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1877 - 1900 (~ 23 years)
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Name |
Alpha E. MARSHALL |
Birth |
Jun 1877 |
Taylorville, Christian County, Illinois |
Gender |
Male |
Death |
31 Aug 1900 |
Carmine, Bohol Islands, Philippines |
Burial |
5 Sep 1900 |
Carmine, Bohol Islands, Philippines |
Person ID |
I20251 |
Marshall and Allied Families |
Last Modified |
13 Nov 2007 |
Father |
Josephus MARSHALL, b. 20 Jul 1834, Sauratown Twp., Stokes County, North Carolina d. Abt 1897, Taylorville, Christian County, Illinois (Age 62 years) |
Mother |
Nancy Caroline MARSHALL, b. 19 Jul 1843, Stokes County, North Carolina d. 8 Apr 1880, Johnson, Christian County, Illinois (Age 36 years) |
Marriage |
12 Sep 1858 |
Stokes County, North Carolina |
Family ID |
F7032 |
Group Sheet | Family Chart |
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Notes |
- !MILITARY-DEATH: 5 September 1899, Enlisted, 44th Volunteers (Infantry),
U.S. Army; No DOB listed, age given as 22 yrs, 3 mos; Killed in combat near
burial site (listed) on 31 Aug., 1900; Copy of his military records from U.S.
National Archives in posession of Gordon Marshall.
!CEMETARY-DEATH-BURIAL: 5 September 1900; Buried Grave #1, U.S. Military
Cemetary; 1 mile South of Carmine, Bohol Is., Rep. of Philippines.
!A GEDCOM file from Gordon Marshall.
_________________________________________________________
Alpha E. Marshall, C Company, 44th Volunteer Infantry, Philippine Insurrection. Born in June, 1877 near Taylorville, Christian County, Illinois. We know from the his army physical description that he had a 3/4 inch scar on his left upper lip and a couple on his thumbs. He was healthy and probably not a bad looking young man. He was 5' 5½" tall and weighted 122 lbs. He had a 35 inch chest, ruddy complexion, blue eyes, dark brown hair, and good teeth.
On September 5, 1899 Alpha was sworn into the U.S. Army (Vol.) by 1st Lt. Mattheas Crowley, 5th Infantry, USA in Springfield, Illinois. He was 22 years, 3 months old. From Springfield he was shipped to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas with other "new boots" and assigned to Training Company #3 on September 8. Monthly Muster Roll call cards were kept on each man, noting pay, sick call days, and any punishment meted out for infractions. His records indicate that Pvt. Marshall never needed punishment and he was on sick call only once from January 19 until January 21, 1900 for injuries "incurred in the line of duty."
By March, 1900, C Company, 44th Regiment, U.S. Volunteers Infantry, along with Pvt. Marshall was stationed at Tagbilaran, Bohlo Island, Philippines. By March 26 he was part of a detachment sent to Jagna, Bohlo Island under the command of Lt. Levack.
On August 31, 1900 Pvt. Marshall and others in "Charlie" Company were on patrol south of a village called Carmen, Bohlo. The enemy jumped them "in strength" and the fight was fast and nasty. The natives were not armed or equipped as well as the boys of the 44th, but they were fighting on home ground with poisoned darts covered with cobra venom, some old muzzle-loaders of Spanish make, a few stolen modern cartridge rifles, and the ever present, almost ubiquitous "bolo" which even babies seemed to carry in the Philippines.
Five days later on September 5, 1900, a detail sent out from the base, found the battle field. Pvt. Marshall was found along with the rest of the dead, both American and Philippine. His wounds were grievous, as a bolo of the Cebuan type is as deadly as a Scotts Claighmore or a cavalry saber was at Gettysburg. He died the instant he was struck. The detail recorded the names and buried the dead.
Pvt. Alpha E. Marshall, Company C, 44th Volunteer Infantry USA was buried in grave number 1 at a place approximately one mile south of Carmen, Bohlo Island, Republic of the Philippines, 25 yards west of a road that runs south from Carmen. No medals were issued, no taps played, or flag draped coffins displayed. Just a note with his personal effects was sent to his brother, Richard W. Marshall in Taylorville, Illinois in May, 1901.
The last entry in his military record is one that anyone would be proud to have on our tomb stone. "Character Excellent, Services Honest and True."
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