Suwannee Rifles  The 868th Engineer Company "Suwannee Rifles" is a unit of the Florida Army National Guard, stationed in Live Oak, Florida. The company has one of the oldest continuous lineages in the Florida National Guard, starting out as an independent company of infantry in 1884. During its first 71 years, the Suwannee Rifles served as an infantry company and deployed as Company E, 124th Infantry during World War II. After WWII the unit reorganized again as infantry, then as an armor company for thirteen years, and since December 1968 the Suwannee Rifles has been an engineer company. The Suwannee Rifles were established in 1884 in Live Oak, Suwannee County, Florida. In 1891, the Suwannee Rifles were organized in the Florida State Troops and designated Company D, 3rd Battalion of Infantry in 1892. In early 1893, L.K. Kemmerlin is listed as a lieutenant in the company. Kemmerlin was promoted to captain on 25 November 1893 and commanded the company. William L. Tedder and J. W. Price were appointed First Lieutenant and Second Lieutenant, respectively, on 27 August 1894. The unit attended Camp Dunn, Ocala in 1893 and camp at Pensacola in 1894. In 1895 the Suwannee Rifles were reorganized in the Florida State Troops as Company A, 4th Battalion. On June 1896 Captain George E. Porter assumed command while William Tedder continued as First Lieutenant. Kemmerlin was reappointed as a Second Lieutenant one year later on 27 June 1897. The Suwannee Rifles did their summer training at Camp Bloxham, Jacksonville in 1896 and then Camp Henderson, Tallahassee in 1897. At the start of the war with Spain, the twenty companies of the Florida State Troops were ordered to Tampa. The Suwannee Rifles left Live Oak on 12 May 1898 under command of Captain William L. Tedder with 1LT L. K. Kemmerlin, 2LT Willie H. Lyle, and 2LT Archer B. Hays. The company arrived in Tampa on 13 May and encamped in the old government reservation known as the "Garrison". The Suwannee Rifles were selected among the twenty companies to constitute the one of the twelve companies of the First Florida Volunteer Regiment and mustered into Federal service on 23 May, then left eh "Garrison" on 27 May and encamped at Desoto Park, Tampa.