Omaha daily bee., 1899-10-24
HISTORY OF THE REGIMENT
Detailed Account of the DOings' of
the Fifty-First Iowa yolun-
teer Infantry.

The Fifty-first Iowa volunteer infantry
was mustered into the service of the United
States May 80, 1898. On June the regi-
ment left Iowa for San Francisco with the
Philippine Islands as their destination
There were 1920 officers and men of the
regiment when they left the state. The
regimental officers were as follows:
Coonel-John c. Loper, Des Moines.
Lieutenant Colonel-Marcelius NJ. Miller
Bedford.
Majors-Wiiam ]. Duggan. Creston
John 7. Hume, Des Moines; Sterling p
Moore, Viisca
Regimental Adiutant-Joseph P. David
son, Muscatine.
Battalion Adjutants-George A. Read, Des
Moines; Frank M. Compton, Council Bluffs
Herbert c, Lane Red Oak.
Regimental Quartermast ter-John d. Cady
DeS MoineS.
Regimental surgeon-willard S. H. Mat
thews. Des Moines.
Assistant Surgeons-David s. Fairchild
}r, clinton; Donald McRae, jr, Council
Hospital Steward-Wilber S. Compton, pes
Moines De'
Chaplain-Herman F. Williams, Ames.
The twelve companies composing the regi-
ment were from the following towns
Company A, Des Moines; Company B,
D, Knoxviie; Company any" Z, Isl shenandeo teafy doah;
Company f, Oskaloosa Company G. Cres,
ton; ts ,,o.9 Company H Des Moiness; Company l,
l., Council Bluffs; Company NJ, Red Oak
The Fifty-first regiment was the Third
regiment OF the Iowa National Guards prior
TO being mustered into the United States
service. The Iowa National Guards as an
organization dates back to January Is, 1877,
but Company of the Fifty-frst was or
ganized as far back as 1869, at which time
1t existed as an independent company.
The regimental organizations were not
full and when mustered into the United
States service the companies were recruited
up to war footings, so that when the Fifty
first left the United States there were 243
Iowa towns represented upon its roster. or
this number Des Mones furnished the
largest quota, 222 men. Council Bluffs
came next with S5; Red Oak with 70; Knox
vile, 81; Villisca, &C.; Creston. 60; Bedford,
81: Corning, 40; Glenwood AZ: Oskaloosa,
Al; Shenandoah, SS; Greenfield, 26; Clarinda,
22; Stewart, 20, and other towns in smaller
numbers.
OF the 1890 men who left Iowa only about
500 names remain on the rolls at present
Fifty-two men were invalided, seventy one
men and two officers re-enlisted in the regu-
lars, and forty were discharged.
The continual skirmishing and severe
service that the regiment saw for about six
months in Luzon induced much sickness, and
when the orders came to leave the front for
home only 21S men of the regiment were fit
for duty
The regiment left Des Moines June 5, 1898,
and remained in San Francisco until No
vember 3, when 1t sailed in the transport
Pennsylvania for Manila, November 12 to
IS was spent in Honolulu, and on December
Manila was reached. The regiment was
rot landed, however, and after remaining on
the transport until December 26, was or
dercd to Ilolo, where it remained without
disembarking until January 30 when it
sailed back to Cavite.
On February 8, lS99 after having spent
ninety-three days on the transport, the regi-
ment disembarked and was stationed in the
navy yard.
On February the Second and Third bat
talions were engaged in the occupation of
the town OF San Rogue
On February IS the First battalion was
ordered 10 report to Brigadier General Over
shine at the front, Early in April the en-
tire regiment was sent to Malalos.
On April 23 companies B, e, G, !, X, and