In the Spanish-American War, 1898, soldiers of Jerome Township served in three different regiments.  Three served in the Fourth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and were engaged in a battle with the Spaniards at Guayama, Porto Rico, August 5, 1898.  Three served in the First Ohio Cavalry, but did not leave the United States.  Three served in the Seventeenth Regiment, United States Infantry, and participated in the battle of El Caney, Cuba, July 1, 1898.  The history of the services of each of the above named regiments appears in this volume.

SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR - 1898
4TH REGIMENT, OHIO VOLUNTEER INFANTRY.

After the sinking of the battleship "Maine" at Havana, Cuba, and declaration of war with Spain, the Ohio National Guard responded to the first call for troops and were the nucleus to which the volunteers rallied, and with their well-drilled and disciplined officers, within thirty days a great army was organized and ready to take the field.
     The United States was at peace with the world and had a standing army of 25,000 men.  In three months after war was declared an army of a quarter of a million men was organized, equipped, and a campaign was conducted on both land and water, separated by thousands of miles, and the enemy was defeated without a single reverse - all in a period of but one hundred days.  As a writer has stated, "It was an achievement unparalleled in the history of warfare, which will be referred to by military critics of the future as the military marvel of the age."
     Many members of the National Guard Volunteers were sons of veterans of both the blue and the gray; they were of the same blood and had the vim and pluck of their fathers who fought the battles of the war which cost nearly 1,000,000 lives.  These soldiers marched shoulder to shoulder and touched elbows on the line of battle, under the same flag.
     The Fourteenth Regiment, Ohio National Guard, with headquarters at Columbus, Ohio, was the first regiment to go into quarters at Camp Bushnell, near Columbus.  On the 9th day of May, 1898, the regiment was mustered into the United States service, and the designation was changed to the Fourth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry.  The field officers were Colonel Alonzo B. Coit, Lieutenant Colonel Barton Adams, and Majors of the three battalions were John C. Speaks, John L. Sellers and Charles V. Baker.
     The Fourteenth Regiment was organized during the summer of 1877, had been in the state service continuously, and had been called into active service in the state during strikes and riots, fifteen times.  Company D was mustered into the state service at Marysville July 18th, 1877, and the writer was the first Captain of the Company.  There had been many changes in the company officers as well as in the rank and file.  During the more than twenty years' service several hundred men had been in the ranks and the esprit du corps was always of a high standard.
     Company D of Union County was mustered into the United States service for the Spanish War under Captain Charles F. Sellers, one hundred and five strong.  Captain Sellers was a charter member of the company, as was Major John L. Sellers, when the company was organized in 1877.  Three Jerome Township solders served in this company during the Spanish War.  They have the proud distinction of serving in the only Ohio regiment which was under fire during the war, and this baptism of fire was at Guayama, Porto Rico, August 5, 1898.
     May 15th the regiment was ordered to Camp George H. Thomas, Chickamauga Park, Ga., and on arrival was assigned to the Second Brigade, Second Division, First Army Corps.  The regiment was in camp at Chickamauga Park, drilling and equipping, until orders were received to proceed to Newport News by rail, July 22nd.
     Arriving at Newport News the regiment boarded the steamer St. Paul, commanded by Captain Sigsbee, and on August 1st arrived off Guanico, Porto, Rico.  General Miles boarded the St. Paul at this point and ordered the regiment armed with the Krag-Jorgensen rifles, of which a supply was aboard the ship.  The regiment arrived at Arroyo August 2nd, and was immediately landed.  Under orders from General Haines the regiment made a demonstration toward Guayama with a section of artillery and the Third Illinois in support.
     With Major Speaks conducting the advance, the regiment moved forward.  The advance soon struck the enemy, the skirmishers were hotly engaged and the enemy fell back.  The flankers advanced cautiously and balls from the Mausers whistled thick and fast, but too high to do much damage, as the Spaniards were firing from an elevation, and were overshooting.
     The regiment, after the first skirmish, moved forward rapidly and the firing was general all along the line.  The city was soon reached by the advance, and finding that the enemy had retreated, the American flag was hoisted over the city buildings.  The Spaniards kept up a desultory fire as they fell back until the dynamite guns of the Fourth Regiment were brought into action, which soon silenced their Mausers.
     Reconnoitering parties were sent out frequently for some days.  A number of skirmishes were had with the enemy, and the dynamite guns were brought into action a number of times.  In one of these skirmishes six men were wounded, including William Walcutt of Company D, wounded in the foot.
     In their baptism of fire at Guayama, the officers and men acquitted themselves like veterans of long service and were highly complimented by the commanding officer.
     After the signing of the peace protocol, August 13th, the regimental headquarters were retained at Guayama until the 5th day of October.  A number of the companies were sent out to various parts of the island and detached duty, while others were retained as Provost Guards at headquarters.  Company D was sent to Humocoa under Captain Sellers and he proved himself a diplomat in the reorganization of civil affairs, as he was the governor in fact during the time he occupied the town with his command.
     There was a great deal of sickness in all of the commands, the prevailing diseases being some form of tropical fever, and the surgeons and hospital corps were kept busy.
     The regiment sailed from San Juan on the U. S. steamship Chester, October 29th, arriving at Jersey City November 3rd.  By telegraphic orders from President McKinley the regiment was ordered to Washington, where it was reviewed by the President and arrived in Columbus Nov. 6th.  Sixty days' furlough was given and the regiment again assembled at Columbus and was discharged Jan. 20th, 1899.
     The citizens of Union County were particularly interested in the service of Company D of the Fourth Regiment, as there was scarcely a family in Marysville or vicinity that did not have some member of the family in the company during the many years' service in the National Guard.  Two Lieutenant Colonels of the regiment, W. L. Curry and Wm. M. Liggett, were from Jerome Township.  Colonel Liggett had been seriously wounded in the Cincinnati riots in 1884.  Therefore, not only the families of the members of the Company in the service during the war were solicitous to hear from the front as the war progressed, but all patriotic citizens were interested.
     While the company was not permitted to participate in any severe battles, yet it had many hard marches in that tropical climate, and I confess that I was very much delighted when the news was received that the regiment had been "under fire" and heard the whistling of the Mauser balls from the guns of the Spaniards.
     Had the war continued and the opportunity been given for further service and severe fighting, the Fourth Regiment would not have been "found wanting," no matter what the service may have been.  The members of the regiment and their friends can always point with pride to their good work, both in the National Guard and the Spanish-American War.

THE FIRST OHIO CAVALRY -
SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR.

Eight companies of cavalry were recruited and organized in Ohio for the Spanish-American War.  The two battalions of four companies each were mustered into the service at Camp Bushnell, near Columbus, Ohio, May 9th, 1898.  On the 14th day of May the regiment was ordered to Camp Thomas, Chickamauga Park, Ga.  By the 1st of June the companies were fully recruited, equipped and mounted.  The command was to be armed with Krag-Jorgensen carbines and their mounts and equipments were of the best that could be furnished by the government.  They were assigned to the Second Brigade, Cavalry Division, General Joseph Wheeler commanding.
     The regiment proceeded to Lakeland, Florida, by rail, leaving Camp Thomas July 13th, and was entrained at Ringolod, Ga.  Before transportation could be secured for either Cuba or Porto Rico, the peace protocol was signed and the services of the regiment were not required.  They went into camp at Lakeland and were employed in camp duty and drill until August 20th, when they were ordered to Huntsville, Alabama.
     The regiment was encamped at Huntsville until September 13th; then proceeded to Columbus, Ohio, for muster out.  The troops were given thirty days' furlough.  Troops A, B, and C, were mustered out at Cleveland, Ohio, October 22nd, Troop H was mustered out at Cincinnati, and the other four troops were mustered out at Columbus, Ohio, on expiration of their furloughs.
     The regiment was composed of good material, was well officered, and had become quite efficient in drill for the short period of their service.  It was unfortunate that they were not fully armed when General Wheeler's command embarked for Cuba, as they would have had opportunity for active service under a cavalry leader who had seen long and hard service during the Civil War.
     Troop G of this regiment was largely recruited in Union County, and three members of the troop were Jerome Township soldiers.   It was no fault of officers or men of the command that they did not have opportunity for active service, as every effort was made to secure arms and full equipment before the cavalry command embarked for Cuba, but the fates were against them, much to their disappointment.

THE 17TH REGIMENT, UNITED STATES INFANTRY,
SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR.

When war was declared against Spain, the Seventeenth Regiment was stationed at the U. S. Barracks, Columbus, Ohio, where they had been on duty for several years.  They were a splendid body of men and many of the officers had seen log service, a number of them having served in the Civil War.  Among the names recalled are Major Sharp, Captain O'Brien, Captain Roberts and Captain Rogers.  Colonel Poland and Lieutenant Colonel Haskell had long service, and it may well be doubted if there was a better officered or better equipped regiment in the service of the 25,000 men composing the United States Army at that time.
     Having been personally acquainted with many of these officers, some of whom were members of the military order of the Loyal Legion and others of the Society of the Sons of the American Revolution, now that the majority have been mustered out by the Great Commander, the cherished memories of those pleasant meetings come trooping thick and fast.  Not only were they brave soldiers, but gentlemen of intelligence and high character.
     Under orders the regiment left the Columbus (Ohio) Barracks in April, 1898, under command of Colonel Poland, for Tampa, Florida, and was encamped at Tampa, employed in usual garrison duty, drilling and equipping for an active campaign in the field.  Colonel Poland died of disease at Tampa and Lieutenant Colonel Joseph T. Haskell succeeded to the command of the regiment.  June 2nd, under orders, the regiment embarked on transports and landed at Bagarie, Cuba.  General Shafter, commanding the United States Army, numbering 15,000 men, was preparing for an aggressive campaign against the Spaniards, who were strongly fortified at El Caney.
     The regiment had their first skirmish with the Spanish army i the advance of El Caney, June 30th.  The battle of El Caney was fought July 1st 1898, in which the regiment participated together with the United States Army of 15,000 soldiers under General Shafter, and was particularly distinguished for the bravery of the officers and men.  The losses in the regiment is the best evidence of the prominence of the regiment in that battle, there being forty-four killed and wounded and seven missing.
     Of this number Lieutenant Miche and Lieutenant Dickenson were killed, and Lieutenant Colonel Haskell, commanding the regiment, was mortally wounded.  The total losses in General Shafter's army were twenty-two officers and two hundred and eight men killed; eighty-one officers and twelve hundred and three men wounded; and twenty-seven missing, a total of fifteen hundred and forty-one.
     Sergeant George Kelley, who was seriously wounded in the battle, made a miraculous recovery.  A Mauser ball passed entirely through his body, and he gives a most graphic description of that battle.  He is now in business near the U. S. Barracks, Columbus, Ohio, and his place of business is a favorite stopping place for his old comrade and all soldiers.
      The regiment returned to the U. S. Barracks at Columbus in the fall of 1898, and had a parade through the streets.  Colonel Haskell, although suffering from his wound and very weak, rode at the head of his regiment in a carriage, looking every inch the brave soldier that he was.  The same evening he died from the result of his wounds and was mourned by the officers and men of his regiment as the "brave mourn for the brave."
     After recruiting, one battalion of the regiment was ordered to the Philippine Islands for duty in February, 1899, and was soon followed by the other battalions.  The regiment saw a great deal of hard service in the insurrection and the losses by death were quite heavy.
     The regiment is now stationed at Fort Oglethorp, Chickamauga Park, Georgia under command of Colonel Van Orton.
    Three Jerome Township soldiers served in the 17th Regiment during the Spanish-American War, as shown by the roster.