William Flockens's 1904 Military Travel Guide

At the turn of the 20^th century, Americans were fascinated by other cultures, societies, and landscapes. While the country’s wealthy elite had long enjoyed world tours, average Americans learned about faraway places only by reading articles and looking at photographs in books and magazines.  But there was a small group who traveled to foreign lands and shared their adventures through letters, diaries, photographs, and memoirs. They were the American military.

One who did so was Sgt. William Flocken, an Indiana boy, who eventually settled in Fremont, Ohio. Flocken joined the 13^th U.S. Infantry at the age of 20 in 1898.  His unit was one of those that charged up Cuba’s San Juan Hill with the Rough Riders during the Spanish-American War. Following the conflict, Flocken enlisted with the 13^th two more times. 

It was during 1904 and 1905 that Sgt. Flocken created a 70-page handwritten memoir documenting his travels and the scenes of the Philippine Insurrection that had ended victoriously in 1902. He and two of his comrades photographed the sights and scenes as they journeyed from Denver to San Francisco by rail and then across the Pacific to Honolulu, Guam, Japan, and finally to Manila Bay in the Philippines. Flocken added nearly 120 of these photographs to his carefully written account.

Filipino Home at Manila Bay
Photograph by Sgt. William Flocken

Intelligent and well educated, Flocken, was obviously one of those eager to learn about other cultures and people. More a travel guide than a memoir, he seemed intent on including something of interest for everyone. There are pictures of historic sites, harbors, forts, barracks, prisons, ships, street scenes, churches, homes, as well as images of his comrades and native-born Hawaiians and Filipinos. Flocken photographed the big guns that General James B. McPherson mounted on Alcatraz before the Civil War; volcanoes; Filipinos bamboo homes;  a 17^th century monastery; and 15^th century churches.

Big Guns Mounted on Alcatraz by General James B. McPherson
Photograph by Sgt. William Flocken

In today’s world, with 24/7 information and images, Flocken’s travel guide may not seem special.  But in 1904, his memoir was a rare, personal account of war and adventure in faraway places that few Americans would ever experience. Carefully preserved, there is little doubt that Flocken’s family cherished this unique record of their soldier ancestor’s efforts to share the memories of all he had seen and done half a world away.

Descendants donated Flocken’s record to the Hayes Presidential Library and Museums in 1986.

Several bayonets owned by Flocken can be viewed in the Hayes Presidential Library and Museums' Objects Database.