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Benton County, MN Spanish-American War Veterans |
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Spanish-American War (and some later) Veterans with residence at enlistment, or birthplace, listed in Benton County, MN. Transcribed mostly from [MSAW] |
| Name | Unit | Company | Rank | Age | Birthplace | Residence | page |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coe, George H | 15th | I | Private | 23 | Elmdale | Rice | 411 |
| Davis, Harvey E | USN | Landsman | 22 | Ronneby | 599 | ||
| Dayton, Elmer E | 34th | Private | Rice | 449 | |||
| Dayton, Elmer E | 14th | B (Anoka) | Private | 36 | PA | Oak Park | 301 |
| Drews, Arthur G | 15th | I | Private | 18 | Stillwater | Sauk Rapids | 412 |
| Hamilton, Sewell | 14th | M (Princeton) | Private | 26 | Sauk Rapids | Princeton | 356 |
| Lindley, William C | 13th | M (St Cloud) | Private | 26 | Sauk Rapids | Sauk Rapids | 286 |
| Millane, Edward T | 13th | M (St Cloud) | Private | 18 | Sauk Rapids | Sauk Rapids | 286 |
| Miller, Marion L | USMC | Private | 21 | Sauk Rapids | Sauk Rapids | 613 | |
| Rooke, Ralph C | 15th | I | Corporal | 26 | Mich | Rice | 410 |
| Spencer, David E | 15th | I | Private | 23 | Owatonna | Rice | 414 |
| Van Colt, Roy E | 28th | 19 | Sauk Rapids | Alexandria | 585 |
Details COE, George H. Age 23. Born in Elmdale, Morrison County, MN. Lived in Rice, Benton County. Enrolled 2 Jul 1898 in Minneapolis, MN. Served in 15th Minnesota Volunteer Infantry, Company I. Mustered in 16 Jul 1898 at Camp Ramsey. In hospital 14 Sep to 21 Oct 1898. On sick furlough 22 Oct to 19 Nov. Sick in quarters 21 Jan to 31 Jan 1899. Mustered out 27 Mar 1899 at Camp McKenzie. He was a Private during his almost 9 months of service. DAVIS, Harvey E. Age 22. Lived in Ronneby, Benton County. Enlisted in the US Navy on 24 Oct 1901 at St Paul. Assigned to the USS Franklin on 25 Oct 1901. Deserted on 4 Mar 1902 in Norfolk, VA. His rank was Landsman. DAYTON, Elmer E. Age 36. Born in PA. Lived in Oak Park, Benton County when he enrolled and mustered in on 18 Jun 1898 in St Paul. He served in the 14th Minnesota Volunteer Infantry, Company B (Anoka). Mustered out on 18 Nov 1898 in St Paul. Next enlisted on 24 Jul 1899 in St Paul. His residence at that time was Rice, Benton County. He was assigned to the 34th Regiment, Company K, on 2 Aug 1899. Mustered out 17 Apr 1901 in San Francisco, CA. His rank was Private. DREWS, Arthur G. Age 18. Born in Stillwater, Washington County, MN, and lived in Sauk Rapids, Benton County. Served in the 15th Regiment, Company I. He enrolled on 2 Jul 1898 in Minneapolis, and mustered in 16 Jul 1898 at Camp Ramsey. Sick in quarters 30 Jul to 21 Aug 1898. Mustered out 27 Mar 1899 at Camp McKenzie. He was a Private. HAMILTON, Sewell. Age 26. Born in Sauk Rapids, Benton County, and lived in Princeton, once part of Benton County, but in 1898 part of Mille Lacs County. Enrolled on 29 Apr 1898 at Princeton. Served in the 14th Regiment, Company M, which consisted mainly of men from Princeton. Mustered in 8 May 1898 at Camp Ramsey. Sick in quarters 9 Aug to 10 Aug 1898. Mustered out 18 Nov 1898 in St Paul. He was a Private during his 6 months of service. LINDLEY, William C. Age 26. Born and resided in Sauk Rapids, Benton County. Enrolled and mustered in 13 Jun 1898 in Minneapolis. Served in the 13th Regiment, Company M, consisting mostly of men from St Cloud, Stearns County, MN. Assigned to Company M in San Francisco 24 Jun 1898. On detached service at recruiting camp in San Francisco, CA 27 Jun 1898. Rejoined company in Manila, 2 Sep 1898. In hospital 17 Nov to 4 Dec 1898. Sick in quarters 5 Dec to 13 Dec 1898. In hospital 11 Mar to 27 May 1899. Mustered out 3 Oct 1899 in San Francisco. He was a Private. Died 25 Aug 1927 in St Paul, MN. [13M] MILLANE, Edward T. Age 18. Born and resided in Sauk Rapids, Benton County. Enrolled and mustered in 13 Jun 1898 in Minneapolis. Served in the 13th Regiment, Company M, consisting mostly of men from St Cloud, Stearns County, MN. Assigned to Company M in San Francisco 24 Jun 1898. On detached service at recruiting camp in San Francisco, CA 27 Jun 1898. Rejoined company in Manila, 2 Sep 1898. All the same as William LINDLEY except he wasn't sick. Mustered out 3 Oct 1899 in San Francisco. He was a Private. MILLER, Marion L. Age 21. Born and resided in Sauk Rapids, Benton County. Enlisted in the US Marine Corps on 21 Jun 1900 in Seattle, WA. Sent to Bremerton, WA upon enlistment, then to Mare Island, CA on 17 Aug 1900. He deserted on 27 Sep 1900 at Mare Island. He was a Private. ROOKE, Ralph C. Age 26. Born in MI, resided in Rice, Benton County. Enrolled 2 Jul 1898 in Minneapolis, mustered in 16 Jul 1898 in Camp Ramsey. Served in the 15th Regiment, Company I. Sick in quarters 28 Oct to 3 Nov 1898. In Baltimore, MD hospital 4 Nov to 12 Dec 1898. Enlisted as Private, but appointed Corporal on 9 Nov 1898. On sick furlough 12 Dec 1898 to 8 Feb 1899. Mustered out 27 Mar 1899 at Camp McKenzie. SPENCER, David E. Age 23. Born in Owatonna, Steele County, MN. Resided in Rice, Benton County. Enrolled on 2 Jul 1898 in Minneapolis, mustered in 16 Jul 1898 at Camp Ramsey. Served in the 15th Regiment, Company I. In hospital 16 Aug to 21 Sep 1898. On sick furlough 22 Sep to 20 Oct 1898. Returned to duty 22 Oct 1898. Mustered out 27 Mar 1899 at Camp McKenzie. He was a Private. VAN COLT, Roy E. Age 19. Born in Sauk Rapids, Benton County. Resided in Alexandria, Douglas County, MN. Enlisted 28 May 1901 in Minneapolis. Served in 28th Regiment, Company E. Discharged as Private on 27 May 1904. |
Brief History The Spanish-American War was an armed conflict between the US and Spain. Hostilities lasted about 16 weeks, from 21 Apr to 13 Aug 1898. A negotiated peace took another 17 weeks, resulting in the Treaty of Paris of 1898, signed 10 Dec 1898. The war was fought in the Spanish colonies of Cuba, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines, and a US victory resulted in US control of these territories. On 23 Apr 1898 President McKinley issued a call for 125,000 volunteers. On 25 Apr 1898 the Secretary of War told Minnesota Governor Clough that his state should supply 3 regiments of infantry. The Governor replied the state had troops, ready for muster, for 3 regiments of total strength 3,600 men. A 4th regiment was required later. No draft was needed, as the war effort had great popular support, and many volunteers were turned away. Minnesota was the first state to muster troops, and they were anxious to get into action. One of the main motivations for the war was the oppression of the Cuban people by Spain. Initially, the Governor had in mind 3 regiments of 12 companies each, presumably with 100 men in each company. At this time the National Guard of Minnesota 1st and 2nd companies had 10 companies each, and the 3rd had 8 companies. So he needed 800 more volunteers. There was no recruiting center in Benton County, so some residents went to nearby St Cloud, Princeton or Anoka to enlist. There was some disagreement as to whether each company should have 81, 100 or 106 men. Out of an initial 3,755 officers and men, many were rejected after physical examinations, and at muster, the total enrollment in the 3 regiments was 3,092 officers and men. On 16 May 1898, the three regiments left Camp Ramsey. The Thirteenth was sent to San Francisco, and then on to the Philippines. The Twelfth and Fourteenth were sent to Camp Thomas, in Chickamauga, GA, destined for Cuba, but never deployed. The ground in Camp Thomas was limestone covered with clay, which resulted in poor drainage, poor sanitary conditions, and much disease, especially typhoid and malaria. The men were anxious to get into battle. When the war ended, they faced the prospect of "garrison duty" in Cuba, which didn't have the same appeal. They wanted very much to return home. The Fifteenth Regiment was formed in Jul 1898, not from the National Guard, but from fresh recruits, in Minnepolis. They went to several army camps in the US, but never deployed. So Minnesota contributed 4 regiments to the war effort. Only 8 of these men seem to have had a connection to Benton County. There wer 2 from Sauk Rapids in the the Thirteenth, Company M, which consisted mostly of men from St Cloud and surrounding area. There were 2 in the Fourteenth, one in Company B (Anoka) and one in Company M (Princeton). When the Fifteenth Regiment was formed, 4 Benton County residents (3 from Rice, 1 from Sauk Rapids) went to Minneapolis to enlist. Of the 4 regiments from Minnesota, only the Thirteenth saw any combat. The others were still in camps when the war ended, and were mustered out. The Thirteenth arrived at Manila on 31 Jul 1898, almost 3 months after Dewey's Fleet had destroyed the Spanish Fleet in the Battle of Manila Bay [BMB]. The Thirteenth joined another 10,000 US troops, while the Spanish occupied Manila with 13,000 troops. There was also a force of some 12,000 Filipino insurgents, who fought against the Spanish, but were not willing to trade one foreign ruler for another. Also, German ships aided the Spanish, by bringing supplies, and harrassing US ships. The war culminated on 13 Aug 1898, with the Battle of Manila (1898) [BM8]. The battle is sometimes referred to as the "Mock Battle of Manila" because the Spanish and US leaders conspired to transfer control of the city to the US while keeping out the insurgents. It marks the end of hostilities between the US and Spain, but the US had further problems with the Filipino insurgents, who organized as the First Philippine Republic [FFR]. On 4 Feb 1899 the US fought the Battle of Manila (1899) [BM9] which marked the start of the Philippine-American War. The two Privates from Sauk Rapids, LINDLEY and MILLANE, probably saw some action in both Battles of Manila. |
References
[13M] The 13th Minnesota Volunteer Infantry, by Kyle Ward Wikipedia Pages |
Transcribed 14 Feb 2022 by William Haloupek Copyright 2022 MNGenWeb |