Company L, 15th Minn. N.G. as Ship Builders

After Scott Vez posted his photo of a Spanish-American War soldier carrying a Trap Door Springfield rifle I dug up some of my old pictures and they all show troops with the old trap door rifles. I also ran across this picture proving that the infantry should not build battleships. In this case we see the 15th Minn. National Guard, Co. L’s attempt to replicate the battle ship USS Minnesota as part of their Christmas festivities in 1898.