USA > Pennsylvania > History of the First regiment infantry, National guard of Pennsylvania (Grey Reserves) 1861-1911, pt 2 > Part 9
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Dewey had fought and won the great naval battle of Manila Bay on May 1, and soon thereafter the rest of the Spanish flect were on the Atlantic Ocean, whither bound no one then knew. The fleet was later discovered at anchor in the harbor of Santiago on the southerly side of Cuba, where the United States fleet, under command of Admiral Sampson, promptly steamed, and proceeded to " bottle up " the Spanish battleships in this small harbor. This was the situation in the month of June, when elaborate prepara- tions were being made by our War Department to land a large army under Major-General Shafter near Santiago to cooperate with our fleet in making a combined attack on the Spanish land and naval forces concentrated there.
Early in June we had received orders to recruit the several companies of the regiment from TS to a war footing of 106 officers and men, and First Lientenant Henry E. Pearson, of Company F. and First Lieutenant Thomas B. Thomas, of Com- pany D, were sent to Philadelphia to procure the 314 additional recruits required. Throughout the entire service of the regiment in the field the Veteran Corps was always ready and willing to lend its aid to the regiment at every opportunity. As soon as thi-
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MOVEMENT TO CUBA
order for additional recruits was received. Colonel Good ad- vised Col. Theodore E. Wiedersheim, commander of the Veteran Corps, thereof, so that when the recruiting officers arrived in Philadelphia, the Veteran Corps had assembled, and arranged for the medical examination of the recruits needed by the regiment. With this addition the regiment had a strength of 1100 officers and men ready and fit for service, prior to June 30. 1898. The regiment had gone away without a chaplain, and on June 17, 1898, Rev. Cyrus Townsend Brady joined the regiment as its chaplain.
During the latter part of June the movement to Cuba was well under way. United States troops and supplies were being landed near Santiago ready for real fighting. The excitement at Camp Thomas was intense, as regiment after regiment, either from there or from the mobilization camps at Tampa, Florida, or at Camp Alger, near Washington, was ordered on its transport. for Cuba or Porto Rico. The officers and mnen of the regiment. inspired by Lieutenant-Colonel Good, were enthused with a patri- otic desire to be on the " fighting line," and strong efforts were made by Colonel Good to have the regiment among the first of those to receive orders for the " front."
By July 1 our land and naval forces were in position at Santiago ready for a combined attack, and on the early morning of July 3 the great naval battle of Santiago had been fought and won by the American navy. The stirring news of this great event reached our camp about "taps" that same day. The men had been pent up with intense patriotic enthusiasm for more than a inonth, and they had quietly wrapped up in their blankets for the night, wondering what the morrow might have in store for them. When the news of the great victory was received by our division commander, General Poland, he transmitted it throughout his command, accompanied by permission for the men to relax and join in the general jubilation which so spontaneously asserted itself.
That was indeed a notable night in the camp of the First Pennsylvania Volunteers. That pent-up patriotic enthusiasmn was let out in one glorious jubilee. The boys of the First, a thousand strong, in fantastic night garments, each man with a lighted candle carried in the shank of his bayonet. headed by the regimental band. and with no other leader than the inspiration of the occasion,
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marched across the parade grounds, dancing, singing, shouting, cheering, to the headquarters of General Poland, our division commander. After serenading General Poland we espied our dear friends, the First Georgia Regiment (who were in our division), coming out of their eamp in similar attire, when our regiment marched over to meet the Georgia boys, our band playing, with a spirit of enthusiastic brotherly welcome, that dear old southern tune of " Dixie." As the Georgia boys came toward us their band struck up " Yankee Doodle," and as the two regiments met and commingled, their bands spontaneously united in playing the " Star Spangled Banner." It was a veritable love-feast. The boys of Georgia carried the Pennsylvania officers around on their shoulders, and the boys of Pennsylvania did likewise with the officers of the Georgia regiment. It was a night never to be for- gotten ; never, I dare say, in the life of any man there had patriotic enthusiasm run so rampant; it was an exhibition of the mettle of those men. They could have gone anywhere under any difficulties that night and fought any enemy without a fear of death or a waver in their lines.
But the regiment was not yet destined to have an opportunity of showing its mettle on the " firing line." Our infantry was being as rapidly as possible equipped and sent out of the country for service. The Tenth Pennsylvania was on its way to the Philippines; the Fourth and Sixteenth were destined for Porto Rico, where they were landed the latter part of July; and the Third Infantry had been twice ordered on transports from Tampa. Florida, but these orders were withdrawn, and no other Penn- sylvania troops saw active service except some of the cavalry and artillery, which were sent to Porto Rico.
The First Regiment, however, received notice early in August to be ready for an expedition, presumably Porto Rico, and had made return to higher headquarters, according to orders. of the men who were absent or sick and who would not be able to accom- pany the regiment on this expedition. Overtures for a truce be- tween Spain and the United States were made about this time. the " Protocol" was signed, and the expedition was abandoned.
During all of this time, since muster-in, the regiment had been under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Good, while Colonel Bowman still lay on his siek-bed at home. lame and dis- abled from his injury received at Mt. Gretna early in May. It
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RETURN OF REGIMENT
appearing that Colonel Bowman's injury would prevent him in- definitely from taking command of his regiment in the field, under date of August 5. 1995, he was commissioned and given the rank of colonel of the First Regiment of Pennsylvania Volun- teers, to date from May 11, 1898, and at about the same time, under date of August 11, 1995, his enforced resignation as colonel was accepted. to date from May 12, 1898, " on account of dis- ability while awaiting muster in."
This appointment and retirement of Colonel Bowman as com- mander of the regiment enabled the position of colonel to be filled, and on August 17, 1898, Col. J. Lewis Good was given the com- mand, with full rank as Colonel from May 13. 1898.
On August 20 the regiment, with the rest of the second division, under Gen. W. J. MeKee, left Chickamauga Park, Georgia, for Knoxville, Tennessee, where it remained until the 14th of Sep- tember, before moving to its home station for muster-out. Colonel Good continued in command of the regiment, bringing it home after the termination of hostilities, on September 16, 189S. On its return the regiment was met by the Veteran Corps of the First Regiment Infantry, N. G. P., a detachment of the Nine- teenth Regiment, N. G. P. (a provisional regiment affiliated with the old First and organized during its absence), and Meade Post No. 1, G. A. R., who escorted it to the armory of the regiment. The regiment was then placed on furlough for thirty days from September 17, and on October 26, 1898, after all Government property had been turned in or accounted for, and the final muster and pay-rolls and other service records made up, the regiment was mustered out of the United States service by Captain Fuger, of the Fourth Artillery, U. S. 1., as mustering officer.
On that very day (October 26, 1898) the regiment paraded in Philadelphia on the occasion of the Peace Jubilee given in celebration of the return of peace, and in the evening many of the officers attended a magnificent reception tendered by the Union League of Philadelphia to President MeKinley and distinguished officers of the army and navy who served during the war.
During its six months' tour of duty the regiment was not without its share of the difficulties and privations of war. Although the fortunes of war did not put the regiment within sound of the cannon's battle-roar. nevertheless it suffered from sickness and death from exposure and disease.
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HISTORY OF THE FIRST REGIMENT. N. G. P.
Colonel Good, at home chief of the Bureau of Health of the city of Philadelphia, a veteran experienced in administering the rules of hygiene for the protection of the health of his men, was practically helpless against the " red tape " and strict regulations of the United States army, administered by superior officers in the field. As a National Guard regiment we had always eneamped- in the open field, where the purifying rays of the summer sun removed all dampness from the tents, and helped to disinfect and purify the sinks and kitchens. At Chickamauga Park it was different; the camp, as well as the sinks and kitchens, were in the woods, with no opportunity to receive the purifying effect of the sunlight. The regimental camp was crowded to its limits. and the tents were overcrowded with men. The ground where we were required to dig our sinks was an impervious soil, with a hard rock bottom two or three feet under the surface. These ominous conditions were at once noted by Colonel Good, and he applied for permission to encamp in the open, but this request. though urgently repeated, was refused; he then asked permission to have our sinks located in the sunlight, but this was refused : and as a last resort he applied for disinfectants, and this was refused, with the eurt endorsement, " See paragraphs 119-120. Manual Governing Medical Department, U. S. A., and A. R .. paragraph 1462," which we had already learned to know-" the routine use of disinfectants is prohibited." \ camp is supposed to be moved before it becomes putrid, but we could get permission neither to move nor to disinfeet.
As early as June 24, while the regiment showed no signs of disease, Colonel Good had taken the wise and thoughtful pre- caution to have samples of all drinking water used by the men sent on to Philadelphia for examination by the skilled chemists of the Bureau of Health, and every other precaution had been taken, which the service offered, to insure the men against disease.
Up to August 1. 1898, our siek-roll did not exceed one per cent., and finally, on August 12, Colonel Good's request for dis- infectants and permission to eneamp in the open were granted and made a general order for the whole camp. But the damage had been done : the seeds of disease of the deadly typhoid had been sown among us, and death soon became our frequent visitor.
On August 19 a special hospital train with physicians and nurses arrived from Philadelphia in charge of a committee of
ISOS
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DEATHS " IN THE LINE OF DUTY"
Councils and under the supervision of Dr. Batt. Eighty-four sick men of the regiment returned on this train to Philadelphia and were distributed among the various hospitals of the city. On August 27 a second hospital train, with Governor Hastings in charge, took home another detachment of the sick; and on Sep- tember 12 a third hospital train, sent by the Veteran Corps of the regiment, and in charge of Dr. Charles S. Turnbull, a former surgeon of the regiment, and now again its chief surgeon, con- veyed the remainder of our sick to Philadelphia.
The first loss by death sustained by the regiment was that of Corporal Jacob S. Zane, of Company G (a younger brother of the present Major George B. Zane), who died on July 1 at Chicka- mauga.
The next to go was private Charles Dolan, of Company E, on August 4, 1898, at Chickamauga.
And the following completes the list of those brave men of the First Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers who gave up their lives from disease contractel while " in the line of duty " for their country's cause :
Private Win. J. Kohring, Company E, of typhoid, August S, 1898, at Chickamauga.
Private Bernard Schappercotter, Company D, of typhoid. August 10, 189S, at Chickamauga.
Private Frank Marren, Company D, of typhoid, August 28, ISOS, at Phila- delphia.
Private Geo. Elliott, Jr .. Company D, of typhoid, August 28. IS98, at Phila- delphia. Was discharged from service before death.
Private John P. Chatham. Company B, of typhoid, September 8, 1898, at Sternberg Hospital, near Chickamauga.
Corporal John A. Foley. Company F, of typhoid, September 30, 18?S, at Philadelphia.
Private John B. Melntyre. Company H, of typhoid, September 13, ISOS, at Philadelphia.
Private James F. Maguire. Company C, typhoid. September 18. 1898, at Philadelphia.
Private Howard A. Williams. Company A, of typhoid, October 4, 1898, at Philadelphia.
Private Chas. Kohl. Company A. typhoid. October 9. 1898, at Philadelphia. after mu-ter-out.
Corporal Mark Morton. Company F, of typhoid. October 30. 1998, at Phila- delphia. after muster-out.
Of those who went out with the regiment who were transferred or assigned to other service and acquired their diseases away from it, there died the following:
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ISOS
Major and Surgeon Lawrence S. Smith, of typhoid, August 17, 1898, on hospital ship Relief, returning from Porto Rico.
Private Peters, Company (, of typhoid. at Steinberg Hospital; on service at Third Division Hospital, Chickamauga.
Private Jos. S. VanZandt, Company E. who had been transferred to Second Division Hospital, killed by falling from train on his return home.
In addition to the foregoing list, First Lieutenant Henry- E. Pearson, of Company F, who was taken ill while on recruiting service in Philadelphia in June. never recovered from his illness, and finally died in Philadelphia on December 22, 1595, after the regiment had been mustered out of the service. Private Joseph Bailey, of Company I, who also contracted illness during his ser- vice, from which he failed to recover, died some months later.
There were several changes among the officers of the regiment during the period of the war. The promotion of Colonel Good to the Coloneley resulted in Major Albert L. Williams being made lieutenant-colonel, and Captain Thomas H. P. Todd, of Com- pany I, major. On the staff, Captain and Chaplain Cyrus Town- send Brady was appointed on June 17, 1898.
First Lieutenant and Quartermaster Frederiek P. Koons re- signed on June 23, and on July 5, Regimental Quartermaster- Sergeant Frank L. Mueller was appointed first lieutenant and regimental quartermaster to succeed him. On September 1, First Lieutenant and Assistant Surgeon William G. B. Harland was made regimental surgeon, with the rank of major, to succeed the late Major Lawrence Savery Smith, who died at sea en route from Porto Rico on August 17, 1898, while on detached service with the Reserve Hospital Corps, First Army Corps, at Porto Rico.
In the line, Captain Clarence II. Staley, Company A, resigned on June 7, and was succeeded by First Lieutenant Charles F. Hess, Company K. who was appointed captain on July 4. Cap- tain Eugene J. Kensil, Company H. resigned on June 11, and was sueceeded by his first lieutenant. David H. DaCosta, on July 4. On the same day (July 4) Second Lieutenant Walter M. Hotz of Company H, was promoted to first lieutenant: and on July 5 Sergeant Nicholas J. Kenney (who was Colonel Bow- man's orderly at the time of his injury at Mt. Gretna) was made second lieutenant of this company.
Second Lieutenant Samuel 1. Martin, of Company K. was promoted to first lieutenant of that company on July 4, in place
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RESIGNATIONS AND PROMOTIONS
1598
of Lieutenant Hess, appointed to be captain of Company A; and on July 5, First Sergeant Harry L. Cooper, of Company C, was appointed second lieutenant of Company K. On July 14 Second Lieutenant Harry F. Campbell. of Company G, resigned, and his place was filled on July 24 by First Sergeant William B. Johnston, of that company. On July 27, Second Lieutenant Carl A. Wetten- hall, Company I, resigned, his place being taken on August S by Regimental Sergeant-Major John B. Maull.
The promotion of Captain Todd, Company I, as major, on August 17, resulted in the appointment on August 26 of First Lieutenant George B. Zane, of Company G, as captain of Com- pany I. On August 26 Second Lieutenant William B. Johnston, of Company G, was moved up to first lieutenant of that company, and at the same time Regimental Sergeant-Major Townsend Whelen was made second lieutenant of Company G.
Major and Surgeon Lawrence Savery Smith and First Lieu- tenant and Assistant Surgeon Joseph P. Tunis were detached from the regiment in June for service with the Reserve Hospital Corps, First Army Corps, in Porto Rico, and were not with the regiment the remainder of its tour of duty. First Lieutenant Samuel 1. Martin, of Company K, was also detached from his company, . and was detailed to the Quartermaster's Department, Reserve Hospital Corps, First Army Corps, in Porto Rico.
Second Lieutenant and Battalion Adjutant John L. Conaway was detailed as acting ordnance officer for the regiment, and Second Lieutenant and Battalion Adjutant Augustus Drum Porter as acting commissary. Second Lieutenant Frank A. Sinnickson. of Company D. afterward succeeded to these duties.
It may be of some interest in this narrative to refer to the equipment of the regiment in this service. This equipment may be briefly described by an extract taken from a general order at Camp Thomas on July 1, 1898 :
On his person, the soldier is to carry, besides his arms and canteen. haversack (with meat ration can. knife, fork and spoon inside). tin enp. web helt filled with 50 rounds of ammunition, the following: A roll con- taining I poncho, 1 piece shelter tent, poles and pins, 1 pair of stockings, 1 towel.
In the wagon, in a roll or bundle done up in the blanket bag. I blouse, where the soldier wears his dark blue shirt and does not wear his blouse,- 1 woollen blanket, I extra suit of underclothing, which includes 1 pair of stocking -. 1 extra pair of shoes.
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HISTORY OF THE FIRST REGIMENT. N. G. P.
1913
In addition to the personal equipment of the men thus de- seribed, the regimental equipment consisted of a dozen officers' horses with horse equipment, 27 large army wagons (intended eventually for six mules, but then drawn by four only), 109 army mules (one for orderly duty) with harness equipment complete, besides tentage, kitchen and cooking utensils for every company. ammunition, commissary supplies, forage for horses and mules. and other paraphernalia required by the exigencies of field service.
The pay of the enlisted men during the war with Spain was 20 per cent. more than had been received by the men of the army before the commencement of hostilities. Private soldiers received $15.60 per month and allowanees. instead of the customary " army pay " of $13 per month, which had previously prevailed; non- commissioned officers also received their increase in the same proportion.
There were other features of the service at Chickamauga which may be mentioned. Our practice marches, for instance. were not only practical and instructive, but were an interesting diversion for the men. An entire battalion, or perhaps the entire regiment, would break camp at reveille, taking down all tentage and loading everything on the army wagons, and go on an eight- or ten-mile march, halting for noon mess and pitching a " shelter- tent camp " at some attractive spot in the cooling woods, or along some picturesque stream where the men could bathe.
Although the service regulations prescribed only a " drum and bugle corps " when the regiment entered the volunteer service, by subsequent authority of the War Department we were permitted to organize a " band," although no instruments were at that time issued by the Government. Much to the delight of the men. however, the City Councils of Philadelphia appropriated money to purchase a complete equipment of band instruments for the regiment, so that our "band " was promptly organized and equipped; and soon thereafter the merry tunes unknown to the martial bugle were enlivening the men at reveille, and making pleasant their lonesome evenings on the " tented field."
The "Dandy First" seldom failed to have its "evening parade " each day. Usually the inen changed their dusty service uniforms of " khaki." worn in the long drills, marches, and battle exercises of the day, to the " blue," similar to the present " dress"
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CHICKAMAUGA EXPERIENCES
uniform. Until the new band was organized the drum and bugle corps always " trooped the line " in this ceremony of evening parade, generally playing " Semper Fidelis," or some other tune within the limitations of the bugle, which had long since had a hackneyed sound to the men. On one occasion, the boys will well remember, the evening parade was held just as the regiment returned from a long afternoon of " battle exercises," and in the temporary absence of the drum and bugle corps this impressive part of the ceremony was rendered by the two " buglers " mounted on sleek Goverment mules, who " trooped the line " with solemn dignity as the regiment stood at " parade rest."
During the tour of duty at Chickamauga a rifle practice camp was erected at Boynton. Georgia, five or six miles away from Camp Thomas. This eamp was occupied for several days at a time by the battalions of the regiment, when the men received their instructions in rifle practice.
For a time the regimental " canteen " was established under the provisions of the army regulations on this subject. A sort of a club was maintained were a light beer was dispensed for the use of the men, but this arrangement was soon determined to be unsatisfactory and not for the best interests of the men, and was ยท abolished.
Many were the incidents of that five months' service in the field. Although it was serious business, seriously entered into by earnest, loyal. and patriotic men, yet withal it had its incidents of fun and joy. Songs and poems were composed by the boys apropos of some of the events. Years hence, when the gallant boys of the good old First are hoary-headed veterans, they will tell their grandchildren of the vicissitudes of that service, and perhaps recite to them some of the verses of that popular camp song, " Because I Took the Oath and said 'I do .? "
Or perhaps they will tell them of the " night attack." when shot after shot awakened the camp at midnight, and it was dis- covered that a box of pistol cartridges had caught fire and ex- ploded from a eandle left burning in Major (afterward Lieutenant- Colonel ) Williams's tent, while he was encamped with his bat- talion at the rifle practice camp at Boynton. " many miles away." For a time bullets were flying in all directions from the major's vaeant tent. and the men. alarmed from their peaceful sleep. 30
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HISTORY OF THE FIRST REGIMENT, N. G. P.
1.898
were having a real object-lesson in " seeking cover " behind the tall trees of the forest where the regiment was encamped.
The officers and men soon had their rough edges worn off and accustomed themselves to each other and to the little difficulties of the service under the unflinching regular army regulations and cumbersome " red tape " employed by the United States Govern- ment in managing its army in time of peace. This "red tape." to the officers and men accustomed to business methods at home, scemed at times more suitable for the deliberate and studied con- duct of a reformatory institution than for application to an army of young, active, hustling, intelligent soldiers, who were accus- tomed to the " short-cut," "get-there " methods of the average American in his civil life.
For instance, Company D,-we all knew Company D in those days-had enlisted a swarthy colored man as " cook " who could not cook. He was not happy there and wanted to get back home; there were thousands of others to fill his place. The facts were frankly recited in a communication to higher headquarters and his discharge was requested. After days-perhaps weeks-of de- lay the communication was returned, with innumerable endorse- ments by intermediate headquarters, refusing his discharge, with instructions to place him in the " ranks " if he could not cook. This was indeed a severe shock to the keen sensibilities of dear old Company D; but. nothing daunted, they again applied for his discharge, fashioned after army regulation requirements, on the ground that his enlistment as a " cook " was made under false and fraudulent representations, etc., i.e., that he could cook, when in fact he could not safely boil an egg. Higher headquarters. however, whoever or wherever they were. again refused the dis- charge, and Company D was surely " up against it." They were, however, good and obedient soldiers, and as directed by the 'powers above," put their colored comrade in the ranks to make a soldier of him. Something. however, happened about this time which exhibited a beautiful silver lining to Company D's cloud of trouble. An order came from corps headquarters, where the cook's discharge had been refused, directing the First Pennsylvania Volunteers to detail " one cook to these headquarters for duty, sending with him his duplicate enlistment paper, clothing and descriptive list." The opportunity for escape had come. The
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