The State Democrat, Aberdeen, SD
Friday, Feb. 3, 1899
DIES FAR FROM HOME
The Minneapolis dailies that reached this city Wednesday morning brought sad news to a household in Brown county. A cablegram from General Otis to the War Department at Washington, giving a list of American soldiers who had died recently at Manila, contained the announcement of the death, on January 27th, of Otto J. Berg, of diphtheria.
This news published in the daily papers was the first intimation that the relatives of the young man had that he was even sick as from all previous letters he seemed full of life and hope, and when last heard from he had not been sick a day since his enlistment.
Otto J. Berg was nearly twenty-two years of age would have reached that on his next birthday, the 20th of May. He was a son of Mr. and Mrs. A. E. Berg, of Warner, and has a brother, Albert M. Berg, in the First National Bank in this city.
He was a young man well liked by all his associates and his sudden demise will bring grief to many hearts. This is the first death which as occurred among Brown County boys who enlisted in the Spanish war. Although four of the boys of Company F, had already fallen victims to disease and exposure, as it happened, all were non-residents of this county.
The career of Otto J. Berg in the army, as told by one of his comrades, was that of a model soldier. He was always ready to do his duty, no matter what it was, and if the duty was unpleasant he never complained, but went ahead and performed it. He gained many friends in the company and while on board the transport, Rio de Janeiro enroute to Manila, his cheerfulness and ready wit helped to brighten many a heavy heart. In fact, he was a favorite with all, and undoubtedly many tears were shed by our boys as he lay there in his last sleep, with the glorious stars and stripes wrapped about him.
He will not only be missed by his relatives and friends here, but his comrades, with whom he associated, will ever remember and honor him who gave his young life without a murmur to his country.
The State Democrat, Aberdeen, SD
Friday, March 24, 1899
Co. F’s Buglers.
There seems to be a singular fatality attending the position of bugler in Co. F. First South Dakota Volunteers since leaving for Manila. There is apparently nothing in this job to cause any more than the ordinary amount of sickness and death, but fate appears to have ordained otherwise in this company.
Ray Tenant, one of the company’s first buglers was sent home seriously ill. His place was filled by Whitridge, who soon succumbed to disease and when put aboard a ship for home was in an unconscious condition. Next came Willet whom the hand of death quickly seized. He was followed by Otto Berg, who acted as bugler but a short time when he too was stricken with disease and died. At this rate buglers will soon become scarce and no one will have the temerity to accept the job.
~Transcribed by Brown County Coordinator