Spanish-American War: 23rd Separate Company Photo Album

Hudson Area Library

Spanish-American War: 23rd Separate Company Photo Album, Page 32 - Image Source

Collection Facts

Extent:

Dates of Original:

1889-1890

Historical Context

During the brief Spanish-American War (1898-1899), The 23rd Separate Company was mustered in Syracuse, New York as Co I 203 Infantry Regiment. The regiment reached Greenville, South Carolina on November 13th, 1898 via Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; Baltimore, Maryland; Washington, D.C; Charlottesville, Lynchburg and Danville, Virginia. Near this place the regiment established its camp, named “Camp Wetherill,” and remained there, performing the usual military duties until mustered out, March 25th, 1899. The company never reached Cuba.

Camp Wetherill was named after Captain Alexander M. Wetherill, 6th U.S Infantry, who was killed July 1st 1898 during Spanish-American War at the battle of San Juan Hill.

Scope of Collection

This album dates from 1889-1890 and is a collection of photographs of soldiers with the 23rd Separate Company, recruited for the Spanish-American War and serving at Camp Wetherill near Greenville, South Carolina. There are 208 photographs, mostly small, and of varying quality. They show camp scenes, soldiers during training, being inspected by officers, posing with each other and with civilians, including African-Americans. Other photographs display the Kansas City ship moored at dock and cruising; animals; street scenes in Charlottesville, Virginia; landmarks in different locations: the Gothic Revival Style Green-Meldrim Sherman’s mansion in Savannah, Georgia; the U.S Capitol, the Washington Monument (Obelisk), the Thomas Jefferson Building (named today, the Library of Congress) with its Court of Neptune sculptures, the Old Executive Building (named today, Dwight D. Eisenhower Building) in Washington D.C, and the Armory in the City of Hudson, New York.

Among the men posing in the album is Byron Parker, Jr. from Hudson, New York. Byron Jr. was born in 1874 in Hudson, New York and lived at 436 Warren Street. On July 11th 1898, the 23-year-old young man was enlisted in Syracuse, New York, and then joined the 23rd Separate Company based in Camp Wetherill as a corporal. Back in Hudson, he worked as a plumber and married Mabel Hudson in June, 1906. Byron Jr. died on October 18th, 1952 in his hometown.

This album was mounted by Nora Parker Hills, sister of Byron Parker Jr.

These images represent the library’s Spanish-American War: 23rd Separate Company Photo Album, which is a closed collection. For more information contact reference@hudsonarealibrary.org.