The 65th, one of Buffalo's National Guard regiments mustered into the U.S. Army on May 17, 1898, was never to see action because the conflict was of such short duration, from April 21 to August 14 when the Spanish surrendered at Manila. The U.S. Army planned that units across the nation temporarily mustered into regular Army units would need to set up camps for a short while before being deployed overseas. Units like the 65th, first encamped in Fort Black on Long Island, were later sent to grounds near a railroad flag stop eleven miles from Washington named Camp Alger. There over 23,000 men encamped for the hot Virginia summer, without the organization by the War Department or discipline of regular military units. As a result, men drank from wells declared off-limits because of contamination, they were unable to maintain personal cleanliness because of a lack of facilities, and they suffered from exposure. In the entire conflict of 1898, only 379 were killed in action, and 5,083 died from disease, usually typhoid, but including diarrhea, measeles, and malaria. The 65th sent home 109 sick soldiers (out of 1,230) in a train that preceded the rest of the regiment. An additional 17 died of their disease. |
The 202nd, a new regiment raised in Buffalo and recruited from the Broadway armory, served as an occupation force, arriving in Havana on December 9, 1898. It was tasked with providing food for the poor, reconstructing roads and bridges, rehabilitating hospitals, constructing telegraph lines, postal routes, and other "nation-building" activities. It was mustered out of U.S. service April 15, 1899. |
The 13th regular Army regiment, based at Fort Porter, was called up in April and became part of the 3rd Brigade. This brigade was sent to Cuba and participated in the engagement around Santiago, including the battle for San Juan. The casualties were signficant, with some companies of the 13th losing one-third of their men; some companies were without officers. The Express recounted the 13th's exploit from the point of view of a wounded officer, Captain H. G. Cavanaugh of Company E: "Capt. Cavanaugh was wounded in the first day's fight and went at once to the rear...With the 71st, 6th, and 16th under Gen Hawkins on the right, the 13th crossed the San Juan River on July 1st and advanced 200 yards through the grass or brush to the shelter of a bluff. Lieut. John H. Parker with 40 men of the 13th and 4 Gatling guns pushed forward and opened fire on San Juan hill, silencing the Spanish batteries and then the 13th charged. They had to tear down three barbwire fences on the way.The last fence was near the top of the hill and the men laid down after passing it, firing as they crept forward to the crest. "Capt. Cavanaugh planted the colors on the hill and was wounded in the attack on the blockhouse beyond. He praises Lieut. Parker for his work with the Gatling guns,Lieut. Anderson who was first up the hill, and Lieut. Malone, who led the whole brigade across the river . He went to the rear as soon as he was wounded and saw Spanish guerillas firing at the wounded. He saw Lieut. Sater dead and Col. Worthy, Lieut. Scott and Capt. Guthrie wounded....Dr. W. J. Falkner of Youngstown is attending Capt. Cavanaugh now and says he is in no danger whatever. Cannon were fired as a salute when he returned to Fort Niagara." The 13th remained at Fort Porter only until April, 1899, when it was sent to the Phillipines to fight the insurgency against the U.S.'s new possession, a spoil of the Spanish-American War. The regiment did not return to Buffalo and Fort Porter''s days as a military outpost were numbered. |
The above image from the Express album for the year 1899, shows Buffalonians examining part of the Spanish cruiser Alphonso XII. Details on this ship here. |