Description:

U.S. MARINE'S DIARY - CUBA AND PHILIPPINE INSURRECTION
A rare, fine content diary penned by U.S. Marine Perry Daubenfeld covering his service in the Marines from Dec. 3, 1900 to ca. Apr. 23, 1904[?], 44pp. 8vo. on lined paper within a simple black notebook, and incorporating several hand-drawn maps and drawings, including Havana Harbor, Matanzas Harbor, the wreck of the USS Maine, the harbor at Guam, and Subic Bay in the Philippines. Daubenfeld opens his diary describing his enlistment in Chicago for a term of five years. He rides a steamer to Norfolk where he volunteers for foreign service. Transferred to the USS Massachusetts, he stops briefly in Charleston and then heads southto Matanzas. : '...amusing [ourselves] at dancing, boxing and punching bags...watching porpoises swimming in phosphoric lines ahead of our ship...Arrived in Matanzas, Island of Cuba...' He tours military sites at Matanzas, and then sails for Havana where: '...thousands of people awaited us on shore and in numerous boats waving handkerchiefs and American flags...' The fleet is greeted by the mayor and city council of Havana as rumors swirled that Daubenfeld's own vessel might meet the same fate as the Maine. He is invited ashore where he views a jai alai game and played baseball with occupying troops. They sail from Havana some point later, bound for Culebra, Puerto Rico where they sleep among: '...tarantulas, scorpions, snakes and lizards' and hold maneuvers. He complains: '...no fresh food can be had on the island, no fresh water neither...' The troops undertake construction, road-building, clearing jungle, and digging gun emplacements until ordered back to the States on Apr. 22, 1901. On Sep. 12, Daubenfeld and his company are ordered to Panama to help suppress revolutionaries. He arrives in Colon a week later with 'several colt's automatics' to guard railroads. Several men die of yellow fever. On Jan. 23, 1903 Daubenfeld commences a cross-country trip by rail to San Francisco, bound for Manila. He records all of the cities through which he passes, mileage, etc., and arrives off Manila on Feb. 25, 1903. The next day, Daubenfeld is sent to Olongapo, on Luzon, and describes the American forces already deployed there and soon returning home. He describes his own force and names his commanders, but is suddenly deployed to Guam. He notes: 'Basey is the place where all the Filipino exiles were confined at., originally about 40 or 50...visited their prison, a barn-like structure...' He adds: 'As we found out later did we also bring a certain Artemio Ricarte (y Vibora) [1866-1945 Philippine general and revolutionary, regarded as the Father of the Philippine Army] self-styled Viper from Guam and deported him to Hong Kong. He [was] smuggled back to the P.I. in Spring '04 on a cattle steamer...sentenced...to six years in Bilibid...' In a particularly good entry, Daubenfeld writes: '...About 2 weeks before we arrived at Olongapo Constabularios discovered several skulls and bones, the remains of three marines who had been missing since the end of September...they got several guides to take them on the trail to Manila. The Guides afterwards boloed them in the creek. Their names were Pvt. Lundblad, Johnston and Conde. Several Macabebe scouts...arrested the 5 murderers and four of them were sentenced to death...One on account of his youth got life sentence in Bilibid where he died afterwards; he was 17...The first 4 I saw hang on the 22nd of Aril 04 in front of the barrio of Olongapo...' Daubenfeld names the condemned, and continues: '...They arrived...19th of April at 3:45 PM all handcuffed together...J.C.G. in charge of Constabularios and the Gallows and Hangman were with them. They seemed to feel a little remorse for they brutes they were...one struggled 'poco' said he 'cara habla'. He said he done the deed and prayed. The 2nd...told his townspeople to heed his words, he looked at the noose and said 'That is the rope that killed men' as the noose was slipped over his head he said 'Here is where I am going to die. The 3rd said he was not guilty...said he was dying for his country. The 4th an old man and ringleader asked for his wife and children; they couldn't be found...he asked for one of his old friends to speak...none granted his request. They all took their fate without the least wimper [sic]...they were turned over to the Natives. They of course had a great 'fiesta' and buried them...' He mentions some men being sent to Korea to protect American interests, describes a trip to Subic, and abruptly closes his diary describing the patrol rounds at Olongapo. Olongapo was a hotbed of revolutionary activity during the Philippine Uprising and was repeated bombarded and invaded. U.S. Marine histories apparently show no record of the deaths of the unfortunate Lundblad, Johnston and Conde. SOLD WITH: a group photographs and documents related to Daubenfeld's photographs and documents, which include his discharge, Dec. 2, 1905; his promotion to colonel, Apr. 23, 1904 signed by Brig. Gen. GEORGE F. ELLIOTT 1846–1931, Marine Corps major general and tenth Commandant of the Marine Corps between 1903 and 1910 (damaged); a furlough, Aug. 25,1903; permission to use a cutter to visit the USS Wisconsin, Apr. 20, 1905; a reserve officer's statement bearing his military history which notes he fought and was gassed at Meuse-Argonne with 132nd Infantry, and served over two years inthe Philippines; three photographs showing Daubenfeld in uniform, at least one in the Philippines, and another photo. Very good.

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December 5, 2024 10:00 AM EST
Elkton, MD, US

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