Medal of Honor Recipient: Watertender William Adolphus Crouse
I am honored a reader of this blog has sent me two personal letters written by William Crouse...Letter #1 is below (unedited and in the exact format sent to me - which I find to be part of its charm). Letter #2 will be posted next week.
Thank you Robert (relative of William's)
----------------------------
William Crouse
"A FRANKLIN COUNTY BOY
Was with Dewey on Board the Concord – William Crouse, His Name
Amid the excitement and rejoicing over Dewey’smagnificent victory at Manila, Franklin Countians will be interested to learn that a native of the county took part in the battle. William Crouse left his home in Fannettsburg in 1886. After working for four years in various parts of the west and south as a printer in Kansas City, and a miner in Mexico, and Colorado, he went to California and in November, 1890, enlisted in the United States navy, as a printer on board the “San Francisco”. His first trip was to Chili during the Chilean war where he witnessed the battle of Placilla, which resulted in a victory for the Congressional forces. His ship, the “San Francisco” returned to California in the fall of 1891. After a winter (91-92) at Honolulu the “San Francisco” was ordered on a fifteen thousand mile trip to take part in the naval review at New York. Crouse’s time being nearly expired about the time of the review, he was sent back to Mare’s Island, California, by way of Panama. He re-enlisted in “93, on the Charleston,” and on that boat made his first trip to China, arriving there in the fall of ’94. The “Charleston” remained in the Orient during the Chinese-Japanese war. Mr. Crouse witnessed all the important naval battles of the struggle and on the “Charleston” entered Wei-Hai-Wei the day it surrendered to the Japanese. The “Charleston” was disabled about this time and lay at Nagasaki, Japan, for about ten months awaiting repairs. Upon his return to California, in the Summer of “96, Crouse re-enlisted for a second time, was assigned to duty on board the “Concord”, and after a trip to Alaska, started the second time for China, in January, ’98. The last letter received from him, at his home, was written in March last, in which he says: “They are preparing to fight the Spanish”, but seemed to think the war scare, rather a joke.
His friends are now anxiously awaiting definite news from Dewey, as it has been reported that the “Concord” was damaged in the fight. Mr. Crouse’s mother, Mrs. Susan Baer, lives with her daughter, Mrs. Henderson, at 487 Broad Street, Chambersburg. His brother, Amos, lives at Fannettsburg, and John at Willow Hill. He is thirty-three years of age, and has served eight years continuously in the navy.
Amos Crouse has in his possession twenty pieces of money of as many different Oriental nations sent from time to time by his sailor brother.
Thank you Robert (relative of William's)
----------------------------
William Crouse
"A FRANKLIN COUNTY BOY
Was with Dewey on Board the Concord – William Crouse, His Name
Amid the excitement and rejoicing over Dewey’smagnificent victory at Manila, Franklin Countians will be interested to learn that a native of the county took part in the battle. William Crouse left his home in Fannettsburg in 1886. After working for four years in various parts of the west and south as a printer in Kansas City, and a miner in Mexico, and Colorado, he went to California and in November, 1890, enlisted in the United States navy, as a printer on board the “San Francisco”. His first trip was to Chili during the Chilean war where he witnessed the battle of Placilla, which resulted in a victory for the Congressional forces. His ship, the “San Francisco” returned to California in the fall of 1891. After a winter (91-92) at Honolulu the “San Francisco” was ordered on a fifteen thousand mile trip to take part in the naval review at New York. Crouse’s time being nearly expired about the time of the review, he was sent back to Mare’s Island, California, by way of Panama. He re-enlisted in “93, on the Charleston,” and on that boat made his first trip to China, arriving there in the fall of ’94. The “Charleston” remained in the Orient during the Chinese-Japanese war. Mr. Crouse witnessed all the important naval battles of the struggle and on the “Charleston” entered Wei-Hai-Wei the day it surrendered to the Japanese. The “Charleston” was disabled about this time and lay at Nagasaki, Japan, for about ten months awaiting repairs. Upon his return to California, in the Summer of “96, Crouse re-enlisted for a second time, was assigned to duty on board the “Concord”, and after a trip to Alaska, started the second time for China, in January, ’98. The last letter received from him, at his home, was written in March last, in which he says: “They are preparing to fight the Spanish”, but seemed to think the war scare, rather a joke.
His friends are now anxiously awaiting definite news from Dewey, as it has been reported that the “Concord” was damaged in the fight. Mr. Crouse’s mother, Mrs. Susan Baer, lives with her daughter, Mrs. Henderson, at 487 Broad Street, Chambersburg. His brother, Amos, lives at Fannettsburg, and John at Willow Hill. He is thirty-three years of age, and has served eight years continuously in the navy.
Amos Crouse has in his possession twenty pieces of money of as many different Oriental nations sent from time to time by his sailor brother.
posted by Poison Pero | 5/03/2012
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