Charles Arthur Leavitt, Jr.

War with Spain in 1898 was officially declared in April, an armistice was announced in August, and a peace treaty was signed in December. Things were settled as far as Spain and the United States were concerned but not for the people of the Philippine Islands. 

Philippine nationalists seized the opportunity to declare their independence, but turned bitter when it looked like they were freed from one imperialistic regime only to be ruled by another. The conflict that resulted is often considered an afterthought of the Spanish American War Those were the times Charlie Leavitt was facing as the old century gave way to the new.

The young man was the only son of Charles and Elizabeth, who actually gave birth to eleven little ones but only five survived past infancy. Their home was on Moore Street in South Philadelphia’s Point Breeze neighborhood. Charles Sr. had a long career with the Pennsylvania Railroad, first as a brakeman then as a conductor. 

He reluctantly gave permission for his son to join the army, according to a newspaper account which said Charlie was underage when he wanted to enlist in early 1899. The minimum age was lowered to 18 the year before but returned to 21 after the treaty was signed..

That same account, which included the photo above, quoted Charlie telling his mother before he left, “Mother, I will come back a credit to you.” After his enlistment on August 9, 1899, he joined Company I, 33rd US Volunteer Infantry. Private Leavitt was trained in marksmanship and skirmishing at Fort Sam Houston with the rest of what was known as the Texas Regiment.

Six months earlier, 19,000 American soldiers had engaged in the Battle of Manilla. The conflict would continue as a festering insurrection until 1902, with thousands of deaths on both sides. The 33rd attempted to defend villages in two provinces on the island of Luzon against guerrilla attacks. 

A fellow soldier wrote a letter to Charlie’s parents describing the day their son died on May 28, 1900. As the men were off duty in their barracks, someone was handling a rifle and it was accidentally discharged, killing Charlie instantly. The letter mentioned that the company’s captain “was so broken down over the affair that he took to his bed.”

The family hoped to have their son and brother returned home by Christmas, but it wasn’t until May 11, 1902 that the funeral was held. Charles was buried beside his sister, Ella, who had only lived for four months in 1892. His parents were also laid to rest here, with two other siblings in other sections.