our TOWN the burlington LIGHT INFANTRY
1919 Victory Parade
Although soldiers from Burlington have fought in battles since before the American Revolution, they were not formally organized into a local military unit until January 4, 1890, when Edwin Cameron Holt, the co-founder of Elmira Mills, organized a state militia company, known unofficially as the “Holt Guards” but officially as the “Burlington Light Infantry,” with himself as its commanding officer. After only three years, however, Edwin turned over command to his younger brother, James Henry “Jim” Holt, Jr., and moved to Wilmington. Other than patrolling the streets of Burlington during times of emergency and taking part in summer
20 20
Burlington Magazine | WINTER 202 1 - 22
maneuvers, the Holt Guards saw no active military service for more than 25 years, but it wasn’t for lack of trying. When war broke out with Spain in 1898, Captain Jim Holt volunteered his company’s service, and set out for deployment to Cuba, but he and his men were sent back to Burlington, after going no further than Raleigh, because the Burlington Light Infantry didn’t have enough men to comprise a company. Finally, in March 1916, the Burlington Light Infantry was called into National Service to take part in the punitive expedition against Mexican bandit Pancho Villa. Under the command of Captain James C. Freeland, it proceeded to El
