Iowa Official Register 1899 FOURTEENTH YEAR 1899 IOWA OFFICIAL REGISTER COMPILED BY G. L DOBSON, Secretary of State JOHN H. GEAR ELEVENTH GOVERNOR OF IOWA Iowa in the Spanish War/* When it became evident in the spring of 1898 that the contro- versy with Spain would result iD war, the general assembly, at the suggestion of the governor, personally conveyed to the members, appropriated the sum of $500,000, or so much thereof as might be necessary, to be used in the defense of the state and in aid of the National government in case of war. In anticipation of a call from the president of the United States, the governor caused the regiments of the National Guard to be prepared for mobilization. Following the declaration of war with Spain, the president issued a proclamation calling for 125,000 volunteers to serve three years, or during the war. On the same day the governor received the following telegram from the war department: "WASHINGTON, D. C, April 25, 1898. " Tlie Governor of Iowa, Des Moines, Iowa: "The number of troops from your state under the call of the president, dated April 23,1898, will be three regiments of infantry and two light batteries artillery. It is the wisli of the president that the regiments of the National Guard and state militia will be used as far as their numbers will permit, for the reason that they are armed, equipped and drilled. Please wire as early as possible what equipments, ammunition, arms, blankets, tents, etc., you have and what additional you will require. Please also state when troops will be ready for muster into United States service. Details to follow by mail. R. A. ALGER, Secretary of War." The governor replied as follows: " DES MOINES, Iowa, April 25, 1898. "jEfrm B. A. Alger, Secretary of War, Washington, D. C : " Your telegram received. Full quota will be mobilized at Des Moines, and ready to be mustered in May 2d. Adjutant-general will report equipments and needs. LESLIE M. SHAW, Governor of Iovxt.'' * For official roster Iowa volunteers, see page 83. 0 ii IOWA OFFICIAL REGISTER. The following order from the secretary of war was received by the governor, designating the number of men required to be furnished by the state of Iowa, and the branch of service to which they should belong: To the Governor of Iowa,: SIR-Under the act of congress to provide for temporary increase in the military establishment of the United States in time of war, and for other purposes approved April 22, 1898, and called for 125,000 volunteers by direction of the president, I have the honor to request you to provide from your state the quota of vol- unteers as follows: Three regiments of infantry and two light batterie3 to serve in the arms of the service designated for the period of three years, unless sooner discharged. Attached will be found a statement showing the organization for artillery, cavalry, and infantry. Please cause the adjutant-general of the army to be informed of the time your quota will be at its rendezvouses it will be met as soon as prac- ticable thereafter by an officer to muster it into the service and. pay of the United states. The mustering officer will be instructed to receive no men under the rank of commissioned officers who is in years over 45 or under 18, or is not in physical strength and vigor. As soon as mustered into the U. S. service, it is the intention that the troops from your state shall be assembled with others for instruction and service under direction of the major-general com- manding the army, at some point or points to be designated here- after It is desired for reasons stated in telegram of this date that, as far as practicable, the National Guard be given the preference. The rendezvous for your state will be Des Moines. If from any cause it is found necessary to change point of concentration, your recommendation is requested. Bands will be organized from the strength of regiments as in the regular army, viz.: See par. 245, A. R. Very respectfully, R. A. ALG-ER, Secretary of War. The several regiments of the National Guard were promptly ordered to Des Moines, where they were all in camp on the follow- ing Wednesday, April 27. The State fair grounds, admirably adapted to the purpose, and well supplied with good water, were selected for the rendezvous, and styled Camp McKinley. The.army surgeon assigned to superintend the physical exam- ination of the men being stationed at a distant post when the assign ment was made, the examination was much delayed. Notwith- standing these delays, the Fiftieth regiment, which was the sec- ond I N. G , left the state for Jacksonville, Fla., under command of Col. Douglas V. Jackson, twenty-one days after its arrival in Des Moines. IOWA OFFICIAL' REGISTER. ' iii Meantime the war department modified its first call so as to accept all four regiments of the Iowa National Guard, recruited to a strength of between 800 and 900 men, in place of the three regi- ments and two batteries, as appears from the following: " WASHINGTON, D. C, April 30,1898. Governor of Iowa, Des Moines, Iowa: Your apportionment is three regiments of infantry and two light batteries, total maximum strength of all grades, commis- sioned, non-commissioned and enlisted, of 3,328 I now authorize this change to four regiments of infantry, each composed of eighteen field, staff and non-commissioned staff officers, twelve companies, each composed of three officers and sixty-five enlisted men, total aggregate strength of all grades 3,336, and no more. R. A. ALGER, Secretary of War." The regiments when called upon for active service had substan- tially a full set of officers. Some vacancies occurred, owiDg par- tially to failure of officers to pass the required examination. In filling these vacancies the governor commissioned those named therefor in the manner provided by law for the selection of officers of the Iowa National Guard. The Fifty-second left Camp McKinley May 29th, and proceeded to the camp at Chickamauga, in Georgia. June 5th the Fifty-first started for San Francisco, and ©n the 9th the Forty-ninth left Camp McKinley, going direct to Florida In designating the regiments it was decided to make their numbers a continuation of the series of the civil war. In that conflict the numbers of the infantry regiments reached forty- eight, there having been forty-four full regiments, two battalions, and two regiments that were numbered but were never completed and organized, the recruits therefor going, with one of the battal- ions, into the Seventh Iowa cavalry. The first regiment of the National Guard, accordingly, went into the service of the United States as the Forty-ninth Iowa Infantry Volunteers, the other regiments taking number in the volunteer service in the same order. Before all the regiments left the state a second call for 75,000 volunteers was issued by the president, Iowa's quota under this call being a force equivalent to two regiments of similar size to those already organized. There being some doubt regarding the manner of filling this additional quota, the following correspondence ensued with the war department: iv IOWA OFFICIAL REGISTER. WASHINGTON, D. C, May 28,1898. Governor of Iowa, Des Moines, Iowa: It is estimated that about 1,968 enlisted men will be required to fill to the maximum the organizations already in service from your state. It is desired to know how far you will be able to furnish the above number. R. A. ALGER, Secretary of War. The following is the reply: DES MOINES, Iowa, May 28, 1898. Hon. B. A. Alger, Washington, D. C.: Your telegram of even date received. Can promptly furnish 1,968 men to fill present organizations to maximum, and any num- ber of new organizations of same strength, officered with experi- enced men. L. M. SHAW, Governor of Iowa. About the same time, in answer to a telegram of inquiry, the governor reported by wire as follows: "The National Guard organizations of Iowa having been pro- vided for and accepted, the Hawkeye state stands ready to promptly meet every demand made upon her, and in the manner asked, from a squad to an army corps." The department then proceeded to fill the regiments already organized, and recruiting officers for that purpose were stationed in different parts of the state. In a few weeks more the regiments were filled up to the new maximum, or over 1,300 each. While the recruiting was going on, the following was received from the department: WASHINGTON, D. C, June 18, 1898. Governor of Iowa, Des Moines, Iowa: Under the president's second call, May 25, 1898, after filling to the maximum the organizations already in the U. S. service from your state, you are requested to furnish two batteries of light artillery, each to consist of one captain, one first lieutenant, one second lieutenant, one first sergeant, one quartermaster sergeant, one veterinary sergeant, six sergeants, nine corporals, two far- riers, two artificers, one saddler, two musicians, one wagoner, eighty privates. * * * R. A. ALGER, Secretary of War. These batteries were soon recruited to the full strength, with more men trying to get in. In August the governor, accompanied by the adjutant-general, visited the camps successively of the Fifty-second, Forty-ninth and Fiftieth regiments. The soldiers' quarters and the hospitals were closely inspected, the supplies of food and water looked into, and inquiry was made into the needs of the men.