forces as a standard arm for just nine years. The Krag–Jørgensen was a good rifle, but never a great one, at least not by American standards. The Norwegian-designed Krag–Jørgensen rifle was adopted in 1892, and production began at Springfield Armory in 1894, and continued until 1904. The Volunteer Cavalry (the Rough Riders) carried the Krag carbine. The standard American long-arm for Marines and regular Army troops was the Krag–Jørgensen bolt-action rifle, chambered in. Original examples of this handy carbine are highly-prized on the collector market. But as always, it took the riflemen of the Army and Marines to secure the territory in question.Īn efficient modification of the Krag rifle for cavalry use. Navy’s great victories at Santiago de Cuba, and at Manila Bay, captured most of the headlines. 38 Long Colt.įoreshadowing global confliction to come, the Spanish-American War was far-flung, and fought on two widely-spaced island fronts: the Caribbean and the Philippines. Note also the M1892 Colt New Model Army Revolver, chambered in. Rebels engage Spanish troops with a wide range of rifles, including a Model 1885 Remington-Lee rifle (foreground), a Spanish Model 1893 Mauser (middle) and Remington Rolling Block rifles (background). In Puerto Rico, the bullets were flying at Yauco, Fajardo and San Germán. Battles raged at Las Guasimas, El Caney, San Juan Hill and Fort Canosa in Cuba. The Americans pressed forward, and the Spaniards grudgingly gave ground. Despite the increase in rate of fire with the advent of bolt-action rifles, many commanders of the era still relied on volley fire.Īfter learning some hard lessons early on, American troops adapted to the realities of a war for the next century. Troops volley-fire the Krag–Jørgensen rifle. But the Spaniards nullified some of their rifle-firepower advantage with a strange tendency to volley fire. They also were equipped with modern 7x57 mm Model 1893 Spanish Mauser rifles, charger-fed and firing smokeless-powder ammunition. On the other side of the line, the Spanish troops were seasoned by fighting Cuban guerrillas. Army movements were little more than recycled tactics from the American Civil War. 45-70 Gov’t Springfield "Trapdoor" rifle.Ĭombat in Cuba and Puerto Rico was a strange combination of the old and the new. 30-40 Krag–Jørgensen rifle and the venerable. Men of this Nebraska National Guard unit are equipped with both the modern. By June 22, American troops were landing just east of Santiago, Cuba. However, between the mobilization of National Guard units, and the sudden influx of volunteers, the ranks of the U.S. Navy was up to the task, the Army wasn’t prepared for war. On April 25, Congress declared that a state of war existed between the United States and Spain. On April 21, 1898, President McKinley sent an ultimatum to Spain that the nation withdraw its forces from Cuba. Regardless of their influences, the American public demanded action. Newspapers stretched and distorted the truth, and at times outright lied about what was happening in Cuba. The agenda-driven reporting would come to be called “ yellow journalism.” Apparently, “fake news” is not a modern idea. Folks in the East were spurred on by intensive newspaper coverage from the New York Journal (owned by William Randolph Hearst) and the New York World, (owned by Joseph Pulitzer). In America, the general public was outraged. As there were not Krag rifles to equip them all, many units went to war with the venerable Trapdoor Springfield rifle, firing.
Army grew quickly in 1898 as volunteers (like these men of the 1 st Illinois) arrived in great numbers. More than a century later, no clear determination has been made if the explosion that destroyed the Maine came from an internal accident or from the actions of an outside saboteur.
She sunk immediately in Havana harbor, her crew suffering terrible casualties-258 of the Maine’s 375-man crew were killed. 15, 1898, a massive explosion rocked the Maine. Maine was sent to Havana harbor to protect American citizens in Cuba, to show the flag and demonstrate the potential of American firepower. While their ranks including many great horsemen, their actions in combat were fought on foot. Reluctantly, President William McKinley prepared for a war to protect tenuous American interests in the Caribbean.Ī fanciful interpretation of the Rough Riders in Cuba. Certain American “expansionists” saw opportunity in the midst of the ongoing fighting in Cuba. The Cuban people sought their freedom from oppressive Spanish rule. Revolution was brewing in Cuba during early 1898.