One hundred and eighteen years ago 75 men from North Baltimore and area answered the call from Uncle Sam to report for duty with Co. K, 2nd O.V.I. following the sinking of the USS Maine in Havana Harbor which led to President McKinley declaring war on Spain and the start of the Spanish-American War.
Beginning with the creation of a National Guard unit in NB, The Saga of North Baltimore’s Co. K: 2ND Ohio VOLUNTEER INFANTRY – Spanish-American War is the story of this group of young men from the time they boarded the train at the depot until the war ended and the company was mustered out.
The book includes letters sent to the Weekly Beacon by North Baltimore resident, Lieutenant W. Sheridan Wilson. The letters provide an interesting insight into life in camp and experiences the men had while training in camps in Columbus (OH), Tennessee and Georgia. The author of this 125 page book is the great-granddaughter of Lieutenant Wilson.
This book is now being sold at the N. Baltimore Historical Center during regular Center Hours [Tuesdays 9:00 am-Noon] @ $20.00 per copy or by contacting the author at 419-257-3579. Books can be mailed to out of town addresses at an additional cost of $6.50 per book. Free delivery within North Baltimore city limits.
One Response
If you like local history or just history in general, this is an interesting book to read. It would be an especially great gift for someone who is interested in military history.
The author has filled in a missing piece of North Baltimore history. While our great grandparents or grandparents would have been familiar with the events and people described in the book, North Baltimore’s participation in the Spanish-American War has been forgotten.
Anyone interested in genealogy may find the book a useful resource since the book contains a list of the men from the area who served in the unit. If your ancestors have lived in the North Baltimore area since the late 19th Century, you might find them listed as members of the unit.