Military Monday~Spanish American War-James A. Sellers

James Aaron Sellers was born 15 June 1872, a son of James Arnold Sellers and Sarah Jane Pittman Sellers.
James served as a  Private in Company D,  2nd Regiment S.C. Infantry Vol. Spanish American War.

“Company D, 2nd South Carolina Volunteer Infantry Regiment, was organized at Manning, South Carolina, and was mustered into service May 21st, 1898; completing the Independent Battalion. Was under the second call of the President, assigned to duty with the 2nd S.C.V.I.. Left Camp Lee, Columbia, South Carolina, for Camp Cuba Libre, September I5th, 1898, and was there assigned to duty with the 7th Army Corps, under General Lee. Left Camp Cuba Libre for Savannah, Georgia, October 21st, 1898. Left Savannah, Georgia, for Havana, Cuba, January 3rd, 1899, and remained at Camp Columbia, Cuba, until March 23rd, 1899, when the regiment was ordered to Augusta, Georgia, for muster-out. Was mustered out of service at Augusta, Georgia, April 19th, 1899, by Lieutenant Ellwood W. Evans, 8th United States Cavalry, mustering officer.”[1]

“The Spanish-America War was a short-lived conflict between The United States and Spain. Due to unrest in Cuba, President McKinney sent the U.S.S. Maine to Cuba to protect American citizens. He delayed notifying Spain and that upset the Spanish Government.

On the night of February 15, 1898 there was an explosion on-board the U.S.S. Maine and it sank in the bay killing 266 soldiers.

With the major newspaper (Hearst & Pulitzer) stirring the pot with their ”yellow journalism”  Congress passed a joint resolution which was signed by President McKinley on April 20, 1898. The United States gave Spain an ultimatum and Spain in return declared War on April 23, 1898. Thus began what is known as the Spanish-American War.” [2]

If you haven’t read much about the Spanish-American War, I highly recommend the article here: 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish%E2%80%93American_War

By 15 June 1900 when the census was enumerated, James Aaron Sellers had been off to war in Cuba, returned home and married Louisa Watson, widow of Robert J. Vick. The 1900 census showed James and Louisa married in 1900; while the  FindAGrave Memorial shows they were married in June 1899. [3] 

James Aaron Sellers died Jun. 20, 1947 and is buried at Hopewell Baptist Church Cemetery, Chesterfield, Chesterfield County, South Carolina.


James Aaron Sellers is my 1st Cousin twice removed.





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[1] http://www.spanamwar.com/2ndsouthcarolina.htm
[2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish%E2%80%93American_War
[3] Find A Grave, Inc., Find A Grave, digital image, (http://www.findagrave.com : Accessed on 16 June 2012); Headstone for James Aaron Sellers; (14 June 1872–20 June 1947); Records of the Hopewell Baptist Church Cemetery; Chesterfield, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, USA.