General:
The 4th Ohio Volunteer Infantry saw service in Puerto Rico during the Spanish American War.
Unit History:
The 4th Ohio Volunteer Infantry was formed at Columbus on April 25, 1898, and was mustered into service between May 9 and May 16. At muster in, the unit consisted of fifty officers and 842 enlisted men. The regiment was commanded by Colonel Alonzo Coit.
Following muster in, the unit was ordered to Camp Thomas, on the former Civil War battlefield of Chickamauga, Georgia, on May 15, and arrived there the following day. As spring became summer, conditions at the crowded camp deteriorated with poor sanitation, and inadequate supplies. Disease began to take it toll. On July 22, the 4th Ohio started en route to Newport News, Virginia, arriving two days later. By July 28, the men of the 4th Ohio were aboard the U.S.S. ST PAUL steaming for the island of Puerto Rico. Apparently, as the vessel was steaming off the coast of Puerto Rico, on the day prior to the regiment's disembarking, the Springfield "Trapdoor" rifles that had been issued to the men were all collected and replaced with Krag-Jorgensen rifles. The new arms were superior in that the Krag used smokeless power, which would not give the position if the man firing the weapon. However, the decision to re-arm the men and land them into what could be a hostile situation with weapons on which they had no training is also questionable.
The first stop of the unit in Puerto Rico was Arroyo on August 3. On August 4, orders were received to advance toward Guayama. As the regiment was en route, as Col. Coit was riding his native pony (the officers' horses were not yet brought ashore), through some other ponies of a Pennsylvania artillery battery, one of the artillery ponies kicked and hit Coit squarely in the leg. The injury was considered to be potentially dangerous. Coit temporarily turned the command of the regiment over to Maj. Speaks and was advised by the regimental surgeon to return to Arroyo. He refused. A few hours later he regained command of the regiment.The regiment moved forward with nine companies of infantry, and one company, Company F, which was armed with five Sims-Dudley dynamite guns, at 8:30 A.M. As the unit approached the town, the Spanish outposts were found and the 4th Ohio was deployed. The Spanish were driven from the town and the chief municipal officer of the town located and the town surrendered. By 1:00 P.M., the regimental colors of the 4th Ohio were fluttering over the municipal building. Outposts were set up, the waterworks placed under guard, and a police force was established. The wounded included John Cordner of Company C, Stewart Mercer of Company C, Clarence Riffee of Company A and William Walcutt of Company D.
The unit was also involved and ready for action at Guanimani Heights when, at the moment that the American attack was to begin on August 12, news of the armistice arrived, ending hostilities.
Following the armistice agreement of August 12, the various companies of the 4th Ohio Volunteer Infantry were dispersed to occupy various towns and cities. Below is a partial list of the locations occupied:
Company A - Guayama
The occupation proceeded with few problems with the American forces
generally being treated well by the population. There were several
incidents, as one would expect when such tremendous change occurs to a
society. For instance, Company L experienced some issues in
Carolina where a crowd developed intent on attacking a local priest.
Company L took quick action to put down the disturbance before blood was
shed. Shortly later that same evening, a man fired shots at Captain
French of Company L. French experienced powder burns on his forehead and
hand, but was not hit. The would-be assassin was not caught. Lt. McCoy
of Company F was in a store in Cayey when three men came up behind him,
and struck him over the head and in the shoulder and arm. McCoy was
knocked down and injured, but recovered and the assailants were again
not caught.
Sam Hill of Company D was no so lucky as the officers. He had been on
duty at an outpost near the Guayama bridge. He had been on duty but was
relieved and went back to his tent. His comrades on duty knew that there
were some Spanish guerilla fighters in the woods nearby. These men saw a
shadow in the woods and challenged the individual several times. When
the person did not respond, they fired, only to learn that the
individual was their own comrade, Sam Hill, who had wandered into the
woods for some unknown purpose.
Surprisingly, some of the areas occupied by Company D actually contacted General Brooke about Lt. J. Richard Turner of the same company. This was the message provided:
"Since the 22nd of last September, on which
floats in this city the American flag, hoisted in the name of your
government by the worthy Captain Chas. F. Sellers, this people, sir,
have nothing but congratulations for you and for General Grant, for the
proper appointment of Mr. Sellers, who has ruled the destinies of this
military district with as much justice as courtesy.
Therefore, today, on having notice that perhaps they would relieve the forces that said captain commands, ably assisted by Lieutenant Turner and subaltern officers, the town en masse, sir, assist me, in order that with the Board of Magistrates, we may formulate a respectful petition before you, to the end that if it is not a hindrance to your plans, you may be pleased to leave Captain Sellers in this city, thus satisfying a strong desire of this town where he has gained so many sympathies by his honesty, good judgment and gentility.
At the same time the populations of Yabucoa, San Lorenzo, Junces Piedros and Naguabo, by means of their representatives, join in making this, their manifestation.
Be it known for all time, that our
gratitude to you will be profound, if we obtain, that this chief may
continue among us, even though it may be for a little longer time."
The 4th Ohio left Puerto Rico for the United States on October 29, 1898 on board the U.S.S. CHESTER, arriving back in the United States, at New York on November 4. Arriving back in Columbus, Ohio two days later, the men of the Fourth Ohio Volunteer Infantry were given a sixty day furlough, and were finally mustered out on January 20, 1899. At the time of its muster out, the unit consisted of 49 officers and 1,210 enlisted men.
During its term of service the unit lost 23 enlisted men to disease, one man to a general court martial, and five men to desertion. Additionally, two men were discharged because of disability and nine men were wounded.
The following song is attributed to the members of the 4th Ohio:
"Lying in the guard house, awaiting my discharge-
To hell with all the officers, the provost and the guard-
When we get back to Circle Ville, as happy as a clam.
To tell about the sow-belly we ate for Uncle Sam.
Home, boys home, its home you ought to be!
Home, boys home, in your own country!
Where the ash and the oak and the bonnie willow tree-
Where the grass grows green in God's country"
Monument to the 4th Ohio
Volunteer Infantry in the plaza of Guayama, Puerto Rico.
The monument reads:
"United States of American
1898 1923
Dedicated to the
MEMORY
of the boys of the Fourth Ohio Vol.
Infantry who lost their lives in
the performance of their duty
in the war with Spain
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| Irvin E. Sims | Co. A | Henry M. Morrison | Co. H |
| Milton M. Morgan | " A | William W. Reed | " K |
| John W. Walker | " A | Dayton Randolph | " K |
| Joseph W Dent | " C | Avery L. Vertner | " K |
| Samuel L. Hill | " D | ||
| William F. Markeson | " F |
|
|
| Welsey C. Winter | " G | Carl Kreuz | Co. C |
| James H. Couts | " G | Kurt Sparka | " H |
| Guy P. Ferrin | " G | Forest C. Briggs | " H |
| Daniel H. Dodge | " H | John M. Snyder | " F |
| Elbert L. Patterson | " H | Patrick Ahern | " K |
| William F. Ferris | " K | Charles E. Lawson | " K |
| Leon H. Mitchell | " L | George H. Shuster | " G |
| William C. Dunlap | " L | Lewis F. Moule | " L |
Barnes, Mark R., PhD and Julia C. Walker, Multiple Resource Nomination for the Puerto Rican Campaign of the Spanish American War (Atlanta: National Park Service, 1998)
The Official Roster of Ohio Soldiers in the War with Spain, 1898-1899. (Columbus: Edward T. Miller Co, 1916) 226.
Clerk of Joint Committee on Printing, The Abridgement of Message from the President of the United States to the Two Houses of Congress. (Washington: Government Printing Office, 1899). Vol. 3, 142-143
Creager, Charles E. (Sergt. Maj.), The Fourteenth Ohio National
Guard, The Fourth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, A Complete
Record of this Organization from its Foundation to the
Present Day. (Columbus, Ohio: The Landon
Printing and Publishing Company, 1899), 133, 143, 252-305.
Isaacson, Jack - Photos of the 4th Ohio monument in Guayama, and the song of the 4th Ohio
Statistical Exhibit of Strength of Volunteer Forces Called into Service During the War with Spain; with Losses from All Causes. (Washington: Government Printing Office, 1899).
Trask, David F. The War With Spain in 1898. (New York: Macmillian Publishing Company, 1981). (Song of the 4th Ohio)