Rhode Islanders in the Spanish-American War – East Greenwich News

Above: A bronze statue in Kennedy Plaza in Windfall honors Rhode Islanders who served within the Spanish American Warfare. Credit score: Donald Tunnicliff Rice 

By Donald Tunnicliff Rice

On February 15, 1898, the battleship USS Maine exploded in Havana Harbor killing 266 American sailors – round two-thirds of these on board. The reason for the explosion continues to be being debated at present, however on the time the favored press had no hassle convincing the American folks that Spain was the wrongdoer. For quite a lot of causes, largely involving Cuba, the 2 nations had been drifting towards battle for a while, and the destruction of the Maine made armed battle inevitable. 

On April 23, President McKinley issued a proclamation calling for 125,000 volunteers to serve within the coming battle with Spain. Every of the (then) 45 states was licensed a selected variety of items. In Rhode Island there have been three: the first Rhode Island Volunteer Infantry and Gentle Batteries A and B, Volunteer Artillery. 

In whole, 46 officers and 958 enlisted males have been mustered into the infantry regiment at Camp Dyer (named for then-Governor Dyer) at Quonset Level throughout Might 1898. I’ve been in a position to determine only a few East Greenwich Townies within the regiment: Harris Ralph, Matthew Whelan, Thomas Regan, and Peter Henchey. There have been certainly extra, together with some among the many 220 males in Gentle Batteries A and B, who additionally mustered in at Camp Dyer. 

In her historical past of East Greenwich, Martha McPartland lists the names of 21 Townies who served throughout that point, however sadly she provides no quotation for this info, and I might confirm solely the few names listed above. Elsewhere she mentions that 18 members of the Kentish Guards served in the course of the battle. That historical and honorable group was placed on alert due to an imagined risk to the Jap Seaboard by Spanish naval forces, so I suppose it’s technically true.

Despite their earnest want to avenge the sinking of the Maine, the troopers of the first Rhode Island Volunteers have been by no means despatched to Cuba. They did, nevertheless, get numerous observe establishing camp as they moved to Camp Alger (Va.), Thoroughfare Hole (Va.), Camp George Meade (Penn.), and at last Camp Formance (S.C.), the place they have been disarmed on March 1, 1899 and mustered out on March 30. From there they have been shipped by practice to Jersey Metropolis (N.J.) the place they have been placed on a steamer that carried them again to Narragansett Bay. 

After disembarking at India Level Wharf, they paraded to downtown Windfall. Their final cease was at what’s now referred to as Dexter Coaching Floor the place they disbanded and located their manner dwelling with out ever having fought a single Spaniard. Although by no means in battle, they did endure a variety of casualties, together with 10 deaths attributable to illness, a typical prevalence in the course of the battle.

Gentle Batteries A and B by no means left Camp Dyer in any respect and have been mustered out six months after being mustered in. The one Rhode Islanders who we all know for certain got here underneath hearth in the course of the battle have been these aboard the restore ship, USS Vulcan. There have been most likely a number of extra among the many 1,000 or so who served with common military and naval forces at the moment.

After I was a child there was an historical veteran named Clarke Welles who used to march in most East Greenwich parades. In his final years he rode in a automobile. I neglect what his uniform regarded like, however I’m sure he wore a helmet with a spike, comparable to these we usually affiliate with WWI Prussian troopers. American spiked helmets have been issued from 1880 to 1890 and are extraordinarily uncommon, however I feel I keep in mind seeing one years in the past within the Varnum Armory assortment. Maybe it was Welles’s. 

Anyway, we have been advised he was a Spanish-American Warfare veteran, so I suppose he was, however I haven’t been in a position to confirm that. The truth that he would have been over 30 years previous in the course of the battle makes it a bit uncertain. He might have been an officer, I assume, and perhaps that’s why he had such a spiffy helmet. Does anyone know?

One other well-known East Greenwich resident – Dr. Fenwick Taggart – served in the course of the battle, however with the First Vermont Volunteer Infantry, Vermont being his dwelling state. He additionally by no means made it to Cuba. However if you’re one of many 2,500+ East Greenwich space infants he delivered, or one of many numerous tons of of sufferers he handled through the years, you have been acquainted with a Spanish-American Warfare veteran. Guess you didn’t know that.