Jonathan Edgar Dowis

This is my great granduncle, Jonathan Edgar Dowis. He was the son of Jonathan and Eliza Ann (Sheets) Dowis. He was born 1873 Hebron, NE.

The First Nebraska Volunteer Infantry was mustered into service on May 9-10, 1898 at Lincoln, Nebraska. At the time of muster-in, the unit consisted of fifty-one officers and 983 enlisted men. On June 15, the unit steamed for the Philippines, where it arrived on July 17. The fighting ended on August 13 with an armistice, and the war formally ended on December 10, 1898 with the signing of the Treaty of Paris. On February 4, 1899 the Philippine American War began.

On July 1, 1899, the First Nebraska left the Philippines for the United States, arriving on July 29, 1899. The unit was mustered out of service on August 23, 1899 at San Francisco, California. At the time of muster out, the unit consisted of forty-five officers and 842 enlisted men.

During its term of service, the 1st Nebraska lost two officers killed in battle with another officer dying from wounds received in battle. In addition nineteen enlisted men were killed in battle with thirteen additional men succumbing to wounds received in battle. Twenty-eight enlisted men died of disease, one man drowned and two men deserted. In total, eleven officers and 166 enlisted men were wounded in battle.

I would love to hear from anyone who has information on this branch of my family! This photo was provided to me by my cousin Cecilia Heinz.