USA > Wyoming > History of Wyoming, Volume I > Part 33
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As early as 1829 a conspiracy was formed in Cuba for the purpose of throw- ing off the Spanish yoke, but it was discovered and crushed by the Spanish Government before the revolutionists were prepared to begin active operations. In 1844 came the uprising of the blacks, which, like the former conspiracy, was suppressed with great cruelty on the part of the Spaniards. Some five years later (1849-50) Narciso Lopez, a former resident of Cuba, fitted out an expedition at New Orleans for the overthrow of Spanish power upon the island. Lopez was too quixotic for a military leader. His expedition ended in failure and some of his men perished in Spanish dungeons.
In 1868 the "Ten Years' War" broke out, the revolutionists taking advantage of dissensions in the mother country and hoping to establish the independence of
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Cuba. After the war had been going on for about two years, Amadeus, second son of Victor Emanuel of Italy, was called to the throne of Spain as "constitutional king." He resigned in 1873, when the provisional government under Castilla came into power. Castilla threatened to make a desert island of Cuba. He sent 257,000 soldiers to the island and so great was the sacrifice of human life that fewer than fifty thousand of them returned to Spain. Three hundred million dollars' worth of property was destroyed during the war and a heavy debt was contracted, which was settled upon the Cubans as a penalty for their revolt.
Not only was the debt laid upon the inhabitants, but the captains-general also became more tyrannical in their administration of affairs. The heavy burden of taxation and the unreasonable demands of the governors had the effect of strengthening the determination of the Cubans to achieve their independence. It was not long, therefore, until they began planning another insurrection. Ex- perience had taught them the necessity of caution, and for more than fifteen years they carried on their preparations with the utmost secrecy. In 1895 the revolution was inaugurated at several places simultaneously. The revolutionists were led by Maceo and Gomez. Captain-General Campos, then governor of the island, conducted his military movements along the lines of warfare recognized by civilized nations. This policy did not meet the approval of the Spanish authorities at Madrid. Campos was therefore removed and General Weyler was placed in his stead. Instantly a change could be seen. Weyler issued his "I order and com- mand" proclamation ordering the inhabitants of the rural districts to "concentrate themselves in the towns occupied by the troops." Any persons who failed to obey the order within eight days were to be considered rebels and were to be treated as such. The order also prohibited the transportation of provisions from one town to another without permission of the military authority. The supply of food in the cities and towns was inadequate to the demands of the "reconcentrados," as the people thus confined in them were called, and many actually starved to death. Weyler was no respecter of persons and women and children were the greatest sufferers.
The inhumanity of such a course aroused the indignation of the civilized world. European nations sent protests to Madrid, but they met with no response, so far as mitigating the conditions in Cuba were concerned. The people of the United States raised funds and sent relief to the starving reconcentrados, but in nearly all cases the contributions were diverted into the hands of the Spanish.
Political conventions, commercial organizations and several of the State Legislatures adopted ringing resolutions calling on the Government of the United States to intervene in behalf of the oppressed Cubans. The platform upon which William McKinley was elected President in 1896 insisted that some action must be taken in the interests of humanity. When this became known in Havana, riots resulted, friends of Weyler telling the people that intervention of any kind by the United States meant the ultimate annexation of Cuba to that country.
Nothing was done during the year 1897, but about the beginning of 1898 the Atlantic Squadron of the United States Navy was ordered to the Dry Tortugas. within six hours' sail of Havana. On January 25, 1898, the Battleship Maine dropped anchor in the Harbor of Havana, the authorities having been notified the previous evening by the United States consul-general of the Maine's intended ar- rival. Prior to this, the Spanish Government had protested against this nation's
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sending cruisers bearing supplies to the reconcentrados. The presence of the Maine in Havana Harbor, while the United States and Spain were supposed to be at peace, was not pleasing to the Spanish officials, who, as a measure of retaliation, ordered the Cruiser Vizcaya to New York. Thus matters stood until February 9, 1898, when the Spanish minister to the United States resigned his position and asked for his passports. About twenty minutes before 10 o'clock, on the evening of February 15, 1898, the Maine was blown up, with a total loss of the vessel and 266 of her officers and men were either killed by the explosion or drowned. A court of inquiry afterward reported that "there were two explosions of a dis- tinctly different character, with a short, but distinct interval between them, and the forward part of the ship was lifted to a marked degree by the first explosion. * In the opinion of the court the Maine was destroyed by the explosion of a submarine mine, which caused the partial explosion of two or more of her forward magazines."
The destruction of the Maine, with its consequent loss of life, increased the excitement in the United States and the demands for intervention grew more insistent. Still the administration declined to intervene, chiefly for the reason that General Weyler had been superseded by General Blanco, who issued a proclamation declaring a cessation of hostilities, and announced that the reconcentrados would be permitted to return to their homes. On March 8, 1898, Congress appropriated $50,000,000 for the national defense, but nothing further was done for some time, or until it was definitely learned that Blanco's promise to release the reconcentrados had been, and was being, systematically ignored. Another reason for delay was that President Mckinley was awaiting the decision of the court of inquiry that was investigating the Maine disaster. On March 28, 1898, he sent a message to Congress, submitting the report of the court and "invoking the deliberate con- sideration" of Congress.
The day following the receipt of this message bills relating to Cuban affairs were introduced in both houses of Congress, and on April Ist a naval appropriation bill was passed. On the IIth of the same month the President sent to Congress another message, in which he said: "In the name of humanity, in the name of civilization, in behalf of endangered American interests, which give us the right and duty to speak and to act, the war in Cuba must stop. In view of these facts and these considerations, I ask Congress to authorize and empower the President to take measures to secure a full and final termination of hostilities between the Government of Spain and the people of Cuba," etc.
Congress was prompt with its response. On the 13th the House of Represen- tatives passed a resolution directing the President to intervene in Cuban affairs at once. The resolution was amended by the Senate, stronger language being used, and on the 18th the House concurred. The resolutions adopted on that date were as follows :
"I. That the people of the Island of Cuba are, and of right ought to be, free and independent.
"2. That it is the duty of the United States to demand, and the Government of the United States does demand, that the Government of Spain at once re- linquish its authority and government in the Island of Cuba, and withdraw its land and naval forces from Cuba and Cuban waters.
"3. That the President of the United States be, and he hereby is, directed and
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empowered to use the entire land and naval forces of the United States, and to call into the actual service of the United States the militia of the several states to such an extent as may be necessary to carry these resolutions into effect.
"4. That the United States hereby disclaims any disposition or intention to exercise sovereignty, jurisdiction or control over said island, except for the pacification thereof, and asserts its determination when that is accomplished to leave the government and control of the island to its people."
Two days after the adoption of these resolutions, the United States Government presented its ultimatum to Spain, to relinquish its authority before noon on April 23. 1898, and to withdraw its land and naval forces, in accordance with the second resolution. Spain refused compliance and Rear Admiral Sampson was ordered to blockade the Cuban ports. On the 23d President Mckinley issued his proclama- tion calling for 125,000 volunteers, "the same to be apportioned, as far as practic- able, among the several states and territories and the District of Columbia, according to population, and to serve for two years unless sooner discharged."
This proclamation was issued before a formal declaration of war had been made by Congress, but on April 25th it was enacted. "That war be, and the same is hereby declared to exist, and that war has existed since the 21st day of April. 1898, including said day, between the United States of America and the Kingdom of Spain."
WYOMING'S RESPONSE
On April 25. 1898. Governor William A. Richards received notice from the sec- retary of war that Wyoming's allotment of troops was one battalion of four com- panies of infantry. The secretary's communication also stated that it was the President's wish that the National Guard should be used, as far as their numbers would permit, for the reason that the men were already armed, equipped and drilled. At that time the Wyoming National Guard consisted of one infantry regiment of seven companies, commanded by Col. Frank M. Foote, and a battery of light artillery, commanded by Capt. Granville R. Palmer. Immediately upon receipt of the call from Washington, Governor Richards called upon the several company commanders to report the number of men in their command who were willing to enlist for two years. When their replies were received at the executive office the work of selecting the four strongest companies devolved upon the governor and Colonel Foote. The companies chosen for the battalion were: C of Buffalo, G of Sheridan, F of Douglas, and H of Evanston. Later a portion of Company A of Laramie was accepted and united with Company F.
On May 2, 1898, these companies left their home stations and the next day they were all at the rendezvous at Cheyenne, which was named "Camp Richards" in honor of the governor. Here a week passed in recruiting each of the companies to eighty-one men and three commissioned officers and in the medical examina- tions. As soon as each company was ready it was mustered into the United States service, and on the morning of May 10, 1898, the governor telegraphed the secretary of war that the battalion was organized and awaiting orders. In his message to the Legislature which assembled on January 10, 1899, Governor Richards said :
"I am reliably informed that no other state had filled its quota at that time, so
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that to Wyoming must be accorded the honor of being the first to respond to the call for volunteers with a full quota. Our apportionment was 231 men, but 338 were mustered in with the battalion. The rather difficult task of taking four companies, where three times the number were anxious to go, and of selecting officers for them, when there were so many to choose from, was successfully accomplished, and, so far as I am informed, there was no dissatisfaction with the organization of the battalion among either the officers or enlisted men. Colonel Foote was commissioned major and given command."
THE BATTALION ROSTER
The field and staff officers of the battalion were as follows: Frank M. Foote major commanding ; Harol D. Coburn, who was mustered in as first lieutenant of Company F, adjutant ; Johnson W. Morgareidge, second lieutenant of Company G, quartermaster ; John S. Morrison, first lieutenant and assistant surgeon, in charge of the battalion hospital department. In the company rosters following are in- cluded the names of all who enlisted and were mustered into the United States service. Some of the men were discharged before the battalion was mustered out, and some were transferred to other commands.
COMPANY C
Most of the members of this company came from Johnson County, the head- quarters of the company as a National Guard organization having been located at Buffalo. Thomas Millar, was captain; James D. Gallup and Charles Pinney, first lieutenants : Loren Cheever and Henry A. Smith, second lieutenants ; Charles H. Burritt and Christian J. Hepp, first sergeants; Frank Shortill, quartermaster sergeant : John D. Kilpatrick, William H. Fisher, John A. McConnell, William R. C. Newell, Henry Sneddon and George Rogers, sergeants ; Frank Ellis. William A. Miller, Park Bateman, Thomas H. Hamilton. Adam Freel, Harry E. Smith, William Shortill and William H. Baker, corporals; William A. Miller, Joseph A. Owenhouse and Arthur W. Warner, musicians ; G. L. Kimball and Alexander A. Herron, artificers ; J. L. Campbell and Robert A. Robinson, wagoners.
Privates -- Peter Bertelson, George Binnall, Charles A. Birmingham, Robert A. Brennan, Thomas Brown, Robert Carlon, Jerry Cashman, Fred Chapman, Harry H. Chatterson, Nels Christensen, Harry Clay, Ephraim Cliburn, Lowell Coates, Sylvester B. Coates, George Denton, James S. Eddy, Homer Evans, John Evans, Ralph L. Ewing, Philip Gatch, William E. Gossett, Arthur Harrington, John Herron, Jr., Sidney Jacobs, Warren D. Jenkins, Ernest Knoedler, William J. Langiewicz, Frederick Lehman, Sterling S. Lewis, William McKay, Thomas R. McMaster, Charles Martin, Bruno Mediate. James S. Miller, Leroy S. Minnich, Ferdinand Peer, Charles A. Pettit. John T. Picard, Fred W. Raymond, Gustav Rossknacht, Andrew Rusnock, Henry Sell, Charles N. Smith, Joseph M. Spaeth, George B. Taylor, Basil E. Thomas, John T. Wallace, Ira H. Ward, Issac C. Ward, George White, James M. White, Ray F. Wiedmer, James J. Wright, John L. Zook.
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COMPANY F
This company was recruited at Douglas and Laramie and was mustered in with the following officers and enlisted men; John D. O'Brien, captain; Harol D. Coburn. first lieutenant ; Willard H. Rouse, second lieutenant ; William E. Yelton, first sergeant ; Waldo E. Sherwin, quartermaster sergeant; Samuel L. Harris, William J. Mast, James L. Scanlon, Wallace F. Pease and Charles B. Negus, sergeants ; Nathan E. Burns, Walter S. Briggs, Thomas Olson, John G. Ponting, Edward Rose, George E. Triggs and Frederick Frick, corporals; Walter Bartlett, cook; Edgar R. Rouse and John Frick, Jr., musicians ; Jed A. Smith and Carl W. Fisher, artificers ; Richard Eberhart, wagoner.
Privates-Ernest Adams, Charles H. Barton, Thomas B. Barton, Ernest R. Bowker, Charles W. Brandis, Joseph A. Brown, Arthur W. Brownlee, James Burton, Stephen A. D. Byerly, Wells Byers, Ralph C. Caylor, Charles A. Cole, Harry R. Crumrine, Benjamin F. Cunningham, Ernest A. Cunningham, Bert E. Dennis, Alexander Dobby, William T. Donahoo, Eric Ericson, William J. Evans, Joseph Frick, Jonathan E. Frisby, Edward M. Garfield, Arthur W. Gray, William D. Hudson, William A. Kellogg, Charles M. Knadler, John Knox, Jr., George R. Laird, Carl H. Lange, Charles J. Larson, John J. Lohlein, Orange S. Lucas, Wesley Lytle, James E. McCumber, George Marsh, John J. Marsh, Carl F. Miller, Fred A. Miller, George R. Moyer, Edward Niedheimer, Emile Olday, Reuben J. Reals, Albert Richards, Henry N. Roach, Howard Robb, Charles E. Robinson, Edwin O. Ruhl, Henry Ruhsert, Frank K. Schmidt, Mark A. Skinner, William F. Smith, George W. Snow, William B. Stockton, Joseph S. Trosper, James A. Vidal, William R. Watt, Harry G. Waechter, Ernest Wesche, Arthur White, Robert J. White, Henry J. Wiese, John F. Wyatt.
COMPANY G
Company G was composed chiefly of men from Sheridan and Cheyenne. It was mustered in with Daniel C. Wrighter as captain; Hezekiah P. Howe, first lieutenant ; Johnson W. Morgareidge, second lieutenant. The non-commissioned officers during the term of service were: Chester Z. Zander, Charles Fuer and Maynard J. Herron, quartermaster sergeants; John O. McClure, first sergeant ; Frank Geere, John A. Brown, Edmund G. Guyer, Oscar E. Hoback, Alva T. Morgareidge and William D. June, sergeants; Henry T. Rule, Almer D. Zander, Charles H. Cahill, Alfred A. Florida and James E. Morrison, corporals ; Paul Spehr, cook ; George E. Small, Joseph A. Owenhouse, Harry H. Clubb and Robert B. Robinson, musicians ; Herbert E. Zullig, artificer; David Lewis, wagoner.
Privates-George N. Akin, Carl M. Anderson, Peter W. Anderson, Charles A. Ballard, Edwin Blackmer, George Briggs, Leslie S. Brookhart, Frank M. Bruner, Arlester L. Burnell, Wells Byers (transferred to Company F), Frank A. Cahill, Carter E. Calder, Charles C. Caldwell, George J. Clause, John E. Coleman, Niles R. Coleman, Martin L. Davidson, Cory W. Dudley, George H. Evans, William H. Ferris, Jeremiah J. Galvin, Herman J. Gaulke, Henry George, Emil R. Grable, William B. Grigg, Seeley S. Hawes, Thomas J. Henry, Charles Hohrman, Bert Humphrey, Max Idleman, Jr., Charles E. Jones, Maximilian P. E. Jordan, Robert C. Koontz, Andrew Lindberg, Richard B. Lloyd, Charles M.
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McClure, Vincent L. McGuire, Thomas Mcveigh, John A. Monical, John C. Oder, Arthur W. Parker, James N. Petersen, Peter W. Petersen, Henry H. Preston, Charles N. Reece, Henry A. Richardson, Wilbur A. Richardson, Thomas Ryder, Lewis R. Schmidt, Charles J. Schubert, William D. Skinner, Eugene H. Stevens, Madison U. Stoneman, Olaf E. Strom, Daniel Sullivan, Everett W. Taylor, Sylvester B. Trowbridge, Oliver M. Walsh, Charles H. Wells, Tim Williams, Charles Wilseck.
COMPANY H
Company H came from the southwestern part of the state, the National Guard company from which it was formed having its headquarters at Evanston. After reporting at Camp Richards a number of recruits were added from Rock Springs and Cheyenne. The organization of the company during its term of service was as follows: Edward P. Holtenhouse, captain ; Henry Ohlenkamp, first lieutenant ; George F. Fast and Thomas A. Williams, second lieutenants; Benjamin Moore, battalion sergeant-major ; William C. De Loney, first sergeant ; William O. Taylor and Charles W. Fox, quartermaster sergeants : James A. Morganson, Frank A. Crase. James H. Winslow and John L. Townson, sergeants; Thomas Holden, William H. Houston, John J. Code, Rea Bender, Jacob Sherman, Peter F. Pat- terson and James E. Raferty, corporals ; Harry Miller and Fred L. Siegel, musicians ; John W. Thatcher, cook ; Harry Jones, artificer; Joseph Shaw, Jr., wagoner.
Privates-Ferdinand Abel, Lloyd W. Allen, Andrew Anderson, Anton Ander- son, Albert E. Arthurs, Frank Bowen, Harry Brown. Louis Burmeister, William C. Burns, William T. Byrnes, William F. Caldwell, Albert M. Calkins, Calvin Carpenter, Oscar O. Carson, Peter Christensen, William J. Clark, Robert Crosbie, Charles Ericksen, Reinhart Fermazin, William Freerks, Harry E. Hall, John Hangartner, John B. Hanson, Morley L. Hassard, Joseph Hemmelwright, James A. Howard, Philip S. Jackson, Ira Johns, Emil Johnson, Francis M. Jones, Lawrence A. Jones, Thomas O. M. Jones, John E. Karlburg, Christian Kaus, William Kelley, Edward La Comb, Joseph D. Leyshon, Edward Lyst, Alfred C. McDowell, Thomas Meguire, James Miles, William Nichols, Dennis Perry, John Raferty, Peter Roberts, Samuel C. Joslyn, Michael J. Rowland, Philip Schopp. Jr., Martin Sedlack, Edward L. Sellon, George W. Sessions, Peter E. Sperling, Hans Tuesen, Orie A. Vanblaricon, Paul Wilkinson, Robert Wilkinson, William A. Woolam, Dana N. Woods, Herbert S. Wright, Alfred Zemp.
IN THE PHILIPPINES
On May 18, 1898, the battalion entrained at the Union Pacific Railroad station in Cheyenne for San Francisco, where it arrived on the morning of the 21st and went into camp at Camp Merritt, where the boys remained, drilling and doing camp duty until June 27, 1898. On that date the battalion embarked upon the steamer Ohio, which arrived at the mouth of Manila Bay on the last day of July. The troops remained on board until the 6th of August, when they were disembarked and went into camp at Paranaque. After a week's experience in the trenches came the Battle of Manila on August 13, 1898.
The battalion was assigned to the reserve of the First Brigade, First Division,
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on the extreme left of the line. This position caused some complaints among the men, who wanted to be "where there was something doing." Before noon Fort Malate was in the hands of the American troops and the reserves were ordered forward. Then the Wyoming boys made up for lost time and at 4:45 P. M. their battalion flag-the first United States flag raised in Manila-was seen floating over the captured city. General Anderson, commanding the First Division, as a mark of appreciation of the fact that the battalion was the first organization to reach the city, designated the Wyoming troops as his body guard.
After the Battle of Manila the battalion remained in the vicinity of the city until February 4, 1899, when it was attached to the Second Brigade, First Division. Early the next morning Major Foote received orders to join the movement toward San Pedro Macati. Some fierce fighting occurred along the Pasig River as the troops advanced toward Paco Church, but the California and Wyoming troops drove the insurgents steadily before them until the enemy made a stand in the churchyard of San Pedro Macati, from which position they opened a deadly fire upon the advancing line. Here Sergt. George Rogers and Private Ray F. Wiedmer of Company C were mortally wounded, and Harry Crumrine, a private in Company F, was slightly wounded as the battalion was taking a position behind some levees in a rice field. Once this position was gained the insurgents were driven from the churchyard and the Wyoming men occupied the firing line all the way into San Pedro Macati, which place was captured before II o'clock.
Upon being driven from the village, the insurgents retreated to Guadalupe Church. That afternoon a small party of the enemy were seen maneuvering on a hill south of the church and Companies F and G, under command of Captain O'Brien, were sent to drive them out. The movement was successfully executed without casualties, the two companies returning in about two hours. About 9 o'clock that evening Captain O'Brien was ordered to surround the church and hold his position until morning. He found the church deserted, broke in the door and found a small brass cannon and a number of rifles that had been left by the in- surgents in their hasty departure.
On February 22, 1899. the battalion was engaged in the operations about Guadalupe Church, but no casualties resulted. Several days of comparative quiet followed, but on March 2d Company G was moved half a mile up the Pasig River, where trenches were constructed. Early on the morning of the 7th the Battle of San Juan del Monte was commenced by the Wyoming sharpshooters. A little later the line of Wyoming and Nebraska troops advanced and occupied a ridge about four hundred yards from the enemy's breastworks. The insurgents showed no signs of weakening until Companies C, F and H were ordered to charge. In this charge Private Joseph M. Spaeth of Company C fell mortally wounded near the enemy's works, Sergt. John A. McConnell of Company C, Capt. John D. O'Brien of Company F. and Oscar O. Carson of Company H were slightly wounded, but the insurgents fled precipitately before the impetuous charge. George E. Small of Company G was wounded near the Pasig River.
During the next three months several slight skirmishes with the insurgents occurred. In one of these on March 27, 1899. Private James M. White of Com- pany C was slightly wounded, and on May 15th Private Alexander Dobby of Company F was wounded. Early in June the battalion took part in the Morong expedition and on July 6, 1899, orders were received to return to the United
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States. The troops embarked on the steamer Grant, which sailed out of Manila Bay on the last day of July and arrived at San Francisco on the 29th of August.
THIE WYOMING BATTERY
On May 25, 1898, President Mckinley issued a proclamation calling for 75,000 more volunteers. Under this call the Alger Light Artillery of Cheyenne was accepted, on the condition that it should number 125 men. The work of recruiting commenced on June 11, 1898, and four days later the organization was mustered into the United States service as "Battery A. Wyoming Light Artillery," with 127 names on the roll, to wit :
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