IZ? /^. 
 
 por^ 
 
 
 18 9 8 
 
 ill lii liiiii 
 
 ^ ii I l!li!ll< 
 
.^--'* 
 
 Qass. 
 
 
 O" 
 
 y 
 
 6 
 
 ■'^' 
 
* 
 
 \ 
 
HIS roR V 
 
 OF 
 
 Companies I and E, Sixtli kgu 
 
 Illinois Volunteer Inl'antry from Whiteside County. 
 
 CONTAINING A DETAILED ACCOUNT OF THEIR EXPERI- 
 ENCES WHILE SERVING AS VOLUNTEERS IN 
 THE PORTO RICAN CAMPAIGN DURING 
 THE SPANISH-AMERICAN 
 WAR OF 1898. 
 
 A RECORD OF THE TWO COMPANIES AS STATE TROOFS 
 
 FROM THE DATE OF ORGANIZATION 
 
 TO APRIL 30TH, 1901. 
 
 BY R^ S. BUNZEY. 
 
 IN THREE PARTS. 
 
 ILLUSTRATED. 
 
 MORRISON, ILLINOIS. 
 1901. 
 

 
 Hoos Collection 
 
 190163 
 
 1912 
 
TO THE KKADER: 
 
 It may be well lo acquaint the reader with a few of 
 the facts which brou<^ht about the idea of compiliiii^ and 
 putting into book form the records of the two companies 
 of volunteer soldiers, who represented Whiteside Coun- 
 tv in the Spanish American War of 1898. I do not flat- 
 ter myself with the expectation that this work will be 
 considered as in the line of histories as they are written 
 today, this being my initial, and without a question of 
 doubt, tinal attempt in this line. In recent years many 
 such histories of the Civil War have been written by 
 ex-soldiers and the lapse of time rendered the task an 
 extremely difficult one. As time rolls on and the num- 
 ber of veterans jj^'o^vs less, the more valuable to those 
 remaining, become the records which contain the detail 
 of their soldier life. In view of these facts I determined 
 on publishing an account of the experiences of companies 
 I and E while the man}' details were yet clear and 
 distinct. The material for the contents of the book con- 
 sists chiefly in letters written in the various camps by 
 Charles Hoobler, of compan}- E, and myself, a high 
 private in the rear rank of compan}' I. These letters 
 were published daily or weekly by the home papers and 
 contain the correct dates of all movements besides man\- 
 other items of interest which would now be ditlicult to 
 obtain in any other manner. 
 
 In addition to this history, I deemed it nothing more 
 
4 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 than just to include as briefly as possible a record of the 
 organization and previous existence of the two compa- 
 nies as a portion of the Illinois National Guard who 
 readily responded to the call for volunteers and by re- 
 quest of the President w^ere given the preference over 
 other civilian soldiers. The many difficulties met with, 
 arising from the seeming inability to secure correct dates 
 and facts covering the period between the organization 
 of the companies and the outbreak of the Spanish 
 American War, were partially overcome by the hearty 
 co-operation and invaluable aid of members and ex- 
 members of both companies. For this assistance I feel 
 deeply indebted to them. 
 
 As a finale, and a fitting close to the following pag- 
 es, a sketch of the present conditions of both comj;anies 
 has been utilized. 
 
 To the volunteer, present and ex-members of com- 
 panies I and E and to their friends, this book is 
 dedicated. Respectfully 
 
 R. S. BUNZEV. 
 
PART I 
 
HISTORY OF COMPANIES I AND E. 
 
 CHAPTER 1. 
 
 Ou(; AMZATioN And Muster-In Oi' Comi'anii-:s 1 
 And E, Sixth Infantry Illinois National 
 Guards, And Subsequent Events Occur- 
 RLNG Previous To Their V^olunteer 
 Service In The Spanish- Ameri- 
 can War Of I898. 
 
 Company I. 
 
 Company I Sixth Infantry Illinois National Guards 
 of to-day, was organized during the summer of 1878 
 and mustered into the service of the State on the 
 I ith day of September of the same year, under the 
 laws enacted bv the Legislature and in force July ist, 
 1877 which authorized the organization of such State 
 trooj-)s. It was designated as Company C and assigned 
 to the 14th Battalion, which was commanded at 
 that period by Lieut. Col. W. P. Butler, with head- 
 quarters at Rock Island, Ills. The subject of forming a 
 company of State militia wms agitated more or less for 
 some time bv a number of veterans of the Civil War. 
 
8 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 The promoters of the idea and most active and ener- 
 getic in the work of organizing, were: Attorney George 
 H. Fay, John Grierson and A D. Hill, all of whom saw 
 several years service in the war of the Rebellion; 
 George Fay holding a Captain's commission in Com- 
 pany B 147th Illinois Infantr}-; John Grierson a 2nd 
 Lieutenants commission in Company H 14th, New 
 York Heavy Art.; and A. D. Hill serving in a Pennsyl- 
 vania Regiment. These, with a number of other citizens, 
 held several meetings in Attorney Fay's office. A paper 
 was circulated about the town sohciting signatures of 
 citizens capable of military duty and who were willing to 
 aid in the organization of the company and serve the 
 State should the required number be secured. In a 
 very short time the following names were enrolled, a 
 total of seventy-six, and a request made for a muster- 
 ing officer to swear in the company : 
 
 A.D.Hill, H.Nash. 
 
 George H. Fay, C. H. Planthaber, 
 Cornelius Quackenbush. F. M. Judd, 
 
 George Buckley, William Winters, 
 
 George W. Stafford, Milton Morse, 
 
 Ed. A. Worrell, J. N. Jackson, 
 
 William Wilson, Henry Brown, 
 
 Charles F. McKee, J. A. Newbury, 
 
 Jacob Feldman, S. Switzer, 
 
 Henry Minder. George C. Wilcox, 
 
 A. C. McAllister, Frank Fitzgerald, 
 
 J. M. Williamson. Peter Spears, 
 
 Fred Mathews, J. N. Baird. 
 
 E. St. John, Charles H. Trauger, 
 
 J. W. McKee, W. B. McClary, 
 
 E. Blodgett, C. W. Spears, 
 
PUIVATE RICHARD YATES, 
 
 Co. 1,5th Inf., 111. N.G., 
 
 1885. 
 
 Governor of III. and Commander-in Chief of 
 
 the Military and Naval Forces, 
 
 1901. 
 
Illinois Nation. \i. Giauds. 
 
 A. Farrington, 
 George 13. Day. 
 J. A. Nowlcn, 
 John Grierson, 
 H. II. Marshall. 
 C. M.Johnson, 
 Harry Sterling, 
 William Ilogan, 
 C. H. Marshall, 
 J. C. Childs, 
 Plenry Levitt, 
 William Anderson, 
 Frank E. James. 
 J. F. Wellmgton, 
 G. B. Adams. 
 J. B. Kirman, 
 C. F. Montague, 
 William J. Reutlinger 
 Charles P. Holt, 
 Benjamin J. Atwater, 
 A. C. Buttery. 
 F. J. Johnson. 
 
 A. A. Mattern, 
 F. M. Fox, 
 M. R. Kelly. 
 P. F. Hellerstedi, 
 F. E. Strawder, 
 Charles D. White, 
 William Gishbel. 
 William Kincade, 
 P. R. Boyd, 
 H. S. Ferguson, 
 James Dean, 
 A. Richtmyer, 
 R. W. Sholes, 
 Z. T. Anderson, 
 Frank Mann, 
 Daniel Bowdish. 
 D. Bray, 
 J. M. Murphy, 
 John Lucas, 
 Curtis Johnson. 
 Clarence Clark. 
 
 D.J. Goodill. 
 
 For various reasons a number of those whose sig- 
 natures appear on this roll, failed to take the oath at the 
 time of the muster-in of the company; some \\ere phy- 
 sicalh' unable; others had business interests which in 
 justice to themselves could not be neglected, yet all took 
 a personal interest and contributed their moral and ma- 
 terial support in the work until it became necessar\- for 
 them to withdraw, when they stepped down and out. 
 making way for others who were anxious to I)ecome a 
 part of the company and were more conveniently situ- 
 ated to give the time and attention to drill and other 
 
10 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 duties which would necessarily devolve upon them to se- 
 cure and maintain a standard of efficiency which would 
 prove a credit, not alone to themselves, but also to the 
 town and state. Thus upon the arrival of the muster- 
 ing officer. Captain Hawse of Moline, Adjutant of the 
 14th Battalion, the actual number in readiness to take 
 the oath was but a portion of the total who had signitied 
 their willingness in the da^'s previous. The company as 
 mustered in on this date, Sept. nth, 1878, is here giv- 
 en : 
 
 Captain. George H. Fay, 
 
 1st. Lieutenant, Cornelius Quackenbush. 
 
 2nd. Lieutenant. John Grierson, 
 
 1st. Sergeant. Aloiizo Richtmyer, 
 
 1st Duty Sergeant, George C. Wilson. 
 2nd " " Z. T. Anderson, 
 
 ;3rd " " Albert A. Mattern, 
 
 1th " " George Buckley, 
 
 Corporal Frank V. Johnson, 
 
 William Wilson. 
 Benjamin J. Atwater. 
 Peter Martin, 
 " Milton Morse. 
 
 Clarence G. Clark. 
 " Oscar Rounds, 
 
 Henry Levitt, 
 Musician Charles Trauffer. 
 
 Private Bogart. Cornelius 
 
 Buttery. Arthur C. 
 " Bray, Dennis 
 
 Bartholomew, George L. 
 " Bowdish. Daniel G, 
 
 Casey, William 
 
I 
 
 History ok C()>ri'AMKs I and E. 11 
 
 Private Dean, Jnmos 
 Fox, Frank M. 
 
 " Gilroy, Edward A. 
 
 " Honcler, Aajijustns 
 
 " Hendricks, Jesse Y. 
 
 " Hanna, Robert H. 
 
 " Haskin, Ezra C. 
 
 " Hnmplirey. Erastus B. 
 
 " Johnson, John 
 
 " Johnson, Curtis 
 
 " Kinney, James 
 
 " Mouck, Solomon F. 
 
 " Marshall, Charles H. 
 
 " Montague, Charles F. 
 
 " Nash. Henry G. 
 
 " Planthaber, Charles 
 
 " Reutlinger, Henry G. 
 
 •' Story, James 
 
 '• Strawn, Frank H. 
 
 " Worrell, Edward A. 
 Wood, Rol)ert 
 
 Making a total of three commissioned officers and 
 forty-one enlisted men. The men as a company, were 
 highly elated by the success so far attained and the re- 
 cruiting was energetically continued, which soon resulted 
 in a company with a full complement of enlisted men. 
 Several, who were unavoidably detained from being 
 present at the time of the muster in of the company liy 
 sickness and absence from the city, took advantage of 
 the first opportunity to enroll their names on the compa- 
 ny roster. 
 
 The choice of commissioned officers proved to be 
 un extremely wise sdection; their knowledge of military 
 
12 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 affairs had been gained in a school where war was a 
 cold fact and they had been taught the value and ne- 
 cessity of strict obedience and discipline. The compa- 
 ny was the beneficiary of the experiences of these drilled 
 men, and,, composed as it was, largely of veterans, its 
 members quickly attained a proficiency in military tac- 
 tics, of which they were justly proud. With few excep- 
 tions, the rule established at this early date has been rig- 
 idly adhered to and a great deal of consideration has 
 been given to the selection of commissioned officers, as 
 to the fitness and ability of the candidate for the posi- 
 tion to which he aspired, which could be obtained only 
 through the ballots of the enlisted men and, if, at an}' 
 time they have considered themselves unfortunate in 
 this regard, they, and they alone were responsible, as 
 the power was in their hands to place in these positions 
 men of ability and of their own choice, thus leaving them 
 no room for a grievance in not doing so. 
 
 For several years this company was widely known 
 as the "Morrison Rifles," just how and where it de- 
 rived this title it has been impossible to learn, and to-day 
 should it be referred to as such, very few would un- 
 derstand the reference as anything in connection with 
 company I, only in a dreamy, misty manner of some- 
 thing suddenly recalled to the mind which had been 
 nearly, if not quite forgotten. 
 
 The first arms issued it by the State were muz- 
 zle loading rifles of the Enfield pattern and it was sever- 
 al years before it was enabled to secure breechload- 
 ing guns, and then only by dint of continually petitioning 
 the Adjutant General of the State to equip the men with 
 an arm which was not obsolete and practically out of 
 date as a service arm. 
 
iiUlG.(ii:N.J. N. iiEECE, 
 Adj.- Gen. 
 
ll.MNOlS NaTIONAI, (jJlJAKDS. I';] 
 
 For an armory and drill room, tlic bascnientof [hv. 
 old frame buildini;' which stood on the lot now occu- 
 pied by the Hub Clothinir Store was secured, remain- 
 ino here but a short time, the company removed to the; 
 City Council room, and shortly afterward to the sec- 
 ond floor of Hollar Snuth's blacksmith shop <jii east 
 Main street. At that time the members considered 
 themselves extremely fortunate in l)eing- so snugly locat- 
 ed. From here they"trekked''to Milne's opera house, and 
 later to the old skating rink on Grove street where tlicv 
 were at home at the outbreak of the Spanish-American 
 War. 
 
 Very littl(> attention was given to target practice for 
 several years. The cause for the lack of enthusiasm in 
 this respect was accounted for in the difficulty in secur- 
 ing the necessary ammunition and ordnance supplies 
 with which to carry on a successful shoot, saying nothing 
 of the expense connected with the building of rifle butts 
 etc., for which the men were compelled to secure 
 funds without expense to the State. The officers higher 
 in command of the troops evidently took but little inter- 
 est in this matter which today, is considered a very es- 
 sential feature in determining the efficiency of the Na- 
 tional Guard. The fact now being recognized that 
 while the men may be proficient in the manual of arms 
 and precise in executing maneuvers they would be of 
 little value in actual service without some experience in 
 the care and handling of the rifle. Not alone in this 
 matter were the men expected to defray their own ex- 
 penses; each member was obliged to equip himself with 
 a uniform at a cost of seven dollars. 
 
 What would the Guardsmen of today think of the 
 proposition of purchasing the uniforms they w(\ar? 
 
14 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 Would they do it? It is hardly probable. They would 
 stand aghast at the suggestion of such an absurd idea; 
 and to consider that the State placed so little value on our 
 voluntary service woukl l)e likened to the shaking of 
 a red mantle in the face of an angry bull, and the re- 
 cruiting ofhcers must needs to have made a "tine art"" of 
 their work should they hope to retain a "corporals 
 guard" in the ranks. A great many surprising things 
 are found in searching the files of the early correspon- 
 dence of the company. There appears to have been no 
 understanding between the State authorities and the 
 railroads by which troops could be moved on short no- 
 tice. The transportation of a company meant days of cor- 
 respondence regarding the manner in which the settle- 
 ment should be made, the company commander being ex- 
 pected to make the necessary arrangements for the hand- 
 ling of his men. These were a few of the obstacles with 
 which the men and officers were obliged to contend 
 in those days, and the most surprising feature of 
 it all is, that the National Guard could exist under 
 the regulations in force at that time. 
 
 Company C attended its first State encampment 
 at Camp Cullom, at Springfield, September i6th to 19th, 
 1879, bringing with it on its return home an excellent 
 report of the condition of the company as measured 
 by the standard of other troops present. For this 
 encampment the 2nd Brigade received no compensation 
 whatever, at least Company C did n(jt, on account of lack 
 of funds, and for this reason there was no encampment 
 the following two years. That portion of the appropri- 
 ation made for this purpose by the State, being distribu- 
 ted among the dillVront regimental and company com- 
 iiiaiideis for the heiietit of tlieir commands. The first 
 
Im.inois Na'iionai. Gl akds. ir> 
 
 public parndif thecompfiiiy ))iirtici[)att'(l in was at Morri- 
 risoii. 'July 4th. 1879. C()m])any B of Moliiu', com- 
 maiidrd by Ca[)taiii William 0. Bennett, was invited 
 and was present and the two coun)anies made a tine aj)- 
 pearance; it being the tirst military parade in the city, 
 since immediately after the Civil War. 
 
 The year foUowiuij^. and with few exceptions, each 
 Memorial day since, an invitation has been extended 
 to them from the G. A. R. Post to participate in the cer- 
 emonies on that day. July3 rd, 1880, by invitation, the 
 company went to Mt. Carroll, 111., taking part in the cele- 
 bration of Independence Day, ( the 4th falling on Sun- 
 day.) 
 
 In September, the same year, it attended the 
 Sterling Fair in a body, camping on the grounds the 
 15th, 16th and 17th., returning the evening of the 17th. 
 While there, it acted as escort for General Grant and 
 Governor CuUom. 
 
 In July 1880. William Clendenin was commis- 
 sioned Lieut. Colonel and placed in command of the 
 I4tli Battalion, establishing head(|uarters at Moline. 
 William Clendenin was born and reared in Morrison; he 
 served two years in the war of the Rebellion, enlisting 
 as a private and being promoted, step by step, from the 
 ranks, and on March 2ist, 1866 was mustered out of the 
 service as 1st Lieut, of Company A, io8th U. S. Coloretl 
 Infantry. He removed to Moline in 1871. Becoming in- 
 terested in the National Guard in its infancy, he was 
 commissioned 2nd Lieut, of Company B (afterward 
 Company F) and held successively, the rank of ist 
 Lieut, and Captain, an.d was made Major of the 14th 
 Battalion, May 30th. 1879, ^^"^^ Lieut, Colonel in July, 
 1880. In 1882 the National Guard of Illinois was re- 
 
10 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 orti^anizc'd and he was elected Colonel of the Sixth Regi- 
 ment May 17th of that year, being twice re-elected to 
 the command of the Sixth. December 28th, 1892, he was 
 promoted by Governor Fifer to the rank of Brigadier 
 General and assigned to commarul the Third Brigade, 
 Governor Altgeld removing him March 2Sth, 1893. In 
 April 1898, Governor Thnner ap})ointed him Inspector 
 of'the Illinois National Guard, with the rank of Colonel. 
 During t'le following May he organized a provisional reg- 
 iment and tendered its services to the U. S. Government 
 in case there should be a call for more troops during the 
 war with Spain. Among the Field and StafP of this 
 regiment were, his son Frank J. Clendenin, Major; and 
 Thaddeus L. Rounds, Assistant Surgeon, both well known 
 to many citizens of Whiteside county. May 15th, 1899 
 Governor Tanner replaced him in command of the Third 
 Brigade with the rank of Brigadier General, which com- 
 mission he yet retains. 
 
 General Clendenin's record in the Illinois National 
 Guard, is an enviable one. He has held every commis- 
 sioned ofllce in the service from 2nd Lieutenant to that 
 of Brig;'dier General, and is the proud possessor of ten 
 commissions issued to him by the Governors of Illinois. 
 Not alone this, but in his career as an oflicer, he has won 
 the respect and esteem of all the men who have served 
 under him, and in the history of the Illinois National 
 Guard, his name will be given an honored place. 
 
 The effect of having no State encampment for two 
 year,s. was very demoralizing to the company; 2nd 
 Lieut. Grierson had resigned in the summer of 1879. 
 Sheriff E. A. Worrell succeeding him; Lieut. Worrell 
 resigning in September 1880, this vacancy being tilled by 
 the election of E. P. Stokes who resigned in 1882; 
 
BUKJ. GEN. WM. CLENDKNIN, 
 Commanding Third Brigade. 
 
Ilmnois National Giakds. 17 
 
 Captain Fay also resii^iiod in 1882; ist Lieut. Quacken- 
 bush havintr i-esi(!;-nccl in September, 1881, his successor 
 being Z. T. Anderson, who resigned in April, 1882. 
 This found the company without a commissioned officer, 
 the command devolving upon Sergeant E. B. Hump- 
 hrey, and appears to have been a very critical period in 
 Its historv. It was seemingly on the point of dissolu- 
 tion, and in all probability would have been disband- 
 ed, had not Frank Clendenin, a brother of General 
 Clendenin, and post master at that time, accepted 
 a commission in the company. He was unanimously 
 elected ist Lieutenant in June 1882, Curtis Johnson 
 being commissioned 2nd Lieutenant at the same time. 
 Lieut. Clendenin was promoted to Captain and 2nd Lieut. 
 Johnson to the rank of ist Lieutenant the following 
 August with William Brearton succeeding as 2nd Lieu- 
 tenant, which commission he retained until his removal 
 from the state in 1883. 
 
 With Captain Clendenin in command and the able 
 assistance rendered by Lieutenants Johnson and Brearton 
 the organization received a new impetus and was rap- 
 idly re-built and strengthened until it once more at- 
 tained a desirable standing. But this tranquility was not 
 of long duration. During the tour of camp duty at 
 Springfield in 1882. which was the first since 1879, Cap- 
 tain Clendenin was appointed Aid-de-Camp. with the 
 rank of Colonel, on Governor Cullom's Staff from the 
 7th Congressional District. He retained this commission 
 through the administrations of Governors Cullom, Hamil- 
 ton, Oglesby and Fifer. until June 1889. when he re- 
 moved from the 7Lh District. The loss of Captain Clen- 
 denin was a severe one to the company. He was a vet- 
 eran of the Civil War, having entered the service as 
 
IS History ok Companies I and E. 
 
 Captain, commanding Company B., 147th Illinois Infan- 
 try and shortly promoted to Major, which rank he re- 
 tained until the close of the war. He was an able succes- 
 sor to the command, following the resignation of Captain 
 Fay, the men parting from him with regret. At about 
 this time ist Lieut. Johnson tendered his resignation. In 
 November, Cornelius Quackenbush was commissioned 
 Captain, and Sergeant N. James Cole ist Lieutenant. 
 
Ii.T.iNOTs Nationat. Guards. 19 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 The Illinois National Guard was re-organized in the 
 3ear of 1882, the 14th Battalion being merged into the 
 Sixth Regiment with Lieut. Colonel Clendenin. commis- 
 si<ined Colonel, in command. It was at this time that 
 Company C was designated as Compan}- I. 
 
 D. J. Foster of Chicago was appointed Lieut. Colo- 
 nel; H. T. DePue. Major; John H. Porter, Regimental 
 Quartermaster with the rank of ist. Lieutenant, and Ed. 
 Kittilsen, Sergeant Major of the regiment. 
 
 In the formation of regiments there were no such 
 divisions as Battalions, consequently there was but one 
 Major and one Adjutant. During encampment there 
 were regimental and company drills and occasionally the 
 regiment would be made up into divisions, the command 
 of each division falling to the ranking Captain and in this 
 manner attaining something similar to the Battalion for- 
 mation of today. 
 
 Lieut Colonel Foster was twice re-elected, and on 
 January 13th, 1893, he was commissioned Colonel of 
 the Sixth Regiment, which position he has held contin- 
 ousl}' up to the present time. 
 
 Sergeant Major Ed Kittilsen first entered the mili- 
 tary service in an independent organization in 1875, and 
 in 1877, when the Illinois National Guard was organized 
 he enlisted in the 14th Battalion, was promoted to Regi- 
 mental Sergeant Major, and appointed Major in 1886, 
 
20 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 and on January I3lh, 1893, was promoted to Lieutenant 
 Colonel of the Sixth Regiment, serving in this capacity 
 up to the present time. 
 
 The affairs of Company I (as it is now designated) 
 ran quite smoothly for some time. Encampments were 
 held annually. For three successive years, 1882, 1883 
 and 1884. the camp grounds were located about five 
 miles north-east of Springfield, and officially named Camp 
 Logan. The year following, 1885, the location was 
 changed to one and a half miles north and east of the city 
 and named Camp Dickey. About this tune the state 
 purchased the grounds where Camp Lincoln is now lo- 
 cated, and a permanent camp-ground established. Camp 
 Lincoln lies about two miles north-w^est of Springfield 
 and is a very desirable location. Just inside the entrance 
 gate lies the wide drill and parade ground; bordering on 
 this and running north, is the camp ground proper, where 
 the tents are pitched. This ground is thinly studded 
 with shade trees. In the rear of this is found the large 
 swimming pool, built of masonry, and yet farther back 
 and to the left, is located the rifle range. 
 
 The only serious drawback to Camp Lincoln is 
 found in the drinking water, which is carried to the 
 grounds from the city in pipes running on top of the 
 ground for a long distance, making the water very warm 
 and it is anything but a pleasant drink. This contributes 
 a great deal to the sickness which appears in camp soon 
 after the arrival of the troops. The street car line has 
 been extended to the grounds and terminates just outside 
 the entrance gate, making the city quickly and easil}' 
 reached. 
 
 Camp week is looked forward to. for months. It 
 is the one incentive. ur<rin<»; the men to extra work, in 
 
Kntrance gate at Camp L,incolu. 
 
IijjNois National Guards. 21 
 
 preparing themselves to appear before the public as sol- 
 diers. It is the only break in an otherwise monotonous, 
 un-remunerative, voluntary service and is very beneticial 
 to the troops, bringing the ollicers and men of the regi- 
 ment in contact with each other, where discipline and obe- 
 dience are not only expected, but demanded; teaching 
 the men that a soldier's life is based upon those two princi- 
 ples; also teaching them the duties of a soldier in many 
 ways. The knowledge thus gained being invaluable, 
 and attainable in no other manner. Why the friends at 
 home continue to retain such an erroneous idea regfard- 
 ing the actions of the men while at camp, has always 
 been a myster}-. There is nothing to warrant this injus- 
 tice. Is it a cause for wonderment then that many de- 
 sirable young men, who otherwise would gladly enter 
 the service, for this reason are deterred from doing 
 so? They have given wrecks and months, without re- 
 compense, in making preparations for this week of duty. 
 After a hard day's work in the store or shop, or at their 
 trade, it is necessary to devote hours to instructing them- 
 selves in the duties of a soldier, which, although it may 
 have its attractions, is never-the-less hard w^ork. Without 
 the support of friends at home, what inducement is there 
 for a company commander to neglect his ow^n personal 
 affairs and devote the necessary time to his company to 
 tit the men to appear before the people of the state, and 
 the Governor, their commander-in-chief, who are ever 
 ready to criticise, reflecting on the fitness of this or that 
 officer for the position wiiich he holds. If the men. as 
 soldiers, fall below a certain standard, the public will ask, 
 '•are we being taxed for the support and maintenance of 
 those untrained, poorly drilled men who dare to call 
 themselves soldiers?" And the public is justified in de- 
 
22 History of Companies I an-d E. 
 
 manding something more from the soldier, than merely 
 he'm<r able to wear the uniform of the state and carr}- the 
 rifle at a right shoulder, but in return it should respect 
 these same men for this voluntar}- service and should con- 
 tribute its moral support to the work of securing and 
 maintaining a degree of eilkienc}^, which will reflect cre- 
 dit on the ofHcers. the men and the State. 
 
 Following the resignation of Lieut. Brearlon in 
 March 1883, Charles F. Montague was commissioned 
 2nd Lieutenant, resigning in May 1884, being succeeded 
 by Sergeant E. B. Humphrey in June 1884; Captain 
 Quackenbush resigned in April 1884, Lieut. Cole suc- 
 ceeding him in the command of the company; W. F. 
 Colebaugh was elected ist Lieutenant in January 1884 
 and was promoted to the rank of Captain upon the re- 
 signation of Captain Cole which occurred in March 1885, 
 Henry Grifhths being elected ist Lieutenant in April. 
 
 September 5th, 1885, the compan)- was an attrac- 
 tion at the Morrison Fair. While in attendance at the 
 Sterling Fair, one week later, it first met the Chicago 
 Zouaves and after witnessing their fancy drill, decided to 
 organize a corps. This consisted of twelve fineh" drilled 
 men and a Captain. They soon attained a degree of ef- 
 ficiency and precision in the intricate, silent drill which 
 they adopted, which would warrant their appearing in 
 public, and they rarely failed in giving general satisfac- 
 tion in their performance. After an appearance in 
 Clinton, la., where they had been secured as an attraction 
 at a celebration, the Clinton Daily News had this to say 
 regarding them: ''Following the Rifles, a company of 
 Zouaves from Morrison, Illinois, gave an unique drill. 
 Attired in their novel uniform, they attracted much atten- 
 tion and gave an interesting drill, performing their various 
 
N. J. COLK, 
 
 Capt. Co. I, III. N. G. 
 
 Showing style of uniform worn in 
 
 the 80"8. 
 
Illinois National Guards. 23 
 
 movements with much rapidit}' and precision. In re- 
 tiring from the field, the company made a charge upon a 
 fence, some twelve feet in height, erected in the centre 
 of the park, which they scaled with but little effort. The 
 front rank, upon reaching the barricade, stooped their 
 heads and those following mounted upon their shoulders 
 and from there grasped the top of the fence and were 
 over in a twinkling. This was continued until only one 
 man remained below. How this man would get over 
 was quickly settled by two comrades above lowering a 
 gun. which was grasped, and he w^as drawn up over, 
 amid loud applause. This closed the finest military drill 
 ever seen in this city, if not in the state of Iowa." 
 
 This will give the reader an idea as to what consti- 
 tuted a part of their performance and the success they 
 attained in delivering it. The expenses for maintaining 
 such an organization were rather more than was anticipa- 
 ted, and after a season or two, with varying success fi- 
 nancially, they disbanded. Another corps was formed la- 
 ter but was of short life, meeting with the same difficul- 
 ties as the former corps, in securing financial support. 
 April 1st. 1886, Ca])tain Colebaugh and 2nd Lieut. 
 Humphrey resigned. Two weeks later the company 
 was ordered to East St. Louis and was on duty there 
 during the Martin Iron strike. It entered this service 
 with depleted ranks: not more than twenty-five enlisted 
 men and one commissioned officer, ist Lieut. H. H. Grif- 
 fiths. An election of otiicers was held slii^rtly after its 
 arrival upon the scene which resulted in the selection 
 of Lieut. Griffiths as Captain; T. 8. Beach ist. Lieut., 
 and John M. Colebaugh, 2nd Lieutenant. Lieutenant 
 Beach, who was Sheriff of Whiteside County at the 
 time, had been serving as a private. The St. Louis 
 
24 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 experiences were varied and many. One of the boys, 
 through nervousness and over excitement, ran his bayo- 
 net through a stray pig which was rooting about the 
 guard line and then deserted his post, thinking the steel 
 had entered the heart of some rioter, who had been in- 
 tent on taking his life. In all probability fresh pork was 
 a necessary adjunct to the bill of fare for some days 
 following. The company also charged and captured a 
 cannon (?) in following its line of duty. This it retained 
 as a trophy of the exploit, and is with the company to- 
 day, very few of the men knowing how or where it was 
 secured. The service at this riot covered a period of fif- 
 teen days, from April twenty-tirst to May fifth, and on 
 it's return it first realized how lightly the services of the 
 National Guard were valued. The State generously 
 
 meted out to each the mere pittance of forty nine cents 
 per diem, corresponding with the pay allowance of the 
 regular army. Serious trouble was narrowly averted 
 by the State as the enlisted men of the Illinois National 
 Guard strongly objected to leaving good positions, com- 
 manding good salaries, to stand guard and perforin other 
 irksome duties during riots or other disturbances for the 
 pay of the regular army man, and the troops from all 
 over the stale protested so strongly that the Legislature 
 took the matter u}) and it resulted in a material increase 
 in their salary while on such duties, fixing a rate of two 
 dollars per day for all enlisted men. This timely action 
 taken by the State overcame the then present dif- 
 ficulties and produced a very salutary effect on the State 
 troops. Their conduct and soldierly bearing, together 
 with the yeoman service performed when called for duty, 
 was considered worthy of recognition by the people, to 
 whom the memories of the soldier life of the Civil War 
 

 'J. 
 
 cr? 
 
 »5 
 
Illinois National Giards. 25 
 
 were yt't clear aiul vivid, and who realized thai the ser- 
 vices of the men who stood ready and willing to go 
 where duty eallinl in the cause of justice and good gov- 
 ernuu'nt, should not go unrewarded. From this time 
 thi' State troops have steadily improved in efficiency. 
 
 1st Lieutenant Beach resigned in January 1887, 
 and William Brearton, wdio had returned to Morrison, 
 to reside, was commissioned ist Lieutenant to fill the 
 vacancy. Previous to this and shortly following his 
 second enlistment, Lieut. Brearton had been appointed 
 Regimental Commissary Sergeant, which position he 
 held at the time of receiving his commission. Cap- 
 tain Griffiths resigned in April 1888, William Colebaugh 
 again succeeding to the command of the company, re- 
 taining his commission until the expiration of his term 
 of service, three years. 2nd Lieut. John Colebaugh re- 
 mained with the company until 18S9, his commission 
 expired in April of this year, and Harry T. Guffin was 
 elected to the rank which he vacated. 
 
 Looking backward a few months, we find our neigh- 
 boring city, of Sterling, had been deeply interested, for 
 som<' time ])ast, in the forming of a coni[)any of State 
 Guards. Let us leave company I for a brief period and 
 follow the fortunes of the boys of our sister city.' 
 
26 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 Company E. 
 
 Company E was organized and mustered into the 
 State service at Sterling, 111., in the spring of 1888. 
 Some years previous a company of militia had existed 
 there, known as the "Sterling City Guards." This organi- 
 zation disbanded some five years prior to the organiza- 
 tion of Company E., and military matters remained very 
 quiet for a time until the subject of forming a company of 
 State Guards was taken up and agitated by a number of 
 citizens of the town, among whom. were John W. Niles, 
 Dr. Frank Anthon}' and T. S. Beach. These men were 
 chiefly instrumental in organizing and developing the 
 company and devoted considerable time to the work in 
 order to secure a desirable membership of young men, 
 and in various ways building the foundation in such a 
 manner as to interest the towns-people in the future of 
 the company, permanently securing the location of this 
 company of National Guards. 
 
 John Niles saw service in an Iowa regiment through- 
 out the Civil War. The knowledge thus secured proved 
 to be most valuable and he was naturally looked upon 
 as the leader in the work. 
 
 Dr. Anthony, a life long resident of Sterling and 
 widely known as a physician of more than ordinary 
 
Illinois National Guards. 27 
 
 abililv and Thus. S. Beach, ex-slieriff of Whiteside coun- 
 tv and an ex-member of Company I of Morrison, with 
 the heartv co-operation of a number of other influential 
 citizens, added their combined efforts in brin<rin£r the 
 venture to a successful termination. Not lon^ after the 
 idea ori^nnated. the desired membership was secured 
 and Colonel T. Ewert, Assistant Adjutant General of 
 the State came to Sterling by request to administer the 
 oath and on March 24th, 1888, the followin<:f company 
 was mustered into the service. 
 Captain, John W. Niles. 
 
 ist Lieutenant, Thomas S. Beach. 
 2nd Lieutenant, Frank Anthony, 
 ist Sergeant JohnA. Haberer. 
 
 2nd Sergeant. Lewis F. Eisele. 
 3rd >• Walter N. Haskell. 
 
 4th " Goodicil B. Dillon. 
 
 5th " Samuel T. Mangan. 
 
 Corporal, Charles S. Hall. 
 
 Frank D. Ely. 
 " James F. Criswell. 
 
 " Orville P. Bassett. 
 
 Private Angell, William E. 
 
 " Adair, Ambrose. 
 
 Burke, Harry T. 
 
 " Bickford, Joseph M. 
 
 " Boyers, Joseph. 
 
 " Crawford, Robert G. 
 
 " Connor, John R. 
 
 Cook, Ward W. 
 
 " Cochrane. Albert G. 
 
 '• Cushman, John W. 
 
 " Grimes, Frank A. 
 
28 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 Private Hoover, Harry G. 
 
 Hills. Edward O. 
 " Hess. Albert H. 
 
 " Howland, Harry T, 
 
 " Haberly, Frank F. 
 
 Haskell, William W. 
 " Johnson, J. Stanley. 
 
 " Kline. John L. 
 
 " Lawrie, William F. 
 
 " Llewellyn. David. 
 
 " Mangan, William F, 
 
 " Mangan, E.J. 
 
 " Mangan, R. L. 
 
 " Myer, Adam B. 
 
 »' Osmer, Sydney C. 
 
 " Rock, Edwin S. 
 
 " Stoddard, Fred R. 
 
 " Shumaker, Charles N. 
 
 " Smith, Jesse. 
 
 <« Van Home, E. Burt. 
 
 " Woods, Rollin H. 
 
 " Woodworth, Clarence 
 
 " Williams, Albert A. 
 
 '' Williams, B. Frank. 
 
 " Winters, James C. 
 
 The company was designated as E and attached 
 to the Sixth Regiment. Each member immediately put 
 a shoulder to the wheel and made every effort to estab- 
 lish a degree of eflicienc3% second to none in the regi- 
 ment, in which they were more than successful. 
 
 It is admitted by those familiar with the affairs of 
 the Sixth that this company has always retained a very 
 desirable position in the ranks having been well officer- 
 
BRIG." GEN. CHAS. FITZSIMONS, 
 Commanding First Brigade. 
 
Ili.inois National Guards. 29 
 
 ed 'And fortunate in securing desirable members. The 
 Wallace Hall which was located on the present site of 
 the Masonic Temple was secured as a drill room and for 
 a short time was the home of the company, later remov- 
 ing to the old skating rink where it remained about 
 two years when the present armory was leased and 
 afterward purchased, remodeled and enlarged, making a 
 one story drill room forty feet in width by one hundred 
 feet in length with a two story front. This building is 
 located north of 4th, on Locust street. 
 
 During the first few years, each member was asses- 
 sed $2.00 membership fee and an additional sum annual- 
 ly. The receipts from this source being added to the 
 company fund account and in this manner they were en- 
 abled to secure the necessary amount with which to 
 meet the running expenses, avoiding the embarrassing 
 situation of an accumulation of unpaid bills, and placing 
 themselves on a substantial footing financially. It is 
 quite evident to a close observer that company E has 
 been very fortunate in almost every manner from the 
 first. As before stated, its members have devoted a 
 great deal of energy in attaining a very creditable degree 
 of proficiency in military tactics. They have from the 
 first been very careful in the selection of both commis- 
 sioned and non-commissioned officers and in addition, 
 they early secured and retained the respect of their 
 home people, which means more to, and has a greater 
 degree of influence with the Guardsmen than the gener- 
 al pubhc may be aware of. At any time could be found 
 a half dozen or more Company E boys attached to the 
 regimental commissioned or non-commissioned staff, 
 thus placing them in a situation where b\' unwonted fa- 
 vors were easily secured and taken advantage of to the 
 
30 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 benefit of the individual members of the company which 
 were highly appreciated and gave an added interest to 
 the work, creating a feeling of good fellowship between 
 the company members and the regimental officers, a 
 very pleasing situation for all concerned. The general 
 condition of the company has remained normal' during 
 its entire history, giving but few opportunities for a 
 great amount of noise to be made at any certain period, 
 yet producing a coveted condition of affairs and reflect- 
 ing credit on the officers and men alike. 
 
 Target practice has always been considered a very 
 important factor in establishing individual records in the 
 company. During the first few years it was im- 
 able to secure a suitable range, and was compelled to 
 purchase its own ammunition. The only site avail- 
 able was the old base ball park located in the northern 
 part of town. This was leased for a short time, but the 
 range being limited to lOO and 200 yards it was 
 handicapped to such an extent as to make it necessary 
 for it to procure a more desirable location which 
 it did the following year. This range was fitted up 
 at the expense of the company and was located about 
 three miles east of town on the banks of Rock river, the 
 full 1000 yard practice being available, making it one of 
 the best rifle ranges in the State, and for a number of 
 years was used more or less by the neighboring compan- 
 ies. The shooting done on the old 200 yard range re- 
 sulted very unsatisfactorily and a luimber of the company 
 went down to Sublette, 111., where was located a 1000 
 yard range, andB. F. Williams here secured the first dec- 
 oration as "Sharpshooter"', and Major La\\rie,then a pri- 
 vate returned an '"Expert." Since procuring the lOOO 
 yard home raugt* a large numl)er of the members have 
 
Illinois National Guards. HI 
 
 (| iialilicd as " Marksiuaii," "Ex|)('rf ,"" and •'Sliai'psliooter" 
 ill addition to tlicsc arc a hall' do/cii or more "Distin- 
 •^uislied Sharpshooters" amoii<r whom arc ]3. F. Wil- 
 liams, Major Lawrie, Captain Eick, 8. T. Maiigau and 
 Sergt. John Cushman. Captain Eick deserves special 
 mention in connection with marksmen of Illinois. His 
 skill in the handling of a ritie has placed him in the front 
 ranks among the expert marksmen of the United States 
 and he possesses numerous decorations which he has 
 won in competitive shoots. For several years he has been 
 Regimental Inspector of Ritle Practice with rank of 
 Captain, and during this time he has been the coach for 
 several teams of marksmen who have entered the com- 
 petitive contest for the "Washburn Trophy" which is 
 still held in the office of the Adjutant General of this 
 State subject to be contested for by the states of Minne- 
 sota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan and Illinois. 
 
 The decoration of a Distinguished Sharpshooter in the 
 National Guard places the holder on an equal footing with 
 the S'iar[)shooter in the Regular Army when considering 
 <]ualities of a marksman. 
 
 The ritle l)utt on the new raiigt' was destroyed by 
 the wind in the early 90"s. rebuilt by the company and 
 equipped with steel frame targets by the State. In 1899, 
 fire destroyed the butts and on account of a shortage of 
 funds they have not since been re})aired. 
 
 Upon the company's return from Canq) Linc()ln in 
 1888, the citizens of Sterling presented it with a 
 large silk flag which has since been used as the company 
 colors and at the present time is in the hands of the W^. 
 R. C. who are replacing the white silk stripes which had 
 become badly tattered in the thirteen years of service. 
 
 From the period of the muster in of Company E, 
 
32 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 it has joined fortunes with Company I, and with the 
 exception of the affairs personal to members of the indi- 
 vidual companies they have been as one. Captain Niles 
 resigned the command of Company E in December 1888, 
 2nd Lieut. Anthony succeeding him. The resignation 
 of Lieut. Beach had occurred in November, the vacancy 
 thus caused being filled by the election of Sergt. Lewis 
 F. Eisele. Upon the promotion of Lieut. Anthony, private 
 W. F. Lawrie was commissioned 2nd Lieutenant. Lieut. 
 Eisele's resignation occurred in October 1890, following 
 which came the advancement in rank of Lieut. Lawrie to 
 that of 1st Lieut., Sergt. Walter N. Haskell succeeding 
 him as 2nd Lieutenant. 
 
 Captain Anthony relinquished command of the 
 company late in the year of 1890. At this time he re- 
 ceived the appointment of Assistant Surgeon with the 
 rank of Captain and on February 27th, 1891, was pro- 
 moted to Surgeon of the regiment and commissioned a 
 Major. This position he retained for more than eight 
 years resigning on August 2nd, 1899. No appointment 
 was made to fill this vacancy^until December 29th, 190Q, 
 when Major Anthony was prevailed upon to again accept 
 the commission. 
 
 Lieut. Lawrie was commissioned Captain; 2nd 
 Lieut, Haskell promoted to the rank of ist, and Sergt. G. 
 B. Dillon, 2nd Lieut. Captain Lawrie was twice re-elect- 
 ed, retaining command of the company until January 5th 
 1899 when he was elected Major of the regiment and 
 placed in command of the third battalion. Lieut. Hask- 
 ell and Dillon retained their respective rank for a period 
 of nearly four years. In the month of October, 1894 ist 
 Lieut. Haskell tendered his resignation and Lieut. Dillon 
 succeeded him, Edwin S. Johnson being elected 2nd 
 
COL. (lEORGE M. MOULTON, 
 Inspector General. 
 
Illinois National Guards. 33 
 
 Limit., rosigiiing in April 1897, wlu'ii J. Frank Walil was 
 commissioned as such. 
 
 In the spring of 1898, Lieut. Haskell organized a 
 company of volunteers which was a part of Gen'l Clen- 
 denin's provisional regiment, but was not called into act- 
 ive service. 
 
34 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 Returning to the affairs of Company I, it is found 
 several changes have occurred in the commissioned offi- 
 cers. Upon the expiration of his term of service as 2nd 
 Lieut., in April 1889, John Colebaugh severed his con- 
 nection with the Guard and during the following month 
 Harry T. Guffin was commissioned to this rank. In May 
 1890 he was promoted to ist Lieut, following the termi- 
 nation of the commission of Lieut, Brearton, resigning 
 in June, 1891. 
 
 Captain Colebaugh's commission expired in May 
 
 1891. Sergt. Milford Johnson succeeding him,his resig- 
 nation occurring in April 1892. Sergt. Merritt Stowe 
 was elected ist Lieut, in July 1891 and Captain in June 
 
 1892, resigning in October of the same year. 
 
 Sergt. S. Wellington Baker was commissioned 2nd 
 Lieut, in May 1890, his resignation being accepted in 
 July 1891, the election of A. Rollin Baird to till the va- 
 cancy thus caused occurred in August. Lieut. Baird re- 
 signed in April 1893, and Harry Guffin was again elect- 
 ed 2nd Lieut, in May. S. W. Baker was elected ist 
 Lieut, in June 1892 and resigned in June 1893, 2nd 
 Lieut. Guffin succeeding him in July 1893. 
 
 Upon the resignation of Ca[)tain Stowe in 1892, 
 William Colebaugh was for the third time commissioned 
 Captain, remaining in command of the company until Oc- 
 tober 19th, 1895. 1st Lieut. Guffin was elected Captain, 
 resigning in June, 1896. Following the promotion of 
 
Iij>iNOTS Nation/M. Guards. 35 
 
 211(1 Lieut. Guffiii to the rank of ist Lieutenant, came the 
 election of Georije H. Kentfield. who was conunissi(med 
 2nd Lieutenant in July 1S93, resigning March 20th, 1S94, 
 Edward C Lawton succeeding him in A[)ril and elected 
 1st Lieutenant in May 1895. 
 
 Following the election of Captain Guffin, Walter H. 
 Clark was then commissioned 2nd Lieutenant and retained 
 this rank until June 1896 when he resigned and Charles 
 Puddifoot was elected in his stead. Lieut. Puddifoot al- 
 so tendered his resignation in June 1897, his successor 
 beinor Ernest J. Weaver. Limitenant Weaver resio^ned 
 at Camp Tanner, May 14th. 1898. 
 
 Upon the resignation of Captain Guffin in 1896, 
 William Colel)augh was once again placed in command 
 of the company serving in this capacity throughout the 
 Spanish-American War. 
 
 The company accepted an invitation from Company 
 C of Galesburg and was present at a reception given to 
 President Harrison in that city on October 8th, 1890. 
 The President was attending; a reunion of his Briijade of 
 Civil War veterans which was held there at the time. 
 
 In drawinor a comparison between the general con- 
 dition of the two companies during the first six years of 
 the existence of each company, we find following closely 
 upon each other that seventeen commissions had been is- 
 sued to as many officers in Company I and during this 
 same period from April 22nd, to June 8th, 1882, the 
 command of the company fell to the lot of a Sergeant, an 
 unproductive and undesirable condition of affairs, which 
 took a large amount of hard work and considerable time 
 to overcome. 
 
 Referring to the records of Company E covering 
 the same number of years, it is found a total of eleven 
 
36 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 commissions were issued. 
 
 Carefully scanning the roster of commissioned of- 
 ficers of both companies, and by drawing the contrast 
 more sharply, the reader will find the issuing of the com- 
 missions to Company E oflBcers was the result of nearly 
 as many promotions, while the unequal number credited 
 to Company I was caused mostly by resignations. This 
 has a deeper meaning than appears on the surface, tak- 
 ing into consideration that a resignation usually indi- 
 cates dissatisfaction somewhere, while the changes 
 brought about by the promotions show a more settled, 
 normal condition, which not alone affects the officers and 
 enlisted men of the company, but also secures the con- 
 fidence of the citizens with whom they come in contact. 
 This confidence once lost is difficult to regain and is 
 very likely to result in gradually losing interest in the 
 affairs of the company and procuring a release at the first 
 opportunity. 
 
 Following the records on down through the entire 
 life of each organization, they show that a total of thir- 
 teen Captains commissions have been issued to company 
 I during the twenty three years of its existence, the pres- 
 ent commander holding number thirteen, but happily he 
 is not superstitious. r 
 
 Fifteen commissions were issued to ist Lieutenants 
 and eighteen to 2nd Lieutenants covering this same peri- 
 od, a total of forty six commissions in the twenty three 
 years, or an average of one commissioned officer every 
 six months. 
 
 Company E has in the thirteen years, been com- 
 manded by four different Captains, seconded by six ist 
 Lieutenants and eight 2nd Lieutenants, in all eighteen 
 officers, making an average of one officer for each nine 
 
lu.iNois Nationaj. Guards. 37 
 
 months. The iiuinber of resiij^nations occurrin«^ in Com- 
 pany I shows a total of twenty-six as compared with 
 eight in Company E. 
 
 It does not necessitate the mind of a "Sherlock 
 Ilohnes'" or the imaginative power of a Jules \'erne, for 
 one to draw a few modest conclusions regarding the ef- 
 fect of the var\ing conditions and numerous changes 
 which the records show have existed in the one compa- 
 ny compared with the apparently even tenor of the life 
 of the other. 
 
 In drawing the above comparisons, the writer has 
 endeavored to give the reader the facts as they appear 
 in the official records of the two companies. The object 
 in producing them in this manner is to explain why the 
 early history of Company E appears more brief and 
 possibly, uninteresting, than that of Compan}- I. Com- 
 pany I was mustered into the service ten years in ad- 
 vance of Company E, and this, when the Illinois Nation- 
 al Guard was comparatively in its infancy. 
 
 Ten years brought numerous radical changes in the 
 regulations causing more or less trouble and dissatisfac- 
 tion in the Guard throughout the State and naturally 
 made it extremely unpleasant for the members of the 
 different companies individually, until matters became 
 more settled. All of these difficulties were arranged 
 quite satisfactorily prior to the muster in of Company E, 
 and aside from this there appears to have been an un- 
 usually thorough understanding between the officers 
 and men of this company with few unpleasantries arising 
 among themselves, consequently their path has been a 
 comparatively smooth one with but little up hill business 
 connected with it. On the other hand. Company' I has 
 passed through some very trN'ing and serious periods. 
 
38 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 For a time, everything would move along smoothly 
 enough and the sun would shine on it, then would come 
 a slump as sudden and disastrous as the ruin wrought 
 by the corn king "Phillips" when he squeezed the shorts 
 until they begged for mercy. 
 
 The dissolution of Company I has been seriouslv 
 considered more than once, and tut for the intercession 
 of influential friends, who came forward at the last 
 hour, would in all probability have been a thing of the 
 past ere this. All of these happenings make history. 
 and gives an added interest to the work of securing the 
 data covering the perioJs of the company's varying for- 
 tunes. 
 
 The annual tour of camp duty at Camp J^incoln 
 has ahvays found Company E present with a full quota 
 of men where they w^ere given an opportunity to show 
 the progress made yearly and compare their success 
 with that of other troops present. 
 
Ii.i-iN(Ms National Guards. 39 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 The regular routine of drill at home, and at camp 
 was continued some time without a break of any sort, 
 barring the lightning changes sometimes made in the 
 otlicers of Company I. The first incident of interest oc- 
 curred on the return from Camp Lincoln in 1892. The 
 train bearing the troops made a brief stop near Beards- 
 town. Within view of the boys was a melon tield of 
 some twenty or thirty acres. — The sight of a melon al- 
 ways appeals to the heart (or stomach) of a soldier and 
 he is never contented to see them lying about, without 
 in some manner being able to secure one or more. 
 With melons in sight, comes the thought of a '-lark" 
 and the soldier who procures the largest number with- 
 out expense to himself, is envied by all of his comrades. 
 For this reason, f^vv. if any fruit venders dare venture to 
 make a trip through camp with a load of them as they 
 soon become acquainted with the intoxicating effect it 
 has on the soldiers. — As the train slowed down and 
 came to a standstill, several hundred pairs of eyes were 
 glued on the neighboring fields. Some one said "mel- 
 ons" the word was passed through the train in half the 
 time it take.-^ to tell it. But how to get them was a 
 serious matter as guards were posted at each car door 
 with instructions to allow no one to pass in or out un- 
 less he be a comir.issioned officer. The boys could not 
 look for aid from the otlicers in this matter, but for some 
 cause the officers had other important business about 
 
40 History op^ Companies I and E. 
 
 this time and few were in sight. This was their op- 
 portunity and out of the car windows and into the melon 
 field they went. In a short time melons came flying in 
 through every window. About this stage of the pro- 
 ceedings, an old man appeared on the scene, closely fol- 
 lowed by a mammoth bull dog, and the boys hustled 
 back to the cars and pushed and pulled each other in 
 through the windows. By this time the trpin was ready 
 to proceed and in a moment rolled away, leaving the 
 angry farmer shaking his clenched fist at the receding 
 cars. What he said or thought could only be imagined 
 as he was too far distant to be heard and the boys were 
 too busily engaged plugging the melons, in their search 
 for a ripe one, to have given him any attention had he 
 been present. The search for an edible melon contin- 
 ued for some few moments, but resulted in a flat failure. 
 They were all too green to be eaten. The boys were 
 not a little chagrined to find they had exerted themselves 
 so willingly and were repaid in a half a carload of green 
 melons, and they reluctantly tossed ihem out of ihe 
 cars. 
 
 When the ofiicers appeared and angrily inquired of 
 the men what they had been doing, asking each one if 
 he had not heard and fully understood the order to re- 
 main in the cars, every one to a man, swore they had 
 not been out of their seats while the train was at a 
 standstill and that they did not even see the melon 
 patch. The pieces of melon found on the car floor, they 
 said, were thrown in by the boys from the next car, who 
 Vv'ere all out. 
 
 Shortly after the arrival home. Captains Lawrie 
 and Stowe received a letter from Col. Clendenin, in 
 which he said he had sent a committee to Beardstpwn 
 
(XJL. HKNllY S. DIKTRICil, 
 General Inspector of Ritle Practice. 
 
Ti.MNois National (»l akds. 41 
 
 to iiivcstiL^ate the matter and make a settlement with 
 the old gentleman. The amount )")aid, with the expense 
 of makiiiii;' this settlement, made it necessary to assess 
 each company $12.00. He instructed the company com- 
 manders to take such measures as they deemed best to 
 secure the amount from the, <j[uilty parties and in addition 
 each man, who took part in the affair should at least, be 
 reprimanded. trustin<( that '-nothing of the kind would 
 ao-ain occur in the existence of the Sixth Re<(iment.'" 
 
 It appears that the members of Company 1 stoutly 
 maintained their innocence to the last and in some man- 
 ner avoided the payment of any portion of the assess- 
 ment. Company E was less fortunate or better situated 
 hnancialh', at least the boys paid the amount called for 
 and this closed the incident officially, but it is recalled 
 today by the older members of the Guard as rather a 
 disgraceful affair. 
 
 The writer was a member of Company I at the 
 time and has made the same trip several times since, but 
 has never known of the train making the stop at this 
 point ai^ain; and the old familiar ground is passed with 
 bowed heads and closed eyes. 
 
 On December 28th. 1892 the Third Infantry. Sixth 
 InfanliN' and Cavalry troop B, were relieved from 
 dutv with the First and Second i5rigades respectivel}^ 
 and \\ere organized into and designated as the Third 
 Brigade. William Clendeniti was appointed Brigadier 
 General commanding. 
 
 January 13th, 1893, Lieut. Colonel Foster was com- 
 missioned Colonel, establishing headquarters at Chicago. 
 Major Ed Kittilsen Lieut. Colonel, and William T. 
 Channon. Major of the Sixth Regiment. 
 
 Major Channon has been connected with the Na- 
 
4-2 History of Companies T and E. 
 
 tional Guard of Illinois since 1877, when he enlisted as a 
 private. He was promoted rapidly and at the time 
 of the East St. Louis strike was ist Lieutenant of 
 Company A. He was elected Captain of the company 
 September 27th. 1887, serving as such during the cam- 
 paign of the Spring Valley coal miners' strike, In Jan- 
 uary 1893 he w^as commissioned Major and in this ca- 
 pacity saw service in Chicago throughout the great rail- 
 road troubles. He commanded the ist Battalion of the 
 Sixth regiment during the Spanish American War and 
 at present is ranking Major of the regiment. 
 
 Company I participated in a parade at Moline and 
 Rock Island, 111., July 4th, 1892. 
 
 Both Companies, I and E. attended the Dedication 
 Ceremonies of the buildings of the World's Columbian 
 Exposition, at Chicago. Oct 21st, 1892, and took ])art in 
 the Military parade on that day. Troops from all over 
 the State were present, and the parade was a ])rilliant 
 one in every respect. The Sixth regiment was quarter- 
 ed in the Electrical Building on the Exposition grounds. 
 The rations issued were furnished by contract and were 
 not fit to eat. Nearly all of the boys preferred to pur- 
 chase their own meals rather than be compelled to eat 
 the food given them. The main floor of the building 
 in which they were quartered was set with long rows of 
 tables. Thousands of loaves of bread and hundreds of 
 pounds of meat and coffee were brought in. A large 
 force of men and women were' at work all one day mak- 
 ing sandwiches and preparing to feed the thousands, who 
 were expected the following day. It became necessary 
 to post a guard around the tables, as the sandwiches and 
 (louirhnuts were stolen bv hundreds. The boys who 
 were standing guard had little opportunity to get out 
 
Illinois National (jtards. [;{ 
 
 to secure Fi)();l and soon Ix'cnm!' (|tii(f liiiii^Tw . The i^nvls 
 l)eliiii(l the tahles took |)ilv on them and when the sup- 
 erintiMi lent w IS n)t h) )'.<in!^, \v.)nld pis-; the ea^'er sol- 
 d'iVYti a fup of fott'ee or a saiid\vi(dL This was soon 
 disrovered and we saw an express wa^' >ii driven in cou- 
 taiiuni;' a h)ad of white muslin. In a few moments a 
 corps oF workmen a|)peare(l and thcN' (piicklv stretcdied 
 the cloth arouiul the t;d)les appa.rciitly t-uttiuijf otT all 
 means of commnnicatiou l)etweeii the fair waiters and 
 the euar;ls. Bnl tIu'v were not to l)e so easily bv^ten. 
 The soldi(>rs were standing' j^'uard with fixed bayonets 
 and they wonkl run the muzzk^ of the rifie over the top 
 of the cloth barrier, allow it to remain a moment durino- 
 which time it would suddenly become quite w^eighty with 
 a <|ueer jerking motion, like the pulling of a five pound 
 catfish on the end of a line. The soldier upon returning 
 the ritle to his side of the curtain would find on the 
 bayonet a couple of nice doughnuts, a large fresh sand- 
 wich and a tin cup. nearly full, of steaming coft'ee. To 
 prevent the cup from slipping off. it was necessary to 
 put another sandwich on tlie outer side of it. This com- 
 bination made an excellent meal and if more was wanted, 
 the trick was repeated as the girls could not see the 
 boys and consequently did not know whether they were 
 feeding the whole of the Illinois National Guard, or that 
 one soldier was getting it all. and in all probabilitv did 
 not care. 
 
 AT THE world's FAIR. 
 
 The year following, 1S93. four regiments of Infantry, 
 including the Sixth, one Battery and one Troop of Caval- 
 ry were ordered to report and encamp at 75th Street 
 near Windsor Station, Chicago, on the mornintj of Au- 
 
'4'4 HiSTORV OF Companies I and E. 
 
 gust 23rd, fully armed, and equipped with blankets and 
 overcoats. The next day. August 24th had been select- 
 ed as "Illinois Day" at the Columbian Exposition and 
 the Illinois National Guard invited to parade and par- 
 ticipate in the exercises at the Illinois State Building 
 on that day. They remained there four days. The offi- 
 cers and men were allowed two days pay for this tour 
 of duty together with transportation and subsistence. 
 This ga\e a large number of the troops an opportunity 
 to visit the Exposition grounds at little expense to them- 
 selves who otherwise may have been unable to have done 
 so and the two days pay allowance was considered very 
 liberal. 
 
 The troops from the neighboring towns were invited 
 to attend a celebration at Sterling on July 4th, 1894. 
 Several of the companies accepted and were preseni. 
 The military parade was among the main attractions of 
 the day and added materially to the general suc- 
 cess of the affair. 
 
 On July 6th, 1894, Companies I and E were order- 
 ed for duty in Chicago with their regiment. This was 
 Qt the time of the difficulties arising from the great rail- 
 road strike. With little preparation they boarded a 
 special train at six o'clock that evening, less than four 
 hours after the call, and were at the seat of war shortly 
 after nine o'clock at night. For twenty days and nights 
 they were on almost constant duty , the nature of which 
 was extremely unpleasant. They were confronting men 
 who were as fully determined as themselves, but luckily 
 the campaign drew to a close without any serious con- 
 flict between the strikers and the soldiers. Had there 
 been, the result would have been disastrous to both. 
 The soldiers fully realized the situation and did nothing 
 
( ' •■, 
 
 
 1; 
 
 
Illinois National GirAKDs. 45 
 
 to a<j^«jfravat(' i\w rioters to coniinit any rash acts. With 
 riijfht and jnstict' on llicir side Ihc (Inardsincn at all 
 limes Tel! (M|nal to the situation and did theii' duty fear- 
 h^ssly. This duty consisted in <i^uardinn- railroad j)roper- 
 ty and protecting moving trains. They were at all 
 times prepared for a sudden call to arms, sleeping with 
 their rities hy their side and fully (dothed in readiness 
 to fall in at a moments notice. Tiie ]n'om[)tness in mob- 
 olizing shown at the time of the exploding of an Artil- 
 lery caisson on 40th strcnd and (xrand Bijulevard on July 
 i6th serves as a fair illustration of the capabilities of the 
 men in an emergency. They were lying about camp, 
 dreamily thinking of home when suddenly the sound of 
 a fearful explosion was heard not far distant. Their first 
 thought was of the deadly bombs which the strikers were 
 supposed t(j have been preparing for them. With the 
 thunder of the explosion still ringing in their ears came 
 the clear shrill notes of the bugle call sounding "as- 
 sembly." A scramble for quarters followed and in 
 less than five minutes after hearino: the first sound of 
 alarm the available troops in camp were marching in 
 (juick time to the scene of disaster, momentarily expect- 
 ing to face a horde of half crazed men who, once started 
 would stop at nothing. Instead, the mangled forms of a 
 dozen or more unfortunate soldiers met their efaze, and 
 the cause of the trouble was quite evident. Major 
 Anthony was the first surgeon to appear and he imme- 
 diattdy turned his attention to the poor fellows who were 
 wounded, extracting some eight or ten bullets in a few 
 moments. Four men were killed outright, literally torn 
 in pieces. Twelve men and two women were more or 
 loss seriously injured and the remains of inne horses 
 were scattered about. After a short tour of guard duty 
 
46 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 in the neighborhood of the accident the men returned to 
 camp. With the evidence of returning peace, the men 
 became restless and anxious to return to their homes, and 
 on July 26th they boarded a homeward bound train ar- 
 riving at four o'clock in the afternoon. 
 
 A soldier camp, even in the heart of a great city like 
 Chicago means many discomforts and not a few priva- 
 tions, and the efPects of this three weeks service had 
 worked a wonderful change in the appearance of the 
 men. Besides, they were badly sunburned and contrast- 
 ed strangely with the natty boys who had taken such a 
 hurried departure a few weeks previous. They were met 
 at the depot by a dense crowd of cheering citizens and 
 escorted to their armories. The command "break ranks" 
 was received with a cheer from the soldier boys. The 
 uniforms were soon discarded and they were again citi- 
 zens. 
 
 The officers of the two companies during the service 
 were: Captain, Wm. F. Colebaugh: ist Lieut., H. T. 
 Guffin, and 2nd Lieut., Ed. C. Lawton, of I. Captain, 
 Wm.F. Lawrie; ist Lieut., Walter N. Haskell, and 2ijd 
 Lieut., G. B. Dillon of E. 
 
 The evening following their heme coming, both 
 companies were banqueted by the citizens of their indi- 
 vidual towns. This was the most serious riot that the 
 State troops had ever been called upon to assist in sup- 
 pressing and was the second experience of actual soldier 
 life in the history of Company I, as it was the first for 
 Company E. Referring to the reference marks at the 
 hc^ad of the complete roster of the companies, a * denotes 
 the names of those who saw service in Chicago, while 
 the -j- which also appears on the roster of Company I 
 designates the men who were present at the East St. 
 
Ili-im)is National Guards. 47 
 
 Louis (•ain[)aigii in 1886, as acciirafcly fis if is |)(>ssi])Ic to 
 clL'torniiiie at this late date. 
 
 Tlie entire National Guard of the State was iiiolxj- 
 lized at Chieago on July 22nd, 1897, to parade and par- 
 ticipate in the ceremonies connected with the uiivi'iling 
 of General Logan's monument. Companies I and E were 
 present, boarding an early morning train and arriving in 
 Chicago barely in time to take their positi(Mi in line. 
 The line of march extended for miles and at the close 
 they were immediately hurried to the railway station to 
 embark for the return home, where they arrived about 
 nine o'clock in the evening. 
 
 On September 30th the same year. Captain Colebaugh 
 commanding Company I received tln' following telegram. 
 
 Springfield, III., September 30TH: 1897. 
 Captain Colebaugh, Co. I, 6th Infantry, 
 Morrison III.. 
 . R(.'port with coni[)any on nine o'clock train, to Gen- 
 eral Reece at Fulton, armed and equipped with ball cart- 
 ridge. . Signed, John R. Tanner. 
 
 Shortly after the receipt of the above order and just 
 as the train was pulling into the station. Captain Cole- 
 baugh received a second telegram instructing him not 
 to embark for Fulton until further orders, ])ut to hold 
 his com[)any in readiness to leave at a moment's notice. 
 The men remained in the armory all that night expect- 
 ing to be ordered out again, Init were not and they re- 
 turned to their homes in the earlv morning'. Tlu' (lis- 
 turbance at Fulton was caused by the friction arising 
 from the removal to Rock Island. III., of the head offices 
 of tlu' Modern Wooduien of America, but peace and (|uiet 
 were r(?stored without the aid of the State troo[)S. Com- 
 
48 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 pany G of Dixon received the same order which Captain 
 Colebaugh had acted upon in ordering his men to 
 assemble for riot duty. The Dixon boys were on board 
 the train which was to carry Company I to the scene 
 and were the only troops present at the riot. 
 
COL. WALTER FIELDHOUSE, 
 Aide de Camp. 
 
Illinois National (jUAKds. 11) 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 Roster of the Companies. 
 
 The fi)ll()\ving pages contain a soparaU' roster of 
 each eompany from date of organization to April 3otli, 
 1901. The roster of commissioned officers of the 
 individual companies precedes that of the enlisted 
 men. Upon the receipt of a commission by an en- 
 listed man his record is carried to and complet- 
 ed in the roster of commissioned officers unless he again 
 enters the service as a private, which seldom occurs. 
 
 The roster of Company I contains the names of 
 four hundred and five men who have at one time or an- 
 other been in the State service with this company. Of 
 this number two hundred and ninety seven ap[)ear on 
 the company descriptive book. The remaining one 
 hundred and eight, including the charter members, were 
 secured by a long and careful search through hundreds 
 of old letters. General and Special Orders and muster 
 rolls. 
 
 In defence of the commanding officers of the com- 
 pany during the first six or eight years of it's existence, 
 it is only just to state that their records consisted solely 
 of the tiles of correspondence, orders and the retained 
 copies of enlistment papers. The compan}- descriptive 
 book was at that time unknown, yet the records ob- 
 tained after careful re-arrangement tollow upon each oth- 
 er so closely as to make it quite possible to secure the 
 narne of every man who has been a member of the corn- 
 
50 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 pany in the past twenty-three years. 
 
 Again the good fortune of Compan\' E is appar- 
 ent and barring the natural inclination to make errors, 
 which seems to be the lot of all mankind, the register 
 of this company is complete. It shows an enrollment of 
 three hundred and eleven names of men who have taken 
 the oath required by the State when entering the ser- 
 vice of the Illinois National Guard. The failure in many 
 instances in the record of both companies to show the 
 date of discharge of an enlisted man, may be attribu- 
 ted to the fact . that when a Guardsman, whose term 
 of service has expired contemplates an immediate re-en- 
 listment, it is considered unnecessary to issue a discharge. 
 
 In the roster of enlisted men, the column headed 
 "remarks" includes the different rank attained by each 
 man, but does not indicate the date of appointment. It 
 also covers the losses in the ranks either by promotion, 
 transfer, discharge or death. Where the date simply 
 appears, it is understood to indicate a discharge was giv- 
 en on that date. 
 
 ROSTER OF COMPANY I. 
 
 A j- indicates service at East St. Louis, a * at Chi- 
 cago. 
 
 COMMISSIONED OFFICERS. 
 Captains. 
 
 ISAME. DATE OF COMMISSION. DATE OF PROMOTION 
 
 RESIGNATION OR DISCHARGE. 
 
 George H. Fay, Sept. 11, 1878. Kesigned Feb. 24, 1882. 
 
 Frank Clendenin, Aug. 1, 1882. Commissioned Colonel and 
 
 Aid de camp on the Gov- 
 ernor's staff, Sept. 5, 1882. 
 
 Cornelius Qua3kenbush,"Nov. 2, 1882. Resigned Apr. 7, 1884. 
 
Illinois National Guards. 
 
 51 
 
 N. James Cole, June 27, 1884. Resigned M'ih. 1(5, 1885. 
 
 William F. Colebaiish, Apr. 8, 1885. Resigned Apr. 1, 1S8(>. 
 
 jHenry H. Grill iths, Apr. 28, 188f). Resigned Apr. 21, 1888. 
 
 William F. Colebaugii, May 21, 1888. Commission expired May 
 
 21, 18«)1. 
 
 Milford Johnson, May 28, 18'.tl. Resigned Apr. 27, 18'.»2. 
 
 Merritt Stowe, June 2, (Nlt2. Resigned Out. 4, 18U2. 
 
 *Wiliiam F. Colebaugh, Oct. Ill, ls'.t2, Commission expired Oct. 
 
 m, is'»."). 
 
 Harry T. Giillin, Mav HO, IS'.t.";. Resigned June -, 18".t('>. 
 
 William F. Colebaugh, July i), 18S)C). Commission expired July it, 
 
 IW.t. 
 Harvey S. Green, ,Iuly 14, ISlllt. 
 
 1st. Likitknants. 
 
 Cornelius (iiiackenbnsh,S3pt. II, 1878, Commission expired Sept. 
 
 11, 1881. 
 ^0 record, Resigned April 22, 1S82. 
 June 8, 1882, Commissioned Captain Aug 
 
 1, 1882. 
 Aug. 1, 1882, Resigned Oct. 15th 18S2. 
 Nov. 3, 1882, Commissioned Capt. June 
 
 27, 1884. 
 
 William F. Colebaugh, June 27, i884, Commissioned Capt. April 
 
 8, 1885. 
 Apr. 8, 1885, Commissioned Capt. April 
 
 28, 188t). 
 Apr. 28, 188(), Resigned Jan. 15, 1887. 
 May JO, 18S7, Commission expired May 
 
 It), 18i»0. 
 May 23, 18'.iO, Resigned June lit, I8i)i. 
 July 3, 1891, Commissioned Capt. June 
 
 2, 181)2. 
 June 2, 18i^2, Resigned June 7, 18i>3. 
 Julv 21, 18i)3, Commissioned Capt. May 
 
 30, 18il5. 
 May 30, 18it5, Commission expired May 
 
 30, I8i»8. 
 March i», 189i<, 
 
 Z T. Anderson, 
 Frank Clendenin, 
 
 Curtis Johnson, 
 N.James Cole, 
 
 Henry Griffiths, 
 
 tT. S. Beach, 
 Wm. S. Brearton, 
 
 Harry T. Gutlin, 
 Merritt Stowe, 
 
 S. Wellington Baker, 
 *Harry T. (Jullln, 
 
 Edward C. Jiawton 
 Harry A. Weaver, 
 
 .John Grierson, 
 Edward A. Worrell, 
 Edward P. Stokes 
 Curtis Johnson, 
 
 2nd. Lieutenants. 
 Sept. 11, 1878, Resigned June 5, 187it. 
 July It), 187i», Resigned Sept. C), 1880. 
 Sept. 2, 1880, Resigned March 25, 1882. 
 June 8, 1882, Commissioned 1st. Lieut. 
 Aug. 1, 1882. 
 
52 
 
 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 Win. S. Brearton, 
 Charles F. Montague, 
 Erastus 15. Humphrey 
 tJohn M. Colebaugh 
 
 Harry T. Gutiin 
 
 S. Wellington Baker, 
 A. Rollin Baird, 
 Harry T. Gutlin, 
 
 George H. Kentfleld, 
 *£dward C. Lawton, 
 
 Walter H. Clark, 
 Charles Puddifoot, 
 Ernest J. Weaver, 
 Jacob L. Rockey, 
 
 Aug. 1, 1882, 
 .Inly 28, 1883, 
 June 27, 1884. 
 Apr. 28, 188(5, 
 
 May 13, 1889, 
 
 May 23, 1890, 
 Aug. 8, 1891, 
 May 8, 1893, 
 
 July 24, 1893, 
 Apr. 2, 1894, 
 
 May 3vJ, 1895, 
 July 9, 189(5, 
 June 29, 1897, 
 March 9, 1899. 
 
 Resigned March — 1883. 
 Resigned May 27, 1884. 
 Resigned Apr. 1, 188('). 
 Commission expired Apr. 
 
 28, 1889. 
 Commissioned 1st. Lieut. 
 
 May 23, 1890. 
 Resigned July 28, 1891. 
 Resigned Apr. 10, 1893. 
 Commissioned 1st, Lieut. 
 
 July 24, 1893. 
 liesigried March 20, 1894. 
 Commissioned 1st. Lieut. 
 
 May 30, 1895. 
 Resigned June— 189(5. 
 Resigned June 17, 1897. 
 Resigned May 14, 1898. 
 
 ENLISTED MEN. 
 
 DATE OF ENLISTMENT 
 
 REMARKS 
 
 Anderson, Z. T. 
 
 Atwater, Benjamin J. 
 Alexander, Thornton 
 Austin, Will G. 
 Austin, A. E. 
 tAnderson, H. F. 
 
 Allen, William 
 Adams, Henry W. 
 Anderson, Nils 
 Aldrich, Albert 
 Adams, Ray 
 Annan, George 
 Annan, Frank \V. 
 Annan, Floyd J. 
 Buckley, George 
 Bogart, Coroelius 
 Buttery, Arthur C. 
 
 Bray, Dennis 
 Bartholomew, Geo. L. 
 
 Sept. 11, 1878, 
 
 Sept. 11, 1878, 
 Dec. 10, 1878, 
 June 19,1882, 
 June 20, 1882. 
 Apr. 12, 1883, 
 
 Apr .25, 1889, 
 May 30, 1895, 
 Apr. 9, 18915, 
 Aug. 9,1897 
 May 18, 1899. 
 Aug. 31, 1899. 
 May 1, 1900. 
 Mch. 7, 1901. 
 Sept. 11, 1878, 
 Sept. 11, 1878, 
 Sept. 11, 1878, 
 
 Sept. 11, 1878, 
 Sept. 11, 1878, 
 
 Sergeant. Commissioned 
 
 1st. Lieut. No date. 
 Feb. 24, 1880, Corporal, 
 Feb. 24,1880. Sergeant, 
 lune(5, 1883. 
 
 July 9, 1887. Corporal, 
 
 Sergeant, 
 July 29, 1890, 
 Aug, 28, 1899. 
 
 May 28, 1898. 
 Aug. 28, 1899. 
 
 Sept. 7, 1880. Sergeant. 
 Dec. 15, 1882. 
 
 Nov. (5, 1883 Corporal, Ser- 
 geant. 
 Feb. 24, 1880. 
 July 5, 1883. Corporal. 
 
Illinois National Guards. 
 
 53 
 
 tlJowdish, Daniel (J. 
 
 IJowdisli, William 15. 
 IJrandt, John X. 
 linrns, Howard 
 
 lUie.'l, (Jeorfje A. 
 
 Hurke, Michael 
 J>rearton, Wni. S. 
 
 iierry, Daniel S. 
 Ball, William A. 
 Bartlett, C. C. 
 Beach, T. S. 
 
 Borland, James A. 
 Bartlett, C. N. 
 t Bartlett. O. J. 
 
 Brett, George 
 tBaker, S. Wellington, 
 
 tBoze, William S., 
 Burke, Charles E. 
 Jirown, Charles C. 
 
 Bent, Paul A , 
 Baird, A. Itollin, 
 
 Boyle, Edward P., 
 
 Sept. II, IST8, 
 Mays, IHSt, 
 Mch. 22, ISTU, 
 Aug. IT), I8T'.>, 
 Aug. 2C). IST'.t, 
 
 July 12, IhSi), 
 
 Aug. 30, 18S0, 
 Junes, 1HS2, 
 •June I, I88t), 
 
 Junes, 1882, 
 June 23, 1882, 
 June 2t), 1882, 
 Nov. 30, 1882, 
 
 Mch. 8, 1883, 
 May 31, 1883, 
 Feb. 28, 1884, 
 
 June 28, 1884, 
 Apr. 22, 1885, 
 
 May 15, 18U0, 
 Feb, 4, 1892, 
 
 Feb. 10, 188G, 
 June 4, 188(5, 
 July 15, 188<), 
 July 11, 1895, 
 May 24, 1888, 
 Oct. 17, 1892, 
 
 May 31, 1888, 
 
 June 4, 1891, 
 
 Aug. 2, 1888, 
 
 May 24, 1883. 
 
 July 7, 188('.. 
 
 May 22, 1884. 
 
 Sept. 1, 1884. 
 
 Oct. 17, 1883. Corporal, Ser- 
 geant. 
 
 July 10, 18S5. Corporal. Ser- 
 geant. 
 
 Feb. 27, 1883. 
 Commissioned 2nd. Lieut* 
 Aug. 1, 18S2. Appointed 
 Regimental Commissary 
 Sergeant July 21, 1880. 
 Commissioned 1st. Lieut. 
 May It). 1887. 
 
 May 24, 1883. 
 
 Oct. 17, 1883. 
 
 Nov. 25, 1885. Musician. 
 
 Corporal, Sergeant. Com- 
 missioned 1st. Lieut. Apr. 
 28, 1886. 
 
 Oct. 6, 1884. 
 
 May 15, 1885. Corporal, 
 
 July 2, 1880. Corporal. Ser- 
 geant. 
 
 Oct. 6, 1884. 
 
 Apr. 30, 1890. 
 Corporal, Sergeant, 1st 
 Sergeant. 
 
 Commissioned 2nd Lieu- 
 tenant May 23, 1890. 
 Commissioned 1st Lieu- 
 tenant June 2, 1892, 
 
 May It), 1887. Corporal. 
 
 Nov. 13, 1888. 
 
 Nov. 13, 1888. 
 
 Mch. 28, 1898. 
 
 May 24, 1891. 
 
 Aug. 4, 1893, Corporal, Ser- 
 geant. 
 June 1, 1891. Corporal, 
 Sergeant, 1st Sergeant. 
 
 Commissioned 2nd Lieu- 
 tenant August 8, 1891. 
 July 29, 1890. 
 
54 
 
 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 Boyer, E. C, 
 *Burritt, Walter E„ 
 
 Borgman, Harry, 
 Bly, Timothy, 
 
 Bunzey, Rufus S. 
 
 Bunzey, Fred A., 
 *Bent, Fred D., 
 
 Boyd, Herbert N., 
 *Baird, Joseph S., 
 *Bailey, Thomafs, 
 Bush, Ira E , 
 Bailey, John A., 
 
 *Bent, John E. 
 Bnmson, Charles D. 
 Berry, Charles, 
 
 Berry, Harrison, T , 
 Bailey, Wilbur E., 
 Boyd, William J , 
 Bailey, Cager B , 
 Boyer, William C, 
 Baird, John W., 
 Besse, Karl, 
 Bent, Harry A., 
 
 Brearton, Fred W., 
 Booth, Clarence A., 
 Boyd, Paul F., 
 
 Feb. 9, 1889, 
 Jan. 13, 1890, 
 
 Jan. 'z9, 1893, 
 Jan. 28. 1894, 
 Jan. 25, 1895, 
 Mav 6, 1896, 
 July 19, 1899, 
 
 June 19, 1890, 
 J uly 31, 1890, 
 July 20, 1897, 
 Aug. 7, 1890, 
 Aug. 31, 1899, 
 Aug. 31, 1900, 
 June 4, 1891, 
 July 21, 1892, 
 July 25. 1895, 
 July 21, 1892, 
 July 21, 1892, 
 July 30, 1892, 
 Oct. 7, 1892, 
 May 4, 1893, 
 July 21, 1896, 
 Aug. 12, 1897, 
 Apr. 28, 1894, 
 May 23, 1895, 
 Apr. 12, 1896, 
 June 12, 1899, 
 Jan. 15, 1897, 
 July 6. 18'J7, 
 July 6, 1897, 
 July 8, 1897, 
 Mch. 31, 1898, 
 Apr. 7, 1898 
 May 18, 1899, 
 May 18, 1899, 
 Jan. 17, 1901, 
 May 18, 1899, 
 May 31, 1900, 
 Feb. 5, 1900, 
 
 Burcb, William H., Apr. 12, 1»00, 
 
 May 27, 1892. 
 
 Jan. 26, 1893. 
 
 Corporal, Sergeant. 
 
 Appointed Q. M. Sergeant 
 1st Battalion Aug. 14, 
 1892. lie-appointed July 
 29,1899. Appointed Eegr- 
 imental Commissary Ser- 
 geant July 23, 1900. 
 
 June 26, 1893. 
 
 August 4, 1893. 
 
 x\ug. 28, 1899. 
 
 Feb. 20, 1893. 
 
 May 20, 1893. 
 
 Aug. 8, 1896 
 
 Sept. 17, 1894. 
 
 July 16. 1896. Musician. 
 
 J uly 16. 1896. 
 
 May 18, 1894. Corporal. 
 
 July 30, 1896. 
 
 Aug. 12, 1897. 
 
 Jan. 11, 1898. 
 
 Aug. 8, 1896. 
 
 Aug. 8, 1896. 
 
 Corporal. 
 
 Feb. 26, 1900. 
 
 Corporal. 
 
 Sept. 3, 1899. 
 
 Sept. 3, 1899. 
 
 Sept. 3, 1899. 
 
 Aug. 24, 1899. 
 
 Apr. 16, 1901. 
 
 Feb. 26, 1900. 
 
 Corporal. 
 
 Corporal. 
 
 Corporal. Appointed Hos- 
 pital Steward July 21, 
 1900. 
 
 Corporal. 
 
Illinois National Guards. 
 
 Beckwith, K. <l, 
 Brearton, James M. 
 Bailey, Jesse, 
 Bowen, Floyd J., 
 Breiter, Arthur C, 
 Casey, William, 
 Clark, Clarence C, 
 Cole. N.James, 
 
 July 20, 11»00, 
 Feb. 21, I'.toO, 
 Mch. 2S, I'.tOl, 
 Apr. 2.1, 1<»01, 
 Apr. »), I'JOl, 
 Sept. 11, INTS, 
 Sept. II.ISTS, 
 May iU, 1879, 
 
 Colebaiigh, William F., Feb. 22, 1881, 
 
 ClendeniD, Frank, 
 Colebaugh, John M 
 
 +Coilins, D. J., 
 tCummings, Levi, 
 Clark, George H., 
 Caiitiekl, Ora, 
 Collins, James, 
 
 *Clark, Walter H., 
 
 Colebaugh, James, 
 '"'Crouch, David E., 
 
 Craft, Frank, 
 Clark, Walter K., 
 
 *Curtis, Edmund L 
 
 Cronon, Arthur, 
 Colebaugh, Ora, 
 
 Aug. 1, 1882. 
 Aug. 10,1882, 
 
 Jan. U, 181t0, 
 Aug. 21, 18'.)3, 
 Jan. 11,1883, 
 Mch. 25, 1885, 
 June 4, 188(5, 
 June 16188(5, 
 June 21, 1888, 
 June 25, 18<J1, 
 May 15, 18'J0, 
 Sept. 27, 1894, 
 Aug. 13, 189(5, 
 July 31, 1890, 
 Feb. 25, 1892, 
 May 1(5, 1895 
 A ug. 13, 189(5, 
 
 May 12, 1892. 
 June 9,1892, 
 
 Oct. 17, 1892, 
 Jan. 9, 189(5, 
 May 13, 1897, 
 May 13, 190Q. 
 Apr. 12.;i89(5, 
 Apr. 1(5,' 189(5, 
 
 Muaician. 
 
 Sept. 11, 1883. 
 
 Sept. 7, 1880. Corporal. 
 
 Sergeant. Commissioned 
 let Lieutenant Nov. 3, 
 1882, 
 
 Corporal, Sergeant. 1st 
 Sergeant. Commission- 
 ed 1st Lieutenant Jan. 
 27, 1884. 
 
 Commissioned 1st J^ieut- 
 this date. 
 
 Sergeant. Commissioned 
 2nd Lieutenant Apr. 28, 
 188(5. 
 
 June 29, 1891. 
 
 Sept. 13, 1894. 
 
 Jan. 11, 1888. Sergeant. 
 
 July 7, 188(5. 
 
 Nov. 13, 1888. 
 
 May 9, 1887. 
 
 Jane 29, 1891. Corporal. 
 
 May 14, 1894. Sergeant. 
 
 May 17, 1893. 
 
 Jan. 16, 189(5. 
 
 Aug. 28, 1899. Corporal. 
 
 June 29, 1891. 
 
 May 11, 1895. Corporal. 
 
 Sergeant 
 
 Sept. 13, 1899. 1st Ser- 
 geant. 
 
 Dec. 8, 1892. 
 
 Corporal Sergeant. Com- 
 missioned 2nd Lieut., 
 May 30, 18ti5. 
 
 Jan. 1(5, 189(5. 
 
 Corporal. 
 
 Sergeant. 
 
 May 28, 1898. 
 
 August 29, 1899. Musician. 
 
56 
 
 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 Colehour, George, 
 Carter, Frank, 
 Cargy, Olin, 
 Childs, Clarence C, 
 Clifford, Benjamin F. 
 Childs, W. L., 
 Dean, James, 
 tDean, J. H., 
 tDodd, George H., 
 Davis, James W., 
 Deetz, S. L., 
 Daniels, Orvilie, 
 *Deyo, Robert J., 
 
 (t U (t 
 
 Davis, Robert E. 
 
 Davis, Frank, 
 Drennen, M. L., 
 Dodd, Frank, 
 Davis, Floyd N., 
 
 Davis, Walter B., 
 Derby, Harry H., 
 Drury, Walter C, 
 Donichy, James, G. B. 
 Emery, Williard, 
 Eaton, Ernest M., 
 Ely, Spencer, 
 *Ewing, Arthur M., 
 Everhart, George, 
 
 Ege, Sylvester A., 
 Fay, George H. 
 
 Fox. FranK M , 
 Freezer, A. W. Herd, 
 Fellows, Edward S., 
 France, P. M., 
 Farwell, Fred, 
 Fox, Eugene A , 
 
 Fox, Adolphus H., 
 Fergeson, F, A., 
 
 Aug. *J, 1897, 
 May 18, 1899, 
 May 18, 1899, 
 May 18, 1899, 
 May 7, 1900, 
 Dec. 29, 1900. 
 Sept. 11, 1878, 
 Aug. 7, 1882, 
 Jan. 12, 1886. 
 July 15, 1886, 
 Mch., 7, 1889, 
 June 19, 1890, 
 May 26, 1892, 
 July 25, 1895, 
 May 17, 1897 
 May 17, 1900, 
 Aug. 9, 1897, 
 Apr. 6, 1899 
 May 18, 1899, 
 June 8, 1899, 
 Jan. 28,1901, 
 Sept. 14, 1899, 
 May 17, 1900. 
 July 20, 1900, 
 , April 30, 1901, 
 June 23, 1882, 
 July 28, 1883, 
 June 4, 1886, 
 Jan. 19, 1893, 
 May 6, 1897, 
 May 7, 1900, 
 Aug. 31, 1899, 
 Sept. 11, 1878, 
 
 Sept. 11, 1878, 
 Apr. 23, 1879, 
 May 10, 187i', 
 Oct. 12, 1884, 
 Apr. 29, 1885, 
 June 16, 1887, 
 
 July 28, 1887, 
 Mch. 7, 1889, 
 
 Aug. 28, 1899. 
 January 15, 1901. 
 
 Jan. 15, 1901. Corporal. 
 
 Dec. 15, 1882. 
 Aug. 7, 1887. 
 July 7, 1886. 
 July 15, 1889. 
 July 29, 1890. 
 Dec. 26, 1892. 
 May 26, 1895. 
 August 8, 1896 
 Musician. 
 
 Sergeant. 
 
 Corporal. 
 
 Feb. 26, 1900. 
 
 Jan. 15, 190!. 
 Feb. 26, 1900. 
 
 Died December 15, -82. 
 April 17, 1884. 
 Apr. 16, 1887. 
 Aug. 8, 1896. 
 Sergeant, 
 
 Commissioned Captain this 
 date. 
 
 July 10, 1879. 
 
 Aug. 17, 1881. 
 
 Nov. 18, 1881. 
 
 Nov. 23, 1885. 
 
 Nov. 23, 18b5. 
 
 June 16, 1890 Corporal, 
 
 Sergeant. 
 July 29, 1890. 
 July §3, 1890. 
 
Ikmnois National Guards. 
 
 01 
 
 *Fellows, Emerson M. 
 
 Frye, Jacob li., 
 Fisher, Harry J., 
 Freek, tJeorge W., 
 Fit/.perald, Charles, 
 Fenton, William J , 
 JFreek, Charles, 
 Grierson. John, 
 
 Gilroy, Edward A., 
 Garrison, Lelloy C, 
 Gritliths, William B., 
 Gray, William H., 
 tGoff, F. M., 
 GriJliths, Henry H , 
 
 Green, Lester W. 
 tGray, John 
 Guflin, Frank H. 
 
 Gulliii, Harry T. 
 
 Green, Harvey S. 
 
 Gynn, William W. 
 Gregory, Benjamin F 
 Geiger, George II. 
 Green, John 
 Gorzny, John 
 Gorzny, Joe 
 tlloncler, Augustus 
 
 Hendricks, Jesse Y. 
 Hauna, Robert H. 
 Haskin, Ezra C. 
 
 July 27, IS'Ki, 
 Aug. 10, IS'JT, 
 July 24, 1S'.('», 
 July 25, 11)00, 
 July 11, 1S95, 
 Mch. 12, IS'JS, 
 July 20, WM, 
 Feb. 5, IstOO, 
 July 4, ISR'O, 
 July 20, 11)00, 
 Sept. 11, 1878, 
 
 Sept. 11, 1878, 
 Nov. 18, 1878, 
 Aug. 1(5, 187'.», 
 Feb. 22, 1883, 
 Feb. 22, 1883, 
 May 8, 1883, 
 
 July 18, 1883, 
 July 29. 1885, 
 June 4, 188t>, 
 
 June 4, 188r', 
 May 8, 18<J3, 
 
 June 4, 18M), 
 May 24, 1888, 
 July 14, WM, 
 
 .June If), l!s'.)2, 
 Jan. 25, 18'.)3, 
 Mch. 12, 1898, 
 May 18, 1899, 
 April 25, 1901, 
 April 30, 1901. 
 Sept. 11, 1878, 
 June 12, 18X1. 
 Sept. 11, 1878, 
 Sept. 11, 1878, 
 Sept. 11, 1878, 
 
 Aug. 8, 189»). 
 Corporal. 
 Aug. 8, 189);. 
 April 19, 1901. 
 
 Apr. 19, 1901. 
 
 Commissioned 2iid Lieu- 
 tenant this date. 
 July 10, 1879. 
 
 Dec. M, 1882. 
 June 19,1884. 
 Corporal. 
 
 Corporal, Sergeant, 1st Ser- 
 geant. Commissioned 
 1st Lieut. May 8, 1885. 
 
 June 19, 1884. 
 Oct. 30, 1888. Corporal. 
 June 4, 1889. Corporal. Ser- 
 geant. 
 
 Corporal, Sergeant. Com- 
 missioned 2nd. Lieut. May 
 13, 1889. Commissioned 
 1st. Lieut. July 24, 1893. 
 
 Corporal, Sergeant. 
 May 16, 1887. 
 
 July 29, 1890. Commission- 
 ed Capt. this date. 
 
 Dec 26, 1892. 
 Aug. 10 1895. 
 Jan. 15, 1901. 
 
 Nov. 6. 1883. 
 
 July 10, 1879. 
 Dec. 15, 1882. 
 July 10, 1879. 
 
5S 
 
 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 Humphrey, E. B. 
 
 Hill, A. D. 
 
 Hughes, William J. 
 Hawes, Charles T. 
 tHolt, George W, 
 
 Hannan, Thomas B. 
 Hurd, James M. 
 Hurd, Lewis M. 
 Hayes, John F. 
 Hollinshead, R. P. 
 Humphrey, William 
 Hiudes, Horace F. 
 
 tHarris, E. L. 
 
 Harris, Fred L. 
 Hoffman, George D. 
 tHnrless, C. N. 
 
 Humphrey, Albert 
 
 tHolt, E. E. 
 
 Heath, V/alter, 
 Harrison, George F. 
 Holt, Frank F. 
 Hines, John F. 
 Hobert, William 
 
 Hoover, Fred 
 
 High, Christopher 
 *Hullett, Ralph W. 
 Hughes, Herbert G. 
 Heath, Willis F. 
 *Humprey, Byron P. 
 *Humphrey, Ralph D. 
 
 Sept. 11, 1878 
 Oct. 10, 1883, 
 
 Oct. 18, 1878, 
 
 Mov, 13, 1878 
 May 10, 187«J, 
 Aug. 7, 1879, 
 Sept. 10, 1884, 
 Oct. 4, 1879, 
 Sept. 4, 1880, 
 Feb. I, 1881, 
 June 14, 1882, 
 June 20, 1882. 
 June 24, 1882, 
 Aug. 1, 1882, 
 Nov. 14, 1889, 
 Feb. 8, 1883, 
 
 Mch. 29, 1883, 
 Aug. 8, 1883, 
 May 3, 1883, 
 
 Aug. 28, 1883, 
 June 2, 1892, 
 June »), 1895, 
 Jan. 21, 1885, 
 May 15, 1890, 
 
 June 2, 1886, 
 J une 4, 1886, 
 July 14, 1887, 
 Mch. 8, 1888, 
 April 4, 1889, 
 May 28, 1891 
 May 2, 1889, 
 June 1, 1893, 
 Sept. 23, 1890, 
 Feb. 25, 1892, 
 May 5, 1892, 
 Aug. 30, 1892, 
 . Jul> 27, 1893, 
 July 5. 1894, 
 July 10, 1897, 
 
 Sergeant- 
 Sept.'l 1,1883. Commissioned 
 
 2nd. Lieut. June 27, 1884. 
 June 3, 1880. Sergeant 
 
 Color Sergeant. 
 Sept. 7, 1880. 
 Nov. 18, 1881. 
 Sept. J, 1884. 
 Nov. 13, 1888. 
 Feb. 27, 1883. 
 April 17, 1884. 
 Aug. 17, 1884. 
 Feb. 27, 1887. 
 
 June 19, 1884. 
 
 July 28, 1890. 
 
 Feb. 8, 1888. Corporal, Ser- 
 geant. 
 
 July 18, 1885. Corporal. 
 
 Oct. 6, 1884. 
 
 May 3, 1888. Corporj^i, Ser- 
 geant. 
 
 Nov. 23, 1885, 
 
 June 2, 1895. 
 
 Aug. 8, 1896. 
 
 Oi!t. 27, 1888. 
 
 June 1, 1891 Corporal, Ser- 
 geant. 
 June 10, 1889. Musician 
 Nov. 21, 1887. 
 July 16, 1890. 
 July 29, 1890. 
 July 29, 1890. 
 July 28, 1892. 
 August 1, 1891. 
 June 27, 1894. 
 Died Nov. 2, 1890. 
 May 11, 1895. Corporal. 
 Died July 31, 1892. 
 Jan. 16, 1896. 
 Aug. 8, 1896, 
 
 July 10, 1897. 
 
 Died in Utuado, Porto Rico, 
 Oct. 30, 1898. 
 
Ii>LiNois National Guards. 
 
 59 
 
 Hagen, August, 
 Hagen, William L , 
 lleisp, George, 
 Harrison, Otto, 
 Hunt, (Jeorge, 
 
 Howe, Martin O , 
 Hyatt, Charles E., 
 Howe, Abner R., 
 Hawes, George li.. 
 High, Aaron, 
 Hirleman, Samuel B.. 
 Hirleman, Wilber, E. 
 Johns'in, Frank V , 
 Johnson, John J., 
 Johnson, Curtis, 
 
 Jaeger, Frederick W, 
 tJohnson, Milford, 
 
 tJordan, G. W , 
 
 Johnson, Fred O., 
 
 Judd, Frank, 
 Jackson, Ralph D., 
 Johnson, Ray B., 
 Johnson, Bert, 
 Kinney, James, 
 Kier, Albert, 
 Kenyan, E. R., 
 Kent Held, George H. 
 
 Kool, Adolph, 
 
 Kidd, William A., 
 Kaler, Orville, 
 
 May I'J, 18*t5, 
 May 28, 1S'»5, 
 May 28, 1S1)5, 
 May 20, 1S'»(), 
 May 6, 1897. 
 May 81, lUOU, 
 May (J, 1S<»T, 
 Apr. 7, lb\>\ 
 Apr. 14, IWtS, 
 June 14, 181)St. 
 May 8, I'.tOO. 
 Apr. 25, r.iOl. 
 Apr. 80, 1901. 
 Sept. 11. 1878, 
 Sept. 11, 1878. 
 Sept. 11, 1878, 
 
 Oct. U, 1878, 
 Dec. 28, 1882, 
 Mch. 7, 1889, 
 Oct. 19, 1892, 
 
 Jan. 24, 1888, 
 
 May 6, 1897, 
 May 81, 1900, 
 July 1, 1897, 
 Apr. 7, 1898, 
 Apr. 12, 1900, 
 Jan. 11, 1901, 
 Sept. 11, 1878. 
 J une 2(), 1884, 
 July 17, 1884, 
 Feb. 8, 1887, 
 
 May 31, 1888, 
 June 1, 1898, 
 July 0. 1898, 
 May 20, 189(3, 
 
 Aug. 8, 189C). 
 Aug. 8, 189(".. 
 Aug. 28, 1898. 
 Aug. 28, 1899. 
 Corporal. 
 
 Feb. 2'), 1900. 
 Feb. 2(5, 1*'00. 
 Apr. 18, 1901. 
 
 June 8, 1880. Corporal. 
 
 Sergeant. 1st Sergeant. 
 
 Com)nissioned 2Qd Lieut. 
 
 June 8, 1882. 
 
 Nov. 18, 1881. 
 June 21, 1888, Corporal. 
 
 Sergeant, 1st Sergeant. 
 
 Commissioned Captain 
 
 Apr. 27, 1892. 
 July 2, 188(5. Corporal, 
 
 Sergeant, 1st Sergeant. 
 Corporal. 
 
 Sept. 3, 1899. 
 Feb. 2t), 1900 
 Jan. 15, 1901. 
 
 July 10, 1879. 
 Nov. 23, 1885. 
 Nov. 25, 1885. 
 Appointed Regimental 
 
 Comraissarv 
 July 23, 1887. 
 sioned 2nd 
 July 24, 1898. 
 
 May 31, 1891. 
 July 27, 1894. 
 August 10, 1895. 
 Corporal, Sergeant. 
 
 Sergeaut 
 
 Co'umis 
 
 r.ieutenant 
 
60 
 
 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 Kayler, Orville 
 
 Kellett, Charles T., 
 Kennedy, Vern V., 
 Kaler, Ralph D , 
 Levetr, Henry, 
 Lane, W. L., 
 Lovell, Ellsworth, 
 tLarish, J. W., 
 Leber, William H , 
 Leogle, Albert, 
 J^auphere, Jay C, 
 I ang, Paul, 
 Laogdon, Porter 13 
 *Leigh, George E. 
 
 *Lane, H. B, 
 
 Lawton, Edward C. 
 
 Lyon, Harley B. 
 
 *Lawton, Willie B. 
 
 II ti it 
 
 *Lane, Joseph S. 
 
 i( t( » 
 
 Lewis, Arthur L. 
 Lane, Mat B. 
 Lamson, Claude IL 
 Lewis, Walter P. 
 Mattern, Albert A. 
 Martin, Petr^r 
 Morse, Milton 
 Mouck, Solomon F. 
 Marshal/, Charles H. 
 tMontague, Charles F. 
 
 *Morse, William 
 
 June I, 189<.t, 
 June 1, 1900, 
 May 18, 1899, 
 May 1, 1900, 
 Feb. 14, 1901. 
 Sept. 11, 1878, 
 June 5, 1882, 
 Aug. 3, 1882, 
 July 18, 1883, 
 April 24, 1884, 
 May 30, 1881, 
 July 17, 1884, 
 June 2, 188B, 
 Feb. 7, 1888, 
 June a. 1890, 
 June 15, 1893, 
 June 13, 1890, 
 Aug. 17, 1893, 
 July 31, 1890, 
 Aug. 10 1893, 
 
 July 9, 1891, 
 July 27,1893, 
 J une 10, 1897, 
 Julys, 1894, 
 June 13, 1899, 
 July 28, 1899, 
 July 18, 1900, 
 May ) , 1900. 
 April 25, 1901, 
 Sept. 11, 1878, 
 Sept. 11 1878, 
 Sept. 11, 1878, 
 Sept. 11, 1878, 
 Sept. 11, 1878, 
 Sept. 11, 1878, 
 Apr. 7, 188li, 
 
 Oct. 5, 1878, 
 Nov. 8, 1883, 
 May 23, 1890. 
 
 Jan. 15, 1901. 
 
 Corporal. 
 
 J uly 5, 1883. 
 
 June »;, 1883. 
 
 July 7, 188('). Corporal. 
 
 Dec. 3, 1884. 
 
 Oct. 6, 1884. 
 
 Dec. 3, 1884. 
 
 July 9, 1887. 
 
 May 23, 1892. 
 
 June (j, 1893. Musician. 
 
 Sept. 3, 1894. Corporal. 
 
 June 20, 1893. 
 
 Sept. 13, 1894. 
 
 Aug. 4, 1893. 
 
 Corporal, Sergeant. Com- 
 
 missioued 2nd. Lieut. 
 
 Apr. 2, 1894. 
 Aug. 4, 1893. 
 Aug. 8, 1896. 
 Sept. 3, 1890. 
 Aug. 8, 189H. 
 June 12, 19r.O. 
 Jan. 15, 1900. 
 Apr. 19, 1901. 
 
 Feb. 24, 1880. Sergeant. 
 
 Nov. 3, 1879. Corporal. 
 
 Nov. 3, 1879. Corporal. 
 
 July 10, 1879. 
 
 Sept. 7, 1880. 
 
 Corporal, Sergeant. 
 
 May 20, 1889. Comrois- 
 
 sloned 2ad. Lieut. 
 
 ,>uly 28, 1883. 
 
 Apr. 15, 1883. 
 Jan. 4, 1889. 
 June 6, 1893 
 
Illinois National Guards. 
 
 01 
 
 *Morse, William 
 
 Murphey, ,1 alius M. 
 iMoulton, Lewis \i. 
 Moulton, William H. 
 Myers, Charles 
 Murphey, J. II. 
 Melville, J. 11. 
 tMc.Gilvary, William 
 Maxwel', Douglas i>. 
 Martin, J. 11. 
 
 tMericle, Frank E. 
 
 Mc^lullin, Frank E. 
 Marshall, Myron 
 Majors, Clarence E. 
 
 Moulton, Frank 
 McKee, Charles F. 
 
 *Mathews, Andrew F. 
 
 Maxlield, William II. 
 *McKee, Lafayette S. 
 Mitchell, Orville 
 Malouey, William T. 
 Madee, Charles 
 Mericle, Earle S. 
 Morse, Edwin W. 
 Morse, Harry L. 
 MaGee, Theodore 
 McKenzie, Kichard 
 Miller, Frank 
 
 June 27, IS'i'S. 
 June 28, 1HU4. 
 July 11, 1895. 
 Aug. 31, 18%. 
 Au^r. 31, IHOlt. 
 Aug. 31, 11)00, 
 Feb. ."), IST't. 
 Mch. St, 1880, 
 Mch. •), 1880, 
 June 8, 1882, 
 June 8, 1882, 
 J une 28, 1882, 
 Dec. 28, 1882, 
 April 12, 1883, 
 May 30, 1885, 
 July 28, 1892, 
 June 17, 1885, 
 July 17, 189(), 
 Aug. 13, 1897, 
 June 4, 1880, 
 July 2, 1880, 
 May 24, 1888, 
 May 28, 1891, 
 
 May 2, 1889, 
 May 23, 1889, 
 May 26, 1892, 
 
 May 5, 1892, 
 June 13, 1895. 
 June 10, 1897. 
 June 12, 1899, 
 J une 2, 1892, 
 Oct. 17, 1892, 
 May 23, 1895, 
 July 11, 1895, 
 May 20, 189(), 
 July 15, 189(5, 
 July 8, 1897, 
 July 15, 1897, 
 Apr. 14, 1898. 
 May 18, 1899, 
 July 18, 1899. 
 
 Detailed to H()si)ital Corps. 
 
 Feb. 27, 1883. 
 
 Nov. 23, 1885. 
 
 Oct. t). 1884. 
 
 June 19, 1881. Corporal. 
 
 Apr. 17, 1881. 
 
 Dec. 28. 1887. Corporal. 
 Oct. »), 1884. 
 
 July 7, 1880. 
 
 August 4, 1893. 
 
 July It), 189('. 
 
 Aug. 12, 1897. 
 
 Jan. 11, 1898. Corporal. 
 
 July 1, 1887. 
 
 Oct. 12, 1887. 
 
 May 24, 1891. 
 
 Feb. 9, 1893. Corporal, Ser- 
 geant. 
 
 May 23, 1892. 
 
 May 20, 1892. 
 
 June 0, 1893. Corporal, Ser- 
 geant, 1st Sergeant. 
 
 May 11, 1895. 
 
 Corporal, Sergeant. 
 
 xiug. 12, 1893. 
 
 Jan. 10, 1890. Musician. 
 
 Aug. 28, 1899. 
 
 Aug. 8, 1890. 
 
 Aug. 28, 1899. 
 
 Aug. 8, 1890. 
 
 Jan. 7, 1901. 
 
 Jan. 5, 1901. Corporal. 
 
 Aug. 24, 1899. 
 
 Corporal. 
 
62 
 
 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 McBride, Harley A. 
 Maloney, Monty F. 
 Mahaney, Bert 
 Meyers, Frank G. 
 Mouck, Robert H. 
 Morrill, O. A. 
 Meyer, Saru 
 Nash, Henrj G. 
 North, A. 1). 
 
 Naaktgeboren, Jacob 
 Nelson, Melvin 11, 
 Oberholtzer, Charley 
 Osborne, Andrew J. 
 Olmstead, Stuart 
 Flanthaber, Charles 
 
 Paschal, John H. 
 Fhiney, Burritt E. 
 Furdy, M. S. 
 Petersen, Frank 
 Puddifoot, Charles H 
 
 Preston, Elliott M. 
 Peterson, Peter 
 Petersen, Albert A. 
 
 Pinkley, Victor M. 
 Paschal, James O. 
 i'almer, Bert 
 Pratt, Thurston T. 
 ( iuackenbush. Cornel 
 
 Aug. 31, 189t<. 
 Feb. 5, 1900, 
 May 3, 1900, 
 May 10, 19C0. 
 May 7, 1900, 
 July 20, 1900. 
 Apr. 2o, 1901, 
 Sept. 11, 1878, 
 June 4, 188f), 
 June 7, 1889, 
 Oct. 19, 1892, 
 June 19, 1890, 
 May 24, 1900. 
 Apr. 24, 1884, 
 July 12, 1897, 
 May 18, 1899. 
 Sept. 11, 1878, 
 Aug. 5' 1880, 
 Aug. 19, 1885, 
 
 Mch; 22, 1879, 
 
 June 28, 1882, 
 
 Nov. 30, 1882, 
 
 June 4, 1886, 
 
 June 4, 1886, 
 
 July 9, 1896, 
 
 June 4, 1886, 
 May 28, 1891, 
 Aug. 3, 1891, 
 Aug. 8, 1895, 
 Jan. 24, 1895, 
 June 6, 1895, 
 May 13, 1897, 
 July 3, 1900. 
 iusSept. 11, 1878, 
 
 Apr. 19, 1901. 
 Jan. 15. 1901. 
 
 Apr. 20, 1901. 
 
 Nov. 3, 1873. 
 June 4, 1889. 
 July 16, 1890. 
 Nov. 12, 1892. 
 June 20, 1893. 
 
 Dec. 3, 1884. 
 Sept. 3, 1899. 
 
 Quackenbush, (Jeo. A. 
 *Q,uackenbush, Frank 
 
 *Quick, William 
 
 Nov. 2, 1882. 
 
 Dec. 1, 1879, 
 June 11, 1891, 
 June 28, 1894, 
 
 Aug. 3, 1893, 
 
 Corporal. 
 Corporal. 
 
 Corporal. 
 
 Nov. 3, 1879. 
 
 Aug. 5, 1885. 
 
 May 14, 1886. Corporal, Ser- 
 geant. 
 
 May 24, 1883. 
 
 Feb. 27, 1887. 
 
 June 19, 1884. 
 
 June 10, 1889. C irporal. 
 
 May 4, 1889. Corporal. 
 
 Commissioned 2nd Lieut, 
 this date. 
 
 June 4, 1889. 
 
 June 16, 1892. 
 
 Jan. 26, 1893. 
 
 July 16, 189(). 
 
 Aug. 10, 1895. 
 
 May 28, 1898. 
 
 May 12, 1900. 
 
 Commissioned 1st. Lieut. 
 
 this date. 
 Commissioned Capt this 
 
 date. 
 Died Feb. 4, 1884. Sergeant. 
 
 June 27, 1894. 
 
 Jan. 16, 1896, Corporal, Ser- 
 geant, 1st Sergeant. 
 Aug. 28, 1899. 
 
IijjNois National Guards. 
 
 m 
 
 Kiclitmyer, Alonzo 
 Rounds, Oscar 
 Keutlinger, Win J. 
 Rose, Alex E. 
 Rose, John 
 
 Reecher, Lewis 
 Record, Albert R. 
 Ryan, John E. 
 
 *Randall, George 
 
 Rockey, Harry H, 
 
 it i( (( 
 
 Rockey, Jacob L. 
 
 lUordon, John A. 
 Story, James 
 Strawn, Frank H. 
 Scotchbrook, Aaron A. 
 Stokes, Edward P. 
 
 Sixx, Scott 
 
 Stapleton, Joseph 
 Savage, L. E. 
 Shatto, James H. 
 Stafford, D. C. 
 Small, II. 1). 
 Springer, IJert 
 Smith, Edward A. 
 
 Spafford, Frank S. 
 Stowers, Frank E. 
 Spafford, J. Earle 
 Sears. Claude 
 Stone, W. i». 
 Springer, Myron 
 
 Sept. II. 187S, 
 Sept. II, 1878, 
 Sept. 11, 1878, 
 Aug. 2(5, 187i». 
 May 2t), 188(5, 
 June 5, 18'J0, 
 May 18, 188r>, 
 May 28, 1888, 
 June 7, 1888, 
 June 25, 1891, 
 
 July 15, 188'J, 
 Aug. 3, 1893, 
 May 23, 1895. 
 June 15, 1899. 
 June 15, 1900, 
 
 May 30, 1895, 
 March 9, 1899, 
 
 Apr. 25, 1901. 
 Sept. 11, 1878, 
 Sept. 11, 1878, 
 Nov. 18, 1878. 
 May 10, 1879, 
 
 June 4. 1879, 
 
 May 29, 
 Feb. 24, 
 June 9, 
 J une 2«, 
 Aug. 5, 
 May 2tJ, 
 June 4, 
 May 24, 
 
 1880, 
 1881, 
 
 1882, 
 , 1882, 
 1885, 
 188»), 
 188(5, 
 1888, 
 
 June 23, 188(5. 
 Aug. 14, 1887, 
 May 24, 1888, 
 June 7,1888, 
 June 7, 1889, 
 July 25, 1889, 
 
 Sept. 7, 1880. 1st Sergeant. 
 July 10,1879. Corporal. 
 Sept. II, 1883. 
 
 June 10, 1889. 
 Aug. 13, 1892. 
 Nov. 13, 1888. 
 July 29, 1890. 
 June 7, 1891. 
 
 July 20, 1891. Corporal, Ser- 
 geant. 
 July 21, 1892. 
 Sept. 13, 1894, 
 
 Corporal, Sergeant, 1st Ser- 
 geant. 
 
 Corporal, Sergeant. 
 
 Commissioned 2nd Lieut, 
 this date. 
 
 Frib. 24, 1880. 
 July 10, 1879. 
 
 Corporal. Commissioned 
 
 2nd Lieut. Sept. 2, 18S0. 
 
 June 1(5, 1884. Corporal, Ser- 
 geant. 
 
 Feb. 27, 1883. 
 
 Oct. (5, 1884. 
 
 May 24, 1883. 
 
 July 15, 188(5. Musician. 
 
 May 14, 188(5. 
 
 May 9, 1887. 
 
 May 1(5, 1887. 
 
 May 24, 1891. Corporal, Ser- 
 geant, 1st Sergeant. 
 
 July 10, 1890. 
 
 May 24, 1891. Corporal. 
 
 July 29, 1890. 
 
 June 1, 1891. 
 
 June 1(5, 1892, Corporal, Sef- 
 
 geant. 
 
64 
 
 History of Companies I. and E. 
 
 Stowe, Merritt 
 
 Steiner, N. W. 
 Seamen, John H. 
 Spears, James S. 
 Shears, W. F, 
 *Seldon, Ed. 
 
 Sanders, Frank F. 
 *Seavey, Guy A. 
 
 Sherwood, Asa K. 
 Scanlan, Oliver 
 Stanley, Neal 
 Stowell, John 
 Shaffer, Charles S. 
 Smith, Vern M. 
 Smith, Nick A. 
 Seibert, John D. 
 Shirk, Charles K. 
 Smaltz, Roy G. 
 Stalcup, James 
 Shaw, Harry V. 
 Snyder, William 
 Stone, ]{;rastus 
 Trauger, Charles H. 
 Turney, Hamilton K. 
 tTopping, H. C. 
 Taylor, William Jr. 
 
 ♦Thompson, Fred A. 
 Thompson, H. Clay 
 Trebun, Martin F. 
 Thompson, Robert C. 
 
 Turner, Richard 
 Taylor, Robert W. 
 Yiner, Ellis F. 
 
 July 25, 1889, 
 
 Oct. 17, 1892, 
 June 5, 1890, 
 May 28, 1891. 
 May 28, 1891, 
 Feb. 25, 1892, 
 June 16, 1892. 
 June 27, 1895, 
 July 27, 1893, 
 July 27, 1893, 
 Aug. 13, 189(5, 
 May ('., 1897, 
 July 29, 1897, 
 May 18, 1899, 
 May 18, 1899. 
 Nov. 24 1899, 
 J uly 28, 1899, 
 Aug. 31, 1899, 
 Feb. 5, 1900, 
 May], 1900, 
 May 1, 1900, 
 May 24, 1900, 
 June 1, 1900, 
 Mch. 7, 1901, 
 Apr. 8, 1901, 
 Sept. 11, 1878, 
 Mch. 15, 1880, 
 July 17, 1884, 
 June 28, 1888, 
 July 2, 1891, 
 July 18, 1895, 
 June 28, 1894, 
 May 23, 1895, 
 May 23, 1895, 
 May 23, 1895, 
 June 3, 1897, 
 July 14. 1899, 
 May 18, 1899, 
 Aug. 10, 1899, 
 Junes, 1890, 
 
 Corporal, Sergeant. Com- 
 missioned 1st Lieut. July 
 3, 1891. 
 
 Aug. 4, 1893. 
 
 June »;, 1893. 
 
 Aug. 4, 1893. 
 
 Dec. 26, 1892. 
 
 Aug. 4, 1893. 
 
 Aug. 8, 1896. 
 
 Aug. 8, 1896. 
 
 Aug. 8, 1896. 
 
 Mch. 28, 1898. 
 
 May 5, 1900. Corporal. 
 
 Jan. 5. 1901. 
 
 Jan. 15, 1901. 
 
 Jan. 15, 1901. 
 
 Jan. 15, 1901. Corporal. 
 
 Dec. 15, 1882. 
 Dec. 15, 1882. 
 Oct. 12, 1887. 
 June 29, 1891. 
 Nov. 12, 1892. 
 Aug, 8, 1896. 
 Aug. 10, 1895. 
 Aug. 8, 1896. 
 Aug. 8, 1896. 
 Corporal. 
 
 Corporal. 
 Dec, 3, 1891. 
 
 Musician. 
 
Tm-inois National Guards. 
 
 Co 
 
 * Van Dyke, Henry 15. 
 
 Wilcox, George C. 
 Wilson, William 
 Worrell, Kdward A. 
 
 Wood, Robert 
 Williams, Clintoo 
 Winebrenner, Chas. L 
 
 Weaver, Henry J5. 
 Winter, Henry 
 Wheeler, Jas. A. 
 
 Williams, Harvey 
 Wood, Harry 
 Wood, Thomas J. 
 Williams, Henry E. 
 *Wolf, Henry 
 
 West, J. A. 
 *Whiiemore, Firman 
 
 Watson, Chas. E. 
 Weaver, Ernest J. 
 
 Wagner, Jerome 
 * Weeks, Walter 
 *Whiteniore, Wm. F 
 
 *Wood, Edwin E. 
 *Weeks, Charles D. 
 
 * Weaver, Harry A. 
 
 Wallstone, Julius 
 Wallace, Martin 
 
 Mch. :U), IS'.CJ, 
 Apr. l'.», IS'.it;, 
 Mch. U\, ISIKS, 
 Sept. 11, IHIH, 
 Sept, 11, IHIH, 
 Sept. 11, ISTH, 
 
 Sept. 11, 187S, 
 Nov. IS, 187«, 
 Mch. 3, IST'.t, 
 
 Oct. 4, 1ST'.), 
 June 2(), 18S2, 
 Aug. 7, 1882, 
 
 June 2(3, 1884, 
 .Jiune 4, 1886, 
 J une 14, 1887, 
 May 24, 1888, 
 July 25, 1889, 
 Mch. 1(5, 1893, 
 July 30, 1889, 
 June 19, 1890, 
 July 20, 1893, 
 Mch. 31, 1898, 
 May 21, 1890, 
 June 4, 1891, 
 Aug. 9, 1896, 
 
 July 2, 1891, 
 May 2(>, 1892, 
 Aug. 30, 1892, 
 Mch. 12, 189j?, 
 ■June 15, 1899, 
 July 4, 1S93, 
 July 27, 1893, 
 Aug. 31, 1896, 
 Aug. 24, 1899, 
 Aug. 24, 1900, 
 Dec. 14, 1893, 
 June i5, 1897, 
 
 Apr. 30, 1896, 
 May 6, 1897, 
 
 Corporal. 
 
 AuR. 12, 189(i. 
 
 Jan. 11, 1S9S. 
 
 Sept. 3, 1899. 
 
 July 10, 1879. Sergeant. 
 
 Sept, 7, 1880. Corporal. 
 
 Commissioned 2nd Lieut. 
 
 July If., 1879. 
 Nov. 3, 1879. 
 
 Apr. 19, 1884. Corporal. 
 
 Sergeant. 
 Dec. 1, 1881. Corporal. 
 'June 6, 1883. 
 Dec. 3, 1881. 
 
 Sergeant. 
 Nov. 22, 1885. 
 June 20, 1887. 
 Nov. 13, 1888. 
 June 9, 1891. 
 June 16, 1892 
 Aug. 8, 1896. 
 Aug. 1, 1892. 
 June 20, 1893. 
 Sept. 13, 1894. 
 Mch. 31, 1901. 
 Dec. 26, 1892. 
 June 27, 1894. 
 
 Sergeant. Commissioned 
 
 2nd Lieut. June 29, 1897. 
 Jan. 26, 1893. 
 Sept. 17,1894. 
 Jan. 16, 1896. 
 
 Corporal. 
 Musician. 
 
 Corporal. 
 
 June 14. 1900. 
 
 Aug. 8, 1896 Corporal. 
 
 Corporal, Sergeant. 
 Commissioned 1st 
 
 Mch. 9, 1899. 
 Aug. 8, 1896. 
 Sept. 3, 1899. 
 
 liieut. 
 
66 
 
 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 Wilcox, Albert 
 VVinans, i'ercy H. 
 Warner, Jay C. 
 Weaver, Carl 
 Welch, Chris 
 Welch, Harry 
 Wilbur, Sidney 
 Webber, G. D. 
 Yarbrough, William 
 Yopst, Birt O, 
 
 July 'J8, ISyj, 
 
 Aug. 81, 1899, 
 
 Mch, 1, 1900, Apr. 19, 1901. 
 
 May 3, 1900, 
 
 May 7, 1900, 
 
 Feb. 21, 1901, 
 
 Aug. 29, 1901, 
 
 Apr. 25, 1901, Musician. 
 
 May ♦), 1897, May 5, 1900. 
 
 Aug. 81, 1899, 
 
 KOSTER OF COMPANY E. 
 
 A * indicates service at the Chicago strike. 
 
 COMMISSIONED OFFICERS. 
 
 Captains. 
 
 John W. Niles, 
 * Frank Anthony 
 
 * William F. Lawrie, 
 J. Frank Wahl, 
 
 Thomas S. Beach, 
 Lewis F. Eisele, 
 William F. liawrie. 
 
 * Walter N. Haskell, 
 Goodicil B. Dillon, 
 
 Samuel H. Feigley, 
 Frank Anthony, 
 
 DATE OF COMMISSION DATE OF PKOMOTION 
 
 RESICNATION OK DISCHAKOE. 
 
 Mch. 24, 1888, Resigned Dec. 3, 1888. 
 
 Dec. 20, 1888, Appointed Assistant 
 
 Surgeon with rank of 
 Captain, Feb. 1, 18i;l. 
 
 Feb. 13, 1891, Commissioned Major Jan. 
 5, 1899. 
 
 Feb. 9, 1899, 
 
 1st Lieutenants. 
 
 Mch. 24, 1888, Resigned Nov. 3, 1888. 
 Dec. 20, 188», Resigned Oct. 17, 1890. 
 Dec. 13, 18i'0, Commissioned Captain 
 
 Feb. 13, 1891. 
 Feb. 13, 1891, Resigned Nov. --, 1894. 
 Nov. 12, 1894, Placed on retired list up 
 
 on his own request July 
 
 1, 1899. 
 July 14, 1899, 
 
 2nd Lieutenanis. 
 
 Mch. 24, 1888, Commissioned 
 Dec. 20, 1888. 
 
 Captaia 
 
Illinois National Guards. 
 
 <')7 
 
 William F. J/awrie, 
 
 Walter N. Haskell, 
 
 *Goodicil 15. Dilliin, 
 
 Kdwin S. .lohnson, 
 ,1. Frank Wahl, 
 
 Samuel II. Feigley, 
 
 Charles F. Iloobler, 
 
 Dec. 20, 1S8S, Commissioned 1st Lieut. 
 
 Dec. i;5, ISIK). 
 Dec. i;{, IS'.m, Commissioned 1st Lieut. 
 
 Feb. i:i IS'.M. 
 Feb. VA, IS'.tl, Commissioned 1st Lieut- 
 
 Nov. 12, ISUl. 
 Nov. 12, IS'.tl, Resigned A pr.22. IH'.iT. 
 •lune IS, ISUT, Commissioned Captain 
 
 Feb.it, IS'.i'.). 
 Feb. S», IS'.m, Commissioned 1st Lieut. 
 
 -luly 14, l.SD'.l. 
 .July 11, IS'.tit. 
 
 XA.MK 
 
 Anthony, Frank 
 
 Angell, William IL 
 Allen, William E. 
 
 Adair, Ambrose 
 Arey, Howard 
 Allpres^, Martin L. 
 Aument, Harry 
 Anderson, Carl 
 Aument, Frank H. 
 Atkins, E. Lyle 
 
 Alderfer, Phillip 
 Anning, Clarence 
 Aument, Jacob H. 
 Beach, Thomas S. 
 
 JJurke, Harry F. 
 
 f:nlistei) men. 
 
 DATE OI' EXLISTMKNT HK:MAI!KS. 
 
 Mch. 24, 1888, Commissioned 2ncl J.ieuf 
 
 this date. 
 Mch. 24, 1888, Sept. 2, 18'.)0. 
 Mch. 24, 1888, Dropped from rolls May 1. 
 
 1888. 
 
 Mch. 24, 1888, S. O. No. 9G, 1889. 
 
 Oct. 13, 1890, May 22, 1894. 
 
 June 27, 1892, July 27, 1895. 
 
 July 15, 1895, Mch. 22, 1898. 
 
 Jan. »), 189(5, Sept. 15, 18«9. 
 Apr. 13, 189(;, 
 
 July 17, 189(), Transfer-i-ed to band no 
 date. 
 
 Feb. 9, 1899, 
 
 May 20, 1809, 
 
 June 15, 1899, 
 
 Mch, 24, 1888, Coaiaaissioned 1st Lieut, 
 this date. 
 
 Mch. 24,1888, July 5, 1888. 
 
 May 20, 1889, Transferred to Co. J} July 
 
 ;iO, 1889. 
 
 J3ickford, Joseph M. 
 
 Bassett, Orville 1'. 
 Boyers, Joseph 
 Bae--, Frank L. 
 iienson, William 1*. 
 Bressler, Heaton J. 
 
 Mch. 24. 1888, Dropped from rolls May 1, 
 
 1888. 
 
 Mch. 24, 1888, Sept. 2, 1890. Corporal. 
 
 Mch. 24, 1888, May 23, 1890. 
 
 Jan. 21, 1889. 
 
 Jan. 23, 1889, S. O. No. 82, 1889. 
 
 Jan. 28, 1889, 
 
68 
 
 History of Companies I and E.. 
 
 Burkholder, Charles I. 
 
 *Barber, Frank VV. 
 
 Behrens, Charles 
 *Huck, William 
 *Boyer, llalph 1). 
 
 *BensiDger, Chas. E. 
 *Brown, VV. A. 
 Billings, Charles 
 *Brown, Fred E. 
 Baker, llomeo W. 
 
 JJlair, Frank 
 Bushnell, Leo O. 
 Burch, Fred R. 
 Bassett, Edward 
 r>ook, Enos 
 Bensinger, John E. 
 Bassett, Bert 
 Bailey, Frank C. 
 Burr, James S. 
 Byers, Wilson 
 Berlin, Clark 
 Boyer, Kaohlin 
 Blair, George C. 
 Betts, Verne E. 
 Baker, John H. 
 Criswell, James F. 
 Conner, John R. 
 Cook, Ward W. 
 Cochrane, Albert G. 
 *Cushman, John W. 
 
 Nov. 18, 188U, Corporal. 
 Jan. 7, 1893, Sergeant. 
 Apr. 2, 1894, 
 Sept. 1, 1890, 
 
 Mch. 1C>, 189(). 
 Appointed 
 
 Commissary 
 
 date. 
 May 14, 1892. 
 July 27, 1S95. 
 
 Regimental 
 
 Sergt. no 
 
 May 25, 1891, 
 
 Apr. 25, 1892, July 27, 1S95. Corporal. 
 June 27, 1892, 
 June, 3, 1895, Apr. 22, 1891), 
 Jan. IC), 1893, Mch. 1(5,189(3. 
 Jan. K), 1893, Mch. 1(5, 189(). 
 Aug. 27, 1894, 
 
 Aug. 27, 1894, Apr. 1(5, 1898. 
 Aug. 27, 1894, Corporal. 
 Feb. 28, 1898, 
 July 8, 1895, 
 Oct, 14, 189o, 
 
 Apr. P), 189(5, Mch. 22, 1898. 
 Apr. 20, 1890, 
 June 22, 1897, 
 Mch. 7, 1898, 
 Mch. 28, 1898, 
 Mch. 29, 1898, 
 Mch. 30, 1898, Corporal, 
 Apr. 11, 1898, May 2, 1899. 
 May 15. 1898, July 2, 1900. 
 May 17, 1898, 
 Feb. 9, 1899, 
 May 20, 18^9, 
 Apr, 30, 1901, 
 
 Mch. 24, 1888, (Corporal, Q. M. Sergeant. 
 Mch. 24, 1888, S. O. No. 105, 1889. 
 Mch, 24, 1888, Oct. 5, 1889. 
 Mch 24, 1888, S. O. No. 3(5, 1889. 
 Mch. 24, 1888, Corporil, Sergeant. Ap 
 pointed Regimental Ord- 
 nance Sergr. Aug. — , 1899. 
 
 (Crawford, Robert G. 
 Clarkson, Matthew A. 
 Campbell, Walter S. 
 
 Apr. 20, 1891, 
 Sept. 14, 1894, 
 Mch. 1(5, 189(5, 
 June 2,1, 1897, 
 Mch. 2(), 1888, 
 June 21, 1888, 
 Jan. 28, 1889, 
 
 S. O. No. 3(3, 1889. 
 S. O. No. 82, 1889. 
 
Illinois National Guards. 
 
 fiO 
 
 Cash, Wiley 15. 
 "Chalmers, John A. 
 
 *Cragin, Elmer A 
 
 Cunningham, Claire T, 
 Compton, Claire 
 Cary, Elroy \l. 
 Creider, William D. 
 Cary, John 
 Coover, W. S. 
 Clark, Lyman V. 
 Coryell, Frank M. 
 
 Cleary, Arthur M. 
 Connell, William 
 Conner, C. Walter 
 Connell, James 
 Clark, Edgar L. 
 Dillon, Goodicil 
 
 *De(Trofr, Bert L. 
 
 Dickson, John A. 
 Deitz, Louis F. 
 ^Davison, C. Morton 
 *Dillon, J. Reese 
 *Dow, John 
 Deets, Frank G. 
 Dunbar, Stowers 
 Deem, Arthur E 
 
 Deyo, D. B. 
 Deem, William 
 
 Diffenbaugh, Benj. F, 
 Eisele, Lewis F. 
 
 Feb. 1, l.S8'.i, 
 May 25, ISIU, 
 July 27, IWt."), 
 
 Feb. r.i, 189:3, 
 Feb. 21, LSiKJ, 
 Mch. 8, 18'.»7, 
 Mch. 21, 18U8, 
 Feb. 24, 18i)0, 
 Mch. 30, 189C., 
 Apr. 13, 18%. 
 Apr. 27, 18%, 
 June 27, 189(). 
 June 22, 18*.t7. 
 Sept. f), 18'.)7, 
 Feb. 2*, 1898 
 Feb. 28, 19(1. 
 Mch. 28, 1898. 
 May 11, 1898. 
 Mch. f) 1899. 
 May 10, 1899. 
 Apr. 30, 1901. 
 Mch. 24, 1888, 
 
 Sept. 1, 1890, 
 Feb. 19, 1894, 
 Mch. 25, 1895. 
 June 8, 1891. 
 June 4, 1892, 
 June 20, 1892, 
 Apr. 9, 1894, 
 Junes, 1894, 
 Sept, 23, 1895. 
 Oct. 11, 1895. 
 Oct. 14, 1895, 
 Oct. 14, 1898, 
 Mch. 2, 189C.. 
 June 27, 189i;, 
 Dec. 4, 1899. 
 Apr. 9, 1899. 
 Mch. 24, 1888, 
 
 July 18, 1892. 
 July 27, 189.0. 
 Transferred to band, 
 date. 
 
 July 2, 1900. 
 Corporal, Sergeant. 
 
 Sergeant. Commissioned 
 2nd Lieut. Feb. 13, 1891. 
 Feb. 10, 1894. Cornoral. 
 Sergeant. 
 
 July 15, 1893. 
 July 1(), 1895. 
 Mcii. 1<), 1897. 
 Mch. 10, 1897. 
 
 Musician. 
 
 Corporal, Sergeant. 
 1st Sergeant. 
 
 Corporal. 
 
 Sergeant. Commissioned 
 1st Lieut. Dee. 20, 1888. 
 
70 
 
 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 Ely, Frank D. 
 
 Fiisele, J acob L. 
 *Eick, Benjamin 
 
 Eiteman, Wilford L 
 *Engh, Alfred 
 Eshleman, F. Roy 
 Eisele, Edward L. 
 Emmons, Frank 
 Eager, Wallace L. 
 
 Feigley, Oscar A. 
 
 (( It t( 
 
 *Feigley, Samuel H. 
 
 Fitch, LeClair 
 *Fiock, Henry J. 
 
 *Flock, Mathew 
 Flock, William. F. 
 
 Figeley, Joseph L. 
 Ford, 11. Leonard 
 Fanning, Omar A. 
 
 Feigley, J. Lovure 
 Forrester, Frank M. 
 Finch, Bert 
 Grimes, Frank A. 
 Grimes, Alfred N. 
 *Green, Lourde J. 
 
 Grate, Wallace H. 
 Golder, Lloyd H. 
 Grimes, Herbert 
 
 Mch. 24, 1888, 
 
 June 11, 1888, 
 Jan. 14, 1881). 
 Feb, 29, 1892, 
 
 June 8, 1891, 
 June 8, 1894, 
 June 3, 1895. 
 Mch. 7, 1898, 
 Feb. 9. 1899. 
 Feb. 9, 1899. 
 June 21, 1888, 
 Feb. 29, 1892, 
 Jan. 26, 1890, 
 Feb. 19, 1894. 
 Mch. 25, 1895. 
 Mch. 9, 1896. 
 Mch. 22, 1897. 
 June 22, 1891, 
 June 20,1892, 
 Mch. 2, 1896, 
 June 22, 1897. 
 Sept. 25, 1893. 
 June 22, 1897, 
 
 Oct. 31, 1889. 
 
 Sergeant. 
 Dec. 6, 1889. 
 
 Corporal. 
 
 Appointea Regimental Or- 
 dnance Sergeant, no 
 date. 
 
 Mch. 29, 1894. 
 
 Apr. 22, 1896. 
 
 Corporal. 
 
 Corporal. 
 
 Mch. 1, 1893. 
 
 Sergeant. 1st Sergeant. 
 
 Commissioned 2nd Lieut. 
 
 Feb. 9, 1899. 
 
 July 15, 1893. 
 July 16, 1895. 
 Sergeant. 
 
 June 22, 1897. 
 March 21, 1898. 
 Mch. 31, 1898. 
 Apr. 28, 1901. 
 May 15, 1899. 
 Apr. 30, 1901. 
 Apr. 30, 1901. 
 Mch. 24, 1888, 
 Jan. 23, 1889, 
 Mch. 18, 1889, 
 Jan. 30, 1893. 
 Feb. 19, 1894. 
 Apr. 13, 1891, 
 May 11, 1891. 
 May 7, 1894. 
 June 21, 1897. 
 
 Corporal 
 
 Corporal. Appointed Bat- 
 talion Sergeant Major 
 August i89i».' 
 
 Dec. 6, 1889. 
 
 S. O. No. 118, 1891. 
 
 Musician. 
 
Ii.LiNt)is National Guards. 
 
 71 
 
 (Jaines, Charles N. 
 (ioodinan, Harry C. 
 (irove, Clarence C. 
 (ioltman, Harry K. 
 drey, Arthur 
 (; rimes, ,1. Leon 
 Haberer, John A. 
 Haskell, Walter N. 
 
 Hall, Charles E. 
 
 Hoover, Harry G. 
 Hills, Edward O. 
 
 Hess, Albert H. 
 Howlnnd, Harry F. 
 Haberly, Frank F. 
 Haskell, William W. 
 Hubbard, Charles L. 
 Herrman, Charles 
 
 Hannan, George H. 
 Hodges, Stewart 
 Hessel, Carl J. 
 *Hoobler, Charles F. 
 
 Hartman, Join 
 
 HartJng, Frank K. 
 
 Hankinson, Harry L. 
 Higby, Leonard O. 
 Hubbard, Arthur G. 
 
 Hess, Fred 
 Heathcoate, William 
 Havens, George 
 Haberle, Edward E. 
 Heaton, Francis 
 Hoover, Ben IL 
 Hoover, Harry iL 
 lioover, Arthur G. 
 
 Mch. HO, 1S')C>. 
 June 22, IS'.tT. 
 June 22, ISiiT. 
 May 11, WJH, 
 
 May ;n, is<ni. 
 
 Jan. 8, liiOU. 
 Mch. 24,1888, 
 Mch. 24, 1888, 
 
 Mch. 24, 1888, 
 
 Mch. 24, 1888. 
 Mch. 24, 1888. 
 July 27, 18'.) 1. 
 Mch. 24, 1888. 
 Mch. 24, 1888, 
 Mch. 24, 1888, 
 Mch. 24, 1888, 
 Mch. 2(3, 1888, 
 Jan. 21, 1889. 
 Jan. 27, 1892. 
 Mch. 9, 1891, 
 May 25, 1891, 
 Jan. 1(5, 1893. 
 Mch. 2(5, 1894, 
 June 21, 18i;7, 
 
 Sept. 10, 1894. 
 Feb. 28, 1898. 
 Mch. 2, 189(). 
 Jan. 8, 1900. 
 Mch. 9, 189(). 
 Mrh. 16, 189(). 
 July 17, 189C., 
 
 Mch. -SI, 1898, 
 
 Feb. 7, 1899, 
 Feb. 8, 1899, 
 Feb. 9, 1899. 
 
 May 20, 1899. 
 
 Jan. 8, 1900. 
 
 Jan. 8. 1900. 
 May 31, 1900. 
 
 July 2, 1900. 
 
 Oct. 31, 1889. 1st Sergeant. 
 Sergeant. Commissioned 
 2nd Lieut. Dec. 13, 1890. 
 Corporal. S. O. No. 143, 
 no date. 
 Oct. 29, 1889. 
 
 S. O. No. 82, 1889. 
 Sept. 2, 1890. 
 S. O. No. 17, 1889. 
 Corporal, Sergeant. 
 S. O. No. 3(), 1889. 
 
 Mch. 10, 1893. 
 June 23, 1891. 
 
 Corporal, Sergeant. 
 Commissioned 2nd Lieut, 
 July 14, 1899. 
 
 Transferred to band, no 
 
 date. 
 Corporal. Sergeant. 
 July 2, 190U. 
 Corporal, Sergeant, 
 Corporal. 
 
72 
 
 History of Companies I. and E. 
 
 Hartman, Andrew 
 Hosier, Fred 
 *lsherwood, Earl 
 
 *Isherwood, George W. 
 Ingersoll, Frank B. 
 
 Johnson, J. Stanley 
 *Johnson, Edwin S. 
 
 Jenkins, Alfred K. 
 Johnson, Earl A. 
 Johnson, Milton 
 Johnson, Charles S. 
 Johnson, Charles A. 
 Jackson, Arthur E. 
 Jackson, William D. 
 Jones, Richard O. 
 Jackson, Merton 11. 
 Johnson, Fred A. 
 Jamison, Paul K. 
 *Kline, John L. 
 
 Kilgour, Cassius M. 
 Kissel, George B. 
 Kelsey, William H. 
 
 Koberstine, Henry W, 
 *Kochersperger, John P 
 *Kauftman, Fred W. 
 Keeney, H. Ezra 
 Kromer, George J. 
 Kahl, Ernest 
 Kadel, William W. 
 Kent, George G. 
 Lawrie, William F. 
 
 Llewellyn, David 
 Lee, John II. 
 Lee, Daniel W. 
 
 Feb. 21, 1901. 
 Apr. 30, 1901. 
 Nov. 11, 1889. 
 Jan. 23, 1893. 
 June 25, 1891, 
 Mch. 31, 1898. 
 Aug. 20, 1900. 
 Mch. 24, 1888, 
 May 31, 1889, 
 Feb. 20, 1893, 
 Apr. 9, 1894. 
 Apr. 15, 1898. 
 May 31, 1889, 
 Oct. 30, 1893, 
 June 11,1894. 
 Apr. 27, 1891;, 
 Mch. 31, 1898. 
 Feb. C, 1899. 
 Feb. 6, 1899. 
 Feb. 8, 189'), 
 Feb. 14, 1899. 
 Feb. 27, 1899. 
 Apr. 30, 1901. 
 Mch. 24, 1888, 
 
 x\lch. 18, 1889, 
 May 20, 1889, 
 Nov. 11, 1889. 
 Jan. 30, 1893, 
 Sept. 1, 1890, 
 Feb. 5, 1894, 
 July 2 1894, 
 July 15, 1895, 
 Feb. 24, 189(5, 
 Apr. 27, 189(5. 
 June 22, 1897. 
 Apr. 30, 1901. 
 Mch. 24, 1888, 
 
 Mch. 24, 1888. 
 Mch. 17, 1890. 
 Apr. 30, 1894. 
 June 21, 1897, 
 
 July 15, 1897. 
 
 Mch. 10, 1890. 
 Corporal, Sergeant. 
 
 1st Sergeant. 
 Commissioned 2Qd Lieut. 
 
 Nov. 12, 1894. 
 Oct. 18, 1890. 
 May 18, 1894. 
 
 June, 1899. 
 
 July 2, 1900. 
 
 Appointed Hospital Stew- 
 ard, no date. 
 July 18, 1894. Musician. 
 S. O. No. 109, 1889. 
 
 Feb. 10, 1894. 
 May 22, 1894. 
 Apr. 22, 189(5. 
 Mch. 1(5, 1898. Corporal. 
 Mch. 22. 1898. 
 Aug. 3, 189(5. 
 
 Commissioned 2nd Lieut. 
 Dec. 20, 1888. 
 
Illinois National Guards. 
 
 73 
 
 LeFevre, Harry F. 
 LeFevre, Kdwin VV. 
 
 Lingel, William J. 
 Lingel, IJert 
 Lyle, Guy H, 
 
 Limerick, John (J. 
 
 J/dland, Charles E. 
 Little, Harry II. 
 Jiiind, William C. 
 Latherovv, Walter 
 Lindsley, Calvin A. 
 J^andier, Herman 
 Mangan, Samuel T. 
 
 Mangan, William F. 
 
 Mangan, E. J. 
 Mangan, 11. L. 
 
 Myer, Adam 13, 
 
 41 U 11 
 
 Murphy, William II. 
 Miller. Herman T. 
 
 Myers, Kahler 
 Manahan, Samuel A. 
 Miller, Henry 
 Mueller, Ernest 
 Meyers, J^ee D. 
 Morrison, Alfred G. 
 Moore, Louis E. 
 Mc Neil, K. 13. 
 Mangers, Charles J. 
 Mangan, Clarence J^. 
 Mead, Clyde W. 
 Niles, John W. 
 
 Newton, William A. 
 Newton, James H. 
 
 Aug. 1, IS'J'J. 
 Bugler. 
 
 Sergeant. 
 May 22, I8'.>4. 
 
 June II, IS'.M. 
 
 June 21, IS'.»7, Mch. 22, 1898. 
 
 Mch. 2:{, 18'.Mi, Transferred to Co. I). 
 June lu, I MIT. 
 
 Mch. :U ISiiC). 
 
 Apr. 27, IS'.H), 
 
 July 7, IS'JiJ, Transferred to band, 
 date. 
 
 July 17, ISi'f), Transferred to band, 
 no date. 
 
 Mch. 12, ISUS. 
 
 Mch. 28, 18'.»8 
 
 May 11, 18l>8, 
 
 Feb. 8, 18111). 
 
 May 20, 18'I"J. 
 
 Feb. 21, lUOl. 
 
 Mch. 21, 1888. 
 
 Apr. 20, 18<J1, 
 
 Mch. 24, 1888, Corporal. 
 
 Apr. 27, 1891. 
 
 Mch. 24, 1888, May 28, 1890. 
 
 Mch. 24, 1888. 
 
 Apr. 20, 1891, May 22, 1894. 
 
 Mch. 24, 1888. 
 
 June 22, 1891, May 14, 1892. 
 
 May 28, 1888. 
 
 June 27, 1887, Co. B. Transferred to Co. E 
 S. O. No. 171, I88S. Dis- 
 ci, argedS. O. No.82, 1889 
 
 May 28, 1889, Aug. 5, 1892. 
 
 Mch. 30, 189]. May 14, 1892. 
 
 May 9, 1892, Mch. 10, 1893. 
 
 Aug. 27, 1894. 
 
 Mch. Hi, 189t). 
 
 Mch. 30, 1891). 
 
 June 22, 1897, June 22, 1900. 
 
 June 22, 1897, Nov. 10, 1899. Corporal. 
 
 May 20, 1899. 
 
 July 1,1900. 
 
 Feb. lo, 1901. 
 
 Mch. 21, 1888, Commissioned Captain this 
 
 date. 
 May 11, 1891, May 22, 1894. 
 Apr. 18, 1892, Julo 15, 189;f 
 
74 
 
 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 *MeIleD, Edward W. 
 Nelms, William W. 
 Osmer, Sydney C. 
 *Overholser, S. Guy 
 
 Osborn, Harper 
 Over, Charles B. 
 O'Hair, John 
 Onken, Anthony 
 Onken, George 
 Pierce, Clarence 
 Pratt, George F. 
 Perry, Gentz 
 Palmer, W. Carl 
 Parks, Lucius VV. 
 *Patton, Louis 11. 
 *Perry, William H. 
 *Phelps, W. Walter 
 Pippert, Henry C. 
 Pigg, James W. 
 Palmer, Wilbert M. 
 
 July 2, 1894. 
 July 1, 1900. 
 Mch. 24, 1888, 
 May 20, 1889, 
 July 18,1892, 
 Dec. 18. 1893. 
 Mch. 25, 1895. 
 Mch. 22, 1897. 
 May 4, 1891, 
 July 15, 1895. 
 May 1, 1899. 
 May 15, 1899. 
 Feb. 3, 1901. 
 Mch. 26, 1888, 
 May 28, 1888, 
 May 15, 1890, 
 Oct. 20, 1890, 
 June 8, 1891, 
 June 18, 1892, 
 Apr. 30, 1894, 
 Apr. 30, 1894, 
 June 23, 18P5. 
 Apr. 13, 189(3. 
 July 7, 1896, 
 
 Payson, William E. Feb. 7, 1899, 
 
 Partridge, Harry G. 
 Kock, Edwin S. 
 liamsey, Hugh II. 
 
 Rood, Warren A. 
 Rich, John II. 
 Keed, John A. 
 *Kidenour, Frank J. 
 Round, George 
 Roland, Robert R. 
 Reap, William 
 Rarasdall, Charles D. 
 Stoddard, Fred R. 
 
 (I K U 
 
 Shumaker, Charles N. 
 Smith, Jesse 
 
 Feb. 3, 1901. 
 Mch. 24, 1888, 
 May 25, 1888, 
 
 May 28, 1888, 
 May 5, 1893, 
 May 25, 1891. 
 June 11, 1894. 
 Mch. 2, 1896. 
 Apr. 20, 1896. 
 Mch. 30, 1898, 
 May 15, 1899. 
 Mch. 24, 1888, 
 Apr. 27, 1891, 
 Mch. 24, 1888, 
 Mch. 24, 1888. 
 June 1,1891, 
 
 Mch. 10, 1890. 
 
 Corporal, Sergeant. 
 Battalion Sergeant 
 Major. No date. 
 
 Mch. 10, 1893. 
 
 June 2. 1888. 
 Oct. 15, 1890. 
 Sept. 2, 1890. 
 July 15, 1893. 
 
 July 27, 1895. 
 June 25, 1897. 
 June 25, 1897. 
 
 Transferred to band, no 
 
 date. 
 Enlisted in U. S. Army 
 
 May 2, 1899. 
 
 July 18, 1892. Corporal, Ser- 
 geant. 
 
 S. O. No. 87, 1889. 
 July 15, 1893. 
 
 Corporal, Sergeant. 
 May 22, 1894. 
 Jalyo, 1888. 
 
 Mch. 1, 1893, 
 
Ii.i.iNois National Guards. 
 
 75 
 
 Smith, Robert E. 
 Snavely, John M. 
 Sturtz, C. E. 
 Stroup, George O. 
 Strock, W. Chester 
 *St. John, Burton, 
 St. John, Thomas E. 
 *Shultz, U. J}. 
 *Strock, Linnis L. 
 Sayers, William II. 
 *She!(lon, Leslie C. 
 
 Strock, John F. 
 Struckman, Wm. C. 
 Shafer, Harry 
 Sheldon, Charles F. 
 Smith, Frank W. 
 
 Shumaker, Hiram W. 
 
 Soules, H. Arthur 
 Street, Albert L. 
 Stoner, Claude 11. 
 Smith, PJdward A. 
 schaub, William H. 
 Slade, George 
 Scott, Harry A. 
 Sneed, Burt J. 
 Sneed, Fred W. 
 Sampson, John 
 Shank, Andrew 
 Shumaker, Harry E. 
 Tumbleson, (Charles F. 
 
 Thomas, William H. 
 *Taylor, Frank H. 
 Triggs, Aipheus 
 
 Trefz, Julius 
 Thorne, George 
 Thompson, Lloyd E. 
 Troste, Samuel D. 
 
 Mch. 2f., 1H8H. 
 June 4, 1888, 
 July »), 1888. 
 Oct. 14, 188"», 
 May 11, 181)1. 
 Apr. 18, 18i)2, 
 May '.), 18<.t2, 
 June 4, 181)2, 
 14 ov. 10, 181)2, 
 Feb. 5. 18'.)4, 
 Mch. 5, 18'.)4. 
 J une 21, 18H7. 
 Oct. 14, 189.5, 
 Oct. 14, 1893. 
 Feb. 24, 189f5. 
 Mch. 2, 1896, 
 Mch. 10, 1896. 
 May 21, 1899. 
 July IT, 1896, 
 
 Jane 22, 1897. 
 Mch. 7, 1898, 
 Mch. 31, 1898. 
 Mch. 31, 1898. 
 Mch. 31, 1898. 
 May 15. 1898, 
 June 14, 1898. 
 Feb. 6, 1899, 
 Feb. 8, 1899, 
 Aug. 20, 1900. 
 Sept. 20, 1900. 
 Apr. 30, 1901. 
 June 23, 1888, 
 Feb. 23. 1891, 
 July 30, 1894, 
 
 Feb. 23, 1891, 
 Dec. 11, 1S93, 
 July 8, 1895. 
 Feb. 27, 1899. 
 Jan. f., 1896. 
 May 15, 1899. 
 May 20, 1899, 
 Apr. 30, 1901. 
 
 Oct. 18, 1890. 
 
 Mch. 3, 1893. 
 
 .»uly 16, 1895. 
 Mch. 10, 189.3. 
 July IC), 1895. 
 Mch. 16, 1896). 
 Apr. 22, 1896. 
 
 .\lch. 6, 1899. 
 
 Mch.22, 18;i8. 
 
 Transferred to bai)d no 
 date. 
 
 Corporal, Sergeant. 
 
 Nov. <•), 1899. 
 
 Corporal. 
 Corporal. 
 
 S. O. No. 36, 1889. 
 Mch. 8, 1894. 
 
 Mch. 8, 1894. 
 
 Apr. 22, 1896. Corporal. 
 
 Corporal. 
 
76 
 
 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 Van Home, E. Burt 
 
 Van Drew, Clarence 
 Verbeck, Clarence 
 Woods, Hollin H. 
 
 Woodworth, Clarence 
 Williams, Albert W. 
 Williams, B. Frank 
 
 Winters, James C. 
 Williams, Grant U. 
 Williams, Jacob 
 
 *Wagley, Frank E. 
 
 *\Vildasln, .Joshua 
 
 *VVahl, J. Frank 
 
 Wetzel, John G. 
 Weaver, A. L. 
 
 Wright, Frank S. 
 "VVoodyatr, Arthur H. 
 
 *Ward, Frank J. 
 Wagley, Fred E. 
 Wroten, Frank 
 Woodard, John 
 Watson, A. II. 
 Wahl, Albert A. 
 
 Wilkinson, Lee P. 
 Winters, Carl 
 Wright, Fred F, 
 Walch, Jeremiah 
 Wise, Albert 
 
 Meh. 20, 1888 
 Apr. 20, 1891, 
 July 8, 18'.»5, 
 Apr. 1, 1895). 
 Aug. 20, 1900. 
 Mch. 24, 1888, 
 
 Mch. 24, 1888, 
 Mch. 24, 1888, 
 Mch. 24, 1888, 
 Apr. 13, 1891 
 Mch. 24, 1888, 
 June 4, 1888, 
 May 1(5, 1889. 
 June 27, 1892. 
 May 22, 1889, 
 July 11, 1892. 
 Dec. 18, 1893. 
 Dec. 18, 1893. 
 Mch. 2, 1891, 
 July 8, 1895. 
 Sept. 28, 189«). 
 May 25, 1891, 
 Mch. 25, 1895, 
 
 June 29, 1891. 
 June 27, 1892, 
 Feb. 13, 1893. 
 Feb. 13, 1893, 
 Mch. 9, 189(5, 
 June 18, 1894, 
 Aug. 27, 1894. 
 Oct. 1, 1894, 
 July 8, 1895, 
 Jan. 27, 189(*.. 
 Apr. 13, 189(5. 
 May 20, 1899. 
 Mch. 12, 1897. 
 Mch. 21, 1898, 
 Mch. 28, 1898, 
 Feb. 9, 1899. 
 Aug. 20, 1900. 
 
 Corporal, Sergeant. 
 May 9, 1894. 
 July 15, 189(5. 
 
 S. O. No. 118, 1891. Corpor- 
 al, Sergeant. 
 Apr. 14, 1890. Corporal. 
 Apr. 14, 189(.. 
 Corporal. 
 
 May 1, 1889. 
 Oct. 7, 1888. 
 
 Corporal, Sergeant. 
 
 Corporal, Sergeant. 
 
 Corporal, Sergeant, 
 Commissioned 2nd Lieut. 
 June 18, 1897. 
 
 Oct. 23, 1893. 
 
 Corporal. 
 Mch. K), 1897. 
 June 25, 1897. 
 
 Mch. Ifi, 1898. 
 Apr. 22, 1S9(). 
 
 Corporal. 
 May 2, 1899. 
 
COL. C. E. 15L1:YE1{. 
 Aide-de Camp. 
 
1m,inois National Guards. 77 
 
 CHAPTEK VII. 
 
 Till': Sixth Ri::(ii.mi:\t |]axi). Its ( )k(;anizati()X and 
 History Briefly Told. 
 
 It is to be much regretted that a more complete and 
 detailed history of this organization was not obtained as, 
 in the position it has held for the past five years and 
 connected as it is with the Sixth Regiment Illinois Na- 
 tional (xuards, its members are highly esteemed by the 
 enlisted men of the regiment and comrades they are in 
 every sense of the word. More especially is this trii? of 
 its members and the men of companies I and E. Com- 
 bined they represent Whiteside County in the ranks of 
 the State troops of Illinois. The tie of comradeship 
 which binds them together is stronger and more lasting 
 than that which connects them with the men of the re- 
 mainder of the regiment which is lacking in the feeling 
 of friendship arising from personal acquaintances exist- 
 ing among the band boys and the boys oi I and E. For 
 this reason every available fact was eagerly grasped and 
 recorded, aiming to make this history and the history of 
 those who may have served the State from Whiteside 
 County as complete and entire as possible. 
 
 Very little can be related, with which the reader is 
 not familiar, concerning the Sixth Regiment Band, pos- 
 
78 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 sibly better known as the Keystone of Sterling. It was 
 organized in Rock Falls, 111., during the year of 1872 
 under the leadership of Freeman D. Rosebrook. Not long 
 after the organization was perfected John Kadel became 
 its leader and under this efficient management the band 
 became famous as a musical organization even beyond 
 the borders of our own State. 
 
 It has long been recognized as one of the most accom- 
 plished organizations of its kind in the State and its 
 members have every reason to be proud of its thirty 
 years of honorable record. 
 
 Director Kadel retired in the summer of 1896 and the 
 guiding reins were placed in the hands of Professor F. 
 C. Nixon. The headquarters were removed across the 
 river and it became a Sterling organization where it has 
 since remained. 
 
 During the same year it entered the service of the 
 State as official band of the Sixth Regiment, Illinois Na- 
 tional Guards, which position it retains today. At every 
 annual encampment of State troops the band is found 
 marching at the head of the regiment, a position of hon- 
 or. In the commodious band stand erected on the 
 grounds, nightly concerts are given, which are very 
 pleasing to the tired soldiers and hundreds of visitors, 
 who throng the spacious camp grounds. But to be seen 
 at its best and to be fully appreciated, one should view 
 and hear the band during dress parade, in which it takes 
 a very prominent part. 
 
 The regiment is usually formed in double rank, ex- 
 tending in one continuous line nearly the full length of 
 the parade grounds. The Colonel and his staff take their 
 position on the opposite side of the grounds in front 
 of and facing the regiment. In the rear and to the right 
 
Illinois National (ji akds. 70 
 
 and U'l't <»t" till- CuKjiicI. tin- open field is l)lack with tlu' 
 ninss of visiting citizens, who (•oiii^rc^atc re<(ularly to 
 witness the most ])h'asiiij^ and attractive feature in tlie 
 drill of the iid'antry troops. After a short drill in the 
 nwinual of arms and the otHcers are instructed for tlie fol- 
 lowing^ (lav. the hand, from its position on tlie rii^lit of 
 the column, i'uforced by the bu»^le corps, moves forward 
 about fifty [)ace3, makes a half turn to the left and in 
 full view of every one present marches the entire length 
 of the line of motionless men in blue and. countermarch- 
 ing returns to its original position, keeping step, with a 
 long swinging stride to the music, of a lively march, of 
 its own production. The bugle corps sounds '"retreat" 
 and as the last echoes of the clear and resonant notes die 
 away in the surrounding hills, the evening gun booms 
 forth the soldiers good night, the band strikes up the 
 animating notes of the national air, "The Star Spangled 
 Banner,'' the retdining figures (]uickly arise, come lo 
 an "attention" and bare their heads to a man, old glory 
 which has floated proudly from the tall flagstaff through- 
 out the day is slowly lowered to the gi'ound and put a- 
 way until another sunrise. 
 
 For a brief moment, (juiet. verging on painfuhiess, 
 reigns over the scene and everyone is motionless as a 
 statue. 
 
 The shades of night are falling. The shadows in the 
 neijjhboring woods lengthen and become deeper and 
 more indistinct. Not a sound is heard to mar ihv etfect 
 of the last sweet strains of melody as it floats softly o'er 
 the green sward, touching a responsive (diord in every 
 heart, tilling the breast of everv one present with a lire 
 and zeal experienced only on such occasions ami tlilTicult 
 to portray 
 
80 History op^ Companies I. and E. 
 
 Surely it is an inspiring moment. As those men stand 
 with heads uncovered, doing homage to a great nation, 
 an indescribable sense of })ride and pleasure steals over 
 them. They are proud with the thought that the em- 
 blem of liberty and freedom, which was that moment 
 lowered from view, and which was purchased and has 
 been protected by the hearts blood of so many of our 
 countrymen, was their flag: proud of the fact that they 
 are children of this great union of states and citizens of 
 this grand old state of Illinois, which gave to us such 
 patriots as Abraham Lincoln, l^lysses S. Grant and 
 John A. Logan, and pleased that they are privileged to 
 serve that State even in the humble capacity of an ob- 
 scure member of the National Guard, and in that mo- 
 ment they feel they have received full recompense for 
 the many hours of tiresome work given at home that 
 they might be present at this time. The little child 
 standing by the mothers side is strangely affected and 
 looks wonderingly up into her face all unconscious that 
 he is receiving the tirst lessons in the teachings of patri- 
 otism and love of country, but the seed is sown and an 
 impression is made on that young mind, never to be for- 
 gotten. 
 
 The tension is relaxed and with one accord hats are 
 replaced and all is bustle and confusion. Hoarse com- 
 mands are given and repeated, the regiment is formed 
 into a column of companies, the band takes its position 
 in the frcmt and they pass in review before the command- 
 ing officer of the regiment and the public, each company 
 vieing wnth the others in an attempt to preserve a solid 
 front and an unwavering line. They then return to their 
 quarters, the days duties are over. 
 
 To the onlooker it is a beautiful scene and one long to 
 
MAJOR A. T. TOURTILLOTT 
 
 Sixth Infantry. 
 
Illinois National (juakds. SI 
 
 1h- rLMiK-inbLTi'd. Willi each ocneraliuri arisiii^^ ainoiii;- 
 siK-li scenes and reeeivini;- the teachings of such lessons 
 on ever\- hand I'roni early childhood to manhood, who 
 can ever doubt the integrity of our country; who can 
 even imagine the time to come when the stars and 
 stripes will lie trampled in the dust and our people 
 humbled bv defeat? Not you or L nor our children or 
 our children's children. Centuries must elapse before 
 such a wonderful change could take place. 
 
 An Englishman, making a tour of the United States, 
 while riding across the country one day made the ac- 
 tpiaintance of an elderly gentleman, who- was sitting in 
 ihe seat beside him. The conversation drifted to inter- 
 national affairs and to the matter of the mere 1 andful of 
 soldiers which represented our standing army. The 
 Englishman put the ciuestion to the old gentleman -If 
 difliculties should arise with a foreign country and troops 
 called for, where would you get your soldiers?" Point- 
 ing out through the car window to where a half a do/en 
 men were working in the fields, the old gentleman re- 
 plied --If war ca<me upon us and a call for troops was 
 made, at least five of that half dozen men would throw 
 down their tools and hurry to the nearest recruiting sta- 
 tion and so it would be all over our land." "But can 
 they fight" (queried the Englishman. "It was such men 
 as those that made it possible for us to whip you twice." 
 replied the old man "and if we ever get into trouble 
 with you again, we will go over to your country, put a 
 rope on that little island of yours and tow it back home 
 with us." At that the Englishman excused himself and 
 moved up to the next car. 
 
 A regiment of soldiers without a band may be com- 
 pared to a horse whose driver has lost his whip. He 
 
82 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 may plod along in a manner but the moment the lash is 
 regained and begins to tickle his back he takes a new 
 lease on life, pricks up his ears, arches his neck and 
 stepping high corr.pletes the journey at race horse speed. 
 So it is with the soldier. He may be ever so weary, 
 and his thoughts wandering far from his immediate 
 surroundinfTs, but the instant the band strikes the tirst 
 note the spirit which lies dormant, awakens, and he is 
 again the animated, watchful soldier with the welfare of 
 his country uppermost in his mind and he moves about 
 with a free step and light heart. 
 
 In tune of service, or should the regiment get into 
 action, the duties of the members of the band are to as- 
 sist the hospital corps in aiding and caring for the 
 wounded. 
 
 When the call for troops came and the Sixth regiment 
 was ordered to Camp Tanner for service in war. the 
 band boarded the train and reported for duty but unfort- 
 unately there were no provisions made for a band organ- 
 ization in the volunteer regiments. In Governor Tan- 
 ner's instructions from Secretary of War. R. A. Alger, 
 he was advised that "bands will be organized from the 
 strength of the regiments as in the regular army." 
 Thus it will be seen that it could not be mustered into 
 the government service as a whole, and on May ist 
 nearly all of the band returned to their homes. John 
 Prestine and Fred Forbes remained at Springfield and 
 organized a volunteer band from the enlisted men of 
 the regiment who were detailed from the different com- 
 panies for this duty. John Prestine was appointed Chief 
 Musician and Fred Forbes was made principal musicirin. 
 
 Upon the muster-out of the volunteer service and the 
 return home of the Sixth Regiment, the Sterling band 
 
Im.inois National (jiiAuns. 83 
 
 naturally assumed its former position with comrade 
 Prestine as leader. 
 
 The three years following have been vcars of con- 
 tinued success and while in attendance at Camp Lincoln 
 during the last tour of dut\' it gave ample jiroof of its 
 abilities, each man is an artist and a credit to the regi- 
 ment. 
 
 In the years to come, bringing with them the man\' 
 inevitable changes, may the good wishes of the men of 
 the regiment follow the members of the band as stead- 
 fastly as has the kindly feeling which has existed in the 
 eventful years past. 
 
PART 11. 
 
mm STATES VOLIJNTliEll SERVICE, 
 
 SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR OF 1898. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 ANXIOUS DAYS 
 
 Bv far the most interesting epoch in the history of the 
 IlHnois National Guard occurred during the period cov- 
 ering their services as U. S. Volunteers in the Spanish 
 American War of 1898. 
 
 The causes which led up to this war are familiar to 
 all. The long and determined struggle for freedom, of 
 the people of the Island of Cuha has gone down in 
 historv. Under Spanish rule tht-y had been bled b}' 
 taxation for hundreds of years. They had been tyran- 
 ized and made to suffer indignations beyond all human 
 endurance. The Governor Generals of the island were 
 selected by the government of the mother country, Spain, 
 apparently for their cruelty. For this quality they were 
 world renowned and they practiced it upon these help- 
 less people un-relentlessly. year after year, crushing and 
 grinding them into veritable slavery, in the hopes of thus 
 keeping their spirit broken and allowing no opportunity 
 
88 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 to arise giving the people a foothold whereby they could 
 make a stand for themselves. But Spain's efforts were 
 fruitless and with a mere handful of loyal soldiers, under 
 able leadership the Cubans made such headway as to 
 attract the attention of the civilized nations of the world. 
 
 The loss of the island meant much to the Spanish 
 government. The revenues derived from the system of 
 robbery, hidden under the name of taxation, inaugu- 
 rated years ago and rigidly adhered to, could not well be 
 spared at this time and every effort was made to frus- 
 trate the object of the people of the sunny isle. 
 
 As the war dragged on and on with no prospect of its 
 immediate close, and the funds of the Spanish govern- 
 ment grew more depleted and her national credit more 
 weak, her worst fears were aroused and a policy of 
 butchery and criminal warfare was determined upon and 
 put into practice, never before credited to a civilized na- 
 tion. 
 
 The indignation of the American people knew no 
 bounds. Within a few hours ride of the shores of our 
 own fair land, at our very door, were a people imbibed 
 with the same spirit shown by our fore-fathers in "7^," 
 fighting against great odds, for an object no less noble 
 than did those of the immortal Washington's time, de- 
 termined to suffer death to the last man or secure their 
 independence. 
 
 Helplessly, they saw their homes pillaged and de- 
 stroyed, their wives and families taken from them and 
 driven like cattle, corralled and guarded by the thou- 
 sands, to have insults heaped upon them without stint 
 and to die from starvation in such numbers as to make 
 the beautiful island reek with the stench of the decay- 
 ing, unburied bodies of unfortunate men women and 
 
\VM. F. LAW 11 IE, 
 
 Capt. Co E, Sixth l)if., Vol. 
 
 Present Kank, Major <>th Inf., 111. N. G. 
 
Till-. Wak Ci.ori). s'.» 
 
 children. 
 
 With these heartrending scenes transpiring hefore 
 their very eyes, with the loss of all that makes life beau- 
 tiful and w')rth the living, these men became more deep- 
 ly imbued with the spirit of freedom and a tn-m deter- 
 mination lo give their all to the cau>e. to die fighting for 
 a principle which must be recognized the world over as 
 just and right, and they fought with the desperation of 
 a wounded beast driven in a corner. Spain was as fully 
 determined that success should never crown the efforts 
 of the revolutionists and Spanish soldiers were poured 
 into the island by thousands. The cruelties were in- 
 creased, if such could be, and nothing left undone, no 
 stone remained unturned which could aid in suppressing 
 the insurrection. 
 
 Reports of this system of crime and butchery came to 
 us daily. Sitting by the fireside in our peaceful homes, 
 thinking of the sufferings of the Cuban people in their 
 unequal fight, the history of our own country was 
 ijrought vividly to the fore. The privations and suffer- 
 ings those brave men endured that we might be a free 
 and independent people, expanding and developing into 
 the grandest, and most liberal country on earth, and how 
 in the darkest hour the noble Frenchmen came to our 
 aid and standing shoulder to shoulder with the Ameri- 
 cans, they fought the war to a successful termination. 
 
 The spirit of independence which glowed in the breast 
 of the redoubtable "minute man" of 1776 was inherited 
 and fostered by the generations following and they could 
 not stand idly by and see this wanton destruction con- 
 tinued without making a vigorous protest. lUit Spam 
 would not listen to us. She reckoned without her host. 
 Our people were getting restless and uncontrollable. 
 
90 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 Excitement ran high and all over this broad land could 
 be' heard the ominous sound of war. The distant rum- 
 bling became louder and more distinct, a cloud had risen 
 on the horizon, very small at first but increasing with 
 Fuch rapidit}- as may well have been a warning to the 
 Spanish people, but they were blind to everything, 
 smartino- from the defeats met with at the hands of the 
 Cuban soldiers and they went doggedly forward to their 
 own destruction. 
 
 War, war, war. go where you would one heard 
 nothing but the talk of war. On ever}' street corner 
 groups of excited men congregated. In every village 
 store and in every farm house the sole topic was war. 
 The older ones relating incidents of the Civil War, de- 
 scribing scenes of death and carnage, telling of hair 
 breadth escapes and of deeds of valor performed by 
 men wearing the blue or the grey. The younger men 
 became more enthusiastic with each hour and anxiously 
 awaited for the President to declare war and issue a call 
 for troops. 
 
 In the tpiiet of the homes the father and mother would 
 sit pouring over the- daily papers, closely following 
 every action of the officials at Washington, hoping 
 a<i^ainst hope that the war clouds might clear away with- 
 out the necessity of throwing our peaceful land into the 
 turmoil of an armed c6nflict with the dark and treacher- 
 ous people beyond the sea. 
 
 Not that they would withhold the aid which they 
 knew our people would tender the intrepid Cuban sold- 
 ier. Not that they feared the final result of such action. 
 Rut thev had passed through the ordeal years before 
 and they knew the horrors of war and the distressing- 
 scenes brought about by it and their thoughts flew back- 
 
Oi.r) Mrmorits Rf.vivf.i). 01 
 
 ward to the chirk days of 1861 and 65. A^^ain they saw 
 the father, husband or son marching away to face un- 
 known dangers perhaps never to return, they heard the 
 roar of the cannon as it belched forth its liery Ihune and 
 hurled its leaden messenger of death into the midst of 
 the loval men who rallied about the stars and stripes 
 when danger threatened the honor of our glorious re- 
 public. Closing their eyes they could again see it all. 
 The mangled forms of the dead and dying lying all 
 about. The wounded calling for succor an».i aiding each 
 other. The scene is changed and they see long rows 
 of trenches tilled with the bodies of unknown heroes 
 who had given their all for the love of their country. 
 
 Then came the search for missing loved ones. The 
 mother looking for the son, the wife for the husband and 
 father and the gentle timid maiden searching for her 
 sweetheart. Perhaps he is found among the wounded, 
 and again they may search in vain, at last to turn reluct- 
 antly away, with a heavy heart, realizing their dear one 
 lies in an unknown grave, sleeping side by side with 
 hundreds of his brave but unfortunate comrades. -Mus- 
 tered out.'", for him the last long roll has sounded. An- 
 other scene presents itself. The return of the soldier. 
 He comes slowly down the old familiar path, the v»ait- 
 ing wife or mother hurries, with extended arms to greet 
 him, she stops and her arms fall listlessly to her side, 
 her heart stands still, overflowing with pride and love 
 and sorrow. 
 
 There he stands, in faded blue, with white and 
 haggard face. The empty sleeve or the crutch upon 
 which he rests, speaks volumes or the hungry eager 
 look and the wasted emaciated form may tell the story 
 of weeks and months of prison life which was worse 
 
92 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 than death. Can this be the man who, not long before, 
 marched proudly away, so full of life and vigor and 
 now stands before her as helpless as a child .^ He 
 totters and is about to fall, she springs forward closing 
 him in a long fond embrace and they find relief in their 
 mingling tears. 
 
 This man to whom home and family were precious, 
 this man who perhaps must go through life maimed and 
 crippled, an object of pity to all his fellow men, broke home 
 ties, turnino- from his loved ones with an aching heart, to 
 sacrifice his all if need be on the altar of his country. And 
 why? Because that independent, liberty -loving spirit 
 born in every true American, places the love and honor 
 of his flag and his country before all else. There are 
 no sacrifices he will not make, no dangers he dare not 
 face when the hour of peril comes. 
 
 As the parents sat dreamily thinking of these trou- 
 blesome days the full meaning of war and its many pain- 
 ful scenes came forcibly to their minds. They realize 
 that should the call to arms come, their sons will be 
 among the first to volunteer, and their hearts are heavy 
 with dread and anxious waiting. They will not put 
 forth a staying hand. They will not detain them, but 
 they will part from them with a full realization of what 
 they may expect. The kind father, the gentle mother 
 and the loving wife all had their doubts and fears and 
 the suspense was very trying. 
 
CAl'T. W. F. COI.EBAU(;il, 
 Commanding Co. I, Vol. 
 
The Maink Disastkr. 93 
 
 CHAPTER 11. 
 
 With a single voice our people were iiri^niii,^ tlie 
 Washington government to make a decided stand to rec- 
 ognize the Cuban revolutionists as l)elligerents and de- 
 clare war if necessary. Cooler heads saw the toUv of 
 rushing madly into this contlict. If war must come, 
 it was of the utmost importance that extensive pre])arations 
 should be made and carried forward energeticallv. 
 There must come a test of strength on the sea. The 
 fleet of naval vessels was increased and put into condi- 
 tion with all possible speed. These floating fortresses 
 were of the newest designs and equipp^^d with all the 
 modern munitions of war, yet they were practically un- 
 tried, and many were fearful of the outcome should there 
 come a clash between these monster flcrhtin.j^-machines 
 and those of the Spanish navy. 
 
 With every indication pointing to an early outbreak, 
 an incident occurred which forced matters to a climax 
 and brought our people to their feet with a bound. The 
 first class battleship Maine, while lyiii ^^ in a friendly har- 
 bor, bent upon a peaceful mission, was l)lown up froui an 
 external explosion, and more than two hundred and fifty 
 souls were hurled into eternity, without a moment's warn- 
 ing. These American seamen, lying asleep in their ham- 
 mocks, all unconscious of the |)ending danger, were mur- 
 
94 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 dered by a villainous hand and cries of vengeance were 
 heard on every side, coupled with the sobs of anguish 
 and distress from the lips of bereaved parents, wives and 
 sweethearts. Our hearts went out to the dead and dying 
 heroes and from the Atlantic to the Pacific, from the 
 Great Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico, our people rose as 
 one man and demanded satisfaction. An eye for an eye, 
 a tooth for a tooth, yes and tenfold. 
 
 The Maine was blown up while lying in the harbor 
 of Havana, Cuba, February 15th, 1898. 
 
 •A board of inquiry was appointed to investigate 
 the cause of the explosion and proceeded to Havana and 
 beo-an its investig^ation Februarv 21st. After an ex- 
 haustive examination of the wreck, and after taking the 
 testimony of witnesses and of experts, the board reported 
 on the 2ist of March that the Maine had been destroyed 
 by the explosion of a submarine mine, but that it was 
 unable to fix the responsibility upon any person or per- 
 sons. It was evident that the cause of the disaster must 
 have been from the outside." 
 
 Although this board of inquiry failed to point out the 
 guilty ones, the American people were quick to decide 
 the question in their own minds and no amount of argu- 
 ment could induce them to think difPerently. They 
 eagerly awaited the declaration of war and the beginning 
 of hostilities that the men might shoulder their muskets 
 and be off to wreak vengeance on the heads of this treach- 
 erous foe who worked under the cover of darkness and 
 "stabbed innocent men in the back.'" Our dislike for 
 the Spanish was equal to that of the Cubans, and no 
 power on earth could stem the tide or turn back the wave 
 of righteous indignation which swept over this broad 
 land. 
 
Wak Di:ci,.\ki:i). '.••") 
 
 Oil April 2 1st, 1898, Congress declared war. I'lider 
 an act of Congress. ap[)roved April 22nd. 1898. and is- 
 sued Ai)ril 23rd. the President made a call for 125,000 
 volunteers. 
 
 The following is an extraet from a telegram receiv- 
 ed by the Governor of Illinois from the War Department 
 at Washington: 
 
 Washixciton, D. C, xIpril 25x11. 1898. 
 
 The Governor of Illinois- 
 
 The number of troops from your State under the 
 call of the President, dated April 23, 1898, will be seven 
 regiments of infantry and one regiment of cavalry. It 
 is the wish of the President that the regiments of the 
 National Guard or State Militia shall be used as far as 
 their numbers will permit, for the reason that they 'are 
 armed, equipped and drilled. * * * * 
 
 R. A. Algeb, 
 
 Secretary of War. 
 
 Previously, on February 17th. while the G^-neral As- 
 sembly of Illinois was in extra session, it adopted reso- 
 lutions, authorizing the Governor "to tender to the 
 President of the United States all moral and material sup- 
 port that may be necessary in this emergency to main- 
 tain the proper dignity of our republic and the liDiior of 
 the American flag."' 
 
 •'It will thus be seen that Illinois, through lu-r i)at- 
 riotic Governor, was tlu> tirst of all the rnioii to assure 
 the President of the United States that the moral and 
 material support of a great State was his. that Illinois, 
 with all her treasures of men and money, with all her 
 wealth of patriotic blood, was ready to supimrt him. tin- 
 honor of our cfumtry and the flag of our Union. 
 
96 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 — From thy valleys and thy prairies, Illinois, 
 
 Illinois. 
 
 Illinois was the first state in the Union to mobolize its 
 volunteer quota under the first call, the first to be mus- 
 tered into the United States service; the first to report for 
 duty at the volunteer camps and during each stage of the 
 war, Illinois was represented in the van both on land and 
 sea. History not only repeats itself but adds luster to a 
 glorious name. Thus it was with Illinois in the Spanish - 
 American War. Its citizen soldiery cast aside peaceful 
 pursuits and adapted itself to the nef'ds of war with an 
 ease and brilliancy eclipsed by no other State in the 
 Union. Its infantry organizations were within the arena 
 of combat, both in Cuba and Porto Rico, while its sailors 
 enjoyed a peculiar distinction on board the victorious 
 vessels of war at Santiago, in which no other State 
 shares. 
 
 This is not fulsome praise, but simply what history 
 will chronicle when the events of the war and the hero- 
 ism of each component body of the American army, are 
 viewed in the light of a well balanced judgment. 
 
 Illinois' ready response to the call for volunteers 
 was an inspiration in itself. The massing of an army of 
 over 8,000 citizen-soldiers at the State rendezvous with- 
 in twenty-four hours after the call was flashed to every 
 community and village of the State, was a feat unsur- 
 passed. 
 
 Each regiment responded "Ready" without asking 
 any conditions, what the rations would be, without 
 thought of the trials, discomforts and inevitable hard- 
 ships of soldiers in the field. It was the buoyant, strong 
 and healthy manhood of the State which spoke in ac- 
 cents of patriotism that could not be doubted. Behind 
 
GOODICIL B. DILLON, 
 
 1st Lieut. Co. E, Vol. 
 
Illinois' Ri;ai)n Ri.sponsk. <>7 
 
 this <,n-c'at army of cili/en-soklicrs which IHiiiois offered 
 as its first contrilnition of tit^lilinf; material to the gov- 
 ernment, stood an army, nondescript, undiscipHned, but 
 tired by patriotic zeal, all evi ncing with one accord, 
 eagerness to bear the standard of Illinois into every field 
 of battle. This was the provisional army which rallied 
 as if by magic in every village, town and large commun- 
 ity in the State. 
 
 The States of the union which had as many troops 
 right in the centers of conflict, upon which the eyes of 
 the world were focused, may be counted on the fingers 
 of one hand. By far the larger portion of the first army 
 sent out in response to President McKinley's call for 
 125,000 volunteers, took the oath to join federal service 
 with many years of State militia service to its credit. 
 These men knew how to handle their guns, understood 
 the manual of arms and maintained a standard of dis- 
 cipline which was a rarity in most volunteer troops. 
 The professions, trades and occupations which the vol- 
 unteers of Illinois abandoned to defend the honor of the 
 nation and help liberate the victims of Spanish misrule, 
 embraced every imaginary calling from the highest to 
 the humblest. 
 
 Little wonder then that the Statte of Illinois is proud 
 of the men who represented her in the war with Spain. 
 
 In the trenches before Santiago, or on the warships 
 with Sampson and Schley, making forced marches 
 across the Island of Porto Rico, skirmishing with the 
 Spaniards or guarding the yellow fever hospitals, in 
 camp as well as in the field the men from Illinois — in- 
 fanlrv. artiller\-. cavalr\-. engineers and marines accjuil- 
 ed themselves with credit to their stale. 
 
 And if those in one regiment or detachment or 
 
98 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 branch of the service apparently acquired more honor 
 and fame than those in another, it was merely because 
 their opportunities t\^ere greater. So far as it was per- 
 mitted them, every man displayed the courage and forti- 
 tude that combine to make the hero, and every one did 
 his full duty to his country. - In honoring them Illinois 
 honors herself. 
 
 In considering these matters, it should be borne in 
 mind that the most soldierly qualities may be found in 
 camp as well as on the field of battle: that while $15.60 
 a-month may pay a man for acquiring fame for himself 
 under fire, it requires a large measure of devotion to 
 country to accept it without protest as full recompense 
 for the irksome and thankless duties of garrison or 
 camp life. The men who passed the summer in camps, 
 drilling and preparing themselves for the duties it was 
 expected would devolve upon them later, have to add 
 dissapointment to whatever else they may have endured. 
 Their opportunity did not come, and the tendency of the 
 world is to overlook the devotion and courage that do 
 not bor<ier on the sensational. 
 
 TO THE Volunteers of Illinois. 
 
 Troops the nation called one day, 
 Men of valor, strong and steady; 
 
 Ere the echo died away 
 
 Illinois had answered "Ready." 
 
 While the call was yet resounding. 
 
 Came the boys from bench and stool; 
 From the town and farms surroanding, 
 
 Eager students in war's school; 
 lioys from every walk aQd station, 
 
 Sons of parents rich and poor, 
 Stirred to righteous indignation 
 
 By the suffering at our door. 
 
Volunteers of Illinois. 99 
 
 Death and danger all unheeded, 
 
 Fearing neither sword nor ball, 
 Three and four fold more tiian needed 
 
 Ans\vered to the nation's call; 
 Every youth cur thanks deserving 
 
 For a duty nobly done, 
 Faith and purpose most unswerving. 
 
 Though no lield his daring won. 
 
 Jn the camps and on the ocean, 
 
 Braving Cuba's tropic heat. 
 Proving ever their devotion, 
 
 Knowing nothing of defeat; 
 All they had thus bravely tendered, 
 
 Here and ther*^ death claimed a boy 
 Freely but with tears surrendered 
 
 By the State of Illinois. . 
 
 Troops the nation called one day, 
 
 Men of valor, strontf arid steady; 
 Ere the echo died away 
 
 Illinois had answered "Ready.'' 
 
 Elliott Flowek. 
 
100 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 From the hour that the news was received that war 
 had been declared, excitement increased. The men of 
 the National Guard were speculating on the probabili- 
 ties of their being called to the front. There apptc-red 
 to be but little room for doubt in this matter, yet it was 
 very uncertain until the company commanders received 
 orders to increase the ranks of the enlisted men to the 
 maximum, eighty-five, and to prepare for a hurried de- 
 parture on receipt of orders to move. "Shortly after 
 twelve o'clock on the morning of April iwenty-sixth, 
 Captains Colebaugh and Lawrie received telegraphic 
 instructions from Colonel D. J. Foster to report with 
 their companies at the State Fair Grounds, near Spring- 
 field, not later than noon of April twenty-seventh. 
 The Illinois National Gaurd was to mobolize at this 
 point for war service. 
 
 This brought matters to a crisis and a long list of 
 emergency men was added to the register of the regu- 
 lar enlisted men of the companies. They came from all 
 directions, on foot, on horseback and by train. They 
 came from the farms, and country towns surrounding, 
 from the schools, the stores and the professions until 
 there was room for no more, all eager and anxious to 
 don the blue that their fathers wore a generation back. 
 
E. C. LAWTOX, 
 1st Lieut. Co. 1, Sixth 111. Vol. 
 
Farewem, to Ho.mk. 101 
 
 On sober thought it was a serious matter aiul to many 
 it meant a battle within themselves, but whatever mis- 
 Ljivings were brought to the fore they were thrust to 
 one side and the single idea of taking a place in the 
 ranks, side by side with loyal friends, was kept con- 
 stantly before them. 
 
 With their names once entered on the roll, none but 
 a coward would flinch from the duties which were be- 
 fore them, regardless of their nature. This thought 
 gave them courage to look the situation squarly in the 
 face and to part with their loved-ones with a sense of 
 fulfilling a duty which they felt was theirs although it 
 might Uican a long and possibly last separation. The 
 instinct for fair treatment was aroused within them and 
 they were spoiling for a fight, not a disgraceful slug- 
 ging match but an honorable meeting with the foe they 
 had learned to dislike so heartily, where the whole 
 world stood by as judges and right and justice would 
 triumph. 
 
 Naturally, the home towns of the two companies of 
 National Guards became the central points for the con- 
 gregating of the many citizens of the county. As the 
 day wore on the crowds increased to unparalelled 
 proportion! with amazing rapidity. The moments and 
 hours passed quickly, and the hour for departure was 
 close at hand before it was fully realized. The good- 
 byes were yet to be said, and many a friend almost for- 
 gotten in the hurry and excitement came forward with 
 outstretched hands and although no outward sign was 
 visible, true friendship could be read in the hearty clasp 
 of the hand and gazing straight into each others eyes, 
 they san something there which strangely impressed 
 them and they knew that the good-byes and'good-wishes 
 
102 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 which were being said, were not thoughtlessly given, 
 but came from the heart. 
 
 Not for years had there been such a gathering of the 
 citizens as occurred in these towns on that memorable 
 day. Young and old, rich and poor alike, jostled each 
 other in an attempt to secure a point of vantage. Men 
 there were in those lines who were among strangers, 
 yet they were quickly made to see that every one was 
 their friend. The events occuring in those fleeting mo- 
 ments were indelibly stamped upon the minds of all who 
 were present, and to the volunteer, it marked the he- 
 ginning of an epoch in his life, the picture of which, 
 Father Time, wielding his ever ready sickle, can not 
 dim. and in after years, in reflecting on the past, he 
 may, in imagination, wander back to those davsand feel 
 truly thankful that it was his lot to be irmong ihe fortun- 
 ate ones who could in no other manner give proof of 
 their true Americanism. Hundreds more there were 
 ready and willing to serve their country but at that time 
 there was no room for them and they could do nothing 
 but remain at home. 
 
 Not the least conspicuous among the throng were 
 the veterans of the war of the rebellion. Old men with 
 bent forms and locks of silvery grey, the hand of time 
 resting heavily upon them were made young again; they 
 stood erect and their eyes shone brightlv. while their 
 thoughts wandered back to the days of their youih and 
 they imagined they were again^ in the ranks wearing the 
 blue. They seemed to hear the stirring notes of the 
 martial music as it pealed forth from fife and drum and 
 they were once more among the "flelds of cotton and of 
 cane," fighting over the battles of nearly two score 
 3'ears ago where oft times brother met brother and 
 
Tim; () I.I) \'i/n:i<.\N I03 
 
 tatlu'i" nun son in a dospcratc strui;i;le lor sujircniacy. 
 
 As tlu'se loni;' to be iLMnrinbercd scenes llitted rapid- 
 ly before them their hearts grew warm and the patriotic 
 tire which burned so tiercly in their breasts long years 
 ago but w Inch had slumbered for a generation, was re- 
 kiiullcd and llanied up with renewed strength and vigor; 
 thev, for the moment, forgot their surroundings and 
 looking beyond the swaying crowds saw many familiar 
 faces the memory of which the lapse of time had 
 dimmed. Tender recollections flooded their minds and 
 they were lost to the bustle and activity about them un- 
 til awakened from their dreams with a start as the com- 
 mand ••attention"' rang out sharp and clear and the eager 
 boys, soldiers of another generation, fell 'quickly into 
 line to receive their final orders before boarding the 
 awaiting train. 
 
 The old soldier cast a critical eye down the line of 
 youthful faces and mentally repeated, it is well for them 
 that they know not what ma}^ be before them and he 
 thanked God that Mason and Dixons Line has been 
 swept away and if go they must and should their lot 
 bring them to an honorable death on the field of battle 
 they were taking no chance of being laid low by the 
 hand of one of their own fiesh and blood. There was 
 but one sentiment among the people; not two but 
 seventy millions of souls with but a single thought. No 
 more substantial evidence of this fact could have been 
 established than did Congress, when, without a dissent- 
 ing voice, it voted fifty millions of dollars into the hands 
 of President McKinley as an emergency fund in prepar- 
 ing the troops for the field. Not alone was this proof 
 of the sentiment of the people as to the action they 
 considered necessarv but it algo bore witness of the 
 
104 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 implicit faith and confidence which they placed in the 
 man at the helm. 
 
 After the final preparations were made and all in 
 readiness, those boys, in whose keeping was placed the 
 honor of Whiteside county, in this test of strength with 
 a foreign foe. marched out into the night and down 
 the street through the living lanes to the depot; the 
 crowds cheering themselves hoarse in an effort to show 
 their appreciation of the offering made by the boys in 
 line in thus voluntarily placing their slight aid at the 
 disposal of the government. As they drew near the 
 station the crowds became more dense and it was a 
 difficult matter to make ones way through the throng. 
 For numbers and enthusiasm no such gatherings had 
 been witnessed since the days of the Civil war. 
 
 With but a few moments at their disposal the boys 
 bade their friends and relatives a last farwell; the 
 mothers, sisters and wives, smiling through their tears, 
 admonished the departing soldiers to remember the 
 homes they were about to leave and those about them; 
 the sweethearts, forgetting their natural timidity, turned 
 blanched faces upward to the quiet, thoughtful visages 
 of the youthful soldiers to receive the parting caresses 
 and breathing words of encouragement into each others 
 ears, they separated; the kind fathers and brothers ill at 
 ease yet cheerfull, grasped the outstretched hands and 
 in the glare of the nearby arc lights, in a low but 
 earnest tone, cautioned the volunteers to do their duty 
 as soldiers fearlessly; that unlooked for trials might 
 come and in the dark hours for them to remember that 
 the eyes of the folks at home were upon them and their 
 hearts with them always; that in the history of our 
 country many high examples of the faithful, patroitic 
 
J. FRANK WAHL, 
 
 2nd Lieut. Co. E Vol. 
 Later, Capt. Co. E, 111. X. G. 
 
BoAui)iN(; rill. Cars. 105 
 
 soldier shone forth and should the occasion demand it, 
 much would be expected from the volunteer soldiers of 
 1898; they placed every confidence in their courajje and 
 abilities and would eagerly await their triumphal home 
 cominir, certain that they would bring with them such 
 records as would establish new marks in history of the 
 qualities of the American Volunteer soldier. 
 
 The clanging of the engine bell was the singal for 
 the waiting soldiers to board the cars and amid the wild 
 cheering of the throngs they were off. 
 
 Company I with three commissioned officers and 
 eightv-five men left Morrison at ten o'clock on the 
 night of April 26th, Walter Burritt. Quartermaster Ser- 
 geant of the first Battalion accompanying them; arriving 
 at Sterling twenty minutes later they were joined by 
 company E with three commissioned officers and eighty 
 men, also the Sixth Regiment Band, with John 
 Prestine, Chief musician and Fred Forbes, principal 
 musician. Regimental Surgeon, Frank Antl ony, Cap- 
 tain Ben Kick, Regimental Sergeant Major, Ned John- 
 son and Hospital Stewards John Kline, Fred Brown and 
 Howard Geyer, of the Sixth Regiment, all of Sterling 
 also boarded the special train here. 
 
 Leaving Sterling at ten fortN'-five p.m. we were 
 again enroute. Little time for serious consideration and 
 thought had been given us. Now that we were alone 
 and away from the excitement which had prevailed for 
 some time previous to our departure, the countenances 
 of many of those in the half lighted cars grew serious as 
 the full realization of what might be before us dawned 
 upon them. There was not the slighest indication of 
 fear, but scanning the faces of our comrades, a resolute 
 look was readily discernable which bespoke of deter-. 
 
106 History of Companies T and E. 
 
 mined minds and a settled purpose, and, inexperienced 
 as * we were in the trials and possible danc^ers of war, 
 we were alive to the situation and with our hearts in the 
 work which was before us and a just God to watch o'er 
 and protect us, we felt that all would end well. 
 
 With the last tender good-byes and i^ood wishes 
 of our friends and relatives still ringing in our ears, it 
 naturally left us somewhat low spirited, but the dull- 
 ness was soon dispelled and as we rolled into Dixon at 
 eleven o'clock we were as jolly as a pleasure party. 
 
 We were backed over the Y to the Illinois Central 
 tracks avoiding the march between depots and giving 
 us through car service to Springfield, which was mnch 
 appreciated by us. 
 
 We were ordered to lay here, awaiting the arrival 
 of company M of Galena, General Grants old home. 
 
 Companies I and E. headed by the Sixth Regiment 
 Band, marched down town to company G's armory and 
 were lunched by the patriotic people of Dixon. The 
 lateness of the hour having no apparent effect on the 
 number or enthusiasm of the throng which had gath- 
 ered to witness the departure ot their own soldier boys 
 and we were treated royally. 
 
 At four o'clock the following morning. April 27th, 
 companies I and E enforced by G of Dixon and M of 
 Galena, boarded the cars for the final ride to Spring- 
 field. We were given a very creditable run from 
 Dixon, making but few stops. We picked up company 
 K of Lamoille at Mendota, this making a heavy train of 
 eleven coaches, all crowded, and three large box cars of 
 baggage. 
 
 Company L ot Freeport. which had been following 
 us with a veryMight train passed us here. 
 
JCNKOri'l'. TO Si'KlNCII 1",I,I). 107 
 
 As wc reached the coal mining district the boys be- 
 j^aii to arouse themselves, and as we neared LaSalle 
 iniiier> heL,Mn lo pop up all around us on both sides of 
 the s\vit'il\- inoxini^ train: from every direction we could 
 see them with the small lamps attached to their caps 
 and dinner buckets in hand, soon they would be lowered 
 into the bowels of molher earth, there in the darkness to 
 toil ihroui^^h the long weary hours, digging out the fuel 
 which might ere long furnish the power to drive our 
 might\- warships across the trackless ocean in search of 
 our \\il\- enemies, the Spaniards. 
 
 At every town along the route crowds had gath- 
 ered to cheer us as we sped by. '-Old Glory" could be 
 seen on everv hand. It caused hearts to beat a triile 
 quicker and heads to be thrown back and a very war- 
 like spirit would steal o'er us as we heard the cry of 
 ••Cuba and freedom." The country between LaSjalle 
 and Clinton is tjuite Hat and considerable of this section 
 was under water. 
 
 Arriving at Clinton we were hacked.-, over onto the 
 Spriugiield l)rauch and ran down to the lunch counter. 
 We were given hfteen minutes to lunch, and soon the 
 station grounds were covered with boys with both hands 
 full of fo;rl. We fo'atid another Large gathering here to 
 greet us. 
 
 Chaniifinii: enjjines we were affain on the road with 
 l)iit a few miles intm-vening befori' reaching our (k^stina- 
 tion. Our train was com})elle(l to run (][uite slow at sev- 
 eral points through this section on account of heavy 
 rains having caused several washouts, and at one point 
 in particular the roadbed had been carried away entirely 
 for a stretch of about tiftccn rods, but had been tempor- 
 arily repaired. 
 
108 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 At eleven fifteen we entered Springfield. The State 
 Fair Grounds being some distance from where we enter- 
 ed the city, we were picked up by a switch engine and 
 run down to Camp Tanner, as the rendezvous at the 
 Fair Grounds had been officially designated by Briga- 
 dier General Barkley, Post Commander. A draw bar 
 was pulled out of one of the coaches which caused a de- 
 lay of nearly two hours. We marched into the camp 
 grounds at one thirty p. m. Nearly all of the State 
 troops had arrived in advance of our delayed train. The 
 Third and Sixth regiments were assigned quarters in the 
 Exhibition Building; the First. Second, Fourth and Fifth 
 were located in the various buildings scattered about the 
 grounds. The Seventh was under tents in the center of 
 the race course. Governor Tanner, Commander-in-Chief 
 of the State troops, established headquarters in the 
 Dome Building. The Commissary Department was 
 located in the Poultry Building, separated from our 
 quarters by a long high bridge that spanned a wide, dry 
 ravine which coursed through the grounds. 
 
Akuuai, at Cami* Tanni-'.k. 100 
 
 CHAl'TKR TV. 
 
 Disorder prevailed, niid it was impossible to learn 
 aiiytliiiiij^ re<i^ardiiiof our future uioveiiieiits. The eoui- 
 uiissary sero'eaiits went inuiiediatelv on a t'ora*;'in»>' expe- 
 dition: food was sjarce. hut success finally crowneil 
 their (4Vorts and by night we had coflt'ee boiling and meat 
 cooking. As we were weary and somewhat hungry our 
 first meal in i'ani[) was relished by all. and our drooping 
 spirits were soon revived. Acccmimodations for lodging 
 were poor, and we were initiated in our soldier life by 
 turning in on plaid; and cement fioors with newspapers 
 for coverings. Considering the gigantic task of mobol- 
 izing eight or ten thousand troops from all over the 
 State within twenty-four hours after the call, we felt that 
 we were fortunate in securing the attention that was ours 
 and we did not complain. 
 
 "With the dawn of the following day, (jrder and com- 
 parative (juietness succeeded where chaos and confusion 
 had reigned. We awoke to find sentinels [)atrolling the 
 (quarters, and everything had taken on the aspect of a 
 soldier cam]). Rubbing our eyes and looking about we 
 wondered if we were dreaming; thelast notes of "reveille"' 
 were vibrating through the large building, and after 
 thoroughly shaking ourselves we realized the stern reali- 
 ty of our position. As a rule the boys met the situation 
 
110 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 in a matter of fact way and readily adapted themselves 
 to their surroundings, moving about, attending their 
 duties (juietly and in such a manner as might well have 
 led the casual observer to Ijelieve that soldiering was an 
 every day experience in the lives of many of these men. 
 
 The first act of General James H. Barkley. in com- 
 nimd of the entire Illinois National Guard, until such 
 time as the entire organization was turned over to the 
 government, was to issue his first general order as follows: 
 
 ••By direction of the commander-in-chief. Governor 
 John R. Tanner I hereby assume command of this post. 
 The staff of the Second brigade will act in their ri^spect- 
 ive departments at this post." 
 
 •'The camp will be known in the official correspond- 
 ence as Camp Tanner. The necessary orders fur running 
 the camp followed. Under the order Lieutenant J. Mack 
 Tanner was appointed post adjutant. Lieutenant Colonel 
 George N. Krieder. post surgeon. Major Lincoln Du- 
 Bois, post commissary. Other members of the staff were: 
 General William Clendenin, inspector general. Lieu- 
 tenant Colonel Henry Davis, assistant inspector general. 
 Lieutenant R. D. Loose. Lieutenant George Pashfield, 
 Jr.. Lieutenant Ricard, aides."' 
 
 We w^ere governed by the following service calls; 
 
 Reveille, - - - 5:30 a. m. 
 
 Fatigue call. - - 6;oo a. m. 
 
 Mess call, - - - 6:30 a, m, 
 
 Sick call, - - ' 7:00 a. m. 
 
 Drill call, - - - 8:oO a. m. 
 
 Recall. - - - 9:30 a. m. 
 
 School call, (officers) - 10:30 a. m. 
 
 First sergeant's call. - 11 :00 a. m. 
 
 Mess call, - - I2:00 m. 
 
IC.\i'1".uii:nlI': as KiauuiTs. 
 
 Ill 
 
 Drill .•ail. 
 
 R.H-all. 
 
 Guard uiouiit. 
 
 Mess c-all. - 
 
 AsReuil)Iy j)ara(lf. 
 
 Tattoo. 
 
 Tai)s. 
 
 1:30 1 1, m. 
 3:S" I'. 111. 
 4:30 I'- HI- 
 5:'')0 p. in. 
 6:00 |). m. 
 9:30 p. 111. 
 I0:00 |). 111. 
 
 ^lajor Anthony and iiis corps of assistants were 
 busily engaged in establishing a hospital and equipping it 
 with the necessary cots and blankets, securing a suppl\- 
 of medicines and otherwise iireparing to receixe the sick 
 which experience had taught them would surel\- come. 
 These arrangements were completed none to soon, as the 
 volunteers, many of them unused to the severe training 
 they were gix'en. succumed to the heat and onlv the 
 prompt and etTecti\e treatment recei\-ed at the hos|-iital 
 prevented a number from serious illness. 
 
 The lirst few daws of drilling, to the imitiated. was 
 found to be hard work and had a tendancv to dampen the 
 ardor of a fe^v of the It-ss patriotic. A number of theni 
 found that it would be impossible to remain with the reg- 
 iment as circumstances were such as necessitated their 
 presence at home and all hough the\' regretted \-er\- much 
 to lea\e us yet they were compelled to do so. 
 
 Men in scpiads and fu'l companies, marching and 
 countei'marching cox'ered the camp groimds. Troopers 
 and mounted otlicers galloping here and there gave a 
 very war-like appearance to the camp. 
 
 .\pril twenty ninth. t()m]->anies I and K wei'e gi\en a 
 pri'Iiiiiinary examiiiaiioii. C'omiiain' 1'2 came through the 
 test wiihout ilie loss of a man while C()mpan\- I had se\'en 
 rejected. This examination was given us bv Major An- 
 
112 History of CoMrANiEs I and E. 
 
 thony and his assistants. 
 
 On Saturday. April thirtieth, the Third and Sixth 
 regiments were ordered out for their first long march. 
 It had rained considerable since our arrival and the 
 roads were in bad condition; this added to the other ditli- 
 culties of not being fully prepared for the call made it 
 quite severe for the boys. They made a grand showing, 
 coming in from the five mile tramp with as regular a 
 step and unbroken line as when leaving camp. Orders 
 were issued to continue the practice marches each day 
 and gradually increase the distance to from ten to twenty 
 miles. This was necessary to work the men into con- 
 dition for actual service. 
 
 The following day, Sunday, great crowds of visitors 
 swarmed into camp. It was estimated that nearly fifty 
 thousand people, exclusive of the soldiers, were on the 
 grounds that day. They gazed at us as though we were 
 curiosities. We looked hard in return, searching for a 
 familiar face in the throng. Sometimes we were re- 
 warded with a smile and a nod only to chase the donner 
 up to find it was a case of mistaken identity. The com- 
 pany mess tents were pitched on a hillside, facing the 
 high bridge. During mess the bridge was lined with 
 people watching us devour hard tack and sowbelly. 
 During the Sunday dinner, one of the boys remarked, 
 •'They look at us as though they thought we were a lot 
 of Indians." and another member retorted '-What are we 
 but a lot of Indians?" A running fire of friendly rep- 
 artee was kept up continually between the soldiers and 
 their smiling, good natured visitors. 
 
 Fully one half of the men had not the first mark of 
 a soldier in their dress, and excepting the officers, hardly 
 a man was visible who possessed a complete uniform. 
 

 o n 
 3 E 
 ? 5i 
 
 2 3 
 
I)i;\i;i,or.Mi;N'i" oh riii': Mkn. l\-i 
 
 It was a very noticablc fact that while the volunteer who 
 was fortunate in securin;<r a uniform, was the recipient of 
 nian\- brii^ht smiles and shv Ljlances from the ever pres- 
 ent fair visitors, and much s()u<^ht after by the ladies' 
 affable, incjuisitive. L;"entleman companions; the comrade 
 at his side who had recenth' staked him with his last 
 ijuarter. but who was decked in the garments of an or- 
 dinary citizen, with, perhaps the exception of possessing- 
 a pair of j^overnment socks, met with a cold stare and a 
 "sir!" that caused him to have cold feet, if he ventured 
 to reply to anv of the hundreds of questions which were 
 plied to the --real soldier." Feelincr himself growing 
 smaller each moment the un-uniformed volunteer retired 
 to some quiet corner to reflect on the ways of mankind, 
 the while consoling himself with the thought that al- 
 though he was minus the outward mark of Uncle Sarr.s' 
 servants he was full to overflowing with fight that mo- 
 ment, and he nursed his injured pride tenderly until sought 
 out bv his more fortunate comrade who greeted him with 
 a merry twinkle in his eye and the encouraging remark, 
 ••cheer up comrade, it may not be true." His spirit. 
 dampened for tlie time but naturally buoyant, soon re- 
 vived and the rebuff thoughtlessly given was forgotten. 
 The tirst few days passed quickly. The company 
 commanders were kept hard at work preparing their 
 men for the physical examination, .•securing and issuing 
 clothing and ordnance supplies, making up preparatory 
 muster rolls and linding appar(.Miil\- endless work before 
 them. The men settled down to the task of making 
 soldiers of themselves. They were earnest students in 
 the school of war and worked steadily, becoming more 
 prolicient in the drill and n'.ai.eiivers with each day. 
 The otlicers were all old members of the Natit)nal Guard 
 
114 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 and as a rule were well versed in the tea chin (:rs they be- 
 stowed on the less tutored but willing man in the ranks 
 It was with much pride and pleasure that the officers 
 witnessed the gradual development of the men as they 
 were slowly but surelv transformed from an awkward 
 thronrf into an army of trained troops. True, a few 
 days schooling could not bring about the desired result 
 in attaining such a thorough training as is expected of 
 the regular army man, yet the regular was the ideal for 
 the time being, of the volunteers and settmg their mark 
 hio-h and grasping every opportunity to make iheir ad- 
 vance as rapid as possible, they more readily mastered 
 the difficulties which presented themselves and they 
 foro-ed ahead at a pace as unexpected as it was desired 
 by the officers in command. 
 
 The practice marches were continued each day but 
 the stormy weather which prevailed prevented them 
 from making the distance as originally planned. To the 
 men who had several years of service in the National 
 Guard to their credit, the work came with less fatigue 
 than to those who were receiving their primary teach- 
 ings in the school of war and it was pure grit alone that 
 pulled many of them through when at times it appeared 
 that they were unable to endure the severe training giv- 
 en them. 
 
 The First regiment of cavalry was among the troops 
 early upon the scene. This with the seven regiments of 
 infantry which were there, completed the mobolization of 
 the Illinois troops. In view of the fact that this State 
 was not represented in the artillery branch of the ser- 
 vice, and the eager desire of the batteries to go to the 
 front. Governor Tanner took energetic action to include 
 the artillery in the tirst call, and was lewarded with sue- 
 
l^QniMMNC Till". N'oMlNPl'-KUS. 
 
 11 
 
 cess bv receiv'iii!^ itistiiRlions I'rcjin tlu' Secretary ot War. 
 April iweiitv iiinlli. aiuhori/in*^ liim to furnish one six 
 L^un baltei\' of liijlit aililliT\ . in adciilion to the scxaai rcLj- 
 imenls of infanlr\- and one ol ca\aliy as |irt'\iously in- 
 sl rnt'ted. 
 
 in conforniit\- with this au!horit\- h'ttcr\- A of l)an- 
 \ille. L'ajttaui Thilip \'eaL,'er. coniniandinL,^. and ecjuipped 
 with modern breech-loachivj; ,V - inch ^"uns. was ordered 
 to report at Canij) Tanner. April i hirtieth. for the jiiir- 
 pose oT being mustered into ihe United States vohuiiccr 
 service. The battery arrived in camp that nii;ht. 
 
 On Mav hrst. Go\'ernoi Tanner made an eifort to 
 have balter\- I>. of Galesbur:^-. included in the first call 
 from thii^; State, but the War Department declined t(j in- 
 crease the e^uota from Illinois. 
 
 Equipping" the volunteers wiih the necessary cloth- 
 ini;' and (ordnance supplies was found to be a serious 
 problem. Secretary of War. R. A. Alger requested the 
 State to turn over to the general government, all of the 
 uniforms in possession of the Illinois organizations, also 
 the arms and equipment for tlie time being. General 
 Reese, an.xious V) assist the government in every manner 
 possible, at once entered the mar'ket for campaign hats, 
 leggins. ^hoes and ponchos, and as rapidly as these ar- 
 ticles could be obtained they were i^sued to the troops. 
 
 The United States, and every State in the Union, 
 were Inning clothing and equipments ior their troops. 
 Nearl\- the entire amount of these articles that were on 
 hand had been jiurchased at the first intimation of war. 
 and it was conceded to be almost an accomodation on 
 tlu- [larl of the manufacturer to listen to [iroposals of any 
 kind. 1>\ sencing agents to Chicago and St. Louis, the 
 Statt; secured enougli hats, shoes, leggins. blankets and 
 
IIG History of Companies I and E. 
 
 ponchos, to not only relieve the most pressing needs of 
 tl e troops, but to ht them out fairly well for practical 
 field service. May ninth, Governor Tanner received a 
 telegram from Secretary Alger in which he said, "we 
 wish ever^'thing you can furnish, as the government is 
 going to have hard work to equip its troops in time for 
 service.'" This demonstrattd that even the government 
 could not purchase or manufaclure equipments as rapidly 
 as the necessitv demanded. 
 
 Upon receipt of this advice, the State officials re- 
 doubled their efforts to secure such additional clothing 
 and equipage as was not habituallv issued to the Na- 
 tional Guard, and were required for the volunteers, and 
 all concerned labored night and day to bring the Illinois 
 volunteers under National control at ihe earliest possible 
 moment. 
 
 Thus it may be seen that while the rank and file of 
 the volunteers were perspiring in the broiling sun, step- 
 ping on one anothers heels in a vain effort to be graceful 
 in the evolutions of a soldier; preparing and eating their 
 meals in the rain and mud and sometimes more than half 
 inclined to rebel at the restrictions placed over them; 
 the Commander-in-chief, and his staff, together with the 
 large corps of assistants were receiving the brunt of the 
 work. They felt that they were responsible to a great 
 degree for the health and condition of the thousands of 
 volunteers who had streamed in upon them even before 
 the arrangements were completed as to what disposition 
 should' be made of them until such a time as thev could 
 be turned over to the government. They were in duty 
 bound to care for those men and the numerous obstacles 
 w^hich they met and overcome represented no small vol- 
 ume of labor. They were hampered by the shortage in 
 
r- '? 
 
1Cqi:ii'1'in<; 'riih: Voi.i'ntici'.us. 
 
 11 
 
 su]-)plies of all kinds and only by dinl of energetic work 
 wiili litlk' or no rest were tlu- men fed and clothed. That 
 Illinois was liie lirsl Stale in the union to report ils t|uot.i 
 of volunteers as ready for Held ser\ ice was due U) the 
 tireless and continued efforts of the State otlicials to this 
 end. 
 
118 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 The resrular routine of work was continued day after 
 day and as the men grew more accustomed to their duties 
 they fo'ind a certain amount of pleasure in performing 
 them. It required but a short time to form many new 
 acquaintances among the men of the various regiments; 
 and the hours oflP duty were spent in the large buildings 
 where the practical joker was much in evidence, and the 
 rafters fairly shook with the continued laughter and mer- 
 riment of the hilarious, fun loving lioys. There was no lack 
 of sport and from early morn until taps. Indian war dances 
 accompanied by the regulation whoop, glove contests and 
 amateur theatricals followed u}>on each other closely. 
 
 The entertainment which received the most attention 
 and was put into more general practice, until every man 
 was initiated was lermed ''hot-foot," or •'cheese-malee." It 
 consisted of running the gantlet between two long lines 
 of young fellows with well developed muscles. Each 
 man in the lines armed himself with a strong stick or can- 
 teen strap and as the victim gathered his energies and 
 shot down the narrow lane he received a warming that 
 was remembered for some time, and if he succeeded in 
 escaping punishment from the upper end of the line he 
 was given the full degree by the remaining ones, and as 
 the instruments of torture were plied one after another 
 
I Nl. I Dl'.N'IS ()|- C AMI' I.l I I'".. 1 1 '•• 
 
 in rapid succession tliccMiididatc increased Ids nmnictit nin 
 nnd shut liv tlic last man with the speed ol' ;i i-ace horse. 
 
 ]Iis lii'sl ini pulse was to sit (hiwn and think the matter 
 o\ei- l>ut he no sooner ionnd a resting' place than he con- 
 (dnded it would l)e more conNenient to remain on his feel 
 and for the tirst time since his anival at camp he loii^e(l 
 for the luxury of the old arm chair with its downv cush- 
 ions and padded l)a(d\. \ rv\ fe\v escaped tins tri'al as 
 the nit'ii were considerate to a fault and |)artiality would 
 not t)e tolerated. The ^nnd lhin<^s were not for the few 
 hut were equally distributed to all. To strue^i^de or pro- 
 test was to eventually l)rine- an extra portion tn the 
 friendless victim, and as misery loves company hi' added 
 his mite to the working team and took his revenge on the 
 ha[)less and helph^ss ones who soon came darting down 
 the course. 
 
 At night the scene was an animating one. In tlie 
 building with us was the Third regiment, in all nearly 
 two thousand high spirited young fellows and it was im- 
 possible to keep them quiet. Promptly at ten o'<dock the 
 l)Ugler of the Third Would step out on the stair landing 
 at the upj)er end of the ])uilding and blow t;q)s, and as the 
 men of his regiment snutfed the liuriuTig candles they 
 idieered his efforts to the echo. Immediatel v afterward. 
 the bugler of the Sixth would appear at the opposite land- 
 ing and rej)eat the call for the benefit of the nu'U of his 
 regiment, and among tiie hurrahs of our boNs the fiicki i- 
 ing tianies of the candles in our ipiarters disappeared. 
 This friendly rivalry b, 'tween the buglers of the Tiiird 
 and Sixth and their supporters continued throughout our 
 stay at Camp TaniuM". For a few moments aftei- taps. 
 dee[) s-ilenci- ndgiied thr<nighout the i)uilding. then v. 
 voice from some far away corner would crv out •"have a 
 
120 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 good time and e-n-j-o-y-y-y yourself," then a perfect bed- 
 lam would break loose. A multitude of voices with one 
 accord, joined in a chorus, most hideous and unearthly. 
 Cat calls from the back yard fence, watch dogs, growling 
 and barking on the front porch, hoot owls in the neigh- 
 boring trees, the mooing of cows and bellosving of bulls 
 in the barn yard lot, added to the caw caw, of the crow, 
 the cry of the chicken hawk, the ([uack of the duck and 
 the gentle cooing of the turtle dove, formed a combina- 
 tion that baffles description and nearly drove the officers 
 frantic. In vain they would command silence, and taking 
 a still hunt down the rows of reclining figures in an effort 
 to locate the source of the pandomin they found every one 
 quiet and to all appearances fast asleep. Eeturning to 
 their sleeping quarters the officers would fall into a doze 
 to be rudely awakened by a repetition of the noise. 
 This was repeated until the boys grew weary of the sport 
 and one after another they dropped asleep to dream of 
 home and the treasures which they knew were stored 
 away in the cellars. 
 
 The Young Mens Christian Association of Spring- 
 field, put up a large tent shortly after the arrival of the 
 troops and regular services were held throughout the life 
 of Camp Tanner. Writing material was furnished gratis, 
 to those desiring it and the large tables were well occu- 
 pied during the long evenings and leisure hours of the 
 day. Good literature was never lacking and the kind- 
 ness in general, shown us by the young men in charge 
 demonstrated the fact that they were deeply in earnest in 
 the work. 
 
 The second Sunday in camp was a re[)etition of the 
 preceding Sabbath. The regiment attended church ser- 
 vice in the race track amphitheatre at eleven o'clock in 
 
SrK(;i':()Ns Ir^orM) S'l i'.i<i,in»; T'o-s s. 121 
 
 till" moriiiiii;-. The service was led l)y ( Miapliii xMorgan. 
 of the Sixth. The custoniaTv ai'tcriiooii practice march 
 was taken in the nl()rniIl,i^^ After churdi the men were 
 given their lil)erty until six o'clnck in the evening wlien 
 they assembled for dress parade. (In-at Ixtxes and bar- 
 rels of delicacies had licen received from homes of the 
 soldiers the day previous and a day of feasting was theirs. 
 From all directions the relatives and frii^nds of the boys 
 came in. 
 
 The boys of company E received a liberal share of 
 the edibles and their visitors were numerous. They ate, 
 drank, smoked and made merry, and for hours the rela- 
 tives and friends from home were busily engaged an- 
 swering questions. The visitors with well tilled j)ockets, 
 graciously feted the boys until the hour of departure 
 arrived when they bid them good-bye and left them feel- 
 ing lonely but happy. 
 
 Company I boys searched the crowds in vain for a 
 familiar face, and ate hard tack and sowbelly with poor 
 grace, washing it down with army coffee: a good substan- 
 tial, one course dinner without trimnnngs of any kind. 
 To them the hardtack was tougher and the meat fatter 
 than ever before and they eyed their more fortunate com- 
 rades with ill concealed envy. It was a sorrowful day 
 for thcni but their time was yet to come: they had no 
 means of knowing it and they felt that they had been 
 forgotten. They were not in want of anything in par- 
 ticular, the inner n)an was well supplied and clothing 
 pleid\. but among this cheerfulness, the evitlence of 
 which could be seen on (^-ery hand, a feeling of depres- 
 sion came over them which would not be shaken otf. 
 
 :\[onday May ninth, the final physical examination 
 was given Company E. The boys marched down town 
 
122 History of Companies T and E. 
 
 to the State Capitol building in the morning, and after 
 a long wait on the outside they were taken to the Senate 
 Chamber and there, twenty men at a time were stripped 
 of all clothing and taken before the examining board. 
 This board consisted of Colonel Senn. Ass"t Surgeon 
 General of the U. S. A., Captain Birmingham also 
 of the regular army. Major Anthony. Surgeon, and 
 Captain Cole, Assistant Surgeon of the Sixth regi- 
 ment. The Sterling boys came through the or- 
 deal with flying colors, losing only two men. Cor- 
 poral William Deem and private Lovier Feigley. Both 
 were sorely dissapointed, but the regulations could not 
 be ignored and the only course open to them was to re- 
 turn home. Captain Lawrie recruited two volunteers 
 from Chicago to till the vacancy. 
 
 The following day, May tenth Company I was ex- 
 amined. Its members were taken to the quarters of the 
 Fifth, and the examination was given them by the board 
 of that regiment. It was composed of Major Milton R. 
 Keeley, Surgeon of the Fifth, and one of the Ass't Sur- 
 geons of the same regiment. It was quite evident from 
 the beginning that they were to receive a searching ex- 
 amination and when the last man had donned his cloth- 
 ing the list of rejected ones contained the names of 
 twenty-four of the Morrison ' boys : among them were 
 some of the oldest members of the company of State 
 troops and this ripping up the back so weakened the 
 company in point of numbers as to bring the matter of 
 disbandins: and reorgfanizinii: it, to serious consideration. 
 
 Captain Colebaugh, feeling that an injustice had 
 been done the men who were rejected, brought the matter 
 to th(^ attention of Colonel Foster, commanding the Sixth 
 regiment. After considering the problem the Colonel 
 
Co. 1. L()si:s Hkavily 128 
 
 fiuthorizfd Major Anllioiiy toj^ivc the rejected men a re- 
 (•xaniiiiatiou. Six of the twciity-t'onr accepted the op- 
 |)ort unit \ and cvim'n man went llu'ou^h. Tliis a|i|i('arc(l 
 to l)t' sulist;uil iai cxidrnrc that lliry were ii;i\rn an i'\- 
 trnnch' t Iioimhi^Ii i^'oinu' oxer at tlic hands of Major 
 l\crh'\ . cithri' intentional or ot hi'rwisc. With srvcn 
 men ri'jfctt'd at the pid iin inary. and twcidy-four at the 
 linal cNaniinat ion. h'fl the coiupany witli l)ut fifty-four 
 of the ori<^inal ci'^-lity-tix i-. Another of the company. 
 ]-irice ^fcCune. thinkini;" he would sooner get to the 
 front, went over to the Third regiment and entered their 
 ranks. Fifty-three men were all that could he mustered. 
 The return of the six men wlio were accepted at the I'e- 
 exannnatioii brought the iiunil)er uj) to fifty-nine. There 
 were plenty of extra men about camp awaiting just 
 sucli an oj)p()rtunity as this to enter the ranks ami in a 
 short time twent\-one recruits were selected find com- 
 pany I had a full comiilement of men. 
 
 Those of com|)aii\ 1 who were rejected at the pre- 
 liminary examinati(.n were: Corporal CharU^s Weeks, 
 privates William Morse. Firman McWhiteniore. Timothy 
 Bly. Frank Davis, Frank Judd and Orville Mitcheli. 
 Those rejected at the final were: Sergeant Ed Curtis. 
 Corporal Orville Kaler. privates Henry Clark. Harry 
 Morse. William Almanrode. George Hubbard. William 
 Hubbard. Charles Magee. Theo Magee. Emerson Fel- 
 lows. Otto Harrisou. Alvin Bun-h. Walter Weeks. Wil- 
 liam Yarbrough. Henry \'andyke. Gecjrge Colehour. 
 Arthur Stinton and Harry Fisher. These men. with the 
 rejected ones of company 1'.. were furnished transporta- 
 lion and regretfulh". ihev turned their faces homeward. 
 I'ortunatci\ . the men who were recruited to till the \a- 
 caticics caused li\- tlu' loss of these men we-ri.' all tine 
 
124 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 fellows and had the opportunitv and time been ^iven to 
 investigate each individual, it is doubtful if a more de- 
 sireable selection could have been made. 
 
 The weather continued wet and nasty. The camp 
 grounds had become a sea of mud and the buildings 
 were kept clean with difficulty. A day of sunshine was 
 exceptional and the men were beginning to tire of their 
 quarters. Many rumors floated about camp and we 
 were constantly expecting something to occur which 
 would result in our being, mustered in and hurried to 
 the front. We were rapidly being equipped with cloth- 
 ing but were short of arms, having only the few rifles 
 which the companies had taken to camp from home, 
 and a goodly portion of them had been condemned and 
 taken up. as unfit for service. 
 
 There was very little sickness in camp. It was sur- 
 prising too; the unfavorable condition of the weather and 
 the inexperience of many of the men in taking proper 
 care of themselves in such surroundings may well have 
 been cause for much sickness. The examining sur- 
 geons evidently did their work thoroughly and the ac- 
 cepted men possessed excellent constitutions; otherwise 
 the conditions would have been vastly different from 
 those existing at the time. 
 
 The Fifth and Third regiments of infantry were mus- 
 tered into United States service in the order named 
 on the seventh day of May, and we anxiously awaited 
 orders, hoping to follow them closely. The officers and 
 men of the Fifth and Third were highly elated at their 
 success in being the tirst of the Illinois troops to be mus- 
 tered in, and delighted in calling the attention of the 
 men of the remaining regiments to the fact, and they in- 
 formed us that they would be at the front in a few days 
 
E. J. WEAV^EH, 
 2nd Lieut. Co. 1, Vol. 
 
Sixth Ini antun Mis ri:ui;i) In. Tio 
 
 while in all prohabilily we woultl not leave the Slate. 
 In all events the ii.osl we could hope for would be <;ar- 
 risoii dulv ill so:ne out of ihe way army posl. The e\eiils 
 which tollowetl in the succeeding luonlhs proved the un- 
 relialiilitv of these- statements and the uncertaiiit\- siu- 
 roundiui!," a soldiers life. 
 
 The Sixth reL;iuu'nt. Illinois X'olunteer Infantr}'. 
 was nuistered into the United States service. Wednes- 
 dav. Mav eleveiuh. by Captain Cyrus S. Roberts. 17th 
 U. S. Infantry, nuistering ollicer. The regimental 
 officers and non-commissioned staff were the fu'st to 
 take the oalh and sign the muster roll. Company E of 
 Sterling was the first and Company I of Morrison, the 
 last to be sworn in. of the twelve companies which com- 
 posed the Sixth regiment. Captain Roberts, r^ccom- 
 panied bv Colonel Foster and the commanding otlicer of 
 the companv took his position in front of the awaiting 
 soldiers. As the name of each man was read from the 
 muster in roll, he stepped forward a few paces, forming 
 a new line. After this had been repeated until every 
 man in the company had answered --here", Captain 
 Roberts retjuested the men to take their caps in the left 
 hand and raise the right while he administered the fol- 
 lowing oath: 
 
 I do solemnly swear ( or aflirm ) that 1 will bear 
 true faith and allegiance to the United States of Ameri- 
 ca; that I will serve them honestly and faithfully against 
 all their enemies whomsoever; and that I will obey the 
 orders of the President of the United States, and the 
 orders of the officers appointed ov»er me. according to 
 the rules and articles of war. 
 
 We were soldiers in fact as well as practice. This 
 was the hour of the disbanding of the Illinois National 
 
126 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 Guard, as company after company took the oath of 
 allegiance to serve the government for two years unless 
 sooner discharged. Colonel Foster spoke words of en- 
 couragement to the men and informed us that we were 
 thejirsi regiment of volunteers czrr mustered into the 
 government service from Illinois with twelve full com- 
 panies. 
 
 The die was cast and come what would we were 
 bound to the flag of our Union for two years or until 
 the Spaniards were driven from the Island of Cuba and 
 peace declared. 
 
Kosii.u oi L'c)M^.\^^ I' 
 
 127 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 Tlie tollowinnr is a (.-oniplete rosier of companies E 
 and I as ihey were mustered into the Nolunteer service; 
 ^i\-ing the residence of each man at the time of enlist- 
 ment : 
 
 COMl'ANV E. 
 
 Captain, William F. Lawrie, 
 
 1st Lieutenant, (loodicil B. Dillon, 
 2nd Lieutenant, Frank Wahl, 
 
 I St Sergeant, Samuel H. Feigley, 
 
 (l M. Sergeant, Edward A. Xellen, 
 
 Sergeant, John W. Cushman, 
 
 " Joshua H. Wildasin, 
 
 " Fred E Wagley, 
 
 Corporal, Charles F. Hoobler, 
 
 " liomeo^W. Jiaker, 
 
 " Herbert II. (irimes, 
 
 *' Leslie C. Sheldon, 
 
 " Martin L. Allpress, 
 
 " Harry L. Ilankerson, 
 
 Mudiciau, V. lioy Eshelman, 
 
 " J^ee D. Meyers, 
 
 Private, Anderson, Charles 
 Alderfer, Philip 
 
 " Aument, Frank H 
 
 " IJyers, Wilson 
 
 " IJailey, Frank C. 
 " Bassett, Bert 
 
 Sterling. 
 
 liock Falls. 
 Sterling. 
 
 Hock Falls. 
 Sterling. 
 
 itock Falls. 
 Sterling. 
 
128 
 
 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 Private Bassett, Marcus P. " 
 
 " Bassett, Ed. " 
 
 Bassett, Milton B. Rock Falls. 
 
 " Bushnell, Leo H. Sterling. 
 
 " Book, Enos Emerson. 
 
 " Bensinger, John E. Sterling. 
 
 " Burr, James S. " 
 
 " Berlin, Clark 
 
 " Buckley, Bernhard J. " 
 
 " Blair, Frank " 
 
 " B'jrkhart, Will L. Chicago. 
 
 " Cary, John G. Sterling. 
 
 Cary, Elroy 11. 
 
 " Coryell, Frank H. Rock Falls. 
 
 " Cunningham, Claire Sterling. 
 
 '* Clark, Lyman P. " 
 
 " Compton, Clare " 
 
 " Deem, Arthur E. " 
 
 " Deyoe, Devillo B. Rock Falls. 
 
 " Dillon, Reese J. Sterling. 
 
 " Eager, Wallace L. Rock Fa' Is. 
 
 '• Eisele, William " 
 
 " Flock, William F. Sterling. 
 
 " Goodman, Harry C. " 
 
 " Hess, Fred R. " 
 
 Higby, Leonard C. 
 " Heathcoate, William " 
 
 " Hansen, Gus Rock Falls. 
 
 Hall, Guy G. 
 
 " Havens, George F. Sterling. 
 
 '• Johnson, Charles S. " 
 
 ■' Johnson, Charles A. '' 
 
 " Johnson, Bert " 
 
 " Kahl, Ernest Rock Falls. 
 
 " Lingel, William J. Sterling. 
 
 Lund, William C. 
 '• Lineberry, John '■ 
 
 " Lindsley, Calvin Rock Falls. 
 
 Little, Harry Sterling. 
 
 " Moore, Louis E. l!ock Falls. 
 
 " Morrison, Alfred G. 
 
 McNeil, Robert B. 
 
 " Mackey, Fred W. Sterling. 
 
ROSTEK OK C0M1'AN> 1. 
 
 121 
 
 I'rivate Merricks, i;d\v;u\l 
 
 IMgp, Frank 
 Kouiul, (ieorge 
 IJeil'snyder, William 
 Kanger, Charles K. 
 llhodeniyer, Ilennan 
 Uodgerc?, (Jiiy Alden 
 Smitii, Frank W. 
 Sheldon, John 
 Struckman, William C. 
 Street, Albert L. 
 Sneed, Fred W. 
 Slade, George 
 Strock, John Franklin 
 Triggs, Alpheiis W. 
 Wright, Fred W. 
 \Vinters, Carl 
 Wahl, Albert A. 
 Wilkinson, L^^e D. 
 
 Kock Fblls. 
 Sterling. 
 
 Kock Falls. 
 
 Chicago. 
 
 Sterling. 
 
 Hock Falls. 
 Sterling. 
 
 Date of enrollment. April twenty sixth, for those 
 who joined the company for duty previous to its de- 
 parture from Sterling. Privates Burkhart and Rodgers 
 were recruited at Springfield and enrolled May four- 
 teenth. Hospital Steward Kline secured an excellent 
 photograph of company K as the boys lined up awaiting 
 to be mustered in. 
 
 Company I. 
 
 Captain, Wni. F. Colebaugh, 
 
 1st Lieutenant, Edward C. J^awton, 
 
 'Jnd Lieutenant, Ernest J. Weaver, 
 
 1st Sergeant, David E. Crouch, • 
 
 il. M. Sergeant, Andrew F. Mathews, 
 
 Sergeant. Harry A. Weaver, 
 
 " Jacob L. Hockey, 
 
 Corporal, Harry H. Hockey, 
 
 " Andrew J. Osborne, J r 
 
 Musician, Ora M. Colebaugli, 
 
 " Robert E. Davis, 
 
 Morrison. 
 
 I'rairieville. 
 Morrison, 
 
 l']rie. 
 Morrison. 
 
130 
 
 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 Private, Adams, Henry W. 
 
 '' Andrews, James 
 
 " Berry, Charles 
 
 " Berry, Harrison S 
 
 " Boyer, William C. 
 
 Baird, John AV. 
 
 " Brubaker, John S. 
 
 " Brearton, Fred W. 
 
 " Birley, Charles H. 
 
 " Burr, Amos A. 
 
 " Bunzey, llufus S 
 
 " Black, Evan 
 
 " Baker, John 
 
 " Cnlp, Gecrge W. 
 
 " Carlton, Frank E. 
 
 " Corbin, John 
 
 " Cullum, Paul 
 
 " Dahlstrom, William 
 
 " Donavan, David A. 
 
 " Everhart, George 
 
 " Fenton, William 
 
 " HumphrHy, Ralph D. 
 
 Hyatt, Charles E. 
 
 " Hawse, George B. 
 
 " Heath, Lafayette S. 
 
 H artless, Ernest T. 
 
 " Johnson, Fred O. 
 
 " Judd, Charles 
 
 " Jenks, Edwin 
 
 " Kingrey, Frank 
 
 Kellett, Charles T. 
 
 " Koepke, Bernhard 
 
 " Xirk, Alonzo L 
 
 " Leatherwood, Scott 
 
 Tattell, John C. 
 
 " J^ay, Roy 
 
 " Lee, Edward Saxon 
 
 " Lueck, William H- 
 
 " Lepper, Edward 
 
 " Morrison, John 
 
 " Middleton, Leonard C. 
 
 '* Miller, FranK 
 
 " McKenzie, Richmond 
 
 Prophetstown. 
 
 Erie. 
 
 Morrison. 
 
 Lyndon. 
 
 Thompson. 
 
 Morrison. 
 
 Springfield. 
 Prophetstown. 
 
 Morrison. 
 
 Neoga. 
 
 Prophetstown. 
 
 Decatur. 
 
 Morrison. 
 
 Erie. 
 
 Morrison. 
 
 Prophetstown. 
 
 Aurora. 
 
 Morrison. 
 
 Fenton. 
 
 Mendota. 
 
 Prophetstown. 
 
 Amboy. 
 
 ]>ecatur. 
 
 Spring Hill. 
 
 Prophetstown. 
 
 Clyde. 
 
 (^uincy. 
 
 Morrison. 
 Prophetstown. 
 Erie. 
 i'rophetstowQ. 
 
RosTisR oi'~ Company 1. 
 
 131 
 
 Private 
 
 May, Chester N. 
 
 Decatur. 
 
 Marold Charles M. 
 
 (Jiiincy. 
 
 IMiilleo, Arthur 
 
 Krie. 
 
 I'eters, (ieor^jn 
 
 " 
 
 I'ense, Clayton A. 
 
 I'rophetstown. 
 
 Toison, August 
 
 (ieneseo. 
 
 Patterson, Henry 
 
 Fowler. 
 
 Phillips, Thomas 
 
 (^uinoy. 
 
 Reynolds, John 
 
 Lyndon. 
 
 Koderich, John 
 
 Aurora. 
 
 Sherwood, Asa 
 
 Morrison. 
 
 Scanlan, Oliver 
 
 Fen ton. 
 
 Stanley, Neal 
 
 I'ropiietstown. 
 
 Seaton.T. Lyie 
 
 Round drove 
 
 Savage, Orin J. 
 
 Lyndon. 
 
 Smith, Verne M. 
 
 Albany. 
 
 Shear, Thomas R. 
 
 Morrison. 
 
 Stakelbeck, Otto 
 
 (^)uincy. 
 
 Schanz, William 
 
 (^uincy. 
 
 Schachtsifk, Fred 
 
 •' 
 
 Thompson, Robert C. " 
 
 ', , Morrison. 
 
 Turner, Lewis C. 
 
 Neoga. 
 
 Thomas, Harry 
 
 (ieneseo. 
 
 Wbitemore, William 
 
 Fenton. 
 
 Wilcox, Albert 
 
 Erie. 
 
 Willcox, Hilton 
 
 " 
 
 Wilkins, Ross C. 
 
 Lyndon. 
 
 Wood, Mark 
 
 Moline. 
 
 Yopst, Birt (). 
 
 Albany. 
 
 Date of enrollment. April twenty-sixth, for tho.sie 
 who joined the company pre\iou.s to its departure from 
 Morrison. Privates Baker. C'ullum, Donavan. Hartless, 
 Koepke. Kirk. Lee. Lueck. Lepper. Maw Marold. 
 I^atterson. Poison. Phillips. Roderich. Stakelbeck. Schanz. 
 Schachtsiek, Turner, Thomas and Wood were recrnited 
 at Springfield, and enrolled May eleventh. 
 
 Very soon after company I was mustered in. lOr- 
 nest Weaver, for private reasons, tendered his resigna- 
 tion as 2nd Lieutenant. Had this occurred licfore the 
 
132 
 
 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 muster in. and while the troops were yet in the service 
 of the State, the ^'acanc^■ would have been iilled by the 
 election of a member of this compan}'; but as they were 
 sworn in and i^overned by the regulations of he U. S. 
 x\rmv, his successor came through appointment. Cap- 
 tain Ben Eick, of Sterling. Inspector of Ritie Practice, 
 of the Sixth 111. N. G. for several years, received the ap- 
 pointment. In the organization of the ^'olunteer regi- 
 ments there were no Inspectors of Riiie Practice on the 
 staff, and as Captain Eick. was anxious to remain with 
 the regiment he accepted the commission. Colonel 
 Foster immediately appointed him Regimental Ordnance 
 Officer and he was on detached duty throughout our 
 volunteer service. Companv I was practically without 
 a 2nd Lieutenant during its entire service, as the duties 
 connected with the oflice of Ordnance Ofiicer kept 
 Lieutenant Eick away from the company. 
 
 As the position of Battalion Quartermaster Ser- 
 geant also became void in the volunteer organizations, 
 Walter Burritt of Morrison, who held this rank in the 
 first battalion, accompanied Lieutenant Weaver home. 
 
 Whiteside county was well represented in the Field, 
 Staff and Non-commissioned Stafi* of the Sixth regi- 
 ment, as will be observed m the roster which follows: 
 
 Coloiid, B. Jack Foster, Chicago. 
 
 Lieut. Colonel, Edward Kittilsen, Moline. 
 
 Major, Will T. ChaniioD, Rock Island. 
 
 " David E. Clark, Monmouth. 
 
 " William E. Baldwin, Dixon. 
 
 Reg. Adjutant, John J. Cairns, Chicaa:o. 
 
 Surjreon Major, Frank Anthony, Sterling. 
 
 Ass't Surgeon, Lorenzo S. Cole, Monmouth, 
 
 " " Charles A. Robbins, Dixon. 
 
 Chaplin, Alanson R, Morgan Cuba, III. 
 
~H ^ 
 
 
 oK r^ 
 
 ?r= 
 
 2" c 
 
b'lKl.l) AND StAM- Ol' Till-: SiX 111. 
 
 l;{:} 
 
 Keg. (l Master. Frank IJarber, Chicago. 
 1st. Lt. Bat. Adjt., 
 
 L. U. (Jaylord, Moline. 
 
 " James VV. Clendenin, Monmotitli. 
 
 Joseph H. Showalter, LaMoille. 
 
 Sergeant Maj.ir, Kdwin S. Johnson, Sterling. 
 
 {}. M. Sergeant, lludolphas Hicks, (ialena. 
 
 Chief Musician, John C. Prestine, Sterling. 
 Prin. " Fred W. Forbes, 
 
 Thomas II. Flynn, Kock Island, 
 
 Hosp Steward, John L. Kline, Miiledgevilie. 
 
 Howard N. Geyer, Rock Falls. 
 
 Fred N.Brown, Sterling. 
 
134 History of Companies I and E, 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 The members of company I were pleasantly sur- 
 prised on the Friday succeeding our muster in, to see 
 Judge Ramsav, SI eriff Fuller. L. T. Stocking and J.N. 
 Baird put in an appearance. They were kept very 
 busy until mess call at noon answering questions relat- 
 ino- to friends at home. Getting news of home from 
 such a source had a pleasing effect on us all. and as we 
 formed for mess we were all feeling very light-hearted. 
 Our visitors took dinner with us in regular army style. 
 eating hard-tack and beef from tin plates and apparently 
 enjoyed their first meal in camp. Judge Ramsay took 
 a snap shot at us as we were eating and another after 
 dinner when we had a better opportunity to form. 
 After dinner the practice march had to be gone over 
 again, this left our visitors to their own amusement un- 
 til the time when the company returned. 
 
 It was soon discovered there was something out of 
 the ordinary going on about us. and Capt. Colebaugh 
 informed us we would be expected to be in our quarters 
 ready to fall in line at 6:30 p. m. 
 
 All were relieved from duty of any sort, by ar- 
 rangements made with Colonel Foster. At last the 
 secret leaked out. and we began to realize the mission 
 of those from home. At 6:30 all were in line and we 
 
Co.^^^\^^ I Uanqi i:ti:i). 1-5-~ 
 
 wtMc iu;irclu-(l lo llu- ciitraiK-t' ^ate and tlu-ri- louiul 
 three street ears in n-acliness and wailing for us. wliieli 
 Irad beiMi eliartered lor the oceasion. We were taken 
 up town and ordered out of the cars in front of the 
 •■Lehind."' the leadiri<,r hotel in the city, and were ^iven 
 twenty minutes in wliich to stroll around and jirepare 
 for the feast awaiting us. 
 
 At 7:.^0 we were again foruieil in line anil uiarehed 
 direct to the spacious dining hall and seated. Here we 
 also found Major Channon. Maj(jr Anthony. Chaplain 
 ^lor^an. (*a[)t. Lawrie of Co. E. and Lieut. Kick, all of 
 the 0th. Col. Foster being unable to attend on account of 
 very pressing business. 
 
 After l)lessings had b-en asked by Chaplain Morgan 
 the feast began, course aft-T course being seryed. We 
 ate and ate. and yet it came: we had colored waiters 
 standing about us ready to ••jump'" at the first signal. 
 Wordwas sent down the line to -tdkeyi'iir //ii/r." -rd/ afl 
 yon llkr'' and •'oijuy ytJiir^clics." And maybe we ditl 
 not. It was the tirst time in the experieiice of many of 
 us where eyery time a knife, fork or spoon was taken 
 from our nio'iths it was taken away to l)e replaced by 
 another; l)ut bear in mind we were dining at one of the 
 finest hotels in this part of the State: remember, we were 
 guests of a people who knew h.ow to entertain, and eyery- 
 thing 5eryed us was the best. Cigars were passed around 
 by a big black fellow: they were lighted, windows and 
 transoms were (opened, and we settled down to enjoy a 
 good smoke. 
 
 L. T. Stocking, speaking in behalf of the conunittee. 
 then explainiul to us the circumstances. He told us 
 how the citizens had been planning to send something 
 to the boys, but they finally hit upon tliis plan of selecting 
 
1:3(5 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 a committee to represent them, send them down and f^ive 
 us a banquet. He stated the people at home had not for- 
 gotten us, that they were with us from first to last, that 
 every man was remembered, and they had taken this 
 method to express their appreciation. After a fevv appro- 
 priate remarks he called on Major Channon, Major An- 
 thony, Chaplain Morgan and Captains Colebaugh, Lawrie 
 and Lieut. Eick, each one of whom responded and ex- 
 pressed his satisfaction and pleasure at being with us 
 on this occasion. Chaplain Morgan gave us a very im- 
 pressive talk. He told us that in our hands (referring 
 to Illinois volunteers ) rested the honor of a State which 
 had given us such men as Grant, and Logan, whose pres- 
 ence on the battletield was worth more than ten thousand 
 troops; Oglesby. and last but not least that soldier-states- 
 man who gave up his life for his flag and his country, 
 that martyred patriot. Abraham Lincoln. He cautioned 
 us to bear in mind the fact that we represented the grand- 
 est State in the union: he cautioned us to remember we 
 had friends and loved ones at home who followed our 
 every movement, therefore we should watch ourselves 
 and return to our friends and homes as pure as when we 
 left them. He continued at some length and made a 
 very warm place for himself in the hearts of us all. 
 Judge Ramsay then responded in behalf of the people 
 whom the committee represented, and as is his custom^ie 
 more than pleased us. Every one who reads these lines 
 know oidv too well how able a speaker the Judge 
 is. and it is sufficient to say that he spoke with his 
 usual elo(]uence. This was followed by breaking up of 
 the party, and when we were in line on the outside three 
 rousing cheers were given with a will for the representa- 
 tives and the represented. Our visitors bade us all good- 
 
Col. "Jack" Foster and his Held headquarters in Porto Rico. 
 
Till-, !)()^s Madi: ll.\l•l•^. 137 
 
 1)V. and we ^iivc cadi a |iartiiii;' liaiid-sliakc 
 
 Wt' found, as Ixd'orc, c-ars await iii>^^ to take us hack 
 to cauij). and we wci-c soon restino- in oui- ( juai'tcrs. Did 
 we think we had Ikh'U foro-ottcn V Hai'dly so. Tht- b(>}s 
 received new encourn<i^enieni from this *fenerous and 
 thouijchttul act of our friends at home, and wc then and 
 there decided that sliouhl it occur that we shouUl serve 
 our full enlistment term of two years, and the opportu- 
 nity came and we were caUed upon to face tlu' enemy in 
 batth'. wi" wouhl strain every nerve, make every effort 
 possibh'. to ])rove to the friends at home that they had 
 not misphiced their confidence: that in phicing in our 
 hands the integrity of a jtortion of OUI Whiteside ami 
 Old Glorv. wdiicli has l)een so nol)ly protected in trials of 
 this same nature before by our fatlu-rs and forefathers. 
 they had made no mistake: that ••/// ramp, on the niarrh. 
 OY ill coiifl/r/.'^ we wouUl do with all our nnglit that whicdi 
 should be reipiired or asked of us. 
 
 Looking l)ack\vard and recalling the many incidents 
 in ou]- short service, this occasion will be reniend)ered as 
 one of the most pleasant in the soldier life of com[)any I. 
 
 Companv E was often renicndiered by the people of 
 Sterling and Rock Falls. Hardly a day passed that did 
 not bring something from home, and it was always of 
 the best and plenty of it. The effect of this treatment 
 was to inspire tlu' bovs with a determination to so govern 
 themselves as to be a credit to their people and to 1 llmois. 
 
 The following non-commissioned othcers for c(mipany 
 I were ap])uinted l)v Captain C'olebaugh: Cori)urals 
 Rockey and Osborm' to be Sergeants: Privates Harrison 
 Berry, Seaton. Pense. Black. Adams and Leatherwood lo 
 be Corporals 
 
 The whole of the Sixlh ifiiimenl was vaccinated the 
 
138 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 day following its luiister in. The l)oys nnrseil sore arms 
 for a few days and protected the tender s})ots l)y pinning 
 placards on their sleeves ])earing inscriptions such as 
 •'touch not," "keep off the grass." '"beware" and ••vacci- 
 nated.'" 
 
 The Erie people remembered their l^oys with several 
 large boxes of good things. Sunday as we formed fcr 
 mess at the noon hour, down tlie line came one after an- 
 other of the Erie boys with chicken, cake, jelly and fruit. 
 They fed us until we could eat no more. ICvery one was 
 remembered, all ate until satistied. and then a box of 
 cigars was tished out of the box and sent around. 
 
 This dinner made a warm spot in our hearts for the 
 good people of Erie. The shortest and surest route to a 
 soldiers heart is by way of his stomach. Allow him to 
 exist on army rations for a week and then place a good, 
 old fashioned dinner before him ami you have sealed an 
 everlasting friendship with him. 
 
 One evening, just bef(jre dusk, the story \\ as circu- 
 lated through camp to the effect that a sergeant of one of 
 our neighboring companies, who had been accepted by 
 the surgeons, absolutely refused to enlist. A crowd com- 
 posed of the men of the regiment congregated and [)roposetl 
 to drum the man who had showed the ••yellow" out of camp. 
 The threat was carried out and he was roughly handled 
 by his infuriated comrades. The timely arrival of a 
 guard from ]:)ost her>dquarters scattered the men. but for 
 this the fellovv would have suffered se\erely. For a 
 time the unsoldierlv actions of the men created consider- 
 able excitement in camp. 
 
 Comrades Prestine and Forbes were untiring m 
 their efforts to organi/.c a band. It was a dillicult mat- 
 ter to secure men who were good musicians to enter the 
 
Sixth I<i:(. i.mi-.n t X'oi.iiNri'.i^u I^and. \H'.) 
 
 si'i-\i(.x' and iKCi'pt \\\v pay of a prixatf. ^riu-ri- wi-rt- a 
 mimbi'i" ot t'.xcrlU'iit band mi'ii in the rcLjinieiU b\il more 
 wiTi' iR'e'iK'd and ilu'x liad lU) iiisininu'iil.s. Chief Musi- 
 cian I'restint' .sn;_,fi;c'sl('tl thai cuh of the tweK'e towns 
 representetl hv a conipanx' iii the ii'^iim'ni , start the work 
 of iaisin<4' a fund lor \Uv purpose of maintaining- a tirst 
 class liand. This suL;'j4'estion was acted on h\ the pt'oph- 
 at home and a considefabU' sum reali/A'ch 'I'his was the 
 foundation of the Sixth Regiment N'ohuUeer Band and it 
 was buik up and improxed as rapidlv as circumstances 
 would permit, and eventual!} proved to he one of the 
 best and stronL(est bands in the volunteer service. The 
 men detailed to the band from companv I were: John 
 (Jorbin. John Monison and John ])aird. commonl\- re- 
 ferred to as •■The Thi-ee Johns." 
 
 On May twelfth, the Sixth regiment marched out to 
 l.incolns monument and also paid a xisit to the familiar 
 mrounds of Camp Lincoln. They held dress parade and 
 passed in review before returning to quarters. Major 
 Channon was in conmiand of the regiment. Captain Law- 
 rie acting Major of the first battalion. Lieut. Wahl acting 
 as battalion adjutant. Company E was placed under 
 command of Lieut. Dillon, and Sergeant Cushman was 
 acting regimental sergeant-major. 
 
 Upon the first inspection of arms, cojnpany E was 
 found to be in the possession of ten ritles in excess of the 
 nundier w ith which the\' arri\ed in camp. No one ap- 
 peared to know where the extra guns came from, but 
 for years it had been customary for the indi\idual mem- 
 bers of this company to see to it that su]')plies of e\ er\- 
 description were plenty and so far thev were successful: 
 but there was a time coming when thew with all of their 
 ingenuity in foraging would be sadl\- in lUH'd of the in'cessi- 
 
140 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 ties of life and thev would be powerless to aid themselves. 
 
 Under the first call of the President of the United 
 States for volunteer troops from the various states, the 
 regiments from Illinois were mustered into ihe llnited 
 States service in the following order: 
 
 ( I ) Fifth Infantry. 111. N. G., May yth, I898. 
 
 (2) Third Infantry. 111. N. G.. May 7th, 1898. 
 ( 10:30 p. m. ) 
 
 (3) Sixth Infantry. 111. N. G.. May nth. 1898. 
 
 (4) Battery A, 111. N. G.. May 12th, 1898. 
 
 ( 5 ) First Infantry. 111. N. G., May 13th. 1898. 
 
 (6) Second Infantry. 111. N. G., May i6th. 1898. 
 
 (7) Seventh Infiintry. 111. N. G., May i8th. 1898. 
 
 (8) Fourth Infantry. 111. N. G.. May 20th. 1898. 
 
 (9) First Cavalry. 111. N. G.. May 21st. 1898. 
 
 The commissions of the ofiicers were made to cor- 
 respond with these dates, except in the case of the Third 
 Infantrv, where the commissions of the field and staff 
 were dated May 8th. for the reason that these otiicers 
 were mustered in after the business hours of the 7th and 
 near the first hours of the 8th. and to prevent any future 
 dispute as to the seniority of the commanding otiicer. or 
 the priority of muster in. 
 
 The first order to move an Illinois regiment was re- 
 ceived on Mny 13th. Colonel Culver, commanding the 
 Fifth Infantrv received orders direct from the War De- 
 partment, to proceed at once, with his regiment to Camp 
 George H. Thomas. Chickamauga National Park, Geor- 
 gia. An hour later. Colonel Fred Bennitt. commanding 
 the Third Infantry, received telegraphic instructions 
 from Washington to proceed to Camp Thomas. 
 
 Both regiments immediately broke camp and made 
 hurried preparations to leave Camp- Tanner. Joy was 
 
iNM^'C^! 
 
 LIEUT. COL. EUWAKD KITTILSEX, 
 
 Sixth Infantry, 
 
( )ki)i;ri<:i) to Wasiiin<;ton. 141 
 
 depicted on the counlcnaiKes of the men of these two 
 regiments as theN' hustled about. The Fifth boarded the 
 cars the mornini;" of the foiirteentli. TheThird following 
 it a few hours later. 
 
 Monday Ma\' i()ih. Colonel Foster received orders 
 to prepare his regiment for its immediate departure for 
 Camp Russell A. Alger, near h\alls (.^hurch, \'a. Cheer 
 after cheer rent the air as the joyful news passed from 
 mouth to mouth. We had heard so many conflicting 
 rumors about our destination tliat it was quite a relief to 
 at last receive definite and final instructions. 
 
 Arrangements for transportation over the Wabash 
 railway were made as soon as possible, but it was the 
 afternoon of the day following that we broke camp. 
 
 The closing hours at Camp Tanner were busy ones for 
 the officers and men alike; writing letters home occupied 
 the fleeting moments of many of them for a time. Then 
 there was the packing up and discarding of numerous 
 articles that had accumulated in our brief but interesting 
 stay at Camp Tanner. Clothing was hurried to us and 
 by noon Tuesday the men were fairly well equipped ex- 
 cepting arms. These w^ere issued to us after breaking 
 camp and just previous to boarding the cars. 
 
142 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 We boarded the cars at 4:30 p. m.. Tuesda}-. May 
 17th. We were very pleasantly surprised to note that 
 the cars arranged for were all Wagner sleepers. By 
 accident one of the cars assigned to Co. I was the 
 "Maine." The bovs in this car as a rule were very 
 proud of it. and it attracted a great deal of attention along 
 the route and a great many comments were made in re- 
 gard to it. a few of the superstitious ones telling us we 
 would never reach our destination in this car. but we ar- 
 rived safel}' nevertheless. 
 
 A porter had been sent out with each car. Toilet 
 articles were furnished, and at about 8:30 in the evening 
 the porter arranged the berths. — two men in the lower 
 and one in the upper. This was giving us advantages of 
 which we had never dreamed, and you may be sure the 
 boys were not long in turning in. The sight of snow- 
 white bedding, feather pillows and spring mattresses 
 caused us to think of home, and its comforts. 
 
 A train had been made up for each battalion, making 
 three sections of thirteen or fourteen coaches ea/ch, the 
 ist battalion. Companies E. I. A and F. including regi- 
 mental officers car, being on the ist section. It was 
 11:45 p. m. before we steamed away from our old camp 
 and nearly every one was asleep. 
 
ScKNi:s Ai.oNc iiiF. RoiTi:. 1413 
 
 The bovs were astir quite early the followiu^r niorii- 
 in<;. as all had sellled their miiuls on iiiissiiiLj nothint^ of 
 interest while enroute. We found we had crossed the 
 liorder line and entered Indiana about four o'clock a. m. 
 We were takin<r a north-easterly course. passini^Mhrou^di 
 LaFavette. Lou^ansport. Peru and Ft. Wayne. 
 
 Over three weeks of camp life had placed us behind. 
 When we entered Springfield very little had been accom- 
 plished in the way of getting in crops. On getting out 
 on our trip we found all had changed: small grain of all 
 kinds had a good start in several places, everything was 
 green, all around was beautiful and very pleasant. 
 
 We were surprised to see so many log cabins and 
 worm fences. A great many of the buildings were new. 
 The primitive stvle of building yet clings to these people. 
 As a rule the section of Indiana through which we passed 
 was very poor and stonv. The cities were excellent, but 
 the countr\- surrounding them looked very desolate. At 
 Peru we found oil wells in operation and the towers could 
 be seen as far as the eye could reach. Entering Ohio at 
 12:15 p. ni. we found the same condition prevailing here 
 as in Indiana. Arrived at Defiance Junction at two 
 o'clock: this is a town with a population of about 10,000. 
 Thev had turned out in large numl^ers to greet us. We 
 were told it was the largest crowd congregated in the 
 town for some time. Veterans of the civil war were nu- 
 merous, a number of them having been members of Illi- 
 nois regiments. We were treated very kindly. 
 
 Taking the Baltimore and Ohio railway here we 
 [)assed in a south-eastern direction through Fostoria. New- 
 ark and Cambritlge. At Hellairc. just before crossing the 
 Ohio river, our train was divided into t\yq sections to prct 
 pare for erossinij" the mountnins. 
 
144 History ov Companies I and E. 
 
 The commissioned officers of each company had been 
 requested to remain with the Colonel and his staff in the 
 rear coach. Not having been notified of the dividing of 
 our train, this left the first section, comprised of Co's E 
 and I without an officer. This occurred about one o'clock 
 in the morning. Col. Foster placed Capt. Colebaugh in 
 charge of the first section. This was very easy to do but 
 not so easy for the captain to reach his post of duty as we 
 were some miles ahead of them and going right along. 
 Our train was telegraphed to wait, and after a fifty mile 
 run was caught near Bellton. West Virginia, Capt. Cole- 
 baugh taking a half mile sprint between trains. 
 
 He had been instructed to keep the boys in their 
 cars and no one was allowed off the train when stops were 
 made. This had been the order from the starting point, 
 and the boys began to feel the effects of being cooped up 
 in such close quarters. But it proved Col. Foster 
 thoroughly understood what to do under the circum- 
 stances, as the section following us, bearing the 3rd bat- 
 talion, allowed their men to get out at Alexandria, Va., 
 and the consequence was one hundred and fifty of them 
 could not be found when the train pulled out and they 
 were left behind. They were fortunate in the fact of an- 
 other section following them, which they })oarded: only 
 for this they would have been placed in an unenviable 
 position as no one seemed to know whether they missed 
 the train by accident or design. 
 
 We were soon among the mountains of West Vir- 
 ginia, and to those of us who had seen nothing but a few 
 hills in our native State it was grand. The road-bed be- 
 ing about half way up the mountain side and in most pla- 
 ces having been blasted from solid rock, below us we 
 could see tiny villages and small streams. Railroads 
 
ScENi-:s Ai,()N(; riii-: Roi-ri':. 145 
 
 wtTo also ill these valleys: tliev with their engines and 
 trains aj)])eare(l to us as toys. 
 
 Luokiii"^ up on tlie ()|)j)osite side in sonu' [)laceri the 
 nioiiutain side was nearly ]iei'|ieiidicular with great over- 
 hanging rocks which looked as though they were ready 
 to topple upon us at any moment. Small streams came 
 dashing down, the water ])eing as clear as crystal. We 
 crossed innumerable streams, all rushing along at a ter- 
 rific pace. We passed through a number of tunnels, the 
 longest one being aliout one and one-half miles in length. 
 It was so dark it was thick, and the smoke crept in around 
 doors and windows until it bscam e stifling. 
 
 Once in a great while we would see small farms on 
 the mountain side with men at work on them. We won- 
 dered a great deal how they could do an\thing on those 
 side hills until we learned they were all built right or left- 
 sided according to the side of the mountain on which 
 thev were born and raised. A man li\ing on the left 
 side could not work on the other side, and vice versa; 
 one leg being considerably shorter than the other and 
 built accordingly. The\' have wh'-'t is called side hill 
 pants with one short leg. We had often heard of them 
 but never knew to what usage the\" were put until ex- 
 plained to us by a friendly train man. 
 
 Apparently these people knew noihing of our com- 
 ing, as we went sjunning along we would see a man or 
 woman at work near the house who would look up and 
 catch a glimpse of a Hag and the brass buttons, then 
 the\' would run into the house and out would come a 
 whole village, who would stare at us until we were out 
 of sight. 
 
 Negroes were becoming nu)re numerous, some vil- 
 lages being composed entire! \- <»f them, A great many 
 
140 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 of the old time farm houses still stand. They are low 
 and rambling, with verandas nearly surrounding them. 
 They are very picturesque. 
 
 We were held some time at Grafton to allow the 
 second section to come up. We had the car of provisions 
 but the Quartermaster was on the rear train and we 
 could get nothing to eat until he arrived. We were de- 
 layed some time here. The second section passed us in 
 order to have Col. Foster ahead to make necessary ar- 
 rangements when we arrived at our destination. 
 
 Soon after leaving Grafton we crossed into Mary- 
 land, going almost directly east to Cumberland. About 
 twenty miles above Cumberland we struck the Potomac 
 river, following along its banks to Harper's Ferry. Be- 
 tween Cumberland and Harper's Ferry we skirted an- 
 other range of mountains. 
 
 On this division we took a twenty mile ride down a 
 very steep grade; brakes were all set and yet we went 
 down with a rush and roar around curves and over 
 brid^^es. At one moment the coaches appeared to be al- 
 most over, the next they would go back with a lurch and 
 on over to the other side. We arrived at Harper's Ferry 
 at io:oo a. m.. Thursday, May 19th. 
 
 We were given only ten minutes here, and ihen 
 must stay on our cars, so it was impossible to learn much 
 in regard to this old historic place- C)ne of the most 
 beautiful scenes on the whole trip was here. To the 
 east, and just in front of our engine as we stopped, was 
 a <n-eat bare cliff, the largest one seen; about its center 
 was a black hole, the mouth of the tunnel through which 
 the B. & O. railwav runs direct to Washington. On 
 either side of us as we stood on the bridge which crosses 
 the Potomac, could be seen prominent cliffs on which 
 
Akkiv.m, at C\:\ii' Ai.(;i:r<. 1 17 
 
 were perched summer hotels and resorts (j1 all sorts. 
 
 We were switched on to a hranch of the H. cV O. at 
 Harper's T'errx' and taken southwest aloni;" ihe fo(jt of 
 the Blue RicJfjje mountains to SirashurLf. \ a., a distance 
 of fifty-three miles. fn this section of \ ir^inia the lav of 
 the land m.ule us think of home. Tlu- soil is of a thick 
 red clay and we were informed produced excellent crops. 
 
 Leaxin^r Strasbur^ about four o'clock in the after- 
 noon on the Southern railway we crossed the Blue Ridfj^e 
 mountains, going nearly east to Manassas. As we \>ere 
 entering this place we saw a large monument near the 
 railway which the trainmen said marked the spot where 
 soldiers who were slain in the battle of iMill Run were 
 buried. The location of the battle-field proper lies 
 about three miles to the north of Manassas. We took a 
 north-easterly course from here to Alexandria, on the 
 Potomac, about ten miles southwest of Washington. 
 Here our train which had been divided at the Ohio 
 river, was once more coupled together and we were 
 pulled out to Dunn Loring. which lies almost directlv 
 west of the Capitol about twelve miles, thus taking a 
 two hundred mile ride to cover a distance of tiftv miles. 
 We afterward learned that this side trip was caused bv 
 the si/e of the Wagner sleei:»ers. they were too large to 
 pass through the great tunnel at Harpers Ferrv. 
 
 We arrived at Dunn Loring about nine lhirt\ . p. 
 m.. Mav nineteenth, and lay in the cars all night, disem- 
 barked in the morning and remained there until two 
 o'clock in the afternoon awaiting the arrival of the re- 
 mainder of the regiment. Captain Lawrie visited Camp 
 Alger in the morning, for the purpose of selecting a 
 location for our regiment to establish a permanent 
 camping ground. 
 
148 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 The delayed sections of our train bearin*^ the 
 second and third battalions arrived shortly after noon and 
 we formed and marched out to camp, a distance of 
 about three miles; it was very hot and the roads were 
 dusty. A number of the boys fell out along the line of 
 march, and some of them were taken to the hospital 
 where they remained several days. 
 
 We immediately set to work getting our camp out- 
 fits together and putting up tents and had bareley com- 
 pleted the task when it began to rain. 
 
MAJOR WM. T. CHANNON, 
 Sixth Infantry. 
 
L'a.mi' Ai.f.i'.K. 14<> 
 
 CHA1TI']U IX. 
 
 iiiilt' 
 
 Cauil) Uussi'll A, Al^'cr was lucatrd {•\<_:;]\\ 
 south and west of Wasliiugtoii. J). ('. The caiiiii i,M-(iiiii(ls 
 contained about six hundred acres, and hoi-ih^rrd on a 
 hiri^,' tratd of tiinh.T hind. A small sh'cani coursed 
 through the edij^e of the woods ami was ]iracticall\ the 
 h^onnchiry line of the caai[) <,n'ounds. Manv stirrini; in- 
 cickMits occurred in ami alxjut this neiijhhoi'hooil ilurini'' 
 the civil war. and the old residents entertained ns ))v re- 
 lating tales of those eventful davs. 
 
 When we arrived in cani}) we found little or no 
 |)re[)arations had been made to reccdve us. although sev- 
 eral days had flapscd since tlir War |)e|.artmcnt had or- 
 de'red the regiment to this camp. \'ery little if anv 
 complaints were made by the men. yet it did appear to 
 us that the National government was less energetic in 
 the matter of taking [iroper care of its troojis than was 
 the state of Illinois. 
 
 We were not long in deterudning that the e\il lav 
 not so niucli with an\ one person in particular, but was 
 caused i)v the red ta])e jjroeess which we met with. 
 This obstacde. or at least it appcart d as such to the vol- 
 unteers, confronted us at every turn throughout our ser- 
 vi(H'. It was undoubtedh a necessity and will always 
 remain S(j in the liandliu'r of larire bodies of troops, but 
 
150 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 it caused no end of inconveniences for us and we were 
 slow to become accustomed to its tedious methods. 
 
 Our rations were short and the water was bad and 
 of poor (juality. These conditions existed but a short 
 time and when the work of sup[)lying the troops had 
 foUowed its channel and terminated with us we imme- 
 ''^>>^iately felt its eff'ecTS and were well fed from that time 
 on. 
 
 General E. B. Williston was in command of the 
 camp for a short time but was succeeded on May 24th 
 by Major General William M. Graham. The troops at 
 Camp Alger were designated as the Second Army Corps. 
 
 The Sixth Massachusetts, Eighth ()hi(j and Sixth 
 Illinois infantry regiments formed the Second Brigade. 
 The First District of Columbia Infantry broke camp and 
 marched out the day of our arrival: they had been or- 
 dered to Camp Thomas. Troops were arriving almost 
 hourly and soon numbered ten thousand. Among them 
 were the Sixth, Eighth, Twelfth and Thirteenth Penn- 
 sylvania: the Seventh, Eighth and Seventeenth regi- 
 ments and on? battalion of colored troops from Ohio: 
 ^ the First New Jersey: Sixty-Fifth New York: Sixth 
 Massachusetts and Sixtli Illinois Infantry. Later an in- 
 fantry regiment from Missouri, and one from Kansas 
 came in. with a squadron of Cavalry from New York 
 and then the Seventh Illinois. By the time these 
 
 troops had all pitched their tents Camp Alger pres(mted 
 a lively scene: a city of tents had risen as if from the 
 earth, stretching away To the left until lost in the distant 
 woods which at intervals broke into the camj) grounds. 
 
 A great many of the troops were without uniforms 
 and few had received arms. The New Jersey regiment 
 was eqiapped throughout by the State; the, Sixty-Fifth 
 
FiKST l)i-.\rii IN rill Sixrii. l-'l 
 
 New \'(>rk iiKiili' M (Icciilrdiv slrjiii^'f !i|H)»'firiUicf as ivfi\ 
 man wori' stTi^n-aiit "s stiipts mi his lionscrs. iiiid llit-y 
 Wfi-i' jokiii<4;lv rt'ft-rrtMl In as tlic ic^finn'iil of sfVLT'-inits. 
 ( )iu' coiiipaiiN' ill this n'iriiiii'iit was coiiiiMisi'd of and ol- 
 fu'crcd t'Mtindv 1»\ nci^rocs. and it was admitted Ity the 
 other men of t he vei;imenl that tliis eompany was l>\ lai- 
 the best drilled in the rei^'iiiieiit . 
 
 Private Louis Jilotidsoe of eompany A from Rock Is- 
 hiiid died of an acute attack of typhoid fever dnriiii; the 
 ui;;ht of our first day in camp. Tht iiext afternoon the 
 hist tribute was |iaid to the ih-ad soldier. Chaphuu 1. X. 
 Keefer. of tile Kiijhtli Ohio, in the absence of ('haphiin 
 ^Ftirij^an. conducted the simple funeral service of the ar- 
 ui\ I'ituai. 
 
 Standing out in the company street, he led the lioys 
 as ihevsang ••Nearer Mv (lod to Thee.'" then followed 
 the reading of the XC'l ]isalm: the bu£,de corps sounded 
 ••taps" and then the usual escort and the pall-bearers, 
 chosen from amon^ his comrades ot company A. fol- 
 lowed b\- the entire conipanv. carried the body to I'alls 
 Church, from which place the remains were sent to his 
 home for interment. 
 
 Such was the death and funeral rites of the first 
 volunteer soldier of the Si.xih Illinois who forfeited 
 his life while servinL,^ the tlaer. In the few short weeks 
 of his soldier life he had won no laurels for deeds of 
 Ljallantrv: no i^lorious achievements were his. yet he 
 died an American soldier, serving iiis flaL;" and his 
 countrv. No higher tribute than this can be paid a 
 citizen of this Republic iivine- or dead. He had given 
 his all. follow in <^' the Stars and Stripes, in a cause of 
 justice and lunnanit\; <j;i\in<; his aid to brini; to an un- 
 liappy people that of which they had had visions for 
 
152 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 years but as yet had never realized, but he as an Amer- 
 ican citizen knew its full value and loved better than life 
 itself; that for which Old Glory has ever proudly waved 
 in defence and stands as an unquestionable emblem, 
 siueet libcr/y. One more name had been added to the 
 already long roll of honor of dead American soldiers and 
 sailors whose lives had been sacrificed on the alter of 
 their country. 
 
 The day following we received the sad tidings of 
 the death of Lieutenant Cole of Monmouth, Ass't Sur- 
 geon of our regiment. He died of pneumonia at Hope 
 Hospital, Ft. Wayne. Indiana. May twenty-second. 
 His illness was contracted at Camp Tanner. He started 
 for Camp Alger with the regiment, but his condition 
 grew steadily worse and when Ft. Wayne was reached 
 Colonel Foster ordered him removed to the hospital. 
 He lingered along, hovering between life and death 
 but a few days, then he too forfeited his life. He 
 breathed his last serving the flag he loved. The sweet 
 notes of the bugle call coming soft and low from an un- 
 known world had sounded -'taps." and his life-light 
 which had been burning so brightly was snuffed, and he 
 was mustered out. 
 
 There was but little sickness as yet in the regiment 
 Some few of the men were slightly indisposed having 
 contracted hard colds while at Camp Tanner and aggra- 
 vated by the long journey to Camp Alger. Rushing 
 the men into an unprepared camp had not bettered their 
 condition and three privates, one from compony M. one 
 from company K and one from company L were sent to 
 Fort Myer Hospital the second day in camp. This act- 
 ion was considered necessary as their condition became 
 alarming and Major Anthony felt unwilling to assume 
 
An An<;i:i, oi iMicKt n . l'>3 
 
 the l•t•^^|1on.sihilit\ of nursing tlicst- men b;uk to health 
 witli iIk' htuitt'd resources at hand at the turn-. 
 
 Ainoiii^Mhi- lirst visitors at eamp after tlie arrival of 
 the Illinois troops was Mrs. Kleeta K. Smith of Wash- 
 in(;ton, formerly post-mistress of Sterliiio-. I'rom the 
 lirst hour of her presence in camp she took a deep in- 
 terest in oin- bo\ s and more especially the bo\-s of com- 
 pany IC. It was she who found the soldiers lying in the 
 hospital without cots or beddino- of any description. She 
 lost no time in calling the atteniion of ihe Illinois Sena- 
 tors to the condition of affairs and urged them to bring 
 their influence to bear on the War Department to pro- 
 vide better accomodations for the Illinois boys. 
 
 Senator CuUom paid a visit to our quarters and in- 
 spected the regimental hospital and hurried to Washing- 
 ton, where he had an interview with the Secretary of 
 War. who promised that everything possible would he 
 done for the comfort of the men. Senators Cullom and 
 Mason, and Representatives Ilitt and Marsh were on 
 the LH-ound several times and labored to provide the 
 Illinois troops with everything possible. The wives oi 
 these gentlemen were also frequent callers, and always 
 came laden with artijlei a i i d/iicuic^i for th- hos- 
 pital patients. 
 
 Cots and mattresses were soon forthcoming and 
 Major Anlhonv and his assistants secured a supply of 
 drugs and medicines. The regimental hospital became 
 thoroughly eiiuipped for the lifne being, and the unfor- 
 tunate soldiers who fell \ iitims to dis^^•lse were given 
 the best of treatment. 
 
 Mrs. Smith gave tli\' boys of company K a royal 
 spread the In-sl Sunday in camp. Tables and table 
 linens were conspicuous bv iheir absence, but the eat' 
 
154 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 ables were abundant and made up of everything. The 
 dinner was served in an informal style but she tried 
 hard to console the boys for the sickness and death of 
 their comrades by ministering- to the inner man. Her 
 influence was continually brought to bear on the Wash- 
 ington otiicials to provide well for the men, and Colonel 
 Foster and Major Anthony expressed the sentiments of 
 the men of the regiment in a few well chosen words. 
 She was looked upon as the mother of the regiment. 
 Certain it was. she was our good angel, ministering to 
 the wants of thC; sick and speaking words of encourage- 
 ment and cheer to everyone. 
 
 It was very amusing to walk about among the east- 
 ern regiments cjuarters and hear the remarks of their 
 members regarding the boys from Illinois. We were 
 looked upon as cow-boys, rough riders and reckless 
 shooters. We were asked a great many times about 
 cow-boy life,and bear hunting, and if the Indians were 
 all peac^fiil at home. As we strolled about we over- 
 heard such remarks as: "Those fellows are ficm Illi- 
 nois, away out west, nice fellows but h- 1 when they 
 get started; thev would just as soon shoot as not, and 
 we had better look out for them. 
 
 We were a little non-plussed at first to know 
 whether thev really thought as they spoke, but we 
 soon saw they were in earnest and we did every- 
 thmg possible to mislead them and keep them of the 
 opinion that we were really bad men. Company G 
 of Dixon gave an exhibition of an Indian war dance 
 at intervals. Wrapped in red blankets, they would 
 hop around, whoop and yell, beat the drums and hold 
 a pow-wow. This farce never failed to draw a large 
 crowd of niteregted spectfitprs. At night the parade 
 
Illinois Cow |•,()^•^;. 
 
 1 
 
 j^rouiuls wiTc aliv r witli would he liuiiaius. howling. 
 l^roaniiiL; ami lanviiii; tlu- jport to tlir last stri'ttli of 
 llu'ir iina<4inalioii in .i supri'Mu- ctfort to U-avc a lasting 
 iinp' t'ssioii willi our i oiin adcs from ihc cast that w c 
 were IfiTors. 
 
 .\hiiiy of tlif hoys liail liail tlirii- li.iir cliiiiM-d <-|csf 
 to tlit'if head oil account of tlic c<iiitiiiucd jiot wcallicr. 
 ( )iic of t liciii. a iiiciiihir of the Sixth Illinois haiuh was 
 sitting' in the shade of a tree )n the outskirts of the 
 camp eri-,,i|iid one afternoon. He hail tlii-own his hat on 
 the ground nud .vas putViui; hard on a corn-col) pipe. 
 While in this j>ositioii t hiiikini,^ of incidents which had 
 ot'curred ill the past few weeks, he was aroused l)\- the 
 curious actions of a soldier who had approacdied him 
 (piietly and was slowly walkinj^ around the tree aijainst 
 which the wonderiu;^^ Illinois s )ldier rested. The sohl- 
 ier was evidentall V a private from oiit^ of the eastern re<'- 
 inieuts. 
 
 After ^azin^f at the i-ecliniiiii: ti^'ure a nioineiit. his 
 eyes l)eeanie rjlued on the uiU'overed head of the musi- 
 cian, and after a short jtause he said. -Sav coiniade. how 
 dill you <;et those ]:\jr scars on your head.-"' The man 
 from Illinois ^'rasped the situation like a tlash and re- 
 jijied. ••Well you see it was this wa\ . a coii|ilc df vears 
 a«;o the Indians out our way i,^it liled ahout sonletllin«^ 
 I don t reinenilier tlie cause now: at any rate thev «»"i)t 
 troiililesome and a dozen of us \ouiii; fellows started out 
 on their trail to corral them. W'e soon run across them 
 and in the mix-up two of om- lio\s were killed and I was 
 knocked senseless. 
 
 ••The Indians supposed I was dead and on.' <.f | hem 
 stol.e up. and atteuijited to tinish the joh hv scalpiut; me. 
 I revivetl just .as Ue wa- prej>arinij to nuike the final 
 
ITii) History of Companies I and E. 
 
 swiiifT with his knife find lift my hair. I managed to get 
 niv hand on mv six-shooter which he had not taken time 
 to secure, and as he was gh)atingover me. I half opened 
 my eyes, took (jnick aim and tired. That poor red devil 
 never knew what hai)[)ened to him. for that piece of lead, 
 half the size of your tist had liored a hole clear through 
 his head, and with a yell he sprang into the air and fell 
 on his face dead as a door nail."" 
 
 ••The oth"r boys who hadgiven chase to the red- 
 skins, returned in a couple of hours. They had met a 
 troop of V. S. regulars and put them on the trail of 
 the Indians. We picked up our dead comrades and re- 
 turned to our homes. It was some time before 1 en- 
 tirely recovered from the slashing I had received at the 
 hands of the vicious Indian, and the hair has never 
 grown on those spots since." 
 
 The man from the east drank in the whole story 
 eai^erlv and as the man from Illinois finished the narra- 
 live he gathered himself up and pulled a big six-shooter 
 from his hip pocket and caressed it tenderly. The 
 stranger looked about him for a moment and seeing the 
 way clear, backed away a few paces and turning, made a 
 bee line for camp. The musician lay on the grass and 
 laughed until he was sore. The fact of the matter was 
 he fell from the top rail of a fence and cut his scalp 
 (luite severely when a mere boy. and it had left him with 
 the scars which had caught the eye of the wandering 
 soldier from the east. This deception regarding the 
 presence of the cow-boy and Indian in Illinois was kept 
 up until a regiment of infantry arrived at cam]) from 
 Kansas and another from Missouri, then we ke])t quiet 
 on these matters. 
 
 On May twenty-fourth, General Graham appointed 
 
r 
 > 
 Ed 
 
 7^ 
 
Tkooi's K 1'.\ 1 1 \\ id ^.^ Mi l\l^I.l.^. loT 
 
 ( 'olniH'l l''i isli'i' to t he i-t >iiitii;iii(l of t he Scci iikI liri;^'!i(lc .in;ik- 
 iiijLC liiin '"ictiiij^' Hri^^jidicr (ifiM'j;il ot' xdluntt ns. This iiii- 
 (•x|ii'ctt'(l lioiior to till' Ctiloiicl ol" (Uir rciriiiit'iit \v;is lifiilcd 
 with (lfli;;ht li\ our l)o\s ;iim1 our cjiiii |> life \v;is liri^dit- 
 cuimI fof a t inif. The appoiiitiiH-nt was not |irniiaiu'iit 
 howcvci-. and not lonj^' al'tcrward (iciifi'al ( iarrctson from 
 ( )hio was phicrd in coinuiand of the l)rii,^•ld»'. 
 
 M(v t went V scvfut 1). (icncral (Irahani ri'vii-wcd thi' 
 troops of his iMtiumaiid. and conipliiiu-nti'd them lii<;ldv 
 oil their military appcarniicc Tlic day foUowini,^. the 
 troops [)asscd in review l)ef(jre I'resiih'ut McKinK-x. 
 Vice President Hohnrt. See"y Al»jei-. (ien'l Miles and a 
 number of other CTOvernmeiit offieials. 
 
 The President and his party arrived on tlie ^n-oumls 
 at three tliivtv p. m.. escorted l)y two tr<iops of New 
 York Cavalry. The parade formeil immediately after- 
 wards. It was exactly one hour from the time the 
 first company [)asst'd the reviewing stand until the last 
 went by. There were eleven regiments in line: First 
 New Jersey; Seventh and Eighth Ohio: Sixty-Fifth New 
 York: Sixth Illinois; Sixth Massachusetts; Eighth. 
 Twi'lfth and Thirteenth Pennsylvania; Fifteenth Indiana 
 iuid Twelfth Missouri. Two or three of the regiments 
 that were in camp did not partici[)ate in the review for 
 some cause. 
 
 Colonel Foster was in command of the Second bri- 
 gade, First division of the Second army corps, which 
 was com[)osed of the Sixth Illinois, Sixth Massachusetts 
 and Eiirhth Ohio. Lieut. Colonel Kittilsen was in com- 
 mand of our regiment. This lirigade was the reci[)ient 
 of many compliments on the showing it maile. as com- 
 pany after company swung by the reviewing stand with 
 regular step and perfect line. It was witiiout doubt the 
 
158 History of Companies 1 and E. 
 
 best equipped and most thoroughly drilled brigade at 
 Camp Alger. i 
 
 After the review the Presidents party drove through 
 each regiment's quarters and was greeted with rounds of 
 cheers on every side. 
 
 We were never in want for music. Nearly every 
 regiment present had either a band or fife and drum 
 corps. The fife and drum corps of the Sixth Massachu- 
 setts was extremely persistent in its rehearsels and it 
 could be heard the first thing in tlie morning, all through 
 the day and late at night. The Washington papers 
 gave the Eighth Ohio band first place, with the Sixth 
 Illinois band as a close second; but thanks to the con- 
 tinued efforts of C'hief Musician Prestine, our band kept 
 steadily improving until we readily saw it was first 
 in the favor of the many camp visitors whose iulerest in 
 the boys in blue never lagged. 
 
Coi.ONi:i, (jiKAKD i\ J*]\-ii)i;nci;. IT)',) 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 Tlif hours of duty were leiiij^thcned shortly after 
 our arrival at Oam|) Alger. First call tor reveille sound- 
 ed at five fifteen a. m. and taj)S at nine Ihirtv ]>■ ni ; we 
 were <]^iven an hour's hard drilling, from six thirl v until 
 seven thirty in the morning: an liour and thirty minutes 
 before mess at noon: and from three o"elock until four 
 in the afternoon, witli dress parade at six thirty in the 
 evening. 
 
 Our regiment held its first dress |)arade and review 
 on the evening of May twenty-fifth. The band marched 
 down the line to the stirring strains of the good old 
 ••First ^^rigade March." The review was tine and elicit- 
 ed great applause from the visitors. The regiment 
 marched in column of conn)anies l)etV)re Colonel Foster, 
 and the alignment and step was ])erfect. 
 
 ()r(lers were read to the mi'U practicall v establishing 
 a tlead line one mile from camj): or in other words, a sol- 
 dier wh) WIS foua 1 l).'yoii;l the mile limit from camp 
 without j)ermission was subject to court martial. .\ por- 
 tion of the Articles of War was i-eail to the men each 
 night to familiarize them with the regulations which 
 controlled their actions at all limes, whether on or otT 
 duty. 
 
 I^rivates (xoodnian and Little, (jf company K. were 
 
1P)0 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 detailed to duty in tlie hospital, and private John Strock 
 of the same company, regimental color guard. May 
 twenty-eighth. Captain Lawrie made the following ap- 
 pointmenlsin company E: Corporal Sheldon to be Ser- 
 geant; private McNeil, Corporal; private Book. Wagon- 
 er. Private Will Flock was detailed to special duty in 
 the quartermaster's department. 
 
 Major Anthony established a theoretical school of in- 
 struction to soldiers, or ''The first aid to the wounded." 
 He explained to us how^ the various injuries and wounds 
 should be treated when una})le to secure medical assist- 
 ance. We were given thirty minutes of this instruction 
 daily. 
 
 Quite a sensation was caused in camp when we were 
 informed that Colonel Girard, Chief Surgeon in com- 
 mand of the First division hospital, had ordered the 
 regimental surgeons to turn over to the division hospital 
 all of their supplies such as cots, bedding, tents etc. 
 The information given out carried with it the idea that 
 this was done in order to centralize the work of caring 
 for the invalid soldiers. A vigorous protest was made 
 by our surgeons. The cots and bedding in our hospital 
 were furnished the regiment by Senator Mason and Mrs. 
 Electa Smith from their private funds and Major Antho- 
 ny decided that the supplies received from this source 
 did not come under the jurisdiction of Colonel Girard. 
 The transfer of this equipment meant the relinquishing 
 of all hopes of securing respectable treatment for our 
 boys as the division hospital was a farce. 
 
 It was lacking in equipment, nurses, supplies, med- 
 icines and surgical instruments, with which the regimen- 
 tal hospitals were kept supplied. A rigid examination 
 of the existing conditions at the division hospital brought 
 
CAPT. JOHN J. CAIRNS, 
 
 Ile^t'l Adj. Sixth Inf. 
 
Ni:\\ (ji Au ri;i<s. 101 
 
 1(1 lii;-lit til ■ lad that tlic patients were pm^rlv cared tor, 
 wliile tlie men ill the re<;iiiieiital hospitals were receivin<jj 
 the best oi" Ireatiiieiit and supplies were constantly l)ein<^ 
 1)rone-ht in in hir<^e (jnantities by private parties. 
 
 Alajoi' Anthony (h'ci(h'd to I'isk a cdurl martial 
 rattier tliaii see tlie result of so much time and lalxir 
 thrown into the hands of the surgeons at the division 
 liosjiiTal, and refused point blank to deliver his sup- 
 plies to Colonel Girard The controversy was carried 
 on for some time ami eventually resulted in the re- 
 tention of the regimental liospital. 
 
 The next, move of Colonel Girard was to order the 
 transfer into the regular service of all members of the 
 volunteer hospital corps. This caused another stir 
 among the men wdio would be effected by the order, 
 but there was no way of avoiding it and the final re- 
 sult was that several of tlu" Sixth rei;-lni'nt w.-re trans- 
 ferred to the regular service, with the verbal nnder- 
 standiniT that thev were to be allowed to remain with 
 their regiuu'iit ami br niuslcrrcl oul with it. 
 
 Ralph Humphrey of company I. and (niy Rod;^ers 
 of conipan\- 1^ were among the number. 
 
 We had just fairly settled ourselves in our 
 quarters when we were ordered to strike tents and 
 move across the road. The boys had been jniiling in 
 the hours off dut\- in building bunks in their lents. 
 We drove crolched slicks in the ground, on these we 
 placed strong poles, then a layer of bark, from trees. 
 then an armful of pine twigs and o\er all a blanket 
 was thrown, making a very comfortable bed. and 
 raised about si.x inches from the ground. Tnis work 
 was just completed when the order came to move and 
 on June third w^e reluctantly packed our belongings and 
 
 i 
 
1()2 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 camp equipage and began life anew in our new quar- 
 ters. 
 
 Our new site was on a side hill, the lower end 
 of the company street terminating at the very edge of 
 the timber land. On our right wound the corduroy 
 road leading to Falls Church. This had become 
 a very busy thoroughfare, and a continual string of 
 teams was passing our tents from early morning un- 
 til late in the evening. The soil was sand v. and the 
 weather hot and dry and every gust of wind would 
 till our eyes and cover everything about us with 
 dust. 
 
 Along this road opposite our quarters, it had been 
 built up solid for nearly a half a mile with temporary 
 structures of wood and canvas. There was a barber- 
 shop, billiard hall, shooting gallery, and several dining 
 halls, with numerous refreshment stands interminj^lino-. 
 Once in a while a blockade of teams would occur and 
 then the mule-whacker could be heard for half a mile 
 as he urged his four-in-hand throughthe labyrinth of 
 vehicles: 
 
 A few days previous to our moving to the new 
 camp site we were given another degree in soldiering 
 bv the appearance of --greybacks." We had been 
 dravv'in<»- clothinir and one of the bovs. among other 
 articles had been issued a new flannel shirt. He had 
 taken the clothing to his tent and was looking it over 
 when he saw something crawling on' the collar of the 
 shirt. He picked the shirt up and called the attention of 
 several of his comrades to the moving object and they 
 decided it was the old original army greyback and they 
 scattered itistanllv. 
 
 The owner of the shirt carried it down to the 
 
KF.(;iMr,Nr R i-akivi r.i) ro jMaximim. l(i;5 
 
 end of the compaiix' street and plaei-d il <m the irround 
 where it was inspected hy ihi- whoU- eonipany as there 
 were hut few of the h;)\s wh > had ever seen one of 
 the "eritters."' TheN all niacU' sine lo ri-main a re- 
 spectful (Hstance fi-();n thr cotiianiinatinj^ piece of cloth, 
 while its owner stood In thinkin'4 of the 81.85 which 
 liad heen eli ir^ed to his account in pa\ nicnt toi^ the 
 article. 'rurninLi" the matter ovvv in his nniid he walked 
 oxer, picked the shirt up and carried il hick to his tent, 
 lie knew il would be a matter of onl\- a few daws unli! 
 the new-comer would tind him aiuwav and he ma\- as 
 well keep the slurl. 
 
 Mrs. Smith (.ontinued her \isiis to eairiji always 
 hrin^ini;" something; for the bo\'s to eat. Iler sunlin^' 
 face and o'entle \oice had become almost a necessiu- to 
 many of the xolunteers. Her strong character and the 
 enthusiasm wuh whicli she kept at her self-imposed task 
 was an inspiration to all those who witnessed it. and 
 the effec was noticeable h^ng after her departure. 
 
 It was through her efforts that bugler Eshelman of 
 company E. recei\ed his discharge and was sent home. 
 He had been in poor health for some time and camp 
 life was rapidly wearing him out. As soon as Mrs. 
 Smith came to know the circumstances she took im- 
 mediate steps to hurry his release. x\n application for 
 his discharge had been forwarded to the War Depart- 
 ment on the grounds of physical disability. As soon 
 Us the discharge was granted Mrs. Smith took him to 
 iier home in Washington and cared for him for sev- 
 eral da\s until she felt he was in lit condition to make 
 the journe\' home safely. He left Washington for 
 Sterling the second week in June. 
 
 Early in June, the government having decided to 
 
104 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 till every or<»:anization to its maximum, otiicers were de- 
 tailed from all Illinois reij^iments to visit their home 
 stations and there recruit each company to its desired 
 na;nbsr of o:ie han h-e:l an_l si\- eiliste^i me.i fro:n the 
 neighborhood where the company was original'y organ- 
 ized. First Lieutenant Dillon of comp my E was ap- 
 pointed recruiting otiicer of the First battalion of the 
 Sixth regiment. A man from each company was de- 
 tailed to accompany him and aid in the r^^cruiting; Ser- 
 geant Osborne of company I and private Bensinger of 
 company E were detailed from those two companies. 
 They left Camp Alger for Illinois. June seventh. Lieut. 
 Dillon opened a recruiting oiiice in Sterling and he 
 soon had the desired number of volunteers. He, with 
 the enlisted men detailed to assist him returned and 
 reported for duty at Camp Alger June twenty-sixth. 
 
 The recruits for companies E and I arrived at 
 Camp Alger at intervals between the nineteenth and 
 twenty-sixth of June and were as follows: Company E; 
 Clare Brumley. Ford Brittenham. Moses N. Dillon, 
 Isaac Davis, Charles Eberle, Harry Eberle, Ed. Haberle, 
 Louis E. Hayes, Fred A.Johnson. Mert Jackson, G. A. 
 McKelvey and j. D. VValck, who were sworn into 
 the service at Sterling. June sixteenth, by Lieut. Dillon 
 and departed the next morning for Camp Alger. They 
 reported to Capt. Lawrie for duty on the morning of 
 June nineteenth. 
 
 Twelve more men for Company E were mustered 
 at Sterling, June eighteenth and embarked for Camp 
 Alger, June twentieth, reporting for duty June twenty 
 third. Thev were: Fr?>nk Apple. Howard Armstrong. 
 William Connell. Ernest Esterbrooks. Frank Heath, 
 Wilber Jackson, R. E. Jackson, Richard O. Jones, 
 
C APT. FRANK W. BARBER. 
 Q.-M. Sixth Inf. 
 
Sixth Recument on Dkess Parade. KiT) 
 
 Walter Latherow. Harold Matlack. Arthur Overholser 
 and Bert Sneed. John Drew si<jfned the muster roll 
 June t\vent\-third antl started for W ashin^^ton immed- 
 iately. This completed the roster of company K. 
 
 June nineteenth, twenty recruits reported to Capt. 
 Colebaugh for duty in compaiu' I. they were: Olin Car- 
 oay, Marcus L. Drennen, Walter C. Drur\-. (jeorge 
 I'Veek. Charles Fretk. Georu^e Hunt, B\ron Humphre\-. 
 Rollin Humphrey. Arthur Lewis, Charles Lewis. 
 William Leslie, Edmund S. Laiif^don, Bert Palmer, 
 Charles Reafsnyder. Ernest Snyder, John Stowell. 
 Arthur Sears. Schuyler Sweeney, Olin Wells and Frank 
 Weaver. June twenty-third, Albert Anstett, Guy 
 Humphrey. Irvin Stumbaugh, Frank Wells and Fred 
 White joined company I; and on June twentv-sixth: 
 FLirry Bent came into comp. This gave company 1 a 
 full complement of men. 
 
 A misunderstanding occurred in the enlistment of 
 private Langdon, His father applied for his discharge, 
 and it was granted, "by way of favor."' It took some 
 time to secure his release but it was accomplished and he 
 returned to his home. The vacancy thus caused was 
 tilled by the enlistment of William Boilshaus. Private 
 Brubaker of Company 1 was transferred to the Signal 
 Corps and detached from the company and regiment. 
 
 The practice drills contmued regularly, and soon the 
 recruits were placed in the ranks by the side of the older 
 men. The effect of the course of instruction which the 
 volunteers constantly received was quite evident. At 
 regimental dress parade, the troops from the unoccupied 
 regiments would congregate to witness the maneuvers of 
 the men of the regiment that was on parade. Hundreds 
 of visi'ors from Washington and the surroundincr country 
 
160 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 were usually on hand each evening for the same purpose. 
 When the Sixth Illinois formed and executed the manual 
 of arms drill there was nothing in camp that could touch it. 
 With the command, '-order arms,"' every rifle came down 
 at the same time with a thud; the left hand of each man 
 dropped to his side with a precision like clock work, and 
 the men never failed to receive hearty applause. 
 
 In passing in review before the commanding ofhcer 
 and his staff, each company, with few exceptions, held a 
 perfect line and kept regular step. Colonel Foster was 
 extremely proud of his command and was the recipient 
 of many words of praise from the brigade and division 
 officers for the splendid showing made by the men of his 
 regiment. 
 
 A limited number of passes were issued to the men 
 each day and they eagerly took advantage of die oppor- 
 tunity to visit the city of Washington. A three mile ride 
 in the dirt and dust to Falls Church, and about ten miles 
 on an electric car, up hill and down dale, whizzing around 
 sharp curves and over bridges in Old Virginia, bringing 
 up suddenly on the bank of the Potomac opposite George- 
 town; taking foot passage over the bridge into this 
 suburb of the Capitol City, then a short ride on a street 
 car and the party landed in the heart of the National 
 Capitol. 
 
 There was much to be seen and usually the lime 
 was limited to a few hours in the city. The Capitol 
 building and White House must not be over looked; then 
 there was the Navy yard, the Marine barracks, the U. 
 S. Museum," Treasury and Navy building, the Congres- 
 sional Library, which is the finest building in the world, 
 with its long corridors, library rooms and large open 
 stairs, all built of the best trranite and marble the world 
 
A N'lSir TO WASIlINCiTOX. 1(*7 
 
 produces and \'er\- liii^hlv polished. Holli tlie upper and 
 lower domes on this Iniildiiiii;- are over laid with i^old leaf 
 on the out side. The walls of the iiiterioi- are adorned 
 with beautiful jxiintiiiij^s and works of art wrouirht bv 
 master hands. The wide shehes and mammoth tables 
 are laden with books, papers and magazines published 
 centuries ago. 
 
 Washingtons monument must also be visited be- 
 fore returning. This testimonial erected in memory of 
 the father of our country, is thirty five feet square at the 
 base and towers five hundred and fifty five feet above 
 the earth. The interior is open and contains a winding 
 stairwav from bottom to top. An elevator makes the 
 ascent and descent everv thirtA- minutes. The stones 
 used in the construction of this memorial were contribu- 
 ted by 'the manv states, and societies of the union, each one 
 bearing an appropriate inscription. 
 
 Arri\-ing at the upper landing a birds-eye \'iew of 
 the citv and the countrv for miles surrounding is had, 
 men and women, on the lawn far below look like pig- 
 mies. The waters of the Potomac shimmering in the 
 sunlight can be traced for miles and as its course grows 
 fainter and fainter in the distance it appears like a band 
 of silver girdling this part of the world. The city itself, 
 lies spread out before \"OU like a page of an open book. 
 Its labryinth of streets and avenues, bordered by beau-r 
 tiful shade trees and handsome residences are bewilder- 
 ing while the pure white of the federal buildings nest^ 
 ling among the green foliage of the many gardens rests 
 the e\ e and reilects peace and secuiity ()\er all. De- 
 scending ill the elt'\aloi- the pirl\- turns its steps towaril 
 the Lincoln home. It is getting late and the boys com- 
 plete their dny of sightseeing by taking a drive through 
 
168 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 the residence portion of the city and return to camp very 
 tired but more than pleased with the result of the days 
 excursion. 
 
L.ll. GAYLORD, 
 l8t Lieut., Adj. 1st Bat Sixth 111. Vol. 
 
Paying thk Tkooi's. 100 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 June fourth,' General George R. Garrettson, of Col- 
 umbus, O., assumed comnr.and of the Second brigade, re- 
 lieving Colonel Foster who had been in command since 
 May twenty fourth. Capt. Cairns who had been acting 
 Ass't Adj't Gen'l at brigade headquarters was also re- 
 lieved and returned to regimental headquarters. 
 
 The men were growing weary of camp life. They 
 were not tired of soldiering but]were restless and anxious 
 to begin active service. We were fitted out with uni- 
 forms and clothing very slowly. The one bright spot in 
 these long days of monotonous drilling and camp duty 
 was the day the paymaster made his first visit at camp. 
 We signed the pay roll June eighth and the following 
 morning we lined up and one at a time received our pay. 
 
 This was the lirst money the boys had received 
 since their leaving home and they were sadly in need of 
 it. Many of them had entered^the service with but little 
 money in their pockets. Some were yet wearing citi- 
 zens clothing and had been compelled to purchase vari- 
 ous articles of wearing apparel, besides the dining halls 
 and refreshment stands hard by had lured the loose change 
 from the pockets of the majority of the soldiers and long 
 before the arrival of the paymaster their last cent was 
 gone. They soon began to realize that they must plan 
 differently, that fifteen dollars and sixty cents per month 
 
170 History of Companies T and E. 
 
 would not meet their expenses at the pace which had 
 been set and immediately after receiving their first pay 
 from Uncle Sam a goodly portion of it was sent directly 
 home. 
 
 Intoxicating liquors had been kept away from our 
 quarters as much as possible. The Pennsylvania regi- 
 ments had a wide open canteen running but nothing of 
 the kind was allowed in the neighborhood of the Illinois 
 or Ohio regiments. The crafty fellows in our vicinity 
 were not slow to take advantage of the situation and they 
 sold whiskey on the sly until they were caught and put 
 under arrest. We called them "moonshiners" and the 
 stuff they sold was known as "moonshine whiskey.'* It 
 was about the worst mixture that ever tickled a palate. 
 It was prepared in such a way that a man could drink a 
 quantity of it but would not feel the effects of the over 
 indulsrence for several hours. Take several drinks in the 
 middle of the day and towards evening he would begin 
 to feel queer, couldn't find the ten" he lived in. wander 
 around awhile, begin to feel a little sick, vvabble and 
 stagger a few moments and then he would give up in de- 
 spair, --Don't care if I never get home," and generally 
 landed in the guard house, waking up in the morning he 
 would reach out "a foot or so'^ feeling for his head and 
 wonder what it all meant. Not until then did he know 
 the full meaning of "moonshine~whiskey.'" 
 
 Talk about -cullud"; folks. They were so plenty 
 in that country that it would get dark about three o'clock 
 in the afternoon; no matter how bright the sun was shin- 
 ing it always appeared like twilight. Ask one of them 
 how far it was to a certain point and the general repl\- 
 was — '-Well. I doan know exactly, sah, but it's ah right 
 smaht wavs." The white people were but little in ad- 
 
Pa'-sinc Incidents. 171 
 
 vance of the •"Ciilhur" folks. They were iinmercifullv 
 slow. Thev woukl iiol luii'r\- under am* eircunistances, 
 a <;"oo(l man from our country would work all around 
 them. They sjieak with the twani;- peiailiar to the \'ir- 
 ij^inia people and it was d tlicult to keep from lauuhin^ 
 when talking" with one of them. The}' were little hetter 
 at iud^"ini4" distance than the ne^ro: a.-k one of them the 
 same (.question that w as put to the negro and he w<nil(l re- 
 ply -'about a mih-."' walk nearly two miles and xour dt-s- 
 tinalion not in sight: ask another one how nmch farlht-r 
 it was and it was then a mile and a half. A Virj.inia 
 mile was never understood bv the western boNs. 
 
 Shortly aftei- Chaplain Morgan joined our regiment 
 at Cam]) Alger he tendered his resignation to Colonel 
 Foster. His age and health would not permit him to fol- 
 low the fortunes and hardships of a eam[)aignhi a foreio-n 
 climate. Colonel Foster considered the circumstances 
 and regretfully accepted his resignation. He delivered 
 liis farewell seruion on the nineteenth day of June. (Sun- 
 day) and with diffieulty kept from breaking down l)efore 
 completing liis talk. He had \)ovn connected with the 
 regiment for a long time and the tliought of severing all 
 connection with it at the time when we were on the eve 
 of entering the strife, where his services would be so in- 
 valuable, nearly overcame him, 
 
 Private Jack W. Ferris of company D was appointed 
 to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Chaplain 
 Morgan. He was a Methodist clergyman and pastor of a 
 flourishing church at Abingdon. 111., when the war broke 
 out and the President called for volunteers. He immedi- 
 ately tendered his resignation to the trustees of his church 
 and took a place in the ranks as a private. He had 
 shared camp life with his comrades, had enjoyed it. and 
 
172 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 was as eager as any of tliem to get to the front. 
 
 At about this time a severe blow was administered 
 to the many refreshment stands that were established in 
 the neighborhood of the camp. The commander of the 
 post issued a swee})ing order, prohibiting the sale of pies, 
 cakes, cookies, sandwiches, ice-cream or lemonade, within 
 one mile of camp. The managers of these places had 
 been doing a flourishing business, but the officers in com- 
 mand decided that the quality of the goods i)ut out was 
 of the poorest and detrimental to the health of the troops- 
 The situation could be met in one way only and that was 
 to stop the sale of the articles, which they did. 
 
 Shortly after this a vaudeville show erected a tent 
 near our quarters. It received liberal patronage from the 
 soldiers and in return the manager tendered the use of the 
 tent to the Sixth 111., in which to hold church services. 
 
 The camp was favored by a call from Dr. Mary Wal- 
 ker. She was selling pamphlets and poems of her own 
 composition. She was dressed in man's costume, wearing 
 a suit of black, prince Albert coat, black straw hat, white 
 shirt and standing collar, and carried an umbrella. She 
 was the source of a great deal of amusement among the 
 bovs and a great many of them doubted its being a woman 
 at all. 
 
 Chaplain I. N. Keefer of the Eighth Ohio, died of 
 heart trouble June twenty second. Military funeral ser- 
 vices were held the following day and the corpse was es- 
 corted from camp by the regimental band and one com- 
 pany of infantry, his riderless horse following the funeral 
 car. This was the man who, a few weeks previous, oflBci- 
 ated at the funeral of the volunteer from Rock Island. 
 
 The weather continued hot and dry ; there had been 
 but little rain, and the wagon road which was in constant 
 
NED JOHNSON, 
 Reg. Sergt.-Major Sixth Inf. \'ol. 
 
Api'ointmf.nts; in Comi'Amf.s K ani> 1. 17o 
 
 ns«' was i,n'(>iiii(l into a l)c(l of very tine sand. With every 
 ij^iist of wind caiiir a Hurry < it dust and ilirt; llie clotliiii^ 
 and (juartcrs of (lur nicn were wit li ditiiculty kept pi'cscnt- 
 al)l('. We had sweltered in the sun and l)atl!ed witli the 
 dirt until everv man in <-ani]i was anxiously a wait inL( a 
 t hundershower to hreak the (lronL;ht and cool the atmos- 
 phere. 
 
 < )ne sultr\' e\"iiinL;" late in .lime it came; the rain 
 came down in toi-reiits. and the wind lijew a hurricane. 
 Evt'rvom' whose duties would allow it soui^'ht shelter in 
 his tent. When the rain had ceased the lioys crawh'd out 
 of theii- tents and eheenul thc>niselves hoarse. And such 
 a sii^ht as the sk\" [iresented ever\' one in camp was out 
 (IrinkiiiiZ in its l)eaut\'. In the east, a l),'autiful rainbow 
 shone forth. It was perfect: sti'etclun<.( from north to 
 south until lost in the liorizon. (douds of a mellow gold 
 drifted rapidh' !)v into a l)a(d\ground of a most delieate 
 blue. The foliage of the neighboring trees glistened like 
 wreaths of silver, while the rain drops tremlding on the 
 leaves sparkled like diamond settings as the slanting rays 
 of the disa[)pearing sun reflected o\'r the scene. It was 
 errand, and it was remarked on everv hand that it was the 
 most sublime spectacle ever witnessed. 
 
 With the companies increased to one hundred and 
 six eidisted men. came new appointments of non-commis- 
 sioned officers. June twenty-third Capt. Lawrie made 
 the following promotions: Privates D.eyoe, Reese Dillon, 
 Triggs, Burkhart, Bert Johnson and Lineberry to be 
 Corporals: private Clark was appointed musician, to fill 
 the vacancy caused by the loss of bugler Eshelman. dis- 
 charged. Private Hess was appointed company Artificer 
 and private Smith detailed to duty at the regimental hos- 
 pital. Sergeant Cushman was detailed to assist Ord- 
 
174 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 nance OSiicerEick as Ordnance Sergeant. Corporal Dil- 
 lon was detailed to duty in the quartermaster's depart- 
 ment. 
 
 The appointments in company I were; privates 
 Bnrr, Hyatt, Charles Berry. Everhart. Sherwood and Sny- 
 der to be Corporals, and Hilttni Willccjx. Lance Corporal. 
 Private Jenks was detailed to special duty at post head- 
 quarters, and private Kingery was appointed acting Vet- 
 erinary Surgeon of the Sixth regiment and placetl in 
 charge of the officers horses. 
 
 The post commander had. for some time. coiiteni[)la- 
 ted giving the troops a long practice march to the Poto- 
 mac river, and an opportunity to bathe in its waters Oti 
 June twenty-sixth, the Second brigade was instructed to 
 prepare for a two days absence from camp. The follow- 
 inuf mornin«f. each man was issued two davs rations and 
 fifty rounds of blank cartridges. We formed in heavy 
 marching order and at six o'clock we marched out of camp 
 with ten Virginia miles before us. 
 
 It was quite cool on the start and the rain a couple 
 of days previous had put the roads in good condition, but 
 as the sun rose higher in the heavens, it grew warm and 
 we found plenty of dust before reaching our temporary 
 camp, christened Camp Starvation. We ai'rived at ten 
 o'clock a. m. and had our tents up in a very few moments. 
 We were then given our liberty for a time and found we 
 were not far from the Potomac river. We were cautioned 
 about getting into the water until a saitahle bathing place 
 could be selected. 
 
 The Potomac is very picturesque at this place, wind- 
 ing its way through qi'^^^t cliffs; the stream itself is full 
 of rocks and extremely treacherous. The current is swift 
 and the rocks risinsf out of the water shelve off into th9 
 
IM.Muii TO I'lii". Potomac 175 
 
 stream where iiiaii\- urilieiii slieer dtV al>ni|i1 1 y. tnrniiiij;- 
 numerous holes many feet in th'pth. Tlie l)aiiks were 
 soon lined with men Tor nearly a mile and in a lew mom- 
 ents tlu' water was alive with shouting, lauuhini^- Woys. 
 They roni|HHl in the stream for some time and tlioron«^hly 
 enjoveil the sport. Private Dearth, of (•omj)any I), from 
 Geiieseo. was drowned in ait 'nn)ting to swim the river. 
 He was within a few feet of the bank when hi' smhlenly 
 sank out of siLjht. Every effort was made liy expert 
 divers to rescue him hut without success. (Traj)i)lintr 
 hooks were lowered and the river dragii^ed but no trace 
 of the body could l)e found for some time. The water 
 was found to be nearly eiij^hty feet in de])th at the jxiint 
 where lie went down. 
 
 This had no eiff-ct on the \enturesonie batlieis anil 
 they continued to take the same risk which had [)roven 
 so disasterous to one of their number until ordered out 
 of the water by Major Anthony. In the afternoon, a 
 party of the boys took a stroll about three miles from 
 camp in sean-h of a country store, as our rations consisted 
 of coffee, hardtack and sowbelly, and our ten mile march 
 had given us ravenous appetites. 
 
 After trudging along for some time we were al)out 
 to retrace our steps, when, making a tu)-n in the road we 
 espied a cluster of Ijuildings a short distance in advance; 
 among them we saw the object of our search, a country 
 store. We ai)i)roached the uiini;iture village, and on en- 
 teriuii the store we fouiul a lari>;e room ivith shelves near- 
 Iv bare. The proprietor was busily engaged weighing 
 UD ten cents worth of ••cohn-mear' for a colored custo- 
 mer, and looking about the vacant room we found this 
 inans stock in trade to consist of a limited amount of the 
 bare necessities of life; a few canned goods on the shelves. 
 n bo5 or two of crackers, a little sugar, a (luantity of corn- 
 
176 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 meal and a small supply of cigars, tobacco and pipes, in 
 all about ten dollars worth of goods was in sight. We 
 counted out our few nickles and dimes, and after an ar- 
 gument over the value of the articles we wished to pur- 
 chase, we left him happy in the possession of nearly 
 thirty cents. 
 
 Opposite the store, and back from the road a number 
 of rods, nestled a low, rambling, southern farm house. 
 On the veranda sat a young woman and romping on the 
 lawn, a little boy and girl, aged about six and seven 
 years, respectively. Filling our canteens at the town.'' 
 pump near by, we crossed the street? and resting on the 
 sloping lawn, opened the can of peaches, unwrapped the 
 pound of cookies, which reminded us of the hardtack we 
 had left at camp, and prepared to appease our gnawing 
 hunger. 
 
 The housewife stopped her sewing and the children 
 ceased their play: together they watched us at "'mess"' 
 for afew moments, then the little ones timidly approached. 
 We tendered them a portion of our supper which was ra])- 
 idly disappearing, but they shook their heads and hung 
 back. They soon overcame their timidity and sitting 
 down plied us with questions, asking if we were still hun- 
 gry? We replied in the affirmative, whereupon the little 
 boy ran to the house, disappearing for a few moments he 
 returned with a handful of vegetables fresh from the gar- 
 den. Then both the little tots scampered back up the 
 lavs'ii and held a brief conversation with the lady, evident- 
 ly their uKjther. the trio entered the house, reappearing 
 directly, the children came towards us bearing between 
 them a large pitcher of cold milk and a big cake. They 
 sat the food before us and with e3-es sparkling with de- 
 light, watched us as we stored it away. 
 
 We were just completing the rather sumptuous meal 
 
KEESE DILLON, 
 Q.-M. Sergt. sfixth Inf., V'ol. 
 
Till-, Sham 1>\ iru:. 177 
 
 when the father ch'oxe up. 1 le had been to \\ a^hii)^toii 
 and on the return hac] learnrd of the pri'sence of tlie 
 troops in that vieinitw He took the situation in at a 
 ghmce and sitting by our side, rekited stories of the t"i\ il 
 war. He was a native \'irginian. The house was liis. 
 also the broad acres surrounding it. It was the property 
 of his father in the sixties. General McCalTs and Han- 
 cock's troops were encamped here during tin- hill ol six- 
 ty one and spring of si.\t\ two and iiad used his fathers 
 farm for a drill and parade ground. General McCall 
 had used the dwelling as his headt[uarters. 
 
 We were so occupied by the entertainment of our 
 new found friends that night was upon us before we re- 
 alized it. Hastily bidding the hospitable father and little 
 ones goodbye we hurried toward camp. As we walked 
 swiftly along whistling and singing, feeling contented and 
 at peace with the world in general, congratulating our- 
 selves on the success of our venture, and while yet nearly 
 a mile from camp, we were brought to a standstill as we 
 heard the warning notes of the bugle as it sounded --tat- 
 too." We increased our pace to a run. As we tore 
 over the brow of the hill which lay between us and our 
 goal, we heard the tnial notes as they rose and fell on the 
 night air. Before us lay the city of tents, the flickering 
 flames of the tallow candles shining dimly through the 
 canvas shelters: we heard the \-oice of the --Top Ser- 
 geant"" as he ordered the men to ••fall in for roll call"" and 
 we knew we could never cover the distance and would 
 •'miss check.'" We hurried along and ran iilumii into a 
 sentinel, and were again brought to a sloji by the com- 
 mand ••Halt! Who comes there:"" We had forgotten 
 that our regiment was expecting an attack Iroin tlie Mass- 
 achusetts boys and had a double guard out \\ iih instruc- 
 tions to be wide awake and not caught napping. W e 
 
178 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 formulated a flimsy yarn about being guards just relieved 
 from duty and came in to get something to eat. and after 
 a little parley, we were allowed to pass. We crawled 
 under our shelter tent and the next morning at roll call 
 were informed that they thought we had been drowned 
 as we were last seen at the river the day before. 
 
 Extra precautions had been taken throngliout the 
 night to prevent our being surprised by the "•enemy," 
 the men sleeping with cartridge belts and rifles by 
 their side. Nothing occurred and we slept soundly 
 until daylight. After a light lireakfast we broke camp 
 and began the return inarch. Advance, rear and flank 
 guards were ])ut out and the line of march was guarded 
 in every way in the same manner as it would have been 
 had we been in the heart of the Spanish country. 
 
 It was very hot, the boys began to drop out of the 
 line and the ambulances were soon filled. When about 
 half way to Camp Alger we were attacked l)y the Sixth 
 Massachusetts and a troop of New York Cavalry. The 
 conflict was warm for a couple of hours; during the bat- 
 tle we captured a number of prisoners, held our wagon 
 train and repulsinl the enemy. A shin't distance from 
 camp the Massachusetts boys intrenched themselves l)e- 
 hind the railroad embankment and made a final stand, 
 but a spirited charge on the part of our boys drove them 
 from their position and the battle was over. We arrived 
 in camp at eleven o'clock a. in., tired and dirty yet all 
 appeared to have enjoyed the march. This was the first 
 of a series of sham battles that occurred in the timber 
 near camp, in which the troops showed a surprising a-, 
 mount of tact on the skirmish line, 
 
Ci,o-in(;'*1)avs at Camp Ai.iJKit. 
 
 17;^ 
 
 CHAITI-:K XII. 
 
 A> till' weeks |):issril. tlic \ c i| iiiitcci's ;il C'amn Al"-('i' 
 hci-aiiif lUiirc proticieiit as a result of t lie severe traiiiiii<r 
 which they had imih'ri^oue since their nnister in. and 
 they felt they were capable of duty at the front. Tlie 
 closing chiys of June found them only partially ecpiipped 
 for field service. Ordnance OfKcer Kick and Quarter- 
 uiastcr Barber of our rei^iuient. wert^ doini; their utmost 
 to secure the necessary sup[)lies to [)ut the men on a war 
 foot in ij^. 
 
 The many rumors that floated about camp, kept the 
 men i-imtinually on the (jui vive. hourly expectintr the 
 order to t'ome calliuij^ them into active seryice. 
 
 Major W. T. Chaniion. commanding- the first liat- 
 talion of our regiment, was attaidjed to the general st?itt' 
 of Gen'i (xraham. from June seventeenth until June 
 twenty-fifth, acting as provost-marshal-general. Second 
 Lieut. Georgi- W. j-'lood of com[)any A. l-'irst battalion. 
 was also attached to the general stalf. ac-ting as assistant- 
 [)rov(jst-marshal from June seventh to June twenty- 
 fourth. Capt. liiwrie of Cann)any E comaianded the 
 First battalion during the al)sence dI Major Channon. 
 
 Corporal Dillon of company IC received the intelli- 
 gence of a death in his family and was gr.mted a seven 
 days furlough. lie immediately boarded the cars en- 
 route for Sterling. Corporal Lealherwood of company 
 
180 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 I also received a furlough of several days and was ab- 
 sent for a time. 
 
 During the two months we had been in the service, 
 the home people had never lost sight of us for an in- 
 stant. We were constantly receiving boxes and pack- 
 ages put up b\ loving hands, containing good things to 
 eat and supplies for the hospital. Now and then a 
 package would be received, the miscellaineous contents 
 of which told the story of the thoughtfulness of the 
 mothers, wives, sisteis and sweethearts of the absent 
 soldier bo}'S. The Womans Rtlief Corps, of the differ- 
 ent towns were prominent factors in the distnlnuiun of 
 these generous <jifts to the soldiers. 
 
 From Sterling, Rock Falls, Morrison, Erie, Proph- 
 etstovvn. Lyndon and Albany the precious parcels came 
 and their arrival was always hailed with delight. 
 
 The pleasure evmced by the soldiers on receiving 
 these articles was caused not more by the possession of 
 them, than by the silent messages which they betok- 
 ened. Although twelve hundred and hfty miles of 
 mountain and prairie land separated us from home, we 
 felt secure in the knowledge that the moral and material 
 support of our friends would ever be forthcoming. 
 
 With many indications of our regiments early de- 
 parture for the front, the letters from relatives and 
 friends grew more grave and tender, breathing words 
 of praise and encouragement, causing the first feeling of 
 homesickness to enter the hearts of manv of the bovs as 
 they eagerly devoured the contents, word by word, and 
 pictured to themselves the family group as it gathered 
 in the far away home, anxiously watching the progress 
 of the war and calculating on the prospects of their own 
 boy being safely returned to the family fold. Distance 
 
C'hiot Mu>iciiiii Juhii Frestiii. 
 
ClIlCICRlNC. Ml'.SSACl'.S 1"k()M 1'^<11.M)S. Isl 
 
 lencLs enchant iiiont. and the lionics, always pn-cious, hut 
 doubl\- so under the circinnstances. lilled th'' thou'^hls 
 of the soldiers and a feelini^ of depression would steal 
 o"er ihein as the\' allowed their minds to wander back, to 
 Illinoi<. TheN' \^ ere L!,"iven but little lime for such le- 
 Ik'Ciions and the activil\- all about them t|uickly turned 
 their thoughts to other channel. 
 
 Amon!^" other letters received Irom home was one 
 from J'vineiine Lodi^e. No. 8. Degree of Rebekah. I. (). 
 O. I'\. of Morrison. I'his letter expressed the feeling of 
 interest taken in the volunteers from Illinois by llie 
 patriotic citizens of the State, and in \iew ol this fact. 
 permission to publish the letter in lull, was sought and 
 granted. The communication was addressed to Capt. 
 Colebaugh of company^ I but referred to the volunteers 
 in general, a complete cojiy of whicii follows. 
 
 Morrison. 1i,k.. Jr.xi-: 24. 1898. 
 Capt. W . V. Colebaugh, 
 Co. I. 6th Regiment. 
 
 Camp Alger \'a. 
 
 To OiR Soldier Bovs: 
 
 The Emeline Lodge No. 8, D. of R. has requested 
 me to write. Although not surprised by the command. 
 1 know that I can not do justice as my heart is too full 
 of the great and glorious cause that has brought you 
 together but I cannot disobey the order of those who 
 have commanded me to write. You. soldiers, have 
 about ended \-our career as mere holiday troops, I be- 
 lieve, and are now about to buckle on the armor and to 
 unsheathe the swords of gallant knights enrolled to 
 maintain, uphold and defend that Constitution and that 
 Union which were hammered out amidst the lires of the 
 Revolution, and cemented by the blood of the fathers 
 and heroes of the war of our independence. That tem- 
 ple in which the exiles of despotism from all parts of the 
 
182 History of Companies 1 and E. 
 
 world have always sought an asylum; while the even- 
 ing tattoo will bid you to sleep on your burnished arms, 
 ready, at any moment, to rally at the bugle call to the 
 rescue of that flag which has already floated in triumph 
 over every sea and in every clime. The hour that you 
 left us was in some respects painful, for you leave your 
 wives, your kinsfolk, and your cheerful happy homes. 
 And yet. our greatest regret is, that we. too. cannot 
 join your ranks, enroll our names upon your muster and 
 rally with you under those dear old Stripes and Stars. 
 You are, indeed, to be envied that you can go. and ihe 
 buttons vou wear, the swords that gird your thighs, ihe 
 epaulettes that mark and designate your rank, are all 
 badges of honor, of shivalry. of duty in the field. v\ hich 
 we can only covet, not enjoy. You. and such as you. 
 are the honored children of this glorious republic, of 
 whom, in after times, when peace has been restored, ilie 
 children shall say, as they point at you wiih pride, and 
 their eyes sparkle with delight, as you sha'l pass along 
 the pathwav of life: "There goes one of our soldier 
 boys." Honors shall cluster thick around you. and 
 garlands of myrtle shall be woven by fairy Angers to 
 entwine around your brows and when Anally you shall 
 be gathered to another and brighter world on the slab 
 that marks your resting place shall be engraven these 
 words: "Sacred to the Memory of a Soldier of the U. 
 S." Go, then, soldiers of the U. S.. to a proud and 
 glorious victor v. or to a soldier's honored graxc. Our 
 praver at morning and evening shall be — God bless. 
 protect and save our country and its noble sons. 
 
 As I have said before, we regret we must sta^- at 
 home, yet if we must stay we shall try to help you in 
 every way we can. If at any time or any place we can 
 send you articles of an\- kind to make you more com- 
 fortable we will do so if you will only let us know what 
 is needed. 
 
 The young girls of our Lodge are a little shy, yet 
 they send their love but wanted to send angel food cake. 
 
 Hoping you mav allow us to aid you. in behalf of 
 
C"iii:i'.i<i.\<; Mi-:ssA(;i'.s i-rom I-'kii-.nds. 
 
 ls:5 
 
 iIk' Lodjn'*-' I \\ill wish \'()U lu-allh aiul succi-ss in all you 
 undertake. 
 
 ^'()Ul" Prairie Stale I'^'iends. 
 
 Daisy D. I'ond. 
 
 Seerctarw 
 
 Man\- K'ticrs of likt.- eharaeler were- rcecivcd but 
 durin!^" the jiackiuLI and uiipaekint;' ol our t'ttL-ds which 
 occurred niaiu" times in the followiiiL;' months. [hv\' 
 were lost. A pathelii" little incident occurred in camp 
 on the lirst dav of )une when l^ieut. Colonel Kitlilsen 
 read a letter from a little i;"irl. s'x y^iars of a^e, of 
 Moline. She was the daughter of an old comrade who 
 was taken ill and died a few years a<(o at one of the 
 National (niard encamjiments. The letter read as fol- 
 lows : 
 
 DL'ir -Mr. Kittilsen: I lieard my nnimma readiuL,^ 
 in the jxiper that some of the boys that went in cou.- 
 p,ui\- V were sick and needed some thiuLTs. and I send 
 vou some mone\- that I have saved, and 1 want you to 
 bu\" some thing's for some of the sick hoys. 
 Moline. 111., May 28th, 1898. 
 
 I'^om \-our little friend. 
 
 Al.TA Wai-kkk. 
 
 Inclosed with the letter was a check for tifty-three 
 cents and a letter from the little .girls grandfather, in- 
 closing a larger contribution: and one from a lady in 
 Moline apprising the lieut. colonel that a ijuantity of 
 supplies made bv some of her friends and herself were 
 on their wa\- to camp. 
 
 The bovs of compan\ IC. wishing to show their 
 gratitude and appreciation of the many kind acts of 
 Mrs. Smith, raised a fund in the company and pur- 
 ( based a neat silver card receiver, had it suitably en- 
 graved and presented it to her. In acknowledging the 
 
184 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 gift Mrs. Smith addressed the following letter to the 
 boys: 
 
 Treasury Department. 
 Oftice of Auditor of Postotfice Department, 
 Washington, D. C, 
 
 To Members of Compan}- E, Sixth Regiment of 
 Illinois Volunteer Infantry; My Dear Friends: It is 
 with sincere grati ude that I acknowledge the lovely 
 gift you so generously granted, and it shall be treasured 
 beyond the expression of words, and my future life 
 will be happier for the memories it will always awak- 
 en. My prayers will follow^ the brave hearts of Com- 
 pany E. Illinois Volunteers, as they eagerly hasten to 
 defend the cause of a greater humanity and for higher 
 civilization. I know you will proudly maintain ••Old 
 Glory"' and may God bless and protect you and bring 
 _you home safely is the earnest wish of your sincere 
 "friend. Electa E, Smith. 
 
 These and many other cheering messages were 
 received and read to the men. The source from which 
 they came gave the men renewed courage and they 
 determined on giving their friends no cause to think 
 they were undeserving. 
 
 The members of company I, desiring to promote 
 a feeling of close comradeship between themselves and 
 their company ofhcers, presented Captain Colebaugh 
 and Lieutenant Lawton each a handsome, gold mounted 
 sword. The recipients of the gifts prized them highly 
 and expressed their gratitude to the donors. Thc}' 
 were by far the neatest blades carried by line officers 
 which came under our notice throughout the campaign. 
 This incident occurred on the fourth da}' of July, 1898. 
 
 On the second of July one of Uucle Sams repre- 
 sentatives again visited our camp and left a slight re- 
 ^linder that we had served him faithfully for another 
 
LAI' T . F. J . C L 1 : X 1 J 1-: N 1 N , 
 Co. F, Sixth Inf., \'()1. 
 I'resent rank, Lieut, ("ol. Asst. Adj. 
 Gen. :{d Ikioraile, III. \. (i. 
 
Oin)i<:iii-.i) 'PC) Cri'.A. ISo 
 
 iiKMilh. About tliirlN'-onc hundred dollars was dislrilnit- 
 ed among" the men of the regiment, a goodl}' portion of 
 this soon disappeared, some sending theirs home and 
 not a few spending their portion freely until it was near- 
 h' gone, l^'ortunateh' for the boys in genei"al a number 
 of them foresaw that an emergenc}- might arise, where 
 a little ready money would pro\e invaluable to the men, 
 and they preserved a sum which, although not large, 
 was the means of relieving the pangs of hunger and 
 furnished clothing for many during the dark days which 
 followed and which none could foresee. In truth more 
 than one man who is enjoying good heidih today owes 
 his preservation to the kind and ready friends who had 
 fortitied themselves with a few dollars which they gen- 
 erously divided among their needy comrades who in 
 their enfeebled condition could not have existed on the 
 rations issued them. 
 
 Thursda}', June twenty-third we were instructed to 
 pack our accoutrements and be prepared to leave camp 
 the next day. The Eighth Ohio and sevent}-tive men 
 from each company of the First battalion of our regi- 
 ment were to be sent to Cuba to re- enforce the Fifth 
 Armv Corps, under command of General Shafter. The 
 order came late at night and bright and early next 
 morning the bo\s were hard at work getting tlu-ir few 
 belongings into portable shape, but at noon llie oi'der 
 was countermanded and we suifered our first real dis- 
 appointment. 
 
 The bo\s took theii medicine like men ami sor- 
 rowfulK- began to unroll their blankets and begin another 
 sieire of waitino. We were instructed to unpack such 
 articles as absolutely necessary as we might be ordered 
 out at any moment. General Duliield, in command of 
 the Separate brigade, consisting of the Thirty-third and 
 
18() History of Companies I and E. 
 
 Thirty-fourth Michigan and Ninth Massachusetts regi- 
 ments of Infantry- received the preference and taking 
 the Thirty-third and one battahon of the Thirty- 
 fourth Mich, he moved out of camp enroute for Cuba: 
 the remainder of the brigade followed a few days 
 later. This brigade arrived in Cuba in lime to reach 
 the scene of battle and partcipate in the glorious victory 
 of General Shafier's troops. General Duffield himself 
 nearly succumbing to an attack of "'yellow jack" and a 
 number of officers and enlisted men were killed and 
 wounded in the several engagements in \\hich they par- 
 ticipated. This was the fate of the troops \n ho fore- 
 stalled us in 'retting to the front. From the time of re- 
 ceivin"- the first order to be in readiness to march out of 
 camp, until we did get out. we were held in readiness 
 constantlv to move on short notice. 
 
 The volunteers at Camp Alger represented four- 
 teen states with from one to three regiments froiu 
 each state. In July the total strength of the troops 
 at this camp, comprising the Second Army Corps, 
 was twenty two thousand one hundred seventy-flve 
 officers and enlisted men. The general health of the 
 men continued good up to the time of the removal of 
 our brigade, although a few cases of typhoid and ma- 
 larial fever developed in June. 
 
 About six weeks after the departure of our regi- 
 ment, or to be exact, on the fifteenth of August the 
 War Department ordered the transfer of the Second 
 Armv Corps to Middletown. Pa. The removal of 
 the troops began immediately and before the last of the 
 month '-Camp Alger" was a camp in memory only. 
 The camp at Middletown was named C^imp George 
 Gordon Meade, in honor o£ the aero of Gettysburg, an 
 illustrious son of the state of Pennsvlvania. 
 
PutXlKKS- ()!• IIIK W AK. 1 S' 
 
 ('llAPTi:!^ XIII. 
 
 nuviiiii,' the (la\s (if oiii- (•;ini|i life <iur tiiiic and 
 lli()U;^-lits NVfTc cni^-rdssril liy lln- luaiiv cxiicriciiccs \vc 
 im-t ivitli in prvfiiniiiii;!;- llu' duties nf a soldier. The 
 newness ut mir suiTDundinLis had worn oil' lo a i^real 
 I'xtcnt 1)V the (dose of June and we he^an to look l)aek 
 to the scenes and ineidenls which had oeeurred else- 
 wheri'. Evidence of U'reat activity was on every hand 
 and the reeriiitini; hrd lieen continued Ii.iil;" al'te]- we 
 had or(jiie t'ruui our homes. 
 
 In the month of May the President had made a 
 second call for an additional seventy rive thousand 
 volunteers. Congress bad authorized an increase of the 
 Kei^ular Armv to sixty one thousaml men. auti in addi- 
 \um hail provided for sixteen regiments of volunte*-r 
 troops, (immuues. I During the month of July the 
 total aggregate strength of the Regular and ^ olunteer 
 Armv was two hundred sixty eight thousand, three 
 hunilretl fifty-two. officers and enlisted men. This num- 
 ber was increased in August to two hundred seventy 
 four thousand, seven hundred seventeen, which repre- 
 sented the largest number of soldiers, regular and vol- 
 unteer, in the service, during any one month through- 
 out the Spanish American war. 
 
 April first, just previous to the outbreak of the 
 war. the aggregate strength of the Regular Army was 
 
188 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 twenty eight thousand, one hundred eighty-three, officers 
 and men. Thus it may be seen that in ninety days 
 from the dechnration of war, over a quarter of a million 
 men had l)een recruited, mobolized at tlie state rendez- 
 vous, mustered into the United States ft i vice hurried 
 to the many permanent camps designated h\ the War 
 Department, and organized into brigades, clivisicns and 
 army corps, and under the guidance of R(\gular Army 
 (officers, who had grown gray in the service, formed an 
 army which, for intelligence and patriotism had never 
 been exc(dled in the history of the world. During the 
 next thirty days this fcjrce was augmented by over six 
 thousand nnui.. with thousands u[)on thousands more 
 formed into |)rovisional regiments eagerly awaiting 
 another cnll for troops. 
 
 In the Navy the number of enlisted men allowed by 
 law prior to the outbreak of hostilities was twelve 
 thousand live hundred. On August fifteenth, when the 
 enlisied force reached its maximum, there \\ere twenty 
 four thousand, one hundred twenty-four men in the ser- 
 vice. This great increase was made necessary by the 
 addition of one hundred twenty-eight ships to tlit^ Navy. 
 This increase in the number of vessels brought the max- 
 imum fighting force from sixty-eight to one hundred 
 ninety-six. 
 
 The war was progressing with great strides, both on the 
 land and on the sea. Our soldiers and our sailors were 
 transported to the scenes of conflict in both the Old World 
 and the New. The area of Spanish rule was slowly but 
 surely contracting and it was but a question of a few weeks 
 at the most when they would be driven from many of their 
 possessions. History was being made rapidly and every 
 man who was aiding in bringing success to the Ameri- 
 
COL. TllEU. KOOSEVEI.T 
 
Manila Han ANDvSANJrAN llii.i,. ISV) 
 
 (•■ill t'orct^s took a i^rcal [n-ulr in liis work. Tlif <itlicials 
 at Washini^loii were I'vcr oii tin' alert, iiiofc than lialf 
 <'\|)',n'tiiuj tlio S[)anish jj^ovormncnt woulil sucrci'il in sc- 
 curini; tlu' assistance of s )ni.' foveii,ni power in their lie- 
 hali:'. l)r.t t'»)rtunately for us. and possildy tor themselves 
 all of the powers took a neutral stand and left the oj)- 
 Dosin^'- "-overnnients to settle the (luestion Ictween theni- 
 
 loo * 
 
 selves. 
 
 The first test of the lighting (inaiities of the opposing 
 forces oceurred on the first day of ]May. Commodore 
 Dewev. on that day, destroyed the Spanisli tl-et in Ma- 
 nila ))av without the loss of a man on tht- part of our 
 forces, while the Spanish loss was three hundred eighty 
 one men killed and wounded. The downfall of the eity 
 of Manila did not occur for some time, not until after the 
 arrival of General Merritt: on the lifteenth day of August 
 the city capitulated and the American Hag was floated to 
 the breeze over Spanish soil. 
 
 On May twelfth the fleet umler i-onnnand of Ad- 
 miral Sampson bombarded the Sjjanish fortification at 
 San Juan. Porto Rico. On the morning of May thirty 
 tirst the lieet under command of Commodore Schley, ex- 
 changed shots with the Spanish vessels in the harl)or of 
 Santiago de Cuba with no ap[)arent effect on either side. 
 On June seventh the Murhlchcad and I'cinkcc took poss- 
 ession of the lower bay of Guantanamo and on June tenth 
 the first battalion of marines landed there and went into 
 camp where for three days and nights these men fought 
 almost constantly. On June fifteenth the fort in this bay 
 was destroyed. 
 
 On June fourteenth. General Shaffer with a force of 
 eio-ht hundred fifteen officers and sixteen thousand sev- 
 enty two enlisted men sailed from Port Tampa, Fla. 
 
190 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 The expedition arrived in the vicinity of Santiago on the 
 twentieth, began disembarking on the twenty second and 
 continued until the evening oE the twenty fourth. On 
 the morning of the twenty fourth General Young's bri- 
 gade had a spirited engagement with a force of Spanish 
 and drove the enemy from the field. 
 
 For a week following the landing of the troops in 
 Cuba. General Shafter was busily engaged in concentra- 
 ting his men at the desired points of attack and on July 
 first with the co-o[)eration of the Cuban troops the ad- 
 vance on Santiago was begun and resulted in the now 
 famous battle of El Caney, where the Spanish works were 
 carried by assault, and the brilliant charge of the Ameri- 
 can troops up San Juan Hill. 
 
 The Stars and Stripes were floating over El Caney 
 and San Juan Hill before nightfall of the first of July, 
 and the outer works of the enemy had been carried. For 
 two days following this victory the Spanish kept up a 
 series of attacks without avail and at noon of the third of 
 July General Shafter sent a letter into the Spanish lines 
 under a flag of truce apprising the commander of the 
 Spanish forces that the city of Santiago would be shelled 
 unless he surrendered, and requested General Toral to 
 inform the citizens of foreio'n countries, and all women 
 and children, that they should leave the city before ten 
 o'clock the following morning. 
 
 General Toral refused to surrender and informed the 
 non-combatants of the contents of General Shaffers letter. 
 A party of foreign consuls came into the American lines 
 and requested that the time limit for leaving the city be 
 extended until ten o'clock July fifth, this was granted 
 and the cessation of firing at noon of the third of July 
 practically terminated the battle of Santiago. 
 
N.w \i. \'u■^(»K^ at S.\ni'i.\(;(). T.M 
 
 Tlic tlrcl nf Aiiici-ic;iii \fsscls utV S;iii! ia^-ii .MSsistiMl ill 
 t liis liattlf li\ ki'c|iiiii;- ii|) a lira\y I imii 1 lani iiH'iit <>\' tlif 
 oneuiy's works at Saiit iai^o and tlic lowiis sit uatrd almi^ 
 till* coast ill that vicinitx. Tin- Aincri<-afi lusscs in these 
 hattles wei-f tuen1\- 1 \vi > otlicers and two liiindi-ed eiglit 
 nicii killed, and eii;lil\' one otlieers and one tlionsand two 
 liuiidred three men wminded : niissiiii;- se\ cut y nine. The 
 niissiiii!; with few exeeptions reported latei-. 
 
 The news of tliis vietorN' of our forces in and ahout 
 ('ut)a was received with iinndi satisfaction liy Ihe peoph' 
 in the States. Tlie (^reat h)ss of life was depi-ecated and 
 with the tears of joy brought forth l>y the success of the 
 hovs in l)lue came the breathing of earnest prayers in 
 behalf of the dead and dviug heroes who Imtl made the 
 \ictorv possilile. The enemy had confronted our troops 
 with numbers about ecpial to our own: they fought ob- 
 stinately in strong and intreiudied positions, and the re- 
 sults obtained clearly indicated the intri'pid g.dlantry of 
 the com[)anv officers and men of our forces, and tiie wise 
 guidance of the tiejd otlieers in eoiiiinand. 
 
 On the morning (jf July third occurred the naval 
 tijjht off Santiago, where the American tieet under the 
 direct command of Commodore Schley, in the absence 
 of Admiral Sanvpson. destroyed Admiral Cervera's 
 Sipiadron. The casualities on our side were one man 
 killed and ten wounded, our shi]»s suffering im injury 
 of any account . Admiral Cervera. al)out seventy oliiceis 
 and sixteen huntlred men were made prisoners, while 
 about three hundretl tift\ Spaniards were killed or 
 drowned and one hundreil and sixty wonnde(l. -lust a 
 moidh to a day previous to this nav;d engagement oc- 
 curred the sinking of the collier Mirrinuic across the 
 entrauce of the harbor of Santiago in an attempt to com- 
 pletely bottle up Admiral Cervera's s(iuadron whi(di had 
 
192 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 been lying in the harbor since the nineteenth of May. 
 The attempt though unsuccessful in its object, was dar- 
 ingly executed. It is now one of the well-known histor- 
 ic marvels of naval adventure and enterprise, in which 
 Naval Constructor Hobson and his men won undying 
 fame. 
 
 Thus far the hand of providence had seemingly 
 been raised in behalf of the American forces in every 
 engagement in which they had participated, both on 
 land and sea. Our people felt that the Army and Navy 
 were equal to any emergency that might arise and were 
 certain of success, while on the other hand the Span- 
 iards must have been depressed and were fast losing 
 heart in the struggle which had resulted so disasterously 
 to their arms. 
 
 Letters passed between General Shafter and Gen- 
 eral Toral caused the cessation of hostihties to continue; 
 Each arm}', however, continued to strengthen its in- 
 trenchments. The strength of the enemy's position was 
 such General Shafter did not wish to assault if it could 
 be avoided. An examination of the enemy's works, 
 made after the surrender, fully justified the wisdom of 
 the course adopted. The intrenchments could only 
 have been carried with very great loss of life. 
 
 At four o'clock p. m., on July tenth, the truce was 
 broken off. The city was bombarded by the Navy and 
 General Shatter's field guns and was continued until two 
 p. m., July eleventh, when the firing ceased and was not 
 again renewed. The surrender of the city was again 
 demanded. General Toral communicated General 
 Shatter's proposition to his general-in-chief. General 
 Blanco, the troops of both armies rested on their arms 
 awaiting the consideration of the proposition by the 
 Spanish. 
 
Cessation of IIostii.itihs. 1".i;{ 
 
 Such was the silualion as w c found il on thi- an"i\al 
 of our regiment off Sanlia<^a) al three o'cloik p. in.. 
 Monday, July eleventh. The failure of the city of 
 Santiacfo to surrender was cause for the anticipation on 
 the part of the commander of the Anu*rican forces that 
 an assault might yet be necessary and reeinforceinents 
 were hurried to him from the States. 
 
 The data for this brief review of the progress of 
 the war was secured from the animal report of the Sec- 
 retary of the War and Secretary of the Navv. 
 
194 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 Tuesday. July Hfth. the Second brigade received or- 
 ders to prepare for immediate departure for Santiago.^ 
 the Eighth Ohio to go via New York Citv and the St. 
 Paul, the Sixth Mass. and Sixth 111. via Charleston. S. C, 
 and the Yale and Columbia. This order was received 
 with loud cheers and some hustling v>'as done, which soon 
 put us in condition for traveling. At two o'clock in the 
 afternoon the tents fell. The Ohio bovs got away hirst, 
 followed by the Mass. regiment, then our regiment 
 marched to the parade grounds where the boys gave 
 three rousing cheers for Camp Alger and Colonel Foster. 
 The band played '-The Star Spangled Banner." the bu- 
 gle corps sounded "Taps." in token of our far well to 
 camp. Then the band struck up "The girl I Left Be- 
 hind Me.'' and the Sixth Illinois was off to the war, yell- 
 ing and cheering like mad. 
 
 Leaving Camp x^lger at six forty p. m.. we marched 
 to Dunn Loring. where we bivouaced under the trees 
 until three o'clock the next morning when we boarded 
 the cars for Charleston. S. C. We were not given sleep- 
 ing cars this time, day coaches and box cars were loaded 
 instead. At Alexandria we took the x^tlantic Coast Line 
 Ry. and continued on this line into Charleston. 
 
 We skirted the city of Richmond. \'a.. at nine lifteen 
 a. m., passing through Battleboro. N. C, at two thirty 
 p. m., and Fayeteville at four p. m., crossing the bprcjer 
 
b^NiuirrK TO Ciiakm"ston. r.).") 
 
 liiu' tu'lvsH't' n Xorlh ami South Carolina al tivr ihirly.at- 
 riviiig at Charleston at ten thirl\- p. m.. iiiakini; a very 
 creditable run. 
 
 The countr\- aloiii; the route was vei"\ lhinl\ M-ttled. 
 Occasionalh' we would see a small strai^^^linL; xilla^e and 
 a few acres ol cultixated land. IC\ erythini;" in the line of 
 lniildinii"s looked \ery old. Two wheeled ox carts were 
 mnnerous with ne^ro ihi\'ers. .VIoiil;" the whole route 
 we failed to notice one white man doino" manual labor. 
 Hogs, which looked as if the}" had been titled for the 
 race course instead of tlie pork barrel were running 
 ever\\vhere. We found a number of old gra\-headed 
 natives, i while ) who did not appear to be overjo} ed at 
 siiihl of us. vet we met with kind treatment at every 
 stoppmg place. The stars aud stripes were lloating in 
 everv town and settlement, the Cuban dag in manv cases 
 In' its side. 
 
 1^-evious to our lea\'it:g Camp Alger the men de- 
 tailed to dut\- at the division hospital returned to their re- 
 spective regiments. I'rixate Frank Kinger}-. of company 
 I. followed the regiment to Charleston with the ollicers 
 horses. While there he contracted typhoid fever and 
 was seriously ill for some time. He was unable to join 
 the compan\- and it was some time after we had left the 
 States that he recovered sutliciently to be removed to his 
 home in .Mendota. He was granted a furlough and re- 
 ported to the company at Springfield immediately after 
 the arrival of the regiment from its campaign in Porto 
 Rico. 
 
 We lay in the cars at Charleston Wednesday night 
 and until afternoon of the following day w hen we were 
 given quarters under one of the numerous wharf-sheds 
 which line the bay. The bovs were soon in the water 
 
lOfi History of CoxMpanies I and E. 
 
 bathing. Colonel Foster gave us unusual liberties and 
 we were allowed to visit the city. We all felt that it 
 mic'ht possiby be the last day on x\merican soil for some 
 tirr.e and we took advantage of the opportui.ity to the 
 fullest. We found the citizens very friendly and they 
 iiave us the best of treatment. 
 
 While a partv of volunteers v\as touring the city, 
 they became acquainted with a resident of Charleston 
 named I. W. Bicot. He was at that time senior member 
 of the State Legislature. He said the people were very 
 sorry that we were brought into the city so suddenly, as 
 had they been aware of our coming they would have ar- 
 ran<»'ed to have made it more pleasant for us; as it was 
 the city was ours while we remained. 
 
 He told us that they were not very well satisfied 
 with the manner in which the War Department had 
 treated the volunteers of the Southern States. He said 
 their own troops were not yet eejuipped, and had no 
 hopes of being ordered to tht: front for some time. Not 
 one regiment from the South had been sent out. They 
 claimed there was too much sectionalism shown and the 
 northern troops received the preference. 
 
 The local papers had taken the matter up and the 
 editorials were very bitter, one editor published a letter 
 written by an old confederate soldier to a comrade who 
 had served the so-called Confederac}- in the sixties, ask- 
 ing if he intended to enlist as a volunteer in the war with 
 Spain. In reply his comrade said he hardly thought he 
 should; he could fix it up with the boys living, but if he 
 should be killed in battle wearing .the blue uniform and 
 be called to another world, the old comrade who had giv- 
 en up his life while wearing the gray, would look at him 
 and say .-"deserted, by G — d.'" This the editor said was 
 

Lkavin(; '"God's Covs\h\." 107 
 
 showing llic true spirit; every man sliould he wiliiiii,^ to 
 tii^ht for his counliw hut he should also he true to liis 
 old comrade who died li^litini;- hy his side. We ^a^\ a 
 confederate llaij w;uin^" in a door\\a\ and atlei'ward en 
 the street. The hovs considered thai the man who 
 flaunted th.e emhlein of a lost cause v\as undouhtediy a 
 crank and let the circumstance pass unnoticed, althoui^h 
 it caused a stroni^ feeling- of resentment to arise. 
 
 The streets are very narrow as are also the pave- 
 ments. A great l^an^• of the residences are built of 
 stone and verv substantial, by far the most pretentious 
 building in the citv is the U. S. Custom House. Direct- 
 Iv in front of this building lav the Spanish prize ship 
 Rita. Out in the bay stands old Fort Sumter, and far- 
 ther out to the left lies Fort Moultrie. 
 
 Down ill the cit\'. standing alone in the center of the 
 church vard is the famous church of the St. Michaels: 
 one of the oldest places of worship in this country. The 
 pipe organ is one hundred forty years old, the first one 
 ever brought to A merica. The baptismal front is one 
 hundred thirty two years old. The pulpit is a high cov- 
 ered pedestal sort of an affair reached by a stairway. 
 On the side of the stair down near the floor can still be 
 seen the mark where a Federal shell struck. The Mem- 
 orial Tablet is in the front part of the church. It informs 
 the tourist that the church was begun in 1752, opened 
 for worship Februar\' first. 1761. exposed to the fire of 
 the British artillery in 1780. struck four times by the 
 Federal artillery 1862 65. nearly w^recked by a cyclone 
 in 1885. almost destroved b\' an earthquake in i8S7. re- 
 stored and reopened for worship June nineteenth. i88',l. 
 An interesting record for a liouse of worship. 
 
 The Yale and Columbia were out about twehe 
 
198 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 miles, drawing too much water to enter the harbor. 
 They were delayed in getting out by the roughness of 
 the sea. they were coaling ship and the colliers could not 
 work with the waves running so high. The soldiers 
 passed the time by amusing themselves with the little pick- 
 aninnies, who swarmed about the wharf in droves. 
 
 Fridav.July eighth, the First battalion of our regi- 
 ment, composed of companies E. I. A and F. and the 
 battalion othcers. boarded the ferr\--boat. Commodore 
 Perry at six thirty in the evening, which took us out to 
 the awaiting vessels. Company A was put on board ilie 
 Yale with the Sixth Mass., E, I and F going on the Co- 
 lumbia. Three hundred men, besides her crew, was all 
 this boat could accomodate. General Miles and General 
 Garrettson were on the Yale. Colonel Foster and staff, 
 the second and third battalions and the band remained at 
 Charleston, intending to follow us oh the Rita within a 
 day or so. 
 
 As we steamed out of the bay and down past Fort 
 Sumter the boys cast wistful glances toward the reced- 
 ing shore. Darkness was soon upon us and waving a 
 last farewell we bade good-bye to '"God's Country." As 
 we drew nearer the open sea the waves rolled higher and 
 the little boat rocked and pitched until many of us land- 
 lubbers began to fear we would go to the bottom. The 
 captain of the boat drove us first to one side and ihen the 
 other, making human ballast of us in an effort to keep 
 his craft right side up. 
 
 Long before we reached the boats out at sea, many 
 of us were "feedinfj the fishes." To those who were 
 unaffected by the tossing of the boat it was an amusing 
 spectacle to walk into tne passengers cabin and tind the 
 long rows of seats occupied by soldiers with their knees 
 
li(>\I<I>IN(; rilR COLHMKIA. 199 
 
 rcsling on i1k' cushion, tlu'ii hcails iiiii lluou^h the open 
 windows wliik' thev ga/,etl intcnih into the brinv deep. 
 Now and ihen an apparenlK' lifeless form would drop 
 back onU) the seal and a wliite and ha^Ljard face appear 
 at the window: the countenance li<(hted by a sad, sweet 
 smile, and aflei" a moments silence, the sufferer appeared 
 about to speak, when his mouth would close with a snap, 
 his eyes begin to roll, the veins stand out like whip cords 
 on his brow, and the head would duck out of the window, 
 while the body was convulsed with a violent shudder, 
 his legs would straighten out hs though a vain effort was 
 being made to force his feet fhro\igli the plank floor or 
 crowd his })o(ly out of the narrow window, and a weak 
 voice woidd l)e lieard re[)t'atii!g. •■! want to get out and 
 \\alk." 
 
 It was nearly ten o'clock that night when wc reached 
 till' Vale. Tilt' transfer of (•om[)anv A to this boat was a 
 coin[)aratively easy matter as the ferry-boat pitlled along 
 si(U' of it and plard\S wcn'e run over and the bovs scram- 
 bled across. On aci-ount of the [)eculiar build of the Col- 
 umbia the work of getting the three remaining companies 
 aboard of her was more exciting and to the land troops it 
 a[)[)eared rather a dangerous undertakiiii,^ The Colum- 
 bia riding at anchor some distance from the ferrv-lioat 
 sent out her whale boats and cutters manned l)y the ves- 
 sels crew. These small crafts were pulled to the side of 
 the ferry-boat and as the sea rose earr\ ing the smalj 
 boats up to within leaping distaiu-e the men jumped down 
 into them. Then the wave would recede and the boat 
 dr<jp dovvii a number of feet. With the approach of the 
 next bUlow the trick would be repeated. Soiue times the 
 o-'vcitad soldier would make the leap at the moment the 
 boat was taking a drop, ur meet it coming up when the 
 lai^tdiug vyas ratl^ev gey^ye ^ntj he would go spravylinf^ 
 
200 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 amoiijr the sailors much to their amusement. Wlien a boat 
 was loaded it was pulled away in the darkness and to the side 
 of the Columbia and the men would scramble up the rope 
 ladder to her deck to be hustled into the sailors (juarters 
 and out of the way of those that were to follow. 
 
 It was dark as pitch and the work was carried on by 
 the aid of the brilliant glare of the Columbia's powerful 
 search-light. As the cutter left the ferry-boat and was 
 pulled toward the Columbia the rolling of the waves kept 
 it hidden from view most of the time, and to those who 
 were watching the work and awaiting their turn it looked 
 like anything but a pleasant journey, but when once in 
 the craft the feeling of dread disappeared as we saw the 
 ease with which the old salts guided the frail craft on its 
 course and kept it riding the waves like a duck. It was 
 slow work and quite late when the last man crawled up 
 the side of the Columbia and sought a place of rest. 
 
 The next morning we awoke to find ourselves out at 
 sea. having weighed anchor at midnight, the Yale keep- 
 ing within sight about ten miles out on our port side. 
 The day passed away very quickly, the wonderful ma- 
 chinery, the large guns, torpedo tubes, and all kee[)ing 
 us very busy exploring. We were not slow to realize our 
 good fortune in being ])laced on this magnificent vessel 
 instead of an old dirty transport which had been carrying 
 nothing but live stock for years. 
 
 The Columbia is a triple-screw, first class protected 
 cruiser; the plates are five eighths of an inch in thickness 
 and double; length two hundred twelve feet: breadth 
 fifty eight feet; displacement seven thousand three hun- 
 dred seventy five tons. On her trial trip she made twen- 
 ty two knots per hour but since has made a record of 
 twenty seven, making her one of the swiftest boats in the 
 navy. Battery, one eight inch breech loading rifle, two 
 
On BoAKi) \ \V.\K Sim-. 201 
 
 six inch and ('ii;ht Idiir iiidi. twelve six |niiiii(lei- and tour 
 one pounder ra[)id tire i,Miiis. f ur ,i,'atlin^' i,nins and one 
 threr incli field pieee. She also had four toi'pedo tnl)es 
 witli three tor])edoes foreneh. There are ei<i;ht niaininolh 
 (h)ut)le end hoih'rs. niakiuijf sixty four tires which can he 
 Itnilt in an euiern^ency. and three |io\vert'ul eiiifincs of sev- 
 en tliousand liorse-power eacii. Slie carried a crew of 
 forty otiicers and four hundred twenty-nine men of wliich 
 fv)rty-Hve were marini's. is liglited t)y eK'cti-icit\ from 
 stem to stern and has an ice niacdiine whiidi at that time 
 was kept running night and day. She cost I'ntde Sam 
 tw(j million seven hundred twenty five thousand dollars. 
 
 C^aptnin Sands was in command of the vessel and the 
 crew thought a great deal of him. As for the crew itself, 
 it did everything possible to nrd^e us comfortable. 
 Placing three hundred men on board a boat that had ac- 
 comodations for the crew only, made it rather unpleasant 
 but they gave up quarters and divided rations with us 
 and did us many other favors, if they had not we would 
 have fared rather [)oorly. 
 
 The sea was smooth and the vessel seemed as solid 
 as a rock, the continual swish swash of the waves as they 
 broke against her sides was al)out the only indication we 
 liad that we were on the wide sea as we rested in (Uir 
 quarters on the main dack. During the daytime the men 
 spent their time on the up[)er or superstructure deck, se- 
 curing protection from the broiling lie;.t of the sun as 
 best they may in the shadow of the mammoth smoke 
 stacks, the jun shields and in and around the half dozen 
 whale-boats and cutters which swung from the davits at 
 the vessels side. 
 
 As the work of the sailors brought them towards 
 our resting places we were driven ])efo)-«' them, from one 
 end of the vessel to the other and all around it- We 
 
202 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 would be resting <|uietly on the upper deck wlien a bare- 
 foot seamen would bellow out "get down below."" after 
 scrambling through the hatchways to the main deck and 
 get comfortably located, another voice would command 
 us to "go up above,*' a few moments after reaching the 
 upper deck we were told to "get in the whale boats," and 
 shortly we wovild be instructed to "get out of the boats."' 
 Thus the hours dragged on until darkness came when we 
 would settle ourselves for the night and for a couple of 
 hours listen to the tales of the jolly tars as they related 
 their experiences in their many sea voyages. 
 
 Several ships were sighted on the voyage and both 
 the Yale and Columbia would give chase, hoping to over- 
 haul some Spanish vessel and secure it as a prize, but 
 they were all tiying the stars and stripes or the emblem 
 of a neutral government. On the morning of July 
 eleventh, we sighted land and found it was the eastern 
 coast of Cuba. We steamed along the coast and about 
 noon passed (Tuantanamo l)ay where the handful of ma- 
 rines had landed some days before and fought so Ijravely 
 against great odds. 
 
 We soon sighted tln' hulls of several vessels ahead 
 and all precautions were taken to prevent our running in- 
 to a trap; the gunners were at their posts and everything 
 made ready for a fight if they should prove to l)e un- 
 friendly, but thev were Uncle Sam's ships and we were 
 soon among them. We arrived about three o'clock in 
 the afternoon of July eleventh, just an hour after the 
 last bombardment of Santiago had ceased, A slight 
 indentation in the coast line indicated the entrance to 
 Santiago harbor but we were too far distant to see 
 more of this then famous place. On the eastern side of 
 the entrance and situated on a prominent poirit old 
 Morro Castle frowned down upon us, 
 
Aino\ \i. AT S.\NTiA«.o. 203 
 
 I'Or miU'S around us we could sih" mati-of-war 
 ships, cruisers, lorpcdo hoat> and transports. The 
 Spanish lookout stationed al Morro Castle reported lo 
 his commander on that dav he counted lilty-seven war 
 ships and transports all Hyin^r ihe American llai; within 
 a ratlins of a few miles m the vicinity of Sanlia^^o har- 
 hoi . Amon^- them were New \'ork. Iirooklyn. Texas. 
 Indiana. Oregon. Massachusetts. Iowa. Newark. Hel- 
 ena. \\'ihiiinL,aon ami the (1\ namite boat \ esu\ ins. also 
 the hospital ship Solace, inlerminglinn" with the numer- 
 ous transports and all cruisini^ about and up and down 
 the coast. 
 
 This was a pleasing sight for us laiul troops, cruis- 
 ing about not far from tlie shore, jxissing lirst one and 
 then another of those wonderful lighting machines 
 which had won such a glorious victory a week pri-\-i(nis. 
 the mountains looming up in the background dotted 
 with white tents and liuiidings and within sight of Santi- 
 ago harbor, the outer fortifications plainly discernaiile. 
 We could hardh- realize our posiiion, so much that was 
 new and deeplv interesting having been crowded upon 
 us in a shoi t lime. 
 
 Ten of liu' remaining C(»mpanies of our regiment, 
 the band and the colonel and his staff boarded the Rita 
 at Charleston, Sunday. July tenth and arrived at Santiago 
 the following Friday. Their voyage was not a pleas- 
 ant one. as the vessel rolled and pitched throughout the 
 trip and nearlv everv man aboard of her was seasick. 
 Companies U and M followed on the transport, Duchesse. 
 
204 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 Immediateh' on our arrival at Santiago. General 
 Miles sent a note to Admiral Sampson to the effect that 
 it was his desire to land troops from the Yale. Colum- 
 bia, and Duchesse to the west of the bay of :;?aniiaoo 
 harbor, and follow it up with additional troops, moving 
 east against the Spanish troops defending Santiago on 
 the west. He requested Admiral Sampson to designate 
 the most available point for disembarking the troops, 
 and render all of the assistance practicable as they 
 moved east. Admiral Sampson then went on board the 
 Yale and consulted General Miles, who told him he 
 desired the co-operaiion of the Navy m the plan above 
 stated. The admiral cordially acquiesced in the plan 
 and offered every assistance of his fleet ^to cover the 
 debarkation of the^troops and also infilade the Spanish 
 position with the guns of the ships. 
 
 General Miles then went ashore aind the following 
 morning opened communication with General Shafter. 
 after which he gave diiections to General Garrettson to 
 disembark all the troops on the Yale, Columbia, and 
 other transports that Vv'ere expected to arrive, viz, the 
 Duchesse and Rita, whenever he should receive orders 
 to do so. A note was directed to General Toral, com- 
 manding the Spanish forces, apprising him of the pres- 
 ence of the General commanding the American Army 
 
SURKENDER OK SaNTIAOO. 205 
 
 and a meeting In'twceii the lines was arranLjecl for at 
 twelve o'clock noon the followint^ day. 
 
 At the appointed time. Cieneral Miles and a portion 
 of his staff, met (leneral Toral and two of his staff 
 otlicers and ai interjireter. Negotiations for the sur- 
 render of General Toral's forces were carried on, the 
 United States government to return his armv to Spain. 
 General To^mI plead for time to communicate with his 
 superiors. This was granted and he was given until 
 twelve o'clock noon the following da}- to arrive at a 
 decision. 
 
 General Henry, \\ i^io had been placed in command 
 of all the infantry and artiller\- then on transports, was 
 instructed to be in readiness to disembark at noon, the 
 following day, Julv fourteenth, at Cabanas. This in- 
 cluded the Sixth Illinois regiment. On the morning of 
 July fourteenth, iVdmiral Sampson's fleet was in posi- 
 tion to cover the landing of the troops from the trans- 
 ports, about two and one iialf miles west of Santiago 
 harbor, in case the Spanish should fail to surrender. 
 
 On meeting General Toral by appointment at 
 twelve o'clock noon that da\-, he formall\- surrendered 
 the troops of his army corps and division of Santiago 
 to General Miles. General Henry was notilied and as 
 a portion of the army was infected with yejlow fever it 
 was determined not to land the troops on board the 
 transports at that point but to run them back to Guan- 
 tanamo bay and there take on coal and otherwise pre- 
 pare the fleet for an early departure for Porto Rico. 
 
 The men on board continued in good health and 
 few if any on the Columbia had been affected bv sea- 
 sickness. After the novelty of the situation had worn 
 off we bea^an to <ret an.xious to iiet ashore. We had 
 
206 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 prepared to land several times but each order was 
 countermanded. It had rained every day since our 
 arrival at Santiago, the sun coming out very bright and 
 hot immediately afterward. The mountains wearing 
 anything but an inviting aspect at these times, as a 
 heavy fog enveloped everything on land. Many of the 
 soldiers and sailors found sleeping quarters on the upper 
 deck and in the dead of the night they would be awak- 
 ened by a heavy downpour of rain and they would 
 scramble down through the hatchways completely 
 drenched. 
 
 The disappointment at not going ashore at Santiago 
 left the men very low spirited. We had been drilling 
 for months, all the while looking forward to the day 
 when we should be among the victorious troops march- 
 ing into the Spanish city. Now it looked as though we 
 were to have the trouble for the pains as we had no idea 
 whether we were to be sent to Porto Rico or returned 
 home. 
 
 The inactivity was wearing on the men more than 
 did the tedious work in the states. On the sixteenth of 
 July our vessel steamed west to Guantanamo bay arriv- 
 ing in the early evening. We found a number of the 
 boats that had been lying off Santiago had preceded us 
 and some were already taking on a supply of coal from 
 the coaling ships. As our boat stood bow on to shore, 
 to the left and some distance inland we saw the wreck of 
 a fortress the walls of which had been partially demol- 
 ished by the guns of our vessels some time before. 
 
 The white tents of Camp McCalla stood on the 
 crest of a hill not far from the shore. This was the 
 quarters of the marines who landed from the Marblehead 
 on the tenth of June. At the foot of the hill and extend- 
 
GU ANT ANA MO Vt.W. 'JOT 
 
 iii;^ out oil llu' beach lav the Cuban eaiiip \\ hieh con- 
 tained about two hundred soldiers, mostly black and from 
 all indications the\- re]ircsented the worst class of natives 
 on the island, "^rhev were indolent and appeared to wish 
 for nothin;^ tiiore tiian to [possess a comfortable hammock' 
 a supply of tobacco and draw rations from Uncle Sams 
 larder as often as possible. 
 
 The marines found but little use for them except as 
 sentinels as the}' had been doing scout dutv for years 
 and were very alert besides they were acquainted with 
 every nook and cranny on the island. Many of the ma- 
 rines came on board our vessel and some of them gave 
 us a very graphic description of the three days battle 
 which occurred following the landing of their men. 
 Nearly every tent which they had put up was so riddled 
 with Spanish bullets that they were but poor shelter dur- 
 ing the heavy rains which occurred daily. 
 
 In the face of a continual tire the men had thrown 
 up a rampart ofgravel completely surrounding the camp 
 which gave them a protection from the Mauser bullets 
 and an opportunity to rest after the seige had been raised. 
 Three graves in the center of the camp marked the last 
 resting place of Surgeon Gribbs, a sergeant major and a 
 private who fell early in the battle. Part way down the 
 hill on the other side were the graves of three men who 
 were instantly killed, while doing outpost duty, by a 
 squad of seventeen Spaniards all of whom were after- 
 wards killed with the lieutenant in command. 
 
 In the center of the camp was Colonel Huntington's 
 headquarters, over which the stars and stripes were flying 
 the first to float over Cuban soil. To the left was a 
 small rapid firing gun. which discharged bullets at the 
 rate of i]vti hundred a minute. The Spaniards had a 
 wholesome respect for this gun. and an oflicer, taken 
 
208 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 -prisoner by our men, when asked if there was anything 
 he would like done for him, said, nothing except he 
 would like to see this gun. Several officers from the 
 Columbia, including our company and battalion officers 
 visited this camp also the Cuban camp and what they 
 saw proved that the marines had been subjected to a 
 severe fire, in an extremely exposed position and the 
 indomitable courage of the marines in retaining the foot- 
 hold established was quite evident. 
 
 Our rations while on the boat were not conducive 
 to the health or comfort of the men. Fresh meat, or at 
 least the boys said it was fresh because it was "alive", 
 was sent to us almost daily. It came lashed to the 
 whaleboat which brought it to us. We wondered at this 
 as the siu'face of the bay was as calm as the waters of a 
 mill-pond. It was hoisted on board and four expert 
 sprinters from each company sent for, then the chase be- 
 gan. 
 
 That confounded meat just would not be caught; it 
 flip-flapped about at a lively rate until finally cornered. 
 After being captured and "killed" the meat was cut up 
 into great hunks about a foot square and brought out 
 along with a bushel of hard-tack, into which an empty 
 tomato can was thrown, a little water poured over the 
 mixture and the whole run down to the ships galley and 
 placed over the fire a few moments, this they called hash, 
 and it was doled out to the men with all the precaution 
 that would have been taken had it been angel-food cake 
 with a prize in every cutting. 
 
 About an hour after we had gotten on the outside of 
 our portion of this first course, a pail would be rundown 
 to the galley, some coffee dumped in, filled with hot 
 water and brought out to us. Then the fighting began 
 and after crawling out of the mix-up we generally found 
 

AWAITINC OUDIIHS. 200 
 
 ourselves vvilh a pint of coltce ^rouiuis and a tahU-spocMi- 
 ful of coffee. 
 
 At intervals diirin<^ the day we would take up our 
 belts a few notches; this we continued until nearly time 
 to tuin in for the nii(ht, then we would eat a few hard- 
 tack drink a little water, lie ijuitc still until the hard-tack 
 bei^an to swell, then slip the belt olf c[uickly and fill up 
 on water. This was necessary to keep the front side of 
 the back from coming- in contact with the back-bone 
 while lyings down. 
 
 '•Music sounds the sweetest when on the moon-lit 
 sea." The reality of this came to us with full force as 
 we heard the rich, sweet notes of "The First Brigade 
 March" come pealing across the water from the deck of 
 the Rita which carried our band. As the music reached 
 us, faintly at tirst but clear and distinct as the two vessels 
 drifted nearer, a hush fell over the throng of idle soldiers 
 and the}^ eagerly drank in every sound until the position 
 of the boats changed and the music died away in the dis- 
 tance. Then cheer after cheer went up from our boat. 
 Drooping spirits were revived and it almost seemed that 
 we were back again in the states. This was the first 
 time we had heard our band since leaving Charleston 
 and it had a wonderful effect on us all. 
 
 At niirht the scene in the bay was l)eautiiul. The 
 number of vessels had increased daily and during the lat- 
 ter part of our stay there the bay was nenrly tilled with 
 boats. When all were lighted for the night it had the 
 appearance of a miniature city, while the e\er changing 
 position of the boats gave us a paiioraiuic view of the 
 whole scene. As the bugle calls from the war vessels 
 were sounded, first on one hand then the other, we imag- 
 ined we were back in our quarters at Camp Alger, and 
 we felt we were again soldiers. 
 
210 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 For nearly three months previous to our boarding 
 the Columbia for Cuba we had been accustomed to almost 
 continual duty of some sort and bands and bugle corps 
 were ever present. Since taking to the sea we had done 
 nothing but scramble for something to eat and lay around, 
 killing time as best we could. The monotony was telling 
 on the men and they were anxious to be up and doing. 
 They fully recognized the many perils which beset a sol- 
 dier in the field, facing a wily enemy but this had been 
 considered long before and they would gladly have taken 
 the risk only to be on shore and do even a little actual 
 service. They were fairly disgusted with the "coffee 
 cooler" soldiering. 
 
 On the morning of the eighteenth, the crew made 
 preparations for coaling ship. Volunteers were called 
 for from among the soldiers on board but less than a half 
 dozen men responded as none relished the idea of shovel- 
 ing coal on an empty stomach. The following three days 
 were occupied in coaling shi]> and they were horrible 
 days,-dirt and coaldust over everything. It was but a 
 short time until we were as dirty a lot of men as one 
 cared to see, but we were rapidly becoming accustomed 
 to accept anything that came along and say nothing. 
 
 Captain Sands wanted eighteen hundred tons of coal 
 to fill the boat's bunkers but the supply was nearly ex- 
 hausted and he was fortunate to secure six hundred tons: 
 the vessel had something like three hundred tons when 
 we arrived in the bay making a total of about nine hun- 
 dred tons in her bunkers. 
 
 At noon, Thursday, July twenty-first, orders were 
 received for the vessel to have steam up and everything 
 in readiness to put out to sea at three o'clock that after- 
 noon, and at four we steamed out of the harbor enroute 
 for Porto Rico, the Massachusetts acting as flag ship, 
 
Oki- I'Ou Pok I() Rko. 'Jl 1 
 
 leadini^ tlif Hoot which was coniijosi'd of the MatHaciiu- 
 setts. Colnmbin. Vah> with (xoiuTal Miles. Henry nnd 
 Garrettson on l)oartl. the (ih)ncest('r, a tlispateli boat and 
 nine trnnspt)rts heavily ladm with troops, c.-ivalry nnd ar- 
 tillery horses nnd light artillery. 
 
 With three thousand four luiiidn-d liftrm infantry- 
 nicn nnd artillervnien. to<.jether wilh two companies of 
 engineers and one company of tiie Signal Corps, with one 
 hundred ot this aggregate number of men sick, which re- 
 duced our I'tVective force to about tlirct' tliousaiid three 
 hundred men, we moved on the Island of I'orto Kico. at 
 that time occupied by eight thousand two hundred thirty 
 three Spanish regulars, and nine thousand one hundred 
 seven volunteers. The objective point being San Juan, 
 on the north-eastern coast of the island. 
 
 The Columbia acted as re^r ^uard for the tieet and 
 our course was necessarily much slower than when we 
 made the run from Charleston to Cuba on account of 
 having the slow moving transports in the tleet. eight, or 
 at the best, nine knots per hour was the maximum speed 
 during the journey. On the second night out we were 
 joined by the cruiser Dixie. 
 
 Just the slightest ripple of excitement was caused on 
 board our boat before a signal was sent out by the Dix- 
 ie making herself known. The Columbia was some dis- 
 tance in the rear of the tieet when a light was seen ap- 
 proaching the stern of our vessel. The Dixie was ex- 
 pected to join us in this vicinity but nothhig could be 
 Been to determine the nature of the approaching vessel 
 other than the light which gradually drew nearer us. 
 High up on the mast the Columbia's signal lights flash- 
 ed the Dixie's call "D"' but could get no res[ionse, a 
 sailor picked up a hand electric lantern and stepping to 
 
212 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 the stern of our boat made an attempt to get a reply to 
 his signals but all to no purpose. 
 
 The peculiar actions of the crew of the vessel follow- 
 ing us gave Captain Sands cause for suspicion that all 
 was not right and he changed the course of the Colum- 
 bia, making a loop and coming down close to the sus- 
 picious craft and again flashed the signal "'D", this time 
 receiving a reply that apparently satisfied him and we 
 came around onto the direct course once more. As day.- 
 light came we saw the Dixie was among the vessels of the 
 fleet and then understood the actions of the boats the 
 night before. 
 
 We steamed through the Windward Passage in a 
 northeasterly course, not losing sight of land until near- 
 ly to our destination. The Islands of Cuba and Hayti 
 appearing not more than ten miles apart yet they are 
 nearly fifty. On the morning of the twenty-second the 
 Columbia was signaled to report to General Miles as he 
 wished to send a cablegram to Washington, and she be- 
 ing the swiftest vessel in the fleet was selected for that 
 purpose. An officer was sent on board the Yale and re- 
 ceived the dispatch; then our vessel was headed for Mole 
 St. Nicholas, on t\w eastern coast of Hayti, arriving there 
 about eleven thirty a. m. A cutter was sent ashore to the 
 cable station, returning immediately. The soldiers were 
 ordered to remain below and keep out of sight but a half 
 dozen of us managed to find a secluded place and re- 
 mained on d-eck and with the aid of a small field glass an 
 excellent view of the bay and island was had. The town 
 appeared as almost nothing; a few houses and an old 
 fortress was all we could see. The French flag was fly- 
 ing over nearly every house, also over the cable station. 
 Returning we left the bay about twelve o'clock noon, and 
 
AkKI\.\I, at P<»I< r (jlANKA. 2i'il 
 
 caught tlic tlfft ill thr luidiilr of llical'lm ii. Tli.' 
 
 eonsts of ('iil):i. Ilavtijiiid I'oito Kico an' lined with 
 niountaiiis and loi.kcd iinvthing hut inviting to the Illi- 
 nois i)oys who wore accustonu'il to the hroad prairirs of 
 tht'ir nativi' state. 
 
 \Vi> hi'Kl the original ooursi' of east l»y north until 
 the morning of the twenty-fourth, when (xeneral Milrs 
 chnngeil his plans and direeted the fh-et to (diange its 
 course and make Port Guanica, on the southwestern 
 coast of the island its destination, (jeneral Miles, after 
 consulting with Cap't Iligginson of the Massachusetts, 
 decided tiiat the Spanish governnieiil must certainly 
 be aware of his intentions to land troops at San Juan and 
 it would accordingly mobolize its forces at that point. 
 He learned that a very desirable landing place could be 
 secured at Port Guanica and later at Port Ponce and in 
 all probability would meet with but little opposition. 
 
 The Dixie was sent on to San Juan to notify all ves- 
 sels e.xpected to arrive there of the chainge in the origin- 
 al plans. That night we sailed through the Mona Pass- 
 age without lights and silently we neared the goal. The 
 following morning we were on the Caribbean Sea close 
 to land and about nine thirty the Gloucester entered the 
 harbor of Port Guanica. throwing shells from a six pound 
 gun into the hills and scattering the few Spanish soldiers 
 stationed there. The Columbia could not get close in as 
 she drew too much water and we were once more load- 
 ed into the ships whale boats and cutters and towed a 
 mile and a half to the landing. 
 
214 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 About ten o'clock on the morning of July twenty- 
 fifth company E landed at Guanica, closely followed by 
 fifteen men of company I, A company of marines from 
 the Gloucester was the first American troops to land on 
 Porto Rican soil. These men had a brush with the few 
 Spanish soldiers that remained in the vicinity driving 
 them back into the hills where the six pounders fired 
 from the Gloucester had forced the larger portion of the 
 enemy early in the day. The marines hoisted the stars 
 and stripes and shortly returned to their vessel. Follow- 
 ing them came a division of the First Illinois Engineer 
 Corps, then company E and the fifteen men of company 
 I, with Major Channon in command on shore. 
 
 When we arrived in the village there was not a na- 
 tive or Spaniard in sight. They had completely desert- 
 ed the town. We were not allowed to approach an}' of 
 the buildings but were formed in the center of the nar- 
 row street and held there for a short time awaiting Maj- 
 or Channons orders. The town in main consisted of one 
 street running north to the foot of the hills which sur- 
 rounded the ba}'. A few comfortable dwellings and 
 summer homes of the more wealthy of the residents of 
 the vicinity bordered the narrow street with here and 
 there a general store building, the village itself termi- 
 nating in cluster of thatched huts about three quarters 
 
Oiri'osr Dirv in iiii-. 11ii.i>. 215 
 
 of a iiiilr from llu' luMch. 
 
 Surrouiuliii!4 ihr village was a level plain wliirli ran 
 back from the beach about a mile. On the north and 
 east the hills or mountains rose to a considerable hei<(ht 
 while on the west the bav ran back several hundred rods 
 and close up to the foot of the hills. Directly north of 
 the landinj.^ the hills were separated by a beautiful valley 
 about a mile in width which wound back into the island 
 for several miles. The one street of the town led di- 
 rectly to the southern entrance of this valley and it was 
 here that the Spaniards and natives retreated on the 
 approach of the American troops. 
 
 Company E was divided into two platoons and 
 sent to the hills to the east to estabhsh an outpost ^uard 
 line under command of Capt. Lawrie and Lieut. Wahl 
 respectively. The fifteen m^n of c )mp:iny I. under 
 command of Serg't Weaver were ordered to take a 
 position on the summit of a hiijh hill about a mile to the 
 south and west of the town, there to be joined by the 
 remiinder of the comparu' as soon as they came on 
 shore. Major Channon instructed the men to keep 
 their ritles loaded and in readiness for instant action and 
 to take no chances whatever. 
 
 Arriving at the foot of the hills we found we had a 
 difficult climb before us as the cactus plant, which grows 
 there as large as our fruit trees, were very thick from 
 the base of the hill to the summit. Many other small 
 trees and shrubberv grew so dense it was impossible 
 to see more than a do/en feet m advance, while the 
 hills iiad everv indication of being the result of some 
 gigantic upheavel caused by volcanic eruptions in years 
 past. Great irregular pieces of stone, honey-combed 
 to the depth of half an inch, the outer surface covered 
 with tine, projecting points of stone as sharp as a knife 
 
216 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 blade and as hard as steel, were thrown up in apparent- 
 ly insurmountable masses. 
 
 Company E took its position and remained there 
 until five o'clock in the evenin<T, when they were re- 
 lieved by company A. During their stay on out-post 
 the boys of company E explored the locality thoroughly 
 but found no indication of the enemy. After return- 
 ing to the landing they pitched their shelter tents en 
 the grassy plain a few rods back from the bay and were 
 placed on duty unloading baggage and supplies from 
 the Rita. 
 
 Five of the handful of men of company I made the 
 ascent of the hill where they were to take a position 
 and establish a point of observation, arriving on the 
 summit nothing could be seen in either direction. The 
 cactus plants, shrubbery and large stone were so thick 
 that it was impossible to find a place large enough to 
 pitch a shelter tent in that neighborhood. After a long 
 search a large rock was found projecting far out over 
 the hill side and clear of the brush. Crawling out on 
 this an excellent view of the plain below and the valley 
 sti etching away to the north could be had. 
 
 The scene was a beautiful one. It was the noon 
 hour and the sun was shining brightly. Everything was 
 green and refreshing. Down the narrow valley small 
 farms were laid out and the crops appeared to be in ex- 
 cellent condition, the hills jutting out here and there 
 formed dark recesses where the sunlight faded into a 
 gloom and the shaded green of the foliage appeared to 
 extend a welcoming hand to the invading soldiers, 
 beckoning them in, there to find protection from the 
 burning heat of the sun. But as far as the eye could 
 reach not a living being was in sight. Peace and quiet- 
 ness reigned over the whole valley and on first thought 
 
First Mkktinc With Nativks. '_!17 
 
 it seemed criminal to throw tliis beautiful laiul into the 
 turmoil of war. 
 
 Turninu^ about and lookinij toward the sea an en- 
 tirely different scene presented itself. Out on the open 
 water the lead colored hulls of the war vessels stood 
 out in bold relief, the uncovered f^uns directed shore- 
 ward prepared to throw a storm of shells into the ranks 
 of the enemy, should they develop in formidable num- 
 bers. Close into shore the many transports were busily 
 enu^aged unloading their cargoes. Much of the work 
 had already been accomplished and white tents dotted 
 the plain while the battery of artillery was getting its 
 guns in readiness to limber up at a moments notice. 
 
 The position taken by the men on the summit 
 seeming untenantable, a report of the situation was made 
 to Major Channon and he ordered them to the plain below, 
 where they were soon joined by the remainder of the 
 company. The men were immediately placed on out- 
 post duty, the second platoon, under command of Lieut. 
 Lawton was placed on the extreme left and along the 
 main road which led to San German, with the wooded 
 hill on the one side and the waters of the bay run- 
 ning up close on the other. The last out-post to the 
 left was stationed fully two miles from the camp on the 
 beach. Capt. Colebaugh. with the first platoon ex- 
 tended his line in toward the camp and was joined on 
 the right by company F. Farther to the right company 
 G of Dixon, was on out-post duty between the left of 
 company A and the right of company F. 
 
 As the day wore on several natives were captured 
 and brought into camp. They were very much excited 
 and more than half expected the ^ mericans would put 
 them to death as they had been made to believe this 
 by the Spanish soldiers who had so recently tied. The 
 
21S History of Companies I and E. 
 
 natives were made to understand that no harm would 
 befall them if they would return to their homes and re- 
 main quiet. The glad tidings soon spread to the 
 mountains and they began to come in from all directions. 
 They were quite timid at iirst but soon overcame their 
 fears and in a short time they were mingling with the 
 soldiers apparently perfectly satisfied with the turn 
 affairs had taken. Of course we could not understand 
 a word of their language, nor they ours, but by signs and 
 motions we made fair headway and usuall}' made them 
 understand what was wanted. One of the first things 
 they learned was that we were completely out of to- 
 bacco, and for several days after our arrival when a na- 
 tive met a soldier he would come to a halt several 
 paces from him and if he had any tobacco, cigars or 
 cigarettes he would produce them as a peace offering, 
 but should he be so unfortunate as to not have any of 
 these articles he would strike each pocket in turn to 
 show it was empty, throw both hands out before him 
 and repeat "No I, No I," meaning he had none and 
 look appealingly at us fearing we would do him harm 
 because he could not pay us tribute. Some one of the 
 boys would step toward him and in a threatenmg man- 
 ner tell him he must be a Spaniard, the native would 
 turn pale and tremblingly exclaim. "Spanolia, No! No! 
 America, Porto Rico." 
 
 We knew there had been but few Spanish soldiers 
 in the village but we were told by the natives that 
 there were several hundred lurking in the hills near rs 
 and we did not know what moment they might steal 
 upon us and open fire. The underbrush and shrubbery 
 was so thick they could have approached us without 
 much fear of detection. We had no dinner and the 
 provisions did not get out to us until after dark; then 
 
On thp. Picket Line. 210 
 
 we were not allowed to tniilcl tires to make colfee, hut 
 we enjoyed it nevertheless as we were in actual service 
 then and felt that we were soldiers in e\ery respect. 
 
 We sat around the hox of hardtack and ate keep- 
 iuLj as quiet as possible, our u^uards were posted along 
 the public highwav and paitl\- up \hc tiiountain side. 
 It was not long until the boys began to take snap shots 
 along the line. There were a number of cattle running 
 through the timber and we had been i-autioned to be- 
 ware of the mooing of cows, barking of dogs and h(jot- 
 ing of owls, as these were Spanish signals. This made 
 us suspicious of everv sound and the consetjuences were 
 the bovs tired at imaginary Spaniards quite frequently. 
 
 The enemy was not far distant as we found be- 
 fore daylight. The bullets kept zipping around and 
 over us and in the morning we })icked up some of the 
 spent bullets which had dropped in our camp. When- 
 ever a shot was fired every man was wide awake with his 
 ritie ready for instant action; the moon shone brightly 
 and the relief guards were more or less exposed through- 
 out the night. The natives continued to straggle in 
 long after dark and it was a miracle that some of them 
 were not shot as they did not appear to recognize the 
 challenge of a sentinel as a command to halt but more as 
 a greeting and they would walk straight ahehd. The 
 sentinels hardly knew what action to take. They knew 
 there were Spunish soldiers in the vicinity but they 
 doubted their bavin <r the courajje to cruie forward so 
 boldly; they also knew there were any number of harm- 
 less natives yet in the mountains and they did not wish 
 to have the blood of an innocent man cm their hands. 
 There was but one alternati\e and that was to be pre- 
 pared for instant action upon the first sign of treachery 
 
220 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 and allow them to pass the lines. The actions of the 
 Americans in this matter went a long way toward quitt- 
 ing the fears of the natives and gave them a feeling of 
 safety which made them our friends. 
 
 During the early hours of the morning, company G 
 was attacked by the Spanish. As this was the only in- 
 stance where our regiment clashed with the enemy, the 
 report of this skirmish, given in the words of General 
 Garrettson, follows. 
 
 '•At about six p. m. a re})ort was sent in from this 
 outpost that the enemy in considerable numbers had 
 been discovered. I sent out two companies of the Sixth 
 Massachusetts as a reserve. 
 
 During the night the enemy opened fire on the out- 
 posts, and their commander sent in a report, which ar- 
 rived in camp at two a. m., July twenty-sixth, that an at- 
 tack was expected. At three a. m., 1, with my staif and 
 Major W. 0. Hayes, First Ohio Cavalry, and tive com- 
 phnies of the Sixth Massachusetts, left camp for the out- 
 post on the Yauco road. The command arrived there 
 shortly before daylight, at about four thirty o'clock. 
 From the reports of the outposts the enemy was supposed 
 to be in a field to the right of the road to Yauco. Packs 
 were thrown off and the command formed for an attack. 
 The company of Sixth Illinois! G) remained on the hill 
 and protected our right flank. The remaining companies 
 were collected, two as support and three as reserve. Af- 
 ter advancing to within two hundred yards of the plain 
 of the hacienda Santa Decideria, the advance guard of 
 our attacking force was discovered by the enemy, who 
 opened fire from a position on the hill to the west. The 
 north and east slopes of this hill intersect each other, 
 forming a solid angle. It was along this angle that the 
 enemy was posted. Their reserve, posted in a road 
 leading from the hacienda to the east, also opened a 
 strong fire on the road. A body of the enemy moved 
 against the company on our right (G, Sixth Illinois), 
 
Skirmish With tiii-. Spanish. 221 
 
 statioiu'd ou tlu' hill of N'cntiira <Juiii<iiics. This coin- 
 panv had intrt'iichtHl Ihi'insi-lves duriii'' tlu' iiii'ht, and 
 ixhvT re[)ulsiii^ the attackiii*^ t'ort'e, directed their fire 
 against the enemy on tlie hill to tlie west. 
 
 The conformation of the <^round was such that the 
 tire of the enemy's reserves and party on the left was 
 eifective in the seemingly secure lioUow in which our re- 
 serves were posted. The heavy volume of tire, the noise 
 ot shots striking tlie trees and on the ground, and the 
 wounding of two men among the reserves caused a 
 momentary confusion among the troops. They were 
 (juickly rallied and placeil under cover. The tire of the 
 advance party and su[)ports was directed against the 
 [)arty of the enemy on the hill, and temporarily silenced 
 their fire from that direction. 
 
 Our advance guard of two coni[)!inies, ignoring the 
 enemy on the hill, then deployed mainly to the right of 
 the road, and were led with (j[uick antl accurate military 
 judgement and great personal gallantry, by Lieutenant 
 Langhorne. First Cavalry, aid, against the reserves of 
 the enemy. The supports and one coni[)any of reserves, 
 under the direction of Captain L. Gr. Berry, charged 
 against the party on the west of the hill, through the 
 barbed-wire fence and chaparral. The reserves were 
 deployed along the barbed-wire fence running at right 
 angles to the road, conducted through the fence, and 
 brought up in the rear and to the left of the attack- 
 ing party conducted by Lieutenant B. Ames, adjutant, 
 Sixth Massachusetts. The enemy were driven from 
 the hill and retired to the valley, disappearing behind 
 the hacienda. The reserves of the enemy ceased firing 
 and retired. It was supposed that they had retired to 
 the hacienda, as this house was surrounded on the 
 sides presented to our view, with loopholed walls. The 
 troops on the hill were collected along the road. 
 A reserve of three companies was established at the 
 intersection of the road and the main road to Yauoo. 
 The two companies in advance, which were deployed, 
 wheeled to the left and advanced throuirh the cornfield 
 
222 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 to our right. The remainder of the command deployed 
 and advanced to the hacienda, enveloping it on the left. 
 It was then discovered that the enemy had retired from 
 the hacienda' in the direction of Yauco, along cleverly 
 concealed lines of retreat. 
 
 As the' object of the expedition was considered ac- 
 complished, and in obedience to instructions received 
 from Major-General Miles, no further pursuit was un- 
 dertaken. 
 
 The battalion of recruits of the Regular Army, un- 
 der Captain Hubert, reported for orders, having heard 
 the firing, but were not needed and returned to camp. 
 
 The force of the enemy engaged in the battle con- 
 sisted of Battalion twenty-five, Patria, of the Spanish 
 Army, and some volunteers, in all about six or seven 
 hundred men. 
 
 The casualties on our side were four slightly wound- 
 ed, all of the Sixth Massachusetts. After the occupa- 
 tion of Yauco the casualities of the enemy were found 
 to have been, one lieutenant and one cornet killed, eight- 
 een seriously and thirty-two slightly wounded. 
 
 After the confusion resulting from the first unexpected 
 fire, the conduct of the troops was excellent. They were 
 speedily rallied, and afterward obeyed orders given 
 through my staff officers without hesitation. 
 
 The following officers of the command are especially 
 commended for gallantry and coolness under fire: Maj- 
 or C. K. Darling, Sixth Massachusetts Volunteers; Cap- 
 tain F. J. Gibon, Sixth Massachusetts Volunteers, who 
 was painfully wounded early in the action, and remained 
 in command of his company until it reached camp; Cap- 
 tain L. G. Berry, assistant adjutant- general volunteers; 
 Lieutenant G. T. Langhorne, aid; Lieutenant G. M. 
 Wright, aid; Major W. C. Hayes, acting aid; Major Geo. 
 W. Crile, brigade surgeon, and Major Frank Anthony 
 surgeon Sixth Illinois Volunteers, were present under fire 
 with hospital attendants and rendered necessary aid to 
 the wounded." 
 
 During the early part of the engagement, Major 
 
Majok .\^•nl()^^• at riii: l""i<f)\'r. 22:5 
 
 Anlhoin'. who with llu- hospital coips was (|uick. to re- 
 spond lo a call to the front jn'obaliU- sa\ecl the Massa- 
 chusetts boys from having a large number of their men 
 cut down by the wltherini:^ fire of the Spanish which was 
 poured in on them after the Dons had located General 
 (jarrettson's troops. The major was not far distant 
 wlien the tirst volley of the enemy wounded two of the 
 Massachusetts boys. They were formed in a solid col- 
 umn and remained huddled together, apparently having 
 lost their heads for the moment, when Major Anthony 
 rushed among them and with voice and gesture urged 
 the men to scatter out which they did. Had they re- 
 mained in close ranks a well aimed volley from the 
 enemy would have wrought havoc in their ranks. 
 
 i^ fter the skirmish was over the major and his 
 corps of assistants rendered the wounded Spanish all the 
 medical pssistance possible, the fact that ihey were our 
 enemies being entirelv forgotten bv the big hearted ma- 
 jor. 
 
 This skirmish i-aused considerable oxoitemeiit in 
 camp as well as amnng tlie men who were scattered 
 among the hills and l)rush iluing outpost duty. The 
 fact that we were possible targets for Spanish marks- 
 men gave us a creeping chilly feeling, as we were in the 
 open wlu're the enemy could steal upon us. tire a volley 
 or more and get back in the underbrush into couiparn- 
 tive safety before we could form for defence or an at- 
 tack. During the night the powerful searchlights of 
 the boats lying in the harbor swept the hills and moun- 
 tain sides quite frequently. This no doubt restrained 
 the Spanish soldiers from venturing too near our 
 picket lines. 
 
 During the first twent\-four hours of outpost duty 
 company I's guard headquarters were established at the 
 
224 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 very entrance of the village graveyard. It was rather 
 a grewsome place as nearly all of the boys had explored 
 the small enclosure during the day and visions of the 
 white wooden crosses and the larger shafts, built of brick 
 or stone and covered with a coating of w^hite lime, float- 
 ed before their eyes ever and anon during the lonely 
 watch throughout the night. 
 
 The next morning we were privileged to build 
 small fires and searching everywhere we could find 
 nothing that would burn excepting a couple of decayed 
 burial cases which lay in one corner of the graveyard. 
 They had either been in the ground for some time or 
 were very old as they all but dropped in pieces when we 
 attempted to carry them out. We concluded it must be 
 the latter as during our stay on the island we witnessed 
 several burials and in not one instance was the casket 
 interred. The body was taken out and placed in the 
 ground without the box. We did not wait to decide the 
 question but hurriedly broke them up and soon had a 
 bright fire burning merrily. 
 
 The afternoon of the second day following the land- 
 ing at Guanica occurred the first burial of an American 
 soldier in Porto Rico. One of the Massachusetts boys 
 had breathed his last on board one of the boats which 
 lay in the harbor. His body was wrapped in the folds 
 of the starry banner which had lured him to his untimely 
 death, placed on an artillery caisson, which was drawn 
 by six horses; by the side of the heavy carriage marched 
 an escort of infantrymen, his comrades. Then the silent 
 march to the little graveyard was taken up where the 
 body, from which the soul had wunged its flight, was -in- 
 terred, a volley was fired over the newly made grave, 
 the company bugler sounded '-taps", and the little pro- 
 cession turned sadly away wending its way slowly back 
 
Second Camp at Giank a. 225 
 
 to camp. IJefore the troops left this camp, private 
 Aberg of company F was buried by the side of the Mass- 
 achusetts soldier. 
 
 The second 'day company I was ordered farther 
 out and we marched a couple of miles to the west 
 where a new picket line was establislu'il. This position 
 was considered too much exposed and in the afternoon 
 we were returned about a half mile towards camp where 
 we remained on duty all night and until afternoon of 
 the following day when we were relieved and returned to 
 the general camp at the landing. During our tifty-two 
 hours of picket duty there had been but little opportuni- 
 ty to sleep and but few of the boys would have taken ad- 
 vantage of it had there been. When we arrived in 
 camp and had our shelter tents up we sought the much 
 needed rest and retired early. 
 
 The boys of company E were detailed to general 
 duty, building bridges and unloading ammunition, etc., 
 on the twenty-sixth and twenty-seventh. On the morn- 
 ing of the skirmish previously mentioned, the company 
 went out to the scene but did not participate in the en- 
 gagement. On the afternoon of the twenty-eighth the 
 company went out on outpost duty for twenty-four 
 hours. The nun were posted along the main road at in- 
 tervals, covering more than a mile of tlie outer picket 
 line, and were about a mile and a half from camj). The 
 duty performed was a repetition of that of the guards of 
 the previous day. The feeling of apprehension which 
 naturally affected the men during the first hours of their 
 presence in the enemy's country had gradually worn off 
 and the long hours of guard duty were made more pleas- 
 ant by the rising spirits of the boys and they whiled the 
 time away with joke and repartee yet ever on the alert. 
 Sunje scattered shots were heard during the night but 
 
226 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 nothing occurred to cause alarm. They fought the mos- 
 quites until relieved the next day. 
 
 Down at the camp we found the remainder of our 
 regiment. The boys who came in on the Rita related 
 their experiences and pronounced that vessel an old tub 
 not fit for a river boat. Serg't Cushman had met with 
 an accident while at sea which resulted in the amputa- 
 tion of a portion of one of his fingers. The band boys 
 were all there and living high, the result of their for- 
 aging. They appeared to enjoy the situation and spent 
 the most of their time in scouting. 
 
 Privates Sneed, Bert Johnson and Frank Aument of 
 company E were on board the Lampassas, which was ly- 
 ing in the harbor of Guanica. Aument was sick and 
 Sneed and Johnson were detailed to assist the nurses on 
 the boat on its trip to Fort Monroe where the invalid 
 soldiers were to be nursed back to health. The boat 
 sailed first to Port Ponce leaving there July thirty-first. 
 On the eighth of August the patients were taken to the 
 fort and Sneed and Johnson received a thirty day f.ur- 
 louo-h going directly to their homes. Aument remained 
 at the hospital in the fort. 
 
 On the twenty-eighth we broke camp and pitched our 
 tents on a low level piece of ground about half a mile 
 to the north and east of the original camp. 
 
 July twenty-seventh, Major General Wilson arrived 
 in the harbor of Guanica with General Ernst's brigade. 
 The same day Commander Davis of the Dixie entered 
 the j.ort of Ponce and found that it was neither fortified 
 nor mined. The next morning the tieet and transports, 
 with General Wilson's command, moved into the harbor 
 of Port Ponce. The troops disembarked and marched 
 into the city of Ponce, a distance of two miles, taking 
 possession of the city und adjacent country, the Spanish 
 
Advance on Vauco. 227 
 
 troops witlidrawiii,'^' oil t lit' niilitarv road to Saii.Iiian. 
 and our troops were pusluMl well forward in that direct- 
 ion. In the nioantinu' Gont^ral H(M)ry's conunnnd. (^f 
 which wi> foruu'd a part had been directed to [)roceed to 
 Ponce. 
 
228 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 Major Clarke with two companies of his battalion 
 was selected as an advance guard of General Henry's 
 troops in their march to Ponce. He left camp in the 
 afternoon of July twenty-eighth. Ten men from each 
 company of the tirst battalion, with a few others from 
 our regiment, under command of Lieut. E. L. Phillipps, 
 of the Sixth Cavalry, and Lieut. Geo. M. Gould, of 
 company F, Sixth Illinois, the whole command under 
 the direction of Major W. C. Hayes, First Ohio Cav- 
 alry, with three days rations and one hundred rounds 
 of ammunition, were ordered to proceed to Talaboa, 
 about half way between Guanica and Ponce, where it 
 was reported the Spanish had concealed, or on cars, a 
 considerable number of Mauser rifles with a supply of 
 ammunition. This force was to capture these supplies 
 and return them to Guanica. or destroy them. 
 
 This detachment was to receive mounts and pro- 
 ceed with all speed possible. After a long wait, the 
 horses, which were to have been sent into camp by 
 alcalde of Yauco. but which never came, the start was 
 made about five o'clock in the evening. Every one 
 was anxious to be among the number selected for this 
 expedition and those who were fortunate in this respect 
 felt highly elated as they expected they would have a 
 brush with the Spanish, and as they were given to un- 
 
Portu Rican belles. 
 
Reception at Yauco. 229 
 
 cU'rstaiKl the men were to be mounted tliev anticipated 
 a rather li\ely t'\perieiH\'. When ihe\- \vei"e informed 
 they would make the marcli on fo(;t ihev were .^adlv dis- 
 appointed but left the camp and re;,nment in a happy 
 nuK)d. They were dubbed '-(jouUrs Rouj^h Riders." 
 
 The expedition overtook Major Clarke's command 
 on the outskirts of Yauco and together ihey entered 
 the city. Their entry into tiie town was hailed with 
 delight by the citizens. In fact a more enthusiastic 
 welcome was never given to any body of troops. The 
 streets of the village were lined with the inhabitants, 
 who indulged in vivas to the American Republic, the 
 President of the United States, and the American sol- 
 diers. This reception was repeated at every town and 
 village where the troops entered. Major Hayes and 
 staff, proceeded to Tallaboa. in company with General 
 Stone, who had come from Ponce to Tallaboa that after- 
 noon in command of a sinall detachment and a telegraph 
 corps. On theii" arrival they found the sidetracks empty 
 and after a thorough inquiry concluded there were no 
 supplies in that vicinity and the major returned to 
 Yauco, where he fountl the fifty men of his command 
 encamped. 
 
 Arrangements were made for the formal raising of 
 the American flag over the residence of the alcalde the 
 following da}'. The citizens were somewhat awed by 
 the military at first, and there was absolute silence 
 while the military presented arms and the colors were 
 raised; and not until the close of the proclamation bv 
 the alcalde was there any demonstration on their part, 
 when, without a note of warning, a volunteer band 
 struck up an inspiring strain and all of the citizens 
 joined in vivas to the United States, to the President, 
 
SSO History of Companies I and E. 
 
 to the American soldiers, and to the city of Yauco, in 
 the United States of America. 
 
 On the morning of July thirtieth, General Henr3''s 
 division broke camp at eight-thirty and began the march 
 to Ponce. It had rained heavily the day previous and 
 in many places the roads were in bad condition. The 
 bo3'S made the start with long swinging strides but 
 were brought down to a more moderate pace after 
 covering a few miles. The heat was not so intense, that 
 is, the mercury did not register an3'thing astonishing 
 but there was a thin vapor rising from the damp earth 
 which made the men feel as though they were broil- 
 ing. We soon began to feel the effects of being cooped 
 up on board the boats for nearly three weeks without 
 exercise. Had we been thrown into this country with- 
 out loss of time after our training at Camp Alger, we 
 would not have been so easily overc(jme with the heat. 
 
 We arrived at Yauco shortly after noon and 
 camped on the bank of a swift brook. In passing 
 through the town we had met with a very cordial wel- 
 come by the citziens. We found the "Rough Riders," 
 and Major Clarke's command encamped on a hill to the 
 left of the spot designated as our camping ground. 
 
 Previous to leaving Guanica each company had 
 been given a number of bullock carts in charge of native 
 drivers, to transport rations and a supply of ammunition. 
 These carts were huge two wheeled affairs and were 
 drawn by from one to three pairs of bullocks. The ani- 
 mals were fine looking specimens of bovines, being 
 large, with wide spreading horns and usually very gen- 
 tle. The yoke was an uncouth affair hewn from some 
 species of hard wood. It was strapped to the horns on 
 top of the animals head, the draft of the loaded cart 
 
TiiK Spanish Pkisonicr. 231 
 
 coiiiiiiLC (lircc-tU- on ihc horns. Tlu'ie wore sonu'lhini^ 
 like one luiiulietl of ihese "Ariiiy wai^ons" attached to 
 our command. They were behind the Iroojis and did 
 not arrive in camp until late and we got nothing to eat 
 before dark. We had not been allowed to stop for 
 mess at noon consequently we were feeling rather lank 
 wdien we finally drew our rations. 
 
 From this time on we were illy fed. We were is- 
 sued fresh beef nearly every da>' for a time, but it was in 
 such condition it was unfit to eat. They would run the 
 animals for half an hour before being able lo catch 
 them, shoot them down the moment they got them back 
 to quarters, and cut them up before they were fairl}' 
 dead, and the meat would be on the tire in less than an 
 hour from the time thev were shot. We were compelled 
 to eat this or qo without and to this cause we could 
 trace the beginning of man}' a case of sickness. 
 
 In the camp we found the ground alive with centi- 
 pedes, and in some cases the boys would not lie down 
 for fear of getting stung. An English speaking native 
 informed us that the female sting alone was fatal, and 
 then during a certain period only. The natives were 
 deathly afraid of them, and as a rule they were bare- 
 footed and would jump at the sight of one, getting as 
 far away as possible. We found the wicked little things 
 in every camp along the coast, but on getting farther in- 
 land they disappeared. While encamped at Yauco the 
 guards captured a Spanish soldier. When brought into 
 camp he carried a Springfield rifie such as our troops 
 were then equipped with, wore the regulation U. S. blue 
 shirt and about his waist was strapped a web cartridge 
 belt of the U. S. manufacture. The prisoner acted rath- 
 er queer and his being in possession of a portion of an 
 AlueriCcm soldier's outfit had a suspicious look- Genera^ 
 
232 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 Garrettson was sent for and he asked the fellow if he was 
 not a Spanish soldier. He fell on his knees and replied 
 "No, no; Americano, Americano.*' It was pitiful to see 
 him grovel in the dirt at the general's feet. He kissed 
 his hands, his shoes and the ground he trod on; he stood 
 up and hugged the boys about him, kissing their hands 
 and all the time repeating, "Americano, Americano." 
 This was the reply we inevitable received from everyone 
 if we asked if they were not Spanish. The prisoner ap- 
 peared to be nearly famished and indicated by signs that 
 he had been living on roots and fruits. He was taken to 
 the hospital and we after ward learned he no sooner found 
 himself among friends, as there were some fifty wounded 
 and sick Spanish soldiers in the hospital, than he revived 
 immediately and in all probability laughed in his sleeve 
 over the smooth trick he had played on the Americano 
 soldiers. 
 
 The battery of artillery came into camp behind us 
 and crossed the creek to the flat beyond where they re- 
 mained that night. In coming in, their field pieces had 
 almost slid down the steep embankment before crossing 
 the stream. The next morning, (Sunday), before break- 
 ing camp the men of the battery worked with pick and 
 shovel for some time reducing the abruptness of the 
 climb so as to make it possible to drag their pieces out 
 to the main road. After all was in readiness for the 
 start, the men took their places, and the stream was 
 crossed at a gallop; up the hill they tore, the men riding 
 the pieces hanging on for dear life. If they appeared to 
 make the start to slow a mounted officer, stationed on the 
 opposite side of the stream and half way up the hill 
 would roar some unintelligable command to the drivers 
 and they would goad their horses on with whip and spur. 
 After all were over we fell in behind them and continued 
 
At Tallahoa. 233 
 
 the march toward I'once. The day bd'orc, (lie Sixth Ill- 
 inois was in the advaiu-c followi'd l)y the artillery, the 
 Massaehusetts boys brin^nng u[) the rear. The second 
 and third days the j^jsition of the regiments were re- 
 versed and we brought up the rear. 
 
 We [)assod through sevcn-al small straggling villages 
 and in the middle of the afternoon went into camp. To 
 get to the camp we were marched nearly a mile to the 
 left of the direct route and crossed two streams before 
 haltintr. Here the bovs began to be troubled with blis- 
 tered feet. There were no bridges over these .streams 
 and although they were nearly all quite shallow and easi- 
 Iv forded, wading through the w^ater left the man with 
 shoes and leggins thoroughly soaked; the mountain roads 
 were covered with a sort of lime stone made hot by the 
 sun and in a short time a large number of stragglers 
 were scattered along the route. 
 
 That night we dined on fruit, the wagon train com- 
 ing in late again. Half ripe bananas fried in grease was 
 considered a treat although tlu'ywere lacking in nourish- 
 ment. Before leaving Guanica each man had been is- 
 sued one hundred rounds of ammunition; the cartridge 
 beltscarried about half this number the remainder being 
 put in the haver-sacks. This additional weight pulling 
 over the shoulder wearied the men considerable. At the 
 beginning of the march every man carried one half of a 
 shelter tent with pole and stakes, a rubber poncho, gun, 
 belt and bayonet, besides an extra shirt or two, a change 
 of socks, and under ivear, a blouse, a meat plate, knife, fork 
 and spoon and whatever personal articles he had collected 
 and desired to retain. A canteen of water completed the 
 outfit. 
 
 When we had been two days on the march a rather 
 decided change was manifest as to what was necessary 
 
234 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 for a soldier to "tote." Ammunition was thrown away 
 by the box; clothing was scattered along the whole route, 
 while here and there some weary soldier's-half-of-a-shelter 
 or "pup" tent would be found. Some even went so far as to 
 cast their bayonets in the brush by the roadside, any- 
 thing to lighten the weight which grew heavier and 
 more troublesome with each mile. 
 
 The second night out found the majority of the 
 boys with wardrobes very much depleted, those who 
 had retained their tents sharing with the comrades who 
 had "lost" their own during the day. At nine o'clock 
 in the evening we were unexpectedly ordered to fall 
 in for inspection of ammunition, and there were few men 
 in the regiment who could produce the one hundred 
 rounds or one half of it. We were informed that the 
 shortage would be charged to the men but our infor- 
 mant was evidently a joker as we escaped the ex- 
 pected penalty. 
 
 Breaking camp the next morning we recrossed the 
 two streams which we had forded the night before, and 
 started on the tinal march to Ponce. Fording the 
 streams at the commencement of the days march aggra- 
 vated the already tender feet of the men and in a short 
 time they were in a deplorable condition. We had not 
 seen an ambulance, and no one was allowed to ride on 
 the overloaded ox carts. The straggling became gen- 
 eral and when the regiment marched through the city 
 of Ponce and out to the camp grounds a mile beyond 
 there were but few men in line. 
 
 We were kept moving for hours without a mo- 
 ments rest and this in a climate entirely strange to prob- 
 ably every man in the division. On passing through 
 some of the mountain trails. Old Sol would shoot his 
 darting rays down upon us and not a breath of air stir- 
 
Enter I N(; Ponce. 235 
 
 rint^; the burnin<^ heat at these places almost suffocated 
 the riieti and it seeiuetl we were at the very maw^ of a 
 inaininolh furnace which we niiojil enter at the next 
 step. We had been extreiiu'l\- anxious to '^vi into act- 
 ive service and here we were but we failed to notice 
 any expressions of great joy on the countenances of the 
 weary soldiers. 
 
 Strag<jjling into Ponce we found every eating house 
 in the city crowded with hungry soldiers. Upon enter- 
 ing and taking a seat at one of the numerous tables we 
 looked in vain for the waiters. The\- had dished up every- 
 thing in the house to the early comers and taken 
 refuge in some remote part of the building, badlv scared 
 by the jiresence of so many "Americanos." In one of 
 the houses we did manage to get a loaf of bread and a 
 couple of eggs. 
 
 The diminutive proprietor was nearly wild, half a 
 hundred men all yelling for something to eat and curs- 
 ing the waiters for a stupid lot. The little fellow would 
 start for the kitchen when he would be stopped by a 
 six foot soldier who demanded something to eat. 
 Throwing up his hands and attempting to back away he 
 repeated over and over ••D--n you. cant vou wait,"' 
 This vvas in all probability the extent of his knowledge 
 of the English language and more than likely he had 
 heard some of tke boys repeat it but did not know its 
 meaninjT. 
 
 After waiting some time we came to the conclusion 
 there was nothing more to be had and tossing an Amer- 
 ican dollar into the outstretched hand of the proprietor, 
 we picked up our belongings and prepared to get out 
 as soon as we received our change. The little man had 
 disappeared and after a long wait he was hunted up and 
 
236 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 requested to return at least a portion of the dollar which 
 was worth two of their own coins of like denominr.tion. 
 To all of our entreaties we received the same reply, 
 "No compr-r-r-ehendo." Fie did not understand English. 
 With but little hesitation we began an argumerit with 
 him, which he, as dumb as he was, could not fail to 
 understand. 
 
 About this time a prov^ost guard, one of the Massa- 
 chusetts boys, rushed into the place and ordered us to 
 move on. We were alone with the trembling but de- 
 fiant native and the scarcity of money gave us sufficient 
 reason why we should not allow him to rob us in such 
 a manner. ' After explaining matters to the guard he 
 volunteered to assist us and remarked "We'll get the 
 change or have satisfaction." Just then a negro stepped 
 in. He was as black as ebony and a shock of wooly 
 hair stuck out from beneath a high crowned, wide 
 brimmed straw hat. Good nature beamed from his 
 smiHng face and coming directly toward us, he spoke 
 in perfect English, inquiring the cause of the distur- 
 bance. Upon hearing our story he turned to the na- 
 tive and said a few words in Spanish, whereupon the 
 dwarf took an American half dollar from his pocket 
 and gave it to us. We were satisfied to let matters go 
 at that and thanking the provo and the darkey, we left 
 the place. 
 
 We were but fairly ou the outside of the building 
 when along came a patrol of drunken soldiers who were 
 ordering the stragglers into a column of fours, all the 
 while swearing, and cursing the men like a pirate cap- 
 tain. A squad of perha])S twent}^ men had been collect- 
 ed and were marching along the best they could. Some 
 were quite ill and nearly on the point of dropping, others 
 
Exi'-ERiitNCE With tiiI': PAruoi,. ^37 
 
 Were- sliutlliiii,^ aldii^'' with l)lisl('r('(l IVct wlicii every 
 step l)r()Uij;lit its tori lire. They wci-e in no iikkxI to ac- 
 (■e|)t the open iiis'ilt of the iiitoxieated ser<^'('ant and lieu- 
 tenant in cH)innian(l l)ut were relnetant to cause ailistui'l)- 
 auee with their comrades. 
 
 After trutlging along nearly a block, the abuse he- 
 eauie unbearable and the men o[)enly protested against 
 its continuance. The lieutenant spurred his horse for- 
 ward and loosening his revolver in its holster, ordered 
 them to '"shut u[)," and with a tlrunkenleer informed the 
 men he would kill the first one who dared to disoV)ey him 
 and fall out of the ranks. Instantly there was the sound, 
 of a dozen click-clicks and as many Springfield rifles were 
 full cocked and brought to a "ready." The little hand- 
 ful of men had grown desperate and while they knew 
 they were courting death in thus defying an officer, they 
 also knew there were men in the line, who from sheer 
 exhaustion, might drop at any moment and should the 
 lieutenant attempt to carry his threat into effect they cer- 
 tainly would have done so regardless of the consequences 
 to themselves. The first movement on the part of the lieu- 
 tenant towards drawing a weapon would have been the 
 signal for at least a dozen rifles to be trained on him and 
 every man was in the mood to shoot to kill. The officer 
 was not so drunk but what he saw and understood the 
 actions of the men and reining in his horse he dropped in 
 behind the column. Taking advantage of the opportuni- 
 ty the men broke from the line and in two's and three's 
 took to the narrow [)avement all the while keeping a 
 close watch on the actions of the lieutenant. He ap- 
 peared to be stunned or the dangerous position in which 
 he found himself had sobered him to the extent that he 
 began to realize he had carried his authority to extremes 
 
238 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 under the circumstances. At any rate he made no eifort 
 to stop the men and in a moment they were out of his 
 sight, mingling with other belated soldiers and he could 
 not have identified them if he had cared to do so. 
 
 The crooked narrow streets of Ponce were now all 
 but blocked by the train of bullock carts which followed 
 in the wake of the troops. It was with difficulty that we 
 made way through them at times and it seemed we never 
 would get within sight of the camp. Just before reach- 
 ing the outskirts of the city we heard the sound of march- 
 ing troops and halting, we waited for them to put in an 
 appearance as we were in doubt as to what direction we 
 had best take to find our regiment and thought it possible 
 the approaching soldiers might lead us to camp. As 
 they hove in sight a military band struck up a lively 
 march and the street suddenly swarmed with natives, 
 drawn thither by the sound of the music. Imagine our 
 astonishment when, as the tall color sergeant strode by 
 bearing the American flag, the little Porto Ricans doffed 
 their hats to a man. We were accustomed to witnessing 
 this salute from our own men but were very much sur- 
 prised to witness the mark of respect which was paid the 
 colors by the natives, considering the few days they had 
 known the "Americanos." 
 
 Upon making inquiries from the passing soldiers we 
 were directed to our camp which was something over a 
 mile out of town in an open field. We hurried along 
 and fording a shallow stream soon found the regiment. 
 We were in the nick of time too, for as we threw off our 
 packs and stretched out on the ground for a good rest, 
 the busier sounded orderlies' call and when the first ser- 
 geants arrived at headquarters they were instructed to 
 return to their companies at once and all stragglers who 
 
The Sick Stand Guard. 239 
 
 arrived thereafter should be plneed under arrest Miid tlie 
 regimental guard selected from among them. 
 
 It may have been good generalship but to the sick 
 and worn-out soldiers it seemed l)ut little short of an 
 outrage to be compelled to stand guard in the condition 
 they were then in. Nine out of every ten of the men 
 had fallen out becai>se they could not stand the strain. 
 Any number of them were actually ill and were in need 
 of medical attendance, yet they were forced to shoulder 
 their guns and keep a lonely vigil throughout the long 
 hours of the night. 
 
 The number of stragglers was considerably in excess 
 of the force required for guard duty and the remaining 
 ones were placed in a temporary guardhouse for the 
 night. This guard house was an open place selected 
 near headquarters. The ground was rough and covered 
 with stone. Into this place the men were huddled and 
 a heavy guard placed over them. Seeking rest as best 
 they may they spent the miserable night, and morning 
 found them in an angry frame of mind. A little kind- 
 ness at the hands of those who were chief in command 
 would have been fully appreciated at this time but the 
 experiences of the past few days had taught the men 
 that they need not look for it and they said but little, 
 realizing they mast obey. 
 
240 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 CHAPTER XVIII. 
 
 One company of the Sixth Massachusetts had been 
 retained at Yauco to guard the field hospital which had 
 been established there upon the arrival of the division. 
 Shortly after the departure of the force as it advanced 
 toward Ponce, reports were brought in to the officer in 
 command at Yauco to the effect that the Spanish at San 
 German were planning an attack on the small garrison. 
 Assistance was called for and company F of Moline com- 
 manded by Capt. Frank Clendenin and two companies 
 of the Nineteenth regulars were returned to Yauco to re- 
 enforce the company of Massachusetts boys. Either the 
 plan of attacking the garrison was abandoned by the 
 enemy or the re-enforcements scared them away as noth- 
 ing was heard from them. On the third of August the 
 company of Massachusetts troops joined the regiment at 
 Ponce. On the seventh the three remaining com})anies 
 were relieved from further duty at that point and re- 
 turned to the general camp, the hospital having been re- 
 moved to Ponce in the meantime. 
 
 General Henry evinced much displeasure at what he 
 termed the lack of discipline shown by the men in drop- 
 ping out of the ranks during the march and straggling 
 into camp. After our arrival at Ponce he summoned the 
 officers to his quarters and scored them heavily for "not 
 having better control over the men." The matter caused 
 considerable ill feeling to arise throughout the division 
 
Gkn. Hknry Displeased. 241 
 
 niul was the cause of the colonel and several of the staff 
 of the Massachusetts regiment tendering their resigna- 
 tions which were immediately accepted and the ex-officers 
 returned to the States. 
 
 General Henry appeared to overlook the fact that 
 these men had been alternately baked and broiled for 
 seventeen days while on shipboard and were weakened 
 considerably as the consequence. In this condition they 
 had been thrown into a foreign country where the cli- 
 mate differed mnterially from that to which they had 
 been accustomed. In addition to this they had been 
 given a test that would have severely tried the endur- 
 ance of troops hardened by a campaign. The actions of 
 the general plainly showed his dissatisfaction and the 
 men, although anxious to do all within their power were 
 disheartened by the treatment they received, when a few 
 words of encouragement would have done wonders toward 
 reviving their drooping spirits. 
 
 A half hours work, or less, by a score of men at 
 each of the streams forded, would have made it possible 
 for the whole force to have crossed dr}' shod, and thus 
 avoided the cause for fully one half of the straggling. 
 If the column w^as halted by the side of a glaring cliff 
 where the sun darted its fierce rays down upon the men 
 they were compelled to remain in that position rather 
 than allow them to seek a shaded spot. At such times 
 weary as the men were, it was a relief to continue the 
 march. All of these things, slight as some of them 
 were, were noted by the men and although they did not 
 have a desire to rebel, it had a tendency to cause them 
 to exert themselves less than they would have done, had 
 they been privileged to take advantage of the few op- 
 portunities that arose looking toward their own comfort, 
 yet in no manner detracting from the strength or dis- 
 
242 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 cipline of the force, at least untilthey had become some- 
 what more accustomed to the conditions surrounding 
 them. 
 
 The march from Guanica gave us a fair idea of the 
 chorography of the country as it differs but slightl}^ 
 throughout the island. After leaving Guanica the line 
 of march followed a cart road for a distance of about 
 three miles m a northerly course, thence turning sharply 
 to the east. About half way between the turn and 
 Yauco, the cart road terminated and the remainder of 
 the march to Ponce was made over a horse trail. Just 
 before reaching Yauco we crossed a spur of the mount- 
 ain range which extended toward the south in the di- 
 rection of the coast. We were then several miles in- 
 land. We passed several banana and cane fields while 
 the trail was bordered with cocoanut palms laden with 
 fruit, and a great variety of tropical plants which under 
 different circumstances would have delighted the hearts 
 of the boys from the north but then were passed al- 
 most unnoticed. 
 
 The streams which were crossed are very pictur- 
 esque, wending their way around the base of the mount- 
 ains, singing and hurrying on toward the sea and finally 
 bursting forth to view from a tangled mass of shrubbery, 
 gurgling over and around the stepping stones which 
 had been placed in the shallow beds by the natives, the 
 water as clear as crystal. These streams, or mountain 
 brooks, expand into raging torrents immediately after 
 a rain storm farther up in the mountains. The low 
 embankments overflow and the swirling current is filled 
 with debris which is carried down from the mountain 
 sides. Occasionly portions of the hastily constructed, 
 ■primitive abode of a hapless peon was seen on the crest 
 of the mud colored stream as it swept by. 
 
Pdkto RicAN. Rain Storm. 243 
 
 What would be coiisitK-recl a lu'a\ \' laiii >t(>iiii in 
 Illinois is as a s]ti"in!^ shower wlu'ii iNdiiparcd with the 
 delii<Te that occurs almost daily in the inouiitains of 
 Porto Rico, during the months of Aui^fust and Sejilem- 
 hei". Cjreat low han^'iiii^ clouds, race swiftly aloni^ un- 
 til they come in contact with the jagged peaks of the 
 highest mountains which apparently make great rents 
 m the black masses, out from which pours enormous 
 quantities of water, flooding the whole country in the 
 vicinit}' of the storm. As the violence of the storm in- 
 creases, the mountain sides and trails become danger- 
 ous as great rocks are dislodged and go rolling and 
 tumbling far down into the valleys below, carrying with 
 them large trees and setting hundreds of cubic feet of 
 earth in motion, causing landslides of no mean propor- 
 tions completely blockading the trail for rods. 
 
 Tiie dry beds of the valleys are buried in the seeth- 
 ing torrents, the tiny rivulets become rivers and the 
 topography of the scene is altered as if by magic. As 
 the storm abates, the sun shines forth brightly and a 
 heavy fog of steam arises from the earth which all but 
 suffocates the unacclimated. The rugged countr}- is 
 rapidly drained of the tiood only to meet with a re- 
 petition of the occurrence on the following day. If a 
 native remained out in storm he protected his head and 
 shoulders with a wide banana leaf which he carried 
 poised above him. 
 
 Yauco was at that time the western terminus of 
 a narrow guage railway which followed the coast as 
 far east as Ponce. Upon leaving Yauco we crossed 
 another mountain range, our route following the general 
 direction of the railroad and bearing slightly to the 
 south. At times we were within sight of the sea. We 
 
244 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 skirted sev^eral prominent mountains but did but little 
 climbing as the horse trail wound in and about the foot 
 of the hills but seldom crossed the summit while along 
 the coast. Several miles out from Ponce the tr lil and 
 the railroad ran side by side for some distance. As we 
 were marching alon^, a diminutive, box like locomotive, 
 to which was attached a queer open car, came rumbling 
 along. The engine was apparently doing her best as 
 she was working hard and was covering about twelve 
 miles per hour. At Tallaboa, the train picked up a few 
 sick soldiers and took them back to Yauco to the hos- 
 pital. 
 
 The trail led us through a sparsely settled portion 
 of the island. We passed through several small vil- 
 lages but in the open country a house was rarely seen. 
 The manner of building is peculiar to the inhabitants 
 of that countr}'. The better class of residences are 
 built of corragated iron, both walls and roofing, some 
 are clap boarded similar to the less pretentious homes 
 of the working class of people in the United States, 
 others are built of brick and overlaid with a coating of 
 whitewash, while the home of the peons are built of 
 poles and rough boards with thatched roofs, or with 
 walls and roof covered with grass and huge leaves. 
 Without exception every house in the couutry and in 
 the villages is raised from two to five and six feet 
 from the ground. The houses of the more wealthy of 
 the residents are enclosed in high fences or walls inside 
 of which are beautiful gardens of flowers and all about 
 everything is neat and tidy. 
 
 One peculiarity of all buildings which gave them 
 an odd appeai-ance was the absence of window glass. 
 With one or two exceptions we did not see a house of 
 
Snap slidl of Kdi-tci Kifiin rhild in ii>iial <(i~.tiiin<'. woaring- 
 a briirht smile and a string nf beads. 
 
Pj'.ople of Till-: Island. 245 
 
 any description on the island which had a piece of 
 window tj^lass in its construction. The doors are made 
 in two parts, the nppe-r half remaining open tiie better 
 part of the time while the lower iialf is kept closed. 
 The window openings are protected by paneled shut- 
 ters. The temperature varies but little at anv period 
 during the year and glazed windows are considered an 
 expensive luxury and not at all a necessity. The sys- 
 tem of taxation in vogue previous to the invasion of the 
 American troops practically prohibited the purchase cf 
 numerous articles which we, in our homes, could not 
 well get along without. Among them was the window 
 glass. A glimpse of the interior of several of the bet- 
 ter class of residences showed bare walls and uncarpct- 
 ed floors and a scarcity of furniture that was surprising. 
 
 After entering Ponce we found praictically the 
 same conditions existing there as in the countrv with 
 possibly a slight change for the better in certain portions 
 of the city. If cleanliness is next to godliness, then 
 they were certainly an ungodly lot, as the condition of 
 the streets and interior of nearlv all of the store build- 
 ings was indisputable evidence against them. Ordinari- 
 ly they were neat and tidy about their clothing and 
 person, but beyond that the common people appeared 
 to care nothing. Occasionally one found a store or 
 other public building where the exception proved the 
 rule but such places were not numerous enough to im- 
 press the visitor with the habits of cleanliness of the 
 general people. 
 
 The people are small in stature, the average height 
 being less than tive feet. The men are narrow chested 
 and have a consumptive look about them. The women 
 are slightly taller and more portly than the men and 
 
246 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 appear healthy and robust as a rule. The children 
 are small and usually run about wearing nothing but 
 a string of yellow beads and a bright smile until they 
 are from ten to twelve years of age. They are pot- 
 bellied almost to a deformity and delight to roll about 
 in the dirt, the hot rays of the midday sun having no 
 apparent effect on their glistening, naked bodies. 
 Either through fear or wishing to cover their naked- 
 ness,they would hide behind their mothers skirts at the 
 approach of an "Americano," 
 
 Generally speaking, the men were moie tidy as to 
 dress than the women. The men wore white linen 
 suits throughout. The glossy bosoms of their white 
 shirts were artistically embroidered and surmounted 
 with white standing collars. The coat was loose and 
 cool, but the trousers, usually dirty and greasy, with 
 frayed edges at the lower extremities, spoiled the effect 
 of the otherwise natty dress. The head was covered 
 with a high peaked, wide brimmed, straw hat, the 
 outer edge of the brim being turned up in a half roll. 
 The feet are wide and flat, with wide spreading toes 
 and usually without covering of an}- sort. 
 
 The dress of the opposite sex is more difficult to 
 describe. The design of the garments were invaribly 
 the same, being made from a white flimsy sort of goods 
 and loose fitting. The fashion of lacing did not prevail 
 among the native women at that time. They apparent- 
 ly made but little effort to keep their clothing clean and 
 like the men went about barefooted. They seldom 
 wore any covering for the head and when they did it 
 was either a large kerchief, wound about the head in the 
 form of a turban, or a shawl, woven from some white fab- 
 ric, which was thrown loosely over the head and should- 
 
Pi:oPLK oi- TiiK Island. 247 
 
 ers. 
 
 AmoniT the common people, men, women and child- 
 ren alike were adicted to the habit of smoking and they 
 went about putrinu^ at a bio- black ci<(ar or inhalin^^ the 
 fumes of a cigarette. Hut few of the smokers used a 
 pipe and not many of the natives chewed tobacco. 
 While passing through the "tough" part of Ponce we 
 were disgusted at the sight of numerous women, dressed 
 in bedraggled, greasy clothing, swaggering along the 
 street with a bold air and a brazen look, pushing and el- 
 bowing their way through the crowds, all the while chew- 
 ing at the stub of a half consumed, foul smelling cigar. 
 They represented the lowest class of people on the island 
 and were truly a disgusting lot. 
 
 On account of the man}' inter-marriages of the na- 
 tives and foreigners, their complexion and features vary 
 to the extremes. Some are quite swarthy yet nearly as 
 white as the Europeans. Others are of a brovvuish yel- 
 low while the mulatto and the ebony black negro are 
 found in about equal numbers. The features of those 
 of the lightest complexion are long and thin. The eyes 
 are dark and deep set and extremely bright. The hair 
 is dark or black and inclined to be curly. With the 
 darker complexion, the features appear coarser, while 
 the profile of the blacks is almost identical with that of 
 the African negro, the exception being in the absence 
 of the thick protruding lips. 
 
 They are a mild mannered class of people and their 
 actions proclaimed thev had never known the sweetness 
 of independence and untrammeled liberty. They bowed 
 to every command and accepted their lot as inevitable, 
 yet before we left the island a noticable change came 
 over them and they appeared to have come tu realize 
 
248 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 that the tyrannical yoke of Spanish misrule had been 
 lifted from their necks and that the freedom and pro- 
 tection offered by Uncle Sam had opened up a new 
 world to them and they were slaves no more but men 
 among men. 
 
 Who can wonder at the expressions of joy and 
 "vivas" to the '-Americanos" which we met with in 
 every town and village as we marched through the 
 crooked, dirty streets, bearing the starry banner which 
 even they, uneducated as they then were, knew brought 
 hope and life where before all must have been black 
 with despair. That combination of red. white and blue, 
 in the stars and stripes is an inspiration in itself and is a 
 welcome sight to everyone who loves their liberty. It 
 implies more to the downtrodden and oppressed than 
 any combination of colors and figures which adorns the 
 emblem of any other nation on the globe, and toda}' it 
 carries more weight in an international argument than 
 any other one emblem afloat. 
 
 This brief description of the inhabitants covers 
 what may be termed the middle class, which predomin- 
 ates in point of numbers. The lower class was scantily 
 clothed and appeared half starved, while the more 
 wealthy people were more elegant in appearance, man- 
 ners and dress. This latter class of people was com- 
 posed of Freneh, German, Spanish and a few natives, 
 and represented the greater portion of the wealth of the 
 island. The women were richly dressed and painted 
 and powdered lavishly in a vain effort to cover the 
 swarthiness of their complexion. They were seldom 
 seen on the street unless accompanied by a gentleman 
 escort. 
 
 The usual mode of conveyance was on horseback. 
 
?"ri ITS, Wild and Cultivated. 249 
 
 Nearly e\-ery man and boy had his pony. They are yet 
 smaller than our western bronchos, but j^entle and they 
 move alonuj with an eas^^ rocking motion which at once 
 proclaims them as excellent saddle horses. For trans- 
 porting supplies etc., the two wheeled bullock carts and 
 pack horses were both in use along the coast, but in the 
 interior the roads are impassible to wheeled vehicles 
 and the pack horses alone are used. A native pack 
 train consists of half a dozen of the small horses or don- 
 keys. On each side of the animal a large basket is 
 hung in which is placed the articles of transport. The 
 contents of these baskets was either fruit enroute to a 
 seacoast town or a supply of codfish going inland. The 
 driver sits astride the horse between the two baskets. 
 No matter how heavy the load, the man seldom thinks of 
 walking any distance and then only to stretch his legs 
 after sitting in the cramped position for some time. 
 
 The fruits, of which there were numerous varie- 
 ties, grew wild to a great extent. The bananas were cul- 
 tivated and foujid only in groves, but the oranges, limes, 
 mangoes, pineapples, bread fruits and many other kinds, 
 the names of which we never learned, grew in profusion 
 alonsr the lencjth of our route while on the march. At 
 every camp established on the island we fonnd them 
 among tlie|woods and shrubbery. Cocoanut palms were al- 
 ways within sight. The oranges were not ripe, or if they 
 were they had none of the deliciousness of the kinds we 
 were accustomed to. They contained a great amount of 
 acid and were quite bitter. By ni.iking an incision in the 
 peel and giving the orange a slight squeeze between the 
 palms of the hands, the escaping acid, when applied to 
 the tiame of a lighted candle or burning match would in- 
 stantly become ignited and give forth a lurid blue 
 
250 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 flame, flashing up like smokeless powder. 
 
 The limes are not unknown in our own land as the 
 juice from this fruit is used quite extensively as an in- 
 gredient in some of our most delicious drinks and liquors. 
 They are a species of lemon and grow on a tree similar 
 to the lemon tree. The fruit is much smaller, and like 
 the oranges, we found them to contain much acid and 
 very bitter to the taste. In the hotels and eating houses 
 lime water was a common drink. The mangoes are also 
 found in the fruit markets of some of the larger cities 
 of this country. They grow on trees which have many 
 branches like the most common apple trees. The fruit, 
 when ripe, is quite yellow, and oblong in shape having a 
 length of about three inches with a width of two or two 
 and one half inches. The skin is thin but tough and 
 covers a yellowish, stringy meat in the center of which 
 is a large core or pit. Many of the boys relished a man- 
 goe as they would an apple, yet there were others who 
 could not become accustomed to the peculiar flavor which 
 is sweet and yettart. We were told that eating this 
 fruit and drinkinor the native rum was the cause of much 
 sickness and many deaths on the island and we were ad- 
 vised to let them both alone. 
 
 Everyone knows what the pineapple is. The bread- 
 fruits are of several varieties. The fruit is shaped like 
 an apple but is several times larger, being from six to 
 eight inches in diameter. The species which appeared 
 most in evidence has a hard shell covering from an eighth 
 to a quarter of an inch in thickness. The contents is 
 white and mealy and is eaten as food. Of the fruits the 
 names of which we were unable to learn, there were two 
 varieties which were much sought by the soldiers. 
 One grew on a large tree and was usually found among 
 
Fkiits. Wii.i) AM) Ci i/ri\ ATi:i). 251 
 
 the very thickest i^rowth <tf liiuli<i-. Tlic fruit li!iii<,rK on 
 branches hijjjh up from tlic ^roniid .iiid is similar to the 
 breaiifruil in size. Wlieii ripened it is soft and in strik- 
 mg the earth when falling; frum the tree. l)re?iksopen and 
 soon decays if left lying on the ground. The outer sur- 
 face is of a tiark green color and covered with numerous 
 small growths which in some respects reminds one of the 
 hedge ap])le. The purplish fruit is nearly entirely edible, 
 containing but a very small core, and is extremely rich, 
 juicy and delicious. 
 
 Another very desirable variety grows in clusters and 
 size and shape much like the ordinary plum and on 
 trees somewhat similar to a cherry tree. It is green in 
 color when ripe and has a thin, hard shell for a covering. 
 Upon breaking the shell open a flabby, pinkish pulp is 
 exposed which clings to a large pit in its center. The 
 peel is easily removed l)ut the pulp is with difficulty sep- 
 arated from the pit. The pulp is pleasing to the taste, 
 having a tartness about it which reminds one very much 
 of plum jelly. From its growth, formation and flavor we 
 judged it to be a variety of plum. 
 
 We were plentifully sup[)lied with cocoanuts at all 
 times. During the flrst few days after our arrival on 
 the island the natives gave them to us for a mere noth- 
 ing. One day, a soldier, in a generous moment, gave 
 one of the little brown fellows a blue flannel shirt in ex- 
 change for a cocoanut. He had more clothing than he 
 could conveniently carry when on the march and rather 
 than throw it away, as many of the boys did. he made the 
 trade with the fruit seller. From that moment the price 
 of a cocoanut was a blue shirt and no amount of argu- 
 ment or persuasion would induce them to reduce the 
 price until the commanding officer of the camp notified 
 
252 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 the venders that he would strictly prohibit the sale of 
 the cocoanut unless a reasonable price was put upon 
 them and maintained. This had the desired effect and a 
 great many of them were brought into camp and sold. 
 The natives would break the half-ripe nut open, drink 
 the milky fluid which it contained and throw the remain- 
 der away, while the soldier cared not so much for the 
 drink as the white, solid meat if the nut was ripe. 
 
 The banana groves were a welcome sight to us as 
 we soon came to rely on this fruit for food when our ra- 
 tions would not suffice us, which was not an uncommon 
 occurrence. In the midst of this land ol: fruits, which 
 were the staff of life of more than one half of its million 
 of souls, we expected to literally roll in the deliciousness 
 of the many varieties which grew on nearly every shrub, 
 bush and tree within sight and which we had been ac- 
 customed to consider as luxuries in our northern homes. 
 In this we were sadly disappointed as we were not long 
 in recognizing the fact that while these people were pro- 
 ficient in the cultivation of many of them, they knew 
 practically nothing of the art of curing or ripening the 
 product. The cheapness of the fruit was its one re- 
 deeming feature as the quality was of the poorest when 
 compared with that which is put upon the market of this 
 country. 
 
 Mahogany wood which we value so highly was found 
 in profusion in certain jiarts of the island. We found 
 mahogany telegraph |)oles of large sizes strung for miles 
 along the line of march. Rail fences were built of this 
 wood. In fact it appeared to be about the only kind of 
 hard wood which could be utilized for such purposes as 
 it bore no fruit and its commercial value was under es- 
 timated or unknown. 
 
Searchiiiir the foot hills for siirns of tho onciiiv, 
 
Tiiic Ci TV oi Ponce. 253 
 
 CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 During the eight days we were in cam[) at Ponce we 
 had many opportunities to visit the city. This is the 
 largest city on the island, the population of the town and 
 port was variously estimated at from twenty to thirty 
 thousand. To one unaccustomed to their mode of living 
 it seemed utterly impossible to crowd such a number of 
 souls Into a city covering no more area than does Ponce. 
 The tenement houses were seldom more than two stories in 
 height and never more than three. In the center of a 
 brick block would be a large court with several wide en- 
 trances opening onto the streets. These entrances are 
 protected by heavy iron doors made of bars or corrugated 
 iron. Peerinor into the court one would see swarms of 
 children and women. All of these places were foul 
 smelling and the occupants unkempt and dirty. As in 
 the tenement districts of our own larger cities, whole 
 families were crowded together in one small room. 
 
 Venders of all sorts of groods were seen on the streets 
 daily and our camp was alive with them from early morn 
 till night. The men, women and children invariably tote 
 everything on their heads. Little tots, selling candies, 
 made of sugar or molasses, ran about with a large tray 
 nicely balanced on the head and it was a common sight 
 to witness a woman carrying a babe in her arms with a 
 huge can or kettle of water poised on her head. 
 
254 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 The business portion of the city was surprisingly 
 quiet and although the stores and shops are numerous, 
 there appeared to be but few buyers for the wares. The 
 market square usually presented a lively scene but the 
 articles on sale were of little value and commanded 
 prices so low that a large volume of trade represented 
 very light cash receipts. In the poorer districts grocer- 
 ies and meats were bought and sold by the ounce. The 
 balance scale was everywhere in use and it was 
 amusing to witness a transaction between a storekeeper 
 and purchaser. We had been on the island but a few 
 days over a week, yet the shelves of many of the stores 
 were well filled with army hardtack and sowbelly. Just 
 how the merchants secured these goods was a mystery 
 to us, more especially so as the rations issued to the sol- 
 diers were always short. It was irritating to stop into one 
 of those dirty, halfway places and find our supplies star- 
 ing us in the face from the shelves. These things may 
 have been purchased from the government but we doubt- 
 ed it very much. 
 
 The natives were eager to secure the meat and pur- 
 chased it in very small quantities. A seemingly half 
 starved native woman dressed in tatters would enter a 
 store. In one thin, brown hand, a few coppers were 
 clutched and after looking around nervously for a mo- 
 ment, she wovild give an order for a piece of meat. The 
 clerk', with all of the dignity of one accepting an order 
 for several hundred dollars woi'th of goods, would slice 
 off a piec'e of side meat no wider than your two fingers, 
 and weighing less than a half a pound, drop it into the 
 balance and if it was the slightest fraction over weight, 
 he would trim it off until satisfied and if the purchaser 
 was not alive to the trickery of the wily shopkeeper, he 
 
Life in the City. 255 
 
 would sli|) a small wi'iij^ht under the picci' of coftrse 
 wra{)j)in»^ paper and info the pan of the balance which 
 contained the meat. Picking up his knife the clerk 
 would continue the trimming process and as the small 
 square of sowbelly grew smaller and smaller, the anx- 
 ious customer would put up a fearful howl which was 
 usually the opening gun of a war of words. Shaking 
 their hsts in each others faces and gesticulating wildly the 
 argument would continue fast and furious for some time, 
 the customer apparently alternately protesting and plead- 
 ing, but to all entreaties the clerk would turn a deaf ear 
 and giving a turn or so of the paper around its precious 
 contents he would retain his grasp on the packag<? un- 
 til he had secured the few coppers which the customer 
 would angrily deal out to him. 
 
 Not alone in the sale of meat were these difficulties 
 evident. A hot exchange of words accompanied nearly 
 every sale and to us it appeared the shopkeeper was 
 usually victorious. With the exception of possibly half 
 a dozen stores located in the center of town, each one 
 sold li(]uors in connection svith the other Inisiiless. The 
 rum and wine, common to all parts of the island, was 
 sold in large quantities. The natives drank it with a 
 relish and without effect, but to the uninitiated soldiers it 
 was the vilest of fire water, a very little of it would start 
 a soldier to wabbling and leave him halt sick for a week. 
 The most popular y)lace in town was a wine room con- 
 ducted by a young fellow who appeared as a king among 
 the sporting element of the city. He was always flashi- 
 ly dressed and reminded us of one who followed the 
 prize ring and race course for a living. He spoke Eng- 
 lish quite fluently and was indeed a genial fellow» The 
 place was not a resort, there was no "Ladies Entrance," 
 
256 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 and women did not frequent the house. The proprietor 
 received the patronage of all classes of people, as in that 
 country the drink habit is as general as that of smok- 
 ing. 
 
 A general store carried a small stock of groceries, 
 hardware, drygoods, tobacco, liquors and fruit. The 
 business represented here, as in all of the towns of any 
 size, which was most distinct in itself, was that of the 
 druggist. There we found a very intelligent class of 
 clerks and employees, one or more of which could speak 
 English fairly well. They were extremely polite, well 
 dressed and had a business way about them that placed 
 them far in advance of the ordinary merchant in the es- 
 timation of the soldiers. 
 
 The milkman leads his docile cows to the door of his 
 patron and fills the bottle while you wait. They evi- 
 dently are not acquainted with the productive qualities 
 of the town pump as are their brother tradesmen of this 
 country. The city police wear a uniform of white and 
 are armed with the Remington rifle. The police officers 
 carry a side arm in the shape of a large machete, made 
 much like a heavy cavalry saber, incased in a leather 
 scabbard. In patroling the city they usually walk in 
 the middle of the street. 
 
 The port of Ponce presented a lively scene through- 
 outeach day and sometimes far into the night. The bay 
 was well filled with transports, relief ships and supply 
 boats, with here and there a war vessel swinging at her 
 anchor. The government had secured the services of a 
 large number of natives to unload the supplies which 
 were being brought to the island. Huge barges were 
 continually on the move and thousands of dollars worth 
 of supplies and ammunition was rapidly placed on shore, 
 
The Ciiin|Kiii y tdiixiri.il arli.^t. " Xcxl." 
 
A Visit to tiik Almshouse. 257 
 
 Lart^e stora^'o l)uil(lin<rs were in the course of coiistruc- 
 tion and everyone about the j)lace was busy' as a bee. 
 The natives worked like beavers under the eyes of an 
 armed guard. Bullock carts, and army wagons drav^n 
 by sleek looking mules, were moving great loads of sup- 
 plies out to the various camps. General Miles' head- 
 quarters was in a brick building not far from the wharf 
 and he was supervising the work. 
 
 On coming into the city from camp and while re- 
 turning we passed and repassed a small, dingy, stone 
 building. A small, grated window opened out on the 
 street. The head and shoulders of a heavy bearded, 
 dark featured man could always be seen at this window. 
 One long, hairy arm dangled through the iron bars and 
 hung limply over the stone window sill. His presence 
 there every day and always in the same position excited 
 the curiosity of the soldiers. One day Captain Lawrie 
 and a party stepped over to the building, which set back 
 from the street several rods, and were admitted by an at- 
 tendant. And what a sight met their gaze. They in- 
 stantly saw they were in an alms or mad house. They 
 were conducted through a numl)er of filthy rooms. The 
 walls were bare and the only furniture visible was- a cot 
 or two on which rested some of the most pitiable objects 
 imaginable. The face which appeared ht the window 
 was that of an insane man. He was larger by consider- 
 able than the ordinary native and one close look was suf- 
 ficient to decide that he was a maniac. In the center of 
 one room stood a young girl. Her legs and arms were 
 crossed, her eyes were closed and her head hung to one 
 side. Not the first spark of intelligence shone from 
 the white face and she weaved backward and forward 
 as though about to fall. Her clothing was in tatiers 
 
258 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 and hung loosely upon the spare form of the unfortvin- 
 ate girl. She was an idiot, unable to think or do for 
 herself, uncared for and probably unthought of, grinding 
 out a miserable existence among surroundings which 
 could not be worse and yet she was human. Who 
 could imagine a worse lot and for one so young? 
 Fortunately there were but few inmates in the place and 
 the little party, made sick in both mind and body by 
 the sight and repugnant odor of the interior of the build- 
 ing, hurried out into the open air and away from it. If 
 one met a native in the neighborhood of the building 
 and pointed inquiringly toward it, he would raise a hand 
 to the side of his head and turn it around and around, 
 signifying that the occupants had "wheels in their 
 heads." " 
 
 Out at camp it was a question as to which was the 
 most troublesome, the natives or centipedes. During 
 the day it was the former and as the gloom of night 
 settled over us the latter made their appearance and 
 broke the rest of many of the volunteers. The natives 
 carried their wares about offering them in exchange for 
 money, hardtack, meat or clothing. They did a thriv- 
 ing .business in the hardtack line as we were getting 
 extremely tired of them and either traded or gave them 
 away. These they sold in the town for one cent, 
 (Porto Rican coin) each. A number of enterprising 
 native women did a thriving laundry business among 
 the officers and men. Their manner of washing cloth- 
 ing is primitive but the result is very satisfactory. The 
 washboard .^nd tub are unthought of and there is no 
 lugging water. The clothes are carried to the bank of 
 some convenient stream, a large flat stone partially out 
 of the water is selected and on this the clothes are 
 
A Trip to Port Ponce. 259 
 
 pouiuk'd and rubbed until every particle of dirt has been 
 taken out. then tlic clothin<r is spread out upon the 
 grass to dry. 
 
 The chitic's while at Ponce were light as they con- 
 sisted mostly of i^uard duly. Full companies relieved 
 each other on outpost duty and shortly after we ar- 
 rived in camp we were advised that we were to be 
 equipped with the U. S. Magazme rifles. We were 
 given target practice with the Springfield rities and 
 shot away thousands of rounds of the ammunition which 
 we had packed from Guanica. The men detailed to 
 guard the ammunition on the wharf at Guanica, made 
 the trip to Ponce by boat and joined us later on. 
 On the sixth of August w^e were issued the new rifles 
 and belts with a supply of ammunition. The guns w ere 
 some lighter than the old Springtields and the difference 
 in weight of the same number of rounds of ammunition 
 was considerable. 
 
 We had been using the shelter tents, consequently 
 our quarters were rather cramped. After four or five 
 davs in camp we were informed that the heav}' tentage 
 was being unloaded at the port and each compan}- was 
 given a couple of bullock carts, and with a detail of men 
 were sent after them. Arriving at the wharf they 
 found such a congestion of carts and wagons that it 
 was impossible to get near the sheds. They lined their 
 teams up by the curb and awaited their turn. The 
 noon hour came and they were still waiting, the scant}' 
 rations were di\ided with the native drivers. Another 
 long wait and darkness was upon them with the long 
 line of teams ahead of them gradualh' growing smaller. 
 
 The native drivers began to get restless. The an- 
 imals had not been fed or watered since earlv morning. 
 
260 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 The soldiers rations had all disappeared as they had 
 fully expected that they would be back at camp in the 
 early evening at the latest. The drivers became uglier 
 with each passing moment and after consulting together 
 a few moments they took the bullocks from the carts 
 and started down a by street with them, leaving the 
 soldiers guarding the lone carts. They attempted to in- 
 duce the natives to remain but failing in this, they used 
 force and after a time the teams were once more at- 
 tached to the carts. About nine o'clock a portion of the 
 carts were sent for and pulling up at the wharf they 
 were partly loaded with tent poles and they returned to 
 camp. The tents were not all unloaded from the boat 
 and ihe next morning we received orders to continue 
 the march. The tent poles, which had caused so much 
 trouble were not taken from the carts at all. 
 
 The volunteers who were sick were ordered to report 
 to the surcreons for an examination, and those who were 
 physically unable to continue the march were to be re- 
 turned to the United States. A number from each 
 company took this examination and several of them 
 were found to be in such condition as to make it im- 
 practicable for them to remain with the regiment for a 
 time at least, during the hard march which was expect- 
 ed would be a severe one even for those who were in 
 good condition. 
 
 In the meantime Brigadier General Schwan had 
 arrived at Guanica and was ordered to disembark his 
 troops, and march to Yauco and thence west with an 
 additional force of two batteries of artillery and one 
 troop of cavalry. This force was to occupy the western 
 portion of the island and driv^e out or capture all of the 
 Spanish troops in that territory. From August seventh 
 
Mankuxkhs oi- \ AKinrs (.'ommands. 201 
 
 lo lifleeiUh (jcmu'iiiI Sihw.iii's troops had several eiit^aj^e- 
 inents with th*- Spani^^li. madr prisoiu'is of war one 
 hundred and sixly-luo li'^iilais. capiured and jiaroled 
 two hundred volunteers, caplurcd nuuh \aluahk' mater- 
 ial, and cleared the wet:tern jxirl of the island of the 
 enemy. 
 
 Major (leneral lirooke arri\ x-il (jii July thirty-lirsl 
 ami disembarked at Arroxo. on the southeastern coast 
 of the island. On Au<]just liflh his troops had a sharp 
 eniTJitrement with the enemv at Guavama, which was 
 tlnall}' occupied by our forces. (Jn the ei,i,fath. another 
 action took place near this point and the Spanish troops 
 were driven to the north in the direction of San Juan. 
 The order for cessation of hostilities arrived at about 
 this [)eriod and stopped farther action. General Wil- 
 son's troops, which had landed at Fonce previous to the 
 arrival of General Henry's division, had been advanced 
 in a northeasterly direction, and at Coamo a sharp en- 
 gagement took place between liis command and the 
 Spanish. Our troops were successful in the action and 
 a number of the enemv were killed and nearly two hun- 
 dred taken prisoners. The Spanish troops had taken a 
 position at Asomante, in the mountains some fifteen 
 miles in advance of General Wilson's command, in the 
 direction of San Juan. On the twelfth of August, Gen- 
 eral Wilson's artillery began shelling the enemy's pos- 
 ition, preparatory to an advance, and were under arms 
 and ready to move when orders were received suspend- 
 ing hostilities. 
 
 The western and southern portions of the island was 
 well invested by our troops and the enemy had been 
 driven in the direction of San Juan. Our division, 
 under command of General Henrv. was to march direct- 
 
262 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 ly north from Ponce in the direction of Arecibo, which 
 is located on the northern coast of the island. There 
 we were to join General Schwan's brigade. The ob- 
 ject of this movement was to intercept the enemy re- 
 treating before the advance of General Schwan's troops. 
 This operation would have formed a strong division on 
 the line of retreat of the Spanish troops occupying the 
 western portion of the island. 
 
 On August ninth our brigade began the march in 
 the direction of Arecibo. For a few miles north of 
 Ponce the military road was in excellent condition, but 
 beyond that the trail had at first been considered almost 
 impassable for an army. General Stone had been en- 
 gaged for several days, with a force of natives, in open- 
 ing the trail for the passage of our troops. The new- 
 ly made trails were in horrible condition and the men 
 could make but little headway at times. In the march 
 to Utuado and their subsequent return, the troops of 
 General Henry's command covered more miles than 
 those of any other division of the invading army of 
 Porto Rico, and this over mountain trails, which were 
 poor enough at their best, and made much worse by the 
 daily downpour of rain which we encountered. 
 
Makciiino Oirr ok Ponck. 2<)n 
 
 CHAPTER XX. 
 
 On the morning of the ninth of Auf^just, our division 
 broke camp and marching through the town, took a 
 northerly course with Arecibo as its final destination, 
 as far as we then knew. Arecibo is located on the 
 northern coast of the island, about half way between the 
 eastern and western coasts and almost directly north of 
 Ponce as the crow flies. The island is about forty 
 miles in width at this point but the trail wound in, 
 out. and around the mountains in such a craz}' fashion 
 as to make the actual distance between the two cities 
 several times fortv miles. 
 
 The campaign, as mapped out by General Miles, 
 was intended to drive out or capture all of the Spanish 
 troops in the southern and eastern portions of the island, 
 thus forcing them toward a common center, and event- 
 uallv drawing the lines of the advancing troops closer 
 until the enemv's forces were practically hemmed in, 
 in the vicinitv of San Juan, the capital city of Porto 
 Rico, and located on the northeastern coast of the island. 
 With the Spaniards driven together and our land troops 
 menacing them in the rear and on both Hanks, while the 
 guns of our war-ships were trained on the city and 
 neighboring countrv. the position of the enemy would 
 soon have become untenable and thi result must have 
 been the surrender of their forces. 
 
264 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 The natural consequence of the movements of the 
 commands of Generals Wilson and Brooks, on our right 
 and General Schwan's troops on our left, would be to 
 gradually force the troops of the enemy back into the 
 center of the island and toward our line of march, and 
 we fully expected to have a brush with'^them 'most any 
 time after we had gotten well away from the coast. 
 
 The military road running north from Ponce sev- 
 eral miles, was far superior to any country road we had 
 ever seen in the states. In man}' places it was blasted 
 and built from solid rock with a generous growth of fine 
 shade trees on either side. As we drew away from the 
 coast the roadway gradually inclined upward and made 
 abrupt turns around the foothills of the mountains which 
 we were approaching. The steady climb soon began 
 to tell on the men and they began to drop by the 'road- 
 side. The Massachusetts boys were in advance of us 
 and as we plodded along we passed numbers of their 
 regiment who had been beaten down by the fierce heat. 
 These men were readily recognized by the brown uni- 
 forms which they wore. 
 
 We found the nights to be very cool, and before 
 dawn a heavy dew fell. As the sun rose over the hill 
 tops the dew was condensed and a heavy vapor envel- 
 oped everything. By this the men were given a thor- 
 ough broiling early each morning and left them soft and 
 weak for the remainder of the day. The heat was 
 more intense and did more execution between the hours 
 of eight and ten o'clock in the morning than at any 
 other time during the day. At the commencement of 
 this march the officers had been instructed to watch 
 their men carefully and no man would be allowed to 
 fall out of the column without a written permit from a, 
 
Climhinc Till': Mountains. 2^)5 
 
 commissioned ollicer of liis companv. We were given 
 ten minutes rest each hour, march t\vent}'.five minutes 
 and rest live, repeatini^ this each half hour while on the 
 march. 
 
 At about the noon hour, as the column was taking 
 its five minutes rest, the men were ordered to an atten- 
 tion and General Henry, accompanied by two staff 
 officers, came riding towards us. By this time the men 
 were in hard shape and General Henry must have 
 passed a large number of them who were lying by the 
 roadside overcome by the heat. The call for a doctor 
 or a hospital attendant was being continually passed up 
 and down the line as some of the weaker ones fell faint- 
 ing in a comrades arms or at his feet. As the General 
 rode by our battalion he was heard to remark, '"This 
 is terrible, if the heat continues we must put these men 
 on night marches." Nothing more was heard from it 
 however. 
 
 We were then well into the mountains and were 
 passing through a very productive part of the island. 
 Coffee plantations, covering several thousand acres each, 
 were located along the route. They extended partly 
 up the mountain side, midst w hat appeared to us to be 
 a heavy growth of timber. Upon getting into the wood- 
 land we saw that the trees were kept thinned out and 
 just enough remained standing to make a good shade 
 for the coffee plant. These plants attain a height of 
 from six to ten feet, branching out at the top. the berry 
 growing in a pod at the extreme end of the branches. 
 The pods were just turning to a reddish color and in a 
 short time would be in condition to harvest. 
 
 The residences, and buildings which surrounded 
 them, were much handsomer and more substantially 
 
266 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 built than those found along the coast. Coffee houses 
 were usually of large dimensions and well built. In 
 the front of the store houses, dry beds were made of 
 cement and slightly raised from the ground. Small 
 cars, built on trucks, were run out to the dry beds on 
 platforms built of plank. Sugar mills became more fre- 
 quent and here and there a naitive would have his corn 
 crop harvested and strung on poles very close to his 
 abode. We had been informed that corn was one of 
 the principle products of the island but never saw more 
 than five or six bushels of ear corn in one mans gath- 
 ering for the season. 
 
 The first night out from Ponce we bivouaeed in and 
 about a coffee house. A small store building and a cou- 
 ple of native homes were in the neighborhood and the 
 village bore the name of Gagos. On the opposite side of 
 the road from the coffee house an excellent grazing 
 ground for the bullocks and mules was found. This was 
 on the mountain side and quite steep. An embankment 
 ten feet high bordered the inner side of the roadway. 
 Just over the outer edge of this brink the men had 
 rolled themselves in their blankets and were sleeping 
 soundly. Back of them and farther up the slope the 
 mules and bullocks were feeding. During the middle of 
 the night the cattle stampeded and rushed about in the 
 wildest confusion. The startled sleepers awoke, and tak- 
 ing: in the situation made a break to get out of the path 
 of the oncoming, half crazed bullocks. In the hurry and 
 excitement they forgot the abrupt drop into the roadway 
 directly in front of them and the darkness of the night 
 prevented them from seeing it. Rushing straight ahead 
 many. of them suddenly found themselves treading the 
 air and the next instant dropped in a heap in the road- 
 
Camp "l>i ll Rin" at (jA(;os. 207 
 
 way below, or wiMit spriiwliiiijf lialf wny across it. Several 
 of tlie men were hruist'd eoiisiderable and one of our re<^- 
 iment had a le*^ broken. Major Anthony set the frac- 
 tured limblhe next mornint^ and the injured man was 
 sent l),ick to Ponce. From this occurance the camp de- 
 ri\e(l its name of ••jiuil l\un." 
 
 The rations did not ^ei to us until after nine 
 o'clock that night; there was nothiuij^ to forage and the 
 scarcity of wood for making fires made it difficult to se- 
 cure a cup of cotfee. I say there was nothing to forage 
 and, generally speaking, there was nothing, but upon 
 skirmishing around, the proprietor of the store was 
 found to have three half grown chickens and a duck hid- 
 den under his house. 
 
 After some dickering, two of the boys purchased a 
 couple of chickens, paying an outrageous price for them. 
 while the remaining chicken and duck was secured by a 
 pair of comrades. With much difficulty the boys gath- 
 ered a limited supply of wood and securing a couple of 
 tin buckets, the fowls were placed in them and swung 
 over the fires. They sat about the impromptu fire-places 
 eagerly watching for the first sign of broiling, alternate- 
 ly stirring the fire and removing the cover of the pot to 
 take a peep at the contents. As the odor of the broiling 
 fowls filled the nostrils of the hungry men, they sat back 
 in the shadows and patiently awaited for the end, and 
 for one of the groups it soon came. 
 
 As they sat with closed eyes, their hunger increas- 
 ing with each moment, and anticipating the feast which 
 was soon to be theirs, their attention was attracted to the 
 fire by the smell of something like that of burning leath- 
 er arising from the pot while the delicious odor which 
 had so recently pervaded the air, had disappeared. Hur- 
 
268 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 rying to the fire they were just in time to see the bottom 
 fall out of the pot and the badly burned chicken and duck 
 drop into the fire. Dragging them from the blaze they 
 found them burned to a crisp and cursing their ill luck 
 and stupidity, they tossed the remainder of the fowls in- 
 to the darkness, and kicking the glowing embers of the 
 fire in a dozen directions they returned to the c^lfee 
 house to await the coming of the wagon train which 
 would bring them sowbelly and hardtack. 
 
 In their inexperience they had overlooked the fact 
 that during the broiling process the water was rapidly 
 passing away, and the pleasure derived from the pros- 
 pects for a good feed, lulled them into semi-conscious- 
 ness, from which they were aroused too late, and they 
 saw their feast disappear in a moment. The boys about 
 the other tire took warning from the experience of their 
 unfortunate comrades and were soon devouring their 
 chickens. Salt and pepper were both lacking bat such 
 trifles were overlooked and in a short time a small stack 
 of bones, picked clean, lay on the ground, the only visi- 
 ble evidence of the repast remaining. 
 
 At one o'clock, the following afternoon, the division 
 broke camp and in a downpour of rain, continued the 
 march. Company E, acting as rear guard, remained 
 motionless the remainder of the day. The march before 
 had been difficult but was now doubly so as the hard 
 military road terminated at the coffee house and the re- 
 mainder of the march was made over freshly made trails. 
 The trail was kept soft by the heavy rains and after the 
 first few companies had passed over it, became a perfect 
 sea of sticky mud, the men going in above their ankles 
 at every stej), nearly pulling off their shoes in extricating 
 their feet. It was just a trifle the strongest case of "leg- 
 
7; -H 
 
 C -; 
 
'>Si,i:f.1'1N(; Pass." 200 
 
 ]) illiiiir"' which \vc had as yet experienced. 
 
 \A e had covered hut a short disfniice when we were 
 halted on the hank of a stream an I held in a column of 
 fours. We hrul hi'en steadily (•lind)in<'- upwards since 
 leaving I'oiua' and i)y this lini' were well up in the 
 uioiuitains. The rain [)uured (h)wn and we were soon 
 wet to tlu.' skin and sliivering from the cold. Althoufli 
 the men were wet and cold they ke[)t their spirits up by 
 singing, laughing, and treating the whole situation as a 
 huge joke. After the storui ceased we again moved 
 forward. In crossing the stream several of the Ixjys 
 slipped on the wet stepping stones and into the water they 
 went. With each spilling, a shout went up from the 
 watching soldiers, and the victim of the accident would be 
 informed that no orders had been given to '-fall in."' 
 
 We paddled through the mud and water a few miles 
 when we were halted for th.e night. And such a site 
 for a caui[). The trail at this [).)int was not more 
 than ten feet in width and the mud was fearful. On 
 our left the solid face of the mountain rose abruptly 
 far above us. On the right the trail sheered oflf nearly 
 perpendicular to the valley several hundred feet be- 
 low. For several moments we remained motionless, 
 wondering how, in the name of mud. we were to convert 
 this place into a camp. To lie or sit down meant a seat 
 or bed in the sloppy clay. The tall grass and wide 
 leaves of the plants growing on the very brink of the 
 drop to the valley, were as wet as water could make 
 them. The sun. which for once mitrht have broutrht 
 joy and comfort with its warm rays, failed to break 
 from beneath the heavy clouds, and before preparations 
 could be made, night was upon us. 
 
 Someone espied a wi?-e fence close to the trail 
 
270 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 and the boys immediately began a systematic search 
 for fence posts. Before long it was necessary to walk 
 two miles in advance of the camp to secure a single 
 post. Away out there we found a banana grove and 
 the returning soldiers brought back a double load of 
 wood and bananas. One of the boys gave a treacher- 
 ous looking native an American dollar for a scrawny 
 duck and with a fence post on his shoulder and the 
 duck under his arm he hurried back to camp. The 
 rations had not coms up and the contents of the 
 haversacks svent but a little way in appeasing the hun- 
 ofer of the men. A limited number of small fires were 
 built and the men huddled about them in a vain ef- 
 fort to partially dry their clothing and drive the chill 
 from their bodies. 
 
 The mountainside was cut away in places to make 
 fire-places and a dry spot in wliich to rest. The duck 
 which the soldier had brought into camp was dressed 
 in the dark, cut up and placed in a meat pan. The 
 fires were so small and occupied so fully that it was 
 a scramble to get near one. After edging the pan lo 
 within close proximity of the scattered coals, the 
 duck was left to roast. About ten o'clock the fowl was 
 supposed to be well done, and the better part of it was 
 disposed of in a few moments, the wings and drum 
 sticks were retained for a breakfast. The meat w^as ex- 
 ceedingly rare and had a peculiar flavor but it went at 
 any rate and sufficed to appease the hunger for the time 
 being. 
 
 We had no blankets and the shelter tents were back 
 with the wagon train. As the fires burned lower the 
 weary men turned their attention to the task of arrang- 
 ing as comfortable sleeping quarters as possible. Some 
 
The Midmciit Scarf.. 271 
 
 crawled into 1 ho hdU's wln'rc llif lii-cs li.-ul h m-u huilt 
 others sat on their rifles and rested jii^fninst the mountain 
 side and a few stood upri<jjht and nodded. A few of tlie 
 boys secured two fence posts eacli, and lay in <^ them par- 
 allel with each other, filled the intervenin<:^ space witli 
 wet leaves and grass. Nearly every man had fallen into 
 a fitful, restless sleej), when, close to our ears came the 
 muffled report of a shot. All \vere awake in an instant. 
 We had seen or heard nothing of the enemy since leav- 
 ing Ponce but the conclusion formed by each of us was 
 that the Spaniards had come upon us unawares and tired 
 at the sentinels. Following the first report came another 
 and another, the sound appearing to come from our very 
 midst. 
 
 Everyone was mystified for a moment and^'rifles 
 were brought to a "ready" and the men prepared for ac- 
 tion. The darkness was so intense and the men were 
 brought to their feet so suddenly that confusion reigned 
 about us. We knew not in which direction to I'-ok for 
 the impending danger and could not even guess in what 
 shape it might present itself. One of our boys who 
 was leaning against the mountain, opened his eyes 
 and hearing the reports of the shots, shook his comrade 
 roughly and cried out "come on comrade, the Spaniards 
 are after us." and up the trail they flew, expecting every 
 second to he shot down. 
 
 The mystery was soon solved and it was soon learned 
 that one of the boys nicknamed "Alice," had placed his 
 haversack on top of a bed of coals which contained a lit- 
 tle fire and the canvas had ])nriied through, bringing the 
 cartridges which he carried, in contact with the fire, 
 which resulted in the explosions and brought the whole 
 camp to its fe3t. Major Channon was on the scene and 
 
272 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 by his orders the haversack and contents were hurled 
 down into the valley. "Alice" protested against this 
 action and told the major there were but three boxes of 
 loaded cartridges in the haversack. And he did not 
 care so much for the haversack and ammunition but they 
 had thrown away his tin plate. 
 
 Returning to our resting places we again stretched 
 ourselves on the downy beds and for the most part re- 
 mained awake till morning. Shortly after daylight a 
 detail of men went back to the wagon train and brought 
 us rations. We crawled to the eastern slope of the 
 mountain and basking in the warm sun, dried our cloth- 
 ing. Looking back in the direction from which we had 
 come the day before, we could plainly see the buildings 
 in the village and the flat roofs of every one of them 
 was covered with soldiers, lying prone on their backs and 
 faces upturned to the sun. They too were drying their 
 washing. 
 
 The man who had retained a portion of the duck for 
 his breakfast brousfht it to lisht and found the feathers 
 were not more than half plucked from it and the job of 
 cleaning which had been done in the dark was anything 
 but an appetizer for breakfast. He concluded sowbelly 
 was good enough and threw the foul fowl over the em- 
 bankment. This camp was appropriately called "Sleep- 
 ing Pass," and is remembered as one of the "original" 
 camps which circumstances forced upon us during our 
 service in the Porto Rican campaign. 
 
Hospital Stewards Brown and Geyer cro.ssinj,'- the 
 mountains in Porto Rico. 
 
Mountain Sc finery. 273 
 
 CHAPTER XXI. 
 
 At ten o'clock, on the morninj^ of Auofust eleventh, 
 the division ao^ain moved forward through the mud, 
 fording numerous streams. The rain storms increased 
 in number and violence as we climbed higher each day. 
 Fording the streams became a more difficult task as they 
 increased in depth and the currents grew swifter. The 
 waters seemingly leaped Prom rock to rock, barely touch- 
 ing the gravely beds as they continued on their mad 
 race down the mountain, throufjh o^ullies and jjorcjes. 
 dashing against great boulders which stood directly in 
 their paths, swinging out and around them, always forg- 
 ing down and ahead, never resting. Here and there the 
 course would narrow and the force of the entire stream 
 would press the waters through a small opening in the 
 rocks and with a graceful curve the glittering body 
 would spring out and away from mother earth, pick- 
 ing up its course again a dozen feet below, forming 
 a beautiful water-fall. 
 
 The scenery became more wild and grand. At 
 times as we crawled around the mountain the trail would 
 make a sudden turn and as we stood on the point, 
 the valley below and country for miles about us lay 
 ^xposed to our vision. These narrow valleys or gorges 
 were entirely uncultivated and the tropical plants, bear- 
 ing beautiful foliage, grew in the wildest confusign, 
 
274 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 Looking over and beyond the beautiful handiwork of 
 nature, opening out before us in all its splendor, the 
 grandeur of the scene almost entirely lost to the weary 
 soldiers, the home of some planter could be seen nestling 
 on the mountain side, and surrounded by some half 
 dozen less pretentious homes of his servants. In the 
 distance they bore the appearance of buildings freshly 
 painted white, but upon closer inspection, as we neared 
 them later, thev were found to be thatched, unpainted, 
 tumble-down shacks, bleached to a dazzling white by 
 tlie fain and sun. 
 
 The trail coursed in and out. following the irreg- 
 ular contour of the mountains. In many places it 
 doubled on itsself, and gazing behind us we conld see 
 the rear of the column apparently moving back in the 
 direction of Ponce. Numerous deep gorges barred the 
 way. To reach the opposite side we were compelled 
 to traverse a decline for a mile or more, parallel with 
 ' the gorge, crossing it some distance from where we 
 first encountered it and climb up again on the other 
 side. Reaching a point opposite to where the gorge 
 made the break in the trail, less than a stone's throw 
 separated us from the portion of the column in our rear. 
 -We had doubled more than tw^o miles to cover an actual 
 advance of much less than an eighth of a mile. Such 
 was the condition of the country which we met with 
 day after day as we advanced farther into the heart of 
 the enemy's supposed stronghold. "Eternal vigilance" 
 was ever the watchword and we momentarily expected 
 to hear the pop of the "greaser's" rifles fired from 
 ambush, the opportunity for such a move on their part 
 frequently appearing to us to be rather tempting. 
 
 Looking back over the scenes after a lapse of three 
 
Arrival at Adji'ntas;. 275 
 
 years, one can haidlv realize that we were allowed to 
 move forward, unmolested, ihrouj^h that ruj^ged coun- 
 try. One troop of well mounted cavalry, ecjuipped with 
 a half dozen jiortable. rapid lire j,Hms, could have an- 
 noyed us greatly, and made it a runnin<r fi^ht for davs 
 if they had cared to have done so. The countr\' must 
 have been lhoroun"hl>' known to the Spanish, while to 
 us it was a strange land. 'I'he expeditions of thje scouts 
 and ^advance guards being our only source of receiving 
 information. On either liank the/eneniN- might have 
 laid in ambush for us, poured in a withering lire on the 
 marching column, and scattered among the rocks and 
 trees before our troops could locate them. The topog- 
 raphv of the country was such that Hank guards could 
 not be put out as the only trail over which it was pos- 
 sible to move and remain in touch with the column was 
 the one we were traversing. 
 
 As we advanced we saw signs of the late departure 
 of the enem}', in many places. The strong walls which 
 surrounded the burial grounds, had been loop-holed and 
 made into temporary forts. In several places, a point 
 commanding the approaching trail for some distance, 
 had been cleared and leveled, with the evident intention 
 of mounting a tield piece with which to bar tiie advance 
 of our troops. But whatever their intentions or oppor- 
 tunities, the Spaniards did not molest us and we con- 
 tinued the weary climbing. Some little distance from 
 Adjuntas, the trail descended rapidly and taking a brace 
 on ourselves, we slid, rolled and half ran the last mile 
 before entering the outskirts of the town. 
 
 It was late in the afternoon w^hen we marched 
 down the narrow street, and a half mile beyond the 
 town. The site selected for the campground of our 
 
27G History of Companies I and E. 
 
 regiment was on a side hill and had ahout -"a foot of 
 raise to every foot of run.'' Our blankets and shelter 
 tents were on the bullock carts, about a days march be- 
 hind us. It began to rain and we "staked our claim."' 
 because we had no tents to pitch, in a stead\- down pour. 
 A very little wood was secured at the expense of the 
 government and a small fire built at the foot of the hill, 
 the lower end of the compan}- street. Hungry and 
 weary we s'ood about until long after dark. When 
 completely exhausted we stretched our worn bodies on 
 the wet ground and courted rest and slumber but they 
 were not for us. 
 
 In the inky blackness of the night, a herd of pack- 
 mules, wandering about, struck the center of our camp 
 and tramped up the hill right into our midst. After 
 much profanity on the part of the mule-whackers, ably 
 seconded by the drenched soldiers, the long eared 
 quadrupeds were driven away. With little or no rest 
 the night before, and clothing soaking wet for the past 
 forty-eight hours, the men put in a miserable night. 
 The rain continued the next day and when the wagon 
 train, bringing our provisions, came in during the after- 
 noon, the drivers guided the carts off the road at the 
 foot of the hill on which we were "stopping," the cart 
 wheels buried in water and mud to their hubs. Here 
 the mess tents were pitched. We quickly secured our 
 tents and blankets and made ourselves as comfortable as 
 possible. 
 
 Trailing in behind the wagon train came company 
 E. The evening of the afternoon upon which we left 
 Gagos, or Camp '-Bull Run," company E was marched 
 in the direction of Ponce some distance to the rear of 
 the division and remained as rear ijuard of the column 
 

 ' ; 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 ". > 
 
 
 %.\ 
 
 
 
 *# V 
 
 •i,.'^ 
 
 JWrf, 
 
 
 »^ 
 
 " ^. 
 
 .5 
 
 €P- 
 
 
 p" 
 
 
 
 ■T^ ' 
 
 
 
 3 
 
 P_ 
 
 ^HM^'^"^' 
 
 S^ 
 
 
 r 
 
 I '«! 
 
 . .i«i 
 
 J 
 
 
 X 
 
 n 
 
 1' ' 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 9 
 
 ''V* 
 
 .5 
 
 
 
 '^^^^H 
 
 ^^^H 
 
 '*»';- • ■ 
 
 — 
 
 * 
 
 ? " 
 
 ^^K:'-: 
 
 ■•/^Ib 
 
 1 
 
 
 cr* :-• 
 
 
 "1 
 
 
 
 a ^ 
 
 f^9|^^H| 
 
 '\''«l 
 
 
 • 
 
 CJ "-* 
 
 s 
 
 i • 54| . 
 
 1 
 
 »• 
 
 S- f^ 
 
 JKB^m 
 
 / V-. 
 
 
 
 K ""^ 
 
 
 1 ".#» * 
 
 ^^^^^H 
 
 
 '^^^^^El' ' 
 
 ■«> • 
 
 ^^^^H 
 
 
 
 ^\ 
 
 -^^H 
 
 — ^ 
 
 
 ^■^ ■• 
 
 ^^^9 
 
 
 .-■V . j*^* ■ / ,^ 
 
 'K 
 
 
 p ^ 
 
 •- ■ *- V 
 
 >; - . 
 
 ^^^^^^H 
 
 a. - 
 
 
 '.\« - 
 
 ^^^^^^H 
 
 
 ■•"-I V 
 
 sMIsi 
 
 H 
 
 = 
 
 
 ^"1 
 
 1 
 
 r/ 
 
 
 ^\ 
 
 ^H 
 
 ^ 
 
 ■.. 
 
 i ^' 
 
 ' ^H 
 
 rt 
 
 • 
 
 -'^^.m^- 
 
 ^^H 
 
 ;:;. 
 
 *■ >v 
 
 - n 
 
 ^9 
 
 ir. 
 
 f1 ^ 
 
 ~. '91 
 
 nH 
 
 ^ 
 
 ■ : i ^. ■ 
 
 '41 
 
 ^1 
 
 <T> 
 
 - -J.' ~ ■ 
 
 ■p 
 
 ^H 
 
 T 
 
 AKinB 
 
 
 
 ft) 
 
 1^ ' 
 
 y " 
 
 ^M 
 
 
 WB. - 
 
 ";^v 
 
 m 
 
IIOMK, SWKET IIoMi:. 277 
 
 until their arrival at Adjuntas. The ni^ht that we 
 camped <in ••Sleepini,^ Pass." the boys of company E 
 hivouaced amontr the bullock carts. About three 
 o'clock ill the iiioriiiiiij^ they were awakened by the rain 
 and they whiled away the remainin<T hours oi darkness 
 and drizzle by singing songs and dancing cake-walks. 
 During the day they advanced to Gagos, sleeping that 
 night ill the coffee house or barn which had been con- 
 verted into a hospital. The following day they 
 marched from Gagos to Adjuntas, covering the distance 
 which had occupied us parts of the two preceeding days. 
 
 Following in the rear of the column they saw much 
 the worst of the experiences as the trail was fearfully 
 chopped up and each days delay added many discom- 
 forts to the alread}' troublesome expedition. Carts and 
 their contents had fallen over the brink of the narrow 
 trail, drag-ging the struggling bullocks with them. 
 Horses and men were with difficulty kept right side up. 
 A gatling gun became overbalanced and went rolling 
 down the mountain, injuring several men and horses. 
 Broken down carts nearly blocked the narrow trail at 
 points. These were some of the scenes as witnessed by 
 the Sterling boys while following in the wake of an 
 army. When they arrived in Adjuntas they were given 
 quarters in a brick shed for a night but were brought 
 out to the camp site the following day. The boys of 
 Company I were given one night of comfort also, and 
 they found an empty building in which they were se- 
 cure from the rain, but it was for a night only. 
 
 On the thirteenth, we received the first authentic 
 information regarding the cessation of hostilities. The 
 news was received with cheers and huzzas. The band 
 save a concert and for the first time since we were mus- 
 
278 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 tered in, they rendered "Home, Sweet Home." Recol- 
 lections of "Home"' flooded our thoughts in an instant. 
 No one had forgotten home and its comforts, but they 
 had put it behind them, because they had come to real- 
 ize that homesickness was worse than malarial fever and 
 we knew "where we were at," so avoided the subject as 
 much as possible. But when our own band boys were 
 given the privilege of stirring the hearts of the men 
 with this hitherto forbidden piece of music, we knew 
 that the end of the war was in sight. To us that meant 
 home, and home meant everything, rest, dry clothing, 
 an abundance of rations, a soft bed with snow white cov- 
 erings, and a happy gathering of loved ones whose faces 
 were crrowing dearer to our hearts each day and hour. 
 Imagine, if you can, the joy which prevailed in our 
 camp as we gathered in small groups and talked of go- 
 ing "Home." If you have never been there, you can 
 only imagine, you can never know. Our mail had been 
 very light since landing on the island. We were practi- 
 cally cut off from the world and the people way up here 
 in the States knew better what was transpiring in our 
 immediate vicinity than did we ourselves. Our lives 
 were limited to our individual companies and we longed 
 to be released from this oblivion.. If the war was over 
 then our usefulness had ceased. If a warning note had 
 been sounded and the men told there was yet danger 
 ahead for the flag, then we would have put "Home" be- 
 hind us again and never faltered in performing our du- 
 ties until the hour of peril was past. 
 
 A band, composed of natives, marched out to our 
 camp and serenaded us. Among other selections, was 
 one, composed and written by their leader. The words 
 sang the praises of General Miles and the "Americanos." 
 
'•Camp Mud." 2711 
 
 The niusicijuis t\v:mi;T(l and tooled af this piece of music 
 very earnestly and a[)pearetl to l)e carried away with the 
 realization that they were, or in a short time would be, 
 our countrymen. We were as well pleased as they were 
 but just at that period our thoughts were not with the 
 happy natives, but wandering back to "Old Illinois." 
 
 —'•Thy prairies and tiiy valleys, Illinois, 
 
 Illinois."' 
 
 The rains continued to come on schedule time and the 
 siile hill became a toboggan slide. The company streets 
 extentled from the bottom to the very top of the hill. 
 Just back of them, on a flat, was the regimental officers 
 (juarters. At the foot of the hill, and to the right. General 
 Garrettson and his staff had their tents pitched, while 
 the troops of the Massachusetts regiment were quar- 
 tered in buildings along the road, near our camp. One 
 battalion of regulars, which formed a part of the division, 
 was also given tjuarters in the buildings. 
 
 In the course of our stay at this camp the officers and 
 men made many tri[)s up and down this hill. Slipping 
 and sticking in turn, the dignified officers performed 
 many acrobatic feats which surprised even themselves, 
 in making the decent. The men looked on and grinned 
 but said nothing. After once making the start it was a 
 certainty that the soldier would reach the bottom of the 
 hill before stopping, but it was a question as to which 
 end he would land on. In forming in company front for 
 roll call or inspection of arms, each man in turn acted as 
 a pillar for the man above him and if some one had giv- 
 en the first man a shove the whole line would have top- 
 ])led over like a row of ten pins, This camp was given 
 the name of "Camp Mud." 
 
280 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 The town of Adjuntas had a population of about 
 one thousand souls, possibly fifteen hundred. The peo- 
 ple were kind to us but we found more Spanish sympa- 
 thizers here than were met along the coast. They were 
 awed by the soldiers and gave us no trouble, but their 
 actions and looks were readily understood by our men. 
 The demand for the American flag was growing and the 
 natives were trading fruits and tobaccos for envelopes 
 and writing paper which were decorated with the stars 
 and stripes. They wore the bits of paper pinned to their 
 sleeves and breasts an stuck them in their hats, proudly 
 proclaiming themselves "Americanos." 
 
 Although peace was not declared as yet, we imag- 
 ined that we would not advance farther but soon return 
 to Ponce, there to embark for home. In this we were 
 disappointed and on the sixteenth of August we broke 
 camp and marched north to Utuado. The battalion of 
 regulars and one battalion of the Sixth Massachusetts 
 boys, had preceded us. The march was a long, hard one 
 and we covered nearly eighteen miles over a trail that 
 was in many places, being cut out by the force of the na- 
 tives. 
 
 As we hove within sight of the camp grounds the 
 Sixth Mass. Band came out to meet us and we swung 
 along the road at a lively pace. We stood in the rain for 
 some time until the site for our camp was pointed out to 
 us. Our shelter tents were pitched nearly a mile from 
 town on a flat near the bank of the Arecibo river. This 
 stream was in every respect more of a river than any oth- 
 er encountered on the island. 
 
 The bullock carts were abandoned at Adjuntas, the 
 trail was impassible for them and the supplies were car- 
 ried forward by pack mules. It was surprising the 
 
Typical Porto Rico Peons ami liabitatiniis. 
 
Arrival at Arixiijo. 281 
 
 amount of weight the drivers strapped to the backs of 
 tlieso animals. They trotted along, the contents of the 
 lu)X('s strapped to their pack-saddles, shaking and rat- 
 tlinj;. the cluick-a-chuck beatingf regfidar time to the 
 movements of the mules. The drivers of the pack mules 
 were not enlisted men but were hired by the govern- 
 ment at a salary of from thirty to fifty dollars per 
 month, according to the rank which they held in the out- 
 fit. They were typical westerners and appeared to be 
 thorougldy acquainted with the business. It requires no 
 little skill and training to securely fasten the boxes to 
 the pack-saddles. If the fastenings became loosened, 
 the animal would stop and wait for the driver to come up 
 and rearrange the trappings. 
 
 A number of ambulances were worked over the trail 
 and a few miles from Adjuntas one of them rolled over 
 the edore of the narrow way and went tumblincj and 
 twisting down the mountain, smashing the wagon and 
 killing a horse. One of the pack mules, sure-footed as 
 they appeared to be, lost his balance and found a lodg- 
 ing place among the tree tops below us. 
 
 Up to the time of leaving Adjuntas each company 
 had carried its cooking outfit with it. When leaving 
 '•Camp Mud,"' orders were given to the forces working 
 about the mess tents to [)ack the outfits in such a manner 
 as to make them portable by pack mules. The order 
 was misconstrued in some instances and the camp stove 
 and cooking uiensils were stored in the large chests as 
 usual, and instead of being forwarded with the troops, 
 they were taken to a store house and put away with 
 other heav}' camp equippage, which could not be moved 
 forward when the bullock carts were abandoned. 
 
 When we arrived at Utuado, and order was estab- 
 
282 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 lished in the camp, the cooking outfit of some few of 
 the companies failed to put in an appearance and the 
 cooking was thrown upon the men. If the suppl}' of 
 fuel had been adequate, the task of preparing our rations 
 would have been a trifling matter. As it was, we 
 searched far and near and in a very short time every 
 stick of firewood was picked up and burned. Not far 
 from our camp was an open shed and stored in this we 
 found several tons of sugar-cane which had been run 
 through the mill. It was wet, mouldy, and full of small 
 insects, and when coaxed for an hour burned like a wet 
 rag. It was the only available fuel at that time and 
 we were compelled to use it or nothing. Little groups 
 of men gathered in the company streets and kneeling 
 about the smouldering fires, attempted to make their 
 coffee. 
 
 The coffee w^as issued to us in the kernel, along 
 with a meager quantity of hardtack. Arising early in 
 the morning and by dint of much fortitude, the coffee 
 was pounded between a couple of stones, a slow fire 
 started with the cane stalks, and with a strong pair of 
 lungs for a blower, with no accidents occurring, a pint 
 of muddy coffee, which had never come to the boiling 
 point, would materialize by the noon hour. If anything 
 was expected at the supper hour, preparations for the 
 mess must be commenced immediately after dinner. 
 To those who do not understand the meaning of the 
 term "mess," it is only fair to state that to fully compre- 
 hend its reference, one must exist for a month or so on 
 the rations issued to an active army in the field. If, at 
 the end of that period, you do not come to the conclu- 
 sion that the application of the term "mess." is not only 
 appropriate, but stands alone as an expression which de- 
 
"FoRA(;iN(;." 283 
 
 lliK's llie breakfast. dimuT. or supper of llie average sol- 
 dier, than any attempted explanation on our part would 
 prove f\itile. For a number of days the soldiers existed 
 on '-recollections" and ^-anticipations,'" with Hat coffee 
 and buggy hardtack for desert. The bill of fare for the 
 morning "mess" consisted of coffee and hardtack, with 
 a change at the noon mess to hardtai^k and coffee, while 
 at night hardtack alone was served. 
 
 With hunger gnawing at their stomachs, some of 
 the men seized every opport.unit}- to secure something 
 eatable. One of them, a sixfooter with broad shoulders, 
 a giant as compared with the average native Porto Ri- 
 can. made a trip to the town with the avowed intention 
 of not returning until he had secured both food and 
 drink. He was penniless, but nerved to desperation, he 
 in some manner, juggled a rum seller out of several 
 drinks of firewater, and started in search of an eating 
 house. Selecting the one which he judged would set an 
 elaborate table, he entered the place, stalked over to a 
 small table and seated himself, lie wore no coat, and 
 picking at the breast of his blue shirt, he attracted the 
 attention of the proprietor and repeated --Americano, 
 Porto Rico." 
 
 With a few such exclamations and some sign lan- 
 guage, he gave the little yellow man to understand that 
 an "i^ mericano""and a Porto Rican was one and the same 
 and that thev were brothers. Then he ordered dinner. 
 Evervthinp- that he thoui^ht the house might contain and 
 was eatable he ordered brought to him. Throughout 
 the meal he kept pulling at the blue shirt and repeating 
 '•Americano, Porto Rico." When everything in sight 
 was eaten, he arose, and started for the door. The little 
 native ran over and placed himself in front of the big 
 
284 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 soldier, hurled a jargon of meaningless words at him 
 and attempted to stop his progress toward the door. 
 The burly man in blue forged straight ahead and ex- 
 pressed his brotherly love for the wrathy native 1 \v gent- 
 ly pulling at the blue shirt and repeating "Americano, 
 Porto Rico" 
 
 The tender feeling vl brotherl}- love was pleasant io 
 the natives under some circumstances, but it would not 
 compensate the proprietor of the house for the dinner 
 eaten by the soldier, which, based upon the rates usuall}' 
 charged the invaders, footed up to something like three 
 or four dollars, Porto Rican coin. Clenching both 
 hands the native shook his fists in the face of "Major," 
 as the soldier was known by his comrades, and made 
 a more determined effort to hold him until he had se- 
 cured pay for the meal. "Major" was slow to anger 
 but he wanted to get out and t^oniinue the search for 
 iood. Reaching out one brawny arm he grasped the 
 hand of the native, twisting him to his knees on the 
 floor before him and with an oath, he again repeated 
 "Americano, Porto Rico," and with the disengaged 
 hand plucked once more at the bosorr. of his blue 
 shirt. The native fairly screamed with pain as the 
 twisting process continued and the instant he was re- 
 leased he jumped to his feet and backing away from 
 the soldier, motioned for him to get out and out he 
 went. 
 
 A little farther down the street he came to the en- 
 trance of a general store and stepping in he saw a box of 
 dried fish near the door. The fish looked something like 
 herring but were much larger, and tied up in bundles. 
 The "major" picked up a bundle and holding it up to 
 the gaze of a clerk, inquired the price of it. The clerk 
 
c 
 
 Q 
 
 td 
 
The "Major." 285 
 
 made some reply, and the "major" looked hard at him 
 and said. '-Well! I may return before the sun goes down 
 and if I do I'll drop in and pav you," and walked out. 
 During the night some time, he was picked up by an 
 officer and he rested in the city lockup until the next 
 morning, when he returned to camp. 
 
286 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 CHAPTER XXII. 
 
 By the time we arrived at Utuado tiie men were a 
 sorry looking lot. A number of them were barefooted, 
 and their clothing was hanging to them in shreds. 
 Some few had no trousers at all and went about in their 
 underclothing. With their dilapitated clothing and 
 scraggly beards, tht-y looked more like a gang of bush- 
 whackers than a regiment of Uncle Sam's soldiers. 
 Those that had money to buy with could not purchase 
 clothing as the natives were so much smaller than the 
 Americans that they were unable to tind garments large 
 enough for them. 
 
 When we were in the States we could get a shave 
 often enough to at least avoid having the appearance 
 of wild men, but on the island it was different and a 
 tonsorial artists outtit, even the most simple, was rarely 
 seen. Some few of the boys had razors that had not 
 seen a strop or hone for months. They had went the 
 rounds of the companies many times since leaving home 
 and were in condition fit to trim corns but not to re- 
 move a tough beard of several weeks growth. Once 
 in a while one of the boys would pluck up courage 
 enough to face the ordeal. The preparations were 
 made by placing a blanket on the ground. Stretching 
 out full length on the blanket, whh his face upturned 
 to the sky, the '-customer" would close his eyes and 
 
Sterlin<; Boys on Outpost. 287 
 
 await the onslought of the -'barber," who, sittini,^ astride 
 the victim, would commence and continue the work in 
 much the same manner as one who was scraping a hog. 
 The man underneath took his medicine with good grace 
 and arose minus his whiskers, but oft times the face ap- 
 peared as though the beard had been taken off with 
 a butchers cleaver. 
 
 On the twentieth of August, a detail of men from 
 company E, under command of Lieut. Dillon, marched 
 north in the direction of Arecibo and were placed on 
 outpost duty about seven miles in advance of the troops 
 camped at Utuado. This outpost was stationed at the 
 most northern point reached by any troops in the 
 Porto Rican campaign and but a few miles from the 
 northern coast of the island. The boys were quartered 
 in comfortable barracks which had been vacated by the 
 Spanish but a short time previous. The guards were 
 posted along the main road leading to Arecibo. There 
 was considerable traveling over this route at the time 
 and as the duties of the guards made it necessary for 
 them to halt and search each passer by, they met man}- 
 of the, better class of inhabitants, and among them 
 some few who could speak English. They were told 
 that the Spanish soldiers had retreated from Arecibo 
 in the direction of San Jaun, and that the terms of 
 peace were settled and the war was practically over. 
 The postmaster of Arecibo was made a prisoner by the 
 guards and taken, under a guard, to the general camp 
 at Utuado where he was detained for a time but later 
 released and allowed to continue unmolested. 
 
 The boys appeared to enjoy the situation, and 
 were in better spirits than they had been for some time. 
 They were snugly located in comfortable quarters and 
 
288 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 the weather was exceptionally fine. Upon referring 
 to Corporal Hoobler's diary, which is authentic as it 
 was posted daily, the weather reports show three con- 
 secutive days in which there was no rain, certainly it 
 was phenomenal, and with dry clothing and an unusual 
 supply of rations, the results of successful foraging 
 expeditions, the men regained their naturaly buoyant 
 spirits and the days slipped by rapidly. At that time 
 it was the supposition of the men that the whole of 
 our division would continue north to Arecibo and 
 there embark for home. The boys of company E, 
 who were on outpost, expected to remain in that 
 locality until the division advanced, but were ordered 
 back to divison headquarters where they arrived on 
 the evening of August twenty-fifth. 
 
 While on outpost duty, two of the Sterling boys, 
 George Slade and John Lineberry, composed the fol- 
 lowing poem, dedicated to "Bill Heathcote's Rough 
 Riders." 
 
 Bill Heathcote's Rough Riders. 
 
 Every man who lives remember? 
 
 How he read when but a child, 
 Of the soldier up at Bingen 
 
 Who in death his chum beguiled. 
 How he died without a falter, 
 
 As he btood in the front line; 
 And he also does remember 
 
 That fair Bingen on the Rhine. 
 
 There are other soldiers dying, 
 
 Just across the raging brine; 
 In a place called Porto Rico, 
 
 And they number twenty-nine; 
 They are veterans, are the warriors, 
 
 And they all have been the rounds, 
 They are captained by "Bill Heatheote, 
 
 And they came from Sterling town. 
 
Bill Heathcote's Rou(;ir Riders. 289 
 
 If the world but knew their courage, 
 
 And what chey dared to do; 
 How seventeen long days they floated 
 
 Out upon the briny blue, 
 How across Porto Rico they are marching 
 
 With their tents and ponchos, too, 
 vVhat a tough right they are maliing 
 
 For hardtack enough to chew. 
 
 How the Spaniards tlew before thera, 
 
 When they heard Ueifsnyder chew, 
 How Berlin slowly limped along 
 
 Wiih but a single shoe. 
 When Slade could march uo longer, 
 
 Because his leg gave out; 
 They hauled him in a two wheeled cart 
 
 J3ehind two oxen stout. 
 
 And Lineberry had trouble 
 
 'J'o make the natives undtrstand; 
 13ut there were many others 
 
 In brave Capt. Heathcote's band. 
 And there was Leonard Higby 
 
 Weak and wildered, tired and lame. 
 And yet he never seemed to falter. 
 
 Kept eating hardtack just tbe same. 
 
 And there were our brave color guards, 
 
 Cal Lindslay, Street and Strock, 
 Who marched across the island, 
 
 And never wore a sock. 
 How Barney Buckley chattered. 
 
 When Anderson lost his hat, 
 And Hankerson, our slimes^, 
 
 Is slowly getting fat. 
 
 How Hoobler and Moore became footsore. 
 
 On one of our long quarters 
 And they languished in the guard house 
 
 All one sad nighi down in Ponce. 
 Ana how, without apparent cause, 
 
 Sergeant Wildasins tobacco flew. 
 And he is looking for it yet 
 
 Just to get a single chew. 
 
290 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 How we marched into Adjuntas 
 
 While the cold rain on us beat, 
 And we pitched our little shelter tents 
 
 Upon the hillside steep. 
 And when the mess call sounded 
 
 Each soldier grabbed his plate, 
 And to get his canned tomatoes 
 
 Down the hillside he would skate. 
 
 And when Sam Feigley looks in the glass, 
 
 It makes his heart feel glad. 
 When he sees his noble whiskers 
 
 And he says, "I look just like dad." 
 Sergeant Wagley sits around, 
 
 And rubs his sun burned neck, 
 And vows he is working harder now 
 
 Than he ever did for Peck. 
 
 There's Latiierow and Wilkinson, 
 
 Whom Uncle Sam hired, 
 Tis thought he made a big mistake. 
 
 Because they're always tired. 
 And Jim Burr walks with the grace of a Knight, 
 
 As he climbs the mountain high, 
 And says he is always spoiling for a tigiit. 
 
 With some of Sol Seely's pie. 
 
 How Macke on the outpost 
 
 Met a Porto llican fair. 
 And tried to work a "standin," 
 
 But Eberle beat him there. 
 And that hard march from Ponce 
 
 Merricks had good luck of course, 
 And while we toiled up the mountain 
 
 Ed. Merricks rode a horse. 
 
 So now you have heard my story, 
 
 A tale so sad and true. 
 How they marched through Porto Rico 
 
 In their little suits of blue. 
 And they're coming back to Sterling 
 
 Midst their old familiar scenes, 
 To tell about the hard times 
 
 When they lived on pork and beans. 
 
Cemetery at Utuado. 291 
 
 In the few lines above, these boys briefly tell the 
 storv of their trip and some of the many incidents oc- 
 currinir during*- their soldier life on the island. The 
 Sterhng bovs were not dispondent, although the con- 
 struction of the poem might lead some to think so. 
 They were in fact about the most contented lot of men 
 in the reGfiment, as contentment goes in the army. 
 
 During the wanderings of the men, while in the 
 various camps, they witnessed many strange sights. 
 The customs of the inhabitants of the island were pecu- 
 liar in many respects. While encamped at Utuado, a 
 party of boys took a stroll about town and among other 
 things of interest they explored the cemetery. As near 
 as we could learn, there was at that time but one cem- 
 etery in each province of the island. As a consequence 
 the people living in the country carried their dead for 
 miles on their shoulders to bury them and the death 
 rate among the poorer class being extremely heavy at 
 that time, the sexton was kept very busy attending to 
 the wants of his customers. 
 
 The term customers may appear strange as applied 
 to a funeral party, yet when you consider that the sex- 
 ton was also the undertaker it puts an entirely different 
 face on the matter. As an undertaker, the duties of 
 the sexlon were to keep on hand a limited supply of 
 rouo-h boxes, which he hired to the person who had a 
 corpse to bring in for burial. He must see to it that he 
 secures the rental on the rude cofhns and as it is a 
 custom to bury in the morning, he is charged with the 
 care of the bodies brought in too late and held over un- 
 til the following morning. 
 
 The coffins which the natives hire to bring in their 
 dead are simply two rough boards for the sides, with 
 
History of Companies I and E. 
 
 pieces across the ends at the head and foot. Strips 
 of the same material are nailed across the under side 
 of the box. These strips are placed about two inches 
 apart and those on each end extend two feet beNond 
 the side of the box. The corpse is placed in the rough 
 box, four men, one at each corner of the box, place it 
 upon their shouldfTS and the cortege begins its long 
 tramp to the cemetery, which in many instances is sev- 
 eral miles distant. 
 
 The little party was always preceded by a man 
 bearing a small wooden cross. The face of the dead 
 was unprotected from the fierce rays of the sun and 
 the procession hurried along with little or no cere- 
 mony. Arriving at the cemetery, the body was soon 
 in the ground unless the hour for the burial day had 
 passed. In that case the coffin and contents were 
 placed in charge of the sexton and the burial post- 
 poned till the morrow. 
 
 The party of exploring soldiers had passed the 
 cemetery several times as it was located on the street 
 which led to the town from our camp. This morning 
 the boys turned up the path which led to the entrance 
 of the burial grounds and as they neared the gate 
 the frowning walls which surrounded the little city of 
 the dead, looked anything but inviting. At the gate 
 they were met by the sexton who ap])eared courteous 
 as one could wish and they were led inside. On the 
 inner side of the walls and on each side of the en- 
 trance was H large room built of stone. In these 
 rooms were stored a number of rough coffins some of 
 which contained bodies soon to be consigned to the 
 grave. 
 
 Awed by the presence of the dead, the men 
 
Burial of a Pokto Rican Child. 203 
 
 looked about them silently and as they moved about 
 the dark room they came across a small cotfin containing 
 the remains of a child, a little girl. Drawing nearer. 
 they saw that the pallid face and hands were nearly 
 white. Clad in a garment of white, with her little hands 
 so thin and wasted as to be almost transparent, folded 
 across her bosom and clasping a small bunch of flowers; 
 with closed eyes and just the faintest semblance of a 
 smile lingering about the corners of her mouth, the little 
 child appeared to be sleeping. There was a look of peace 
 and contentment on the white face which proclaimed that 
 death had come without suffering to the little one. 
 
 As the men stood gazing upon the pure face of the 
 dead child, they were visibly affected by the sight and 
 not a word was spoken. Who knows what was in their 
 thoughts at that moment? They may have mourned 
 the loss of one whose innocence, purity, and sweetness 
 was forever pictured on their minds, and the silent form 
 before them, with its childish face may have taken them 
 back to days of yore, or caused their hearts to ache as the 
 memory of a scene in the little church yard back in the 
 states came forcibly to them — the rattle of the earth as 
 it fell on the casket below, the voice of the minister, 
 slowly but distinctly repeating, '-dust to dust, ashes to 
 ashes,"' and the sweet face was hidden from view for- 
 ever. 
 
 Or they may have been thinking of those whom they 
 had left behind them, alive and well when last heard 
 from, but may have been sleeping in the grave for aught 
 they then knew, as news came slowly, and death may 
 have entered the home across the sea weeks before, and 
 they not be aware of it. They were aroused by the en- 
 trance of a man and two little boys who came toward 
 
294 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 them, and without casting a look at the body, picked up 
 the box and carried it out to the burial grounds. 
 
 The men followed and watched the native as he 
 placed the coffin on the ground, and without regard as to 
 location, began to dig a narrow grave. In his down- 
 ward course he came upon the bones of a body which 
 must have been in the ground for some time. Kicking 
 them out of his way he continued to throw out the earth 
 until he reached a depth of not more ihan»three or four 
 feet, when he placed a cord underneath the corpse, at the 
 knees, and another at the neck, and lifting the body from 
 the rude box, placed it in the shallow grave, picked up a 
 handful of earth, pressed it to his lips, threw it upon the 
 upturned face in the grave and hurriedly covered the si- 
 lent form. After partially filling the grave he jumped 
 into it and tramped the loose earth down, then completed 
 his task. Without the slightest sign of emotion, the 
 man and two boys, apparently the father and brothers 
 of the dead girl, turned from the grave and returned the 
 rented coffin to the stone room at the entrance and hur- 
 ried out upon the street. 
 
 If that man was the girl's father then he had either 
 a heart of stone or a will of iron, as he was narrowly 
 watched from the beginning of burial and the expres- 
 sion of carelessness never left his face. Not in the 
 slightest did he appear to care whether he was perform- 
 ing the last sad rites for one who should have been the 
 light of his life, or digging a post hole. He did not lin- 
 ger an instant after he had completed his task and he 
 did not glance backward as he hurried away. But be- 
 neath that untidy blouse there might have been a bleed- 
 ing heart, torn with anguish, as he realized that the dear, 
 sweet face, was gone forever. And perhaps far up in the 
 
Exri ORiNc; the CkiMETERv. 211 
 
 'i\r,) 
 
 mountains a fond mother sat alone in her grief, thinking 
 of the little one. on whom in their poverty, she liad 
 lavished her all, a mother's love. The prattling voice 
 was stilled and the patter of lur footsteps on the 
 rough board floor would cheer the mothers heart no 
 more. 
 
 Shortly after the departure of the man and boys, 
 the soldiers roused themselves and looking around saw 
 that the little cemetery was not more than five rods 
 square and surrounded by a high wall of solid masonry. 
 Loop-holes had been cut through the wall and it appear- 
 ed as though the Spaniards had made preparations to 
 make a stand in this temporary fortress. Within the 
 w\alls was numerous vaults or tombs. This was where 
 the wealthy people disposed of their dead. Everything 
 was in a dilapitated condition and the front of some of 
 the tombs. were broken open. Peering within, human 
 bones, from which the flesh had long ago decayed, lay in 
 perfect order, the complete skeleton exposed to view. 
 
 The area contained in the grounds, and the large 
 number of burials which occurred within the walls, had 
 resulted in many skeletons being unearthed in the sink- 
 ing of fresh graves. A wall had been built diagonallv 
 across one corner, and into this space the disinterred 
 bones had been thrown. They had been accumulating 
 for years and as the heavy door well up the wall was 
 thrown open it was found to be full of grinning skulls 
 and human bones of every description. With a feeling 
 of abhorrence the party of soldiers left the place, and it 
 was with a sense of relief that they heard the massive 
 gates close behind them and the sickening sights were 
 shut out from their view by the high stone wall. 
 
 Shortly after our arrival at Guanica, Colonel Foster 
 
296 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 had been taken sick, and although he remained with 
 the regiment, the duties of the commanding officer fell 
 upon Lieut. Colonel Kittilsen. He was a most popular 
 officer and held in high esteem b}' the men. His man- 
 ner was quiet but determined and he fell gracefully into 
 the position as acting colonel. Colonel Foster slowly 
 regained his health and resumed command of the regi- 
 ment in a short time. The opportunities for drill were 
 scarce as the ruggedness of the country would not per- 
 mit of more than a practice march. The men were 
 taken out for a march several times while at Utuado, 
 and an attempt was made to give them a company or 
 battalion drill but with poor results. 
 
 A half dozen native boys had followed the troops 
 for some time and were about the camp so much that 
 the boys began to experiment on them and endeavored 
 to teach them a little of the English language. They 
 were eager to learn and would repeat a word over and 
 over until they became very proficient in its pronunci- 
 ation. The soldiers first taught them to swear. With 
 this accomplishment they soon became popular through- 
 out the regiment. Of course the natives thought the 
 boys were sincere and were very proud of their abilities 
 and aired them on every possible occasion. If a soldier 
 spoke to one of them with the air of one expecting a 
 reply, the native would pay strict attention to every 
 word and appear to be weighing it in his mind and look- 
 ing up innocently, would reply by repeating a string of 
 oaths that would put a drunken sailor to shame. 
 
 When we were in camp at Utuado, one of the boys 
 took a machete and going to a stone bridge about a 
 half mile from camp, cut a large bundle of bamboo 
 twigs to put in his tent to sleep on. Rolling the twigs 
 
The En(;lisii Si'Kakinc; Nativk. 207 
 
 into a couple of canteen-straps he started for camp. 
 The load was an a-kward one and after several in- 
 effectual attempts to keep it under his arms, he rolled 
 it onto his head, native fashion. The loose twigs 
 dragged the ground and nothing could be seen of the 
 soldier excepting his shoes. As he moved toward 
 camp the bundle became heavier and it slipped from 
 side to side scratching his neck and bending his head 
 forward until he became exasperated and was nearly 
 at the point of throwing the whole thing, canteen-straps 
 and all, in the ditch by the roadside. Taken all in all, 
 he was in an unpleasant state of mind and in no humor 
 to take a joke. 
 
 As he plodded along, he heard footsteps approach- 
 ing, and thinking it might be a comrade whom he 
 knew and would assist him, he was about to call to him 
 when the sound of the footsteps ceased and in a moment 
 a hand parted the hanging twigs and a face peered up 
 at him. It was one of the natives who had been hang- 
 ing about the camp. He had evidently expected to 
 find one of his countrymen under the enormous bundle 
 of twigs as it was seldom a soldier made an attempt to 
 tote anything on the head, and in fact it was an un- 
 usual sight to witness a soldier carrying anything 
 heavier than a load of Porto Rican rum. At any rate 
 the native opened his eyes wide with surprise when he 
 saw the blue uniform of a soldier through the mass of 
 brush, and no doubt, wishing in some way to apologize 
 to the "Americano, "looked up at him and speaking in 
 English, jerked out a combination of epithets, inter- 
 mingled with a profusion of oaths, which caused the 
 soldiers blood to boil. 
 
 Out of patience with himself in his struggle to keep 
 
298 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 the bundle of twigs from getting away from him. Dis- 
 appointed in not finding the newcomer a comrade who 
 would give him a lift with his troublesome burden, and 
 maddened by the idiotic expression on the face of the 
 native as he repeated his insults, the soldier threw the 
 bundle to the ground and made a dash for the little man 
 dressed in w^hite. The native, innocent of anv wronof 
 intent, but proud of his vocabulary, was first surprised 
 and then frightened and he jumped out of reach of the 
 soldier and flew down the road, barely touching the 
 ground, with the soldier a close second. After a short 
 chase, the soldier saw he vvas being outstripped and 
 coming to a halt, he recovered his senses and sitting 
 down, laughed heartily as he thought of the hours he 
 had spent in teaching this same native how to swear and 
 he saw that the joke had been turned upon himself. 
 With just the slightest feeling of shame he returned to 
 where he had thrown the bundle, and again taking up 
 the burden he continued on to camp. 
 
 By this lime the condition of a majority of the men 
 was extremely bad. The malarial fever had been 
 working on their systems for sometime. Nearly every 
 man had stomache or bowel trouble and the surgeons 
 were handicapped by an inadequate supply of medicine. 
 They were working hard with what they had, but it 
 was of little avail in many cases and the men grew 
 gaunt aud thin. The hospital was filled and the men 
 in camp were not fit for duty. Some kept up by ex- 
 ercising their mdomitable will power, with a full de- 
 termination not to give up until nature gave way en- 
 tirely. 
 
 The weakened condition of the men was uiuloubted- 
 ly due, iu a great measure, to the lack of provisions and 
 
Voi^uNTERRs Disgusted. 290 
 
 the quality of the little that was issued. There was cer- 
 t;unly something wrong in connection with the conimis- 
 snrv department. Uncle Sam never intended that his 
 soldiers should be hnlf fed. The men were discouraged 
 aud sorely disappointed by the treatment they had re- 
 ceived since departing from the shores of their country. 
 They had never expected much. yet. when enlisting as 
 soldiers, Uiey had not considered the salary, cared little 
 what duties might be imposed upon them, but felt they 
 were entit'ed to plain substantial food enough to keep 
 them in bodily health and strength. 
 
 To this day, the men who were either robbed of 
 their rations, or through neglect allowed to suffer for 
 want of them, cannot say positively where the trouble 
 was. or who the guilty ones were that lined their pockets 
 with ill gained wealth at the expense of the men in the 
 ranks. The regiment had been on the island just one 
 month, yet had some of their friends chanced to appear 
 in their midst it is doubtful if some of the soldiers would 
 have been readily recognized as the robust, light hearted 
 troops, who, a few weeks previous had eagerly awaited 
 the summons to go to the front. 
 
 It does not appear possible that any man who 
 was a citizen of the United States could be guilty of 
 scheming against the American soldier, and it is possible 
 that such was not the case and the fault lay with the in- 
 experience of the officers who were charged ^ith the 
 care of the men. At any rate the fact could not be dis- 
 guised that there was a terrible wrong being done the 
 men, and if intentional, the law has yet to be framed 
 which would deal out the punishment which such a crime 
 deserved. 
 
300 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 CHAPTER XXIII. 
 
 On the twenty-fifth oi August, orders were received 
 to return to Ponce at once and as soon as transports 
 could be provided we were to embark for home. The 
 following morning the return march was begun. With 
 our band leading we marched down the roadway, our 
 faces turned homeward. We had but fairly made the 
 start when it began to rain and it continued to come down 
 all day. The force of natives had been kept continually 
 at the work of opening the trail and had succeeded in a 
 measure. Here and there huge rocks rose up in the very 
 center of the trail. These were yet to be blasteii and 
 broken up. The daily downpour of rain made the task 
 of building roads an everlastino^ one as the trail that was 
 opened one day might be blocked with earth and rocks 
 the next. 
 
 The regiment arrived at Adjuntas late in the after- 
 noon. On the outskirts of the town, as we came in, we 
 forded a stream which was a raging torrent for a time, 
 caused by the heavy rain during the day. We had 
 crossed the stream when advancing to Utuado but at 
 that time the current was sluggish and the water shallow. 
 Some of the men would not make the attempt and re- 
 mained on the opposite banks until the water had sub- 
 sided. A little party of soldiers crept into an abandoned 
 
Return to Adjuntas. 301 
 
 hut close to the stream and partly up the mountain, 
 awaiting for the storm to abate. As they lay in the 
 single room, enshrouded in dfirkiu'ss, the little buihl- 
 ing gave a lurch and went crashing down into the wati^r. 
 Luckily for the men, the walls separated and they es- 
 caped injury. 
 
 The shelter tents were lirst pitched in the square 
 in the center of the town but the rain loosened the 
 tent-pins and the tents could not be kept standing. 
 After several futile attempts were made, the men were 
 moved to another part of the town and given quarters 
 in a mill. They were packed in the enclosure like 
 sardines but they were iji the dry and as they were 
 very weary soon rolled up in the wet blankets and 
 slept. 
 
 A short distance out from Utuado we came upon 
 a native traveling in the direction of Adjuiitas. A 
 couple of the boys enlisted him in their service and 
 transferred their heavy rolls to his shoulders. He 
 trotted along by their side for some time evincing no 
 sign of fatigue but evidently not satisfied with the ar- 
 rangement. He could not speak a word of English, 
 couldn't swear even, but by his actions he made them 
 understand that he wished to possess the rifle of one 
 of the boys. To please him the soldier removed the 
 roll from his shoulders and gave him his gun, can- 
 teen and haversack, retaining his cartridge belt and 
 bayonet. Before giving him possession of the gun, 
 the cartridges were removed from the magazine as a 
 precautionary measure should the native be inclined to 
 treachery. A prouder man no one ever saw than was 
 this happy Porto Rican. His eyes shone with delight 
 and he pranced through the mud like a two year old 
 
302 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 colt. And he wouldn't return the outfit but clung to 
 it until we reached camp. Even then he remained 
 with the boys for some time and every action ■ spoke 
 his pleasure in being permitted to carry the soldier's 
 outfit. 
 
 When the regiment marched away fro m Ulvr.co 
 it left a number of sick men in the hospital there. 
 They were to be brought t o Ponce in an ambulance. 
 The start was delayed and with a clear trail, it was a 
 question with the driver whether they would complete 
 the journey before nightfall or not. The teams could 
 move but slowly at the best and they struggled through 
 the mud at a snails pace. The driver was a thirsty 
 fellow and pulled up his team at the sight of every 
 habitation and leaving the ambulance made a bee line 
 for the house to secure a drink of rum. They h.id not 
 covered many miles when their further progress was 
 checked and they were brought to a standstill by a 
 barrier of rocks and earth which had been dislodged by 
 the heavy rain and slid down the mountain completely 
 blocking the trail for a thousand feet. 
 
 Night would soon be upon them but it was im- 
 possible to proceed and they would not turn back. 
 The sick boys in the ambulance groaned when they 
 were informed they would be compelled to pass the 
 night where they were. VViih nothing to eat and it 
 utterly out of the question to attempt to build a tire, 
 the outlook was far from pleasing. Weakened by sick- 
 ness until they were unable to sit upright, they huddled 
 together within the covered ambulance and the long 
 hours dragged wearily on. The rain did not cease and 
 they became chilled to the marrow. To make the 
 situation more aggravating the driver, who by the way 
 
An Uupi easant Experience. 303 
 
 was the only attendant accompanying them, turned his 
 mules loose and struck out in search of a native home, 
 there to indulge in his favorite pastime, drinking rum. 
 He evidently was sucessful in the search as he did not 
 return until the following morning. 
 
 The sick men were soon without water and 
 suffered severely. How they passed the night, they 
 themselves hardly knew. The ne.v't morning Dr. Rumt 
 mell gained possession of an old white mule and wen- 
 back to their assistance. It was an unpleasant situation 
 and the approach of daylight did not improve matters 
 materially. One course alone was open to them and 
 this was to carry the sick men over the blockade, take 
 the ambulance apart, drag it over in sections and set it 
 up on the other side. This was no small chore, but 
 willing hands soon had matters set aright and the hearts 
 of the sick men were gladdened as the ambulance rolled 
 away from the spot where they had spent such a miser- 
 able night. It was one of the most severe trials ex- 
 perienced by any of the men throughout the campaign, 
 and the victinis, who were in a serious condition at the 
 outset, were made much worse by it. 
 
 Dr. Rummell was indefatigable in his work at all 
 times. He did not wear the marks designating him as 
 a commissioned otiicer. He was simply a man in the 
 ranks detailed to the hospital corps. But for all this he 
 did the work of an assistant surgeon faithfully. He 
 was an excellent physician and turned from a good prac- 
 tice to enlist. He did not appear to give the matter a 
 thought that he was performing duties which should 
 have paid him a salary equal to that received by those 
 who were working by his side. If he did not receive 
 tittini: remuneration from the government in the way 
 
304 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 of dollars he won the eternal gratitude and lasting 
 friendship of the men and he was given a warm place in 
 their hearts. The medical corps was composed of 
 earnest workers and each one of its members will al- 
 ways be remembered as faithful performers of their 
 duties and firm friends of the soldiers. Major Anthony 
 of Sterling, Ass't Surgeon Robbins of Dixon, Dr. Rum- 
 mell of company B, (Geneseo) and Hospital Stewards 
 Kline, Geyer and Brown, of Sterling, all combined their 
 efforts to the end of giving the men the best possible 
 attention and medical assistance, although at times 
 greatly handicapped by a lack of supplies. The men 
 understood the circumstances and will never forget the 
 many acts of kindness received at the hands of the 
 medical staff of the Sixth. 
 
 The Sixth Massachusetts boys were retained at 
 Utuado for garrison duty and did not make the start 
 home for a month or more. Some one of the hospital 
 corps of our regiment must remain there and assist the 
 Massachusetts corps. The lot fell upon Ralph Humph- 
 rey, previously of company I, but who had been trans- 
 ferred to the hospital service of the regular army while 
 at Camp Alger. It will be remembered that the men 
 who were transferred from the volunteer to the regular 
 service received verbal promises that they would be 
 allowed to follow their regiments where ever they went. 
 Up until this period the promise had been lived up to 
 but when our regiment turned back, Ralph was com- 
 pelled to remain in the mountains. 
 
 One can easily imagine his feelings as he saw us 
 us marching awa3^ Watching the disappearing column, 
 he looked for the last time on the faces of his comrades. 
 He no doubt was buoyed up with the hope that he 
 
Arrival at Ponce. 305 
 
 might be relieved before the regiment embarked on the 
 transport. But if such was the case he was disappoint- 
 ed for we never saw him aUve again. We left him 
 there among new found friends and comrades, and from 
 information contained in letters received from tlie 
 stewards in charge of the hospital, it was afterward 
 learned that he never once uttered a word of protest 
 against remaining, but realizing that it was not for him 
 to say what his duties should be, he continued the work 
 of caring for his sick comrades without faltering and 
 won the love and esteem of all those with whom he 
 came in contact. 
 
 The morning following our arrival at Adjuntas, on 
 the return march, was wet and storm}-. As we were 
 in comfortable quarters, permission was granted us to 
 remain there for the day. The weather improved in 
 the afternoon and the footsore and those who were sick, 
 vet able to remain with the regiment, were placed in 
 charge of orderl}' sergeants and started for Ponce. It 
 was the intention of Colonel Foster to make the re- 
 mainder of the journey in a single days march. The 
 next morning we made the start. The weather was 
 fair and the trail descended rapidly as we were then 
 over the crest of the mountain range and were making 
 the downward journey. 
 
 Arriving at Gagos, w'e rested for a short lime and 
 ate our scanty dinner. We did not tarry long at this 
 place as we were anxious to reach Ponce. We halted 
 in the afternoon at a point about three miles from the 
 city and there pitched our tents on an elevated plain. 
 This w^as on Sunday, August twenty-eighth. We had 
 been on the island one month and three days, yet to us 
 it seemed we had seen nothing but mud and mountains 
 
306 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 for nearly a year. Shortly after our arrival we were 
 issued the wall tents and what a relief it was to be able 
 to starnd upright under a canvas cover. 
 
 On the return trip from Adjuntas a couple of band 
 boys were trudging along, keeping a sharp lookout 
 for stray chickens or ducks. At last they found some 
 but they were guarded by a watchful native. The boys 
 could not get an opportunity to "lift" one so they formed 
 a plan whereby they could get possession of it. The}- had 
 a little money between them, but the price of one dollar, 
 which the shrewd native placed upon the duck they 
 selected, was more than they cared to invest at that 
 time. One of the boys tucked the duck under his arm 
 and walked away while the other remained and put up 
 a long argument with the native, with the object of 
 detaining him until his comrade had put a considerable 
 distance between them. 
 
 With the soldier talking in English, and the native 
 replying in Spanish, neither one comprehending the 
 conversation of the other, the argument progressed 
 slowly. Jingling the few pieces of coin which he 
 possessed, the soldier ostensibly made an effort to induce 
 the native to reduce his price. The Porto Rican was 
 arbitrary and would make no concessions. He had 
 grasped the out\\ard intentions of the soldier and 
 evidently thought if he held his ground he would event- 
 ually get his price. As the form of the soldier who had 
 possession of the duck grew fainter in the distance and 
 finnally disappeared around the mountain, the owner of 
 the fowl became suspicious then angry. The soldier 
 who had remained, concluding his comrade had been 
 given a good start, again jingled the loose coins in his 
 pocket, politely informed the native to journey on to 
 
Waitinc; for a Transport. 307 
 
 hides, and lau<^hing at the discomfitted man, turned out 
 on the trail and hurriedly followed in the footsteps of 
 his comrade. Not until then did it dawn upon the 
 na i\<.,' I hat the boys had no intentions of givin<r him any- 
 thini;' in leturn for the fowl and his raije knew no 
 bounds. Shaking his clenched lists at the receeding 
 man in liiue and howling like an Indian, he made a 
 movemetr. forward as though he would follow him, but 
 had not pi-Qceded far when the soldier halted and made 
 as thovigh intending to return. Then the native stopped 
 suddenly and hurling a parting shot at the soldier dis- 
 appeared in the brush. The man with the duck sat 
 down and awaited the coming of his comrade, when 
 together, they proceeded uniil feeling safe from pursuit, 
 then dressed the fowl, built a tire and ale their dinner, 
 all the while cont^ratulatin''" themselves on the success of 
 their plan. 
 
 Although camped within a few miles of the wharf 
 at Ponce, where tons upon tons of supplies were stored, 
 our rations did not materially improve. We did get a 
 quantity of canned hamburger-steak but it soon dis- 
 appeared and we fell back on hardtack and sowbelly. 
 About a half mile below us a battery of the Seventh 
 Light Artillery was camped. A number of our boys 
 made regular trips to this camp about mess time and 
 for a while received a warm welcome. The men of the 
 artillery were being well fed and had rations to spare. 
 They geneously shared with our boys until iheir officers 
 put a stop to it. They told us they had never seen the 
 ti:ne since entering the service that they had not been 
 well supplied with rations and could hardly credit our 
 stories when we informed them how we had been ex- 
 istinsi. 
 
308 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 With nothing to do but keep our spirits up while 
 awaiting the order to embark, many of the boys made 
 regular trips to the city. To remain in camp and lie 
 about on the damp grouud was only to aggravate the 
 sorry condition of their fever infected systems and al- 
 though-barely able to stand, many of them forced them- 
 selves to keep on their feet and felt better, if much 
 wearied, from the six mile tramp to town and return. 
 There were many other regiments represented in and 
 about the city, but one could distinguish a member of our 
 regiment trcm that of any other as far as he could be seen. 
 With clothing ragged and dirty, rough beards and dilap- 
 itated footgear, or perhaps barefooted, tanned brown 
 from continued exposure to the weather, worn thin and 
 gaunt by lack of provisions and the ravages of disease, 
 but with a devil-may-care bearing, they contrasted 
 strangely with the neat, rugged appearance of the other 
 troops met with. 
 
 If other proof was lacking, this in itself was suffi- 
 cient to convince us that our experiences had been much 
 more severe than those of any other troops we had so far 
 encountered. True we had not been in an engagement 
 with the enemy, with the exception of the skirmish par- 
 ticipated in by company G, the first morning after our 
 arrival at Guanica. But it is a well known fact that in 
 all active armies of the world, bullets work less destruc- 
 tion than disease, and the hardest worked lot of men in 
 the army, and those having much responsibility resting 
 on their shoulders are the surgeons and corps of assis- 
 tants. The men may be half clothed and illy fed, but it 
 seldom occurs that they enter an active campaign short 
 of ammunition. This vital point is never overlooked. 
 
 If it does occur that the supply of ammunition is not 
 
As It Might Have Been. S(,i) 
 
 equal to the occasion, then the advance or attack is (h^- 
 hiyed until the stock is replenished. There are exce])- 
 tions to this hut they are rare indeed. Why then is it 
 such a difticult problem to forward rations and liositifal 
 supplies to the front V In onr short campai<j;-n we had 
 concluihHl that the ditfiiculty lay between two evils, red 
 ta[)e or negligence. In the case of a heavy engagement 
 where tlif)U3ands were slain or wounded and the needs of 
 the men increased a hundred fold it is an entirely differ- 
 ent matter and there is some excuse for a shortage of sup- 
 plies. 
 
 When the conditions are normal, or in other words, 
 when an army of ten thousand or one hundred thousand 
 men are put in the field, the officials can, without difficul- 
 ty, determine the amount of supplies necessary to pro- 
 vide each man. and it is their duty to see that he receives 
 them. It would be an easy matterforone who has the au- 
 thority, and the health and comfort of the m^ni in mind, 
 to make a tour of the camps at the proper hour and see 
 for themselves how they are being taken care of. If un- 
 ilesirable conditions are found, then let them take the 
 matter up through the proper channel and push it vigor- 
 ously until the wrong is set aright. If the course of pro- 
 cedure is slow and difficult, then why allow officials to 
 remain iu charge of the worlv who have proven themselves 
 negligent or inca})able.'' 
 
 The men have but little opportunity to look to 
 their own comfort in the way of supplies. When taking 
 the oath and donning the blue uniform, they trust to God 
 ai^id the government. They are a party to an agreement, 
 whereby they willingly place their lives at the disposal 
 of their country. 
 
 In return, they are to receive a remuneration of a 
 
310 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 few dollars per month and a certain amount oi: clothing 
 and rations. Their compensation is based npon this al- 
 lowance and when the supplies are not deliverd to them, 
 the contract is broken and the men are defrauded with 
 no chance of having the matter adjusted. 
 
 The regulations provide for a moneyed reimburse- 
 ment where the rations or clothing are not drawn by the 
 men. But to avail thems-T'lves of this proviso a strict ac- 
 count must be kept as to what portion of the allowance 
 has not been drawn and is yet forthcoming. It also ])ro- 
 vides that asup[)ly of requisition blanks will be furnished 
 and must be used in drawing on the different departments 
 for supplies. At stated periods a report must be for- 
 warded giving in detail each item for \Ahich a shortage 
 is claimed. If this report is delayed or overl(»)ked. then 
 it is taken for granted that there is nothing due tln' imjh 
 and their accounts are balanced accordingly. In evciy 
 way, the regulations cover the question completely and 
 the course of action is made clear, but where it errs is in 
 not providing each volunteer company with a stenographer 
 and bookeeper, wh'' couid keepan account of llie many d(^- 
 tails. and an attorney who could prosecute m claim and 
 keep it moving through its tortui-ons channels. 
 
 In the Spanish-American war the hand of Providence 
 appeared to be with us at every turn and had the govern- 
 ment, or the men \^ honi the government placed in res- 
 ponsible positions, charged with the welfare of the 
 soldiers, done their duty, their simple duty, then 
 there would have been but little cause for the men to 
 make complaint. The men expected, and were willing to 
 endure hardships. Not for an instant did they carry the 
 idea they were on a holiday excursion or making a tour 
 of foreign lands on pleasure bent. Expecting but little 
 
Resli.t ok a iSix Weeks Cami'ak;n. ."511 
 
 they were terril)ly disa[)poiiitetl in even that. The volun- 
 teer appointments seOmed to be made not on the merits 
 of the applicant, but his political pull alone was consid- 
 ered. The man of ability was forced into the background 
 and the preference given to the politician. This in ref- 
 erence to the men who were issued commissions l)earing 
 an attractive rank, whose tluties. (as they saw them) 
 were to wear a spotless uniform and draw a liandsome 
 salarv. not the officers in the field who were broujjht face 
 to face with all the privations of an enlisted man. Such 
 positions ns those were little sought after bv the hungrv 
 man with a pull. 
 
 The regular army otticer had been given a five years" 
 training in the art of war at West Point and had been 
 taught the mode of procedure in taking action in almost 
 any emergency Ihat might arise. Besides this, the ma- 
 jority of those in I he service during Il:e late war had 
 years of experience which tauglil: iheni niucli that couUl 
 not be learned in any other manner. These men, when 
 connected with the volunteer troo])s. were placed in posi- 
 tions of such high rank that a protest from the men was 
 usually shelved before reaching them. 
 
 Th;3 ti'oops in Porto Rico were in an unenviable po- 
 sition. Separated from hon)e and friends by hundreds 
 of miles of land and sea. in active service in a foreign 
 country and a tropical climate, among a strange people, 
 illy fed and poorly clad, their st(jri(>s cjf privations which 
 did reach home discredited and laughed to scorn, with 
 no one in authority who ap[)eared to care whether the 
 the men suffered unnecessarily or not. and those who did 
 and made an ( ffort to rdji-:st matters found their work 
 blockeil at eviT\' turn, disease dwindling the ranks of 
 men fit for dutv dcnvn to a mere nothinir, ami this all 
 
312 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 within less than six weeks. Such was the situation on 
 the first of September. Is it surprising that they early 
 became disgusted with the life they were leading ? 
 
 In dwelling upon this matter it would be well to 
 consider that to one sitting in the home, with all its pleas- 
 ant surroundings; provided with all the necessities of life, 
 with dry clothing, wealthy in the possession of health 
 and with an unconscious sense of contentment pervading 
 the soul, for such an one it is difficult to fully comprehend 
 the true situation. They may picture, in their imagina- 
 tion, themselves placed in just such a situation but they 
 cannot realize the effect of it all. Experience alone can 
 bring this about. No picture can portray it. The veter- 
 ans of the 60's understand. Many of them experienced 
 years of soldier life. They were brought face to face 
 with dangers which we never met. Many of them more 
 than once were in the midst of scenes of carnage, where 
 the blood ran red and the dead were strewn all about 
 them. 
 
 These were experiences of which we knew nothing. 
 But on the other hand they were in their own country, a 
 few ho'irs ride would land them at the door of their own 
 homes. The climate differed little from that to which 
 they had been accustomed all their lives. A successful 
 foraging expedition replenished the ration supply, and 
 in various ways their position differed from that of the 
 men who were serving in a foreign land. This compari- 
 son is not draw with the intention of in any manner at- 
 empting . to place our services or experiences on an 
 equal with those of the civil war veteran. But to 
 point out bow, in some respects, the conditions varied 
 nnd brought about entirely different results. 
 
 No class of citizens in the republic, not actually par- 
 
Falling of the tents." h'Ant camp near Ponce, 
 
Veterans ok the 6o"s. 313 
 
 tici[)ating in the civil war, realize more fully the many 
 privations endured by the soldiers of the war of the 
 rebellion, than does the men who saw actual s(^rvice in 
 the war with Spain. Standing as they did the keystone 
 of our Union, preservers of a republic, the greatness of 
 which has placed it at the front among the first nations 
 of the world, those soldiers of Aliraham Lincoln, are ad- 
 mired, respected and loved by our whole people, and es- 
 pecially so by the soldiers of a younger generation, the 
 volunteers of 1898. We shall ever touch our hats in res- 
 pectful salutation to them and in after years, when the 
 last one has answered the final summons, then shall 
 we consider it our sacred duty to strew tiowers o'er their 
 graves and plant the banner which they loved in life on 
 the mounds which mark their resting places. The mem- 
 ory of those men will be fondly cherished for all time. 
 
314 History of Companies I and E, 
 
 CHAPTER XXIV. 
 
 Daring the few weeks which elapsed between the 
 date of the entrance of our regiment into Ponce on its way 
 to the front, and its subsequent return enroute to the 
 States, there had been visible changes wrought in the ap- 
 pearance of thiC main portion of the town. A number of 
 the business houses had been newly painted in attractive 
 colors. Before, the sameness of the shades of every 
 building wearied the eye and gave the town an unattract- 
 ive aspect. The interior of many of the store buildings 
 had been cleaned and on the shelves we found a surpris- 
 ing quantity of American goods, and above the doors of 
 several of the stores, signs had been placed which in- 
 formed the soldiers that English was spoken by one or 
 more of the courteous clerks. 
 
 Some few of the boys managed in some way to se- 
 cure a little money and purchased various articles which 
 they carefully packed to be taken home to their friends. 
 Down near the wharf, an American conducted a sutlers 
 store. His main stock in trade consisted of tobaccos and 
 goods of such nature which the soldiers would be willing 
 to part with their scanty horde of money to secure. One 
 of the boys from Whiteside county went down to pur- 
 chase a supply of tobacco for his comrades who were less 
 fortunate than he and had no money to make a parchase 
 with. His bill of broods amounted to about seven dollars 
 
Akmv Sr ilkr in Ponxr. 315 
 
 au 1 h? giv3 tha sutler a t/.Mi (l;)llar Hill from wliich to 
 take the amount of the purcliase. The sutler was a iier- 
 vou.'^. excitable man. and during the transaftinn high 
 words \V(M-e t-xchanged in reference to llie ]irice of the 
 goods. He had not regained his composure, and pick- 
 ing np llie currency, turned 1o the cash driiwcr rnd 
 contitiiig out the ch;ing(^. stepped over to the hoard coun- 
 ter, .-'.nd p'accd the ten dollar l)il!. \\lii( h the soldier 
 hid I)it a miin Mit 1) v'ort' given him. together with the 
 change, on foj) of the |)-n\'el of tobacco. 
 
 Thi» soldier tt)ok the situation in at a ;;lance and 
 making an excuse grabbtnl the package and the thir- 
 teen dollars and hurriedly left the place. The nH)in(nit 
 he stepped on the street he selected a route which 
 Wound in and out among the buildinj^s and soon 
 broui;-ht him to thy center o' the town. Even then he 
 did iu)t feel comfortable and kept a sharp lookout 
 for a ptjssible {)ursuer but none appeared. Itis'safe to 
 say that man never entered the sutlers store again. He 
 was an even icn dollars to the good on the deal and out 
 at camp it look him ab(jut tifieen minutes to dispose of 
 the tobacco for more than double the price he was sup- 
 posed io have paid the sutler, taking an 1. O. U. in t^ach 
 case for settlement. 
 
 While we were in this, our last camp on the island. 
 Regimental Quarterma>ie.' Sergeant. Rudolph Hicks, 
 of (jalena. succumbed to i\phoid fever. He wa.'^ ill but 
 a short time but he suffered much. He was cjuiie a 
 large man and up until within a few davs of taking to 
 the hospital, had the appearance of one in perfect 
 health. During the last hours before life left him it 
 lequired the combined strength of several men to keep 
 him on his cot. The news of his death was a shock to 
 
316 History of_,Companies I and E. 
 
 eveiT man in the regiment. He was popular with 
 ever^^one and held in high esteem by the men. He was 
 buried on the island with military honors. Corporal 
 Rees Dillon of company E who iiad assisted in this 
 department at different times was appointed to till the 
 vacancy. 
 
 The transport Manitoba, ]a\" out in the harbor and 
 we were waiting for her to discharge her cargo and I e 
 put in readiness for us. Ii was slow w^ork and the 
 carpenters sent out to her had much to do before we 
 could board her. It uas then but a question of a few 
 days when we would leave the island for home. It 
 would never do to put us on shore at New York in the 
 condition we were tiien m. con sequentK' a supply of 
 clothin<r was issued to the re<riment and the men in- 
 formed they would be expected lo equip themselves 
 with sufficient wearing apparel to make a good appear- 
 ance when disembarking in the States. We were not 
 anxious to return looking so rough, \et we felt that if 
 we did, our appearance would be silent but (jverwhelm- 
 ing testimony to substantiate the stories which had gone 
 to our homes in advance of us. But it was determined 
 that such a thin<r would not be allowed and of course 
 we had no choice but to do as we were bid. 
 
 The work of issuing the clothing had but fairly be- 
 gun when orders were received to break camp and 
 march to the wharf, a distance of about live miles. The 
 orders came to us at noon on the sixth of September, 
 and contained the information that we were to strike 
 tents at two thirty that afternoon, and have everything 
 in readiness to march out of camp at three. At the 
 appointed time every tent fell at the beat of a drum, the 
 little city of tents disappearing as if by magic. The 
 
Returniiiir to the United States. 
 
Embarking on tiik MANiTOBy\. 317 
 
 tents were soon rolled up and with the other heavy 
 bagi^^age was taken to the street and placed in readiness 
 for the wagons. 
 
 At three o'clock we marched out headed bv the 
 band and we bade good bye to "Camp Starvation." As 
 we arrived opposite the camp of the artillerymen, Col- 
 onel Foster halted us and we gave them three rousing 
 cheers and a goodbye. In reply, they tired a salute of 
 several guns. \\\t heard many of them express the 
 wash that they might accompany us home now that the 
 war was over. As we neared the center of the city 
 the band struck up, playing marches and patriotic airs. 
 About a mile from the wharf we passed the camp of 
 the Nineteenth regulars, and below them a short distance 
 two or three companies of the Second Wisconsin. The 
 remainder of their regiment had embarked for the 
 States several days before and they were anxiously 
 waiting for a transport in which to follow them. 
 
 We were soon at the wharf and found the Manito- 
 ba lying a short distance out in the bay. The horses 
 were loaded before w^e arrived, a portion of our bag- 
 gage had arrived and details of men w^ere soon at work 
 loading the barges. Darkness w^as upon us before 
 much had been accomplished, but by the aid of lanterns 
 the work continued as it was hoped that by making a 
 special effort everything would be in readiness for an 
 early start the following morning. We lay around on 
 the ground and on boxes without supper, our provision 
 w^agons not getting in until after midnight. 
 
 We remained on the wharf all night and at nine 
 o'clock the follow^ing morning assembly was sounded 
 and we were soon on barges on our way to the boat. 
 After boarding her we lay there until six o'clock in the 
 
318 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 evening taking- on baggage; then taking a parting look 
 at the city we put out to sea. 
 
 On board we found 800 canvas hammocks. These 
 we soon had arranged and we were not long in turning 
 into them. The boat was of good size, 460 feet in 
 length with 48 feet beam, there being four decks be- 
 sides the saloon deck. She was an- English boat and 
 manned by an English crew. The government had 
 either purchased or leased her, and she was used as a 
 Quartermaster's supply boat. Her decks were very 
 wet and dirty throughout the whole voyage, contrasting 
 strangely with the neatness and cleanliness on board the 
 U. S. S. Colun^bia. 
 
 Accommodations for cooking were ver\' poor, not 
 beinor able to make anv thinfj but coffee. Shortly after 
 midnight our boat dropped anchor off the westerm coast 
 of the island, lying there until daylight then entering the 
 harbor of Mayaguez, where we took on ice. It looked 
 very inviting for us as we had nothing to drink but con- 
 densed sea water which was very warm, but we were 
 disappointed when we learned we would not be allowed 
 any ice to use in the water. It was for the boat's crew 
 and our officers. 
 
 We left the harbor at 10:30 a. m. and continued on 
 our course direct to New York. Nothing of impor- 
 tance occurred on board, everything going well until 
 Sunday evening when we encountered a storm, and the 
 boat was taken out of its course to avoid colliding with 
 a water spont which could be plainh- .^een a shoit dis- 
 tance ahead. From this time until we entered the har- 
 bor at New York the wind blew a gale, retarding the 
 speed of the boat considerably and making the sea quite 
 rounh. 
 
Arrival at New York. 819 
 
 Sunday, Chaplain Ferris held church services on 
 board and in the course of his talk he referred to the 
 n.anner in which we had been fed while on the island. 
 He said. '"It was the work of a few mean, contemptible, 
 damnable men. and they alone were the cause of all the 
 suffering from lack of food. They were unfit to be 
 called men." He scored them hard but not more than 
 they deserved. This caused the boys to applaud loud 
 and long. But why was it nothing had been said of 
 this before. The devilish work had been <roinfr on for 
 six or eight weeks and now we were on our way home 
 it seemed rather late in the day, and if the matter had 
 been taken up before we might have received some 
 benefit from it. 
 
 Tuesday morning we sighted laiid and all was 
 excitement from that time until we landed. Oh! how 
 inviting it looked. — possibly because it was home. This 
 was ''God's country" as Col. Foster was pleased to term 
 it The sick and down-hearted brightened up and 
 everyone was cheerful. As we came slowly into the 
 harbor small tujfs and sleam yachts came sailino- out to 
 greet us. whistles were blown continually, and all was 
 confusion. 
 
 The v\ ater was fall of ferr}' boats, excursion steam- 
 ers, lugs, sailing boats and yachts. They sailed around 
 us, some following us up the bay, all whistling and 
 snortint^, everv one cheerinij us and waving^ hats, hand- 
 kerchiefs and umbrellas. VVt: stopped at the cpiarantine 
 station and an otlicer came on board. He had been 
 with us but a few moments when we noticed a small tug 
 boat which had been following us some time steam 
 along side, (jlener d Gariettson and several of his staff 
 were takei on board the tu'j'-boat where the General's 
 
320 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 wife and a number of friends were waiting to receive 
 him. This we knew meant no quarantine for us and 
 soon we were on the move once more. 
 
 As we neared the statute of Libert}' we again 
 slowed down and came to a standstilh Our boat sig- 
 nalled several times, by whistling, and shortly the har- 
 bor master's tug came along side and after another 
 short delay, we continued up North river to the docks 
 of the West Shore Railroad in Weehawken where our 
 vessel was made fast and our sea voyage terminated. 
 This was about three o'clock in the afternoon of Tues- 
 day, September thirteenth. 
 
 We were not allowed to go ashore until the follow- 
 ing day when everyone was given the privilege of visiting 
 New York across the river. Crowds of the boys 
 crossed on the ferry-boats which transported them free. 
 The people of New York and Weehawken treated us 
 royally and nearly every man who came in on the boat 
 was given a good meal. This was appreciated as it 
 had been sometime since they had sat at a table and ate 
 food like white men. Cigars and fruits in abundance 
 were given freely. Congressman George Prince was 
 an early caller to welcome the boys back to their homes 
 and he gave each Captain ten dollars to expend for food 
 for the men. Through him we were also issued soft 
 bread. 
 
 The cargo of baggage and horses was unloaded 
 Wednesday and at ten o'clock that night we boarded 
 the cars for Springfield, arriving there about ten thirty 
 Fridav night. We left the cars at the uptown station 
 and marched to Camp Lincoln, occuping the tents which 
 had been vacated a short time previous b}' the men of 
 the Fifth regiment. 
 
 I 
 
On to Springfield. 321 
 
 The bo\'s of the Fifth were a very disappointed lot. 
 It will be remembered that the Third and Fifth regi- 
 ments were mustered into the volunteer service in ad- 
 vance of the Sixth, and they carried the idea that they 
 would get to the front long before the boys of our regi- 
 ment. In this they were mistaken as we landed in 
 Porto Rica some little time ahead of the Third, and the 
 boys of the Fifth, poor fellows, never got far from the 
 shores of their own country. They were twice ordered 
 to embark for Porto Rica, but each time were called 
 back. At one time they had so far proceded as to 
 board a vessel and had put out to sea when the com- 
 mand was given calling them back, and they realized 
 that their hopes were blasted and they must be content 
 with the lot which befell them. 
 
 Our trip from New York to Springfield was thorough- 
 ly enjoyed by the boys. They were met by cheering hos- 
 pitality at every stopping place along the route, and sym- 
 pathetic mothers made great inroads on their stores of 
 canned goods. It seemed to us that they must have been 
 preparing for our coming for weeks as the number of 
 pies, cakes and cans of jelly given us was little short of 
 astonishing. Great cans of pure, sweet milk were 
 brought into the cars and carried from one end to the 
 other and an open invitation was extended to each man to 
 to fill his cup as often as he liked. Large bas- 
 kets of various kinds of fruits were broug^ht to the train 
 and bushels of sandwiches were found at almost every 
 stopping place. 
 
 In exchang'e for these gifts of food the people asked 
 nothing in return except some little thing as a button, or 
 a bullet. The craze appeared to settle on the cartridges 
 and at every window there would be found a nian, woman 
 
322 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 or child petitioning us to ''gimme a bullet.'" This con- 
 tinued until our cartridge belts were empty and we had 
 nothing more to give. The name of one man was in the 
 mouth of nearly every person we met in passing through 
 the state of New York. Theodore Roosevelt. "Roosevelt 
 is all right, isn't he?" '"What do you think of Roose- 
 velt?" and "Roosevelt will be our next Governor." Such 
 remarks were heard on every side at each stopping place 
 and it was readily seen that the citizens of the state of 
 New York were extremely proud of the gallant officer 
 and intended to honor him by placing him in the high- 
 est office within their gift. 
 
 Leaving Weehawken in the night, we covered many 
 miles before the dawn of the following day and we were 
 given an opportunity to witness the beauties of the Key- 
 stone State. Our train arrived at Kingston atoue thirty 
 a. m. and although it was in the dead of the night the 
 whole town seemed to be astir and waiting for us. The 
 people could not do enough for us and everything was as 
 free as air. Cana Joharie was reached at six a. m. It is 
 a nice looking town with an old ivy covered stone church 
 which was very picturesque. For several miles after 
 leaving this town the road ran beside the Erie canal. 
 
 Ilion was reached at six-fifty. A little farther up 
 the road a half dozen hobos had a fire built and were 
 getting their breakfast. Some of the boys began to sing 
 '"Comrades." We pulled into Syracuse at nine a. m. 
 and found the citizens much excited over a suicide. The 
 train came to a standstill in Buffalo at three p. m. Here 
 we saw the Ninth New Y'ork boys who had just come 
 from Chickamauga. The Thirteenth Infantry, regulars, 
 whose barracks are here, had also arrived but a few hours 
 iti advance" ot us. We were switched to the Nickle Plate 
 
Camp Lincoln. 323 
 
 road and at four-thirty we were off once more. 
 
 At five twenty-tive we sighted Lake Erie and a short 
 time later ran through Silver Creek, one of the prettiest 
 little t(jwns on our route. Vineyards were seen on every 
 Inind and the fruit gave the air a peculiarly fragrant 
 odor. We entered Pennsylvania at seven p. ni. and rolled 
 into Erie a half hour later. A large crowd was waiting 
 to welcome us. The railroad passes directly down a busy 
 street and at every crossing a crowd cheered and waved 
 handkerchiefs. Here as at every other stopping place, 
 I he cry was, "Mister, please give me a bullet."' 
 
 We struck Cleveland about midnight where coffee, 
 milk, and sandwiches were served. We remained in the 
 town about thirty minutes. New Haven was reached at 
 eight o'clock in the morning, where we overtook the 
 second section of our train. Several boxes of canned 
 peaches were sent to us by the merchants of the city. 
 After a short delay our train was switched to the Wabash 
 and we were soon in the Hoosier State where ''The frost 
 was on the pumpkin and the fodder in the shock." 
 
 Peru was reached about no(jn. At Lafayette we 
 were treated to more sandwiches, bread, jelly, pickles, 
 grapes and peaches. It is not surprising that numbers of 
 the boys were ill for weeks, after eating everything in 
 sight from New York to Illinois. In the middle of the 
 aL'ternoon we stopped a few moments at a little station 
 which bore the name of State Line, and we were once 
 more in Illinois. We made a short stop at Danville and 
 the train remained for some time at Decatur. It was af- 
 ter ten o'clock on the night of September sixteenth when 
 we arrived at Springfield. Marching out to camp we 
 found sandwiches and coffee prepared for us by the citi- 
 zens and the following morning they served breakfast 
 
324 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 for us. 
 
 When our train Ifft New York, lliere were a num- 
 ber from the regiment who were too much taken up 
 with the sights of the metropolitan city to return to 
 the wharf in time to board the train. We left them 
 to return as best they could, not expectiag to see them 
 for some time. Imagine our surprise when we de- 
 barked at the passenger depot at Springtield to find 
 them there in advance of us. They had secured trans- 
 portation through one of the many officers in New York 
 and had gone around the northern route, through Can- 
 ada, and fortunately for them, made quick time to 
 Springtield. 
 
 Immediately on our arrival at camp Lincoln we 
 began the work of preparing muster and pay-rolls, and 
 we were informed we would be granted a sixty day 
 furlough on full pay. after the expiration of which we 
 would probably be returned to Springfield and mustered 
 out of the service. Ordnance supplies were turned in 
 and checked up and everything made ready as rapid- 
 ly as possible for our departure for home. 
 
Steri.in(; Boys at the Leland. 325 
 
 CHAPTER XXV. 
 
 Many friends and relatives of the returning vol- 
 unteers came to Springtield to welcome them home. 
 Between the work of making ready for an early depart- 
 ure for home and visiting with friends the days passed 
 quickly but none too much so for the boys who were all 
 anxious to get away. \ committee from Morrison and 
 another from Sterling, assisted by many others from in 
 and about our home to A'ns, took the soldiers under their 
 especial charge and Sf w to it that nothing was wanting 
 which money could purchase. Every setting of the table 
 was a banquet and the boys were not slow to take advan- 
 tage of the opportunity and they stowed the good things 
 away with a relish and scant ceremony. 
 
 The Sunday following our arrival at Camp Lincoln, 
 the members of Company E were pleasantly surprised by 
 the citizens committee from Sterling and Rock Falls, who 
 extended them an invitation to attend a banquet to be 
 ariven at the Leland hotel in their honor. At seven tif- 
 teen in the evening they asembled, and marching to the 
 entrance of the grounds, found street cars awaiting to 
 convey them to the city. Arriving at the hotel at eight, 
 the supper was served soon afterwards. The steaks were 
 done to a turn, the omeiets were perfection, the cold 
 meats were better than usual and the coffee was the best 
 
326 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 money could purchase. The cakes and jellies were all 
 that mortal man could desire and the boys were unani- 
 mous in proclaiming it the most enjoyable meal they had 
 partaken of for months. 
 
 The colored waiters stood ready to replenish the 
 su})ply at a moment's notice and appeared eager to assist 
 in every way possiVjle to make the occasion a pleasant one. 
 One of the amusing incidents of the evening was the 
 unanimous refusal of the pork and beans. The dish was 
 passed to everyone present and in nearly every instance 
 it was untouched. The boys absolutely refused to have 
 anything to do with them. The colored waiters saw the 
 joke and enjoyed it fully as much as did the guests at 
 the ban(|uet. 
 
 The boys ate long and heartily, and did but little 
 talking, and no time was wasted. At the conclusion of 
 the repast, cigars were passed around and while the sold- 
 iers sat at their places, quietly and peacefully puffing 
 away at the rich Havanas, a number of good speeches 
 were made. C. L. Sheldon, the chairman of the commit- 
 tee, was the toastmaster. In as few words as possible he 
 congratulated the boys on their safe return home. '"You 
 have succeeded,'' said he ''in writing anolher page of 
 American history which will take place along with the 
 civil war, You have assisted in emancipating a race and 
 giving it liberty. We are here to congratulate you this 
 evening in the name of the people of Sterling, because, 
 while you have sufPered great privations and hardships, 
 you have done a great good to humanity in the name of 
 humanity." Continuing in this strain for a few moments 
 Mr. Sheldon closed his remarks by calling upon Colonel 
 Poster, who was present as a guest, to respond to the 
 toast, ''The Sixth Regiment," which was drank by all 
 
Flrlouoii!-:!). .'527 
 
 standing. 
 
 The colonel re[)liecl l)rieflv. and in the eourse cjf his 
 remarks said that company E had done everything to the 
 best of its ability. It had dune everything it had ])een 
 asked to do. and did it without c()m[)laining. C/haplain 
 Ferris, and Captfxin Colebaugh of Company I, each spoke 
 briefly, expressing their pleasure at being present. 
 When Major Anthony was called upon he was compelled 
 to wait some minutes before the applause died down suf- 
 ficiently to make himself heard. His remarks were brief 
 but he expressed his satisfaction in the boys getting back 
 to Springfield in as good condition as they were. 
 
 Mayor Miller then addressed the boys, telling them 
 he was proud to be present and proud to be there in the 
 name of the city of Sterling to welcome company E. He 
 told the boys that the people at home were all proud of 
 them, that they regretted to see them leave home, par- 
 ticularly because of the serious errand, and that they were 
 doubly glad at their return, and when they arrived home 
 the town would be theirs. His sincere words were greet- 
 ed with prolonged applause. Ex-Mayor Street gave a 
 short talk and vvas followed by Robert McNeil, represent- 
 ing the people of Rock Falls. Lieutenants Dillon and 
 Wahl each spoke briefly and the aflPair was over. 
 
 The boys of com[)any E appreciated the welcome ex- 
 tended them and kntjw that this was only a forerunner of 
 what they might expect when they finally rea(died their 
 homes. The members of com[)any I were royally treat- 
 ed by the citizens committee, headed by Sheriff Fuller, 
 which was sent to Springfield to represent the people of 
 Morrison and surrou;iding towns. 
 
 Monday we received two months pay and the re- 
 mainder of the stay at Camp Lincoln was spent by 
 
328 History of Companies 1 and E. 
 
 the boys in getting rid of their hard earned money. 
 Orders were issued granting the men of the Sixth 
 Regiment, sixty days furlough to take effect the twen- 
 ty-first. A number of boys from both companies were 
 taken to the military hospital in Springfield. Malari- 
 al fever was the general complaint. In their weak- 
 ened condition the disease was severe on them and a 
 number were unable to return home with the com- 
 panies. These men were left lo the care of the medi- 
 cal corps at the hospital where they received the best 
 of care and although some of them were seriously ill 
 for a time, they all came home later. 
 
 At one o'clock on the morning of the twenty-first 
 of September the train bearing the returning soldiers 
 pulled away from Camp Lincoln. Our route was over 
 the Burlington as far as Sterling, where we arrived 
 about ten o'clock a. m. After company E had debarked, 
 the remaining coaches occupied by company I were 
 hurried to Morrison. At every town along the route 
 we were greeted by large and enthusiastic crowds, 
 and when we left the cars in our home towns, the re- 
 ception extended us bafiles description. Company. E 
 was marched to its armory which had been placed 
 at the disposal of the many relatives of the boys and 
 those dear to them. There the first tender greetings 
 were exchanged. Company I was taken direct to the 
 court house hill where they were welcomed home by 
 what appeared to them, the inhabitants of the whole 
 of the western half of Whiteside county. 
 
 Home again, home again, 
 
 From a foreign shore. 
 And oh I it fills our hearts with joy 
 
 To meet our friends once more. 
 
RKci:rTio\ IIomi:. 329 
 
 Here we dropped tlie parting tear, 
 
 To cross the ocean's foam, 
 But now we're once again with those. 
 Who kindly greet us home. 
 
 Fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters and sweethearts 
 were there to extend a first welcome. From the train the 
 boys were escorted by (t. A. R. Posts, bands, organiza- 
 tions and school children. The line of march was black 
 with peoj^le and all cheered and aided in making the wel- 
 come a royal one. Arrangements had been made where- 
 by the citizens were to receive news of our coming by the 
 rinsrinof of bells and blowing of whistles. Easiness was 
 suspended for the time and the returning soldiers were 
 given the first place in the thoughts of nearly every man, 
 vva)man and child. The crowds were more dense and 
 enthusiastic, if such could be. than those present when 
 the good-byes were said five months before. 
 
 Such a welcome home! The bpys, surrounded by 
 relatives and friends, each vying with the other in an 
 attempt to make the welcome home complete, thought 
 of the discomforts, trials, and the miny trying days 
 which they had experienced since leaving home: their 
 minds worked with the rapidity of lightning and they 
 went over the whole campaign like a flash and they felt 
 after all that in this welcome home, this reuniting with 
 loved ones and kind friends, the hospitality extended 
 them on every hand and the sincerity with which each 
 was greeted; they were being paid in full for every hour 
 of the privations they had endured. They felt that such 
 a irreetincr was of more value than all thev had done 
 to receive it. and in those first hours of ecstasy they 
 wondered if they deserved such homage. 
 
 In more than one respect they were gratified be- 
 yond expression. If the welcome home was any indica- 
 
330 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 tion of the feelings of the people, and no stronger proof 
 was necessary, the boys felt that they had performed 
 their duties in a manner satisfactory to their friends. 
 This meant much to them. To be sure they might 
 have done more if the opportunity had arisen, but it did 
 not and for every duty they were called upon to per- 
 form there was one man or more ready to respond to 
 the call. In every manner possible they had bent their 
 efforts toward fulfilling their duties to the best of their 
 abilities, and to know that their efforts in this direction 
 had given satisfaction to their relatives and friends at 
 home was very pleasing to them. 
 
 The Sixth Regiment band escorted company E to 
 its armory and boarded the train to be on hand at the 
 welcome of company I. The band arranged to make a 
 tour of each of the twelve towns which was the home 
 of a company of the Sixth, giving a concert in each 
 town. This the}' did later on and met with pleasant re- 
 ceptions and gratifying success at each place. 
 
 After the public reception was over, the volunteers 
 sought their homes and there enjoyed to the fullest thi't 
 peace and rest that comes to the weary wanderer on his 
 return to the family fold. The hour that had been 
 looked forward to for so long was at last at hand and 
 they gave themselves up to the full enjoyment of it. 
 Invitations to dinners were showered upon them and 
 had they accepted of all of them and ate one half of the 
 good things which was prepared for them, they must 
 have foundered themselves and suffered with the gout 
 the remainder of their days. As it was, many of them 
 were taken ill shortly after their arrival home and 
 hovered between life and death for weeks and months. 
 Their fever infested systems were over taxed and they 
 
Sick Rkmain in Ponck. 381 
 
 were compelled to give in to it. No doubt many of 
 those who were taken ill so soon after reaching home 
 would have given up before had not the thought of re- 
 turning buoyed them uji and gave them courage to 
 light down the disease. The reaction of the pleasure 
 of the home coming left them weak and resulted in their 
 taking to their beds, there to remain for weeks battling 
 with that ^rim monster, death, which appeared deter- 
 mined to claim them for its own. 
 
 When the regiment left Ponce for New York, we 
 left a number of the sick soldiers who were too weak 
 to withstand the sea voyage home at that time and the\' 
 remained to return later on hospital ships. At the time 
 of our departure it was expected that these boats would 
 arrive in the harbor at any moment and might possibly 
 land the sick boys in New Yoik in ad^•ance of us. This 
 did not prove to be the case and a number of days 
 elapsed before the boys got awa^/ from the island and 
 then they were placed on board of several different ves- 
 sels and in this way became widely scattered. 
 
 They were placed in the hospital, of the Nine- 
 teenth regulars to await the arrival of the hospital ships. 
 Later the Nineteenth removed from that location and 
 the sick wej-e taken to the general hospital. Of those 
 remaining on the island there were four from company 
 E: privates Fred Sneed, Ernest Kahl, Leo Bushnell and 
 George Rounds. Corporal Luther x\llpress also of 
 company E, was taken ill before the regiment left 
 Ponce for the States and was placed on board a hos- 
 pital ship and taken to Philadelphia where he remained 
 for a short time, returning to Sterling as soon as he had 
 recovered sutliciently to make the journey. 
 
 Of the sick members of company 1 who were left 
 
332 History of Companies I and E, 
 
 on the island there were fourteen. Q. M. Serg't 
 Andrew Mathews; Serg'ts Andrew Osborne Jr., and 
 Harry Rockey; C?orp"l Harry Berry; privates Fred 
 Brearton, Schuyler Sweeney, Clarence Sears. James 
 Andrews, Charles Freek, V^erne Smith, Edward Lepper, 
 William Lueck, Ross Wilkins and Henry Patterson. 
 Ralph Humphre\' of the hospital corps was detained 
 in the mountains and did not rejoin the regiment. 
 
 The condition of the sick bONS varied somewhat 
 as a few of them had been ill for weeks and were in a 
 danoferous condition, while others were more fortunate 
 and able to move about. The bo3S who were strong 
 enough to be up and around rather enjoyed the situa- 
 tion, but those that vvere bed ridden were very much 
 depressed when the regiment left the. island, and were 
 slow to recover sufficiently to brighten their drooping 
 spirits. It certainly was not a pleasant state of affairs 
 for them. 
 
 On the twenty-seventh of September, nearly all of 
 the forty-three members of the Sixth Ills., who were in 
 the hospital at Ponce marched or were carried to the 
 wharf at Port Ponce and boarded the hospital ship 
 Obdam, which sailed at noon the following day for 
 Santiago by the way of the Windward Passage. The 
 first night out occurred the death of private Schuyler 
 Sweene}', the first volunteer from company I to answer 
 the final summons. He was found dead near an open 
 hatchway and it vv as supposed he fell to the deck below 
 breaking his neck. With but a few days between him- 
 self and home, he had suddenly passed, over the great 
 divide to the world beyond where the general and the 
 private are adjudged alike and and the epaulettes and 
 gilded cords which adorn the commander, shine no 
 brighter than the worn and faded blouse of the volun- 
 
PHIV. TflOS. PHILLIPS. PKlV.SClirVLKH SWEKXKV 
 
 Four members of Co. I who died in the service. 
 
Death U.ndkk thic Old 1"'i..\(;, 3;};} 
 
 teer in the ranks. The morninL,'' fnllowino- his dcalli lie 
 was buried at sea. 
 
 The Obdam arrived at Saniiai^ro the followini; Fri- 
 day ni<fht. enteriiiLJ the harbor in the morninij. The 
 crew was engaged in unloading supplies for the army 
 ill Cuba until midnight Sunday when it sailed for New 
 York. x\t about ten o'clock the next morninif, after 
 rounding the eastern point of Cuba the slack in the 
 bunkers was discovered to be on tire and the boat 
 turned back towards Santiago where it arrived the same 
 night. The tire was not of much consequence and at 
 noon Thursday the boat again set sail for New York. 
 On the way out of the harbor the boys had an excellent 
 view of the fortifications and Morro Castle, The boat 
 reached New York on the eleventh and on the morning 
 of the twelfth all were transferred to the city and taken 
 to Miss Helen Gould's place for soldiers. 
 
 Among the number who returned on this vessel 
 were the four bo}S from company E and the following 
 members from company I: Q. M. Serg't Andrew Math- 
 ews, Serg't i\ndrew Osborne and privates Verne Smith, 
 Fred Brearlon and Edward Lepper. Serg't Harry 
 Rockey and Corp'l Harry Berr}- of company I, both 
 of whom were more dead than alive, left Ponce on 
 the hospital ship Missouri on September twent}'-eighlh, 
 arriving at Fortress Monroe, Newport News, October 
 first. They were taken to the hospital where they re- 
 mained for some time gradually regaining health and 
 strength until able to continue the journey home. 
 
 Privates Ross Wilkins, Charles Freek and Henry 
 Patterson of compan}- I, were among the number who 
 returned to Newport News on the Missouri. James 
 Andrews, William Lueck and Clarence Sears arri\ed 
 
331 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 later and all of the boys from both companies E and I 
 eventually reached their homes with the exception of 
 private Wilkins, who died at Fortress Monroe on the 
 ninth of November. The circumstances surrounding 
 the death of private Wilkins were peculiar and excep- 
 tionallv sad. About the first of November he wrote to 
 his parents stating that he was able to return home if 
 someone would go there to accompany him on the 
 journey. Later a telegram was received which stated 
 that he thought he was hardly able to withstand the 
 lon<T trip at that time, and two days later he died. No 
 notice of his death was sent his parents, although he had 
 their address on his person. His brother w^ent after 
 him intending to remain with him until he had recov- 
 ered sufficient to be brought home. On arriving at the 
 hospital he found that the soldier brother had been dead 
 and buried some ten days. The shock was a severe 
 one to his relatives and friends. The remains were 
 later brought to Lyndon for burial. 
 
 On October nineteenth occurred the death of pri- 
 vate Thomas Phillips of Company I. He was one of 
 the number who joined the company at Springtiefd, his 
 home was at Buda 111. When the regiment was fur- 
 louf^hed he came to Morrison with the companv and 
 w^as taken ill with typhoid fever a short time afterward. 
 He sank gradually, the end coming quite suddenly. 
 Relatives came and took the remains to Buda where 
 they w^ere interred. 
 
 The fourth member of company I to close his eyes 
 to all things earihl}- while in the service of the govern- 
 ment was Ralph liumphrey. When the regiment left 
 Porto Rico, with Ralph in the mountains, none suspect- 
 ed that thev had looked upon his face for the last time 
 
R.\i.ni IIiMniKi'v DiKs AT L'tuado. 3^") 
 
 in life. His parents heard from him at intervals and he 
 was apparently in good health and the lirst intimation 
 deceived that he had been ill was in the return of a let- 
 ter which was mailed to him on the fourteenth of (Octo- 
 ber. It was received at Utuado November third and 
 returned to Morrison arriving on the thirteenth. Across 
 its face the burning words were written '-Deceased,- 
 Returned." The heart stricken parents could hardly 
 realize that their son was not among the living until his 
 death was confirmed officiall}- a few days later. 
 
 Following the first notice of his death letters were 
 received from his comrades who were at his bedside 
 when the end came, giving the details in connection 
 with his illness and death. He had been on duty at the 
 hospital up to , the time he was admitted as a patient, 
 October fifteenth, and developed typhoid fever. He 
 appeared to be gaining up to the twenty-ninth when he 
 suffered a relapse from which he never rallied and en 
 the thirtieth he died. He was buried with military 
 honors in the pretty little cemetery at Utuado bv the 
 side of a number of his unfortunate comrades. He was 
 the tirst and only one of the boys from Whiteside coun- 
 ty to suffer death in the beautiful little island of Porto 
 Rico. His remains were disinterred and brought to 
 Morrison where they were buried in Grove Hill ceme- 
 ter\' April thirtieth, 1899. 
 
 One of the most sad incidents occurring in the 
 history of the Sixth regiment was the death of Major 
 William E. Baldwin of Dixon. Shortlv after the arrival 
 of the regiment in Porto Rico he was affected with 
 dysentery. His health failed gradually and when the 
 return to Ponce was made he was so weakened that he 
 decided to take a berth on the hospital ship Relief. He 
 
33G History of Companies I and E. 
 
 was taken to Philadelphia and placed in a hospital 
 where he remained until the time of his death which oc- 
 curred on September fifteenth. In a letter written -his 
 wife under date of the fourteenth of September, he 
 stated he was receiving the best possible treatment and 
 attention, that he was getting along nicel}^ and there 
 was no cause for her to worry as he would be home 
 shortly. 
 
 His perdiction of the early arrival at home proved 
 true, but little did anyone surmise the conditions that 
 would surround the return of the soldier. The an- 
 nouncement of his death following so closely upon the 
 receipt of the cheering letter completely overcame the 
 waiting wife, a bride of a year, and the anxious father 
 and mother were grief stricken. While in the hospital 
 apparently on the road to ultimate recovery, he suffered 
 a relapse and passed away very suddenly. The re- 
 mains were brought to Dixon for interment. Guarded 
 by a squad of G. A. R. veterans, the body lay in state 
 in the corridor of the Lee county court house, where it 
 was viewed by hundreds of sorrowing friends. The 
 funeral occurred on the Sunday following his death. It 
 was one of the largest and most impressive ever held 
 in this section of the state. He was buried with mili- 
 tary honors befitting his rank. 
 
 Major Baldwin had been connected with the Illinois 
 National Guard for ten years, having enlisted as a»n 
 original member of company G of Dixon, July second 
 1888. He served as a non-commissioned officer for a 
 time and was commissioned second lieutenant in 1890; 
 promoted to captain in 189 1, commanding the company 
 during its service in Chicago where it participated in the 
 campaign arising from the railroad strike. In the fall 
 
Major Win. li. Baldwin and his mount. 
 
Death oi' Major Haldwin. 337 
 
 of 1896 he was comir.issioned major of the Third 
 Battalion and entered the service of the government as 
 a volunteer otFicer in this capacity. He was well and 
 favorably known throughout the re<riment and his 
 death caused a wave of sorrow to sweep over the entire 
 command. 
 
338 History of Comfanies I and E. 
 
 CHAPTER XXVI. 
 
 The sixty days furlough granted the volunteers were 
 spent in accepting invitations to, and attending receptions, 
 which came one after another with amazing rapidity. 
 Public affairs in which the entire communit}- partici- 
 pated were followed by informal dinners and parties 
 where the thought which appeared uppermost in the 
 minds of the hosts was to heap tempting morsels of food 
 upon the tables until they fairly groaned from the over 
 burdening. Everything that lay in the power of these 
 good people was done for the comfort of the returned 
 soldiers, and the thoughts of the days and nights of 
 hunger, rain and mud, passed in the jungles of Porto 
 Rico, were quickly replaced by the most pleasant mem- 
 ories of the days following the home comiT}g. 
 
 About a week after the furlough was granted, the 
 company commanders and their assistants were ordered 
 to Springfield to begin the work of preparing the mus- 
 ter-out rolls. This occupied much of the time which 
 followed previous to the date of discharge, as the reg- 
 ular army officer detailed by the government to oversee 
 the work of mustering out the regiment, and under 
 whose directions the work had made fair progress, was 
 relieved from this duty and succeeded by another whose 
 ideas concerning the rules to be followed were entirely 
 
Mustered Out. 339 
 
 different from tliose of the lirsl ollicer on tlie lield. and 
 much that had been completed was ruled out and re- 
 placed by such entries as the ideas of the laie arri\;i', 
 deemed proper. 
 
 The serious illness of many of the returned soldiers. 
 v\ith ihe receipt of the information, now and then, of the 
 death of some comrade, kept the homes of man\- in a 
 state of gloom ond suspense for sometime, but this 
 gradually wore away and as the boys gathered in their 
 accustomed haunts as of }ore. those places took on a fam- 
 iliar aspect and much that had occurred in the summer 
 which had passed, w^as apparenth' forgotten. 
 
 Sunday morning, November twentieth, eouipany I 
 boarded the train for Sterling, where they joined com- 
 panies E and Gr and were soon enroute for Springfield 
 over the "Q." They arrived at their destination in the 
 evening and reported to Colonel Foster the following 
 morning. Several from each company had not sufficient- 
 ly recovered from their illness as to be in condition to re- 
 port to Springfield and while those who did report for 
 the muster were given a very thorough physical exami- 
 nation previous to receiving their discharge, the sick 
 boys at horn?, some of whom were yet hovering between 
 life and death, were given their final papers releasing 
 them from the service without so much as a single query 
 being put to them or their physicians, as to their physi- 
 cal condition. 
 
 01 company E members, the following were 
 mustered out while ill at home: privates Eager, Lingle, 
 Haberle, Book. Compton and McKeh'ey. The members 
 of comyau}' I who were unalde to report at Springfield 
 were: musician Colebaugh, and privates McKenzie, Sav- 
 age, Reynolds, Smith and Bunzey. Ty})li()id malarial 
 
340 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 fever was the complaint in each case. 
 
 While at Camp Tanner the regiment was quartered 
 in the Machinery Hall which had been prepared for their 
 coming by the merchants and citizens of Springfield. The 
 weather turned cold and they were chilled to the marrow 
 as they huddled around the big stoves and strove to keep 
 warm. The Monday following tlieir arrival the boys 
 were given the physical examination. During the next 
 few days pay rolls were signed and on the twenty-fifth 
 they were given their final settlement. They received 
 two and one-half months pay, together with the balance 
 of clothing allowance and ration money while on furlough 
 and that evening boarded the train for home, soldiers no 
 more, but citizens of the state of Illinois. They arrived 
 the next morning, and the Sixth Regiment of Infantry. 
 Illinois Volunteers, of the Spanish -American War of 
 1898 was an organization of the past and had gone into 
 history. 
 
 The war was over as far as actual hostilities were 
 concerned. The signing of the peace protocol on the 
 twelfth day of August was practically the end. A peace 
 commission was appointed and negotiations were in 
 progress which eventually resulted in the renewing of 
 the friendly relations, officially, between our g-- vernment 
 and that of Spain. A number of regiments of volunteers 
 were retained in the service to do garrison duty in both 
 Cuba and Porto Rico as the then existing conditions 
 were such as would warrant the presence of the military 
 for some time to come. 
 
 Porto Rico became a United States possession, the 
 Cubans were given their liberty and the Philippine Is- 
 lands became the property of our government, which in a 
 spirit of generosity, paid tht- Spanish government twenty 
 
Results oi' Till': War. 341 
 
 millions of dollars in cxelifiii^x' for its rijLflils mid titles to 
 these islands. This act went far tf) substantiate the state- 
 ment made by o'lr government at the outbreak of the 
 war. when it declared that this was not a war of conquest 
 but of civilization and humanity. Although our govern- 
 ment realized that Spain's actual claims to the Philip- 
 pines at the commencement of the war were hardly worth 
 twenty cents, it also knew that in the eyes of the nations 
 of the world Spain still retained the right of sovereignty 
 over the islands even if she did maintain it by force of 
 arms and that in but a few localities along the coast. 
 
 To allow Spain to remain in possession of the islands 
 was not to be considered, as th^ inhabitants had done 
 much to aid in driving her out of that territory. To 
 withdraw our troops at that period would have been an 
 act unworthy of our people. To remain in possession 
 without remuneration to the Spanish government would 
 place the war as one of conqest, hence the payment of the 
 twenty millions. 
 
 The Philippine war which followed, and has dragged 
 along since, is to be deplored, but in the future when 
 peace reigns over the land which has been torn by w^ars 
 from center to circumference for years, those untutored, 
 half civilized people will recognize the beauties and 
 strength of our government and their hearts will be filled 
 with thankfulness in being allowed the protection of the 
 parental wing of a people whose very existence as a gov- 
 ernment is based upon the watchword, "freedom," a peo- 
 ple who, in a single century has risen from a position of 
 the humblest to that of the foremost in the ranks of the 
 nations of the globe, and is known and feared alike the 
 w^orld over for its stand for right and justice in every in- 
 stance and the power which it can and does bring to bear 
 
342 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 to enforce its principles. 
 
 In every war in the history of our government from 
 that of 1776 to the late war of 1898, the American sold- 
 ier has carried the stars and stripes to a glorious victory. 
 Many dark clouds have appeared but each had its silver 
 lining and on many occasions when hope was all but lost, 
 the determination to fight it out never lessened, the tide 
 of war would change, at times ebbing and flowing gently 
 and again rushing fiercely along but ultimately landing 
 the American eagle, with the red. white, and blue em- 
 blem clutched in its talons, high and dry, there to rest 
 from its wearying struggle and regain its spent energies. 
 The intervening hand of Providence which has come be- 
 tween our people and their enemies so many times, and 
 which appears to be continually hovering over this united 
 people, must have a significant meaning to those who 
 recognize a supreme power and who will give the subject 
 the consideration which it merits. 
 
 The Sixth 111. regiment covered three thousand miles 
 by rail, three thousand on the sea, and marched nearly 
 two hundred miles over cart roads and horse trails along 
 the coast and in the mountains of Porto Rico, during its 
 brief campaign. The record which it made in the few 
 months of service, though not a brilliant one, as army 
 records go, yet it was one of which it may well feel proud. 
 Every duty which it was requested to perform was carried 
 out with an energy which gave it a prominent place in 
 the volunteer regiments of the Spanish war. 
 
 When the regiment was in New York, enroute from 
 Porto Rico, Chaplain Ferris met a regular army officer, 
 who, upon learning of the chaplain's connection with the 
 Sixth Illinois, congratulated him on the sterling quali- 
 ties which the men of the regiment had shown in th^ re- 
 
Kind Words for tiik Sixth. :{4;} 
 
 ci'ut campaign. Tlio ij^t'iioral, for such was tlit' rank of 
 tlu' officer with whom Cha[)huti Ferris held tlie ooiiversa- 
 tion. siiid. '"You should bo proud of your men. They arc 
 soldiers, every inch of them. Every time the world has 
 heard of the Sixth Illinois, it has been Ix'cause of some 
 duty well done. They have not crept into the newspa- 
 pers because of scandals among the officers, wholesale 
 complaints from the men or in any of the many ways in 
 which some regiments have acquired '"yellow"' fame. 
 They have done every duty well, and while thev did 
 not do any shooting, the part they took in the war was 
 in every way honorable. The officers have watched them 
 and I assure you that we consider the record of the Sixth 
 Illinois as true soldiers the best of any of the volunteer 
 regiments." 
 
 During the month of October 1898, General Miles 
 passed through Illinois enroute to Omaha, and at one 
 of the cities in which he stopped he is quoted as say- 
 ing: ''I had two regiments of Illinois volunteers in Por- 
 to Rico, and in justice I must say they stood the fatigue 
 and hardships better than the eastern troops. The 
 Sixth Illinois was brigaded with the Sixth Massachu- 
 setts, and I am bound to say the boys from the prairies 
 of Illinois stood the campaign better than the boys 
 from the mills of New England." 
 
 Such words as these, coming from the lips of 
 trained soldiers whose lives had been spent in study- 
 ing the arts of war, had a very pleasing elfect on the 
 members of the regiment and they were content to al- 
 low the people to pass judgment upon their actions 
 while serving as United States volunteers. 
 
 Shortly after the first call for troops was made in 
 the spring of '98, the second company of volunteers 
 
344 History of Companies 1 and E. 
 
 was organized in Sterling and Eock Falls. Walter N. 
 Haskell, ex-ofJicer of company E, Sixth 111. N. G., was 
 elected captain, W. L. Emmons ist lieutenant, and 
 G. A. McKelvey 2nd lieutenant. The company was 
 made a part of the provisional regiment which was 
 organized by Gen. Clendenin of Moline and stood ready 
 for a call to the front. The early termination of the 
 war made this unnecessary and the company was not 
 mustered into the service, much as it desired to be. 
 
 Illinois has never failed to furnish its quota of 
 men when duty called them to shoulder the musket 
 in times of war. Whiteside county has always been 
 among the first to be heard on such occasions and the 
 brilliant record it has made in offering its vv'ealth of 
 men and. treasures in behalf of the love it bears "Old 
 Glor3'," when danger threatens it, is the source of con- 
 tinual pride of its loyal hearted citizens. 
 
 Since the close of the war death has claimed a num- 
 ber of the boys for its victims. In each case the death 
 of the men could be traced to disease contracted while 
 serving as volunteers. Private Leo H. Bushnell of 
 company E, died April twent}' sixth 1899. . Bugler Roy 
 Eshleman, who it will be remembered was discharged 
 while the regiment was at Camp Alger, died of con- 
 sumption August eleventh 1899, and private Frank 
 Aument who was ill for some time at Fortress Monroe, 
 and was afterward granted a penison for disability, died 
 March twenty-fourth 1900. Lieut. Ed. Lavvton of 
 company I, died at Springfield, Ills., October twenty- 
 first 1899, and private Albert Anstett of Albany, an ex- 
 member of compan}^ I, died April second, 1901. 
 
 A number of the boys found the life of a soldier 
 so much to their liking that they re-enlisted a short 
 
w 
 
 J. 
 
Rii;-ENTi":i<iN(; riii". Si:r\ici':. 34;") 
 
 lime after bein*:^ discharged from the Sixlli Ills., regi- 
 ment. As far as is known the following is a complete 
 reirister of those who re-entered the service: ex-mem- 
 hers of company E, Serg't Leslie Sheldon, company M, 
 Fourth U. S. Infantry and private Richard O. Jones, 
 company II, Nineteenth U. S. Infantry, both of wiiom 
 served in the Philippines; private Wilson R. Hyers, 
 company E, Eighth U. S. Infantry, served in Cuba, 
 and private John Sheldon who enlisted in 1899 but was 
 discharged shortly afterward for disability. 
 
 The ex-men-.bers of company I, who enlisted in the 
 regular service and saw duty in the Philippines were 
 privates Frank Weaver, William Schanz, William 
 Dahlstrom, Rollin Humphrey and Lewis Turner. The 
 last named was wounded during an engagement in 
 which he participated and was invalided home. Private 
 Otto Stakelbeck, another ex-member of company I, 
 enlisted in the Heavy Artillery early in 1899 and was 
 assigned to duty at Fort Moultrie in South Carolina. 
 Private Mark Wood enlisted in the cavalry and served 
 a full term in Cuba. 
 
 It is not the intention of the writer to attempt to 
 record the names of all those who may have served in 
 the different branches of the service from Whiteside 
 county during the Spanish — American war, but among 
 the number there are a few whose services can will not 
 be overlooked. Any attempt to complete an entire 
 register of the names would entail considerable expense 
 on the part of the person who went in search of the 
 data covering such a record, as men offered their ser- 
 vices from nearly every town, village and hamlet within 
 the borders of the county, besides oihers from the farms. 
 It was decided to make brief mention of -those whose 
 
3-tG History of Companies I and E. 
 
 records were available, or could be secured without 
 adding materially to the already unwarranted expense 
 of publishing the book. 
 
 James P. Kervan, of Sterling, served throughout 
 the Cuban campaign as a corporal in company C, 
 Twenty-second U. S. Infantry. He was in the midst 
 of the battles before Santiago and El Caney and came 
 out of the combats uninjured. His record as a soldier 
 was an honorable one and he returned to the States 
 with his regiment anticipating an early rejoinder with 
 the home folks. While at Montauk Point he w^as 
 taken down with typhoid fever and soon succumbed to 
 the disease. He died August thirty-first, 1898. The 
 remains were brought to Sterling for burial, the funer- 
 al taking place Sunday, September eleventh. The 
 services were conducted by the Sterling G. A. R. 
 Post and '-taps" were sounded o'er the grave, bring- 
 ing to a close one of the most solemn and impressive 
 funeral services ever held in that city. 
 
 Another Sterling boy who made a brilliant record 
 with the Cuban army of invasion was Frank D. EI3'. 
 He iniisted in company E, 111. N. G. as an original 
 member of that organization and was promoted to the 
 rank of corporal and sergeant within the 3'ear. Some 
 years later he successfully entered the contest for an 
 appointment to West Point, from which institution he 
 graduated with high honors and was issued a com- 
 mission in the regular army. His regiment was 
 among the first to be ordered to Cuba and participated 
 in the engagements before San Juan Hill and PCI Caney. 
 Fortunately he received no wounds, but he, like hun- 
 dreds of others returned home to be bed ridden for 
 long weary weeks, suffering from typhoid fever, con- 
 
Review OF Volunteers FROM Whiteside. 347 
 
 tracted in the treacherous cHmate of Cuba. 
 
 Will H. Allen, who was a resident of Morrison 
 up to the time of his receivin<^ the appointment to the 
 Naval Academy at /^nnapolis some \ears a<ro. was a 
 Lieut, on board the battleship Ore^^on durin:^ the 
 Spanish-American war. He was on dut\- on this \es- 
 sel when it made that wonderful run from the Pacilic 
 ocean to join Admiral Sampson's fleet at Santiaf^o, and 
 durintj^ the naval light off Santiago harbor on that 
 memorable third day of July, 1898, where the (Oregon 
 and Brookhn did such terrible execution and estab- 
 lished records as lighting machines which surprised 
 the civilized world. 
 
 George H. Fay, an old Morrisonite, and first 
 Captain of the original organization of company I. 111. 
 N. G.. also a veteran of the civil war. served throuirhout 
 the war of '98, in the paymasters department with the 
 rank of Major. At the time of receiving the appoint- 
 ment he was a practicing attorney at Oakes, N. D.. and 
 where he now resides. 
 
 Another of Whiteside county's sons who served as 
 a volunteer is Henry Clayton Thompson, of Fenton. 
 He was taking a course in medicine in Hahnemann Col- 
 lege, Chicago, and when the call for volunteers came 
 was studying with a physician in Appleton. Wis. He 
 enlisted in company E, Second Wisconsin Volunteers, 
 June seventeenth, and was immediately sent to Chicka- 
 magua Park, Ga. Later he was transferred to the Re- 
 serve Ambulance Corps which accompanied the regi- 
 ment to Charleston, S. C. The members of the Sixth 
 Ills, will remember meeting the Wisconsin regiment at 
 Charleston, and afterward fn Porto Rico. Private 
 Thompson was taken ill at Charleston and placed in the 
 
348 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 hospital where he remained from July ninth until Octo- 
 ber fourteenth. His case of typhoid and malaria was 
 a severe one and it was a miracle that he recovered. 
 He was given a furlough and sent home and later was 
 discharged. 
 
 The above brief mention of a number of Whiteside 
 county boys who were Uncle Sam's servants in '98, 
 closes Part II of this history. On the following pages 
 the record of companies E and I, 111. N. G., is taken up 
 with the arrival at home after being mustered out of the 
 volunteer service, and completed to April thirtieth, 1901, 
 the date on which this record closes, giving a roster of 
 the members of both companies as they were entered 
 upon the company registers at that date. 
 
PART III 
 
ILLINOIS NATIONAL CUARI). 
 
 Closing Chapters or the History of Companies I axd 
 E, Recording the Incidents Occurring Follow- 
 ing Their Volunteer Service, and Com- 
 pleted TO April 30, 1901. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 For some time after the return of the volunteers 
 mihtary affairs remained very quiet in the National 
 Guard. Many of the ex-volunteers who were guards- 
 men were adverse to taking up the work of drilling and 
 maneuvering with the state troops for a time at least. 
 These men were in no great hurr\- to pick up the 
 thread where it had been dropped some months before 
 as they had satisfied the longing for a soldier life to a 
 certain extent, and the National Guard had but little 
 attraction for them. 
 
 This feeling of indifference gradually disappeared 
 and the interest in the State organizations was again 
 manifest in a short time, although a goodly number of 
 those whose term of enlistment had expired during the 
 
352 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 summer months did not again enter the service. On 
 the other hand there was more of an interest apparent 
 in the affairs of the Guard on the part of the citizens of 
 the communities wherein the companies were located 
 than had existed for years. A number of the boys who 
 had served as volunteers, but who had not previously 
 been connected with the Guard, entered their names up- 
 on the rolls for a term of years. 
 
 The military spirit which had enveloped and 
 swayed our people from one end of the country to the 
 other during the late war, had left its effects on the 
 youths throughout the land and they were anxious to 
 become connected with the State troops. With the 
 general awakening of the interest of the citizens in the 
 affairs of the Guard and the spirit with which the mem- 
 bers entered upon their duties, the companies rapidly 
 re-organized and were soon placed on a footing which 
 bid fair to advance the efficiency of the troops in gen- 
 eral beyond that of former years and add materially to 
 their worth as citizens soldiers whose duties it is to 
 guard and protect the interests of peaceful citizens with- 
 in the borders of their State. 
 
 The affairs of companies I and E ran along on the 
 old even tenor for a time and the regular weekly drills 
 were called as of yore. The tirst change of any note 
 occurred when Capt. Lawrie ot Company E was elect- 
 ed Major of the Third Battalion. He was commis- 
 sioned as such January fifth, 1899. The vacancy caused 
 by the promotion of Capt. Lawrie was filled by electing 
 2nd Lieut. J. Frank Wahl as Captain, his commission 
 was dated Feb. ninth, 1899. On the same date Order- 
 ly Sergt. Samuel H. Feigley was commissioned as 2nd. 
 Lieut. On the first of July following these changes, 
 
Capl 11, S. (Jro.ii. 
 
 1st Lieut. H. A. Weaver. 2iid Lieut. J. L. Rickey. 
 
 Officers of Co. I., Sixth 111. N. G. 
 
Illinois National Guards, S^.i 
 
 ist. Lieut. G. B. Dillon was placed upon ihe retired 
 list by his own request, and on the fourteenth of the 
 same month 2nd. Lieut. Feii^ley was commissioned ist. 
 Lieut, and Sergt. Charles F. lloobler was advanced to 
 the grade of 2nd. Lieut, which constitutes the roster of 
 commissioned ollicers of compan}' E at the close of tliese 
 records, April thirtieth 1901. 
 
 The return home of company I found it without a 
 lieutenant. The resignation of 2nd Lieut. E. J. Weaver 
 from the volunteers which was accepted May fourteenth 
 1898, was also effective in the National Guard. The 
 commission of ist Lieut, E. C. Lawton expired May 
 thirtieth 1898. An election was called to till such va- 
 cancies as existed at the time, which resulted in the 
 selection of Sergt. Harry Weaver as ist. Lieut, and 
 Sergt. Jacob L. Rockey as 2nd Lieut., each commission 
 bearing the date of March ninth, 1899. Capt. W. F. 
 Colebaugh's commission expired July ninth of the same 
 3'ear and Harvey S. Green was elected Captain and 
 commissioned as such July fourteenth. By referring to 
 the roster of company I it will be seen that Capt. Green 
 had served as a private and non-commissioned otlicer 
 in this company some ten years previous. 
 
 Walter Burritt of Morrison was re-appointed Q, M. 
 Sergt. of the ist Battalion July twenty-ninth, 1899, and 
 promoted to Regimental Commissary Sergt., July 
 twenty-third 1900. On the twenty-first day of July 
 1900, Corp"l Paul F. Boyd of company I received the 
 appointment of Hospital Steward of the Sixth Regi- 
 ment. During the annual encampment at Springtield 
 in August 1899, Sergt. John Cushman of company E 
 was appointed Regimental Ordnance Sergt. of the 
 Sixth. 
 
354 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 On October sixteenth 1899, Edward A. Smith of 
 Morrison was commissioned ist Lieut, and attached to 
 the staff of Gen. Wm. Clendenin, commanding the 
 Third Brigade. During the Brigade encampment held 
 at Springfield in August 1900, Lieut. Smith was com- 
 missioned Colonel and Aide de camp on Governor 
 Tanner's staff. Although Col. Smith did not accept 
 the commission officially, it was entered on the State 
 records at Springfield and he retained this rank until the 
 expiration of Governor Tanner's term of office. 
 
 Company E continues to retain the even, tranqui 
 tenor of the early days. Nothing appears to disturb the 
 serenity of its existence. Each member seemingly 
 takes a deep interest in the affairs of the company and 
 they work in harmony in everything which they under- 
 take. In following this unwritten rule, as it were, they 
 have strengthened the organization materially. Con- 
 fidence in their officers and comrades in the ranks, has 
 much to do with the general condition of the company 
 as a military organization; renders pleasant the duties 
 which the men may be called upon to perform, and is 
 invaluable in bringing about that ver}' desirable con- 
 dition of affairs which can only be attained by the 
 united efforts of every officer and man in the company, 
 to the mutual benefit of all. 
 
 To company E and its members since the date of 
 organization in 1888, is due no little credit for the man- 
 ner in which it has maintained its enviable position in the 
 National Guard. This company is today, and always 
 has been, one of the most efficient and best drilled in the 
 state. 
 
 With company I there has been a wonderful trans- 
 formation in its condition in the past few years. When 
 
Illinois National GuAUb^^. Hljo 
 
 Captain Green was placed in command of the company 
 he realized that the organization was sadly in need oi 
 assistance in various wa3-s. He immediately set to 
 work deterrraned to re-build the company and if his 
 personal assistance was equal to the task, place ii on a 
 par with the foremost organizations of like character in 
 the state. From that day to the present he has never 
 lagged, and the elegant home of company I today is the 
 result of his untiring labors. Not alone in this respect 
 has his influence and energies beneflted the company, 
 but also in the general condition of the organization as 
 citizen soldiers. With this installation of new vigor and 
 life, those connected with the company combined their 
 efforts in an attempt to raise it from the level to which 
 it had gradually fallen, with a result that is highly grat- 
 ifying to all. 
 
 Shortly after receiving his commission, Captain 
 Green began laying plans for the erection of a new, 
 commodious armory. After some time had been ex- 
 pended in formulating plans and securing the assistance, 
 financially, of interested citizens, a lot was purchased on 
 west main street and the work of building began in 
 earnest. Ground was broken in September 1900. and 
 although handicapped by the inclemency of the weather 
 during the early wmter months, the armory was prac- 
 tically completed by January lirst 1901. The building 
 is constructed of brick and is the full depth of the lot. 
 The drill room is on the first floor and is large and well 
 proportioned. The wardrobe rooiu is also located on 
 the first floor. 
 
 The front of the building is two stories in height, 
 the ground floor being occupied as a store room. The 
 second floor is <>iven to a suite of rooms for the use of 
 
35G History of Companies I and E. 
 
 the "Morrison Military Club," an organization founded 
 by the members of company I. On the east side of the 
 upper floor is the bathroom, which is equipped wiih 
 both tub and shower bathing apparatus, also toilet 
 rooms. Joining this is the captains oflice which opens 
 into the main room or clubroom proper. This room is 
 large and fitted up for the convenience of the club 
 members, and is a very pleasant resort for both the old 
 and young men of the town as all citizens are eligible 
 to membership upon payment of the regurlarl}' estab- 
 lished quarterly dues. A janitor is in attendance both 
 day and evening. 
 
 This elegant home for the company was erected at 
 a cost of twelve thousand dollars, and without doubt is 
 one of the most roomy, comfortable, and convenient ar- 
 m Dries in the State of Illinois, outside of the regimental 
 armories in Chicago. It is the priJj ol: tho company 
 and the citizens of Morrison. The company took poss- 
 session of the building the first cf the year, 1901, the 
 dedication ceremonies were held on the evening of the 
 twenty-second of that month. 
 
 Company I stands first in the regiment in the point 
 of numbers and as for general character and proficiency, 
 stands second to none among the companies which com- 
 pose the country regiments of the state. This may 
 appear to some as a very broad assertion but it is the 
 simple truth nevertheless. Such conditions were not 
 brought about without much hard work, and to retain 
 this coveted state of affairs its members must continue 
 to exert their energies and personal influence for the 
 good of the company generally, and keep before them 
 the fact that if everything is left to the willing hands of 
 a few who have the interest of the company at heart, 
 
JOHN CUSHMAX, 
 
 Recently commissioned Capt. Co E 
 
 111. N. G. 
 
!li ■iNOis National (Juauds. fitn 
 
 those few will tire of tlic tliauklcss task in tiiii ■ iiml the 
 result will be a gradual deeliiiing into the old nil. 
 
 The officers and enlisled men of both cuniiijuiirs I 
 and E are fully justified in liavin*.,^ a sense of pride in 
 their connection with these organizations as a part of 
 the state troojis of Illinois. Illinois, as a s- tate. ranks 
 among the first in tlu^ union, ;uid it is fitting that tin- 
 men who represent it in whatever capacity, should lend 
 their every assistance in maintaining the fair name and 
 honor of "Illinois." Next to servinij the irijvernnient 
 there is no more patriotic manner of paying tril)ute to 
 the tiag than in that of serving the state faithfully and 
 loyally under all circumstances. 
 
 There are those who are inclined to jeer at the 
 National Guard but it is a noticeable fact that when a 
 disturbance arises it is quickly brought to mind and lis 
 members called upon to shoulder their muskets, and leav- 
 ing bench and stool, take up the thankless task of guard- 
 ing lives and property even at the peril of their own lives. 
 
 Since completing the records on the pre\ious pages 
 Capt. Wahl of company E, severed his connection with 
 the Guard and upon his own application was placed on 
 the retired list. His commission expired February ninth 
 1902, he having been in the service continually since the 
 compan}^ was organized in 1S88. At the election which 
 was called to fdl the vacancy caused by the retirement 
 of Capt. Wahl, John Cushman, the only remaining mem- 
 ber of company E, who was a charter member of the 
 organization, was elected Captain commanding. 
 
 Captain Cushman enlisted in company E March 
 twenty-fourth, 18S8, and has been connected with the 
 
3o8 History of Companies 1 and E. 
 
 Guard continually since. He was appointed Corporal 
 June sixteenth. 1891, and promoted to the rank of Ser- 
 geant a short time later. He enlisted as a volunteer in 
 company E April twenty-sixth, 1898, serving as a ser- 
 geant until July when he was appointed Regimental 
 Ordnance Sergeant of the Sixth Ills. Volunteers, and at- 
 tached to the non-commissioned staff of that regiment. 
 
 In Aucjust of the year followin<T the war he was 
 appointed Ordnance Sergt. of the Sixth Illinois National 
 Guards which warrant and rank he held at the time 
 of his being commissioned Captain of company E. 
 The commission bears the date of February tenth, 1902. 
 Captain Cushman has a number decorations which 
 he has received in recognition of his excellent marks- 
 manship. He is considered one of the best shots in 
 the state. He won the decoration of Distinguished 
 Sharpshooter by a score of five hundred and thirty-eight 
 points, w'hich is the record score for Illinois as shown by 
 the reports of the adjutant general of the state. He is 
 popular among the members of the company and its af- 
 fairs are placed in safe hands. The boys of company E 
 and man}' friends of Captain Wahl regret that he should 
 retire at this early day when prospects for his future in 
 the Guard were exceedingly bright. 
 
Illinois National Giakds. 351) 
 
 CHAPTER TI. 
 
 The roster of each company as recorded April 
 ihh-tieth, 1901, follows. This closes Part III, and 
 brings to a tinal the records of companies I and E. 
 From the outset it has been the aim of the writer to 
 record the man}- incidents and changes which have oc- 
 curred since the organization of the companies, without 
 partiality being shown to either companj^ or any one 
 of their many members. The facts and data from 
 which this history w^as compiled, were taken from the 
 files of both companies and the utmost caution has been 
 used throughout to place them just as they were written 
 in every case. 
 
 Company I. 
 
 Captain, Harvey S. Green. 
 
 1st Lieutenant, Harry A. Weaver. 
 
 2nd Lieutenant, Jacob L. Rockev, 
 
 1st Sergeant, Harry H. Rockey. 
 Commissary Sergt., E. L. Curtis. 
 
 Sergeant, Andrew F. Mathews. 
 
 " Orville P. Kaler. 
 
 " George A, Everhart. 
 
 Corporal, Fred W. Brearton. 
 
 " Geortje Hunt. 
 
 '" Robert C. Thompson. 
 
860 HisTORv OF Companies I anp E, 
 
 Corporal, Robert W. Taylor, 
 
 u Emerson M. Fellows. 
 
 ii William H. Burch. 
 
 a Harry A. Bent. 
 
 i-i Richard L. McKenzie, 
 
 Bugler, • James Brearton, 
 G. Webber. 
 R. E. Davis. 
 
 Hospital Corps. William Morse. 
 
 Private, Annan, George 
 
 " Annan, Frank W. 
 
 " Annan, Floyd J. 
 
 " Adams, Ray 
 
 " Breiter, Arthur 
 
 «' Bunzey, R. S. 
 
 " Besse, Karl 
 
 " Beckwith, E. Q. 
 
 <« Bailey, Jesse 
 
 " Bowen, Floyd J. 
 
 " * Brearton, Martin R, 
 
 " Brown, Lloyd J. 
 
 «' Cargay, Olin 
 
 «' Childs, Clarence C. 
 
 Childs, W. L. 
 
 «' Booth, Clarence A. 
 
 Davis, Walter B. 
 
 " Davis, Floyd N, 
 
 '< Derby, Harry 
 
 " Drennen, Marcus L. 
 
 " Drury, Walter C. 
 
 " Donichy, James G. B, 
 
 ^' Ego, Sylvester 
 
 n Ege, Harry P. 
 
SAMUEL H. FEIGLEV, 
 
 1st Lieut. Co. E, 111. N. G. 
 
Illinois National Giards. 301 
 
 Private, Fitzgerakl, C^liarles D. 
 
 " Fenton, William J. 
 
 '• Green. John W. 
 
 " Gorzney, John 
 
 *' Gorzney, Joe 
 
 *' HawBe, George B. 
 
 '* High, Aaron 
 
 " Hirleman, Samuel 
 
 *' Hirleman, Wilbur 
 
 '' Johnson, Bert 
 
 «' Heiss, Joseph C. 
 
 " Kennedy Vern V. 
 
 «' • Kaler, Ralph 
 
 " Lamson, Claude B. 
 
 '« Lewis, Walter P. 
 
 «« McBride, Harley A. 
 
 «« Miller, Frank 
 
 «' Meyers, Frank 
 
 K Morrill, O. A. 
 
 ♦' Meyer, Sam 
 
 <« Nelson, Melvin R. 
 
 <' Olmstead, Stuart 
 
 «' Odell, Arthur B. 
 
 «' Pratt, Thurston T. 
 
 *' Riordon, John A. 
 
 <' Stone, Erastus 
 
 " Smith, Nick A. 
 
 «< Shaw, Harry V. 
 
 " Stalcup, James 
 
 " Stowell, John 
 
 " Smaltz, Roy 
 
 " Seibert, John D. 
 
 a Shirk, Charles 
 
362 History of Companies I a 
 
 Private, 
 
 Snyder, William 
 
 (( 
 
 Turner, Richard 
 
 a 
 
 Weeks, Charles D. 
 
 a 
 
 Wilcox, Albert 
 
 a 
 
 Winans, Percy H. 
 
 li 
 
 Weaver, Carl 
 
 a 
 
 Welch, Chris 
 
 a 
 
 Welch, Harry 
 
 u 
 
 Wilbur, Sidney 
 
 u 
 
 Yopst, Birt 0. 
 
 
 Company E. 
 
 Captain, 
 
 J. Frank Wahl. 
 
 1st Lieutenant, 
 
 Samuel H. Feigley. 
 
 2nd Lieutenant, 
 
 Charles F. Hoobler, 
 
 1st Sergeant, 
 
 Arthur E. Deem. 
 
 Commissary Sergt, 
 
 J. D. Walck. 
 
 Sergeant, 
 
 Fred Hess. 
 
 a 
 
 Frank H. Coryell. 
 
 a 
 
 George Havens. 
 
 li 
 
 Albert Street. 
 
 Corporal, 
 
 Carl Winters 
 
 a 
 
 Burt Sneed. 
 
 a 
 
 James Burr. 
 
 (( 
 
 Fred Sneed. 
 
 it 
 
 Lloyd Thompson. 
 
 ii 
 
 William Deem. 
 
 Bugler, 
 
 William Lund. 
 
 a 
 
 John Sampson. 
 
 Hospital Corps, 
 
 William Connell. 
 
 (( a 
 
 Charles Ramsdell. 
 
 Privates, 
 
 Anning, A. H. 
 
 a 
 
 Alderfer, Philip 
 
Illinois National Oiauds;. ;],;;■{ 
 
 ^*i'i^'itfS Aiimont. Ht'ni.-ins 
 
 Bailey, F. C. 
 Bassett, Bert 
 Blair, George 
 Bander. C. 
 Betts, ^'erll(• 
 Baker, John H. 
 Conners. Walter 
 Conneil, Janiea 
 Clark, Edg'ar L. 
 DiiTenbaugh, Ben 
 Emmons, Frank 
 Eager, Wallace L. 
 Feigley, J. Lovure 
 Forrester, Frank M. 
 Finch, Bert 
 Grey, Arthur 
 Grimes, Leon 
 Harting, Frank 
 Heaton, Frank 
 Hoover, Arthur 
 Hoover, Harry 
 Hartman, Andrew 
 Husler, Fred 
 Hoover, Ben 
 Ingersoll, Brue(> 
 Jackson, Arthur 
 Jackson, Merton 
 Johnson, Fred 
 " Jamison, Paul R. 
 
 " Kent, George 
 
 Latherow, Walter 
 ** Landier. Herman 
 
364 History of Companies I and E. 
 
 Private. Mangan, Clarence 
 
 Mangers, Charles 
 Meade, Clyde 
 Nelms, William 
 Partridge, Harry 
 Phelps, Walter 
 Onken, Anthony 
 Shank, Ambrose J. 
 Stevens, Earnest 
 Shumaker, Harry E. 
 Troste, Samuel D. 
 Thome, George 
 Van Drew, Clarence 
 Wahl, i^lbert 
 Wise, Ed. 
 
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 
 
 013 902 261 •