Diary of Earl Bohannon, Personal accounts of the Spanish-American War of 1898

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The following pages contain the day-by-day account of Earl Bohannon's participation in the Spanish American War of 1898. It is written word for word, letter by letter, as near as I can translate it. It is written from his personal diary and takes place from April 3, 1898 when he enlisted at Abilene to October 28, 1899 when he mustered out at San Francisco. He was 19 years old when he enlisted.
-John Leach

Born March 6 1879, Dillon Kansas
Married Eva M. Sherwood Feb. 6, 1907 KC Mo.
Attended State Normal College at Salina
Admitted to BAR at Muskogee in 1907
Practiced law 20 yrs at Muskogee before moving to Oswego, with Deming office in Oswego
Established practice in Parsons - associated as partner with Lacy Goodrich & Dwight Olds
Became partners with J Logan Shuss in 1940
Veteran of Spanish American War
Served in Philippines with 20th Kansas regiment
He was third district commander of the Spanish American war veterans
Member of 1st Methodist Church
President of Kiwanis Club
Member of Masonic Lodge & VFW
Membership in Labette County Bar Assn. and Oklahoma & Kansas Bar group
Buried Memorial Lawn cemetery, Parsons, Kansas
Died Nov. 23, 1952, Parsons, Kansas

	1898
Apr	30	Enlisted at Abilene
May	2	Arrived at Topeka
	7	Ar. S (Army Service?) examination
	10	Sworn in and signed U.S. muster rolls
	13	Regimental muster
	16	Regiment started for the coast. I was taken with unease.
	21	Leave Topeka
	22	Arrived at Denver
	24	arrived at San Fransico
June	17	Regt. paid
July	15	Company moved
Aug	4	Exhibition drill
	5	moved to Presidio
Sept	12	paid second pay
Oct	27	Second and Third Batallions leave for Manila
Nov	1	paid fourth time
	8	9:50 left Presidio and arrived at Pacific. Mail. Dock at 11:40 a.m. Left for Manila 3:15
Nov	15	arrived at Honolulu. Docked Nov 16
	19	11:00 a.m. left Honolulu
	30	sighted volcano
Dec	3	arrived at Manila
	11	landed at Manila

	1899
Jan	7	moved quarters
	26	moved quarters to Wq barracks
Feb	4	Filipinos attacked outpost and troops were sent to the front
*K-1(footnote)*	5	L Co went under fire for first time
	6	dug intrenchment
	7	Battle near Caloocan
	8	.............
	9	.............
*K-2*	10	Battle of Caloocan
	11	entrenched again
	12	still entrenched
	18	" "
	19	" " but fighting in the night
	20	still in trenches McArthur's first message from Caloocan. Caloocan is taken and the 20th Kansas is a mile and a half ahead of the lines. Will stop them if I can.
	21	still in trenches
	22	" " "
	23	Artillery dual followed by an attack. The attack was repulsed. Firing at times all night.
	24	sharp shooting
	25	very quiet all day
	26	quiet
	27	Flag of truce lasting through the day
	28	no firing wharever

		March
Mar	1	still in trenches
	2	" " "
	3	" " "
*K-3*	4	Bennington fired on and (Malabon) burned. Transport Senator arrived with C Co of the 22nd regulars. USS Baltimore arrived with Filipino commission. Dewey takes rank of Admiral and commander of the Navy
	5	everything quiet. (Ohio) arrived with rest of the 22nd
	6	mail arrived and received my only birthday present. A picture of the Wells & Ida & Levi
	7	regiment paid
	8	quiet
	9	still quiet
*K-4*	10	USS Grant arrived with 4th Infantry & 1 Bat. 17th on board
	11	still fighting
	12	still fighting
	13	Kline killed and heavy fighting on right
	14	fighting
	15	attacked at midnight
	16	quiet
	17	quiet
	18	received mail
	19	received mail
	20	heavy fighting on right
	21	quiet
	22	quiet
*K-5*	24	leave trenches to take place in flying column
*K-6*	25	6 a.m. commenced firing on our line 9 a.m. forded river
	26	began the advance Polo taken. Advance. Rest at Polo
	27	still advancing
	28	9:30 advancing
*K-7*	29	severe fighting
	30	rested
	31	advancing on Malolos. 10:30 a.m. Malolos taked

Apr	1	laying at Malolos
	2	" " "
	3	" " "
	4	" " "
	5	" " "
*K-8*	6	each co. issued 25 Krag Jorgenson's
	7	still at Malolos
	8	received the mail
	9	attacked at night
	10	firing on right
	11	still at Malolos
	12	" "
	13	company on out post
	14	Sheridan arrived
	14	Penn relieved
	15	stood inspection
	16	went to Malolos
	17	nothing of importance happens
	21	mail arrives
	22	Lawton's division swings (in) the right
	23	heavy firing on our right. Mail arrives. Go as engineer guard. Start just after night, advance about 2 miles, lay 4 lengths of rails then fall back and join company before midnight 2:30
*K-9*	24	ate breakfast before daylight so as to be ready to advance on Calumpit. Waited all day for orders but did not get them
	25	8:00 a.m. still waiting for orders. 9:00 a.m. advanced on Calumpit. Armored car in action
*K-10*	26	found the natives entrenched behind a large river. The use cannons. Made night attempt to cross Rio Grande R
	27	Calumpit
	27	forced (passage) over the river and took next town. Slept all night in the rain
*K-11*	28	Aquinaldo asked for peace terms at Apalit
	29	moved into Apalit and went into quarters
	30	mustered

May	1	doing garrison duty again
*K-12*	2	Gen. Linared comes in to see Otis
	3	make preparations for advance
*K-13*	4	San Thomas captured
	5	(51st Ia) occupies San Fernando
	6	We again go into quarters at San Fernando
	8	out posts attacked. 4 reinforcement sent out
	9	General (Im anager) of R.R. comes in from insurgents line
	10	Col. Little takes command of the regiment
	11	K & G Co's sent to guard San Thomas. The Hancock arrives with the 21st Infantry. Lieut. Simpson relieved from duty with L Co and Murphy sent to take his place
	12	out post firing
	14	received mail. I was on out post.
	16	Co L called out to strengthen out post
	17	Co was on call but expecting an attack
	18	received fresh beef for first time
*K-14*	19	Gen Furston takes command of our brigade
	20	received mail and pay
	22	was on pay masters escort
	24	fought Battle of (Bacalor) Ryan was wounded and died at midnight
	25	natives attacked us and are defeated
	26	outposts were attacked at 4:00 a.m. but held their position and natives retreated at daylight
	28	received mail

June	1	two guns of Utah Art. came up from Manila
	5	the 17th Infantry relieves our outposts
	6	Rumold goes to the hospital
	10	(S. at) relieved and goes to town L Co goes on scouting expedition
	14	received mail of the 24th of April
	16	General attack which was repulsed. The enemy loss heavy
	22	we are on outpost. Our center and right strongly attacked. Received mail
	24	3rd Battallion starts for town at 8:00 a.m. Our Battallion leaves S Co for Manila at 3:15 p.m. and arrives there at 6:30. Go into (Cuartil) de Esponce
	25	2nd Battallion comes in

July	3	went to Cavite
*K-15*	13	3rd Batallion went to Paranagne and the regiment was paid
	16	went to Cavite and the Co H Art went on board the Sherman
	26	the Sherman sailed
	31	Grant sailed

Aug	10	3rd Battallion is relieved and comes in from Paranague. The Sheridan leaves with S Dakota and Minmesota. The (City) of (Par) arrives

Sept	2	the regiment goes on board the Yartar(?)
	3	5:45 p.m. sailed from Manila
	5	passed wrecked ship
	6	arrived in Hong Kong in the morning
	7	I went to the city. The Fartar goes dry dock
	8	Fartar goes out of dry dock
	9	commences coaling and finishes on 12th
	13	left the coal dock
	14	5:45 p.m. started for Olkahoma
	18	we enter the inland sea of Japan late in the afternoon. Saw a Japanese train running along the shore
	19	passed out of the inland sea and into the Pacific in the afternoon
	20	entered (Judo) bay and anchored after dark. The sea has been very rough and it has been raining all day
	21	12:00 a.m. Jack Inginmorn died. Very stormy all day. The health inspector would not board our boat because of it
	22	examined by health officers
	22	I went on shore in the afternoon
	25	10:00 a.m. sailed from (a) Oklahoma

Oct	2	10:30 a.m. crossed 180th Meridian
	10	entered San Francisco bay shortly after 6:00
	11	moved into dock at noon and came on shore at 2:00 - 3:00. Our regiment took supper with the 1st (Mantance)
		From Oct 11 until Oct 28 waiting for muster out.
2-99
Feb	25	L Co was relieved by (G) at Caloocan
Jan	8	I went to (Qarite)
Apr	27	at 11:00 a.m. started to cross Rio Grande. I was on duty with the attacking party.
May	4	Col Franston was promoted to Brig Gen

No of Watch
no of works 4597113
AMW Co Riverside
wah hom MASS
No of case 0709
No in back of case 110709 Silverode

Dry dock at Hong Kong is 426 ft long by 120 ft wide at ME to &
60 ft at the bottom. The propeler is 20ft & 6" across & the blades are 4 ft wide

Songs
The Baggage Coach Ahead
On the Lake of Ponche Train
Break the news to Mother
Poor little Joe
In the Shadow of the Pines

FEB 4, 5, 6	Battle of Manila
FEB 10	Battle of Caloocan
FEB 11 to MAR 24	Defense of Caloocan
MAR 25	Battle of Tulijan River
MAR 26	Battle of Polo Battle of Malinta
MAR 27	Battle of Marilao
MAR 28	Outpost Skirmishes
MAR 29	Battle of Bocave
MAR 30 to MAR 31	Advance on Malolas
APR 1 to APR 24	Defense of Malolas
APR 25	Battle of Bagbag River
APR 26 to APR 27	Battle of Rio Grande
MAY 4	Battle of Santo Tomas
MAY 6 to JUN 25	Defense of San Fernando
MAY 24	Battle of Bacolor
MAY 25	Engagement N of San Fernando
JUN 16	Battle General Attack on San Fernando
Various Skirmishes, Night Engagements and Scouting Expeditions