CHAPTER 27 (cont.) __________ CAMPAIGNING IN THE TROPICS After this the entire regiment did not have long to wait before being called into active service. On April 14th the second battalion of the 51st was relieved from guard duty in the city of Manila and proceeded by train to Malolos, the former insurgent capitol, where they relieved the Pennsylvania regiment, they going to Cavite. Company M spent the first night in the field doing outpost duty in front of the firing line. Colonel Miller was in command on account of Col. Loper being compelled to remain behind on Corrigedor Island under treatment for nervous prostration. Associated with the 51st Iowa in their first real military campaign were the 3rd Artillery, the 1st Montana, the 20th Kansas, the Utah Artillery, the South Dakota and Nebraska regiments, under Generals Wheaton and Hale. This force was arranged to advance on Calumpit, the strongest fortified city in the hands of the insurgents. A scout- Page 238 ing expedition, consisting of a troop of cavalry under Major Bell, precipitated the conflict on Sunday, April 23rd. This force being attacked on three sides by a greatly superior force, Major Hume, with four companies of the Iowa regiment was sent to the rescue while Major Moore with companies D, K, and M were ordered to act as support. The first members of Company M to be engaged, were a scouting party composed of Captain Clark, Corporal Binns, Privates Hockett, Thomas, Smith, Evan Evans and Sergeant Hawkins, who were called out early in the day. Captain Clark and Sergeant Hawkins returned to bring out the company and the others joined Company L when the firing commenced, and in a few minutes were in the thick of it, and the sharpshooters were dropping bullets all around them. One of these struck Adrain Hockett, making a wound through the fleshy part of the leg. The boys tried to improvise a litter while waiting for the hospital corps. Private Bert Thomas accompanied the Chinese litter bearers toward the rear as guard. The same sharpshooters kept busy with his Mauser, and Thomas was also struck, the bullet entering the leg near the thigh. Both of the wounded boys were taken on the afternoon train to Manila. The regiment was soon in action, and what was thought to be a little brush with the enemy turned out to be a general engagement, and the boys didn't get back for dinner. THe town of Quinga was captured during the afternoon. It was at this battle that Colonel Stotsenberg of the Nebraska regiment lost his life. The boys lay down that night without any supper. At three o'clock they were up again and were ready for another day's work. Their breakfast rations consisted of one hard-tack, and a can of beef for every eight men. The advance continued during the day and Private John Behm, of Company M, was added to the list of wounded, a ball passing through Page 239 his left leg. Again the men went supperless to bed, or rather to rest, for their resting place was on the ground. However, the wagon train showed up about five o'clock in the morning so they had a good breakfast before the day's march began. The course of progress was over swampy country covered with dense vegetation and under a tropic sun, while the water was full of salt and alkali. About eleven o'clock the enemy was met near the Calumpit river and a fierce battle ensued. The only casualties of the day in Company M were two slight wounds caused by the bursting of a shrapnel shell in front of the company. Samuel Tilden was struck in the side, making a slight flesh wound. Clarence Kneedy was also struck by a small piece which passed through the sleeve of his coat and grazed his wrist. Neither was sufficiently wounded to compel him to drop out. Private John Kernan, of Company B, was wounded in this engagement, a rifle bullet passing through his arm. A sharp battle ensued before Calumpit proper and it was here that Colonel Funston of the Kansas regiment performed one of his spectacular feats of bravery. A member of the Kansas regiment swam the river, carrying a rope across. This he tied to a tree. A raft containing Colonel Funston and a small part of men pulled the raft over, hand over hand. Reaching the opposite shore they charged the trenches, routing the enemy who retreated and were cut down with rapid fire guns. The Iowa and South Dakota regiments crossed the Calumpit River at low tide by wading. The men stripped, and carried their clothing and equipment across on their heads. The Iowa soldiers received much praise from their Dakota and Nebraska friends for their action in the three days' fighting. On the morning of May 2nd, South Dakota, the Fifty-First and three guns of the Utah Battery, headed by one troop of the Fourth Cavalry, left Calumpit presumably to join the left of Colonel Lawton's corps. They waded the Rio Grande Page 240 river, the Fifty-First following the cavalry which acted as advance guard. The first halt was at the village of Pulilan, a distance of nine miles. A slight skirmish followed, after which the regiment went into camp for the night, which was spent in a deluge of rain. The next day they marched back again to the Rio Grande river, and three miles beyond to Apalit. The morning of May 4th, the brigade was ready for the road at 4:30 o'clock. The Fifty-First regiment led, with Company acting as advance guard. Both the railroad and wagon road to San Tomas had been made almost impassable, so that part of the distance they waded through the swamp, which was a muck of foul mud mixed with decayed vegetation. Added to their discomfort was the tropic sun overhead. They toiled on, resting at intervals, finally arriving at the city of San Tomas. The Iowa regiment camped at the edge of the woods, and at 10:30 that night were served some food, the first since 3:30 in the morning. This was said by the generals who participated in the march and fight, to be the hardest day's work done during the war. The Iowa regiment had only three men wounded none of whom were from Company M or Company B. Colonel Funston was among the wounded. The next morning, May 5rh, the men were called at 5:00 o'clock, and although short of ammunition, the two battalions of the Iowa regiment, accompanied by a small Nebraska Hotchkiss gun, marched on San Fernando, the insurgent capitol, a town of 25,000 people. A wide detour was made and the force approached the city from the rear, much to the surprise of the insurgents who fled with scarcely a show of resistance. To give an idea of the terrible effect of campaigning under the conditions just described, it is sufficient to say that the Nebraska regiment had only 320 men when they marched into San Fernando, out of a thousand which they had a short time before, and of these, 173 were reported sick the morning of their arrival.
Page 241 The month of May was spent in guard duty at San Fernando. There were occasional skirmishes, but until the 25th no important engagement occurred. ON the afternoon of this day the insurgents marched to the attack while Company M was on outpost duty. A sharp engagement followed, the insurgents being driven back with loss. At 1:00 o'clock the next morning they renewed their attack, the battle continuing most of the day. In this engagement, Private Joseph I. Markey was severely wounded in the leg. He was carried back to San Fernando, a distance of four miles, in the burning sun. As none of the men had eaten since the night before, it was an exceedingly hard trip. From there he was taken to Manila, where he remained in the hospital until his recovery, when he was invalided home. THe next engagement occurred on June 16th, when the insurgents attacked the outposts just before daybreak. They were repulsed without trouble, quiet being restored by 8:00 o'clock. The Filipino loss was about 200 killed. During the latter part of June the old Springfield rifles with which the regiment had been provided were supplanted by Krag-Jorgensens. They had their first opportunity to use the new arms on the night of June 30th, when they were called out to repulse an attack at about 11:00 o'clock. The rainy season was now on and guard duty was exceedingly uncomfortable, while the country around was practically submerged. On Wednesday, August 8th, a general advance was made against the insurgents. Company M acted as a reserve for the Iowa regiment. Early in the advance, Private Brenholts, of Company M, was struck by a bullet between the knee and ankle, completely shattering both bones, causing an ugly wound. It was by far the worst any of the boys had yet received, and at first it was thought the limb would have to be amputated, but later it was found it was not necessary. The march was through wet marshy ground, part of it Page 242 newly worked. By noon the cane through which they were marching became thoroughly dry and crisp and the leaves cut their hands and faces shamefully. A halt was made along the road and the regiment went into camp, although they had none of their camping equipment with them. They remained here for several weeks, their only shelter being such as they erected out of the bamboo shack scattered about, and the hard service and poor food sent a good many of them back to quarters at San Fernando. HOMEWARD BOUND On Sept. 4th, 1899, the Iowa regiment was relieved from duty on the line and returned to San Fernando. The last few days on duty, the company averaged only about one-fifth of their total strength, due to malaria and exposure. However, there were no serious illnesses among the men. A day later the regiment was taken to Manila where they remained until Sept. 22nd., when they set sail for home on the transport steamer, the Senator. Company M did not lose a single man either in battle or by sickness, and Company B lost only one, Rodney K. Clark, who died in the hospital at Manila of typhoid fever, in August, 1898,during their service in the islands, and all but two returned with the regiment. Corporal Chas. L. Binns of Company M decided at the last moment to remain, having been offered a position as stenographer to the Judge Advocate in Lawton's division, and remained in the islands for a year or two, later on returning and afterwards going to Chicago where he is chief stenographer in the Cook County Criminal Court. Tim Erickson, of Company B, re-enlisted in the islands and remained. The regiment made two stops in Japan, one at Nagasaki and the other at Yokohama. A severe storm was encountered during the homeward journey during which two men were injured severely, one of them being Private Ed Stotler of Company M. The ship, however, sustained no serious damage, al- Page 243 though a rumor gained credence to the effect that the Senator had probably been lost. A splendid welcome met the regiment when it landed at San Francisco, October 31st. On November 1st the regiment was discharged from service and the same day they started for home. A great reception was arranged for the entire regiment at Council Bluffs, but unfortunately, one section carrying Companies E of Shenandoah, C of Glenwood, L of Council Bluffs and M of Red Oak, did not reach Council Bluffs in time for the reception. Great receptions were held at Villisca for Company B and at Red Oak for Company M, especially the latter. Although the train carrying this company did not reach Red Oak until 10:30 and it was raining at the time there was a great crowd on hand to greet the returning soldiers. A line of march was formed which was led by the band and Garfield Post, G. A. R., acted as escort. A roman candle brigade made the line of march a glare of light. The boys were taken to the Armory where the first words of welcome were said. The affair was entirely informal. At one o'clock in the morning the company dispersed and went to their homes. A formal reception was held the following day which was participated in by the schools and civic societies and the fire department. Another reception was held at the Armory in the evening, and by six o'clock the people began to assemble in the Armory, although the doors were not to be open until 7:30. Hon. J. M. Junkin presided as master of ceremonies and there were talks by a number of the boys, including Captain Clark, Morse Moulton, E. Whitney Martin and Edwin A. Merritt. A happy incident of the reception was the presentation by then Congressman Smith McPherson, now federal judge, of a jeweled sword to Lieutenant-Surgeon Donald Macrae of Council Bluffs on behalf of the private soldiers of all the companies of the Fifty-First Iowa. This ceremony was intended to have taken place during the reception of the regiment at Council Bluffs but had to be postponed because Page 244 Dr. Macrae was a passenger on the delayed section. Following the reception Company M enjoyed its last mess, a banquet being served in the Knights of Pythias hall. Twenty-five young ladies, sisters and relatives of the boys, acted as waiters. After the banquet the ladies retired and the last mess did not adjourn until 3:00 a. m. Both companies were partially recruited from other counties, the rosters, which appear in the Appendix, giving the address of the members at the time of enlistment. At the end of the rosters is given the names of such other Montgomery County citizens as enlisted for service other than in Companies M or B. DEATHS IN CAMP. That the camp is more deadly than the battlefield was amply proven in the experience of Companies M and B. Each company lost five men by death in camp and not one in the field. Company B had only two men wounded in action. In this respect Company M was more unfortunate, they having seven men wounded, besides a young man who was attached to the company but was not regularly a member of it, Fred E. Strong, of Ottumwa, who was wounded at Polo, April 1899. We were able to obtain the following information in regard to the deceased members of Company M: John E. Ritter was born in New York City, August 26th, 1868, and was thirty years old at the time of his death. His mother died when he was quite young and his father settled in Mexico. John was brought west from a New York orphan asylum and was adopted by a family living near College Springs, Iowa, where he was brought up. For five years previous to his enlistment in Company M he had resided on a farm in Montgomery County near Stennett. He was a member of the Church of Latter Day Saints. Ritter was one of the rec[r]uits who joined the company after it had reached San Francisco. He died at the French hospital in San Francisco July 11, 1898, of sarcoma of the intestines, and was buried at the Presido. Page 245 Lucian Ernest Rogers was born near Minburn, Dallas County, Iowa, April 12th, 1873, and died at Camp Merritt, San Francisco, July 15, 1898, of acute appendicitis, age 25 years. HIs father was Daniel F. Rogers, who was born in New Hampshire, being the son of N. P. Rogers, lawyer, farmer, abolitionist, friend and co-worker with Phillips and Garrison, and co-editor of the Herald of Freedom. Lucian was brought up on the farm and as he grew up attended high school in a neighboring town. He taught school and later attended the Agricultural College at Ames, Iowa, where he made rapid progress. He was a member of the college football team in 1894-5. At the end of his junior year in 1896, he came to Red Oak to fill a position as teacher of science in the high school, a position which he filled for two years up to the time of his enlistment and had been re-elected for another year. He was a young man of great promise and his untimely death was deeply mourned, not only by his comrades, but by the citizens in general. Memorial services were held at the Methodist Church in Red Oak, Sunday, July 17th. The service was participated in by other churches. Judge Horace E. Deemer presided over the meeting. The funeral was held at the country home of his father July 21st, his body being laid to rest in the shadow of the trees in a shady corner where he used to play as a boy. Verni R. Hysham, son of W. J. Hysham of Red Oak, died at St. Luke's hospital at San Francisco, August 20, 1898, of typhoid pneumonia. He was one of the youngest members of the company, having been born on a farm in Grant township, July 30th, 1880. His parents moved to Red Oak when he was quite young and most of his short life was spent in that city. He was vivacious, full of life, and a general favorite with the company. His body was brought to Red Oak on Thursday, August 25th, the funeral being held on the same afternoon. Page 246 Shortly after the regimental camp was moved to the Presido an epidemic of measles started. ONe of the victims was Ellery E. Mills of Cass County, a member of Company M. Unfortunately, while suffering with this disease he was taken with pneumonia and died, Sept. 14th. He was born in Cass County Sept. 24th, 1874, being the son of Solomon B. Mills, a native of Indiana. His life was spent on a farm in Cass County, where he attended district school and later a business college at Atlantic. He was an active member of the Methodist Church. He came to Red Oak and enlisted under Lieutenant French after the Fifty-First had gone to San Francisco. He was mustered into service June 14th, being assigned to Company M. His body was brought home for burial and interment was made at Atlantic. Among the members of Company M left behind when the regiment sailed for the Philippines was Earl J. McCament, who was taken sick with typhoid fever a few days previous to the sailing. He grew worse and died at the Presido hospital November 24th. He was born November 18th. 1867, at Bladenburg, Ohio, being the son of Alexander McCament. The family moved to Red Oak in 1879 residing of a farm most of the time. Later Earl went to Red Oak where he engaged in clerking and at one time was in partnership with Guy E. Logan in the restaurant business. He had been a member of the Red Oak Fire Department for several years. He enlisted on June 14th and was sent to San Francisco with the recruits, being assigned to Company M. The funeral was attended by the fire department in uniform, interment being in the Red Oak Cemetery. As stated elsewhere in this chapter the people of Montgomery County had a special interest in the Spanish-American war, due to the fact that one of the two officers who lost their lives Page 247 on the ill-fated Maine, when it was blown up in Havana harbor, was a native of Montgomery County. Assistant Engineer Darwin R. Merritt was born in Red Oak, April 12th, 1872. THe early part of his life was spent on his father's farm. He attended what was known as the Milner school, and afterwards, the city schools in Red Oak. He finished his civil education in the Western Normal College at Shenandoah. In 1891 he was named as alternate candidate for a naval cadetship from the Ninth Congressional District to the academy at Annapolis. The regular appointee, a young man from Audubon, Iowa, failed to pass the examination, leaving the field open for Darwin. Although having made no special preparation for such an examination he spent the intervening time in study and received the appointment September 10, 1891. He graduated in 1895, ranking third in a class of eighty-four, of whom forty-one passed. He was a member of his class foot ball team in 1894 and played center on the regular team in 1895, being a substitute in the famous game between West Point and Annapolis that year, in which the army was beaten by the navy. After finishing his regular course he spent two years cruising along the Atlantic coast on the Amphitrite and Indiana. He was coach for the Indiana foot ball team. He concluded his six years' course July 1st, 1897, and after several months' service at the Brooklyn navy yard, was assigned to the berth of assistant engineer on the Maine. When the news came that the Maine had been blown up in Havana Harbor on the night of February 15, 1898, it was learned that Darwin was one of the officers that were missing. The report was a great shock to the community and especially so to the young man's family. The following account of his death was given by David F. Boyd, a cadet of the Maine and the last person to see him alive: Boyd stated that he was sitting in the steerage of the Maine when the explosion occurred, with Assistant Engineer D. R. Merritt, both of whom Page 248 were reading. Suddenly the lights were extinguished and a tremendous shock, accompanied by flying splinters and the sound of crashing bulkheads, was heard. For an instant he was dazed and was then struck by a flying splinter in the back of the neck. When he collected his wits he grasped Engineer Merritt by the hand but the latter must have been struck and dazed for he had to be dragged out into the passage in the after torpedo room and the tremendous flow of water swept them apart. Boyd managed to grasp a steam heater pipe and worked his way on deck. The following were among the letters of condolence received by Mr. Merritt, father of the young man: U. S. S. Essex, Port Royal, S. C. Hon. W. W Merritt: The disaster on board the Maine
has deprived the navy of a bright and promising young officer,
you of a son and me a friend. I knew young Merritt very well
and we were as intimate as officers of our difference in
age and rank get to be. As an officer, he was respected by
all; as a gentleman, he was liked by all. You have my most
heartfelt sympathy—but you may rest assured that your
son did not disgrace his friends, his profession or his family. JOHN W. STEWART, 24 Porter Row, U. S. Naval Academy, My Dear Merritt: Though perhaps this is ill-timed, I feel that I must write you concerning your son. I have been greatly affected by the terrible news from Havana, and have hoped against faith that I would learn that after all your son had escaped and was at least among the wounded, I was, per- Page 249 haps, as well acquainted with him as anybody in the service, and can easily say that I loved him as a brother. He was in my company here at the academy as a cadet, sat at my table, and I was shipmate with him for fourteen months, so I feel that I knew him well. He was a favorite with his seniors, both because of his professional attainments, and because of his personal good fellowship and staunchness. An officer of high rank, with whom your son was at one time serving, once told me that he would rather have Merritt on board and in charge of his engines than all the rest of the engineer officers combined. Words fail me to express all I feel, but I want you to believe in my heartfelt sympathy and that I mourn deeply with you. I trust you will accept my sympathy for you and yours in this sad affliction, and believe me ready to be of any service you may find use of in one so feeble. With great respect, W. S. CROSLEY, Rev. and Dear Sir: It grieves me exceedingly to state that the bodies of Lieut. Jenkins and Engineer Merritt have not yet been recovered. The divers have been searching for them for the last week, but the work has been greatly obstructed by debris in the part of the ship where the bodies are supposed to be. However, they have cut this away and expect to recover the bodies in a day or two. When recovered the body will be forwarded to you. We are prepared to send it. Your boy was a noble son. He certainly showed your training in his quiet, respectful, reverential conduct. He was a great favorite with his fellow-officers. I can assure you that his conduct aboard ship was without reproach. I sympathize with you deeply in this terrible affliction, and pray that God will strengthen and comfort you in your great loss. Yours in prayers, JOHN P. CHIDWICK, Page 250 The body was never recovered and probably rests in the junior officers' wardroom in the wreck of the Maine in Havana harbor. When all hope of recovering the body was given up, memorial services were held in the Armory at Red Oak Sunday afternoon, April 15th, the circumstances rendering it the most impressive public services held in Red Oak up to that time. The services were presided over by Mr. John Hayes, the speakers being Rev. E. C. Moulton, Judge H. E. Deemer, Hon. Smith McPherson and C. E. Richards. At the close of the latter's remarks he read the following resolutions of respect which were adopted: Resolved, That in the untimely death of Darwin R. Merritt while in discharge of his duties as a naval officer of the United States, which occurred by the blowing up of the battleship Maine in the Havana harbor on the 15th of February, 1898, his relatives have sustained an irreparable loss, and the general government has lost a citizen and naval officer distinguished alike for uprightness, purity and unselfishness of character, for simplicity and courtesy of manner, for true loyalty to the government which educated him, and assigned him to that official position he so justly earned by the assiduous toil of a student's life. That his loss at the very threshold of an active and useful life in the naval service of his country falls grievously alike upon his relatives, this community and nation. Though his body lies entombed in the mess-room of that wrecked battleship, or perchance buried in the turbid waters of Havana harbor, his noble traits of character sank not with him, but remain as a lasting monument which time can not efface. That sympathy for his immediate relatives in this, their grievous loss, is universally felt by this community. That a copy of these resolutions be sent to his family and a copy also to the naval academy at Annapolis to be filed in the archives of that institution from which he graduated, his alma mater.
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