James William Bampton

Company C 22nd Infantry

KIA 07/01/1898

James W. Bampton was born in Swindon, England in 1874.

He enlisted in Company C of the 22nd Infantry on September 3, 1896 at Detroit, Michigan.
His enlistment record indicated that he stood 5 feet 7 ½ inches tall, had dark brown hair, brown eyes
and a fair complextion. His previous occupation was listed as Heater.

Private Bampton was Killed In Action during the Battle of El Caney, Cuba,
on July 1, 1898.

Bampton had a premonition of his death, just before the battle, as related in the following
passage written by Orrin R. Wolfe, then a 1st Lieutenant in Company E 22nd Infantry,
who encountered Bampton, as the 22nd Infantry marched on the road to El Caney:

"I remember we changed direction off the trail shortly and moved towards a large and beautiful house set in the meadow.
We then changed direction again and moved on a road leading directly towards El Caney. About this time a Cuban dove
flew down and lighted for an instant on a soldier by the name of Bampton, I think a member of Company C 22nd Infantry.
The lieutenant in the company said, "Bampton, you are in luck today." Bampton replied, "I have heard differently, Lieutenant."
Bampton was one of the first men killed. I found his body that night when we were searching for the wounded and dead.
He had evidently been kneeling and firing from behind a large mango tree, because he was lying on his side in the kneeling position.
Shot through the mouth, and was as black as coal in the face."

( In the original article from which the above passage is taken, Wolfe misspelled Bampton's name as "Banforth". )

Article announcing the funeral of James W. Bampton

Photo by : l byers from the Find A Grave website

He was the son of James and Mary Hill Bampton.

Burial:
Harvard Grove Cemetery
Cleveland
Cuyahoga County
Ohio, USA
Plot: Sec 8, Lot 92, Grave 2W

Grave monument for James W. Bampton

Photo by Nancy Brown from the Find A Grave website

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