Spanish American War Honor Roll

Guy Nunemaker: One of the first commanders of the native constabulary from which the famed Philippine Scouts and later the modern Filipino army, which went down so bravely with American troops under General Wainwright at Bataan and Corregidor, was formed. The Emmitsburg correspondent enlisted in the 43rd Infantry at Washington in 1898 when he was 19. Sailed from New York on the government transport Meade and arrived in Manila 45 days later after a trip that extended past Gibraltar, Malta. Port Said, Aden. Arabia and Singapore. Served on the islands of Luzon. Samar, Layte, Bohole and on expeditions into the Moro country. In a detachment which gave guard protection to the father of General Douglas MacArthur when he made an inspection trip to the outlying posts in the southern islands. A corporal who drilled the first constabulary on the island of Layte.

Charles Edward Ridge: Served 21 months in the Philippine Islands which Mr. Ridge was promoted to Corporal. Mr. Ridge died on Aug 6, 1938 and is buried at Mountain View cemetery, Emmitsburg.

(Dr.) Major Romanus A. LaGrinder: Mr. LaGrinder of West Point, New York was born at Emmitsburg, Maryland in 1881. Served as a private in Company A of the 1st Maryland Volunteer Infantry. The First Maryland Volunteer Infantry never saw combat in Cuba or the Philippines. He was stationed in the west and came to Washington on official business, when he caught a cold that developed into pneumonia.  Mr. LaGrinder died on January 29, 1920, and is buried in a family plot at St. Joseph’s Cemetery, Emmitsburg.

If you have any information that could help us expand our
archives on the knowledge of men from Emmitsburg who may have served in the  Spanish American War, please send it to us at john@emmitsburg.net