Howard County IN Archives History - Books .....The Spanish-American War 1909
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Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com April 4, 2006, 12:00 am

Book Title: History Of Howard County Indiana

THE SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR.
BY OTIS C. POLLARD.

   When in February, 1898, the battleship Maine was sunk in Havana harbor and
nearly all on board lost their lives by Spanish treachery, the soldier spirit of
Howard county was again aroused and men were not wanting to answer when the
summon came that soldiers were needed for the Spanish-American war and Company L
of the One Hundred and Fifty-eighth Regiment Indiana Volunteers was the answer.
The history of Company L is herewith appended.

   This company was organized at Kokomo, February 4, 1892, by A. N. Grant, the
first officers being A. N. Grant, captain ; Edward Kiefer, first lieutenant;
Charles Hansell, second lieutenant, and was called the "Grant Fencibles." The
company was assigned to the Second Regiment, "Indiana Legion," and attended its
first encampment at Frankfort, Indiana, during the summer of 1892. The company
also attended and participated in the dedication exercises of the Columbian
Exposition in the fall of 1892.

   Upon the resignation of Captain Grant and Lieutenant Kiefer, new officers
were elected in June, 1893, Albert Martin being elevated to the captaincy and
Charles Hansel chosen first lieutenant. Robert L. Jacobs was also chosen second
lieutenant. The company attended the encampment at Terre Haute, Indiana, during
the summer, and in the fall of 1893 was ordered to Robey, Indiana, and with
three companies assisted in suppressing the notorious Robey prize fights, being
held at the Robey race tracks. Upon a reorganization of the state troops, which
was made in 1894, the company was again assigned to the Second Regiment of the
Indiana National Guard and was ordered to Hammond, Indiana, in July of 1894, to
assist in the suppression of the Pullman strike and riots. Owing to the
experience of Captain Martin in Indian uprisings and other military expeditions,
while in the service of the regular army of the United States in years past.
Company L was selected to head the column and had the distinction of being the
first company to march into Hammond. The company was on duty sixteen days at
Hammond and East Chicago.

OFFICERS ARE CHANGED.

   Upon the resignation of Captain Martin in the spring of 1895, Will T. Meek,
afterwards city clerk of Kokomo, was elected captain, R. L. Jacobs, first
lieutenant, and Philip Owen, second lieutenant. This year the company attended
the state camp at Indianapolis. In the fall of 1895 Captain Meek resigned and
Captain Martin was re-elected and served until his death, in February, 1896.
Robert L. Jacobs was then chosen captain, Philip Owen, first lieutenant, and
Claude Scoven, second lieutenant.

   When war was declared with Spain, Company L was ordered, with other
companies, to mobilize at Camp Mount, Indianapolis, and the company left Kokomo,
April 26, 1898. Lieutenant Scoven failed to pass the required medical
examination and Joseph Lang was elected to fill the vacancy in office occasioned
by his rejection by the medical examiners. Company L was mustered into the
volunteer service as Company L One Hundred and Fiftv-eighth Indiana Volunteer
Infantry, May 10, 1898, with eighty-six men, the officers being Robert L.
Jacobs, captain; Philip Owen, first lieutenant, and Joseph Lang, second lieutenant.

   The company left Indianapolis in May, 1898, and arrived at Chickamauga Park
the same month. In June Corporal Lewis Bridenstein was detailed as special
recruiting officer and sent home to recruit the company to its maximum strength
of one hundred and six men. The company was ordered to Camp Poland, Knoxville,
Tennessee, in August of the same year, and went into camp there. The One Hundred
and Fifty-eighth Regiment, to which Company L belonged, was ordered to Camp
Mount for mustering out, arriving there in September. Company L, with other
companies, was furloughed for thirty days from September 17th and arrived home
in Kokomo shortly afterwards. The company reported back to Camp Mount on October
17th and was given final discharge November 4, 1898. The company did not
reorganize upon the reconstruction of the Indiana National Guard and therefore
ceased to exist.


Additional Comments:
From:

HISTORY OF HOWARD COUNTY INDIANA
BY
JACKSON MORROW, B. A.
ILLUSTRATED
VOL. I
B. F. BOWEN & COMPANY
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA

(circa 1909)

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