TRANSCRIBER'S NOTE
Italic text is denoted by _underscores_. Superscripts have been
converted to normal text.
Obvious typographical and punctuation errors have been corrected
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[Illustration: COLONEL EMBURY P. CLARK]
SPRINGFIELD
IN THE
SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR
BY
WALTER W. WARD
ILLUSTRATED
PRESS OF
ENTERPRISE PRINTING COMPANY
EASTHAMPTON, MASS.
1899.
TO THE
OFFICERS AND MEN
OF G, B AND K COMPANIES
SECOND REGIMENT MASSACHUSETTS
INFANTRY, U. S. V., AND
H COMPANY, NAVAL BRIGADE.
PREFACE.
In the Spanish-American war of 1898, Springfield rose to the occasion
as she did in 1776 and 1861 and sent her youngest and best and bravest
sons to the front. It was her sons who fought and fell at El Caney, the
one battle of modern times where infantry, practically unsupported by
artillery, captured a well fortified town and it was her sons who were
in the lead in drawing the attacking lines so tightly about the city of
Santiago that its surrender had to follow. It was her sons also who,
on the high seas, on a fast auxiliary cruiser, did faithful service as
a portion of the navy and had the satisfaction of doing their share in
remembering the Maine by sinking a Spanish transport and a gun boat.
Her sons fell on the battlefield and died in the camps and hospitals
after enduring as soldiers, the hardships and toils of one of the
shortest yet most important and bloodiest campaigns in history and of
the honors of that war, Springfield claims a goodly share for herself.
In the near future a monument, the funds for which have been
contributed from near and far, will be erected in Springfield to the
memory of the officers and men of the Second Regiment, Massachusetts
Infantry, U. S. Volunteers who fell or died in the Spanish war. On
that monument, whatever form it may take, will be inscribed the names
of Bowen, Harry and Paul Vesper, Bearse, Noone, Piper, Boone, Jones,
Richmond, Packard, Kelly, Moody, Burnham, Malone, Burke, Little,
Stetson, Creley, Lyons and Morehouse. But their names have long before
this been permanently inscribed on the hearts of their comrades and
in no place are they more secure. They died for the flag, the highest
honor possible to an American citizen. This volume is written in the
attempt to portray as clearly as memory serves what these men and their
comrades did in the war with Spain. While not actually a history,
the intention has been to show as clearly as possible the people of
Springfield what it was their sons and brothers and friends in her four
organizations at the front went through in their short campaign.
Springfield, Nov. 1899.
W. W. W.
LIST OF CONTENTS.
CHAPTER. PAGE
I. Which is preliminary to those which
follow it, 9
II. Which tells about the calling out of
H company, Naval Brigade, 14
III. How G, B and K companies went to
South Framingham, 19
IV. Wherein is told how we were transformed
from "tin" soldiers into the
real article, 25
V. We get orders to leave for the sunny
South and obey them, 32
VI. We go to the Southland and begin to
find out where we are at, 38
VII. We stay in Ybor City and then
enjoy (?) life on the transports in the
harbor, 44
VIII. We have a lovely sail on the palatial
Knickerbocker and reach Cuba without
mishap, 51
IX. Wherein is related our landing at
Daiquiri and some things which subsequently
happened, 59
X. In which is to be found the tale of
Crab Hollow and some other things, 68
XI. Which tells how we got ready to
take the town of El Caney, 76
XII. Wherein is related some events which
happened to us on July first, 84
XIII. We learn some more things about the
art of war as conducted in these days, 94
XIV. We continue our education in the art
of war and learn a few things, 106
XV. We have to face another enemy more
deadly than the Spaniards, 119
XVI. Our voyage homeward on the death
ship Mobile, 129
XVII. We and our friends enjoy ourselves
at Camp Wickoff, Montauk Point, 136
XVIII. In which is told how we prepare to
quit Uncle Sam's service, 143
XIX. We become plain citizens once more
and square accounts with Uncle Sam, 151
XX. Wherein is narrated the adventures
on the high seas of Springfield's
sailors, 161
Roster, 172
The Roll of Honor, 178
Springfield's Dead Heroes, 180
THE CAMPAIGN IN CUBA.
Experiences of Co's G, B and K, M. V. M., and H Co., Naval Brigade in
the war of 1898 and record of its service in the operations against
Santiago.
BY WALTER W. WARD.
CHAPTER I.
WHICH IS PRELIMINARY TO THOSE WHICH FOLLOW IT.
Within the few years preceding the fateful one of 1898 a decided
impetus had been given the military spirit in Springfield by the
stationing of two additional companies of the state militia in this
city. To the already organized companies, G and B of the Massachusetts
Volunteer Militia, had been added K company, the company of that
name in Amherst having been disbanded and its letter transferred to
Springfield. The organization in this city of a company of the state
naval brigade and the building of a handsome and commodious state
armory helped to place the militia of Springfield on a higher level in
the public interest and regard than had previously been the case.
Springfield has always been rich in military tradition. Her earliest
sons helped fight the Indians who disputed the right of the first
settlers to the lands they roamed over in the fertile Connecticut
valley; they had served in the Colonial wars and Springfield blood was
shed in the Revolutionary war. Soon after this war Springfield was the
scene of one of the episodes of Shay's rebellion. In the Civil war she
sent her full quota and more of her young men to serve under the flag
and after the war the ranks of her militia companies were always kept
filled with her best young men. Undoubtedly the presence here of a
United States military post and the famous Springfield arsenal has done
much to aid in keeping up the military spirit.
For long years, reaching back to a time before the rebel guns opened
fire on Fort Sumter, Springfield's one military company was the City
guard, which after being attached to several of the state militia
organizations became under the final reorganization of the state troops
B company of the Second regiment of infantry, M. V. M. In 1868 a number
of the veterans of the Civil war organized the Peabody guard which was
attached to the Second regiment as G company. Both these companies
were always composed of good material and maintained a high place in
the state militia, not only for excellence in drill but in discipline
and marksmanship. The location of regimental headquarters here several
years ago aided in making military interest more rife than for some
years.
With four companies of militia instead of two, with headquarters and a
fine new armory in place of the more or less unsatisfactory quarters
previously occupied and with public feeling more united in their
support than it had been for years the militia of Springfield felt they
had entered upon a new period and it was one, which though they did not
then realize it, was to soon test the courage and soldierly qualities
of many of the officers and men of the Springfield militia. But with
this then unknown the spirit of soldierly pride and loyalty to their
organizations led officers and men to constant striving to be at the
top or as near the top as possible, of the militia of the state in
all things soldierly. In drill, in discipline, in knowledge of guard
duty, in marksmanship and in all the other details that go to make up
a good soldier there was assiduous practice and to the furtherance of
that end many of the ceremonial features of military life, to which
great importance had previously been attached, were discarded as far
as possible. This was thoroughly in line with the policy of the state
military authorities and its value was to be proven sooner than was
anticipated.
It did not take a very far seeing mind to realize in the fall of 1897
and the first two months of 1898 that matters with regard to the
policy of the United States in the affairs of Cuba might soon produce
a crisis so acute that the military power of the Republic would have
to be called upon. Certainly it was realized by the militiamen and
the progress of events from the beginning of 1898 to the night of the
destruction of the Maine was by none more closely watched than by the
men who gathered in the company rooms in the armory each night.
When it was known definitely that the long anticipated call to arms
could not be much longer delayed the local militia was never in finer
fettle. The ranks of every company were filled and soldierly enthusiasm
ran high. New arms, not comparable of course with those of the regular
army but better than any previous militia armament, had been issued and
the equipments and uniforms were in good and serviceable condition.
Applications for enlistment were so numerous that had there been eight
companies instead of four their ranks could have easily been filled up.
It was on the 29th of April, 1898, that the call for troops came
to Springfield. On the 23d President McKinley had issued the first
call for troops and six days later Gov. Wolcott designated Col.
E. P. Clark of the Second as one of the six commanding officers to
raise a regiment of volunteers for the United States service. It was
provided that members of the militia were to be given the preference
in enlistments to the volunteer regiments, the residue being made up
by enlistment of other citizens. The Second was ordered to report at
the state camp ground at South Framingham on May 3 for muster into the
United States service. April 29th fell on Friday and May 3 on Tuesday
of the following week so that there was not any too much time in
which to enlist men for the companies and get everything in readiness
for service. But what time there was on hand was so well utilized
that promptly at the hour ordered on the morning of May 3d the three
Springfield companies were at the armory with full ranks and fully
equipped, all the state property and equipage not needed packed up and
ready for shipment to the state arsenal.
Every officer of the three companies and fully 70 per cent. of the
men who had been in their ranks in the militia service was on hand.
Capt. John J. Leonard of G, a veteran in the militia, was at the head
of his company and with him his two lieutenants, T. A. Sweeney and E.
J. Leyden. Capt. Henry McDonald of B company, a veteran both of the
regular army and the militia, and his lieutenants, William L. Young and
Harry J. Vesper were on hand promptly and so was Capt. W. S. Warriner
and Lieutenants P. C. Powers and Harry H. Parkhurst of K company. All
three companies were proud of their officers and they had every reason
to be.
And here a little digression. No effort of any kind was made to
transfer as absolute unities the companies of militia into companies
of United States Volunteers. It can truthfully be said that no man was
asked to go to South Framingham by the officers. On the contrary Col.
Clark and the company officers were all careful to impress upon the
men of the militia that their volunteering into the service of the
United States was purely a voluntary and personal matter with them.
There were dozens of instances in which the officers realized that the
sacrifice was such as some of their men should not make. There were men
with families dependent upon them or so otherwise circumstanced that it
was best for them not to go and these men were talked to candidly and
kindly and dissuaded from putting their names on the enlistment rolls.
It was a volunteer movement purely and simply and the Second was in the
highest sense of the word a volunteer regiment.
Long before the orders for mobilization at South Framingham were issued
preparations had been made to the end that Massachusetts might be ready
to respond to the first call for troops from the national government.
Early in April Gov. Wolcott had constituted some of the officers of the
state militia as his advisory board in matters relating to the part
Massachusetts would take in the war. On April 20, Col. Clark of the
Second and some of his field and staff officers were called to Boston
in consultation with the governor and on the 24th Gov. Wolcott in his
capacity of commander-in-chief of the military and naval forces of the
state issued an order calling upon the militia to hold themselves in
readiness for duty within 24 hours.