In the spring of 1898 the newspapers were full of war news from Cuba and Puerto Rico, which were Spanish possessions. Depending on the political persuasion of the editor, the newspaper either urged President William McKinley to declare war against Spain or to negotiate. It had been thirty-three years since the Civil War had ended and some people were ready for another conflict.

 

The president was not in favor of going to war. Nevertheless, on April 24^th Congress declared war on Spain. Passions had been inflamed by the news stories about the atrocities committed by the Spanish army against the native people. In addition, the blowing up of the United States battleship Maine in Havana Harbor had created sufficient reason for declaring war.

 

Eighty-four young men from Galesburg and the surrounding area were members of Company C. About twenty of them were recruits, including Carl Sandburg. They had enlisted for two years and completed the unit's roster. The company was part of the Sixth Infantry, Illinois Militia (National Guard).

 

They received a patriotic send-off from Galesburg's citizens at the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad depot. The first taste of army life occurred in Springfield where they camped at the State Fairgrounds.

 

The men were examined by a German doctor who seemed to be more interested in their scrotums than any other part of their anatomy. They received woolen uniforms, singularly inappropriate for the tropical climate of the Caribbean.

 

Company C traveled by train to Falls Church, Virginia, and established a camp two miles outside the town. The men put up two-man tents and slept on the ground. Pits were dug for open latrines a short distance from the camp site. In the hot weather the odor was beyond belief. Many of the young soldiers had dysentery. They ate field rations which consisted mostly of bean soup and pork and beans.

 

The young men were drilled through the months of May and June in military marching commands and learned the bugle calls for the various routines of the day. The evening parade was the most enjoyable part of the day. It was impressive to see all the troops lined up for inspection by higher officers on horseback..

 

On July 11^th, Company C and five other companies of the Sixth Illinois boarded the Rita, a ship built for lumber hauling, captured from the Spanish. Six days later the ship arrived at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Santiago, a major city on the island, had already been taken by United States troops. Therefore, the Rita then sailed to the south coast of Puerto Rico and the Knox County men waded ashore on July 25th. They marched up hill and down dale in the heat and suffered from attacks of malaria and heat stroke. They battled more “gray backs,” which was their name for lice, than the enemy. The natives were friendly and the soldiers learned a few words of Spanish.

 

When the Company C boys reached Ponce, they found a place to weigh themselves. Most of the men had lost from twelve to sixteen pounds. Sandburg had lost twenty-two pounds. Many had a yellow tint to their skin and their uniforms were faded and tattered.

 

Carl Sandburg made life-long friends during his army experience. From time to time, biographical articles will be posted about the volunteers in Company C, Sixth Illinois Regiment.