XENIA DAILY GAZETTE AND TORCHLIGHT
WEDNESDAY EVENING, AUGUST 24, 1898
XENIA, OHIO
Sad death of one of our own colored boys at Santiago De Cuba.
The very sad news of the death of Joseph M. Smith, son of Lieutenant J. W.
Smith, reached this city yesterday through a letter received by Miss Amanda
Brinson from her brother Theodore, who bunked with Joe, both being members of
the famous Ninth Cavalry and both being musicians of that regiment.
The letter was dated Santiago August
9th, and states that Smith died an hour before the letter was written, of
inflammation of the bowels. He had only been in the hospital three days,
although he had been sick for some time, but kept out of the hospital with the
hope that he would get to come home with the rest of his regiment that was
preparing to return to the states.
Joe was among the first batch of soldiers who left Xenia about 3 years ago and
was stationed at Fort Robinson, until the war came on, when He went to Cuba. He
was about 22 years old and was a model young man.
The news of His death was a great shock to his mother, to whom he was greatly attached.
His time would have been out in the army about the 1st of October, and his
bereaved mother was looking forward hopefully at that time. She has the sympathy
of the whole community.
2 Apr 2000
transcribed by Deb (I have no connection with the family)