USA > California > Riverside County > History of San Bernardino and Riverside counties, Volume I > Part 21
USA > California > San Bernardino County > History of San Bernardino and Riverside counties, Volume I > Part 21
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Upon their return to duty in the National Guard after the muster out from the volunteer service, the men showed less bad effects of the reaction from regular army life than many organizations. Many of the battalion's members re-enlisted in the United States Army, and September 12, 1899, its commander, Major Prescott, accepted a commission in the United States Volunteers, with rank from August 17, 1899, and opened recruiting offices at Redlands and San Bernardino. He recruited sixteen men in the county, who furnished the nucleus of Company L of the Forty-third Infantry, United States Volunteers, this organization being the contribution of San Bernardino County to the Philippine campaign. It saw much hard duty and lost numerous men in action, and its official history in the War Office is as follows: Captain Prescott began recruit- ing September 22, 1899, at Redlands, and Captain Cooke, September 21, 1899, at Sacramento, the former arriving at the Presidio of San Fran- cisco with fifteen recruits October 14 and the latter arriving with eight recruits October 11. These, with forty-two recruits who arrived from Sacramento October 5, and assignments from general recruiting stations, were consolidated, equipped and instructed by Captain Prescott, and the provisional company was mustered in as Company L, Forty-third Infantry, United States Volunteers, the muster in roll being dated Novem- ber 3, 1899. On November 20, 1899, the company boarded the United States chartered transport City of Puebla, sailing the same day for the Philippine Islands, with the First Battalion, Forty-fourth Infantry, United States Volunteers, and in company with the United States Army transport Hancock. Arrival was made at Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands, November 28, where, on November 30, the company, with the First Bat- talion, Forty-fourth Infantry, took a march of six miles and witnessed a camp of instruction and drill of the National Guard of Hawaii. The company sailed from Honolulu, December 3, 1899, and arrived at Manila, Luzon, December 19, where it was learned by the members that the brave Maj. Gen. H. W. Lawton, whose home was at Redlands, had been killed in action that day.
On landing at Manila, December 21, 1899, the company quartered at the Exposition Building, Malate, and on the following day marched a distance of six miles to El Deposito de las Aguas Potables, Maraquina Crossing, where they camped in tents already erected. On December 23 the men moved into tents 100 yards distant in front of Headquarters First Brigade, First Division, Eighth Army Corps, El Deposito, and December 26 marched four miles to a pumping station and ferried across the river to Santolan, where they bivouacked for the night. On the follow- ing day they marched eight miles to San Mateo, acting as an escort to twenty-nine carabo wagons loaded with supplies, and arrived at 10 A. M., having proceeded toward a heavy fire in the hills during the last four miles. They were held in reserve and participated in an action in the mountains back of town, and then marched back to El Deposito with two wounded, arriving at Camp December 28. This was the first engage- ment participated in by any part of the Fortv-third Regiment, and the men comported themselves coolly and gallantly. On the same day the regiment marched five miles to Camp Maraquina, where they took station and camped the first night, and December 30 participated in a skirmish at the canon skirting the camp. After patrolling the right bank of the San Mateo River, Luzon, Maraquina, to Novaliches trail, they broke camp and marched to El Deposito, where they took station, thus joining
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the regiment for the first time, January 1, 1900, the headquarters and ten companies of the Forty-third, Col. Arthur Murrey commanding, having come from Fort Ethan Allen, Vermont, on the United tates Army transport Meade, New York via the Atlantic, Mediterranean, Red and Indian seas to Manila.
The company then marched with the regiment and took station at Malate Nipa Barracks, Manila, January 14, 1900, and four days later embarked on the United States chartered transport Venus, with companies I, K and M of the Forty-third, constituting the Third Battalion, Henry T. Allen, senior major. They arrived at Sorsogon Bay, Luzon, and transferred to the United States Army transport Hancock, to allow use of the Venus in landing troops at Legaspi, Luzon, January 22, but later returned to the Venus and sailed for Calbayog, Samar, January 25. Arriving at Calbayog, they took the town without casualties, and January 26 sailed for Catbalogan, Samar, arriving January 27. The men landed from small boats and participated in the capture of the town from the insurgents and in extinguishing fires which had been started in the church and principal buildings. In this engagement the regiment suffered its first fatality in action, Private Logan, of L Company, being killed. The men camped on the hill overlooking the town that night, and on the following day returned to Catbalogan, being quartered in the former barracks of the insurgents and Spanish soldiers at the north extremity of the town, near Mercedes Bridge. Early on the morning of January 29 they marched three miles to Maestranza, Bang-on River, thence to the source and south three miles on the southern side of the mountain, in pursuit of General Lubkan. They bivouacked at Maestranza Powder Works, which they destroyed, and after capturing $18,000 in Filipino and Mexican silver money, returned, January 30 to Catbalogan, whence, February 5, Lieutenant Burt and a detachment from L Company, returned to Maestranza for maps. On February 14, Captain Prescott and Lieutenant Burt, with forty men, took a launch for Calbiga, and at midnight Captain Prescott and half the force left the launch in row boats for the mouth of the Calbiga River, two miles distant, arriving at Calbiga on the 15th. On the following day, Captain Prescott and eight men marched eight miles to the coal mines in the Camanga Moun- tains, and on the 17th marched eight miles to the headwaters of the Bucalan River, going thence by barotos to the mouth, along the strait of San Sebastian, and thence by barotos with sails, across the bay to Catba- logan. On February 26 Captain Prescott was appointed and sworn provost judge of Catbalogan. On March 13, Captain Prescott, with thirty-three men, went to Majayog by barotos, and Lieutenant Conrow, with twenty-seven men, went to the same place by Maestranza, returning the same day. On March 24, Corp. Dann Perry Butler was wounded in the left hand by a bolo, during a night attack on the detachment under Lieutenant Andrews, above Jiabong, Samar. From March 24 to April 2, Private Lippman Samuels, of L Company, who had complained of fatigue and had left the column with Visayan guides and carriers, was lost two miles north of the Biga River.
Boarding a launch, the Lotus, May 21, 1900, Captain Prescott, Lieu- tenant Burt and twenty-one men journeyed to the Paseig River. up which stream they proceeded in barotos and by land to Calbiga, returning on the same date by barotos to the Paseig River. Ambushed while in the barotos, a brick skirmish followed, in which Private Weden, of L Company, and a private of M Company were wounded, being brought back to Catbalogan May 22. On the following dav, Captain Prescott and the same detachment left on the launch Lotus for Islands
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Lamingao, Villa Real, Santa Rita, Tulalora, on Samar, and Tacloban, Leyte and Basay, Samar, returning to Catbalogan on the 25th. From June 4 to July 2, 1900, there was almost daily firing on the garrison, and on the latter date, under Captain Prescott, the company boarded the launch Defender and towed to Dulag, Leyte, where the troops took station, July 4, the yacht going ashore wrecked. Captain Prescott was placed in com- mand at the post at Dulag and Lieutenant Conrow in command of the company. Corporal Tarbox died at Alang-Alang, September 16. On September 27, the company changed station to Tanauan, with Captain Prescott remaining in charge at Dulag, and October 14 this officer started for Iloilo to take command as supervisor of internal revenue of the Department of the Visavas, on the staff of General Hughes. Leaving December 8, Sergeant Loomis, Corporals Gage and Walsh, and fourteen privates of L, and others from A and K companies, under Lieutenant Swann, on an expedition to the San Juanico Straits, on the 14th they engaged a band of insurgents near Sabang. Leyte, and the casualties, all of L Company, were as follows: Killed, Privates Granville P. Sims and Edwin E. Hamilton; mortally wounded, Privates Harry P. Higgins and Arthur Carr, and moderately wounded, Private Lorenzo D. Taylor. On April 30, 1901, Captain Prescott was relieved from the command of the internal revenue department, and rejoined his company May 20 at Tananan. On May 31 the company boarded the transport Kilpatrick at Tacloban, and arrived at Manila May 5, San Francisco June 27, and was mustered out July 5, 1901. Major Prescott's activities during this tour of duty were varied, covering the whole range of army work, both mili- tary and civil. Upon his return he was placed upon the retired list of the National Guard with the rank of major.
HISTORY OF COMPANY K, SEVENTH INFANTRY. During the early part of 1887 there was formed in the City of San Bernardino, an independent company of infantry, which was known as the Waterman Rifles, named in honor of R. W. Waterman, a prominent citizen of San Bernardino, who had been elected lieutenant-governor of California in November, 1886, and who, on the death of Gov. Washington Bartlett, September 12, 1887, took the gubernatorial chair. In the spring of 1887 the Legisla- ture provided for an increase of the National Guard, and the efforts of Governor Waterman resulted in the formation of the Waterman Rifles, it being his aim that they eventually be mustered into the state service. The company was, mustered in as Company E, Seventh Infantry, October 29, 1887, and remained with the original Seventh Infantry until the for- mation of the Ninth Infantry, N. G. C., to which Company E was trans- ferred with its original letter. Upon the disintegration of the Ninth Infantry Regiment, G. O. 17. A. G. O., December 7, 1895. Company E was assigned provisionally to the Second Battalion of Infantry of the First Brigade, N. G. C., and G. O. 18, A. G. O., two days later, Decem- ber 9, was designated as Company K and transferred to the First Bat- talion, Seventh Infantry, N. G. C. Company K rendezvoused at San Bernardino, May 5, 1898, and with the rest of the regiment was mustered into the Seventh California Infantry, United States Volunteers, Indepen- dent Division, Eighth Army Corps, U. S. A., May 9, 1898, at the Presidio of San Francisco. This company saw service in the Philippines, where several of its members met death, and was always regarded as an excep- tionally well-trained body of men, reflecting in their conduct the spirit and discipline that have always characterized California troops whether in battle or in the performance of the less dangerous but more arduous duties necessary of discharge during times of peace.
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HISTORY OF COMPANY G, SEVENTH INFANTRY. What was after- ward to be known as Company G, Seventh Infantry, N. G. C., was organized as the Redlands Guard, June 10, 1892, at Society Hall, in the Feraud Building, at the corner of Orange and Water streets, Red- lands, and June 17th following, the following officers were elected : J. Wallace F. Diss, captain; Frank C. Prescott, first lieutenant, and James F. Drake, second lieutenant. A weekly drilling night, Thursdays, was chosen, and with the provision of uniform the company began to take on some semblance of a military organization. One of the stores in the brick building on the later site of the Casa Loma was used as an armory, and in August, 1892, the company went to Camp Butler, Long Beach, under command of Lieutenant Prescott, Captain Diss being present as a guest of the National Guard. Here Adjutant General Allen entertained a plan whereby state Springfield rifles were stored with and used by the company. On June 3, 1893, the independent company, as Company G, was mustered into the Ninth Infantry, N. G. C., with the following officers : J. Wallace F. Diss, captain ; Frank C. Prescott, first lieutenant ; and Harvey E. Higbey, second lieutenant. Upon the disintegration of the Ninth Infantry, Regiment G. O. 17, A. G. O., December 7, 1895, Company G was assigned provisionally to the Third Battalion of Infantry of the First Brigade, N. G. C., and two days later, G. O. 18, A. G. O .. December 9th, was transferred to the First Battalion, Seventh Infantry, N. G. C., retaining its old letter. Company G rendezvoused at Redlands, May 5, 1898, and with the rest of the regiment was mustered into the Seventh California Infantry, U. S. V., Independent Division, Eighth Army Corps, U. S. A., May 9, 1898, at the Presidio of San Francisco. This company also saw service in the Philippines, and at all times con- ducted itself as a brave, willing and thoroughly disciplined organization.
ROLLINS-NOBLE CAMP, No. 15, United Spanish War Veterans, Depart- ment of California, was organized May 18, 1905, with a charter member- ship of twenty-six. The camp was named in honor of Sergt. Curtis S. Rollins, Company K, Seventh California Volunteer Infantry, who died at San Francisco, while awaiting orders to the front; and Corporal Don Laban Noble, Sixteenth United States Infantry, who died in the Philippines in active service.
Object of organization: To unite in fraternal bonds those men who served in the military and naval establishments of the United States of America in the war with Spain and in the campaigns incidental to and growing out of that war. To honor the memory and preserve from neglect and oblivion the graves of the dead. To assist former comrades and shipmates, and their widows and orphans, and to inculcate the prin- ciples of universal liberty, equal rights and justice to all mankind, of loyalty to our country, reverence for its institutions, obedience to its laws, and to discountenance whatever tends to weaken these sentiments among our people.
Due to the World war the present (1921) membership of the camp is less than the number of charter members. Officers, 1921 :
Commander-G. L. Gregory. Senior commander-F. G. Booth.
Junior vice commander-L. F. Harbauer. Adjutant and quartermaster-E. Davis.
Officer of the day-J. W. Smith.
Officer of the guard-R. A. Bright. Trustee-A. S. Gutherie.
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Sergeant major-O. P. Sloat.
Sergeant major-S. G. Batchelor.
Past camp commanders-Edward Davis, L. F. Harbauer, J. W. Smith, F. G. Booth, A. S. Gutherie, G. L. Gutherie
AMERICAN LEGION. After the soldiers and sailors had returned home from the war, and the welcomes and reunions were over, they began to consider some kind of proposition for organization by which they could be banded together for mutual benefit.
Their first meeting was held at the Elks' Club, on February 28, 1919, at which time a Soldiers' and Sailors' League was organized with the following officers :
Leo A. Stromee, commander; Jerome Kavanaugh, first vice com- mander ; J. O. Killian, second vice commander ; C. E. Johnson, adjutant ; R. E. Roberts, finance officer ; Mark B. Shaw, chaplain.
Executive committee-A. S. Gutherie, P. M. Savage, H. C. Parker, L. M. Clickner, L. M. Ford.
On August 31, 1919, the League voted to affiliate with the American Legion and so became Legion No 14, of California. The following officers were then elected :
George H. Johnson, commander ; Louis Larsen, first vice commander ; Ed. Burrington, second vice commander ; E. P. Minner, adjutant ; R. E. Roberts, finance officer; Mark B. Shaw, chaplain; H. L. Didelow, sergeant-at-arms ; E. W. Meyers, historian.
Executive committee-Byron W. Allen, C. C. Owen, B. W. Sharper, Fred B. Mack, L. M. Clickner.
The principles and purposes of the Legion are best expressed by the preamble which is as follows: "For God and country we associate our- selves together for the following purposes: To uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States of America ; to maintain law and order ; to foster and perpetuate a 100 per cent Americanism; to preserve the memories and incidents of our association in the Great war; to inculcate a sense of individual obligation to the community, state and nation; to promote peace and good-will on earth ; to safeguard and transmit to pros- perity the principles of justice, freedom and democracy; to consecrate and sanctify our comradeship in the Great War by our devotion to mutuai helpfulness."
Of course the objects and accomplishments of each individual post must to a certain extent differ from those of every other post. There always will be differences of opinion and different methods of accom- plishing those things which are deemed for the best interest. It is hoped, and doubtless will sometome develop, that the American Legion will be the one great ex-service men's organization growing out of the great war, just as the Grand Army of the Republic became the great ex-service men's organization following the Civil war.
LIST OF SAN BERNARDINO SOLDIERS WHO DIED IN ACTION OR IN SERVICE: Raymond Andelstedt, Leonard Armstrong, E. A. Chokas, Clarence Loburn, Kenneth E. Edmunds, F. J. Furlong, Bert Heap, W. H. Lawson, E. L. Pyers, Cornelius J. Scheppers, Jack Heken, Harry B. Lukins, Allen Shedden, Louis Bellotine, Lawrence A. Byers, Charles J. Gregson, H. Van Grenwalt, H. S. Lefler.
AMERICAN LEGION AUXILIARY, No. 14. On April 10, 1920, there was organized an American Legion auxiliary at the call of Mrs. R. F. Garner, who was appointed and instructed to take up the work by the San Ber-
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nardino Legion. There had been a number of preliminary meetings at the home of Mrs. Garner; the first one about twenty women responded to the invitation. Then with something like forty charter members the auxiliary became an organization, with the following preamble: "For God and country we associate ourselves together for the following pur- poses: To uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States of America; to maintain law and order; to foster and perpetuate a 100 per cent Americanism; to preserve the memories and incidents of our association during the great World war; to inculcate a sense of indi- vidual obligation to the community, state and nation ; to combat autocracy of both the classes and the masses; to make right the master of might; to promote peace and good-will on earth; to safeguard and transmit to posterity the principles of justice, freedom and democracy ; to participate in and to contribute to the accomplishment of the aims and purposes of the American Legion; to consecrate and sanctify our association by our devotion to mutual helpfulness.
The present membership numbers 158. Officers for 1921: Mrs. Robert F. Garner, senior president ; Mrs. C. B. Winn, senior vice presi- dent ; Mrs. Jas. W. Cole, senior secretary; Mrs. Carl Zaun, senior treasurer.
RED CROSS. The first meeting with a view to organizing the San Bernardino, California Chapter, American Red Cross, was held on June 29, 1916, in the home of Mr. and Mrs. R. C. Harbison, 515 D Street. The active spirits responsible for this meeting were Dr. H. W. Boone and Miss Anna J. Windall, a Red Cross nurse, who had talked and worked incessantly for several weeks, explaining the character, scope and need of Red Cross activities.
Others present on this occasion were: G. H. Wixom, Judge J. W. Curtis, Carrol C. Davis, S. W. McNabb, W. S. Ingram, D. C. Strong, R. A. Goodcell, W. S. Conger, M. E. Dimmock, W. E. Leonard, O. P. Sloat, J. W. Smith, J. L. Oakey, Mrs. Marion L. Goodcell, Mrs. Frederick Doolittle, Mrs. J. W. Barton, Mrs. S. O. Ferguson, Mrs. W. S. Boggs. The meeting voted authority to Dr. Boone and Miss Windalle to tele- graph for authority to organize the chapter.
On July 25 this was issued and a charter with the signature of John L. Clymer, manager, Pacific Division, A. R. C., San Francisco, California. On August 8th the formal organization of the chapter was effected and temporary officers elected : Chairman, Judge J. W. Curtis, vice chairman, Ralph E. Swing, treasurer, Mrs. Marion L. Goodcell: secretary, Mrs. R. B. Strong. These officers served until the first annual meeting, which was fixed for October 31, 1916. This meeting elected the following officers and executive board :
Officers-Chairman, D. H. W. Mills; vice chairman, Mrs. J. W. Barton ; treasurer, Mrs. Marion L. Goodcell; secretary, Carroll C. Davis.
Executive committee-Dr. H. W. Boone, Dr. A. M. Bennett, C. L. Dunn, Mrs. R. F. Garner, Mrs. J. W. Barton, Miss Julia Bradshaw.
To effectively launch the work systematically, the executive commit- tee chairman of departments: Military Relief, afterwards changed to Chapter Production, Miss Anna Windalle. Membership: Dr. H. W. Boone. Christmas seals: Mrs. R. F. Garner. Nursing service: Miss Julia Bradshaw. Nurses' classes : Mrs. J. W. Barton. Life saving corps : C. L. Dunn. Educational classes : Dr. A. M. Bennett.
A great amount of interest was awakened by these five enthusiastic workers. and the entrance of the United States in the World war in April, 1917, found many men, women and children ready to carry on
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Red Cross work to the end; changes had to be made in the official per- sonnel of the chapter and the second annual election was held August 21, 1917, electing :
Chairman, Rev. David Todd Gilmor ; vice chairman, Robert C. Har- bison ; Treasurer, W. O. Harris; Secretary, Mrs. Helen S. Ell.
Department chairmen-Civilian relief, Mrs. R. F. Garner; military relief, Miss Anna Windalle resigned November, 1918, Mrs. Gertrude Van Camp, elected; membership, Mrs. J. W. Barton; Company K, Mrs. Jonas S. Wood; Press, Mrs. Geo. F. Tilton, resigned October, 1918, Miss Winifred Martin, elected ; war fund, W. M. Parker ; salvage shop, Mrs. R. D. Brown, Mrs. J. H. McInerny, and Miss Rebecca Caro; speakers, Miss Harriett Curtis; finance, Z. T. Bell; junior auxiliary, Mrs. Geo. Tilton, January, 1918; canteen, Mrs. Reetta V. Hadden, June, 1918.
In April, 1918, a critical illness forced Mrs. Van Camp to resign as chairman of Chapter Production, and Mrs. O. C. Rogers was elected in her place, and as secretary of executive board, and as the work was increasing, Miss Iris Buszy was elected assistant secretary.
On January 1, 1918, the R. C. membership was 6,000, and the chapter handled $50,000. Chairman Production Department, Mrs. O. C. Rogers. Sub-chairmen in Production Department were: Sewing, Mrs. S. S. Turvey; knitting, Mrs. John Owen; surgical dressings, Dr. A. M. Bennette. The combined output was over 60,000 pieces.
The canteen work was organized by Mrs. Reetta V. Hadden on June 1, 1918, through the courtesy of the Katz Estate Company. Armory Hall was donated to Mrs. Hadden for canteen work and was splendidly fur- nished through the generosity of the people, singly and in groups, the Chamber of Commerce, and National Orange Show, and had the moral and financial support of the churches and Y. M. C. A. In fact, the entire city took great interest in the canteen, not only the city, but surrounding communities poured the wealth of orchard, grove and vine- yard into the coffers of the canteen on train service calls. Highland and Rialto were specially responsive.
The canteen service, both at headquarters and at train, became the boast of the chapter, on account of this and splendid work at March Field. Mrs. Hadden resigned March 1, 1919, and Mrs. J. W. Evans was appointed in her place.
The singing unit, directed by Mrs. Grover Cooley, was a unique and altogether delightful feature of the canteen service and was remem- bered wherever the "Boys" went. Mrs. Cooley was ably assisted by Miss Olive Easton.
The Junior Red Cross was organized in February, 1918, in the city schools by Mrs. George F. Tilton and Prof. R. B. Stover, and in the seventeen schools of the city, an enrollment of 3,108 members, and by February 1, 1919, there were forty auxiliaries and, to teachers and scholars belong unstinted praise. In May, 1918, Judge Rex B. Goodcell was elected chairman of the chapter to fill vacancy caused by the resigna- tion of Reverend Gillmor, who took up overseas service. Early in December, 1918, R. C. Harbison was elected chairman of the chapter and Judge Rex B. Goodcell, vice chairman, all other chairmen re-elected.
Civilian relief has been the work of the chapter since Armistice Day. October, 1919, the following officers were elected to hold office to 1922:
Chairman, Mrs. George F. Tilton ; first vice chairman, Judge Rex B. Goodcell; second vice chairman, Mrs. J. W. Barton ; secretary, Mrs. O. C. Rogers; assistant secretary, Geo. H. Johnson ; treasurer, W. O. Harris.
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