butlersrangers wrote on May 6^th, 2018 at 5:56pm:

In the early 1900's, State of Michigan forces went from Remington-Lee to U.S. Krag-Jorgensen. Units changed from "Michigan State Troops" to "Michigan National Guard".

Thanks for that info...I love researching this stuff. So taking a leap that the MNG could then be Michigan Natl Guard, I found a source saying "The [Michigan] regiments organized in the spring of 1898 were designated the 31st, 32nd, 33rd, and 34th Michigan Volunteer Infantry." That would then match the 33 on the sling. "The 33rd and 34th Regiments left Island Lake in May 1898 for Falls Church, Va., and shortly embarked from Tampa, Fla. for Cuba on the transports "Paris" and "Harvard." The regiments were assigned to General Duffield's brigade, a part of General Shafter's army which fought and defeated the Spaniards at Santiago."

A leap, but an interesting one.  :) Also interesting because I live a couple of miles away from Falls Church at the moment.