Military History, Philippines / REMARKABLY DETAILED SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR DIARY

Description: REMARKABLY DETAILED SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR DIARY Author: [Military History] [Philippines] [Law Enforcement] Title: REMARKABLY DETAILED SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR DIARY Description: The personal diary and a memoir written by Frank E. Elliot (1879-1929) of his experiences serving as a private with the 1st North Dakota Volunteer Infantry in the Philippines during the Spanish-American War. Following the war, he served as a police officer and this archive includes a diary he wrote as sheriff in North Dakota and later as a criminal investigator for the Los Angeles District Attorney's office.Elliot was born in Colfax, Iowa and moved at a young age with his family to North Dakota. On May 2, 1898, he wrote: "Company D went to Fargo to go into camp and prepare to go to the Philippines to fight the Spaniards." They traveled overland to San Francisco, then by boat to the Philippines via Hawaii, arriving at Manilla Bay on July 31. Elliot did not see action until the Filipino insurrection on February 4-5, 1899. On February 4 he wrote there was a false call to arms, but an hour later the battle began. His company was based in the trenches at Fort Malate in Manila but did not fire a shot the first day."At 7 O.K. the fight started at Fort Malate and it was a pretty hard one, every man was at his gun, a gun on the Fort was to fire the first shot. Every man had his gun laying on the trenches, the boys did not wait for the report of the big gun - they were watching it and just as soon as they saw the smoke, every man fired his gun, and the niggers were not very slow about shooting back. The boys did not stop firing until 10:30 when Co's D, G & H made a charge on the natives trenches and drove them into the woods. Not a man was hurt," Elliot wrote.These recollections are recorded on 21 pages (roughly 7,000 words) of a business ledger book Elliot found at Morong on the island of Luzon and turned into his personal diary during his service in the Philippines. He also wrote dozens of songs and poems and made numerous drawings of native plants, huts and even recording some battle scenes. Beginning on page 102, he wrote a more detailed 24-page narrative reflecting on his time in the Philippines. "Eight thousand men composed the American forces while the Spaniards numbered nearly 25,000 men. They put up a poor fight," he recalled of the battle on August 13, 1899. "They left everything they had in the trenches from their guns to their hats. 700 rifles were picked up by the N.D.V. and 14th infantry. At 1:20 o.k., the Americans were in front of the walled city, where all the Spaniards had retreated to and a white flag was flying on the mast of the Palace and every house had a white flag out front, the streets looked like a backyard on wash day."Elliot's regiment consisted of twenty-seven offices and 658 enlisted men. The regiment arrived in the Philippines less than a week before the battle for Manila and remained there after the war ended on December 10, 1898. After the Philippine American War broke out on February 4, 1899, the 1st North Dakota took part in that conflict during their 17-month tour of duty.A small brad-bound book containing an 86-page typescript provides more color and detail of his experiences during the war. He wrote this memoir in February and March 1919, recalling the death of his good friend Jack, various military maneuvers, and the hardships and perils of war. In April 1899, he was subjected to his first ambush in what was later called the Battle of Peate Hill, where he lost four of his own Company. "Just before we came to the second trench there were a few scattering shots from the first trench we crossed, this was the first indication that trouble was brewing...all at once the whole side of the mountain seemed to break loose, and the fight was on. For a time, it looked as if the North Dakota's would have to retreat for the first time, the whole thing came so unexpected that it caught us off our guard. We learned afterwards that it was the same place that the Spanish regiment had been ambushed three years before, and only thirteen of them came out alive."It appears from his recollections that the battle was mismanaged. "In respect to Major Fraine, I will not state all that really happened during this fight at Peate Hill. All the men that were there know, and we will let it go at that."In addition to details of the battles he fought in, Elliot recalled his trip home through Japan, where his company was briefly quarantined, and his return to the United States through San Francisco, where he toured the undergroundThe typescript book also contains another 40 pages of poems, letters, short stories, and experimental writing and five original pencil sketches and three loose leaves laid in at the rear.Following the war, Elliott worked in law enforcement, first as a sheriff of Devil's Lake, North Dakota. A typescript diary of more than 200 pages records his near daily activities between July 1915 and December 1919. He wrote about work, family, and world events, including World War I. For instance, on August 1, 1918, he wrote, "The labor problem looks serious, lots of Wobblies in town and they won't work. Rye harvest is just beginning. The battle is still on 'over there' thousands of our brave boys will lay down their lives that you and I and America and the world will be a safe and fit place to live in. God bless you boys, my heart goes out to you." Another handwritten diary for the year 1929 contains more than 150 pages of recollections of his time working in Los Angeles as a criminal investigator for the District Attorney's office. Laid in is a black-and-white photograph of a wrecked car with an entry for June 2, 1929, recording an auto accident he was in, which resulted in two deaths and his own hospitalization for nearly a month. His entries also include notes about his investigation of African American police officers who were arrested for shaking down bootleggers for protection money. The 18th Amendment made alcohol illegal in the United States from 1920 until the act was repealed in 1933.This collection also includes:A small business-card size election card with Elliott's photograph for his run as the Republican candidate for sheriff of Ramsey County in 1918.Ten handwritten leaves providing the genealogy of the Elliot family, apparently written by Frank's daughter.Discharge document dated September 25, 1899, from the First Regiment of North Dakota.Soldier's memorial broadside for Elliot's company. It is chipped and now split into four parts.Discharge document from the North Dakota National Guard that is toned with chips and creases from prior folds.U.S. Bureau of pensions document stating Elliott's wife Angie was to receive $30 per month following his death.U.S. Bureau of pensions document stating Henry Bell, the father of Elliott's wife Angie, was to receive $72 per month; along with a second certified document dates February 16, 1881 showing her served with the Maine Volunteers and then the U.S. Navy beginning in 1862.Sixteen black-and-white photographs of the war. The images measure 9" x 6.75" and are mounted on grey card stock measuring 10.5" x 8.75" with a gold foil stamp in the lower righthand corner for Glerum, Devils Gate, North Dakota. They have been hand annotated in ink below the photograph on the mount. These appear to be purchased images of the war. One of the images, which is worn and chipped around the edges, is a portrait of a band with the names of all participants written in ink on the verso, including Elliot.Three unidentified black and white photographs and one trade card for Martin Olsen, Republican candidate for Sheriff of Ramsey County.22-page typescript of an apparently unpublished, semi-autobiographical story written by Elliott titled "The Sheriff of Rice County". There are a few pencil corrections and the date 1910. The pages are toned and chipped with creasing from being folded into thirds. Seller ID: 76858 Subject: Military History Established in 1981, Johnson Rare Books & Archives offers a wide array of materials from fine first editions to holographic letters, vernacular photography, archives, and other cultural resources. Our bricks and mortar location in downtown Covina, The Book Shop, is located about 20 miles east of Los Angeles. The shop is open six days a week and houses an inventory of some 30,000 titles, ranging from the general second-hand to the truly antiquarian. As proud members of the Antiquarian Booksellers' Association of America (ABAA), we uphold our association's code of ethics. Terms All orders ship within two business days. Standard mail is USPS Media Mail. Expedited and international shipping are also available. We offer combined shipping on multiple orders. All items are guaranteed to be as described or they may be returned within 30 days of receipt for a full refund.This listing was created by Bibliopolis.

Price: 12075 USD

Location: Covina, California

End Time: 2024-12-24T20:54:12.000Z

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