assistant adjutant general, who was designated as martial law commander for the effected area, performed their duties in a very efficient and expeditious manner to the extent that the period of martial law lasted only from March 18 to March 22, 1937.

  
Left: Two guardsmen confer at the site.
Right: Standing guard to prevent looting.


One of the most difficult tasks the young men faced
was assisting with the removal of bodies.


¹ Texas Military Forces Museum, 1940 Historical and Pictorial Review