Springfield In The Spanish American War - free ebook by Walter W. Ward

SPRINGFIELD IN THE SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR

BY WALTER W. WARD ILLUSTRATED PRESS OF ENTERPRISE PRINTING COMPANY EASTHAMPTON, MASS. 1899. To the Officers and Men of G, B and K Companies Second Regiment Massachusetts Infantry, U. S. V., and H Company, Naval Brigade....

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PREFACE.

In the Spanish-American war of 1898, Springfield rose to the occasion as she did in 1776 and 1861 and sent her youngest and best and bravest sons to the front. It was her sons who fought and fell at El Caney, the one battle of modern times where infantry, practically unsupported by artillery, captured a well fortified town and it was her sons who were in the lead in drawing the attacking lines so tightly about the city of Santiago that its surrender had to follow. It was her sons also who, on th

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WHICH IS PRELIMINARY TO THOSE WHICH FOLLOW IT.

WITHIN the few years preceding the fateful one of 1898 a decided impetus had been given the military spirit in Springfield by the stationing of two additional companies of the state militia in this city. To the already organized companies, G and B of the Massachusetts Volunteer Militia, had been added K company, the company of that name in Amherst having been disbanded and its letter transferred to Springfield. The organization in this city of a company of the state naval brigade and the buildin

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WHICH TELLS ABOUT THE CALLING OUT OF H COMPANY, NAVAL BRIGADE.

On April 22d these orders were changed, Lieut. Cohn and Ensign Barr being ordered to report for duty on board the monitor Lehigh on her arrival in Boston harbor. On April 23d, Lieut. Crossman received orders to proceed with the remaining men of H company to the Brooklyn navy yard there to go on board the Prairie as part of her crew during the war. These orders were received on the morning of the 23d and as soon as it became known about the city that the men were to go, the war time scenes of 186

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HOW G, B AND K COMPANIES WENT TO SOUTH FRAMINGHAM.

But there was a demonstration, nevertheless. Outside the armory were hundreds of spectators, including relatives and friends of the boys and awaiting them were the members of E. K. Wilcox post, G. A. R., the veteran corps of G company and some veterans of B company, all headed by the Second Regiment band to act as escort for the companies as far as the union station. Shortly after 8 o'clock the troops left the armory and headed by the escort marched through Main street and around Court square to

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WHEREIN IS TOLD HOW WE WERE TRANSFORMED FROM "TIN" SOLDIERS INTO THE REAL ARTICLE.

The physical examinations soon made many sore hearts among the boys in camp, although the results of some of them were extremely satisfactory to the parents, relatives or friends of some of the would be soldiers. They were in charge of Capt. Bushnell U. S. A., who was assisted by the surgeons of the volunteer regiments in camp. B company was examined on Wednesday, the day after our arrival in camp and before sundown fully twenty men, including some of the oldest and best men of the company had b

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WE GET ORDERS TO LEAVE FOR THE SUNNY SOUTH AND OBEY THEM.

On the night of Wednesday, May 11th at 9.30, orders were flashed over the wires from Washington to Lieut. Weaver to send the Second at once to Tampa, Fla., where the army of invasion of Cuba was gathering. Almost everyone except the guard and a few officers and attaches at regimental headquarters, was asleep when the orders came but within a very few moments after their purport had been announced, there was the wildest scene of excitement in the camp that had ever been witnessed in South Framing

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WE GO TO THE SOUTHLAND AND BEGIN TO FIND OUT WHERE WE ARE AT.

Our troop train was a great attraction for the children at the stations where we stopped and it was a common thing for the boys and girls of these places to hand us bunches of jessamine and magnolia flowers while the older folk looked on approvingly. The colored people were somewhat demonstrative but both they and the white folks never neglected an opportunity to sell us cakes and pies at every stop. The pies reminded us of those we had been getting at home, they were so different, but as a reli

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WE STAY IN YBOR CITY AND THEN ENJOY (?) LIFE ON TRANSPORTS IN THE HARBOR.

It was while we were at Ybor City that our regiment was definitely assigned. We were put into the First Brigade of the Second Division of the Fifth army corps, our brigade commander being temporarily Col. Van Horn of the 22nd infantry while Gen. H. W. Lawton was in command of the division. This set at rest all the rumors about our being heavy artillery, cavalry and several other things. It also meant that we were to go to Cuba among the very first of the invading troops and there was no end of e

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WE HAVE A LOVELY SAIL ON THE PALATIAL KNICKERBOCKER AND REACH CUBA WITHOUT MISHAP.

There were thirteen staterooms on the boat and into these were crowded 32 officers. The men were "bunked" in the hold, and if there was any provision for ventilation other than the hatches, no trace was ever found of it. On the first night out the men slept on the decks and so were enabled to pass the night in considerable comfort, for if the deck planks were hard, there was at least some air and the cool sea breeze made sleeping possible. But on the second night out there came trouble. The surg

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WHEREIN IS NARRATED OUR LANDING AT DAIQUIRI AND SOME THINGS WHICH SUBSEQUENTLY HAPPENED.

Meanwhile after long waiting a dinky little steam launch from the battleship Massachusetts and followed by a string of small boats, came alongside the Knickerbocker and the youthful ensign in charge allowed that he was ordered to take headquarters and as many others of the regiment as possible on shore. This was agreeable and Col. Clark and his field and staff embarked in the launch without much trouble, although the job of climbing down a slippery rope ladder, then hanging on by both hands to t

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IN WHICH IS TO BE FOUND THE TALE OF "CRAB HOLLOW" AND SOME OTHER THINGS.

It was some little time before noon when we heard firing from over the hills and learned that the cavalry brigade had gone on a reconnoisance in force in that direction. It was only a short time afterwards when we saw the first wounded begin to come down the trail and learned that they had found the enemy in force at Las Guasimas and had quite a go with him. The First and Tenth United States cavalry, our old neighbors at Lakeland, and the Rough Riders were engaged and from all accounts were havi

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WHICH TELLS HOW WE GOT READY TO TAKE THE TOWN OF EL CANEY.

Early that afternoon we saw the war balloon again and watched it with much interest, everybody "rubbernecking" at the unwonted sight. In the car, although we did not know it at the time, was poor "Tom" Boone of "K" and those of us who knew him little recked what the next day would bring to him. For that matter there was considerable uncertainty as to what the future meant for any of us. We heard late in the day that we were sure to get into action on the next day but somehow the knowledge did no

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WHEREIN IS RELATED SOME EVENTS WHICH HAPPENED TO US ON JULY FIRST.

A short distance further along the trail, a quick order and we changed direction to the right, leaving the trail and going across the field directly toward El Caney. Barbed wire fencing was in our way but the two wire cutters attached to each company soon made a gate for us. Our battalion swung through and into the field while the second battalion kept to the trail and took the field further along. The third battalion and I of the second, as we afterwards found, were halted by Capron's battery a

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WE LEARN SOME MORE THINGS ABOUT THE ART OF WAR AS CONDUCTED IN THESE DAYS.

But orders are orders and grumbling does not count against them. The details sent to dig graves were recalled, the equipments were donned again and in a short time we were once more "piking the pike." It was a gloomy march that evening, for the men were not very much inclined to conversation. On we went, now in columns of fours on a fairly decent road for Cuba, again in column of files through the bush and finally emerged onto another road. It was now dark, but we kept on until about 10 o'clock

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WE CONTINUE OUR EDUCATION IN THE ART OF WAR AND LEARN A FEW THINGS.

Even with such simple means we managed to vary the menus a bit at times. Our usual breakfast was bacon and hardtack and coffee. The bacon was usually without a bit of lean and after frying for a moment or two the pan was about half-filled with fat, leaving a shrivelled up and brittle piece of so-called bacon. But it was eaten just the same, our stomachs having been educated up to anything. Sometimes we fried our hardtack in the bacon grease and these with black coffee, sometimes without sugar, m

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WE HAVE TO FACE ANOTHER ENEMY MORE DEADLY THAN THE SPANIARDS.

On the day after the surrender Col. Clark issued orders for daily company drills and inspections with a view of giving the men something to do, he recognizing, as an old soldier, that idleness is the worst possible thing in camp. He and his superiors realized, however, that the army had passed through a most trying, though short campaign, and that the men deserved a rest, but at the same time there were already warnings that the less active the men were, the easier they fell prey to the climatic

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OUR VOYAGE HOMEWARD ON THE DEATH SHIP MOBILE.

We remained in the harbor the night of the 12th and early on the 13th, our old "hoodoo" number being with us again, the Mobile swung her nose around and steamed down the harbor. Every man able to be up was on deck as we started out and realized that we were homeward bound at last. There were mighty few regrets expressed at leaving Cuba and our chief concern now was to reach home as quickly as possible. It was known that our destination was Montauk Point, L. I., and beyond that our information wa

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WE AND OUR FRIENDS ENJOY OURSELVES AT CAMP WIKOFF, MONTAUK POINT.

It was not a long march, but it was a fatiguing one for the men and they were glad when the big wall tents assigned to the Second appeared. This was the "detention" camp for in the eyes of the medical officers we were still suspects even if we had passed quarantine, and we were to be isolated for five days. It was not a bad camp. The tents were new and clean and many of them were provided with board floors, a luxury that reminded us of our militia days at South Framingham. It had been the intent

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IN WHICH IS TOLD HOW WE PREPARE TO QUIT UNCLE SAM'S SERVICE.

When the train stopped the people detailed to look after the disembarkation of the men at once got to work and the boys were quickly but tenderly taken through the waiting room and placed in the carriages. There were many who were unable to walk even this short distance unassisted, but in the majority of cases the men were so glad to be once more at home that the excitement kept them up and some lingered about on the platform, exchanging greetings with their relatives or friends in the crowd. A

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WE BECOME PLAIN CITIZENS ONCE MORE AND SQUARE ACCOUNTS WITH UNCLE SAM.

Surely the men did not look like ballroom soldiers. The uniforms were in many cases ill-fitting and soiled, the marching was not done with the precision of some crack national guard organizations which did not go to the front, and the faces of the majority of the officers and men wore the yellow signal of service in a pestilential climate. But this in itself ought to have been warrant for some outburst of satisfaction in the gallant deeds of the regiment instead of curious stares and the silence

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WHEREIN IS NARRATED THE ADVENTURES ON THE HIGH SEAS OF SPRINGFIELD'S SAILORS.

Meanwhile the Lehigh had been permanently detailed for duty in Boston harbor as a coast defence vessel and a disagreeable surprise was in store for some of the Springfield men when they returned from their furloughs. They were all anxious to re-enlist for service and had been assured by Capt. Weeks, commanding the naval brigade, that if they telegraphed to him their willingness to re-enlist before a certain hour on the 10th, places would be kept for them. But on their arrival on the ship on May

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FIELD STAFF AND NON-COMMISSIONED STAFF.

Sergeant-Major, Robert N. Ingersol . Quartermaster-Sergeant, Ross L. Lusk . Hospital Steward, Edson P. Howes ....

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G. COMPANY.

Captain, John J. Leonard. First Lieutenant, William C. Hayes. Second Lieutenant, Edward J. Leyden. First Sergeant, William Butement. Sergeants, Jeremiah F. Scully. Joseph N. Lovely. Walter W. Ward. Joseph A. Murphy. James A. Gibbons. Corporals, Robert A. Ross. Patrick J. Noone. Michael J. McHale. Frank C. Keating , Chicopee Falls. Nataline Gardella. Ernest E. Robinson. Musicians, Patrick J. O'Connell. Robert D. Cargill. Wagoner, James R. Shene. Artificer, Benjamin A. Seamans. PRIVATES...

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B COMPANY.

Captain , Henry McDonald . First Lieutenant , William J. Young . Second Lieutenant , Harry J. Vesper . Second Lieutenant , Thomas F. Burke . Sergeants , Richard H. Bearse . Samuel E. Smith . George J. McKeown . John J. O'Connell . Everett W. Wilcox . Corporals , Frank A. Wakefield . Melvin H. Ransom . Richard B. Blaney . Michael J. Donahuh . John B. Fulton . Thomas F. Handy . Musicians , Henry F. Ladbury . Bernard E. Comey . Wagoner , Paul J. Kingston . Artificer , Orvin E. Alberts . PRIVATES

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H COMPANY NAVAL BRIGADE.

Name Rating Ship SEAMEN. Henry C. Bowen, Major and Surgeon, died in Second Division Hospital, Santiago, August 13, of malarial fever. Corporal Patrick J. Noone, died in Springfield, September 20, 1898, typhoid fever. Private George A. Richmond, died in field hospital near El Caney, July 1, 1898, of wound in head. Private Walter A. Packard, killed on field, El Caney, July 1, 1898. Private Robert G. Kelly, died in division hospital of wound received in action July 2d, at San Juan. Private Francis

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G COMPANY

Private Andrew Little, died in second division hospital, Santiago, August 22, 1898. Private Fred S. Stetson, died in second division hospital, Santiago, August 24, 1898....

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B COMPANY.

Second Lieutenant Harry J. Vesper, died on S. S. Mobile, August 17, 1898, of gastric enteritis. Quartermaster Sergeant Richard H. Bearse, died in camp before Santiago, August 1, 1898, of malarial fever. Wagoner Paul J. Kingston, died on S. S. Mobile, August 27, 1898, of malarial fever. Private John J. Malone, died in field hospital, July 5, 1898, of wound received at El Caney, July 1. Private Paul Vesper, died in camp before Santiago, August 10, 1898, of malarial fever....

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K COMPANY.

Corporal William C. Piper, died in second division hospital, August 5, 1898. Corporal Thomas C. Boone, died in Springfield, March 19, 1899. Musician Frank P. Jones, died at Montauk Point, L. I., August 27, 1898. Private Frank E. Moody, killed on field, July 1, 1898, at El Caney. Private Arthur M. Burnham, died in division hospital, Santiago, August 18, 1898, of typhoid fever. Private Michael R. Lyons, died in Springfield, April 20, 1899. Private George S. Creley, died in Springfield, June 28, 18

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SPRINGFIELD'S DEAD HEROES.

RICHARD H. BEARSE. The news of the death of no member of the Second was received in Springfield with more regret than that of Sergeant "Dickie" Bearse of B company. A member of the company for several years, he was known and liked by all the officers and men of the Springfield companies, for to know "Dick" Bearse was to like him. With his pride in B company and the regiment, not to speak of his patriotism, it was only natural he should be anxious to go to the front with the Second, and he did so

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