The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1899-11-15
Col. Jones Addresses Former
Members Of His Command.
REUNIONS EVERY YEAR.
A Pleasant Event that Occurred
in Columbia Thursday Nom
ing. The Dead
in Cuba.

4ASu-SC4S W u Z S-svE> -
regimeat was held. 1t was largely ct
tended by the veterans Of the only
South Carolina regiment that served in
Cuba during the Spsnish-American
war, and much enthusiasm was mani
tested Col. Jones presided, and ad-
dressed the gathering as follows:
Fellow Soldiers: In accordance With
tie resolution passed at the mass meet
ing of the regiment in Augusta, Ga,
few d sys before we were mustered
out Of the service Of the United States
as soldiers, you are assembled here to-
day.
II is for you 10 say what shsll be
done to perpetuste the memories OF the
past, and keep up tie touch Of the ell
bsv, and to keep alive the strong
friendships we all formed with each
other while in the army 1t gives me
the greatest pleasure to welcome you
all to this city, aDd to say to you thar
I have not words to express to you the
great pleasure it gives ne TO iook into
your brave and honest faces, ard to
shake you By the hand.
On June q, 1898, | had the di5tin-
guished honor Of beiag appointed your
colonel, and say without hesitation
shat I consider it the greatest honor
ever conferred upon NE. When the
call was made by the president IN the
spring Of 1898, ycu responded promptly
and entered the United Safes army to
help the downtrodden and much-sbused
Cubans; and honor you for 1t. You
have been faithful in your duties as
soldiers. No soldiers ever stood to
their commanding officer better than
you did to me, aud it is for you to say
whether I did all l could for you. |
certainly tried to DO all in my humble
power to make your service in the army
IS agreeable as possible. | never is
sued an order to you that you did not
quickly obey, and you always oeeyeo
my orders in such way as to make 1t
. pleasure to issue them to you. do
not think there is a man in this regl-
nent who doubts for one moment that
I eger issued an order which was IN
yieasant or hard 10 execute, unless |
was compelled to do so by superior au-
thority. l felt towsrds you all just the
same as if you had been my children.
and did al in my power for your good.
I am satisfied you appreciated what |
tried to do for you Now that IS all
over, l can speak plainly to you about
my anxiety for your health before les7-
ing Savannah for Cuba. From what
l had always heard Of Cuba, thought
that perhsps oDe-half Of the regiment
would die of yellow fever before re-
turning to this country; and friend Of
mine said to me in Savannah that he
was satisfied the anxiety in the regi-
nent about yellow fever was 50 great
that when the order should be issued
FOR the regiment to 60 TO Cuba that
hundreds would desert. But, my fel-
low soldiers, let ne tell you that when
that order came to board the transport
Roumanian for Habsna, on January 3.
1899, marched the regiment on the
on the boat $40 strong, aud not a single
man deserted ! am sure this record
cannot be beaten by any regiment IL
the world, and l am proud OF it.
Now, let US form ourselves into
regular organization, elect officers aud
appoint such other committees as
We may need. Let US contribute annu-
ally to the fund to be kept for the pur-
pose Of assisting such Of US as may be-
come unable to get along in the world =
no man cal tell when want may strlkA
him. Let US accumulate fund to
erect a monument cn the capitol
grounds to the Is noble young men who
lost their lives BY disease while mem
bers Of the regiment, and while per-
forning their duty to their country.
Let US have inscribed upon that monu-
msnt that no man ever lost his life IN a
holier or grander cause than that Of vol
unteering to help drive the Spaniards
from that dowDtrodden and much
abused island Of Cuba.
Three of our members died in Cuba,
namely Epting, Trevett and Mckay,
from disease contracted N the hot,
burning sun Of that country. Their
bodies are buried in the military
graveyard just half mile north Of
Mariauao. think committee should
be appointed to see to it that their
bedies are brought home in the near
future by the government. and buried
in their native soil. The l3 other
members Of the regiment who died,
namely, Griffin, Epton, Mooney, Gov
ington, Smith, Bluer, Lyles, Hopkins,
Ward, Meetze, Barton, Finley and
Kitchen, are buried in the United
States. The bodies CT all these were
sent TO their parents.
On January II, 1899, we buried boy
Is years old named Bertie Eastman,
who was drowned the day before IN
the little river near our camp IN Cuba.
He could not swim, ard rode a mule
into deep water and was drowned. He
was not an enlisted member Of the
regiment. but had left Savannah With
US asa camp follower. | have never
to this day been able to fnd mis- pa
rents. and his body is now in the Mill
tary graveyard north Of Marianao
with the other three members Of our
regiment. I think We should make an
effort to find the parents Of this poor
boy and let them have his body
brought home. ] doubt if his parents
| = L.
one Of the ssddest acts | had to per
form while in the army-burying thl!
poor, unknown boy.
The death rate IN our regiment wa!
less than in almost any other regimen
in the Seventh army corps, and THU
was due in a large measure to on
faithful and efficient surgeon, Or
Wannamaker: lis able assistants, Drs
Griffith and Poore, and our ever faith