FootNote
The new kid on the block, FootNote is known for digitizing historical
documents... many of which are genealogical gems. With naturalizations,
city directories, war records, newspapers, town records, etc... this new
kid is quickly being recognized as an alternative to Ancestry.
While we know our northern friends may not feel it, in the South, Spring is
here. So we thought we'd share a few of our gardening sites appropriate
for this time of the year. Along with gardening, there's grilling, and getting
ready to diet so that you can fit back into that bathing suit this summer!
History records the Negro as the first man
to fall in three wars of America--Crispus
Attacks in the Boston massacre, March 5,
1770; an unknown Negro in Baltimore when the
Federal troops were mobbed in that city en
route to the front, and Elijah B. Tunnell,
of Accomac county, Virginia, who fell
simultaneously with or a second before
Ensign Bagley, of the torpedo boat Winslow,
in the harbor of Cardenas May 11, 1898, in
the Spanish-American war.
Elijah B. Tunnell
was employed as cabin cook on the Winslow.
The boat, under a severe fire from masked
batteries of the Spanish on shore, was
disabled. The Wilmington came to her rescue,
the enemy meanwhile still pouring on a heavy
fire. It was difficult to get the "line"
fastened so that the Winslow could be towed
off out of range of the Spanish guns.
Realizing the danger the boat and crew were
in, and anxious to be of service, Tunnell
left his regular work and went on deck to
assist in "making fast" the two boats, and
while thus engaged a shell came, which,
bursting over the group of workers, killed
him and three others. It has been stated in
newspaper reports of this incident that it
was an ill-aimed shell of one of the
American boats that killed Tunnell and
Bagley. Tunnell was taken on board the
Wilmington with both legs blown off, and
fearfully mutilated. Turning to those about
him he asked, "Did we win in the fight
boys?" The reply was, "Yes."
He said, "Then I die happy." While others
fell at the post of duty it may be said of
this brave Negro that he fell while doing
more than his duty. He might have kept out
of harm's way if he had desired, but seeing
the situation he rushed forward to relieve
it as best he could, and died a "volunteer"
in service, doing what others ought to have
done. All honor to the memory of Elijah B.
Tunnell, who, if not the first, certainly
simultaneous with the first, martyr of the
Spanish-American war. While our white
fellow-citizens justly herald the fame of
Ensign Bagley, who was known to the author
from his youth, let our colored patriots
proclaim the heroism of Tunnell of Accomac.
While not ranking as an official in the
navy, yet he was brave, he was faithful and
we may inscribe over his grave that "he died
doing what he could for his country."
War between the United States and Spain
began April 21, 1898. Actual hostilities
ended August 12, 1898, by the signing of the
protocol by the Secretary of State of the
United States for the United States and M.
Cambon, the French Ambassador at Washington,
acting for Spain.
The war
lasted 114 days. The Americans were
victorious in every regular engagement. In
the three-days battle around Santiago, the
Americans lost 22 officers and 208 men
killed, and 81 officers and 1,203 men
wounded, and 79 missing. The Spanish loss as
best estimated was near 1,600 officers and
men killed and wounded.
Santiago was surrendered July 17, 1898, with
something over 22,000 troops.
General Shatter estimates in his report the
American forces as numbering 16,072 with 815
officers.
History of Negro
Soldiers in the Spanish-American War, and
other items of Interest, 1899
