Company I, 20th Kansas Infantry is a group of living historians dedicated to the preservation & promotion of the “Boys of ‘98” who fought in the Spanish-American & Philippine Wars, and the Boxer Rebellion in China from 1898-1902. The group represents the “Fighting 20th” Kansas Volunteer Infantry, commanded by Colonel Frederick Funston. Funston was awarded the Medal of Honor in the Philippines for crossing the Rio Grande de la Pampanga, Philippines, under enemy fire. Promoted to brigadier general, Funston later captured Emilio Aguinaldo, the leader of the Philippine Insurrectionists.
Members of Company I are affiliated with Company C, 9th U.S. Infantry, and are employees and volunteers with the U.S. National Park Service. All of our members are also members of Phelps Camp No. 66, Sons of Union Veterans, an organization which saw many of its members join “the Boys of ‘98” to fight the “Dons of Spain”. Company I also supports the Boyhood Home & Museum of Major General Frederick Funston in Iola Kansas and its mission to tell the story of “Funston’s Fighting 20th”. Along the 9th and 20th, we also portray members of the 2nd Missouri Volunteer Infantry.
Besides re-enactments, Company I participates in a number of living history encampments, “parade of the soldier” events for Veteran’s Day and Memorial Day, and other educational programs. We have participated in programs at Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield; The Boyhood Home & Museum of General Frederick Funston in Iola, Kansas; Veteran’s Day ceremonies in Ottawa, Kansas; The Liberty Memorial, Kansas City, Missouri and Jefferson Barracks, St. Louis Missouri.
If you are interested in enlisting with Company I, please contact Todd
Wilkinson by clicking
here
The 20th Kansas, Company I at the 150th Anniversary Celebration of the Kansas National Guard, August 27, 2005. The event was held at the Kansas National Guard Museum, Forbes Field, in Topeka, Kansas. The group set up displays about the Spanish-American and Philippine War and the life of the common soldier of the 20th Kansas Volunteer Infantry.