September 6, 1879 to May 1, 1902
William McKinley (1843-1901), 25th president of the United States, declared War on April 25, 1898, against Spain, which was ignited by Spain’s refusal to grant independence to Cuba, popular pressure and the destruction of the U.S. battleship Maine. The Spanish-American War was brief, and at its end in August 1898, the United States emerged as a world power.
Wiley Z. V. Cox served as a Private with the First North Carolina Volunteer Regiment, Company H, Infantry, during the first part of the Spanish American War in Cuba. He was discharged on August 19, 1898.
February 4, 1899, the Philippine American War (formerly called the Philippine Insurrection) begins.
Wiley Z. V. Cox enlists in the United States Army for a term of three years in Asheville, Buncombe County, NC, on November 20th, 1899. He was assigned to the 9th Infantry Regiment and sent to Ft. Slocum, NY, on February 28, 1900. On May 25, 1900, he was assigned to Co. F 9th Infantry in the Phillipine Islands.
May 1, 1902, Co. F, 9th Infantry, Private Wiley Z. V. Cox died of Malarial cachexia incurred in line of duty at the 1st Reserve Hospital, Manila, P.I, at 5:45 PM. Body sent to U.S.A. Morgue, Manila, P.I. On August 1, 1902, he was buried at the San Francisco National Cemetery in Section NA Site 1111.
I believe Wiley also fought in the Boxer Rebellion in China, 1900, during his time overseas. The 9th Infantry was assigned to the Boxer Rebellion and this battle only lasted about 9 months. Also, Wiley had sent to his Mother, Dicey Cox, several Chinese items, which we still have; in the Army's list of his final effects there were 4 receipts for mail matter registered in Peking, China. Perhaps more anwers will come when I receive his military records from the Veterans Administration.
I always wondered about the mysterious items in the old trunk that the family wouldn't talk about other than to tell me it was my G-Uncle's things and he had died in a war. When I got interested in genealogy he was the first one I started with. I did know he was buried out "west" somewhere. I discovered that my G-Grandparent's Benjamin and Dicey Cox had applied for his pension while I was searching for his military records. After receiving the records from the National Archives I was finally able to put Wiley to rest. Unfortunately he rests far from the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina where he was born. Someday I'd like to visit his final resting place and somehow let him know he is not forgotten.
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