Look Back: From here to the Philippines and back
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(EDITOR'S NOTE: This is a reproduction of historical newspaper excerpts, and as such contains descriptions of people that are understood to be outdated and wrong, and would not be used in print today.)
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The Soldiers Arriving Home in Little Squads
Only a small party of the Parkersburg boys of the 41st Regiment, recently mustered out at San Francisco, arrived here Thursday. Harry Budd arrived here at noon over the O.R.R. [Ohio River Railroad] and Henry Coffman, "Minute" Earnest of this city, Fred Depue and Harry Simmons of Spencer arrived on the evening train over the B&O. It was rumored that a large squad was coming and a large crowd gathered at the station to give them a welcome. Lieut. Caldwell will remain at San Francisco where he will take an examination for an appointment to the regular army. Frank Mehen and several of the other boys are still in San Francisco, but the majority of them are on their way home by different routes and it may be several weeks before they all arrive.
"Minute" Earnest has had a remarkable record, for the reason that he was never sick a day since he left here two years ago. The fever had no effect on him. All the boys look exceedingly well considering the hardships they endured.
The West Virginians were recognized as the best fighters in the whole bunch over there and whenever there was a "hike" to some dangerous territory the command generally was to "put the snakes in front," a sobriquet applied to our boys. They could "hike" up the mountains while others would fall by the wayside, and would fight when necessary.
The transport that brought the 41st regiment over, also brought the corpses of 756 soldiers and another transport brought 690 dead soldiers.
None of the boys who have returned would care to repeat their experience, and are well satisfied with what they have seen. Parkersburg is good enough for them as a place of residence.
Many a Tagalog maiden and even proud senoritas were heavy hearted when the West Virginians departed.
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A Military Funeral
All the soldiers in this vicinity who have returned from the Philippines, are making arrangements for a military funeral for their comrade Ed Alleman, who died in Manila in April, when his regiment was preparing to return to the States. Alleman's home is near Murphytown and he was well known here. He was a splendid soldier and a good comrade. It is not known exactly when his remains will arrive here, but all the boys will be ready to pay the last tribute of a soldier, when they do come.
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Colored Boys Of This City Who Were In The Philippines
Mike Lotterberry, a young colored man whose home is in this city, has returned from the Philippines, where he served as a sergeant in a company of the 49th colored regiment. In the same company with sergeant Lotterberry were Fred Carter, Chas Straughter and Elias Lindsey. Carter and Lindsey are now in San Francisco, but Straughter is in a hospital at Manila sick with fever, or at least was when Sergeant Lotterberry sailed from that city.
Sergeant Lotterberry is very proud of his adventures and experiences in the Philippines, but does not desire to repeat them. Most of the time that he was on the island, he was located at Pueblo, in southern Luzon.
The Parkersburg Sentinel
July 12, 1901
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[The Philippine-American war between the United States and Filipino fighters lasted from 1899 to 1902. It began after the United States assumed sovereignty of the Philippines following the defeat of Spain in the Spanish-American War. Of the 4,300 American causalities in this "war," only 1,500 were combat related. The nearly 3,000 others died from disease, primarily yellow fever.]
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Bob Enoch is president of the Wood County Historical and Preservation Society. If you have comments or questions about Look Back items, please contact him at: roberteenoch@gmail.com, or by mail at WCHPS, PO Box 565, Parkersburg, WV 26102.