HISTORY: Historic Huntingdon, 1767-1909, Chapter 19, Spanish-American War, Huntingdon County, PA

Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Nancy Lorz

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Historic Huntingdon, 1709-1907.  Huntingdon Old Home Week, September 
5-11, 1909.  Souvenir Edition.  Huntingdon, Pa.: Historical Committee 
of the Old Home Week Association, 1909.
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                              CHAPTER XVIX.

                   Military - The Spanish-American War.

  HUNTINGDON furnished one company of infantry in the war with Spain - 
Company A, Fifth Regiment Infantry, Pennsylvania Volunteers.  This 
Company was organized May - , 1889, and mustered into the service of 
the State as co. A, 5th Regt. Inf., National Guard of Pennsylvania.  
Pursuant to orders from the A. G. of Penna., (in response to the call 
by the President for troops for service in the war with Spain) the 
company entrained at Huntingdon on the evening of April 27, 1898, 
joining the other companies of the regiment and proceeded to the 
mobilization point at Mt. Gretna, Pa., arriving at destination early on 
the morning of April 28, the regiment being the earliest infantry 
troops to arrive.
  The officers of the company were:  Jno. S. Bare, Capt.; John C. 
Dunkle, First Lieut.; E. E. Eck, Second Lieut.
  The regimental field officers were:  Col. Theo. Burchfield, of 
Altoona; Lt. Col. Rufus C. Elder, of Lewistown; Maj. John P. Kennedy, 
of Blairsville, and Maj. Robt. N. McNamara, of Bedford.
  On May 11, 1898, the regiment was mustered into the United States 
service.  On May 17th it broke camp and entrained for Chickamauga, Ga., 
arriving on May 19, and went into camp along the Alexander Bridge road 
on the 20th.  In July the regiment was recruited to twelve companies of 
106 men each.  It was assigned to the First Brigade, Third Division, 
First Army Corps.  The regiment remained at Chickamauga until Aug. 22, 
when it moved to Lexington, Kentucky, and went into Camp (Hamilton).  
On

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Sept. 17th the regiment was granted a thirty-days furlough.  Company A 
arrived home Sunday, Sept. 18th, when it was met by a large number of 
citizens and escorted to the armory when addresses of welcome were 
delivered.  It was mustered out Nov. 7, 1898.  Although there were many 
serious cases of illness in the company, owing to the typhoid fever 
prevailing in camp, the company suffered no fatalities.