Source: HISTORY OF DEKALB COUNTY, INDIANA. B.F. Bowen & Company, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana, 1914, pp. 115-117. SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR. At the beginning of the fiscal year, 1898, the National Guard of Indiana consisted of forty-one companies of infantry and three batteries of artillery, with an aggregate of twenty-eight hundred and twenty-two men. On or about April 1, 1898, war between the United States and Spain being imminent, company commanders were instructed to recruit their companies up to the maximum number of eighty-four. Meanwhile the clouds of war were growing darker and darker, until April 19th, when Congress passed resolutions of intervention, which were approved on the 22d, and on the 23d the President issued his proclamation, calling for one hundred and twenty-five thousand volunteers to serve in the army of the United States for two years. On April 25, 1898, the declaration of war was passed by Congress and the President empowered to use the full land and naval forces of the United States to carry the declaration into effect. At 6:I5 p. m. on April 25, the following telegram was received from the secretary of war to the governor of Indiana, James A. Mount: "Washington, D. C., April 25, 1898 "The Governor of Indiana, Indianapolis, Ind. "The number of troops from your state under the call of the President dated April 23, 1898, will be four (4) regiments of infantry and two (2) light batteries of artillery: It is the wish of the President that the regiments of the National Guard or state militia shall be used as far as their numbers will permit, for the reason that they are armed, equipped and drilled. Please wire as early as possible what equipments, ammunition, arms, blankets, tents, etc., you will require. "Please also state what troops will be ready for muster into United States service. Details to follow by mail. "R. A. ALGER, "Secretary of War." Immediately Governor Mount issued his call for the required quota. In numbering the regiments after being mustered into the United States service it was determined to begin the numbers where the war of the rebellion left off. The Third Regiment, being the first read), to be mustered, was designated as the One Hundred and Fifty-seventh. The Second was next, and was made the One Hundred and Fifth-eighth. The First came third, and the Fourth, fourth. This system has, again reverted to the primal numbers at present. DEKALB COUNTY MILITIA. Company K, of the Third Indiana Volunteer Infantry, was raised in Auburn, DeKalb county, on January 12, 1892, and on the outbreak of war was assigned as K, of the Third Infantry. James F. Lahnum was captain; Othello B. Rufner, first lieutenant; John J. Wolf, second lieutenant; Morton Hilkey, first sergeant; John W. Brown, quartermaster-sergeant; Irwin E. Rader, Benjamin F. Jolliff, Worthy E. Keller, Charles A. Picker, sergeants; Phillip Holman, Charles T. Elson, Alexander McDonald, James Williamson, George W. Wolf, Charles Martin, corporals; Dick McNany and John R. McDowell, musicians; Wilson Feagler, artificer, and William O. Leighty, wagoner. There were eighty-four privates in this company from this county. Company I was organized at Waterloo, DeKalb county, on September 15, 1879, and was assigned as Company A, Third Infantry, afterward as Company I, Third Infantry, Indiana National Guard. Levi L. Denison was captain; Charles V. Barr, first lieutenant; Wilson H. Denison, second lieutenant: Daniel W. Rohrbough, first sergeant; Freeman Moore, quartermaster-sergeant; Charles A. McCague, Pearl J. Greeting, sergeants; Maynard F. Hine, Harry W. Beidler, Frederick G. Beidler, corporals; also Edward D. Willis and George W. Getts; Dell B. Ackley and William A. Beecher, musicians; Harley Thomas, artificer; Peter F. Ankney, wagoner. There were fifty recruits from this county and many from outside territory. A. L. Kuhlman was a major of the Third, or One Hundred and Fifty-seventh, and Clyde L. Hine was a sergeant-major. PERIOD OF SERVICE. The One Hundred and Fifty-seventh Regiment, Indiana Volunteer Infantry, arrived at Camp Mount, Indianapolis, on April 26, 1898, under orders from the governor, for the purpose of being mustered into the service of the United States. Companies of this regiment came from Knox, Fort Wayne, Goshen, North Manchester, Elkhart, South Bend, Angola, Waterloo, Auburn, Ligonier, and Plymouth. The work of preparing for muster was necessarily slow, as all officers and men had to pass a physical examination, and be accepted by the surgeons, before they would be accepted by the United States officers. The regiment was mustered into the volunteer service on May 10, 1898, and left for Camp Thomas, Chickamauga Park, Georgia, on Sunday, May 15th, and on arriving there on May 17th went into camp; left Camp Thomas June 1st, for Port Tampa City, Florida, and arrived there on June 3d; left Port Tampa City, July 29th, for Fernandina, Florida, arriving there on July 30th; remained at Fernandina until August 30th, when it was ordered to Indianapolis, for muster out of service, where it arrived on September 2d, was furloughed for thirty days on September 10th, and was finally mustered out and discharged November 1, 1898. Transcribed by Cheryl Milukas Proofread by Arlene Goodwin