Company L of the 34th Michigan Volunteers, taken shortly before they left Marquette for service in Cuba during the Spanish American War.

By ROSEMARY MICHELIN 

and BETH GRUBER

Marquette Regional

History Center

Special to the Journal

MARQUETTE — The Spanish-American War began soon after the explosion of the USS Maine, a battleship anchored in Havana, Cuba, on Feb. 15, 1898.

At the time it was believed to have been attacked by a Spanish submarine. Two hundred and sixty four sailors died. It wasn’t until 1976 that the U.S. Navy officially determined that the Maine exploded because of a coal fire that spread to the ammunition hold, not from attack.

The explosion ignited war fever in the United States. Soon after the sinking, a call came out for troops. The Michigan 34th Regiment, company “L” was organized with 77 men enlisting from Marquette, Negaunee, Ishpeming, Baraga, Escanaba and Menominee. Marquette citizens quickly raised $150 to buy swords and equipment for the officers. Samuel Wheler was appointed the regiment’s captain. The city held a sendoff parade in May and soon the regiment had arrived at Camp Alger in Virginia for training. By early summer they were stationed in Santiago, Cuba.

Marquette’s first casualty of the conflict was Peter Vandenboom. Peter was one of nine children born to Henry and Hannah Vandenboom, immigrants from the Netherlands. Mr. Vandenboom ran one of the first dairies in the Upper Peninsula beginning with a herd of 12 cows. The dairy was located near the Whetstone Creek where it crosses Vandenboom Road. Peter’s brother, Frank expanded the dairy to over 100 cows and owned over 1,000 acres. Peter might also have carried on with the family dairy business. He was 23 years old when he enlisted.

The July 14, 1898 issue of The Mining Journal printed a letter from Peter to his mother:

“The boys are all well and happy. They are far more comfortable here than at Camp Alger.”

He described how the Cubans would climb trees and throw down coconuts and other fruits to the soldiers. They also rolled cigars for them and would not charge a penny. Conditions were harsh, with stifling heat, little food, scarce supplies and mosquitoes everywhere. Vandenboom managed to find a rifle and some ammunition in a hayfield taken from the body of a fallen U.S. soldier. He wrote that he couldn’t wait to fight the Spaniards. However, he never got the chance.

On Aug. 5, less than a month after the letter. Peter Vandenboom died from malaria and was buried in Cuba. The family was shocked to learn of his death as he had not spoken of any illness in his letters.

The war ended a week later after 113 days of conflict. In the Treaty of Paris agreement, Spain ceded Puerto Rico, the Philippines and Guam to the United States for 20 million dollars. The U.S took control of Cuba, expelled the Spanish and later granted Cuba its freedom.

The remains of Private Peter Vandenboom and Private Joseph Berry, another young Marquette man who died Cuba, were brought back the following April for re-interment. The double funeral was one of the largest ever held in Marquette. The citizens of Marquette paid their respects at City Hall on Washington Street. All businesses were closed for the afternoon. The funeral procession included the two coffins drawn by horse, family members, Company L and Civil War veterans, city officers, organization members and several bands. Over 600 men marched in the procession which was three blocks long. They proceeded to Saint Peter Cathedral.

After the funeral service, the procession continued south on Third Street to Fisher, across the Champion Street Bridge to Jackson, then down Division Street until it reached the Pioneer Catholic Cemetery. Vandenboom and Berry were buried there. The Spanish American War veterans saluted the fallen soldiers with three volleys fired at each grave.

A few years later, the remains of Peter Vandenboom and Joseph Berry were removed and brought to their final resting place at the newly opened Holy Cross Cemetery.

During the Spanish American War, for every one soldier killed in battle, 13 more died of illness. Of the 77 other local men in the 34th Regiment, 7 men from Marquette County died, all from disease.