Massachusetts in the Spanish American War, Philippine Insurrection, and China Relief Expedition, February 15th, 1898, to July 4th, 1902

The State of Massachusetts

In The Spanish American War, February 15th, 1898, to July 4th, 1902

The following information is about the Volunteers and Government Officials of the State of Massachusetts 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	Government	Volunteers
Military Camps	Veterans Organizations	Memorials

Timeline of Events

April 23rd, 1898: President William McKinley issues a call for 125,000 volunteers from across the United States to serve for two years unless sooner discharged, with each state and territory being assigned a quota that they were requested to fill. At the start of the War with Spain Massachusetts military forces were organized under the title of the "Massachusetts Volunteer Militia" and was reported as having an authorized strength in April 1898 at around 6,592 officers and men, in reality the number of men organized were only 5,785 officers and men, with another 448,919 liable for military duty. The National Guard was organized into two brigades with the headquarters at Boston. In April 1898 they were organized as follows:

1st Regiment of Heavy Artillery

2nd Regiment of Infantry

5th Regiment of Infantry

6th Regiment of Infantry

8th Regiment of Infantry

9th Regiment of Infantry

1st Light Artillery Battalion

1st Battalion of Cavalry

First Corps of Cadets

Second Corps of Cadets

Battery A, Light Artillery

Troop F, Cavalry

Two (2) Companies of Signal Corps

Naval Brigade

The staff of the National Guard consisted of the Adjutant General, Surgeon General, Judge Advocate General, Commissary General, Inspector General, four (4) assistant adjutant generals, one (1) inspector general of rifle practice, five (5) assistant inspector generals and four (4) assistant quartermaster-generals. To this is added two (2) brigadier generals commanding the First and Second Brigades, who each had a staff of eleven (11) officers and eight (8) non-commissioned officers. There was also organized an Ambulance Corps for service with the State Militia.

May 8th to 10th, 1898: The Second (2nd) Massachusetts Infantry Regiment, U.S. Volunteers, is mustered into United States service at Camp Dewey, Massachusetts.

May 9th, 1898: The First (1st) Massachusetts Heavy Artillery Regiment, U.S. Volunteers, is mustered into United States service at Fort Warren, Massachusetts.

May 9th to 12th, 1898: The Ninth (9th) Massachusetts Infantry Regiment, U.S. Volunteers, is mustered into United States service at Camp Dewey, Massachusetts.

May 11th to 14th, 1898: The Eighth (8th) Massachusetts Infantry Regiment, U.S. Volunteers, is mustered into United States service at Camp Dewey, Massachusetts.

May 12th to 13th, 1898: The Sixth (6th) Massachusetts Infantry Regiment, U.S. Volunteers, is mustered into United States service at Camp Dalton, Massachusetts.

June 30th to July 2nd, 1898: The Fifth (5th) Massachusetts Infantry Regiment, U.S. Volunteers, is mustered into United States service at Camp Dalton, Massachusetts.

November 3rd, 1898: The Second (2nd) Massachusetts Infantry Regiment, U.S. Volunteers, is mustered out of United States service at the respective company stations.

November 14th, 1898: The First (1st) Massachusetts Heavy Artillery Regiment, U.S. Volunteers, is mustered out of United States service at Boston, New Bedford, Taunton and Fall River, Massachusetts

November 26th, 1898: The Ninth (9th) Massachusetts Infantry Regiment, U.S. Volunteers, is mustered out of United States service at Boston, Massachusetts.

January 21st, 1899: The Sixth (6th) Massachusetts Infantry Regiment, U.S. Volunteers, is mustered out of United States service at Boston, Massachusetts.

March 31st, 1899: The Fifth (5th) Massachusetts Infantry Regiment, U.S. Volunteers, is mustered out of United States service at Greenville, South Carolina.

April 28th, 1899: The Eighth (8th) Massachusetts Infantry Regiment, U.S. Volunteers, is mustered out of United States service at Boston, Massachusetts.

Turning over the colors of the Massachusetts Regiments to the Governor on Dewey Day (October 14th, 1899) at Boston, Massachusetts
(Regiments and Armories of Massachusetts)

Massachusetts Government	Massachusetts Volunteers
Federal and State Government	Massachusetts Volunteers, 1898 to 1902

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 State of Massachusetts from February 15th, 1898, to July 4th, 1902.

MASSACHUSETTS STATE ARMORIES AND ARSENALS

There were in the State of Massachusetts the following state armories. 2 in Boston (For 2 Regiments and detachments of Cavalry, Signal Corps, etc.), 1 at Fall River (for 2 companies), 1 at Lynn (for 3 companies), 1 at Springfield (for 4 companies) (Howard Street Armory), 1 at Worcester (for 4 companies), 1 at Lowell (for 4 companies), 1 at Lawrence (for 3 companies & Artillery headquarters), and 1 at Fitchburg (for 2 companies). The State Arsenal was located at South Framingham, being located at the State Campgrounds in that city.

CAMP DALTON, SOUTH FRAMINGHAM, MIDDLESEX COUNTY

Established as a training ground for the use of the Massachusetts Volunteer Militia in 1873 at South Framingham, and remaining in use into the 1920’s. With the calling up of volunteers in April 1898, the first troops arrived on the grounds, which were then designated as Camp Dalton in honor of the Massachusetts Adjutant General Samuel Dalton. The Camp served as the mobilization camp of the 5th & 6th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiments, and after their departures was discontinued as a mobilization camp. The grounds returned to the care of the State. Today, the site is the location of the Headquarters for the Massachusetts State Police and the Massachusetts Civil Defense Force.

CAMP DEWEY, SOUTH FRAMINGHAM, MIDDLESEX COUNTY

This camp was named in honor of Admiral George Dewey, U.S.N., and was established as the mobilization camp of the 2nd, 8th & 9th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiments in May of 1898. The camp was located on the grounds of the state military encampment in South Framingham, which was situated on 115 acres of property, the site is today the location of the Headquarters for the Massachusetts State Police and the Massachusetts Civil Defense Force.

SPRINGFIELD ARMORY, SPRINGFIELD, HAMPDEN COUNTY

Established on ground used by the Massachusetts Colonial Militia for drill and training, it was placed on a high bluff overlooking the Connecticut River, the Arsenal was established in 1777, when surveyed and laid out by Generals George Washington and Henry Knox. The site initially began with the production of cartridges and gun carriages, and during the Revolutionary War was also used as a storehouse. Following the conclusion of the Revolution, the Arsenal continued to serve as a storehouse and production center for both ammunition and small arms. In 1786 the Armory played a central part in Shay’s Rebellion when a group of Massachusetts citizens attempted to seize the Armory and its weapons to overthrow the State Government, defended by the State Militia, the attacked was quickly beaten back, with the Militiamen firing grapeshot into the group. Being still used as a storehouse for equipment, in 1795 the armory produced the first Springfield Musket, the nation’s first American made military musket. Continuing its production of firearms, the Armory provided the bulk of the weapons for the War of 1812 and Mexican Wars, and a substantial amount for the American Civil War, producing in 1864 276,000 rifles during the year. Continuing its role throughout the years, the Armory served as the birthplace of the 1903 Springfield, the M1 Garand and the M14 Rifles. In 1968 the Armory was officially decommissioned as an Army installation, with portions of the site being sold off and a large section being turned over to the City of Springfield and the State of Massachusetts. Part of the site is now the Springfield Armory National Historic Site run by the National Park service, with other portions being used as the site of the Springfield Technical Community College and private businesses.

FORT WARREN, BOSTON, SUFFOLK COUNTY

Established on the 28-acre George’s Island in Boston Harbor, Massachusetts, the post was named in honor of Revolutionary War Dr. Joseph Warren, who was killed in action at the Battle of Bunker Hill. Construction on the Fort began in 1833 and continued until 1861, when she was completed. Intended for the defense of the harbor, during the Civil War, the post was garrisoned, and used as a prisoner of war camp for Confederate officers from 1862 to 1865. Following the end of the war the post once more returned to its role as a harbor defense fortification, and in the 1870’s underwent several upgrades, including the addition of barbette batteries, etc. Another series of upgrades was started in 1892 for the addition of the modern breech-loading rifled guns and Endicott batteries, this work continued until 1903, and when completed saw the addition of five batteries (Adams, Bartlett, Lowell, Plunkett & Stevens). During the First World War the Fort served as the headquarters of the Boston Coastal Defenses, and again in World War II as the control center for the harbor’s mine fields to protect against German U-Boats operating in the Atlantic. Following the end of the Second World War the post was gradually reduced, until 1950 when it was officially decommissioned, and in 1958 was sold to the State of Massachusetts. The site underwent restoration and now used as a State Park.

WATERTOWN ARSENAL, WATERTOWN, MIDDLESEX COUNTY

Established in 1816 on 40 acres of land along the shore of the Charles River in Watertown, Massachusetts, the post was intended for the use of storage and issuing of ordnance materials, the work of constructing the arsenal lasted from 1816 to 1819. By the start of the American Civil War in 1861, the Arsenal had been expanded and was engaged in production of field and coastal gun carriages, as well as seeing the addition of several machine shops on the grounds to assist in this work. In 1892 the Arsenal was modified to become less of a storage facility, and more of a production arsenal for the new pattern of gun carriages for artillery, and as a result the arsenal was expanded, by 1897 had an additional 44 acres added to the site. World War I saw an additional increase in the Arsenals activities and was tripled in size, and a rail line was run through the arsenal grounds, with World War II seeing the addition of 7 more acres to the site. In 1968 the Arsenal's use as a production center for Artillery was officially discontinued, with a portion of the grounds being sold off, and 48-acres retained for use as the Army Materials & Mechanics Research Center, which continued in use until 1995, when the sites was officially discontinued as a military post. Today the site serves as the home of a park, several restaurants, office space and other similar style businesses.

CAMP WOLCOTT, GLOUCESTER, ESSEX COUNTY

The camp was named in honor of Governor Roger Wolcott of Massachusetts, and was established in May of 1898, for the purpose of housing units of the Massachusetts Volunteer Militia that were not called up to active service, however served as guards at Gloucester until batteries from the 1st Massachusetts Heavy Artillery Regiment, U.S.V., could be sent to Gloucester to provide a defense for that place. The camp remained in operation from May 3rd to 31st when the last units of the M.V.M. departed from the site after the arrival of the Volunteer Batteries. The camp was located on the Eastern Point of Massachusetts Bay near to Gloucester for the purpose of defending against Spanish Raiders that were thought to be going to attacking the United States coastline.

Members of the 1st Massachusetts Heavy Artillery Regiment manning the 8-in. battery at Fort Warren, Massachusetts, ca. 1898
(Regiments and Armories of Massachusetts)

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 Massachusetts of the United Spanish War Veterans and the Auxiliary of the United Spanish War Veterans.

Department of Massachusetts
United Spanish War Veterans

Department of Massachusetts
Auxiliary of the U.S.W.V.

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 State of Massachusetts.

Graves Registry

Monuments & Memorials

Resources

Books & Published Material

- Pages 422 to 427 & 787, "The Annual Cyclopedia and Register of Important Events of the Year 1898." D. Appleton & Company, New York, 1899.

- "Annual Report of the Adjutant General of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for the year ending December 31, 1897." Wright & Otter Printing Company, Boston, Massachusetts; 1898.

- "Annual Report of the Adjutant General of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for the year ending December 31, 1898." Wright & Otter Printing Company, Boston, Massachusetts; 1899.

- "Annual Report of the Adjutant General of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for the year ending December 31, 1889." Wright & Otter Printing Company, Boston, Massachusetts; 1900.

- "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.

- "Officers of Volunteer Regiments Organized Under the Act of March 2, 1899." Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1899.

- Pages 65 to 92, "The Organized Militia of the United States." Government Printing Press, Washington, D.C., 1900.

- Volumes I & II, "Regiments and Armories of Massachusetts." Charles W. Hall; W.W. Potter Company, Boston, Massachusetts; 1901.

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.