Camp Alger
Encyclopedia
Camp Alger, near Falls Church, Virginia
, was established May 18, 1898, for the Spanish American War effort. It was approved by Secretary of War Russell A. Alger
for whom it was named.
. The surface of this tract is rolling, partly wooded, with cultivated clearings and with good drainage. The soil is of clay and sand and nearly impervious to water. Immediately after the selection of this camp preparations were made for the reception of troops by the erection of storehouses at Dunn Loring, where the Southern Railway put in extra sidings to accommodate the increased traffic.
was constituted May 7, and May 16 Maj. Gen. William M. Graham, was assigned to the command, and the troops which were to compose the corps were ordered to this camp. General Graham arrived May 19 and assumed command, which he exercised during the existence of the camp. This corps was composed wholly of volunteers. The troops commenced arriving the 18th of May, and by the last of that month there were 18,309 officers and mem in camp. On the last day of June there were 23,511 officers and men, on the last day of July there were 22,180, on the last day of August the troops present at this camp. Total number of troops that went to Camp Alger 31,195.
Duffield's
brigade left camp June 15 and Garretson's
brigade July 5, both for Santiago, Cuba
to reinforce Gen. Shafter's
army.
hometown of Canton.
Another unit from McKinley's home state was the Ninth Ohio Volunteer Infantry Battalion, an African American
regiment. At Camp Alger, this battalion was initially assigned to the Second Brigade, Second Division, of the Second Army Corps.
When President William McKinley and his Cabinet visited Camp Alger, on May 28, 1898, two short films were made of this event.
The woods were quite badly polluted by the excreta of the men; but the commanding officer issued stringent sanitary regulations and used great efforts to see that they were obeyed. His efforts were fairly successful. The troops were well supplied with tentage. The camps of the different regiments were well policed, and the refuse properly disposed of by burning. The rations were abundant in quantity and good in quality. Field bakeries were established in the camp and at Dunn Loring on August 2, from which the corps was supplied with excellent bread. As heretofore stated, on the 1st of August it was decided to reduce the number of troops, one division being sent to Thoroughfare Gap, and about two weeks later it was decided to move the whole corps. Early in September that was accomplished. During the existence of this camp the weather was exceedingly hot and some portion of the time very rainy, both of which conditions, with myriads of flies which infested the camp, were the causes of much discomfort to the men. The health of this locality is reputed to be as good as any in the section of country about Washington.
epidemic of July to November 1898.
The number of deaths from May 18 to October 11 was 71, and at Thoroughfare Gap 34. This death rate is not abnormal, and, judging from it, the locality can not be considered unhealthful. The Seventh Illinois Regiment, which was encamped there during the whole time, lost but one man up to the 14th day of December, a record probably not equaled by any other regiment in the service. The establishment of Camp Alger is justifiable upon the report as to the suitableness of the site, but considering the scarcity of water and the want of facilities for bathing, we are of opinion that it was very undesirable, and was not abandoned too soon.
On August 2 the 2nd Division of the corps marched to Thoroughfare Gap
, 80 miles distant, and remained in camp there for about one month.
Early in September the remainder of the corps was transferred to Camp Meade
, near Middletown
, Pennsylvania
.
Falls Church, Virginia
The City of Falls Church is an independent city in Virginia, United States, in the Washington Metropolitan Area. The city population was 12,332 in 2010, up from 10,377 in 2000. Taking its name from The Falls Church, an 18th-century Anglican parish, Falls Church gained township status within...
, was established May 18, 1898, for the Spanish American War effort. It was approved by Secretary of War Russell A. Alger
Russell A. Alger
Russell Alexander Alger was the 20th Governor and U.S. Senator from the state of Michigan and also U.S. Secretary of War during the Presidential administration of William McKinley...
for whom it was named.
Location
Camp Alger was about 1½ miles from Dunn Loring, a station on a branch of the Southern Railway, as above stated, and 7 miles from Washington, D.C, and about 5 miles distant from Fort MyerFort Myer
Fort Myer is a U.S. Army post adjacent to Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington County, Virginia, across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C. It is a small post by U.S...
. The surface of this tract is rolling, partly wooded, with cultivated clearings and with good drainage. The soil is of clay and sand and nearly impervious to water. Immediately after the selection of this camp preparations were made for the reception of troops by the erection of storehouses at Dunn Loring, where the Southern Railway put in extra sidings to accommodate the increased traffic.
Second Army Corps
The Second Army CorpsSecond Army Corps
The Second Army Corps was a unit of the United States Army raised for the Spanish American War.A defining event of the Spanish American War was the typhoid fever epidemic of July to November 1898. The Army consequently undertook a series of mass-retreats and attempted evasions...
was constituted May 7, and May 16 Maj. Gen. William M. Graham, was assigned to the command, and the troops which were to compose the corps were ordered to this camp. General Graham arrived May 19 and assumed command, which he exercised during the existence of the camp. This corps was composed wholly of volunteers. The troops commenced arriving the 18th of May, and by the last of that month there were 18,309 officers and mem in camp. On the last day of June there were 23,511 officers and men, on the last day of July there were 22,180, on the last day of August the troops present at this camp. Total number of troops that went to Camp Alger 31,195.
Duffield's
Henry M. Duffield
Henry Martyn Duffield Colonel in the Union Army during the American Civil War; lawyer; candidate for U.S. Representative from Michigan 1st District, 1876; Brigadier General of U.S. Volunteers during the Spanish-American War; Presidential Elector for Michigan, 1904...
brigade left camp June 15 and Garretson's
George A. Garretson
George Armstrong Garretson enlisted as private in the Union Army during the Civil War and later graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York. He returned to duty for the Spanish American War as a Brigadier-general of U.S. Volunteers. In civilian life he held many prominent...
brigade July 5, both for Santiago, Cuba
Santiago de Cuba
Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city of Cuba and capital city of Santiago de Cuba Province in the south-eastern area of the island, some south-east of the Cuban capital of Havana....
to reinforce Gen. Shafter's
William Rufus Shafter
William Rufus Shafter was a Union Army officer during the American Civil War who received America's highest military decoration, the Medal of Honor, for his actions at the Battle of Fair Oaks. Shafter also played a prominent part as a major general in the Spanish-American War...
army.
President McKinley
The 8th Ohio Infantry Regiment, U.S. Volunteers, arrived at Camp Alger on May 19, 1898, was nicknamed “McKinley’s Own” or “The President’s Own” because three companies were from President William McKinley’sWilliam McKinley
William McKinley, Jr. was the 25th President of the United States . He is best known for winning fiercely fought elections, while supporting the gold standard and high tariffs; he succeeded in forging a Republican coalition that for the most part dominated national politics until the 1930s...
hometown of Canton.
Another unit from McKinley's home state was the Ninth Ohio Volunteer Infantry Battalion, an African American
Military history of African Americans
The military history of African Americans spans from the arrival of the first black slaves during the colonial history of the United States to the present day...
regiment. At Camp Alger, this battalion was initially assigned to the Second Brigade, Second Division, of the Second Army Corps.
When President William McKinley and his Cabinet visited Camp Alger, on May 28, 1898, two short films were made of this event.
Water and Sanitation
The water supply was also quite limited and never was sufficient for other uses than cooking and drinking, and not that until about the 25th of June, when about forty wells had been sunk. There were no adequate bathing facilities nearer than the Potomac River, which was 7 miles distant. The troops were encamped both in the open and wooded portions. Those in the latter did not seem to suffer on account of their position. The sinks were generally properly policed, of the regulation depth, and were very soon inclosed.The woods were quite badly polluted by the excreta of the men; but the commanding officer issued stringent sanitary regulations and used great efforts to see that they were obeyed. His efforts were fairly successful. The troops were well supplied with tentage. The camps of the different regiments were well policed, and the refuse properly disposed of by burning. The rations were abundant in quantity and good in quality. Field bakeries were established in the camp and at Dunn Loring on August 2, from which the corps was supplied with excellent bread. As heretofore stated, on the 1st of August it was decided to reduce the number of troops, one division being sent to Thoroughfare Gap, and about two weeks later it was decided to move the whole corps. Early in September that was accomplished. During the existence of this camp the weather was exceedingly hot and some portion of the time very rainy, both of which conditions, with myriads of flies which infested the camp, were the causes of much discomfort to the men. The health of this locality is reputed to be as good as any in the section of country about Washington.
Typhoid
A defining event of the war and Camp Alger was the typhoid feverTyphoid fever
Typhoid fever, also known as Typhoid, is a common worldwide bacterial disease, transmitted by the ingestion of food or water contaminated with the feces of an infected person, which contain the bacterium Salmonella enterica, serovar Typhi...
epidemic of July to November 1898.
The number of deaths from May 18 to October 11 was 71, and at Thoroughfare Gap 34. This death rate is not abnormal, and, judging from it, the locality can not be considered unhealthful. The Seventh Illinois Regiment, which was encamped there during the whole time, lost but one man up to the 14th day of December, a record probably not equaled by any other regiment in the service. The establishment of Camp Alger is justifiable upon the report as to the suitableness of the site, but considering the scarcity of water and the want of facilities for bathing, we are of opinion that it was very undesirable, and was not abandoned too soon.
On August 2 the 2nd Division of the corps marched to Thoroughfare Gap
Thoroughfare Gap (Bull Run Mountain)
Thoroughfare Gap is a water gap in the Bull Run Mountains created by Broad Run between High Point Mountain to the north and Bisquit Mountain to the south...
, 80 miles distant, and remained in camp there for about one month.
Early in September the remainder of the corps was transferred to Camp Meade
Camp George Meade
Camp George G. Meade near Middletown, Pennsylvania was a camp established and subsequently abandoned by the U.S. Volunteers during the Spanish American War.-History:...
, near Middletown
Middletown, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania
Middletown is a borough in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, on the Susquehanna River, nine miles southeast of Harrisburg. It is part of the Harrisburg–Carlisle Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
.
External links
- Camp Russell A. Alger, historical marker near Merrifield in Fairfax County, Virginia.
- Camp Alger, historical marker Dunn Loring in Fairfax County, Virginia.
- Sgt. William Curtis, 9th Massachusetts, Writes of Life at Camp Alger
- Sherman Wyre of the 8th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Co. H. Writes Home from Camp Alger
- The Diary of Private William Karg (1868–1927) 8th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Company M
- Spanish American War Camps 1898-99
- SPANISH AMERICAN WAR CAMPS 1898-99 PERIOD Primary Sources