The District of ColumbiaIn The Spanish American War, February 15th, 1898, to July 4th, 1902
The following information is about the Volunteers and Government Officials of the District of Columbia during the Spanish American War, the Philippine Insurrection, and China Relief Expedition, February 15th, 1898, to July 4th, 1902. If you have any additional information, photographs, artifacts, etc., that you wish to contribute, feel free to submit the information to the Webmaster.
Timeline of Events
April 23rd, 1898: President William McKinley issues a call for 125,000 volunteers. At the start of the War with Spain the District of Columbia�s military forces were organized under the title of the �National Guard of the District of Columbia� and was reported as having an authorized strength in April of 1898 of 155 officers and 3,165 enlisted men, in reality the number of men organized was only 1,397 officers and men, with another 50,000 liable for military duty. The National Guard was organized into one brigade composed of two regiments and one battalion of Infantry. In April of 1898 the Guard was organized with two Regiments of Infantry, one Seperate Battalion, and a battery of Artillery.
May 10th, 1898: Orders are received from the Secretary of War to concentrate and organize a Regiment of Volunteers to be known as the 1st District of Columbia Infantry Regiment, United States Volunteers.
May 10th to 17th, 1898: The 1st District of Columbia Volunteer Infantry Regiment is mustered into United States service at Washington, D.C., under the command of Colonel George H. Harries.
May 11th, 1898: The District of Columbia Naval Battalion is created and organized with not more than four divisions (companies), the official designation is the �Naval Battalion, District of Columbia National Guard.� The Battalion is under the command of Commander R.P Hains.
November 20th, 1898: The 1st District of Columbia Volunteer Infantry Regiment is mustered out of United States service at Washington, D.C.
Camps and Military Installations
During peace time and war the United States Military and State National Guard maintains forts, posts, depots, and other installations throughout the various states, and in times of war Camps are organized as rendezvous for the various volunteers joining. The following is a listing of those posts that were located and active in the District of Columbia from February 15th, 1898, to July 4th, 1902.
NATIONAL GUARD ARMORIESThere were four (4) National Guard Armories in Washington, D.C., one for the National Guard (1), the 1st Battalion (2), the 1st Separate Battalion (3), and Company C of the 2nd Battalion (4).
(ARMY) WASHINGTON BARRACKSTo Be Added
MARINE CORPS BARRACKSThe Marine Corps Barracks in Washington, D.C., were established in 1801, and among other things serves as the residence of the Commandant of the Marine Corps.
U.S. NAVAL OBSERVATORYThe U.S. Naval Observatory was established in December of 1830, it was here that the charts and other navigational equipment was cared for and repaired.
U.S. NAVAL STATIONThe Naval Station consisted of the Navy Yard, Naval Hospital, and a Marine Barracks. It was first established in October of 1799, and is the oldest shore established of the Navy. During the war with Spain it served several purposes including the production of weapons, ammunition, and armament for U.S. Naval vessels.
Veterans Organizations
Following the end of the conflicts the Veterans began forming themselves into various regimental and national organizations for the purpose of keeping in contact with old and new friends, as well as to perpetuate the memory of their fallen comrades, several organizations sprung up in the years immediately following the war, however aside from the Regimental Associations most of these eventually came together to form the "United Spanish War Veterans." The following is information regarding the Department of the District of Columbia of the United Spanish War Veterans and the Auxiliary of the United Spanish War Veterans.
Veterans Memorials
The following pages contain information on the burial locations of the Veterans of 1898 to 1902, as well as the monuments and memorials that were erected to the memory of the Veterans, Battles, and other events that took place during those years, within the District of Columbia.
Resources
Books & Published Material
- Page 783, "The Annual Cyclopedia and Register of Important Events of the Year 1898." D. Appleton & Company, New York, 1899.
- �Camps of the United Spanish War Veterans. Local Lairs of the Military Order of the Serpent, 1904-1992.� George Kane; Massachusetts.
- Page 587, "Correspondence relating to the War with Spain, and conditions growing out of the same, including the Insurrection in the Philippine Islands, and the China Relief Expedition, between the Adjutant-General of the Army and Military Commanders in the United States, Cuba, Porto Rico, China, and the Philippine Islands, from April 15, 1898, to July 30, 1902." Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C., 1902.
- Volume I, "Historical Register and Dictionary of the United States Army, from its organization, September 29, 1789, to March 2, 1903." Francis B. Heitman, Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C., 1903.
- �Honors Well Won.� Pages 1 & 10, �The Washington Post.� Washington, D.C., Thursday, November 17th, 1898.
- "Officers of Volunteer Regiments Organized Under the Act of March 2, 1899." Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1899.
- Pages 334 to 341, "The Organized Militia of the United States." Government Printing Press, Washington, D.C., 1900.
- Volume's I, II, & III, �Report of the Commissioners of the District of Columbia for the Year Ended June 30, 1898.� Government Printing Press, Washington, D.C., 1898.
- Volume's I, II, & III, �Report of the Commissioners of the District of Columbia for the Year Ended June 30, 1899.� Government Printing Press, Washington, D.C., 1899.
- "Statistical Exhibit of Strength of Volunteer Forces Called Into Service During the War With Spain; with Losses From All Causes." Adjutant Generals Office, Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C., 1899.
Documents, Papers & Non-Published Materials
- General Index to Compiled Service Records of Volunteer Soldiers who served During the War with Spain. Microfilm publication M871, 126 rolls. ARC ID: 654543; Records of the Adjutant General's Office, 1780s-1917, Record Group 94; The National Archives at Washington, D.C.
- Pension applications for service in the US Army between 1861 and 1900, grouped according to the units in which the veterans served. (NARA T289) National Archives & Records Administration, Washington, D.C.
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