Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1899-10-27
slxty-five enlisted men; total aggregate

slxty-f.ve enlisted men; total aggregate
strength, 1886 men.
Taking up now the history OF the
| Fifty-first, the regiment was mustered
| into the federal service on May 80. 1898,
| and on June started for San Francis
co, They Immediately went into camp
| at Camp Merritt. The camp was, I'M
| fortunate located on the shore Of San
Francisco bay. and in part on the site
Of an old Chinese graveyard. Condi-
tons were extremely unsanitary and II
a short time. the sick reports became
alarming. Pneumonia and typhoid fe-
| yer were especially prevalent. Finally,
| on July 20, the camp was removed tc
| the Preside, an ideal location for
| military camp. There was a long and
tedious delay at the Preside. Month
after month went by with no indication
Of the policy Of the war department
with regard to sending the Iowans tc
the orient. but at last orders came. and
on Nov. 3. 1898, at II a. m, the regi.
| ment marched from its camp to the
transport Pennsylvania in San Fran.
cisco bay. and at 4:30 that afternoon
the transport sailed for Manila via
Honolulu.
The regiment arrived at Honolulu
November II and remained until No
! vember l6. Lieutenant l.. A. Mitchell
OF Company X and thirty-two enlisted
men were left In the hospital at Homo
! lulu. On November "a. In the middle Of
the North Pacific, the smoke Of the
steamship City Of Pueblo was sighted.
Arrived ut Manila.
rhe regiment arrived at Manila De.
ccmber :, and Colonel Loper reported
to the commanding officer of tue de-
,, partment OF the Pacific and the Eighth
army CORPS. The IowaEs were ass: cn2d
to the first separate brigade OF the
Eighth army corps. Gen. NJ. p. Miller
commanding. On December rs. without
having d:sembarkad. the regiment
sailed on the Pennsylvania for I!olo.
island Of Panay, and two days later
anchored off the city. On December 80
the transport was moved up to withl,,
one mile Of the city and it was ea-
pected an assault would be made on the
town. But no assault was ordered and
during the entire month Of January
the regiment was held awaiting orders
on board the transport before Iloilo.
On January 20 1t sailed back to Cavite
and again reported to the commander
Of the Eighth army corps.
On Feb. ). 1899. the regiment was
finally allowed to disernbark frocn the
PENNSYLVANIA and took up quarters in
the navy yard, Fort San Felipe. The
regiment had been continuously on the
transport ninety-three days. 1t Is
claimed there Is no record Of any other
regiment ever being held continuously
ON a transport so long period. On
February 9 the Third battalion. con-
sisting Of Companies B, G, 1 and *,
under Major s. P. Moore, and the Sec
ond battalion, Companies G, E, L and
M, under Major John p. Hume. and
Batteries A and D, First California
heavy artillery acting IS infantry, and
Troop A, First Nevada volunteer cav
airy. occupied the t. IN of San Rogue.
passed through and constructed line
Of entertainments on the narrow neck
Of land between San Rogue and Ola
Cayi1e. February II the Second pat
TALON returned to quarters In Cavite.
February IS, the First battalion, Com
panies A, D, F and H, commanded ny
Major w. ]. Duggan. were ordered to
Manila to report to Brig. Gen. Oven
shine at the front. This order was
the first which placed any body OF Iowa
soldiers in reasonable prospect OF tax
ing part in an actual battle since the
declaration Of war with Spain.
Borduwins Reported Missing.
Major Hume, with Companies c and
II. reported TO the provost marshal IN /
Maniia, March 1e Companies y and 4
rSportad 70 the commanding general - 4
Nsnila, March =. an1 WSre sleo 49,