Spanish American War: Frank Whitson

The following information comes from Lynn Whitson Risner:

The Roster

The roster was from a woman in Colorado who had bought Frank Whitson's old briefcase at auction and had never looked through it at the time of purchase.  It must have been sold after his or his wife's death in the '70s.  Inside it was a leather envelope with "Military Papers" embossed on the outside.  It contained the original documents of Frank's service in the Spanish American war, the original Roster for Co L, letters of recommendation, as well as other military papers, and his original social security card.  The woman had been looking for one of his direct descendents in Colorado for some time and had not found any Whitson's there.  I was lucky enough that she found me through the internet and sent the entire bundle to me before she sent it on to a library.

Transcription of the roster is online.

The Bible

	In the past year, my great grandfather's New Testament from the Spanish American War Co. L, 49th Regiment came into my possession. It too contains signature pages as well as a 2 page "journal" of sorts telling where my great grandfather, Frank Whitson, went from leaving Des Moines, IA on 11 Jun 1898 to Cuba, and back to quarantine at what he called Camp "Red Tape" from 11th to 15th Apr 1899 to his arrival at Savannah, GA on the 16th.
	Signatures:  Emil Tiese, W. J. Hundley, Ed McDevitt, Wm. D. Madden, E. E. Fisher, R. C. Read, H. W. Cowles, W. D. McFaul, J. W. Ashpole, Booth A. Walter, Steve D. Haller, A. J. Underwood, E. H. Burlingame, T. C. Thompson, John Boeller, Herman Stuth, Harry P. Tallman, Chas. W. Robinson, Herbert Taylor, Roy A. Humphrey, Jn. R. Doran, Chauncey L. Berrien, Thos. Davis, Fred W. Lake,
	Clifford L. Worrell, John Grusendorf, H. R. Roman, Harry P. Terkelsen, Sam'l Skoog, A. Birdsley, E. Glenn Sipher, Joe Carmichael, Roy E. Tallman, H. O. Center, Benny Brooks.
	Left Des Moines, Iowa. June 11, 1898 arrived at Jacksonville, Fla.  June 14, 1898 Changed camp Aug, 18, 1898 left for Savannah, Ga. Oct. 25, 98 arrived there Oct 26, 98. Left Savannah, Ga Dec 19, 98 on the transport Minnewasha arrived at cuba, Dec. 21, 98 and marched out to camp Dec. 23, 98 (Page 2)  Started on a practice march  camped at San Antonio from       and got back to Camp Columbia  Left Cuba Sunday April 9, 1899 arrived at Tybee roads April 10, 99.  In quarantine at Camp 'Red Tape' Apr. 11 to 15th arrived at Savannah Ga. April 16, 1899.