In Camp with L Company, Second Regiment New Jersey Volunteer Infantry

In Short

This narrative offers an unvarnished account of the Second Regiment of New Jersey Volunteer Infantry during their service in 1898. Originally established as a state militia unit, Company L finds itself rapidly transformed into a federal combat unit following the declaration of war. The book traces their journey from the drill fields of New Jersey to the sweltering, disease-ridden camps of Florida. It remains a valuable record because it focuses less on grand political strategy and more on the intimate, often grueling reality of a volunteer soldier’s existence during an era of rapid American expansion.

The Story

The narrative begins with the organized pride of Company L in Paterson, New Jersey, where the men spent years honing their marksmanship and building local camaraderie. When the call to arms sounds in 1898, the transition from civilian militia to active infantry is swift and jarring. The men trade their familiar local armory for the chaotic, muddy life of a temporary staging camp. The early days are defined by uncertainty, rudimentary rations, and the constant, draining labor of maintaining discipline under the eyes of strict officers.

As the company is ordered south, the book captures the restless energy of the journey. The train ride through the American South serves as a bridge between the industrial North and the humid, tropical landscape of Florida. Along the way, the soldiers experience a mixture of local curiosity and lingering regional tension, particularly as they pass through areas where memories of the Civil War still influence the local population's reception of Northern troops.

Upon arrival in Jacksonville, the reality of the campaign shifts. Instead of the glory of combat in Cuba, the men face the slow, grinding test of camp life. The narrative details the physical adaptation to the Southern climate, the struggle to find decent food, and the boredom that occasionally gives way to frantic activity. The soldiers occupy their time with guard duty, local excursions, and the building of a company mess hall, yet the atmosphere is never truly secure.

The central tragedy of the narrative is the encroachment of typhoid fever. As the summer heat intensifies, the camp becomes a site of sorrow rather than excitement. The narrative describes the helplessness of witnessing friends fall ill and the somber reality of losing comrades to disease rather than enemy fire. These deaths, combined with the occasional accident—such as the drowning of a soldier in the surf—cast a long shadow over the unit’s pride.

As the war draws to an unexpectedly swift close, the desire for action fades into a collective longing for home. The return journey is marked by a frantic rush of logistical hurdles and the final, emotional reunion with families in New Jersey. The story concludes not with the triumph of a victorious return from the battlefield, but with the quiet, reflective process of demobilization. The final chapters provide a cold, statistical accounting of the unit’s losses—a grim ledger of lives cut short by illness and accident, bringing a sobering end to the men’s brief, transformative encounter with war.

How It Unfolds

The Mustering The company transitions from a local unit to a federal force, preparing for the reality of war. The atmosphere is marked by rigorous training and a sudden shift into a regimented military life.

The Southern Passage The unit travels by rail from New Jersey to Florida, experiencing the changing landscapes and customs of the country. This leg of the journey highlights the logistical strain of moving troops during wartime.

Life in Jacksonville The men acclimate to the sweltering Florida environment and the monotony of camp life. They spend their days navigating military bureaucracy and attempting to maintain health amidst poor sanitary conditions.

The Shadow of Sickness Typhoid fever sweeps through the ranks, replacing the anticipation of combat with the fear of disease. The narrative captures the growing sense of gloom as the company loses members to the epidemic.

The Road Home The war concludes, and the regiment prepares for departure. The process of breaking camp is as disorganized as their arrival, leading to a weary but joyful journey back to their families.

The People

Captain Addison Ely and Lieutenant Joseph J. Blake serve as the primary disciplinarians, tasked with transforming civilians into soldiers. They are portrayed as men who demand order, often through strict adherence to regulations and the imposition of penalties for those who attempt to "run" the guard to seek entertainment in nearby towns. Their focus remains on the professional appearance of the regiment.

The soldiers themselves, such as Private Isaac Wilson, the champion watermelon eater, and the doomed Corporals Bennett Cohen and George H. Roe, represent the diverse personalities within the company. Wilson provides a touch of humor, embodying the soldiers' attempts to find small joys, like eating fruit, in a difficult environment. In contrast, the deaths of Cohen and Roe are felt deeply by the author, who notes their popularity and the specific, tragic details of their final days. The author, writing from the perspective of a Corporal, remains a watchful observer of these men, acting as a bridge between the officers' commands and the rank-and-file experience.

Bob, the company's Black cook, emerges as a vital figure. He is credited with improving the soldiers' morale through his culinary skill, proving that the quality of life in camp was often dependent on the ingenuity of individuals rather than the official supply chain. Finally, the "good people" of Jacksonville and the families back home represent the civilian world, which remains both a source of support—through donated boxes of food—and a source of heartache, as the distance between the soldier and his home remains an unbridgeable gap throughout the service.

In Its Own Voice

"The streets were turned into quagmires and every now and then the slip-slop of some soldier passing the tent made the situation all the more gloomy."

The author describes the miserable conditions of the camp during the heavy rains that hampered the early days of their training.

"The bread broken in half with the meat between would make a home made sandwich that could be eaten on the installment plan."

This observation highlights the meager and repetitive nature of the rations provided to the soldiers at the start of their deployment.

"At no other time during our service had such a desolate feeling spread over our camp."

The author reflects on the emotional toll taken on the company after the deaths of several comrades due to illness.

What It's Really About

The book explores the disparity between the romanticized idea of the "citizen-soldier" and the harsh, mundane reality of military service. It asks what happens when the expectation of glory is replaced by the reality of sickness and environmental struggle. The central conflict is not between nations, but between the soldiers and their environment—the damp soil, the oppressive heat, and the invisible threat of disease. It serves as an argument for the essential role of community and local support, demonstrating how the health and spirit of the company were maintained by the small, unofficial efforts of the men themselves rather than by the grand machinery of the federal government.

Why Read It Today

Readers interested in the history of the Spanish-American War will find this book an essential, if somber, primary source. It provides a rare, bottom-up view of the conflict that rarely appears in textbooks. The prose is straightforward and occasionally dry, but it captures the specific sensory details of 1898—the smell of pine needles in Florida, the sound of rain on canvas, and the taste of canned goods sent from home.

However, modern readers should be prepared for the author’s period-typical attitudes. The language used to describe the local populations, particularly the Black residents of the South, reflects the prejudices of the era, which can be jarring. The book is also a slow, methodical record; it does not contain the dramatic pacing of modern military fiction. Instead, its power lies in its accumulation of detail, such as the specific list of equipment the men had to carry, or the grim, final list of those who did not return. It remains a poignant reminder that for most soldiers, the "war" is not defined by famous battles, but by the wait, the heat, and the quiet, personal losses that are often left out of official regimental histories. It is a work for those who want to understand the human cost of a forgotten war.