This book was owned and used by Simon H. Ottenhausen. He was a Lieutenant and later a Captain of Company L of the Illinois National Guard who were attached to the 6th Infantry and sent to Cuba in July of 1898 and later to Puerto Rico.
In the photo, he’s one of the Jr. officers at the back of the formation.

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Inside the cover...

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The photo...

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Cover Page

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That is some neat stuff. Here is where he was recognize when promoted to 1st Lt. in 1897 on page 739.

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I'm from rural Freeport, IL.

Here is an obituary for him:
SIMON H. OTTENHAUSEN
Stricken while at his desk in the W. T. Rawleigh company plant yesterday afternoon, Simon H. Ottenhausen, 68, a Spanish American war veteran and a lifelong resident of Freeport, died suddenly about 3:30 o'clock. Mr. Ottenhausen, who was a foreman at the Rawleigh plant was found seated in a chair by fellow workers. He had been connected with the company for the past forty years. He resided at 715 West Avon street. Funeral services will be held at the Walker mortuary, West Main street, at 2 o'clock Monday afternoon. Dr. Edwin A. Arends pastor of St. John's Evangelical and Reformed church, will conduct the services and interment will be made in City cemetery. The U.S.W.V. will conduct services at the grave. Friends may call at the mortuary. Mr. Ottenhausen was born in Freeport May 2, 1873, the son of Mr. and Mrs. August Ottenhausen. He was educated in Freeport schools and was united in marriage in 1896 to Miss Anna Hauth, who survives. He also leaves one daughter, Mrs. Ray Harkness, Shirland, Ill. There is also one grandson. Four sisters and three brothers survive, Mrs. August Schmidt, Mrs. Robert Moore, Mrs. Otto Heusing, Mrs. Arthur Landgraf, Fred, Henry and George Ottenhausen, all of Freeport. He was a member of the old Company L. I.N.G., and served in the Spanish American war with that company being a first lieutenant. He was a member of the company for many years and took an active interest in the affairs of that organization. He was affiliated with Albert E. Schmidt camp No. 4, U. S. W. V. [Contributed by Karen Fyock - November 29, 1941 clipping]

Here is a picture of Simon Ottenhausen's grave sight. Just curious where the book was obtained and if the picture was in it.

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Thank you for all the Great information!
I found the book on eBay and I found the picture on line.
There seems to be a lot more on line about his unit and himself.

The books front cover seems to have had oil soaked into it.
Probably occurred during a rifle cleaning.

Nice piece of Krag history, Fred. Thanks for sharing.

Oh, thank you! I’ve had it awhile but only just now looked the man’s name up.
If anyone has anything neat to trade for it, I can find another such book to keep.
Just thinking here.

I searched and found my copies of Rules For The Management for the Krag, 1898 and Springfield Trapdoor and Army Pistol, also 1898. Filled with tons of detailed info about these firearms.

My Krag manual is labeled inside the cover belonging to the Preparedness Club of Cleveland. Not as interesting a previous owner as yours!

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Oh I think your books are better. They’e in Great shape!

Here is a list of the men in the unit

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That is great stuff. I am not native to Freeport, but have lived here for 38 years. Some of the names on the roster are still common to the area (Lentz, Barth, Ottenhauser, etc.). I'm trying to figure out where the picture was taken. The houses may or may not be still standing. The oldest part of my old farmhouse is from 1890 and I know the effort to keep an old house with a limestone foundation intact.

Is the monument marking the site of the Lincoln-Douglas Debate still standing at Freeport, Illinois?
(I suspect the homes are gone and the area is now 'developed city' surrounding Freeport's "Debate Square").

A 1903 Presidential dedication of "Debate Rock", with "TR" in the neighborhood. (Copyright date is misleading).

Apparently, the plaque was put on the two-ton rock in 1902. The dedication by President Roosevelt occurred in 1903.

Maybe, the photo of Company L - Indiana National Guard was taken at 1902 or 1903 events, rather then in 1898, when "Co. L" first returned home from Cuba & Puerto Rico? 

Neat thread!

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I did not pick up on the monument being the site of the Lincoln-Douglas debate. Nor did I know that TR dedicated it. Wow, right underneath my nose, too. The monument is on a different foundation and I'm not sure how close it is to the original location. But, yes, the houses are gone and there is quite a bit of space around the monument. It is next to an old-timey ice cream parlor where there is great expectation every Spring when it opens (well, delayed this year, of course). Freeport takes much pride in it being a debate site.

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The setting appears prettier in 1903!
Since the monument marked the site of the Famous Debate, when Lincoln posed the historic "Dilemma Question", that two-ton stone has not likely been moved very far.

Reading some of the material supplied by Fred G., I see that, the 6th Illinois N.G. Regiment was shipped from Springfield, Ill. to Camp Alger in Northern Virginia.

They bivouacked at Camp Alger, near Washington D.C., until being transported to Santiago, Cuba, and from there to Puerto Rico.
I would hazard to guess, the 6th Illinois N.G. was issued 'Trap-Door' Springfield rifles, at Camp Alger for the Cuba Campaign. When they embarked for Puerto Rico, they likely were issued Krag magazine rifles in Cuba.

I have a paper bond book on Camp Alger, which is an interesting read. Two of the Michigan Regiments, (33rd Mich. and 34th Mich.), also were sent to Camp Alger. They had a shorter stay in Virginia and got to Cuba in time to see some action.

This interesting book has references to the 6th Illinois N.G., but not, Co. L or Simon Ottenhausen specifically.

I have attached some content for everyone's enjoyment:

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More "City of Canvas" stuff:

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The 6th Mass. and 6th Illinois left Camp Alger on the same date, July 5, 1898, headed for Santiago, Cuba.

Arriving in Cuba, after the surrender of Santiago, both of these regiments were, subsequently, sent to invade Puerto Rico, likely re-equipped with Krag rifles.
(The land campaign in Puerto Rico lasted from July 25 to August 13, 1898, Ceasefire).

Attached pictures show a young 6th Mass. Soldier, (C.J. Duffy, Co. "C"), who went to Puerto Rico. He has a Krag, tropical uniform, and Spanish 'cockade' on his campaign hat.
(I saved this photo from off an ebay listing, a few years back).
A detail from a picture, (from "City of Canvass"), showing the 6th Mass leaving Camp Alger for Cuba with T-D Springfield rifles.
The Mass'. men seem to favor the 'Montana Peak' on their hats:

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That is some good stuff. Thanks

Wow!

Revisiting Co. L Ill. N.G. photo:

This photo had to be taken after the 1903 Dedication by President Theodore Roosevelt.

In the "Co. L" photo, the small plaque noting the 1903 Dedication is present.
I cropped the "T.R. Dedication" Photo from 1903 and the sub-plaque is absent.

FWIW - Some of the members of "Co. L" appear mighty small! I wonder if they are not military school cadets and some liberties were taken with the caption?

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I'm afraid BR may be right about the photo being mislabeled. By mistake or otherwise. But here is a photo of returning Spanish American War soldiers from Stephenson County Illinois, which Freeport is the county seat. Perhaps Simon Ottenhausen is in this photo.

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Neat picture find! That is the photograph taken on September 21, 1898, as described in the Link posted by Fred G.

When Company L arrived back at Freeport by train, (after a period of quarantine, I'm sure), they were greeted at the station by dignitaries and the Band, paraded up town, and posed for a unit photograph at "the old German Insurance Company Building".

FWIW - There are three officers in the center of this photograph. Captain Kling is likely in the middle with 'decorations', bracketed by 1st Lt. Ottenhausen and 2nd Lt. Yount.

(Lots of German families in Freeport, Ill., in 1898).