Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1898-12-27
VOLUNTEERS OF ILLINOIS.
Part They Played in the Late War is
Related. .

4
| Related.
| The Christmas number of the Chi
cago Evening Post contains history
of the part the Illinois volunteers
play in the Spanish-Ameriean war.
The likenesses of all the regimental
and company officers are given, in
Guiding those of Mai. W. T. Channon
and Capt. William MeConochie, and
Lieuts. l.. f. Hemenway and George
w. Flood, of Company A. The Post
saws of the 9th regiment:
Col. Jack Fosters regiment, the
9th infantry, Illinois volunteers. with
drew from the Porto Rieau campaign
over the steep mountain ranges,
through gullies and jungles. than
any other volunteer regiment in Gen.
Miles army of invasion Born and
bred upon the prairie and farmlands
within several hours ride of Chicago,
and most of them accustomed to the
plowshare and honest toll in the open
air, the yeomen of Illinois represented
in the 9th regiment showed endurance.
stolid Indifference to hardship and a
battle front as part of Gen. Miles
! forces which speak well for the man.
hood of Illinois. Although the outer
world was prone to look upon the
Porto Rican campaign as a mild echo
of the fight for Santiago in Cuba, a
recital of the forced marches, strug-
giles in the brush with the foe, and a
! hundred and one other experiences
either in the dead of night beneath
the shadows of great mountains or in
the bright sunlight of midday upon
| the crest of the broken country pre-
sents pictures as various as they are
many. The gorgeous displays which
Porto Rico alone affords on the west
ern continent constantly attracted the
eye. Away from the coast, penetrat-
ing even deeper into the recesses of
the mountains, the militant spirit pre-
vailed in the 9th regiment in Porto
Rico many DAYS after the bird of peace
lowered over Santiago, the Philip
pines and Ponce, the seat of Miles
campaign"
Aside from the facts concerning the
regiments gathering at Springfield
after the president call, the trip te
Camp Alger, where Private Bledsoe
died, the voyage to Cuba and Porto
Rico, and the wearisome marches over
the latter country, numerous incl
dents OF which we had not previously
heard are chronicled. 1t relates how
j. w. Ferris became the regiments
chaplain. 1t was while at Camp
Alger. The regular chaplain, Rev.
\. Il. Morgan, was ill. 1t was
Sunday morning. Col. Foster was in
a quandary. He saw the boys march
ing toward the tent where services
were to be held. Ferris" said the
colonel, Il want you to conduct the
services today Ferris confessed
his inability to fill the important as
Segment. but his superior insisted.
In few minutes the soldiers were
listening to an eloquent sermon. 1t
became generally known about camp
that the mild looking, pleasant little
chap from Walnut Grove, who had
enlisted as a private, was one of ma
lures unhe ralded noblemen. Soon
after that memorable service at Camp
Alger, Ferris was promoted and made
chaplain, in which capacity he re-
manned until the regiment was mus
tered out of the federal service.
The Post says of the death of Pri-
waite o. Berg, of Moline: IAN inn
pressive ceremony was witnessed one
night before the regiment left for
Gauco. Alfred o. Berg, of Company
f. of Moline, who had been i'll with
typhoid fever. died on board the hos
pital ship Lancaster in the harbor.
The news reached the camp when the
shades of night were falling. Col. |
Foster ordered rude coffin made for
the first soldier of the regiment to die
after landing on Porto Rican soil. But
before coffin could be made process
sion was seen coming from the shore
up the main street in the direction of
the camp. On caisson, drawn by
six horses and escorted on each side
by regulars, the remains of Private
Berg were brought into camp from the
ship. 1t was night, but the moon |
shed brilliant light upon the scene.
There was no time to make Il coffin |
and the body was taken to 4 little |
Spanish cemetery some distance from
the town, near the foot of the hills |
An excavation was made hastily, and |
by no light save that of the moon the |
body was lowered into the grave. |
After taps were sounded farewell |
yolley was fired over the grave. With
barred heads the men made their way |
back to camp"
Other incidents are related, all /
showing that the boys Of the 9th had
anything but a picnic in the late war
The roll of honor of the regiment is
likewise Printed.
Something for the New Year.
The world renowned success of HoStetter's
heir firastf.d