Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1916-04-25
AN EVENTFUL DAY
Is YEARS AGO
When Company 6, !. N. G., Of Web
ster City, Left for the Span
ish-American War in
Cuba. 81
THE SOLDIER BOYS WHO WENT.
Col. N. P. Hyatt Will Attend Ami.
versary Meeting in Fort
Dodge Tomorrow.

Tomorrow Col. N. P. Hyatt and
probably others Of this city will go
to Fort Dodge to attend the eight
|eenth anniversary of the call to arms
for the Spanish-American war. Ini-
tiation and mess will be held in the
G.. A. r. hall tomorrow evening at s
O'Clock and the banquet will be serv-
ed! in the Eagles lodge room at 10
O'Clock. About forty members of
|other camps are expected to be in
attendance and Col. Hyatt is named
as one of the speakers at the ban
|quet.
Eighteen years ago today will be
we'll remembered by those who were
residents of this city at the time, as
one of the most affecting days in the
history of the town. 1t was the day
when Company G buckled on it's arm
Tor and left for the call to arms
against Spain.
Company G never saw actual SER
vice but were stationed indefinitely
at Chickamauga in readiness for the
call to Cuba if it should come. Dur
ing this stay at Chickamauga Park,
the terrible epidemic of typhoid
broke out, to which several of Com
pany C succumbed, two or three los
ing their lives as a result.
The Daily Freeman of April a.,
1898, gave the following account of
the departure of the company:
Company c, 4th Regiment, I. N.
G., buckled on it's modern armor,
which consists mainly of a brave and
willing heart, and left for the front
yesterday afternoon at their coun-
try.s call to assist her in her hour
of need. They took with them the
blessings Of the entire. population Of
Webster City and their best, wishes
for guidance and protection from the
vicissitudes of soldiers life. They
were given the greatest ovation that
lever crowd received from this
town; and no one of all that crowd
could help feeling proud of their
soldier representatives that
they would be an honor. to their
friends and relatives, to themselves
and to their country. During the
last few days they have passed
through an experience that none but
a strong and loyal man could stand.
They have shown that they are made
|of the same stuff as their fathers and
uncles who in 81, dropped the regu
lar lines Of life, severed home ties,
and marched away to uphold the ma
lions honor. The old veterans felt
proud of their young successors, who
are but proving again the old boast
full assertion that no country on the
face of the earth but free America
can make such a showing of young,
brave hearts and willing hands in
the hour of danger.
Marching into battle will not be
harder for these young men than was
the parting yesterday. They had
been, in suspense since Saturday
morning when Capt j. w. Lee re-
.ceived orders to keep his company
within bugle call and in readiness to
respond to telegraphic orders to-
move to Des Moines The message
did not come until yesterday a. m.
and was heralded by all the whistles
in the city. Business was practical
ly suspended, and the whole town
turned out at noon to bid their young
soldiers goodbye. The band tried to
lend a little gayety to the occasion
but did not succeed very well. The
company were provided with spec
ial coach for themselves and box
car for their camp outfit.
After the boys had been marched
into their car, their friends and rel
atiyes passed through, bidding each
one goodbye and pinning red,
white and blue ribbon to the coat of
every soldier.
The high school cadets and whole
public school were present, the ca
diets firing salute. The special train
with the Algona and Emmetsburg
companies aboard arrived at 1880
o'clock and Company C's car was
quickly attached. AS the train pull
ed out the soldiers cheered but the
home crowd was not very responsive.
They did not feel exactly like cheer
ing. The band played annie
and the train went out OF
sight around the bend. We hope
that the war will be short, that the
boys will all come back and that the |
home circles all will be reunited.
The Freeman will endeavor to
keep the community informed of the