Below are several items on R. C. Fleming. First is the obituary for R. C. Fleming, who is buried in the South Park Cemetery in Roswell, Chaves County, New Mexico. After that is an extract of his military records.
In addition to this information, in article in the Roswell Record
dated September 3, 1910, it is stated that Fleming died in Cloudcroft where
he had gone for the high altitude and pure air. His body was brought to
Roswell by his wife and mother, he was 29 years old.
The funeral of the late Courtland Fleming was held at 3:30 Monday afternoon, the entire service being in the hands of the Masonic Lodge, the deceased having been a 33d degree Mason. Lodge was opened at the MasonicTemple and the cortage moved from the Fleming homeon North Lea avenue. At the South Side cemetery the Masonic service was carried out following which burial was made. There was a good size crowd in attendance, the lodge being present in a body. Beautiful flowers were brought in token of respect and esteem for he departed and the bereaved relatives.
Robert Courtland Fleming was born at Mound City, Kan., March 14, 1881. He spent his boyhood in that place and on May 10, 1898, was one of the first to enlist in the volunteers for the Spanish-American war, becoming a member of the famous Fighting Twentieth Kansas Regiment. With that regiment he sailed from San Francisco on the transport Indiana, and, upon reaching the Philippine Islands, was in the first battle of the war between the United States and Insurgents. He was in eight engagements during the war and was severely wounded in the battle of Guiguinto, just before the capture of Malolos, the Filipino capitol. After his injury he was in the hospital for sixty days and then reported for duty on the day of the battle of San Fernando, but his officers would not accept him on account of weakened condition. Coming home with his regiment, the young soldier reached Topeka Kan., November 2, 1899.
In the winter of 1899-1900 Mr Fleming took a course in the Kansas City Commercial College and the following spring accepted the position of office deputy under U.S. Marshall Leo Bennett of Muskogee, Okla., and served for six years, at the end of which time Oklahoma became a state. Later he moved to New Mexico for his health and, after almost a year's stay here returned to Oklahoma greatly improved. He returned to New Mexico last May on account of ill health, but did not recover this time as he had done upon his first visit. His death occurred at Cloudcroft last Saturday.
Deceased was married October 10, 1902, to Miss Paphine Woolcot, of Wewoka, Okla., and leaves the widow and one little daughter, six years of age. Deceased was always a kind and loving son, husband and father and made many friends in every community in which he lived. He was a good citizen and his death is deeply regretted by all.
Extract of Fleming's Military Records:
Courtland Fleming enrolled and joined on May 10th, 1898 at
Topeka, Kansas. Courtland was 19 years old, 5 feet 8 ½ inches
tall with a fair complexion, gray eyes and brown hair. He was born
at Mound City, Kansas.
Courtland was a musician in the band with the 20th Kansas
Infantry but he saw plenty of action in the Philippines. He was wounded
at Guiguinto River near Manilla on March 29th, 1899.
The wound was listed as a Gun Shot Wound (Mauser), with the bullet entering just above the symphysis pubis median line; the bullet lodged deeply in the lumbar muscles to left of 10" dorsal vertebrae.
He was admitted to Division Hospital, Manila, P.I. on March 30, 1899, at 10:30 a.m., to Ward No. 9, bed No. 5., he was discharged from the hospital to his quarters on May 18th, 1899.
The Surgeon, Maj. Fitzgerald (operator) wrote that the ball was located 1 inch above the crest of (unreadable) and 3 inches to left of median line of spine - cut down and ext(unreadble). Mauser deeply imbedded in lumbar muscles.
Courtland Fleming was mustered out of the service at Presidio, San
Francisco on October 28th, 1899.
Roswell Record, September 3, 1910. (obituary)
Pension records, National Archives.
