On the reverse side of the monument is a plaque
cast from metal recovered from the USS Maine
In memoriam:
Louis W. Baker
Guy W. Halladay
Constantine L. North
William P. Northcross
Gave the utmost
USS Maine destroyed in Havana Harbor. Feb 15, 1898
This monument is located in Irvine Regional Park, City of Orange, California.
This does not infer that these men served on the Battleship Maine, in fact this unit never left the states but these men were willing and even eager to fight. After the sinking of the Maine and war was declared against Spain the California National Guard was called into service and Company L, part of the Seventh California Infantry, was sent from Santa Ana to San Francisco in preparation for service in the Philippines. In his book "The Story of Company L, Santa Ana's Own" 1956 Fraser Press, Claremont CA -Charles D. Swanner says "The Seventh California Infantry, of which Company L was a part, were sworn into Federal Service on May 9th, 1898, at the Presidio. The men were equipped for service in the Philippines, their spirits high, and everyone looked forward to combat service in that area. The Seventh Regiment was moved to Camp Merritt, the embarkation camp on San Francisco bay, on May 25th 1898, and assigned to the steamship Indiana, scheduled to sail on June 25th, 1898. Then on June 20th, 1898, came an order rescinding their departure. What a disappointment! But General Harrison G. Otis sent assurances that they would leave with the Fourth Expedition on July 15th, 1898. Hope springs anew in the human breast and the men look forward to departing on that later date. But July 15th arrived, the Fourth Expedition sailed away, and Company L, with the other units of the Seventh California Infantry, were still marking time at Camp Merritt, confused and heartbroken to have been left behind the second time. However, General Otis assured the officers of the Seventh Regiment on July 17th that they would be included in the Fifth Expedition, that was leaving on July 23rd, 1898. The Fifth Expedition disappeared over the horizon, and again the Seventh Regiment was left behind, but were advised that they would sail on the ship Scandia, leaving on July 28th, 1898. By this time the men of Company L were becoming skeptical of the promises and assurances that they would be sent overseas, and sure enough the Scandia sailed without them.
The morale of the men was anything but good after the many disappointments they had received, but General Miller assured them that they would be shipped out on August 22nd, 1898, on the ships Sydney and Australia, but that day came and nothing happened. The men of the regiment were ready to riot and in an ugly mood! Only good officers and discipline kept them in line. The regiment moved back to the Presidio on August 24th, 1898. The war was over and the regiment was mustered out of service at Los Angeles on December 2nd, 1898."