Information Provided by the Micah John Jenkins Camp No. 164, Sons of Spanish American War Veterans
Light Battery
Wyoming Volunteer Artillery, U.S. Volunteers
Battery history
What was to become the Wyoming Volunteer Light Battery was organized in Cheyenne, Wyoming, on February 19th, 1895, as the Alger Light Battery ( Battery A) of the Wyoming Volunteers (National Guard).
With the declaration of War between the United States and Spain the State of Wyoming was assigned a quota of one Infantry Battalion in April of 1898, however on May 25th, 1898, President William McKinley issued a call for an additional 75,000 Volunteers, and under this call the Governor was asked to supply one Battery of Artillery for volunteer service. In the Wyoming National Guard there was only Battery of artillery, the Alger Light Artillery, and as such they were called by the Governor to assemble for service.
On June 11th, 1898, the Battery begin recruiting its numbers up to the 125 officers and men who were needed for the battery to be mustered into service, and four days later (June 15th) the Battery had completed its efforts and had reached the required number. The following day (June 16th) the Battery was formed in ranks and mustered into United States service at Cheyenne as the Wyoming Light Battery for a term of two years service, numbering three (3) officers and one hundred twenty-two (122) enlisted men under the command of Captain Granville R. Palmer.
After remaining in camp at Cheyenne for a few more days the Battery left on the 24th aboard trains for San Francisco, California, arriving at that place on the 28th of the month, and going into camp at the Presidio continued the work of learning the art of soldiering.
On November 8th, 1898, the Battery breaks camp and marches to the docks where they board the transport “ Newport” along with Brigadier General Marcus P. Miller, U.S. Volunteers, and his staff, for service in the Philippine Islands. The transport arrived off of Manila on December 6th, and on the 7th disembarked and marched to the town of Cavite where it was assigned to the Military District of Cavite, remaining there until July of 1899, during this time the men were engaged variously in the actions at Salinos, Rossario, Novaleta, and Caite Viejo.
On July 8th, 1899, the Battery, having received orders to prepare to return to the United States for mustering out, turned over their four guns to the 6th United States Artillery Regiment at Cavite, and moves to Manila. On the 30th the men of the Battery board the transport “Grant” in Manila, along with the men of the 1st Wyoming Volunteer Infantry Battalion, and sail for the United States. The Grant arrived at San Francisco, California, on August 29th, 1899, and the men disembarked and moved into their respective camps.
After a few weeks rest and the settling of accounts for the unit the Battery was mustered out of United States service on September 23rd, 1899, in San Francisco, California, with three (3) officers and fifty-seven (57) enlisted men, under the command of Captain Clarke. Through the good will of the citizens of the State of Wyoming money had been assembled by a group of private citizens (as the state had no allotement for the transportation of the men back to the State) and the men of the Battery were able to return to their homes without having to bear the cost themselves.
During the Battery’s service it had a total of six (6) officers and one hundred-twenty four (124) enlisted men on its rolls, of this number two (2) officers resigned their commissions and one (1) committed suicide (Captain Palmer), one (1) enlisted-man was transferred, nine (9) were discharged due to disability, three (3) were discharged by a general courts-martial, forty (40) were discharged by order, two (2) died of disease, and twelve (12) deserted from the battery, for total loss in the battery of 70 officers and enlisted.
Battery Roster
Clarke, Harry A. : Mustered into service as First Lieutenant of the Battery on June 16th, 1898, for two years service; promoted to Captain on November 12th, 1898, vice Captain Palmer died; mustered out of service with the Battery on September 23rd, 1899, at San Francisco, California.
Palmer, Granville R. : Of Cheyenne, Wyoming. Committed suicide on Friday, November 11th, 1898, at the Presidio of San Francisco, California, as a result of mental instability and overworking himself .
Clarke, Harry A.
Gilmore, James M.
Fay, Elton E. : Mustered out of service with the Battery on September 23rd, 1899, at San Francisco, California.
Glenn, Edwin O.
Madden, James L.
Bristol, Charles A. : Mustered out of service with the Battery on September 23rd, 1899, at San Francisco, California.
Daily, William M.
King, Granville M. : Mustered out of service with the Battery on September 23rd, 1899, at San Francisco, California.
La Fontaine, Robert N. : Mustered out of service with the Battery on September 23rd, 1899, at San Francisco, California.
McCabe, John E.
Rigdon, John F.
Cayler, Albert G.
Dyer, Joseph T.
Graham, Robert B.
Hirst, Edward W.
Mahan, Charles W. : Mustered out of service with the Battery on September 23rd, 1899, at San Francisco, California.
Mills, William C. : Mustered out of service with the Battery on September 23rd, 1899, at San Francisco, California.
Shrader, Rufus W.
Wolcott, William C.
Mentz, Edwin C.
Sullivan, James
McFadden, Robert
Sladden, Thomas A.
Olson, John
Farrell, John F. : Mustered out of service with the Battery on September 23rd, 1899, at San Francisco, California.
Dillman, William : Mustered out of service with the Battery on September 23rd, 1899, at San Francisco, California.
Dreifuss, Isaac W.
Abbott, Glenn W. : Mustered out of service with the Battery on September 23rd, 1899, at San Francisco, California.
Abry, Emil G. : Mustered out of service with the Battery on September 23rd, 1899, at San Francisco, California.
Anderson, John
Anderson, Peter
Bailey, Alonzo A. : Mustered out of service with the Battery on September 23rd, 1899, at San Francisco, California.
Barnett, David : Mustered out of service with the Battery on September 23rd, 1899, at San Francisco, California.
Barth, George : Mustered out of service with the Battery on September 23rd, 1899, at San Francisco, California.
Bradley, Frank
Bristol, George
Brookhart, Herman A. : Mustered out of service with the Battery on September 23rd, 1899, at San Francisco, California.
Buck, Clifford H. : Mustered out of service with the Battery on September 23rd, 1899, at San Francisco, California.
Bushman, Charles : Mustered out of service with the Battery on September 23rd, 1899, at San Francisco, California.
Caffrey, John : Mustered out of service with the Battery on September 23rd, 1899, at San Francisco, California.
Connors, James H. : Mustered out of service with the Battery on September 23rd, 1899, at San Francisco, California.
Croston, Ernest R.B. : Mustered out of service with the Battery on September 23rd, 1899, at San Francisco, California.
Dale, Henry L.
Darling, John : Mustered out of service with the Battery on September 23rd, 1899, at San Francisco, California.
Davis, George H. : Mustered out of service with the Battery on September 23rd, 1899, at San Francisco, California.
DeCory, John L. : Mustered out of service with the Battery on September 23rd, 1899, at San Francisco, California.
DeHaas, William : Mustered out of service with the Battery on September 23rd, 1899, at San Francisco, California.
Elkins, Charles S.
Ellis, Daniel R. : Mustered out of service with the Battery on September 23rd, 1899, at San Francisco, California.
Enslow, William M. : Mustered out of service with the Battery on September 23rd, 1899, at San Francisco, California.
Fardy, Gus
Fear, Edward B.
Fitfield, Fay : Mustered out of service with the Battery on September 23rd, 1899, at San Francisco, California.
Freed, Malcolm L.
Gale, George B.
Garner, Ira L. : Mustered out of service with the Battery on September 23rd, 1899, at San Francisco, California.
Gideon, William : Mustered out of service with the Battery on September 23rd, 1899, at San Francisco, California.
Goden, Martin E.
Gonser, Sidney D. : Mustered out of service with the Battery on September 23rd, 1899, at San Francisco, California.
Green, Joseph P.
Guinan, Edward
Gustafson, August
Harner, William : Mustered out of service with the Battery on September 23rd, 1899, at San Francisco, California.
Hefele, Albert
Hoffman, Andrew
Howay, Arthur C.
Hollyman, Herbert : Mustered out of service with the Battery on September 23rd, 1899, at San Francisco, California.
Honnold, John G.
Humphrey, James
Jackson, George A.
Jackson, James S. : Mustered out of service with the Battery on September 23rd, 1899, at San Francisco, California.
Jordan, Howard H.
Joyce, Martin : Mustered out of service with the Battery on September 23rd, 1899, at San Francisco, California.
Keilquist, August
Kroeger, John
Lane, John T. : Mustered out of service with the Battery on September 23rd, 1899, at San Francisco, California.
Lardi, Victor : Mustered out of service with the Battery on September 23rd, 1899, at San Francisco, California.
Lasson, Lauritz A.P.
Lawless, Peter : Mustered out of service with the Battery on September 23rd, 1899, at San Francisco, California.
Levett, Abe
Lish, Alsinon C.
Marble, Charles J.
Martin, John
McCall, William J. : Mustered out of service with the Battery on September 23rd, 1899, at San Francisco, California.
McCullum, Marion : Mustered out of service with the Battery on September 23rd, 1899, at San Francisco, California.
McDole, Robert S.
McKiernan, Edward L.
Meredith, Edward : Mustered out of service with the Battery on September 23rd, 1899, at San Francisco, California.
Monroe, George : Mustered out of service with the Battery on September 23rd, 1899, at San Francisco, California.
Murphy, Herbert A.
Oliver, John
Pearson, Otto
Peterson, John
Peterson, Peter : Mustered out of service with the Battery on September 23rd, 1899, at San Francisco, California.
Pointinen, John : Mustered out of service with the Battery on September 23rd, 1899, at San Francisco, California.
Porterfield, Charles : Mustered out of service with the Battery on September 23rd, 1899, at San Francisco, California.
Quinn, John J.
Rasmussen, Andreas
Rawson, John : Mustered out of service with the Battery on September 23rd, 1899, at San Francisco, California.
Reedy, John P. : Mustered out of service with the Battery on September 23rd, 1899, at San Francisco, California.
Robidon, Frank : Mustered out of service with the Battery on September 23rd, 1899, at San Francisco, California.
Roberts, James F. :
Sackett, Lee B.
Sandberg, Emil A. : Mustered out of service with the Battery on September 23rd, 1899, at San Francisco, California.
Schillin, W.A. : Mustered out of service with the Battery on September 23rd, 1899, at San Francisco, California.
Sehestedt, William
Shirley, Don L.
Sinex, Frank J.
Slane, James T.
Smith, George H. : Mustered out of service with the Battery on September 23rd, 1899, at San Francisco, California.
Snow, Leslie E. : Mustered out of service with the Battery on September 23rd, 1899, at San Francisco, California.
Stamm, Martin : Mustered out of service with the Battery on September 23rd, 1899, at San Francisco, California.
Steinhoff, Henry
Stone, William A.
Swartz, Oliver E. : Mustered out of service with the Battery on September 23rd, 1899, at San Francisco, California.
Taylor, Edwin P.
Templin, Joseph
Tighe, William L.
Timmins , Frank J. : Mustered out of service with the Battery on September 23rd, 1899, at San Francisco, California.
Turner, Bryant : Mustered out of service with the Battery on September 23rd, 1899, at San Francisco, California.
Van Noy, William
Wale, Herbert E.
Willard, Charles
Weir, William : Mustered out of service with the Battery on September 23rd, 1899, at San Francisco, California.
Sources