1898

Major English Spanish-American War Cup

The Spanish-American War (1898) began with civil unrest in Cuba by revolutionaries seeking to gain independence from the Spanish Empire. The American public, guided by the press, supported the struggle for independence. When the USS Maine exploded in Havana Harbor, the country clamored for war. On 26 April 1898 when the War Department ordered Indiana Governor James Mount to provide soldiers for immediate service, factories, schools, and businesses all over the city shut down as citizens gathered to see the soldiers off.

Dr. Calvin H. English, an Allen County native, served in the Spanish-American War as a medical officer in the United States Army. He served with Major Henry Lawton at Camp Thomas in Georgia. This tin cup belonged to him, and he had it engraved with an eagle, shield, and two crosses in addition to the words, "MAJ C H ENGLISH 1ST DIV 3RD CORPS CAMP THOMAS BRIG SURG." The letters "U S" are stamped into handle. Dr. English would later become the first medical officer for the Lincoln National life Insurance Company.