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| Clarence Roberts |
Clarence Roberts is the maternal grandfather of my fiancee Kenneth Marple. Born in Charlotte, Michigan about 1879, buried in Maple Hill Cemetery, Eaton Country, Charlotte, Michigan. The description of him at time of initial enlistment in 1901 was age of 22 and 4/12 years old, medium brown eyes, light brown hair, fair complexion, and 5'5" in height. The photograph above is one of my all-time favorites of a soldier, just wonderful!
Interestingly. the years of enlistment do not fit those of the Spanish American War, but the Phillipine American War, and I find some interesting discussions about this online - here is one of them: http://www.spanamwar.com/genealogy6.html . Both these conflicts, along with the Phillipine Insurrection, were within the span of a decade, and many of the same soldiers were involved; no separate pension fund was ever set up, therefore government records officially identify all of these men as veterans of the Spanish American War. Here is an interesting link describing the Phillipine American War, in which he actually served: http://www.historyguy.com/PhilipineAmericanwar.html#.T0lmok4gdS4
Clarence Roberts' Military records reflect the following:
15 December 1901, enlisted at Batavia New York, for a period of 3 years,
Assigned 3rd Regiment of Cavalry, Troop A, Trumpeter
Horsemanship "Excellent"
15 December 1904 discharged, shown as on discharge document as having transferred from 3rd Cavalry Troop A to 5th Cavalry Troop K, Trumpeter, no date; (Possibly when 3rd left Phillipines in 1902, he transferred and remained until the 5th returned in 1903?)
16 December 1904 reenlisted at Fort Wingate, New Mexico, for a period of 3 years, assigned 5th Cavalry Troop K, Trumpeter
Marksman 1905
Appointed Corporal on 9 March 1905 by Captain A.C. Nissen, Colonel Stedman
Sharpshooter 1906
Marksman 1907
28 October 1907 Skirmish with hostile Navajo Indians on San Juan River, near Aneth Utah
15 December 1907 honorable discharge, "service honest and faithful", noted as a married man.
These pictures were all taken during his time in the service.
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| Clarence Roberts |
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| Clarence Roberts, left |
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| The Bunkhouse - Clarence Roberts seated, left of center, holding a mandolinetto or guitar
Movement of the 3rd Cavalry, including Philippine-American War
When the United States defeated Spain in the Spanish-American War, 400 years of Spanish rule in Cuba, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippine Islands came to an end. The United States, as a new world power, saw the Philippines as the perfect location for a naval facility to support a new Pacific fleet. 3d Cavalry units had barely arrived at their new duty stations in the U.S. when, on 22 July 1899, the headquarters and Troops A, C, D, E, F, K, L, and M were ordered to Seattle, Washington. From Seattle, this force embarked for the Philippine Islands to operate against the insurgents who were trying to prevent the United States from taking control. Meanwhile, Troops B, G, H, and I were ordered to assemble at Fort Myer.
The deploying troops landed in Manila in October 1899, with the remaining four troops following from Fort Myer in 1900. The 3d Cavalry remained on the island of Luzon until 1902, fighting sixty-two engagements during that time. The fighting was often fierce with no quarter asked and none given. This would be the first time the U.S. Army would fight in a jungle environment, and the first time it would fight a counterinsurgency. The Regiment returned to the United States in detachments between April and November 1902. The headquarters, band, and Troops A, D, I, K, L, and M were stationed in Montana, Troops B and C in Wyoming, Troops G and H in Arizona, Troop E in Idaho and Troop F in North Dakota. The 3d Cavalry Regiment remained in the United States until December 1905.
5th Cavalry
At the outbreak of the Spanish-American War, the 5th Cavalry was ordered to Tampa, Florida, and then embarked for Cuba. The regiment's service in this war and later for the Puerto Rican Expedition is symbolized by the white Maltese cross in the black chief of the upper half of the regimental coat of arms
The 5th Cavalry returned to the United States in 1900, then served in the Philippine Islands from 1901 to 1903; returned to United States.
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