Contributed by Ouida Kennedy Allison
May 17, 1878 - September 17, 1898
Newman "Newey" Potts Jones, son of Benjamin Bryant & Mary Caroline Potts Jones,
enlisted with the Goldsboro Rifles for the Spanish-American War as a Private,
Co. B, 1. Regiment, North Carolina Volunteers Infantry. The following was
his obituary:
"The remains of Newman P. Jones, of Saulston Township, who left here
with the Goldsboro Rifles, passed through here Tuesday afternoon
from Jacksonville, FL, where he died suddenly Saturday morning, on
their way to Dudley, where the Interment was made that evening."
Goldsboro Headlight - September 22, 1898
Excerpt from "Footsteps in the Sand" by Jennie Jones:
"In 1898, there was some excitement in the family, when it became
known that Newman Jones, the only child of uncle Ben and aunt Mary, had
enlisted in the Army, to fight in the Spanish American War. He was just
twenty one, but they tried to get him released because they needed him at
home to help them run the farm. They were unsuccessful in their efforts,
however, and he was sent to Jacksonville, Florida for his training."
"He was double cousin, as uncle Ben was father's brother, and aunt
Mary, mother's sister. He visited in our home frequently, he was almost
like a brother, so we felt bad to see him go to war. There were some in
the family who thought the experience might be good for him, as it was
about the first time in his young life that he had taken the initiative
in doing anything on his own."
"Newey, as we all called him, had been gone only a few weeks, or
months, when word was received, saying that he was ill with yellow fever.
This news was quickly followed by the message conveying the sad news of
his death."
"I shall never forget the day his body arrived. We lived, as I have
said, within a few hundred yards of the Potts' burying ground, so the
family had gathered at our house to wait for the arrival of the funeral
cortege. When it arrived, it was accompanied by two soldiers in uniform,
who stood guard over the flag draped casket; this proved to be fortunate,
for there were one or two in the family who thought the casket should be
opened, as aunt Mary, in her deep grief, had expressed her desire to see
her boy. When it looked like the Army would lose the battle, and was
ready to give in to the request, the soldiers told the women and children
to leave the cemetery so that they would not be exposed to the dreaded
plague yellow fever. This seemed to be more effective than the orders not
to open the casket had been, so it was not opened. Newman Potts Jones was
laid to rest to become a family hero of the Spanish American War."
Mary Caroline Potts Jones Papers
Military Record - Page One
Military Record - Page Two
Military Record - Page Three
Military Record - Page Four
Military Record - Page Five
Military Record - Page Six
Military Record - Page Seven
Military Record - Page Eight
Military Record - Page Nine
Military Record - Page Ten
Military Record - Page Eleven
Military Record - Page Twelve
Military Record - Page Thirteen
Military Record - Final Statement - Top of Page 1
Military Record - Final Statement - Bottom of Page 1
Military Record - Final Statement - Page 2
Military Letter Home
Military Letter Home
Military Letter Home - Page One
Military Letter Home - Page Two
Pension - Page One
Pension - Page Two
Pension - Page Three
Letter from Washington-July 11, 1898
Letter from Washington-July 28, 1898
Letter from Washington-April 29, 1899
Letter from Washington-October 30, 1899
Letter from Washington-July 30, 1903
Letter from Washington-September 1, 1922
Letter from Washington-November 1, 1923
Letter from Washington, November 1, 1923
Military Cemetery Marker Potts' Cemetery
Miscellaneous Items
Goldsboro Messenger, September 16, 1875
Goldsboro Rifles
At a meeting held Tuesday night, Sept. 14th for the purpose of
organizing a Military Company, Jno. R. Morris was called to the chair,
and B.E. Smith requested to act as Secretary.
A suitable name being first in order, it was resolved that this Company
be known as the Goldsboro Rifles: on motion, an election was gone into
with the following result:
Captain – T.B. Hyman 1st Lieutenant – H.P. Dortch
2d Lieutenant – S.K. Royall Jr. 2d Lieutenant – O.F. Worrell
O. Sgt. – B.E. Smith 2d Sgt. – O.L. Baker
3d Sgt. – Arnold Borden 4th Sgt. – W.T. Hollowell
1st Corporal – F.L. Castex 2d Corporal – Chas. Dewey
3d Corporal – E.W. Powell 4th Corporal – Junius Slocumb
Color Sgt. – M.M. Merritt
On motion, the chair appointed the following committees:
Executive Committee – C. Dewey, I.F. Dortch, M. Hollowell, S.K. Royall
and B.E. Smith
Committee on By-Laws – J.R. Morris, T.B. Hyman and I.F. Dortch
Committee to Solicit Subscription – T.B. Hyman, with A.J. Galloway,
Esq., to assist.
The Executive Committee was instructed to order two or three kinds of
Guns as samples for the inspection of the Company before purchasing.
The meeting then adjourned, to meet again Wednesday night, the 22d
inst.
J.R. Morris, Chm.
B.E. Smith, Sec.
Wayne County Volunteers to the Spanish American War - 1898
News-Argus, May 12, 1898
Our Soldier Boys
The following constitute the volunteer company of the Goldsboro Rifles,
who left their homes from this city and section for Raleigh last
Wednesday, to undergo the military training and camp modes essential to
usefulness on the battle field before leaving for Cuba, should their
services be required. Roster of the Rifles:
Captain – T.H. Bain 1st Lt. – J.W. Gulick, Jr.
2d Lt. - L.D. Giddens, Jr. 1st Sgt. – W.G. Lewis, Jr.
2d Sgt. – R.K. Freeman 3d Sgt. – Fred McDonald
4th Sgt. – J.W. Baker 5th Sgt. – P.C. Hutton
6th Sgt. – J.W. Sadler 1st Corp. – Harry Daughtery
2d Corp. – T.W. Slocumb 3d Corp. – Ernest Loftin
4th Corp. – Brodie Scott 5th Corp. – Chas. Hurst
6th Corp. – Frank Grantham 7th Corp. – R.F. Gurganeous
8th Corp. – Wm. H. Parker 9th Corp. – Will Suggs
10th Corp. – J.A. Daniels 11th Corp. – W.A. Kennedy
12th Corp. – Z.V. Snipes
Privates
J.A. Bardin Jno. E. Brown Oscar Brown
J.T. Barnes Lonnie Braswell Sam Brock
Charles Branch I.E. Blaylock H.P. Carteret
Oscar Davis Sam M. Daniels W.H. Davis
Ed Emory T.R. Edwards Matthew Elmore
Daniel Ethridge J.C. Ellis Fred Edwards
Geo. Franklin Rod Freeman Jno. F. Foust
E.W. Fairfield D.B. Grier J.T. Gardner
J.C. Grantham Henry Ham A.C. Hays
Claud Hinnant Reubin Ham B.F. Hooks
Murray Holland R.P. Howell W.T. Johnson
F.M. Johnson Christopher Johnson W.P. Jones
W.A. Johnson H. Leekie James Lewis
A.C. Lee Jewel Lee C.C. Melton
Robt. Mitchell W.P. Moore C.W. Millard
Ralph Murray Ely Prescott A.W. Parks
J.M. Pierce W.L. Pugh Lewis Poole
Luby Pate J.E. Price Jno. Phillips
Eli Stallings Chas. G. Scott J.D. Snipes
C.F. Simmons E.M. Talton Will R. Tew
Jno. Ward Jno. D. Williams Charlie Wombles
O.P. Williams F.H. Watson Eli Wadsworth
Willie Wiggs J.T. Ward Frank Freeman
Camp Cuba Libre - News from the Rifles, 1898
NEWS FROM THE RIFLES
Lt. Giddens Acts as War Correspondent
For the Argus this Time
Camp Cuba Libre
Jacksonville, Fla.
Co. B 1st Reg. N.C.V.
June 12, 1898
Dear Argus: We do not know whose time it is to write to you, and as
volunteers are needed again, and I am in the habit of such, here goes.
Since your paper first came, the camp has grown to be quite a city. Troops
come in every day or two. The majority of them are well equiped, but all
are like the North Carolina boys in one respect: they have that "gone
expression," and there is but one thing that could possibly correct it,
and until that cause is remedied, a great many will continue to wear that
"gone" appearance. Our dear Uncle Sam has forgotten to pay us.
The boys of North Carolina were given shoes, etc. today. Some looked
pleased with their new "brogs," while others wanted to don their bare
feet until pay day. It was amusing to see Tom Slocumb, Frank Freeman and
Paul Hutton after getting their brogans. They looked down on their newly
dressed pedal appendages with an admiring air that would cause desertion
to be a thing of the past. Capt. Bain's and mine will be in some time
to-morrow.
Sunday, some of our boys went out to the beach. Among the wonderful
discoveries was a life preserver found by Lieut. Guiick. It was of special
interest on account of being one belonging to the fillibustering boat
"The Tree Friends." It was too large to bring back whole, so the Lieutenant
cut off a souvenir. Several of the boys have pieces for "luck," I guess
they will use it in place of a North Carolina rabbit's foot.
Some people would think the Goldsboro company was a company of regulars now.
They are decidedly the best drilled, and can stand more than any other
company in the regiment. It is a source of much displeasure to us to know of
the deserters from our ranks, but believe that after the court martial gets
through with some already captured, they will realize then that desertion
is of the same class of murder, at least the punishment is death. This will
stop it.
The two Wiggs boys were caught near Savannah this morning, and that good,
true soldier Sergeant W.G. Lewis, Jr., with private F.M. Watson went on the
noon train with hand cuffs etc. to bring them in. Sgt. Jim Baker says: "I tell
you, whenever a piece-of-a-man sees so many soldiers, so many guns and so much
ammunition it causes him to kind of droop all up, then the next thing you know
- he's gone." He pointed out several of the "drooping" kind as the boys from
different companies passed. Jim is a good soldier, too.
General Lee reviewed the North Carolina regiment at dress parade Sunday
afternoon. It was his first appearance in an official capacity, so North
Carolina is honored again. It was a time; after the companies had been
dismissed, there was a continuous cheering so long as he was visible.
"We love our General Lee,
And from Sapin will never flee."
This little extract is taken from a beautiful piece of poetry written by our
devoted friend Sgt. Fred McDonald. Any one wishing a copy may enclose $1.00
to the author and receive it by return mail with his thanks and with the
thanks of every man in the company. Money orders will do.
Besides rain and hot sun, we have at night whip-poor-wills and some charming
owls, who howl all night. The nicest point about the owl is that he takes his
position in a tall tree near the hospital. This accounts for the wonderfully
small amount of sickness in camp. One of our men, whose name we will withhold,
became suddenly ill yesterday morning just before drill; so went to the
hospital. This morning he was well. I was surprised, so asked him how it was.
He simply replied that he'd rather drill all the time than spend five minutes
in the hospital when that -- owl was around. He hasn't seen the joke yet. I
think Dr. Wilder has trained nurses and owls, too.
Colonel Armfield is a fine man, and a soldier every inch, and I might add, for
the interest of the girls, is single. He is very good to every man in his
regiment and especially so to Company B. If there is an opening for special
duty, he sends to Company B for a man. Today we have quite a number doing
extra for the Colonel.
The boys are anxious to go to Cuba now, and are expecting to leave just as
soon as they get over their vaccination. By the way, Sgt. P.C. Hutton, as a
special detail at the hospital, vaccinated about 400 men. Paul is all right,
too. He has been appointed as the representative from our company in the
recruiting corps, to go to N.C. in a few days. I hope he will go to Goldsboro
before returning, so he can tell the home people how it is here.
Soldiers are always too tired to write; then another thing, talk is cheaper
than stationery.
Send the Argus every day, we like to hear from home. Come down and spend
Sunday sometime, invite a few others, too, and bring your meals. We have
plenty of good water to drink.
Yours truly,
L.D. Giddens, Jr.
Dr. P.C. Hutton & the Goldsboro Rifles, 1898
A GOLDSBORO BOY
Is Highly Complimented in Military Circles
Goldsboro News-Argus
June 16, 1898
The recruits of the Third Battalion of the First Regiment will undergo
physical examinations here before they are accepted. The examination will
be made by Private P.C. Hutton, who as a civilian is Dr. P.C. Hutton. Dr.
Hutton will conduct the examination upon instructions from the Regimental
Surgeons.
It was Dr. Hutton who examined the Goldsboro company before its arrival
here, and it will be recalled that it was the only company that passes the
examination before the Surgeons without having a man rejected. The credit
for this very unusual occurrence was due entirely to Dr. Hutton.
Of all the North Carolinians who have joined the volunteer forces of the
United States, Dr. Hutton has made the greatest personal sacrifice. Giving
up his practice of medicine this excellent officer joined the Goldsboro
company and enlisted as a private. It was not necessary for him to enlist
as a private for an officer's position would gladley have been given him,
but this he declined.
After his arrival here, Dr. Wilder, the Chief Surgeon soon recognized the
fact that Dr. Hutton was a physician of judgment and skill and he tendered
him his best appointment - that of chief hospital steward, which pays a good
salary. To this offer Dr. Hutton gave a negative response. His reply was
"I did not enter this business for office, otherwise I would not have enlisted
as a private."
Dr. Wilder has repeatedly requested Dr. Hutton to accept the position, but he
is positive in his declination. Though declining to accept office, Dr. Hutton
has been a valuable assistant to the Surgeon of the First.
Dr. Hutton is a modest young man and these circumstances would never have
been known had they not been given out by Dr. Wilder. Such patriotism as that
manifested by Dr. Hutton can but attract the admiration of all men.
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