LAWRENCE COUNTY, TN MEN WHO SERVED IN
THE SPANISH AMERICAN WAR/PHILIPPINE CONFLICT
First TN Regiment, 2nd Battalion U.S. Volunteers, Lawrenceburg, TN Company D
Written by Jack Wright using extracts from
The First Tennessee Regiment, United States Volunteers by Will T. Hale
& the journal kept by his father, Mark J. Wright, during the Spanish American
War
The U. S. battleship Maine was destroyed in Havana harbor on February 15, 1898, but the war had been coming for some time. When President McKinley sent out the proclamation calling for volunteers, Tennessee immediately answered with more offering their services than any other state.
The First Tennessee Regiment was the earliest organized, with Company D, 2nd Battalion being made up at Lawrenceburg, Lawrence County, Tennessee and called out April the 24th, 1898.
The order to move came on June 10, and after an uneventful journey, the First Tennessee reached San Francisco. They arrived in Manila, in the Philippine Islands, November 28, 1898. "This company served all together as a Unit for the duration of the Conflict. They were engaged in all the major battles, and received numerous awards and citations for their brave and courageous service, and never lost a man." to quote Jack Wright.
Company D arrived back in San Francisco on November 11, 1899, and arrived in Nashville, Tennessee on the 29th. A ceremony in Nashville was held in "The Tabernacle" (later to be named the Ryman Auditorium). Distinguished speakers included Governor McMillan and the President of the United States, William McKinley.
The First Tennessee Regiment, United States Volunteers, Lawrenceburg,
Company D officers consisted of:
William J. Galbreath, Captain
Edward C. McNeal, First Lieutenant
Edson E. McNealy, Second Lieutenant
Joe B. Cocke, a Second Lieutenant
Mark G. Fakes, Quartermaster Sergeant and Second Lieutenant.
Non-commissioned officers and privates:
C. Alexander
Edward Alexander
James W. Alred
Lem O. Anderson
G. L. Bidwell
Charles W. Blair
Paine D. Blair
George W. Boyd
H. H. Braden
Neal Brown
Clay V. Bryant
William C. Byrant
Thomas L. Bumpass
Willie A. Bumpass
J. I. Bush
William H. Carter
John D. Clark
Walter C. Clark
George Cornet
Marion L. Cureton
G. W. Davis
J. T. Downing
G. W. Drake
Charles Duffin
W. B. Elliot
John A. Gallaher
W. H. Garland
Frank Guthrie
Joe Hall
M. M. Harvill
H. W. Harwell
Edward Hickey
Fred A. Holt
Albert L. Hooks
Lee Horn
James H. Humbert
Benjamin Jackson
James T. Keene
Robert E. Kimber
Hick Langford
N. G. Ledbetter
George D. Marsh
F. E. Marshall
A. C. McClanahan
Edward S. Milum
William Neeley
Alvy B. Petty
C. G. Plaskett
Allen L. Porter
William B. Sherrell
Thomas B. Smith
James D. Staley
Charles L. Starr
Dennis Sutton
Rufus Toxel
George Troxel
C. A. Washburn
Will Weaver
Ford Westdahl
Looney A. White
Calvin Wiles
Charles W. Wilson
Hugh Winford
Atticus H. Wright
Mark J. Wright
John Ziegenbein
Full text version of the First Tennessee Regiment, United States Volunteers
http://www.archive.org/stream/firsttennesseere00hale/firsttennesseere00hale_djvu.txt
Contributed by Kathy Niedergeses November 29, 2011