University of Virginia Library

Jeff Davis Rifles

About the year 1890, the "Jeff Davis Rifles," an
infantry volunteer company, was organized in Salem
with Dr. Clarence B. Strouse, Captain. On January
1st, 1892, Judge Wingfield Griffin was elected Captain
to succeed Captain Strouse. This company was
among the first of the Virginia companies to volunteer
for service in the Spanish-American War,
and was mustered into the service of the United
States at Camp Lee in Richmond, May 11th, 1898,
and became Company H, Second Virginia Regiment,
United States Volunteers. The company numbered
one hundred and twenty-two, of which twenty-two
were from Salem and two from Roanoke County.
The remainder came from almost every section of
Virginia, but mostly from the Southwest. The company
lost two members by death, Frank M. Key, of
Montgomery, Virginia, and Samuel Richardson, of
Burks Garden, Virginia. Both men died from typhoid
fever, the former, August 21st, 1898, and the
latter on September 6th, 1898. Both were buried in
Jacksonville, Florida, where they died.

The officers of the "Jeff Davis Rifles" were as
follows: Wingfield Griffin, Captain, Salem, Virginia;
Thomas A. Johnson, First Lieutenant, Salem,
Virginia; Lewis W. Langhorne, Second Lieutenant,
Salem, Virginia; Erskine L. White, First Sergeant,
Salem, Virginia; Thomas T. Smith, Quartermaster
Sergeant, Salem, Virginia; Edward Armstrong,
Warren Witt, Henry Forsyth, and Hampton Johnson,
of Salem, Sergeants; Joseph T. Dunn, Frederick
County, Virginia; William Wimmer, Alleghany
Springs; Andrew S. Burks, Richmond; Walter Hall,
Salem; Frank W. Cannaday, East Radford; Elliott
H. Howe, East Radford; James H. Bolen, Carroll
County; Robert Butler, Salem; Wheeler P. Linkous,
East Radford; John P. McKee, Buena Vista; Eugene
D. Mundy, Ennis, West Virginia; and Elias
G. Neuman, East Radford, Corporals; Frank Lester
and James H. Morris, of Salem, Musicians; John
Garst, Salem, Artificer; Estelle A. Shell, East Radford,
Wagoner.

The company was mustered out of the service of
the United States at Jacksonville, Florida, on December
16th, 1898.