Daughters of the American Revolution chapter marks Spanish American War anniversary

The Medary Chapter of the South Dakota Society Daughters of the American Revolution held a wreath laying ceremony on Oct. 5 at Greenwood Cemetery in Brookings to acknowledge the 125th anniversary of the Spanish American War, which is being commemorated during the administration of the National President General Pamela Rouse Wright (2023-25).

The war took place in 1898. Cuban revolutionaries were trying to gain their independence from Spain. In February the U.S. sent a battleship, the USS Maine, to the harbor in Havana to monitor the situation, but soon after it exploded and sank killing 260 Americans. In April 1898, Congress gave President McKinley authorization to enter the fighting. Then Spain declared war on the U.S. Remember the Maine became a well-known slogan across the nation.

President McKinley called for 125,000 military volunteers, which were sent to Cuba and the Philippines. The 1st United States Volunteer Cavalry, known as the Rough Riders was created and led by Theodore Roosevelt, who was later elected president in 1901. The U.S. overwhelmed the Spanish military and a cease-fire was signed in August 1898, with less than four months of fighting. Altogether, 3,549 Americans lost their lives and another 1,641 were wounded.

The war may have been short, but the resulting global changes remain. Spains colonial empire in the Western Hemisphere was officially ended, the U.S. relinquished claims to Cuba, while Guam, Puerto Rico and the Philippines were given sovereignty under U.S. leadership. The U.S. also annexed the independent state of Hawaii during this conflict.

The DAR offered to screen and certify nurses for the war, forming the DAR Hospital Corps. This later became the Army Nurse Corps, which is still in existence today.

There are 13 known veterans of the Spanish American War buried in Brookings County. There are 12 buried in Kingsbury County, seven in Lake County and five in Moody County. We remember these soldiers and all those who served in this short, but historically important war.

The Daughters of the American Revolution is a womens organization that was formed to promote the missions of patriotism, historic preservation and education.