USA > Iowa > Buchanan County > History of Buchanan County, Iowa, and its people, Volume I > Part 26
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On Sunday, May 1st, the Illinois Central got up an excursion to Des Moines which was largely patronized all along the route. One hundred and eleven tickets were sold from Independence alone and every visitor was loaded with provisions and personal gifts to the boys of Company E. Two other excursions were conducted to the camp within a month and all were largely patronized. Earlier in the week a large box of provisions had been shipped to the company and arrived in time for a Sunday feast. A generous donation of money from the citizens of Independence had been sent the company by Mayor Miller. The people of Des Moines were extremely kind and generous to all the soldiers and particularly to Company E which they showered with attentions. All this time the President was issuing calls for more troops and the soldiers in camp were becoming more and more restive and anxious to depart. They had a trip to the Philippines selected for the lowa soldier's duty but they were doomed to disap- pointment in this desire. The Fifty-second Iowa had already been moved to Chickamauga Park, Georgia, and it was rather conjeetnred that the other three regiments would be moved there, but the forty-ninth and fiftieth were sent to Jacksonville, Florida, and the fifty-first to the Philippines.
Company E then numbered seventy-two men but this number would be redneed to sixty-five men as specified by the Secretary of War as soon as they were mustered into the United States Service. Under a later order, each eom- pany was required to have 106 men. The company while in eamp at Des Moines suffered comparatively little sickness, one ease of pneumonia and one of measles were the only ones.
On June 2d, the company was mustered into the United States services as Company E of the Forty-ninth Iowa Volunteers.
The following is a complete muster roll of Company E with the highest title attained by each member during the enlistment :
COMMISSIONED OFFICERS
Captain, Hubert A. Allen, Independence.
First Lieutenant, Mitchell B. O'Brien, Independence. Second Lientenant, Raymond P. Snow, Independence.
Second Lieutenant, Frank A. Litts, Independence.
NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICERS
First Sergeant. H. D. Chapman, Independence. Sergeant, Robert T. Crawford, Independence. Second Sergeant, C. G. Ilerrick, Independence. Sergeant, Dolph A. Huene, Manchester. Third Sergeant, W. 11. Raymond, Independence. Sergeant, Frank G. Romig, Independence. Fourth Sergeant. E. F. Stevenson, Independence.
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Fifth Sergeant, L. M. Freeman, Independence.
Sergeant, Frank F. Parker, Independence.
Sergeant, Harry Voorhees, Montieello.
Sergeant, Dan Leatherman, Independence.
Corporal, Charles II. Becker, Independence. Corporal, Raleigh E. Buckmaster, Jesup.
Corporal, A. F. Dunham, Manchester. Corporal, L. Elgin Elliott, Brandon. Corporal, James J. Fitzgerald, Fairbank.
Corporal, Ledyard M. Freeman, Independence.
Corporal, Barney M. Gibson, Independence.
Corporal, Jesse E. Griffith, Independence.
Corporal, Frank Hageman, Eagle Grove.
Corporal, William A. Houser, Manchester.
Corporal, Clinton E. Howell, Independence.
Corporal, James P. McGuire, Independence.
Corporal, Guy E. Miller, Independence. Corporal, Jesse H. Montgomery, Des Moines.
Corporal, Jerald B. Paul, Manchester.
Corporal, Jolin W. Petrie, Independence.
Corporal, J. Dell Skinner, Manchester.
Corporal, Orville D. Wescott, Gladbrook.
Corporal, Jesse O. Young, Manchester. Musician. Walter Mitchell, Oelwein.
Musician, Bert Slaughter, Winthrop.
Musician, Elbert P. Trowbridge, Manchester.
Wagoner, R. M. Dawes, Independence.
Wagoner, Oliver D. Marquette, Independence.
Artificer, Ray H. Thompson, Independence.
Artifieer, Arthur D. Van Eman, Jesup.
Cook, Joseph F. Imholtz, Dyersville.
PRIVATES
S. N. Adams, Rowley; W. W. Armstrong, North English; C. R. Brandt, Dubuque : John Budn, Dyersville; Frank Burns, Independence; John Chris- tiansen, Independence; J. T. Condon, Chamberlain, S. D .; G. F. Cross, Man- chester: J. M. Cunningham, Bancroft; C. H. Decker, Jesup; C. A. Diekerson, Jesup; W. E. Dorman, Manchester; A. E. Dornes, Dyersville; C. D. Elder, Manchester; James Elliott, Jesup; W. M. Geist, Independence; W. E. Glenny, Independence; II. L. Golden, Jesup; Mons Granning, Thor; F. J. Greany, Independence; R. E. Guernsey. Independence ; A. L. Hartman, Jesup; C. C. Heath, Manchester; C. W. Helmick, Independence; Benjamin Hieber, Cedar Falls: G. C. Hintz, Independence; George W. Ishmael, St. Paul, Minn .; William Ives. Independence ; C. E. Jones, Independence; J. R. King, Hazleton ; James Leehey, Fairbank; George D. Lepien, Fargo, Mich .; Edward W. Lizer, Jesup; Commodore P. Lusk, Manchester; Roy A. Luther, Independence; Frank J. MeKray, Greeley; George II. Malvern, Manchester; William J. Malvin, Man-
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chester; William Marks, Thorpe; Nels Martinsen, Des Moines; Walter D. Mat- tice, Hazleton ; Curt Mellis, Hazleton ; Alvin Menzel, Delaware : John Metzler, Earlville ; C. A. Miller. Manchester ; R. C. Moffett, Hudson ; R. E. Moffit, Jesup; Delos Moore, Manchester : George Muxlow, Independence ; L. F. E. Nehls, Inde- pendence; R. W. E. Nehls, Independence; C. J. Nelson, Independence; O. E. Nelson, Independence; Lawrence O'Brien, Independence; Floyd A. Peet, Lamont ; John R. Preble, Hazleton ; E. M. Price, Otterville; Christopher Quigley, Fairbank; J. W. Ray, Greeley ; Max E. Rehberg, Rowley; L. V. Roberts, Inde- pendence ; F. W. Shafer, Sunnyside, Ohio: Albert Staehle, Earlville ; D. E. Tay- lor, JJesup ; F. L. Thomas, Independence ; H. E. Tunks, Jesup ; F. R. Washburn, Independence ; R. S. Washburn, Independence; A. J. Webber, Manchester; M. A. Wolcott, Independence.
At the final examinations seven Independence boys were rejected and although they deeply regretted their inability to serve they came home in good spirits.
On the 10th of June, the Forty-ninth was ordered to Jacksonville, Florida. On Saturday, June 11th, a delegation of 160 persons from Independence went to Waterloo to visit with the company during their hour and a half stay in that city on their way south. The troops were royally entertained all along the route to Dubuque. Again the people of Waterloo served them a splendid dinner, at which, the young ladies of Independence were invited to serve Company E, a delicious supper was served by the generous citizens of Oelwein and at Dubuque they were furnished tempting boxes of lunch. They arrived at Jacksonville, Florida, on the 14th day of June and were assigned to the Seventh Army Corps under Gen. Fitz Hugh Lee. This corps was destined for the attack on Ilavana.
Sergt. Eber Stevenson was left as recruiting agent with headquarters at Waterloo and by the last of June had secured twenty more boys from Buchanan County. Immediately they left for Jacksonville, Florida, to join Company E. Ilere they remained for about sixteen weeks in probably the worst and most unsanitary camp which the United States Government ever maintained. Camp Cuba Libre as it was called was situated in a low, marshy ground near Jackson- ville and with the new and unusual elimatie conditions with which to become arelimated, the recurrent rains and lack of drainage, the "medicated rations" furnished by the Goverment, and the germ laden drinking water, an epidemic of typhoid and malaria fevers broke out in camp. On August 18th, the eamp was moved involving a march of a mile and one-half and with the labor of moving tents, ete .. while this change would undoubtedly prove beneficial in the end. it seemed to utterly prostrate many of those with the fever lurking in their systems. Company E was one of these.
The report came to Independence that forty of the company were siek- fifteen in the hospital and three could not possibly live. Naturally this caused intense anxiety and telegrams were hurriedly sent to the captain to inquire and verify or rectify the statement and his response that thirty-two were sick- none serions, although bad enough, was some relief to the friends and relatives. W. F. Miller, editor of the Independence Conservative, visited the eamp to ascer- tain the facts and reported the conditions better than the eireulated reports. He found the Forty-ninth Regiment Camp far better than several others that he visited. The reason for the three Companies, A, E, and K being the worst afflicted with disease was that they had each been assigned to Provost duty-
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HISTORY OF BUCHANAN COUNTY
outside of camp and despite strict orders of the regimental and company officers against it, many of the soldiers bought pies and fruit from the negro trucksters and drank the surface water and lemonade made of it. All these things but aggravated conditions that were bad at best. Many were given a month's fur- lough home to recuperate. After such a contagion of sickness broke out the Government did everything in its power to alleviate the sick and improve con- ditions but it was too late to make amends for the havoc already wrought. The Government was not entirely responsible for this but as in every case of negleet and mismanagement somebody had failed to do his duty-somebody had blundered.
The first death of a member of Company E was that of Edward Lizer. He having died of the typhoid fever at Jacksonville, August 24, 1898. He con- tracted measles and while at Camp MeKinley, at Des Moines, was seriously ill but recovered sufficiently to accompany the regiment to Florida. The change of elimate was too severe for his delicate constitution and typhoid fever symptoms developed from which he succumbed. The first Independence boy to die was Morse Wolcott who snecumbed to typhoid fever Friday, September 23d. This was particularly depressing on all those who had boys sick. Morse was a gen- eral favorite and one of the most popular members of the company and the fact that he had been reported convaleseing and practically out of danger but intensi- fied the grief and anxiety. He was buried with military honors and an escort of the E. C. Little Post, G. A. R. and his own comrades participated in the ceremonies. The Ladies Auxiliary of Company E had appropriately decorated the grave with flowers and flags. Otto Neilson was the next brave hero-to answer the last summons. lle also succumbed to the ravages of typhoid fever, dying at the hospital at Jacksonville, Thursday, October 20, having been siek and left there when the regiment was moved to Savannah.
John Herbert Tiffany, another Buchanan County soldier, but not a member of Company E, died October 7th, at the home of his sister at DeKalb, Ill., and was buried at his old home in Independence. He was in Chieago when the call for volunteers came and enlisted in Company G, First Illinois Infantry, which on June 19th was sent to Santiago, where he was detailed as a nurse at Sibony. Ile served faithfully until he contracted yellow fever and was later sent home on furlongh. After his arrival home the exertion of a march from the depot to the armory brought on typhoid fever from which in his already weakened condition he could not rally. We mention these four deaths because they were the first and possibly received more attention than the ten or eleven that fol- lowed in quick succession. In October, the regiments encamped at Jacksonville, were ordered to Savanah, Georgia, there to await transport to Cuba. In spite of so much sickness and death the spirits of the boys never lagged and their courage and optimism were something to be marveled at, judging from their letters and personal interviews. The ardnous monotony of camp life at Jack- sonville was sometimes relieved by entertainments of the soldier's own initiative. The Forty-ninth Regiment was particularly versatile in their productions and gave several creditable affairs. A minstrel show under the direction of Captain Allen was decidedly elever. Abont four hundred of the city folks, most of them ladies, besides the members of the regiment witnessed the performance. It was a decided success and proved that there was much latent talent among these soldier
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boys. They arrived at their new camp, October 26th, and the beneficial results were noticeable immediately. The camp grounds were situated about two miles from the eity but near a street car line. The women of Savannah with charac- teristic hospitality gave the soldiers a grand Thanksgiving dinner and as long as they remained there they received the kindest and most generous treatment. J. M. Romig on behalf of the relatives and friends of Company E wrote a letter in which he expressed their gratitude and appreciation of the kind and generous treatment accorded our soldiers by the ladies of Savannah. This letter was printed in Savannah dailies.
Along about the 3d of December, the second division of the Seventh Army Corps consisting of about seven thousand men of which company E was a part. and under command of Gen. Fitz Hugh Lee, had received orders to embark for Cuba. Tuesday, December 6th, but this was postponed a day or two, the regi- ment being held to be reviewed by President MeKinley. The regiment had been equipped with new rifles commonly called "Krag Jorgensons," and were ready to move as soon as the "big dress parade" was over. Six big transports conveyed the soldiers to Cuba, one the transport Panama was the first important prize captured from the Spanish during the war, and was occupied by General Lee, his staff. orderlies, and clerks. Company E landed in Havana on the 23d day of December and immediately marched into camp which was situated in the hills about Your miles from the city on account of yellow fever being prevalent in the city. The camp was located on a high hill over-looking the Straits of Florida and about two miles from it.
The roads were in a terrible condition, which made marching a hard proposi- tion, but a railroad was near by for emergencies.
A few days later, December 26th, about the time things were getting settled, Company E received orders to proceed to gnard some sea coast batteries near the city which the Spaniards had just evacuated. Their headquarters were at Vedado and Company E had the distinction of being the first volunteer company situated in the city. The impressive ceremony of lowering the Spanish flag and hoisting the stars and stripes over the Spanish forts and public buildings was not only witnessed bnt participated in by the Seventh Army Corps under General Lee and was stationed in front of the governor general's palace ( which was the great- est center of attraction), they passed in review and paraded while the Cubans, although they were forbidden to parade themselves, had collected en masse and were exultant with joy, erying "Vive los Americanos."
The last day of the year, 1898, found Company E encamped in the suburbs of llavana detailed to guard some fifteen forts and batteries which had been re- cently evacuated and surrendered by the Spaniards, eight forts, among them the celebrated Moro Castle, Pricepe Castle, La Renie, Punta Brava, and Santa Clara, were inelnded. These forts, many of them hundreds of years old and one cover- ing about twenty acres, built of huge stones and containing an endless chain of galleries, chambers, and corridors, with a perfect network of underground pas- sages and cells, was a revelation to the soldier boys of a new country.
While Buchanan Connty was largely represented in Cuba, still it was not without representatives in other foreign ports. C. A. Anderson, of Rowley, a member of Company L, Fifty-first lowa Infantry, United States Volunteers, was stationed at Manila. Ile left the United States November 3d, and anchored in
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HISTORY OF BUCHANAN COUNTY
Manila Bay, December 7, 1898, and was on board the transport almost all the time for ninety-five days. He was afterwards in a fight around San Roque, where the insurgents endeavored to lay a trap for the Americans by showing the white flag.
The Fifty-first Regiment, of which his company was a part, chased the enemy six miles through swamp and brush seemingly impassable. The ambush and guerrilla warfare continued for days and weeks but with very little loss of life to the Americans.
Another former Independence boy, Ensign Harry Yarnell, was fortunate enough, on. his first ernise to be on board the United States Battleship Oregon, when she made her memorable trip from San Francisco to Key West, from there she was despatched to join Sampson's fleet in blockading Santiago De Cuba. (Admiral Schley's fleet was also stationed there doing blockading duty.) Shortly after this the Oregon participated in the famous battle of Santiago Bay on July 3d, and to her was accredited the glory of running down and capturing the Spanish ship Colon. During the battle of Santiago, Yarnell had charge of one of the big guns on the Oregon and so experienced the thrill of real war. His letters to his unele. David Neidigh, of Independence, gave a very graphie and entertaining account of the long, tedious trip around Cape Horn and of the excit- ing and brilliant battle of Santiago Bay. Lient. Dewitt Blamer, another Inde- pendence boy, was, during the war, an ensign on the United States training ship Alliance, stationed at Fortress Monroe, and just after was transferred from the ship Buffalo on service at Manila to the Boston, one of the best boats in Admiral Dewey's fleet which was then stationed at Iloila.
Company E remained on duty in the City of Havana for several weeks and was finally relieved by a regiment of heavy artillery and from there the company was ordered into Camp Columbia, with their regiment. They were in eamp a few days when the regiment was ordered on a ten days' expedition to Penier Del Rio. Their first stop was in San Antonio about thirty miles west of Havana, where they remained for four or five days, from there they marched to the Town of Alquizar and back, a distance of eighteen miles. While in Alquizar, on the 24th of February, Company E witnessed the celebration of the fourth anniversary of the starting of the Cuban army of Havana (and Gomez entering the city was received with wild enthusiasm) the event was celebrated by a parade and general patriotic demonstrations all over Cuba. Saturday, the 25th, the whole brigade was received before the alealde (mayor) and other prominent citizens, a courtesy extended which to the Cubans was very condescending on the part of the Americans, so the soldiers thought.
About the 1st of April, word was received from Company E that the Forty- ninth would soon be mustered out. The eagerly awaited orders for the return of the Forty-ninth were soon received and the next letter home gave the exact date for sailing which was to be Wednesday, April 5th, but several things intervened and Company E unfortunately did not get off with the rest and was one of the last companies to leave the island. They did not get away until Saturday night on the leased Ward liner City of Havana. After a stormy voyage full of unusual disastrous experiences, they anchored in the Savannah River at Sandusky, where they landed on Monday night, April 10th, for fumigation and from there into a five days' quarantine; then went into their old camp again at Savannah, Ga.,
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HISTORY OF BUCHANAN COUNTY
where on Saturday, May 13th, the company was mustered out and immediately were given transportation home where they arrived Tuesday, May 16th.
Immediately upon receiving the intelligence that Company E was soon to be expected home, the executive committee of the Ladies' Auxiliary and one ap- pointed by the mayor met to make arrangements for a grand reception to be tendered the company upon their arrival home and the plans when completed included a reunion of the veterans of 1861 and 1898 at the Gedney Opera House, a banquet at the Munson Buikling for all the members of the company and their wives followed by a reception and camp-fire at the Opera House, and this to be coneluded with a grand ball at the Munson building. The carrying out of these plans was left in charge of seven committees, finance, reception and programs, decoration, instrumental music, vocal music and banquet, and when these com- mittees had completed their plans the arrangements to the simplest details were complete. Bright and early Tuesday morning the people of Independence began to decorate and get ready to welcome home Company E; long before the train time not only Main Street but the whole town was embowered with flags and flowers. Everyone was in a state of joyful expectancy with the exception of those to whom the event brought the saddest recollections of those who had been mus- tered out by the hand of death, and would never be welcomed home again. The town was full of people and at 9 A. M. the crowd proceeded to the Ilinois Central Depot to extend the glad hand. As is usual upon such occasions the train was over an hour late but there was no complaint about this, everyone was too happy for the small difference of an hour to be noticed and the enthusiasm of the crowd never for a moment abated.
Mr. Mike Goodwin was on hand, just as Col. E. Heege had been upon a similar occasion thirty-four years before, to boom forth a resounding welcome with the old Independence cannon. This he kept np at frequent intervals, until the smoke of the big engine coming up over the eastern ineline gave the signal for a regular bombastie explosion of noise-pandemonium reigned unchecked. It has been «laimed by persons of reliability and broad intelligence in such matters, that the Independence fire-whistle ean or does come nearer raising the dead than any other instrument of torture ever invented and it never did better service. Every school bell, every Factory whistle, big canon crackers and every available means of noise was employed to do justice to the occasion while the cannon and the Hospital and Occidental bands lent their best efforts to the canse. Three special ears brought besides Company E, the Waterloo and Charles City Companies. Record has it that Lieutenant Ilobson's oseulatory greeting by the women wasn't "in it" with that accorded Company E.
The program was carried out the next day as planned. R. W. Terrill. depart- ment commander of the G. A. R., presided, many notable men were present and spoke, among them Hon. A. S. Blair, llon. Ed. P. Seeds, Col. J. H. Peters, Hon. W. H. Norris, all of Manchester, and Dr. G. W. Bothwel, of Fairbank, and the local speech makers and okl soldiers were a conspicuous part of the program.
The address of welcome at the evening reception was given by IIon. T. E. MeCurdy, of Hazleton, and responded to by Capt. H. A. Allen. The Jesup boys stopped off at Independence for the day and when they reached home on Tuesday night, May 16th, a similar celebration took place. All the citizens, the G. A. R. and W. R. C., the school children and teachers and the band were at the depot to
MIKE GOODWIN
AND BILLY HUGHES FIRING A SALUTE ON DEPARTURE OF COMPANY E
WAITING RETURN OF COMPANY E, 49TH IOWA VOLUNTEERS
DEPARTURE OF COMPANY E. 49TH IOWA VOLUNTEERS
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HISTORY OF BUCHANAN COUNTY
give them a royal welcome home, the band played, the children sang and every- body shouted. On Wednesday night a reception and banquet was held at the beautiful home of L. S. Hovey and an invitation was extended to Captain Allen and wife.
Just the day after the company reached home a telegram was received an- nouncing the death of Ray Moffitt on the day previous, in the hospital at Camp Onward, Savannah.
On Friday, May 26, 1899, the Woman's Relief Corps of Manchester, gave a reception to Company E: a large crowd composed of the soldiers, their friends and the Oceidental Band accepted of their hospitality.
The town was handsomely decorated, and did itself proud in the matter of entertaining. A fine dinner and a reception, with music and speeches, followed by a ball in the evening, filled the day with pleasure. Company E gave a public drill in answer to requests, which showed them to be in a splendid state of effieieney.
A very handsome quilt into which was worked the names of all the company was presented to Captain Allen by the Corps.
During the actual period of service Company E lost nine meu, two more dying very soon after the muster out, two in a few weeks after from disease contracted in the army, and another, Roy Guernsey, who was a member in the Signal Serviee Corps, making fourteen in all. We have mentioned only the first few deaths, as it grew to be almost a weekly occurrence that some member of Company E had succumbed to the ravages of typhoid fever; some of whom were residents of Delaware County, but members of Company E. Delaware County had fifteen representatives in Company E.
That the company made an enviable record is attested by the fact that they were a part of the First Provost Guard that the Seventh Army Corps ever had, and in recognition of their fine work there they were selected out of the entire Seventh Army Corps to receive the evaenation and surrender of the Spanish forts, where they guarded millions of dollars worth of property. At the official surrender, which took place on the 1st day of January, the company furnished mounted orderlies for the commanding general of the army, and the governor general of the island, and took part in the ceremonies ineident to the surrender.
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