Jack-Brutus.

Connecticut First Infantry Co. K.

Regiment al History.

Spanish American War.

 

Jack Brutus.

Push to enlarge.

Page 57,That, in effect, was what General Toral, the Spanish commander at Santiago, said when he learned Brutus had joined Company K.

Jack's ancestors came of good fighting stock and served in many a battle. He himself was born at Cumberland, Maine, in 1891. He had friends in most of the cities in New England through his associations with the traveling public at the West End Hotel at Portland. Frequently he visited them in their own homes, taking passage in some steamer or boarding some train, and returning to Portland in due time. His longest stay was two weeks in Boston, but he also frequently visited New York, New Brunswick and other cities connected with Portland by lines of steamers.

When the company arrived at Portland, Brutus at once enlisted for the war and followed the fortunes of the company faithfully. At Camp Alger he suffered much from the heat and possibly would not have survived but for the tender care of Sergeant Boniface. Upon the muster out of the regiment Wagoner Ahern gave Jack the freedom of his home and during his last sickness had a physician attend him once or twice. Jack died of spinal troubles and constipation, November 20, 1898, and was given a suitable burial.

Personal.

Page 78, Private Knox is elected the loudest snorer, though Jack Brutus snored well, considering the nasal combinations against him. In fact it might be said that "Jack" Knox and Jack Brutus, together, lead the whole company by the nose. One member writes : " Brutus was pushed pretty hard by Corporal Gruener. They slept in the next tent to me and I used to wake up in the middle of the night, hearing an awful noise in Gruener's tent.

I lay there one night and wondered which it was, Brutus or Gruener, till, at last, to satisfy my curiosity, I got up and found that the dog was quiet and all the noise came from Gruener." Another member answers : " Knox and the dog, both. I know them well for I have slept with both dogs." Another member writes: "John Brutus Knox." Another: "McGrath, aside from Jack." The vote is as follows: Knox, 48; Brutus, 33; Fulton, 2; Henry L. Huntington, 2; Gruener, Nunan, S. G. Huntington, Jos. Burnell, Moran, Marvel, McGrath, R. A. Case and Gale, one each.