Biographies of Civil War Veterans
Jarrett, Mark V.
(1834-1900)
Source: Idaho County Free Press, August 31, 1900
Submitted by Floyd Whitley
Transcribed by Carol Anglen
On Saturday morning late, August 25 th, at 9
o’clock, M.V. JARRETT died at his home seven miles below town, after an illness
of several years, aged 66 years, 1 month and 3 days. He had been a sufferer of Bright’s disease
for the past six years during which time he rarely left home and consequently
has not been much in the public view during that time although before his
sickness he was a very active man. Mr.
JARRETT was born in Kanawha county, Virginia, which later was organized into
West Virginia. He served in the
Confederate army during the Civil War and came west in 1866, first settling in
Montana, but finally locating on the Camas Prairie in 1869, when it was a virgin
field. In early life, he married Miss
Rebecca A. MANN and to them were born two boys and three girls, all of whom are
living and were present at the death of their father. The funeral services were conducted at the
residence by Rev. W.A. Hall, an old time friend of the family, and at his own
request he was buried in the Denver cemetery on Sunday. Thus one by one the pioneers of Camas Prairie
pass on to the great beyond, a class of men who subdued the wilderness and
whose like we shall never see on earth again.
Mark V. Jarrett Headstone
Old Denver Cemetery
Idaho County, Idaho
Rebecca A. Jarrett Headstone
Old Denver Cemetery
Idaho County, Idaho |
Biography
Mark V. Jarrett, deceased. Among the old timers and hardy
pioneers of this section there is none better known than was Mark V.
Jarrett, who passed from toils of earth to the realities of another
world on August 25, 1900. He was born in Kanawha County, West
Virginia, on July 22, 1834, the son of Squire and Sarah (Price)
Jarrett. The father was born in the same county on January 6,
1812, was an eminent man of his place and died June 7, 1887. The
mother was born in Virginia in 1813, married in 1832, and now lives in
Kanawha county. Our subject was reared and educated in his native
place and was a well informed man. He engaged in mercantile
business and was also a natural mechanic. At the outbreak of the
war he enlisted in the Nineteenth Virginia Cavalry and served
throughout the war without a wound. He was first lieutenant of
Company G. After the war Mr. Jarrett came to Montana and thence
to Warren. In 1868 he came to the prairie and worked for L.P.
Brown, then took a pre-emption and later returned to West Virginia,
where he was married, and returned with his bride to the west. In
1872 he took up a general farming and stock raising and
prospered. During the Indian war he took his family to Mt.
Idaho and was himself one of the volunteer guards. Mr. Jarrett
left an estate of half a section, well improved and stocked, besides
some property in Grangeville. He had the following brothers and
sisters: James M., Edward, French, Matilda Minerva Levett, Betty
Jackson, Kate Berchie, Levy, deceased.
On October 30, 1871, Mr. Jarrett married Miss Rebecca A., daughter of
William W. and Martha H (Littlepage) Mann. The father was born in
Virginia, in 1800, was a cabinet maker, removed to White Sulphur
Springs, West Virginia, and there died in 1862. The mother was
born in September 1817, raised a family of seven children, which
entailed much hardship and deprivation after her husband died.
She died on November 19, 1879. Mrs. Jarrett was born on July 7,
1845, at White Sulphur Springs, in Greenbriar County, West
Virginia. She has seven brothers and sisters, Francis Carr, Mary
C. Porter, Nancy Thayer, Ella Punderson, Virginia Reece, Martha Moore,
deceased, William H. Five children survive Mr. Jarrett, Mattie C.
born September 12, 1872, Sarah F. Pugh, born December 12, 1873, Mont M.
born September 21, 1873, Wallace I., born February 22, 1879; Maria A,
born July 7, 1881. Mr. Jarrett was an active Democrat and his
wife is of the same political faith. She is a member of the
Methodist church.
At the time of the Indian war, Mrs. Jarrett and Mrs. Hanson cooked for
the soldiers and fed all hungry men that came to the fortifications and
her husband furnished the beef, flour, and so forth. She was a
pioneer here in 1872, and was one of the earliest women on the
prairie. Mrs. Jarrett has nobly taken up the burdens since her
husband’s death and in managing the estate in a commendable manner.
Source: An Illustrated History of North Idaho Embracing Nez Perce, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone Counties
Submitted and transcribed by Floyd Whitley |
Rooke, Andrew B.
(1840-1931)
CIVIL WAR VETERAN ANSWERS CALL
Early Pioneer Pass at Age of Ninety Years - Left Many Friends
Source: Cottonwood Chronicle, Vol. 89, No. 4, Friday, January 9, 1931
Contributed by Floyd Whitley
Andrew B. Rooke, oldest resident of Cottonwood in the matter
of age and one of its oldest pioneer citizens, answered the final roll call at
an early hour Sunday morning, being ninety years and one month of age at the
time of his death.
Born at Maiden, West Virginia, December 5, 1840, Mr. Rooke
served in the confederate army throughout the war between the states as a
member of company I of the eighth Virginia cavalry and participated in
virtually all of the major engagements.
He was twice wounded, once quite severely and his life was despaired of
for several weeks. Serving under Early,
he took part in one raid which took them within pistol shot of the national
capitol at Washington, D.C., and during the raid they continued on north to
Chambersburgh, Pa., which town was burned.
In 1867, two years after being mustered out of the service,
he was united in marriage to Miss Nannie Harriman and after twelve years the
family started on a drive from their West Virginia home across the plains to
Idaho territory, landing at Cottonwood then merely an outpost of
civilization. The trip was made in a
covered wagon drawn by horses, and was fraught with much danger from the
Indians.
Reaching this place in 1879, Mr. Rooke took up a homestead
on what is now McDonald farm several miles east of town and resided there until
1894. The growth of Cottonwood and the
heavy travel between Lewiston and the mines of Idaho county pointed out the
advantage of a hotel at that time and Mr. Rooke erected the St. Albert hotel
here. This hostelry was noted far and
wide for ist good meals and beds and its general popularity. No one was turned away hungry in those
pioneer days and many a weary sojourner had Mr. and Mrs. Rooke to thank for a
warm meal and a bed when the price of admission was not to be had.
Mr. Rooke continued in business here until about a year
before the disastrous fire of 1908.
Later he acquired another building which he conducted as a rooming house
until about seven years ago when he retired.
The deceased was always interested in the welfare and
up-building of his town and community.
His purse was always open to the worthy cause or needy individual.
He leaves beside his widow a daughter and three sons: Mrs. Margret Jones, of Whitebird; W.L. Rooke,
of Oreana, in Owyhee county; James Rooke, of Sweetwater, and John L. Rooke, of
Cottonwood. Two sons died during early
childhood.
The funeral was held Tuesday afternoon from the local
Methodist church, Rev. Philip Clapp preaching the sermon in which he paid
especial tribute to the pioneer citizens and the hardships they withstood in
settling up the far western country. The
song service was by Mrs. J.C. Comstock and Mrs. Weston Henry, of Grangeville,
A.C. Chance and Rev. Clapp, Mrs. Woodstock accompanying at the organ.
At the grave the committal service was that of the Odd
Fellow lodge, the ritual spoken by Rev. Robert Jameson and Edgar Chase of
Grangeville. Pall bearers were Riley
Rice, C.T. Staal, E.T. Jones, G.W. Tarbet, W.W. Flint and T. Galloway, all
members of the order of which the deceased had been a member for many years.
Hundreds of persons from all parts of the prairie, Salmon
river country and Lewiston were present to pay their last respects to the
deceased and the church was not able to hold the assemblage. Funeral arrangements were by the Brower-Wann
establishment of Lewiston.
Andrew B. Rooke
Headstone
Cottonwood Cemetery
Cottonwood, Idaho
Contributed by Silas Whitley |
CARD OF
THANKS
To the many friends who came to our aid in every way to help
and comfort us in the loss of our dear husband, father and grandfather, we
desire to express our appreciation and thanks.
We also thank the Odd Fellow lodge for conducting the funeral service
and the friends for the many beautiful floral offerings
Mrs. A.B Rooke and family
|
Picture of a soldier during the Civil War
(New York Times Photo) |
|
Andrew B. Rooke Power of Attorney
Know all men by these presents that I A.B. Rooke of the
County of Giles & State of Virginia a Corporal in Capt. C. I. Lewis Troop
of Kanawha Rangers 8th Regiment of Va. Cavalry & Floyds Brigade
do hereby appoint & I have hereby appointed Lieut. H. M. Dickinson my true
& lawful attorney to settle & receive all monies & dues that may be
& are coming to the aforesaid A.B. Rooke from the disbursing or Paymasters
Department of the Confederate States of America at Richmond (for services
rendered for 1 month & five days from the 2th May 1861 to July 1, 1861. & my aforesaid attorney to
render such receipts and other instruments of writing as is necessary in the
premises—hereby ratifying & confirming whatever my aforesaid attorney may
do.
As witness my hand & seal this
the 20th day of January 1862.
A.B.
Rooke
Giles County Va. to wit-}
of the County Giles & State
Va.
This day A.B. Rook^
personally appeared before me Guy D French of the aforesaid County & State
(a justice of the peace) & acknowledge the above power of attorney to be
his act & deed Jany 20th 1862
Guy
D. French J.P
"This
copy was made in The M.S. Office War Dept., August 1906, from original
Record, which was then
returned to the Secretary of
Va. Military records, Richmond, Va., by whom it had been loaned to The
M.S. Office.
M.S.O. No. 1151863
|
| Many thanks to Floyd Whitley for contributing the above data concerning Andrew B. Rooke |
Shearer, George M
(1841-1890)
In Memoriam--Geo. M. Shearer
George M.
Shearer, whose death on Jan. 2 we briefly announced last week was born at
Winchester, Va., on January 3, 1841. He received his education at Tuscorara
Academy, Penn., and went to California in 1854, and resided in Yuba county
until 1859, when he crossed the plains and returned to his old home.
At the
breaking out of the war of the rebellion he espoused the southern cause and
enlisted in Gen'l Bradley Johnston's line regiment of Maryland volunteers, and
saw hard and active service as a lieutenant in the Confederate army until his
capture and confinement at Fort Delaware. The details of his marvelous escape
were published in the Free Press of October 18, 1889, and are therefore fresh
to the recollection of our readers. He was several times wounded in the war.
After his
escape from the Federal prison he came directly to Idaho in the fall of 1865
and has made Idaho county his home ever since, having settled and located the
place at the mouth of Elk creek on Salmon river known as Shearer's ferry. He
was an active volunteer in the Nez Perce war of 1877, and carried two bullets
in his body as souvenirs of the memorable fight against the Indians on July 5.
He had
served several terms in the Idaho legislature and was appointed clerk of the
district court in and for Idaho county in 1888, which position he held down to
the days of his death. He won his commission as Major for gallant services in
the Nez Perce war, and in those days he was brave to the verge of recklessness
and fear was unknown to him.
For the last
few years he had been a sufferer from acute rheumatism, and dually from
aneurism of the heart. In October last he revisited his old home for the purpose
of getting medical relief for his ailments, but they were unable to cure him
and he returned home with the knowledge that his days were numbered.
On December
20, 1883, he was married to Miss Carrie Vollmer, as sister of J.P. Vollmer, of
Lewiston. Three children were the fruits of the marriage, two boys and a girl,
the youngest child being born January 20, 1889. He was a man of great physical
strength and force of character, shrewd in business and enterprising. Thus one
by one death lays his pallid hand upon the pioneers and removes to that other
shore across the dark river which we all must cross when our life is done. To
the stricken family the community extends its heartfelt sympathy.
Source: Idaho County Free Press, January 10, 1890
Contributed and transcribed by Floyd Whitley
George M. Shearer
Headstone
Mount Idaho Cemetery
Idaho County, Idaho
|
Sideview of
George M. Shearer Headstone
|
Matthew Truscott
Same headstone as George M. Shearer
Mount Idaho Cemetery
Idaho County, Idaho |
An Oddity If You Will
Note from Floyd Whitley
One important thing to note from the above headstone images: rather
than Shearer's wife, buried next to George M. Shearer in the plot is
Matthew Truscott. Truscott, an Englishman by birth is also an Idaho
County pioneer. Ten years after George Shearer died, Carrie (Vollmer)
Shearer married Truscott in 1900. He died shortly thereafter in 1903.
Carrie had Truscott buried in the double plot next to her first
husband, George Shearer, and his headstone bears Truscott's name as
well. Truscott incidentally is also a veteran of the Nez Perce War.
For completeness, attached below are Carrie Vollmer Truscott's
marker--she died at the age of 94, and is buried in Normal Hill
Cemetery, Lewiston, Nez Perce County, Idaho in the family plot of her
son by her first marriage, Phillip Shearer. Phillip is buried beside
his mother Carried at Normal Hill as well. |
Caroline Vullmer Shearer Truscott Headstone
Normal Hill Cemetery
Lewiston, Nez Perce County, Idaho |
Philip Shearer Headstone
Normal Hill Cemetery
Lewiston, Nez Perce County, Idaho |
Soldiers Report Delayed Twenty-five Years
On the fourth of July, 1864, when General Early crossed the
Potomac at Shepherdstown, Lieutenant George M. Shearer was sent by General
Bradley T. Johnson with a squad of Maryland cavalry into Hagerstown to see if
any Yankee troop were in that town.
Yesterday morning, twenty-five years later, Lieutenant
Shearer walked into General Johnson’s office and laughingly reported that he
had found plenty of Yankees there. He
would have reported sooner, he said, but circumstance beyond his control
prevented him. The fact is, he had been
taken prisoner in Hagerstown, and confined in For Delaware.
Lieut. Shearer went into the confederate army in May, 1861,
and served through the war in the Maryland Line, except during the intervals
when he was a prisoner. After the war
he went to Idaho. His curiosity and love
of adventure had not been entirely gratified by his four years’ experience in
the confederate army, and he engaged in the Indian wars in the west. He now carries somewhere in his body two
bullets as souvenirs of the notorious Nex Perces, Chief Joseph, who, ten years
ago, made one of the most famous resistance to United States troops that has
taken place since the Black Hawk war.
The confederate lieutenant is now Major Shearer, having won
his commission as major in the Territorial Volunteers. He has served several terms in the Idaho
Legislature and is now clerk of the United States District Court in that
territory. This is the first time he has
been east since the close of the war, and he felt in duty bound to make his
report to the general—a report which, though long delayed, got there just the
same.
While a prisoner at Fort Delaware, Lieutenant Shearer was
the victim of a curious mistake. A man
whose name was the same as his had been convicted by court-martial at Fort
McHenry of killing the provost marshal of Martinsburg, W. Va. and had been
sentenced to fifteen years penal servitude.
He escaped from fort McHenry just about the time Lieutenant Shearer was
taken to Fort Delaware.
Gen. Morris, commander of Fort McHenry, heard of the arrest
and sent an order to put Lieutenant Shearer at work at once. The Lieutenant naturally remonstrated against
this, insisting on proving an alibi. He
was promptly marched off before two bayonets, however, and put to work with the
chain gang, clad in the uncomfortable, if picturesque, costume of a convict.
On his way, while arguing with guards, he met a Union
officer who knew him, and who immediately had him sent to Fort McHenry for
identification. Some time previous to
his capture in Hagerstown Lieutenant Shearer had been captured and confined in
Fort McHenry and had escaped.
When he was taken before General Morris for identification
that officer recognized him at once, but, not reconnecting the circumstances,
the Shearer then standing before him was six feet two and a half inches tall,
while the escaped Shearer was but five feet and six inches in height.
He was then sent to the Old Capitol prison whence he escaped
while the guards were within fifteen feet of him. He was in a room with Clagett Fitzhugh. Two guards were set to watch them, and these
were continually pacing beneath the window.
They would stand directly under the window, with backs together, and walk
off fifteen paces, turn about, walk toward each other till they met, turn and
go back again.
The prisoners tore a blanket into strips, and Shearer was
requested to go first. While the guards
were walking away from each other Shearer slid down the improvised rope, which
was immediately hauled up by Fitzhugh, and then Shearer coolly walked up past
one of the guard, who paid no attention to him, not thinking he was one of the prisoners. He went up the street, came down on the other
side and coolly sat on the curbstone opposite his prison to wait for
Fitzhugh.
After
waiting for some time without Fitzhugh’s making an appearance, he began
to
whistle for him. The guards ordered him
to stop and move on, to which he replied “Oh, all right old fellow; if
you
don’t like my society about here, reckon I’ll be a-movin’,” and he
moved. Fitzhugh did not attempt to escape. Shearer was sent
south through the assistance
of the wife of a Union officer who gave him one of her husband’s old
uniforms,
which was of great assistance to him—The Baltimore Sun
Source: Idaho County Free Press, Grangeville, Idaho; Friday, October 18, 1889
Contributed and transcribed by Floyd Whitley
|
Major Shearer's Notes Give Another View of Indian War
BOISE—New accounts of the Nez Perce Indian War of 12877 were
revealed this week in documents given to the Idaho Historical Society by the
daughter of a pioneer Idaho militia officer.
Maj. George Shearer’s eyewitness stories of the famous fights were among
papers presented to the state historical organization by Miss Virginia Shearer
of Lewiston, Major Shearer’s daughter.
The papers had been in her family for three quarters of a century.
Shearer, a Salmon River ferry operator who served as a
Confederate officer in the Civil War, was a civilian when the Nez Perces rose
under Chief Joseph. He was at Cottonwood
House, where the forces of U.S. Army Col. David Perry were under attack July 4,
1877.
Shearer was placed in command of a bluff where 28
sharpshooters, lying in rifle pits, warded off wave after wave of attacking
Indians. His account provides an
important personal point of view for students of the Indian wars.
Volunteers in Trouble
Shearer speaks of the apparent reluctance of Army officers
to engage in the fighting, and to come to the aid of a band of Mount Idaho
volunteers who were attacked by the Indians while attempting to unite with the
Cottonwood forces. He tells of his own
ride to the rescue of the volunteers, and the help which came from Colonel
Perry at last.
The action later was the subject of a military inquiry at
Lewiston into Perry’s conduct of the battle.
Shearer, who was commissioned a lieutenant in the militia after the
cottonwood affair and later a major, was supoena3ed to give his version of the
affair.
Shearer’s account is the first manuscript received by the
Idaho Historical Society on the Cottonwood episode. The society also has a description of the
disastrous battle at Whitebird June 19, 1877, by a participant, Henry C.
Johnson. Colonel Perry also commanded
federal troops in this first major Idaho engagement of the Nez Perce War. The War ended when troops hounded Chief
Joseph to defeat in Montana.
“This gift will be of invaluable assistance to the work of
the society and the study of Idaho’s history,” said Dr. H.J. Swinney,
historical society director.
Swinney expressed the hope that other Idahoans will
recognize the usefulness of early documents in piecing together territorial and
state history. “In the society’s
archives these documents can receive the care and study they deserve,” he said.
Shearer gave his name to a ferry which operated across the
Salmon River during the big gold rushes to Florence and Warren. After the Indian wars he continued active in
civil and political affairs of north central Idaho.
The Shearer papers include a first-hand account of another
Army-Indian skirmish in the Salmon River Mountains in 1879, as well as
correspondence with territorial Gov. Mason Brayman, Shearer’s commissions in
the militia, an original roster of the Mount Idaho volunteers and many related
papers.
Source: "Scrapbook" Files at Grangeville, Idaho Library - Taken from the Idaho Statesman
Contributed and transcribed by Floyd Whitely
|
Lycurgus Vineyard
1848-1919
Judge Vineyard is Borne to Grave by Soldiers
Boys on Way Home from Overseas are Pallbearers for Pioneer Lawyer
Friend of Gov. Hawley
Member of Convention which framed Idaho Constitution - Always a Democrat
With returning soldiers from France members of
Company E, Grangeville bearing his body to its last resting place, the
remains of Judge Lycurgus Vineyard, of Grangeville, were buried
Saturday morning in Normal Hill cemetery, Lewiston. Judge Vineyard died
Friday morning of last week in St. Joseph's hospital, Lewiston. Death
was due to paralysis. He was 71 years old.
The death of Judge Vineyard brings to a close a life which has been
identified with the history of Idaho since pioneer days. Settling in an
early day in Hailey, then the seat of old Alturas County, which long
since passed into history, Judge Vineyard for years practiced law in
south Idaho. In 1887 he was a member of the constitutional convention
which framed the Idaho constitution, and he was among the last
survivors of that historic body.
Friend of Jim Hawley
Judge
Vineyard numbered among his closet friends ex Gov. James H. Hawley, whom he had
known for many years. Always Governor Hawley was to Judge Vineyard just plain
"Jim," and it was with a particular degree of feeling that the two
met in Grangeville last summer when the governor was touring the state in the
interest of his campaign for nomination for the U.S. Senate.
Judge Vineyard located in Grangeville more than
twenty years ago.
Judge Vineyard, to almost his dying day took active interest in affairs of
state. He had been a member of the state legislature, and throughout his entire
life was an uncompromising Democrat. He was regarded as a man of high character
and deep intelligence. Although in recent years failing health had prevented
him from actively engaging in the practice of law, he was reluctant to yield
and even last summer despite counsel of his friends he filed his nomination for
probate judge of Idaho County.
Only a Little Eye Trouble
"Oh,
I'm all right," he would say, when told by his friends that he was too old
to discharge the duties of probate judge. "I'm all right. Just a little
trouble with my eyes, that's all. I can have a stenographer do my writing, if I
am elected probate judge."
Judge Vineyard is survived by a son, Lt. Richard
Vineyard, in the U.S. Army in France, and by a daughter, Mrs. Russell Case, of
Vancouver, WA.
Source: Idaho County Free Press, March 20, 1919
Contributed and transcribed by Floyd Whitley
The following
is a transcription of a newspaper article and letter in regard to Dick
Vineyard, the son of Judge Lycurgus Vineyard, who was aboard the U.S.
Troopship Tuscania when it was torpedoed during World War I.
MEN ON TUSCANIA ARE CRUSHED TO DEATH
Caught between transport and the destroyer that came to their rescue
Letter from Dick Vineyard
Father in Grangeville Received Communication from Son Who Was on Torpedoed Ship
American soldiers on the torpedoed transport
Tuscania were crushed to death between the Liner and a destroyer which
came to the rescue of the men on the ill-fated ship, Dick Vineyard, who
was rescued from the Tuscania, writes, in a letter from Winchester,
Eng., to his father Judge L. Vineyard, of Grangeville. The men
were literally smashed.
The letter follows:
Feb 18, 1918
My dear father:
I expect you to be unnecessarily worried until you get this on account
of the Tuscania and not knowing whether I was on her or in the
states. I will give you a first hand description of what happened.
Big explosion heard
My sergeant major and myself were rolling a
pack out in the hall adjoining my state room when about five minutes to
6 a big explosion occurred; then everything went pitch black with the
whole ship trembling and when you make a ship 650 feet long weighing
16,000 tons tremble it takes some bump. It threw us both off the
deck a foot, and fairly made your teeth rattle. I told the
sergeant to stay where he was until I got a flashlight out of my
stateroom and we got into our lifebelts and overcoats for I figured we
had just as well keep warm as long as possible for we didn’t know how
long we would have to stay on deck before we were either taken off the
ship or by the life boats and there was a cold wind blowing.
By the time we had out coats on the boat had begun to list badly to starboard for the boat was hit amidship.
Our lifeboat station was on the top deck about midship and
when we got there and even on the way up I was very much surprised at the
orderly way in which the men were getting into their places. I saw absolutely not confusion and everybody
seemed very cool under the circumstances.
Everybody was talking at once and speculating on how long she would stay
afloat. When I called my men to
attention they quieted right down. I
told them I didn’t think the ship would sink inside of two hours and that
destroyers which were convoying us would come to our aid, to stand fast and
keep quiet as possible so that they would be able to hear any orders that were
given. By that time the first lifeboat
had been lowered and I ordered the men assigned to it into it and told them to
cast off and get away from the side of the ship for we were on the poor side
and the list was bothersome. And it just
happened that … choppy sea was running.
Life Boat Drifts Astern
The boat had drifted astern about a boat length and just
under the next set of davits and the boat which they were lowering parted her
line and it dropped on my boat which I had just put over, killing several and
capsizing both boats, putting all these men in the water. You know it was a pitiful the way the men
were calling for help, I near the ones which had been hurt and were helpless
for there wasn’t a thing we could do for them and they just floating there in
the water in their lifebelts. It’s
something that I would like to blot from my mind, but can’t.
After
the launching of the first boat the tackle became fouled and had to be cut
away, so I went up on top and cleared away the mess and was putting the next
boat over the side when I noticed a smoke smudge. It was the first destroyed. As soon as it came up into our light, for
they had acetylene lights burning, on the top side, it swung around to come
along side I was another torpedo streak almost her stern, not missing her by
more than three feet. Well she pulled
right out again, but in about ten minutes she cam back and came along side and
took off about 500 men including my squadron that is all but a few who of them
who were longing on the ropes, for she didn’t give any signal but just shot
right out for there was the danger of being struck any minute by one of the sub
(or tin fish as we call them) any minute.
Some of these boys were crushed between the ship and the destroyer when
she pulled out, but not many.
Land on Coast of Erin
They picked up a few more men that had drifted out of the ship’s light
and we steamed away, and landed up on the coast of Ireland.
Some of my boys that were spilled in the water were picked up by one of
the other lifeboats, told me the ship sank about 9 o’clock, bow first,
and plunged almost straight down.
The two lifeboats that had part of my men in them landed on the north
coast of Scotland on the rocks and the boats were dashed to pieces and
most of the men killed or drowned. I was surprised that more were
not killed.
We went sent to an English camp for the night and made as comfortable
as possible and the next day were sent to another camp occupied by the
Royal fusiliers and I never in my life have seen such wonderful
hospitality extended a body of men. They fixed us up with the
clothes we were missing, for some of the men were only half clad for
they had been in their bunks and had their clothes off and other were
without shoes, for they had taken them off so as to swim better.
I have a British blouse on now, for we haven’t received our new clothes
yet, but understand they will be here this week.
We stayed there two days and three nights, resting up and then we came on over here to Winchester.
Shocked by Submarine Attack
I will have to admit that when we crossed the Irish sea I was still
nervous and we were sent across in a fast mail boat which wasn’t very
big, but she made up in speed what she lacked in size. I am
afraid that the “tin fish” gave me a bit of shell shock for when we
were put on the train at Belfast the English had put torpedoes under
the car wheels and I couldn’t refrain from jumping when the first one
went off. It seems that’s the custom when sending a bunch of men
off.
I can’t tell how many men were lost out of the squadron but it was very
low considering what they went through and as you have probably read in
the papers so I guess I related most of what happened.
Hoping you are well, I am,
Your loving son,
DICK
Address:
100 Aero
Squadron
American
Exp. Forces
Winchester, England
Source: Idaho County Free Press, March 28, 1918
Contributed and transcribed by Floyd Whitley
|
Copy of a headline from the
San Francisco Chronicle concerning the
sinking of the U.S. Troopship Tuscania
Contributed by Floyd Whitley
|
Picture of the U.S. Troopship Tuscania which
was torpedoed by a German submarine on
February 5, 1918
More than 200 men lost their lives
|
| For more information on Lycurgus Vineyard, please visit the Idaho County Newspaper page. |
|
|