History of Colorado; Volume I, Part 81

Author: Stone, Wilbur Fiske, 1833-1920, ed
Publication date: 1918
Publisher: Chicago, S. J. Clarke
Number of Pages: 954

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federate cause, and which was in charge of a few Wisconsin volunteer artillery- men.

Recruiting offices were soon opened in the larger communities of the territory and regimental headquarters were established at Camp Weld. The first of the next month the following were appointed captains of the six companies in the process of organization : E. D. Boyd, William H. Green, L. D. Rowell, J. Nelson Smith, S. W. Wagoner and George West. The authorities at Washington made provisions for the formation of only six additional companies, which, with those of Ford and Dodd, would make only eight to the regiment; this error resulting from the general belief of the department that there were four companies in Colorado ready to become part of the Second Regiment. By August fully two- thirds of the total strength of the regiment had been acquired. Capt. Theodore H. Dodd and Capt. James H. Ford had been given high offices in the Second, the former that of lieutenant colonel and the latter major.

The Second left Camp Weld August 22nd and marched to Fort Lyon, arriving on the 29th. A number of additional volunteers, composed of men who had en- listed from southern Colorado for service in a New Mexican regiment, were sent to Fort Lyon and entered into the ranks of the Second. In April, 1863, after several months of weary camp life, the Second was enlarged by the arrival of the two veteran companies under Dodd and Ford.

At this same time six companies of the Second were ordered to Fort Leaven- worth, the remainder of the regiment to remain at Fort Lyon. The six com- panies named, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Dodd, left Fort Lyon on the 6th of April, marching eastward. At Fort Riley, 135 miles west of Fort Leavenworth, Dodd received new orders, directing him to go to Fort Scott, in the southeastern part of Kansas. Here, with a number of Kansas colored troops, the companies of the Second Colorado were made the escort of a huge wagon train to Fort Gibson, in the Indian Territory. Upon the route a small battle was fought with a mixed force of Indians and Confederates, led by Standwatie, a Cherokee Indian with a brigadier general's commission. Twenty-three men of the Union forces were killed or wounded, while the enemy lost considerably more.

Having arrived at Fort Gibson, the Colorado companies were attached to the command of Gen. James G. Blunt, then preparing to meet the Confederate army under Gen. Douglass H. Cooper, who was approaching along the north side of the Arkansas River. Cooper's force was estimated then to be about six thousand of nondescript character-Indians, Confederates, renegades and gen- eral flotsam and jetsam of the frontier. The Federal army, comprising 2,500 men and twelve pieces of field artillery, left Fort Gibson and met Cooper's ad- vance on July 17th, at Honey Springs, near the mouth of Elk Creek, a tributary of the Arkansas. The ensuing battle lasted barely two hours, but in that time the well-trained and courageous Union soldiers completely routed the enemy. Blunt lost seventeen killed and about fifty wounded, while the Confederates- and Indians-lost fully 150 killed and 400 wounded. The supply train of the enemy was burned by Cooper to prevent it falling into the hands of the Fed- erals. Five weeks later, General Blunt occupied the post at Fort Smith, Ar- kansas.

In the meantime, Colonel Leavenworth was succeeded as colonel of the Sec-

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ond by Lieutenant Colonel Dodd. Leavenworth, through a small technicality, was dismissed from the service, but quickly reinstated. However, his pride caused him to resign his commission.

OTHER VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATIONS

In 1862 the organization of two more volunteer units in the Territory of Colorado was begun. One of these was the Third Regiment of Colorado Volun- teer Infantry, of which William Larimer was to be colonel, and the other was a battery of field artillery, to be commanded by William D. McLain. Recruiting was enthusiastically begun in the fall of the year, but the number of recruits was small. A sufficient number to form a few companies, however, had entered by December Ist and these were taken to Camp Weld, then having been renamed Camp Elbert, in honor of Samuel H. Elbert, then Secretary of the Territory. Lieut. Col. Samuel S. Curtis had been appointed to the regiment and he assumed charge of the camp, with the task of whipping the "rookies" into shape. Gen- eral Larimer resigned from the regiment. No further enlistments of any im- portance were secured and by the first of February, 1863, there were only enough soldiers for five companies, A, B, C, D and E, under Capts. R. R. Harbour, E. W. Kingsbury, E. P. Elmer, G. W. Morton and Thomas Moses, Jr., respectively. An order had been received in January to proceed to Fort Leavenworth, but de- lay of supplies and equipment prevented the start until March 3d. At this time five companies, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Curtis, began their march down the Platte to Fort Leavenworth, arriving April 23d.

The battery which was raised by Captain McLain developed into a four-piece organization. Besides the captain, the officers were : George S. Eayre, first lieu- tenant ; and H. W. Baldwin, second lieutenant. This battery was also sent to Fort Leavenworth and later participated in the military operations in eastern Kansas and Missouri.

The five companies which constituted the embryonic Third Colorado re- mained at Leavenworth but a short time. During the latter part of April they were despatched to St. Louis by boat, thence to Sulphur Springs, twenty miles farther south. Here they remained until the latter part of May, then were or- dered to Pilot Knob, Missouri, there becoming a part of Schofield's Army of the Frontier. Under this command they remained during the summer and autumn months.

MERGER OF SECOND AND THIRD COLORADO

On October 11, 1863, the Second and Third regiments of Colorado Volun- teer Infantry were ordered to consolidate into a new regiment, to be known as the Second Regiment of Colorado Volunteer Cavalry. At this time the two regiments were widely scattered-six companies of the Second had been attached to General Blunt's command, the remainder at the time doing outpost and guard duty along the Arkansas River trails, and the Third was a part of Schofield's Army of the Frontier.

This necessitated much delay, consequently it was not until the late fall that the two regiments assembled at St. Louis, as per orders. In January following

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the reorganization was accomplished and the regimental officers chosen were: James H. Ford, colonel; Theodore H. Dodd, lieutenant colonel; Samuel S. Cur- tis, J. Nelson Smith and Jesse L. Pritchard, majors. The companies of the Sec- ond became Companies A, B, C, D, E, F and G, while those of the Third be- came Companies H, I, K, L and M.

CAREER OF THE SECOND CAVALRY

Colonel Ford's regiment, 1,240 strong, well equipped and mounted, was or- dered to Kansas City in the latter part of January, 1864, where Ford was placed in command of a military sub-district, consisting of three border counties -Jackson, Cass and Bates, the former including Kansas City. Under his com- mand, in addition to the Second Colorado Cavalry, there were: a regiment of Missouri infantry, some Missouri militia and two companies of Minnesota in- fantry. Until the autumn of 1864 Ford's troops engaged in combating the fierce guerillas through Missouri, a form of warfare much disliked by all northern soldiers, but popular among certain classes of Confederates.

Both the Second Colorado Cavalry and McLain's Battery were chosen in September, 1864, as part of the army to meet Gen. Sterling Price's Confederates, a host 15,000 strong which marched into Missouri with the intention of conquer- ing the state. Price's troops were seasoned veterans, but nevertheless were re- pulsed from St. Louis. The Confederates then moved westward to Jefferson City, there again to be defeated. From Jefferson City, Price marched up the Missouri River, with the purpose of investing Kansas City and capturing Fort Leavenworth. Gen. S. R. Curtis, in command of the Department of Kansas and the Indian Territory, with headquarters at Leavenworth, hastened to assemble all available troops at Kansas City and Independence, and the Colorado troops, who had been assigned under General Blunt, were stationed at Lexington, Mis- souri. The heavy hand of Price's army soon fell upon Blunt and his small com- mand.

On the morning of October 20th, Price's gray-clad men appeared before Lexington and quickly attacked the Federal troops. The latter, fighting desper- ately, held the attacking ranks off until night, then withdrew from the position, which was rapidly becoming untenable, to the Little Blue River, six miles east of Independence. Here, on the 21st, they again engaged Price's entire army, suffering heavy losses. Blunt was compelled to again fall back to the Big Blue River, joining the main army of General Curtis which had been reinforced by Pleasanton's Cavalry. This augmented command, on October 22d, succeeded in inflicting a severe defeat upon the Confederates, which was the beginning of the end for Price and his army.

By the end of the 23d of October, after a day of continual battle, Price began a disordered retreat southward, closely followed by the Union forces. On the night of the 24th he was attacked in Linn County, Kansas, by Curtis' men, in- cluding the Colorado companies, and driven out. The Confederates came to bay again on the 25th at Mine Creek, but could not maintain their stand and were forced onward.

The culminating battle occurred on the 28th at Newtonia, a Missouri village southeast of Fort Scott. The struggle waged bitterly, with great losses upon

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each side, until finally Price's army was driven from the field. He was pursued as far as the Arkansas, when, with the remnant of his once well-equipped and trained army, he was permitted to escape across the river. The Second Colo- rado's losses at Newtonia included forty-two men killed outright. This was easily the most sanguinary engagement of the campaign.

In December, 1864, the Colorado troops which had participated in the Price campaign were ordered to Fort Riley, Kansas, there to be assigned to the service against the plains Indians. In this manner they continued until the fall of 1865, when they were mustered out.

RAID INTO COLORADO TERRITORY

The nearest approach to an organized Confederate expedition into Colorado Territory was the raid by James Reynolds' Texan guerrillas into the South Park in the summer of 1864. Reynolds, formerly a miner in the South Park, entered southeastern Colorado with twenty-one renegades in July, intending to pillage and murder indiscriminately. The band avoided Fort Lyon, Pueblo and Cañon City, but proceeded to the South Park, where the men began a systematic cam- paign of plundering, attacking ranchmen, miners and stage coaches. Reynolds boasted that he intended to ravish Denver at the first opportunity, but this op- portunity never came. Colorado citizens began a determined hunt for the des- perado and his gang. The first conflict resulted in the death of three of the band and the wounding of Reynolds himself, whereupon all fled, leaving their supplies and plunder behind. A few days later Reynolds and five of his men were captured near Cañon City, the others escaping. The leader and his men were brought to Denver, then started for Fort Lyon under military guard. Just what happened at this juncture is not known definitely, but can be guessed with little error, for very shortly the troops returned to Denver with the statement that Reynolds and his men had been shot while attempting to escape near the head of Cherry Creek.

THE SPANISH-AMERICAN 'WAR

On the night of February 15, 1898, the U. S. Battleship "Maine" lay peace- fully at anchor in the harbor of Havana, Cuba. Without warning and with the suddenness of a lightning flash the majestic warrior of the seas was destroyed, together with the lives of 266 of the American sailors on board.

Interested the country had been in the events preceding this disaster-watch- ful and apprehensive-but the tragedy in the Havana Harbor quickly kindled the fires of martial excitement and in Colorado, as in the whole nation, the people prepared for war. President McKinley appointed a commission to investigate the "Maine" explosion, and when this committee made its formal report, which was sent to Congress by the President, the warlike spirit of the country was expressed in the determination to drive Spain out of the Western Hemisphere. Nothing more remained but to declare war, which was done by Congress on April 25th. On April 23d, President Mckinley, as authorized by Congress, issued a procla- mation calling for 125,000 volunteers for two years' service or for the duration

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of the war. Within an incredibly short time this number was secured and on May 25th 75,000 more volunteers were called.

In Colorado the quota fixed under the two calls of the President was: one regiment of infantry, two troops of cavalry and one battery of artillery, consist- ing in all of about sixteen hundred men. Military affairs in the state had been at low ebb for several years prior to April, 1898, but when the first rumors of friction between Spain and America became current, recruiting was vastly stimulated. There were two partial regiments of infantry, three small cavalry troops and the Chaffee Light Artillery in Colorado and these forces quickly ap- proached war strength in the few months just before the declaration of war.

After hostilities were in force Governor Adams issued a mobilization order to all the Colorado troops and on April 29th they were assembled. Camp was made in Denver, near the City Park, which site became known as Camp Adams, in honor of the governor. Hardly a week passed before one full regiment of infantry, two troops of cavalry and a battery of artillery, which filled the quota, were ready for active service.

THE FIRST REGIMENT

The First Regiment of Colorado Infantry was mustered into the service of the United States on the Ist of May, 1898. The field and staff officers, appointed by Governor Adams, were:

Irving Hale, of Denver, colonel.

Henry B. McCoy, of Pueblo, lieutenant colonel.

Cassius M. Moses, of Pueblo, major.

Charles H. Anderson, of Denver, major.

Dr. Clayton Parkhill, of Denver, surgeon.

Dr. Louis H. Kemble, of Denver, surgeon.

Dr. Charles E. Locke, of Denver, assistant surgeon.

Alexander McD. Brooks, of Denver, adjutant.

William B. Sawyer, of Denver, adjutant.

David L. Fleming, of Leadville, chaplain.

There were twelve companies in the First Regiment, each company represent- ing a group of towns or a city. Companies A and C were enlisted mostly from Pueblo; Companies B, E, I and K from Denver ; Companies F and L from Lead- ville; Company G from Cripple Creek; Company H from Boulder; and Com- pany M from Colorado Springs. The company officers were :

Company A-John S. Stewart, captain; William F. Dortenbach, first lieu- tenant ; Samuel E. Thomas, second lieutenant.

Company B-Frank W. Carroll, captain; Charles B. Lewis, first lieutenant ; Charles E. Hooper, second lieutenant.

Company C-Ewing E. Booth, captain; William H. Sweeney, first lieutenant ; Willard P. Bidwell, second lieutenant.

Company D-John A. Taylor, captain ; George Borstadt, first lieutenant; Al- bert J. Luther, second lieutenant.

Company E-Kyle Rucker, Captain; Clarence W. Lothrop, first lieutenant ; Rice W. Means, second lieutenant.

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Company F-G. Ralph Cummings, captain; Charles S. Haughwout, first lieu- tenant ; Willard G. Riggs, second lieutenant.

Company G-David P. Howard, captain; Thomas C. Brown, first lieutenant ; Walter P. Burke, second lieutenant.

Company H-Charles B. Eastman, captain ; Charles H. Wilcox, first lieu- tenant ; Fred L. Perry, second lieutenant.

Company I-William R. Grove, captain; Charles H. Hilton, Jr., first lieuten- ant ; Charles O. Zollars, second lieutenant.

Company K-William A. Cornell, captain; William J. Vannice, first lieuten- ant; Ralph B. Lister, second lieutenant.

Company L-David P. LaSalle, captain; Cornelius F. O'Keefe, first lieu- tenant ; Franklin Ballou, Jr., second lieutenant.

Company M-Clyde C. Spicer, captain; Charles H. Sleeper, first lieutenant ; James H. Gowdy, second lieutenant.

The First was a regiment of picked men in every sense of the word. The number of applicants for enlistment was far in excess of the number desired, consequently only those best fitted and trained for military life were accepted. At first it was thought that the regiment would be sent to Cuba and among the early orders the First was included among the regiments ordered to Chicka- mauga Park, Tennessee. However, the Philippines became the center of interest before the regiment moved and on May 13th orders were received directing the First to entrain for San Francisco, thence across the Pacific to Manila.

On the 14th the regiment marched proudly into Denver, where a national flag was presented by the Sons of the Revolution. On the next day a handsome regimental flag, the gift of Mrs. William Cooke Daniels, was presented to the First with appropriate ceremony.

May 17th was the day of farewells to the regiment. The whole command, consisting of 1,086 men, accompanied by the regimental band, marched through the City of Denver, along streets black with cheering crowds, to the Union Sta- tion. It is said that never before, nor since, has such a patriotic celebration oc- curred in Denver. Four trains awaited with steam up to carry the soldiers west- ward, while the men hurriedly said their good-byes.

The First arrived at San Francisco on May 21st and encamped at Camp Merritt, their section of which was called Camp Hale, in honor of the colonel. While here, orders from the War Department directed that each company be recruited to a strength of 104 men, and accordingly a detachment of the First returned to Denver, obtaining 200 new men in quick time. The new soldiers ar- rived at San Francisco June 24th, one week after the regiment had sailed for Manila ; one half of the detachment followed on August Ist, arriving at Manila September Ist, and the remainder started August 21st, were delayed at Honolulu, and did not disembark at the Philippine port until November 23d.

The main body of the First were landed at Paranaque and pitched tents at Camp Dewey. After a week spent here the active work of the campaign was begun. Regimental activities for a time consisted mainly of reconnoitering, road making, trench digging, guard duty, with a few skirmishes thrown in for excite- ment. The First was ordered to participate in the attack upon the City of Manila, which occurred August 13th, and in this engagement the Colorado boys conducted themselves brilliantly. Late in the morning of that day, after some

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artillery preparation, Colonel Hale was ordered to lead his regiment against the Spanish fortifications and capture Fort San Antonio. This was done in one charge, while the regimental band played "A Hot Time in the Old Town To- night," and the flag raised over the fort by Adjutant Brooks, Lieutenant Colonel McCoy and Lieutenant Lister was the first to be flown over the Manila defenses. Shortly after, Color Serg. Richard Holmes and the Color Guard raised the flag at Malate, a suburb of Manila, which was the first national emblem within the city.

The predominant part played by the First Colorado in the capture of the Philippine city led to several promotions. Colonel Hale was promoted to the rank of brigadier general by President Mckinley and Governor Adams advanced Lieut. Col. Henry B. McCoy to the command of the regiment, while Maj. Cas- sius M. Moses became lieutenant colonel.

For several months afterward the duties of the First were not greatly hazard- ous, consisting of guard and outpost work, part of the time at Bilibid Prison.

In February, 1899, the insurgents under Aguinaldo became troublesome and the First became part of the force which captured blockhouses 5 and 6, also par- ticipated in the recovery of the Manila water-reservoir, and the pumping-station. Until late in March the regiment then remained on guard at the pumping-station, with frequent small engagements with the natives who were conducting a guer- rilla warfare.

Companies A, M and a portion of E, under Lieutenant Colonel Moses, en- gaged in the advance toward Malolos on March 25th and fought bitterly with the insurgents during the entire day. On March 31st, Companies C, D, E and G participated in a movement against Mariquina and San Mateo, capturing the enemy entrenchments under extreme difficulties. During the latter part of May and the forepart of June, Companies A, C, F, G. K and L were in the advance upon Antipolo and Morong, under General Lawton. The next expedition, also under the command of the brave Lawton, in which Colorado troops engaged, was against a large force of Filipinos near Paranaque and Las Pinas. The American force, consisting of about five thousand men, was composed of regulars, with the exception of a troop of Nevada cavalry and Companies B, D, E, F, I and M of the First Colorado under Colonel McCoy. Several casualties were inflicted upon the First in the capture of Las Pinas, but during the whole of the fighting the Colorado soldiers bore a conspicuous part and received warm praise for their gallantry. This was the last active field service in which the Colorado men .par- ticipated. On June IIth they went into camp at Manila, were assigned to guard duty at the waterworks, where the greater portion of the regiment remained un- til departure for the states.

Orders for embarkation were received July 4th and on the next day camp at the waterworks was "struck." On the 6th the regiment marched into the City of Manila, boarded the transport Warren on the 15th, and sailed on the 18th, just one year after the troops had arrived on Philippine soil. The transport stopped at Nagasaki and Yokohama, Japan, on the return voyage and arrived at San Francisco on August 16th, there to be met by Governor Charles S. Thomas, Adj. Gen. J. C. Overmeyer and other Colorado men of prominence. The regi- ment was mustered out at the Presidio on September 8th and reached Denver on September 14th. In their home city the men were accorded a gigantic wel-

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come. A fund of $35,000 was raised by popular subscription to provide for their transportation home, in order that they might keep the funds which had been given for that purpose by the Government ; new colors were presented; addresses were made and a banquet given; and, as a fitting reward, subscriptions were raised to provide for a bronze medal for each soldier, commemorative of their heroic service upon foreign soil.

Many changes occurred in the personnel of the First Colorado during the period of service. Officers were changed frequently and many men from the ranks received commissions. Fully 10 per cent of the regiment had received discharges at Manila, preferring to remain in the service. Most of these men enlisted in the Thirty-Sixth U. S. Volunteer Regiment, being organized at the time the First sailed for home.

CASUALTIES

One of the features of the First Colorado's war service is the fact that so few men died of disease, a fact which proves the excellent physical character of the men, and the efficient sanitary methods of the regiment. The list of those who died in the service, either from Spanish bullets or sickness, follows:

Aldrich, Archie A., Company E, died at Manila, April 18, 1899, of wounds. Bell, William H., Company C, died of smallpox, January 11, 1899. Bowser, Clifford H., Company K, died of wounds, June 9, 1899. Bryant, R. M., Company K, died of variola, February 25, 1899. Bush, W. H., Company I, died of dysentery, March 24, 1899.

Carlson, Charles, Company L, killed in action, February 5, 1899.

Daniel, Elmer E., unassigned, septicaemia, at San Francisco, August 1, 1898.

Dawson, B. W., unassigned, died of remittent malarial fever, at Honolulu, October 24, 1898.

Donahue, W. J., Company F, variola, February 26, 1899.

Doran, Elmer F., Company I, killed in action, February 5, 1899.

Downing, Walter, Company L, acute dysentery, November 22, 1898.

Doxsee, Harry L., Company C, killed in action, May 23, 1899.

Duval, Frank A., Company F, died of wounds, June 28, 1899.

Falkenburg, Harry C., musician, died of smallpox, January 20, 1899.

Haviland, Albert, Company F, variola, February 24, 1899.

Hegewer, Bert C., unassigned, spinal meningitis, at San Francisco, August 15, 1898.

Jefferson, W. S., Company G, typhoid fever, at San Francisco, November 20, 1898.

Lillie, Charles, Company I, acute diarrhoea, February 10, 1899.

Lindsey, Frank B., Company L, died at sea on homeward voyage, August 8, 1899.

Loosa, August H., unassigned, septicaemia, at San Francisco, August 5, 1898. McDowell, Harry A., Company M, suicide, December 4, 1898.

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History of Colorado; Volume I, Part 81

Author: Stone, Wilbur Fiske, 1833-1920, ed Publication date: 1918 Publisher: Chicago, S. J. Clarke Number of Pages: 954

Author: Stone, Wilbur Fiske, 1833-1920, ed
Publication date: 1918
Publisher: Chicago, S. J. Clarke
Number of Pages: 954