Second Army Corps
Encyclopedia
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. The Typhoid Board concluded that only one of the five army corps stricken with epidemic typhoid succeeded in suppressing the disease actively, the 2nd Army Corps. In the wake of two fruitless relocations and months of casualties, commanders finally managed to impose an effective latrine-policy. A three-part strategy of draconian defecation-management, mass-disinfection, and flight received the Typhoid Board’s imprimatur as the principal, recommended method for suppressing existing epidemics.
.
After the declaration of war McKinley revised that arrangement and approved the organization of eight army corps, each of which was to consist of three or more divisions of three brigades each. Each brigade was to have approximately 3,600 officers and enlisted men organized into three regiments and, with three such brigades, each division was to total about 11,000 officers and men. Thus the division was to be about the same size as the division of 1861, but army corps were to be larger. The division staff initially was to have an adjutant general, quartermaster, commissary, surgeon, inspector general, and engineer, with an ordnance officer added later. The brigade staff was identical except that no inspector general or ordnance officer was authorized.
In mid-May the volunteers were moved to a few large unfinished camps in the South, and when they arrived only seven instead of the eight projected army corps were organized. Two army corps, the Fourth and Fifth consisted of regulars and volunteers, while the others like the Second Corps were made up of volunteers.
Before the new army completed its organization and training, it was thrust into combat. About two-thirds of Fifth Army Corps, one dismounted cavalry and two infantry divisions, sailed for Cuba in June 1898. Expeditions also were mounted for Puerto Rico and the Philippine Islands (Eighth Corps
) in which partial army corps provided the troops.
6th company U. S. V. Signal Corps.
The 11th Company, U. S. V. Signal Corps, Capt. Carl F. Hartmand, Commanding, joined at Camp Alger, Va., July 13, 1898, with a strength of 3 officers and 56 enlisted men.
The Squadron New York Volunteer Cavalry (Troops A and C), Capt. Bertram T. Clayton, Commanding, joined at Camp Alger, Va., May 22, 1898, with a strength of four officers and 180 enlisted men. This squadron served in Puerto Rico during August 1898 with the Squadron Pennsylvania Volunteer Cavalry.
The Squadron Pennsylvania Volunteer Cavalry, Capt. John C. Groome. Commanding, joined at Camp Alger, Va., July 8, 1898, with a strength of 9 officers and 287 enlisted men. Which consisted of The Governor's Troop, The Sheridan Troop, and the First Troop, Philadelphia City Cavalry, all of which served in Puerto Rico during August 1898 with the Squadron New York Volunteer Cavalry.
The 9th Battalion Ohio V. I., from 1st Brigade to Corps Headquarters Guards (Colored Troops/African American)
Reserve Hospital Company.
On September 15, 1898, Samuel B.M. Young
, Major General of United States Volunteers
took command of the division.
The troops assigned to the 1st Brigade, 1st Division at various times are the following:
The 1st Regiment New Jersey Volunteer Infantry, Colonel Edward A. Campbell, Commanding, joined at Camp Alger, Va., May 21, 1898, with a strength of 51 officers and 933 enlisted men.
The 7th Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Colonel Arthur L. Hamilton Commanding, joined at Camp Alger, Va., May 20, 1898, with a strength of 47 officers and 672 enlisted men.
The 65th Regiment New York Volunteer Infantry, Colonel Samuel M. Welch, Jr., Commanding, joined at Camp Alger, Va., May 20, 1898, with a strength of 50 officers and 979 enlisted men. In May 1899 the sixty-fifth regiment, National Guard New York, issued orders constituting the armory a military post and naming it "Camp Joseph W. Plume," in honor of the commanding general.
The 9th Battalion Ohio V. I., from the 2nd Brigade June 23, 1898. (Colored Troops/African American) to Corps Headquarters Guards.
The 10th Regt. Ohio V. I., Colonel H. A. Axline, Commanding, joined at Camp Meade, Pa., August 20, 1898, with a strength of 45 officers and 1,246 enlisted men.
The 1st Regt. Maryland V. I., Colonel William P. Lane, Commanding, joined at Camp Meade, Pa., September 8, 1898, with a strength of 44 officers and 1,211 enlisted men.
The 35th Regt. Mich. Vol. Infy., Colonel E. M. Irish, Commanding, joined at Camp Meade, Pa., September 17, 1898, with a strength of 49 officers and 1,264 enlisted men.
, U. S. Vols. took command on June 8, 1898.
The troops assigned to the 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, at various times are as follows:
The 6th Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry, Colonel D. Jack Foster, Commanding, joined at Camp Alger, Va., May 20, 1898, with a strength of 47 officers and 971 enlisted men. The regiment was mustered into Federal Service at Springfield, Ill., on May 11, 1898; served in Porto Rico from July 25, 1898, until September 7, 1898; and was mustered out of the service of the United States at Springfield, Ill., on November 25, 1898.
The 6th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, Colonel Charles F. Woodward, Commanding, joined at Camp Alger, Va., May 20, 1898, with a strength of 36 officers and 888 enlisted men. The regiment served in Porto Rico from July 25, 1898, until September 7, 1898.
The 8th Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Colonel Curtis V. Hard, Commanding, joined at Camp Alger, Va., May 19, 1898, with a strength of 50 officers and 837 enlisted men. Nicknamed “McKinley’s Own” or “The President’s Own” because three companies were from President William McKinley
’s hometown of Canton. The regiment served in Porto Rico from July 25, 1898, until September 7, 1898.
The 9th Battalion Ohio V. I., from 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division June 8, 1898, (Colored Troops/African American) to 1st Brigade.
The 14th Regt. Penna. V. I., Colonel William J. Glenn, Commanding, joined at Camp Meade, Pa., August 23, 1898, with a strength of 30 officers and 838 enlisted men.
The 3rd Regiment Connecticut Volunteer Infantry, Colonel Augustus C. Tyler, Commanding, joined at Camp Meade, Pa., September 10, 1898, with a strength of 43 officers and 1,233 enlisted men.
The 202nd Regiment New York Volunteer Infantry, Colonel Steven Y. Seyburne, Commanding, joined at Camp Meade, Pa., September 14, 1898, with a strength of 42 officers and 1,230 enlisted men.
, U.S.V. took command on June 24, 1898.
The troops assigned to 3rd Brigade are the following:
The 13th Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, Colonel Henry A. Coursen, Commanding, joined at Camp Alger, Va., May 19, 1898, with a strength of 36 officers and 603 enlisted men.
The 12th Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, Colonel James B. Coryell Commanding, joined at Camp Alger, Va., May 19, 1898, with a strength of 36 officers and 603 men.
The 8th Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, Colonel Theodore F. Hoffmann Commanding, joined at Camp Alger, Va., May 18, 1898, with the strength of 41 officers and 770 men.
The 15th Regiment Minnesota, Volunteer Infantry, Colonel Harry A. Leonhaeuser, Commanding, joined at Camp Meade, Pa., September 18, 1898, with a strength of 46 officers and 1,256 enlisted men.
, U. S. Vols. took Command May 29, 1898.
The troops assigned to the 1st Brigade were:
The 159th Regt. Indiana V. I., Colonel John T. Barnett, Commanding, joined at Camp Alger, Va., May 24, 1898, with a strength of 50 officers and 976 enlisted men. Ordered mustered out and left for State rendezvous Sept. 11, 1898, for Indianapolis, Ind.
The 22nd Regt. Kansas V. I., Col. Henry C. Lindsay. Commanding, joined at Camp Alger, Va., May 28, 1898, with a strength of 46 officers and 974 enlisted men. Ordered mustered out and left for State rendezvous September 9, 1898, for Fort Leavenworth, Kan.
The 3rd Regiment New York Volunteer Infantry, Colonel Edward M. Hoffmann, Commanding, joined at Camp Alger, Va., May 29, 1898, with a strength of 44 officers and 973 enlisted men. Ordered mustered out and left for State rendezvous Sept. 12th, 1898, for Company armories.
The 2nd Regt. West Virginia V. I., Colonel D. T. E. Casteel, Commanding, joined at Camp Meade, Pa., August 20, 1898, with a strength of 44 officers and, 1,251 enlisted men.
The 18th Pennsylvania V. I., Colonel Norman M. Smith, Commanding, joined at Camp Meade, Pa., August 23, 1898, with a strength of 34 officers and 838 enlisted men. Ordered mustered out and left for State rendezvous Sept. 11, 1898, for Pittsburgh, Pa.
The 203rd New York V. I., Colonel Walter S. Schuyler, Commanding, joined at Camp Meade, Pa., September 12, 1898, with a strength of 44 officers, 1,172 enlisted men.
The troops assigned to the 2nd Brigade at various times were the following:
The 6th Regt. Penna. V. I., Colonel John W. Schall, Commanding, joined at Camp Alger, Va., May 20, 1898, with a strength of 50 officers and 925 enlisted men.
The 4th Regt. Missouri V. I., Colonel Joseph A. Corby, Commanding, joined at Camp Alger. Va., May 27, 1898, with a strength of 42 officers and 975 enlisted men.
The 9th Battalion Ohio Volunteer Infantry, (Colored Troops/African American
) Major Charles Young, Commanding, joined at Camp Alger, Va., May 22, 1898, with a strength of 13 officers and 205 enlisted men. to 2nd Brigade, 1st Division.
The 7th Regt. Ill. V. I., Colonel Marcus Kavanaugh, Commanding, joined at Camp Alger, Va., May 30, 1898, with a strength of 50 officers and 971 enlisted men.
Battalion 16th Regt. Pa. V. I.. Lieut. Col. George C. Rickards, Commanding, joined Camp Meade, Pa., August 18, 1898, with a strength of 13 officers and 455 enlisted men.
The 201st Regt. N. Y. V. I., Colonel Henry H. Hubbell, Commanding, joined at Camp Meade, Pa., September 10, 1898, with a strength of 41 officers and 1,213 enlisted men.
The 5th Mass. Vol. Infantry, Colonel J. H. Whitney, Commanding, joined at Camp Meade, Pa., September 12, 1898, with a strength of 42 officers and 1,263 enlisted men.
The troops assigned to the 3rd Brigade, 2nd Division, were the following:
1st Regiment Rhode Island Volunteer Infantry
, Colonel Charles W. Abbott, Jr., Commanding, joined at Camp Alger, Va., May 21, 1898, with a strength of 46 officers and 957 enlisted men. To Headquarters. 2nd Army Corps, May 29, 1898.
The 3rd Regt. Missouri V. I., Colonel George P. Gross, Commanding, joined at Camp Alger, Va.. May 30, 1898, with a strength of 49 officers and 975 enlisted men.
The 2nd Regt. Tennessee V. I., Colonel Kellar Anderson, Commanding, joined at Camp Alger, Va.. May 30, 1898, with a strength of 47 officers and 945 enlisted men.
The 1st Regiment Delaware Volunteer Infantry, Colonel J. P. Wickeisham, Commanding, joined at Camp Meade, Pa., August 21, 1898, with a strength of 46 officers and 880 enlisted men.
, U.S.V. took Command June 15, 1898
The troops assigned to the Separate Brigade were the:
The 9th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, Colonel Fred B. Bogan, Commanding, joined at Camp Alger, Va., June 1, 1898, with a strength of 43 officers and 861 enlisted men.
The 33rd Regiment Michigan Volunteer Infantry, Colonel Charles L. Boynton. Commanding, joined at Camp Alger, Va., May 30, 1898, with a strength of 48 officers and 976 enlisted men.
The 34th Regiment Michigan Volunteer Infantry, Colonel John P. Peterman. Commanding, joined at Camp Alger, Va.. June 9, 1898, with a strength of 46 officers and 979 enlisted men.
On August 2, 1898, the Second Brigade was organized composed of the:
1st Connecticut Volunteer Infantry, Colonel Charles L . Burdett, Commanding, joined at Camp Alger, Va., July 19, 1898, with a strength of 48 officers and 1,273 enlisted men.
3rd Virginia Volunteer Infantry.
The troops of the Second Brigade were returned to their states for muster out September 7 and 8.
(see Camp Haskell below)
was established May 18, 1898, near Falls Church, Virginia
, and about 1 miles from Dunn Loring. General Graham arrived May 19 and assumed command. The troops commenced arriving the May 18, and by the last of that month there were 18,309 officers and men 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.
The number of deaths at Camp Alger from May 18 to October 11, 1898 was 71.
, 80 miles distant, and remained in camp there for about one month.
The number of deaths and at Thoroughfare Gap was 34.
to reinforce Gen. Shafter's
army. An armistice having been reached between the U.S. and Spain ending the war’s fighting on August 12, 1898.
The Separate Brigade, 3rd Division 2d Army Corps, under command of Brigadier General Henry M. Duffield
, left Camp Alger June 15, 1898. They soon saw action in the Battle of the Aguadores
, Cuba. After which the brigade was transferred to the Fifth Army Corps as a provisional brigade, where it remained until the close of the war.
The Second Brigade, First Division of the Second Army Corps, commanded by Brigadier General George A. Garretson
, left Camp Alger July 5, 1898.
This brigade was instead sent to fight in the Puerto Rico Campaign in the Battle of Yauco and the Battle of Guayama.
Camp Meade
was established August 24, 1898, near Middletown
, Pennsylvania
. Early in September the remainder of the corps was transferred to the camp.
The number of deaths in this Camp Meade to October 11, 1898 was 64.
General Graham was relieved November 2, 1898, by Maj. Gen. Samuel B.M. Young
, U. S. Volunteers, and the troops were moved to camps in the South, General Young making his headquarters at Augusta, Ga., the distribution being as follows:
, was originally named Camp S. B. M. Young, after Major General Samuel B. M. Young, U.S. Vols, Commanding Second Army Corps, who had a leadership role in the operations around Santiago
. He was to be the camp’s commanding officer.
Headquarters Second Army Corps
First Division Headquarters
First Brigade, First Division 10th Ohio, 1st Maryland, and 3rd Michigan
Third Brigade First Division 13th Pennsylvania, 8th Pennsylvania, 15th Minnesota
, was named for Captain James Fornance of the 13th United States Infantry Regiment
who was mortally wounded on July 1, 1898, near Santiago, Cuba
, and died of his wounds on July 3. The Camp was abandoned in March 1899.
Third Brigade, Second Division, 1st Rhode Island, 2nd Tennessee, 1st Delaware
, was named after Brigadier General Francis "Swamp Fox" Marion
of the Revolutionary War.
Second Brigade, First Division 14th Pennsylvania, 3rd Connecticut, and 9th Ohio (Battalion)
, was established in November 1898, was named for one of the first soldiers killed at the Battle of San Juan Hill
, Alexander M. Wetherill.
Headquarters Second Division
First Brigade, Second Division, 203rd New York, 2nd West Virginia, 4th New Jersey
First and Second Brigades of the Second Division, Second Army Corps were designated as the 3rd Division of the 5th Army Corps, but was later reassigned to the 2nd Army Corps.
Second Brigade, Second Division 4th Missouri, 5th Massachusetts, 201st New York and was later transferred to Camp Wetherill.
.
Headquarters Third Division
Brig. Gen. George M. Randall
, U. S. Volunteers.
First Brigade, Third Division
Brig. Gen. William C. Oates
, U. S. Volunteers.
The 15th Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, Colonel William A. Kreps, Commanding, joined at Camp Meade, Pa., Sept. 10th, 1898, with a strength of 36 officers and 819 enlisted men.
3rd New Jersey Volunteer Infantry
The 202nd Regiment New York Volunteer Infantry.
Second Brigade, Third Division
3rd Georgia Volunteer Infantry
22nd New York Volunteer Infantry
Dicontinued January 21, 1899.
Under the command of Brig. Gen. Royal T. Frank, U. S. Volunteers.
2nd U. S. Infantry
3rd Alabama Volunteer Infantry
2nd Arkansas Volunteer Infantry
4th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry
3rd U. S. Volunteer Engineers
7th U. S. Volunteer Infantry
10th U. S. Volunteer Infantry
3rd Mississippi Volunteer Infantry
2nd Missouri Volunteer Infantry
General Young remained in command until May 3, 1899, when the Second Corps was discontinued, all of its subdivisions having been disbanded.
When the land forces of the United States are organized into army corps, divisions, and brigades, the same will be designated by the following symbols, flags, and pennants, and badges, made according to description and designs in the office of the Quartermaster-General:
Symbols.
Second Corps, a four-leaf clover.
The corps symbol is worn by enlisted men in the form of a small badge on the front of the campaign hat or in the center of the crown or the forage cap, and upon the left breast by officers. It is of felt of the color designating the division to which the wearer belongs.
Officers and enlisted men belonging to a corps and not attached to a division will wear the corps symbol, of the proper size, In red, bordered in white one-sixteenth of an inch and edged in blue one-thirty-second of an inch. If preferred, officers and enlisted men are authorized to wear the proper badge made of gold or yellow metal enameled in the proper colors.
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
raised for the Spanish American War.
A defining event of the Spanish American War was the typhoid fever
Typhoid 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 Army consequently undertook a series of mass-retreats and attempted evasions. The Typhoid Board concluded that only one of the five army corps stricken with epidemic typhoid succeeded in suppressing the disease actively, the 2nd Army Corps. In the wake of two fruitless relocations and months of casualties, commanders finally managed to impose an effective latrine-policy. A three-part strategy of draconian defecation-management, mass-disinfection, and flight received the Typhoid Board’s imprimatur as the principal, recommended method for suppressing existing epidemics.
2d Army Corps
The Second Army Corps was constituted May 7, 1898, and on May 16, 1898 Maj. Gen. William M. Graham was assigned to the command and the troops which were to compose the corps were ordered to Camp AlgerCamp Alger
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.-Location:...
.
After the declaration of war McKinley revised that arrangement and approved the organization of eight army corps, each of which was to consist of three or more divisions of three brigades each. Each brigade was to have approximately 3,600 officers and enlisted men organized into three regiments and, with three such brigades, each division was to total about 11,000 officers and men. Thus the division was to be about the same size as the division of 1861, but army corps were to be larger. The division staff initially was to have an adjutant general, quartermaster, commissary, surgeon, inspector general, and engineer, with an ordnance officer added later. The brigade staff was identical except that no inspector general or ordnance officer was authorized.
In mid-May the volunteers were moved to a few large unfinished camps in the South, and when they arrived only seven instead of the eight projected army corps were organized. Two army corps, the Fourth and Fifth consisted of regulars and volunteers, while the others like the Second Corps were made up of volunteers.
Before the new army completed its organization and training, it was thrust into combat. About two-thirds of Fifth Army Corps, one dismounted cavalry and two infantry divisions, sailed for Cuba in June 1898. Expeditions also were mounted for Puerto Rico and the Philippine Islands (Eighth Corps
VIII Corps (PE)
The VIII Corps was formed on June 21, 1898 to provide a ground contingent to exploit Admiral Dewey's success in defeating the Spanish fleet in Manila harbor...
) in which partial army corps provided the troops.
Corps headquarters
The following troops were attached to Corps Headquarters:6th company U. S. V. Signal Corps.
The 11th Company, U. S. V. Signal Corps, Capt. Carl F. Hartmand, Commanding, joined at Camp Alger, Va., July 13, 1898, with a strength of 3 officers and 56 enlisted men.
The Squadron New York Volunteer Cavalry (Troops A and C), Capt. Bertram T. Clayton, Commanding, joined at Camp Alger, Va., May 22, 1898, with a strength of four officers and 180 enlisted men. This squadron served in Puerto Rico during August 1898 with the Squadron Pennsylvania Volunteer Cavalry.
The Squadron Pennsylvania Volunteer Cavalry, Capt. John C. Groome. Commanding, joined at Camp Alger, Va., July 8, 1898, with a strength of 9 officers and 287 enlisted men. Which consisted of The Governor's Troop, The Sheridan Troop, and the First Troop, Philadelphia City Cavalry, all of which served in Puerto Rico during August 1898 with the Squadron New York Volunteer Cavalry.
The 9th Battalion Ohio V. I., from 1st Brigade to Corps Headquarters Guards (Colored Troops/African American)
Reserve Hospital Company.
1st Division
Brigadier General Francis L. Guenther, U. S. Vols., who had joined the troops at Camp Alger about the 15th of May, 1898, was assigned to the Command of the 1st Division. Being absent on sick leave at the time of the arrival of Major General Matthew C. Butler, U. S. V. , Brigadier General Guenther was relieved from the Command of the 1st Division and assigned to the Command of the 3rd Division.On September 15, 1898, Samuel B.M. Young
Samuel Baldwin Marks Young
Samuel Baldwin Marks Young was a United States Army general. He also served as the first president of Army War College between 1902 and 1903. He then served from 1903 until 1904 as the first Chief of Staff of the United States Army.-Biography:Young was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to John...
, Major General of United States Volunteers
United States Volunteers
United States Volunteers also known as U.S. Volunteers, U. S. Vol., or U.S.V.Starting as early as 1861 these regiments were often referred to as the "volunteer army" of the United States but not officially named that until 1898.During the nineteenth century this was the United States federal...
took command of the division.
1st Brigade, 1st Division
Brigadier General Joseph W. Plume U.S.V.The troops assigned to the 1st Brigade, 1st Division at various times are the following:
The 1st Regiment New Jersey Volunteer Infantry, Colonel Edward A. Campbell, Commanding, joined at Camp Alger, Va., May 21, 1898, with a strength of 51 officers and 933 enlisted men.
The 7th Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Colonel Arthur L. Hamilton Commanding, joined at Camp Alger, Va., May 20, 1898, with a strength of 47 officers and 672 enlisted men.
The 65th Regiment New York Volunteer Infantry, Colonel Samuel M. Welch, Jr., Commanding, joined at Camp Alger, Va., May 20, 1898, with a strength of 50 officers and 979 enlisted men. In May 1899 the sixty-fifth regiment, National Guard New York, issued orders constituting the armory a military post and naming it "Camp Joseph W. Plume," in honor of the commanding general.
The 9th Battalion Ohio V. I., from the 2nd Brigade June 23, 1898. (Colored Troops/African American) to Corps Headquarters Guards.
The 10th Regt. Ohio V. I., Colonel H. A. Axline, Commanding, joined at Camp Meade, Pa., August 20, 1898, with a strength of 45 officers and 1,246 enlisted men.
The 1st Regt. Maryland V. I., Colonel William P. Lane, Commanding, joined at Camp Meade, Pa., September 8, 1898, with a strength of 44 officers and 1,211 enlisted men.
The 35th Regt. Mich. Vol. Infy., Colonel E. M. Irish, Commanding, joined at Camp Meade, Pa., September 17, 1898, with a strength of 49 officers and 1,264 enlisted men.
2nd Brigade, 1st Division
Brigadier General George A. GarretsonGeorge 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...
, U. S. Vols. took command on June 8, 1898.
The troops assigned to the 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, at various times are as follows:
The 6th Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry, Colonel D. Jack Foster, Commanding, joined at Camp Alger, Va., May 20, 1898, with a strength of 47 officers and 971 enlisted men. The regiment was mustered into Federal Service at Springfield, Ill., on May 11, 1898; served in Porto Rico from July 25, 1898, until September 7, 1898; and was mustered out of the service of the United States at Springfield, Ill., on November 25, 1898.
The 6th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, Colonel Charles F. Woodward, Commanding, joined at Camp Alger, Va., May 20, 1898, with a strength of 36 officers and 888 enlisted men. The regiment served in Porto Rico from July 25, 1898, until September 7, 1898.
The 8th Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Colonel Curtis V. Hard, Commanding, joined at Camp Alger, Va., May 19, 1898, with a strength of 50 officers and 837 enlisted men. Nicknamed “McKinley’s Own” or “The President’s Own” because three companies were from President William McKinley
William 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...
’s hometown of Canton. The regiment served in Porto Rico from July 25, 1898, until September 7, 1898.
The 9th Battalion Ohio V. I., from 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division June 8, 1898, (Colored Troops/African American) to 1st Brigade.
The 14th Regt. Penna. V. I., Colonel William J. Glenn, Commanding, joined at Camp Meade, Pa., August 23, 1898, with a strength of 30 officers and 838 enlisted men.
The 3rd Regiment Connecticut Volunteer Infantry, Colonel Augustus C. Tyler, Commanding, joined at Camp Meade, Pa., September 10, 1898, with a strength of 43 officers and 1,233 enlisted men.
The 202nd Regiment New York Volunteer Infantry, Colonel Steven Y. Seyburne, Commanding, joined at Camp Meade, Pa., September 14, 1898, with a strength of 42 officers and 1,230 enlisted men.
3rd Brigade, 1st Division
Brigadier General John P. S. GobinJohn P. S. Gobin
John Peter Shindel Gobin was an officer in the Union Army during the Civil War, and the Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania from 1899 to 1903.-Biography:...
, U.S.V. took command on June 24, 1898.
The troops assigned to 3rd Brigade are the following:
The 13th Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, Colonel Henry A. Coursen, Commanding, joined at Camp Alger, Va., May 19, 1898, with a strength of 36 officers and 603 enlisted men.
The 12th Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, Colonel James B. Coryell Commanding, joined at Camp Alger, Va., May 19, 1898, with a strength of 36 officers and 603 men.
The 8th Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, Colonel Theodore F. Hoffmann Commanding, joined at Camp Alger, Va., May 18, 1898, with the strength of 41 officers and 770 men.
The 15th Regiment Minnesota, Volunteer Infantry, Colonel Harry A. Leonhaeuser, Commanding, joined at Camp Meade, Pa., September 18, 1898, with a strength of 46 officers and 1,256 enlisted men.
2nd Division
Brigadier General George W. DavisGeorge Whitefield Davis
George Whitefield Davis was an engineer and Major General in the United States Army. He also served as a military Governor of Puerto Rico and as the first military Governor of the Panama Canal Zone.-Civil War:...
, U. S. Vols. took Command May 29, 1898.
1st Brigade, 2nd Division
Brigadier General Mark W. Shaefe, U. S. Vols. took command June 30, 1898.The troops assigned to the 1st Brigade were:
The 159th Regt. Indiana V. I., Colonel John T. Barnett, Commanding, joined at Camp Alger, Va., May 24, 1898, with a strength of 50 officers and 976 enlisted men. Ordered mustered out and left for State rendezvous Sept. 11, 1898, for Indianapolis, Ind.
The 22nd Regt. Kansas V. I., Col. Henry C. Lindsay. Commanding, joined at Camp Alger, Va., May 28, 1898, with a strength of 46 officers and 974 enlisted men. Ordered mustered out and left for State rendezvous September 9, 1898, for Fort Leavenworth, Kan.
The 3rd Regiment New York Volunteer Infantry, Colonel Edward M. Hoffmann, Commanding, joined at Camp Alger, Va., May 29, 1898, with a strength of 44 officers and 973 enlisted men. Ordered mustered out and left for State rendezvous Sept. 12th, 1898, for Company armories.
The 2nd Regt. West Virginia V. I., Colonel D. T. E. Casteel, Commanding, joined at Camp Meade, Pa., August 20, 1898, with a strength of 44 officers and, 1,251 enlisted men.
The 18th Pennsylvania V. I., Colonel Norman M. Smith, Commanding, joined at Camp Meade, Pa., August 23, 1898, with a strength of 34 officers and 838 enlisted men. Ordered mustered out and left for State rendezvous Sept. 11, 1898, for Pittsburgh, Pa.
The 203rd New York V. I., Colonel Walter S. Schuyler, Commanding, joined at Camp Meade, Pa., September 12, 1898, with a strength of 44 officers, 1,172 enlisted men.
2nd Brigade, 2nd Division
Colonel John W. Schall, 6th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry took command by May 31, 1898The troops assigned to the 2nd Brigade at various times were the following:
The 6th Regt. Penna. V. I., Colonel John W. Schall, Commanding, joined at Camp Alger, Va., May 20, 1898, with a strength of 50 officers and 925 enlisted men.
The 4th Regt. Missouri V. I., Colonel Joseph A. Corby, Commanding, joined at Camp Alger. Va., May 27, 1898, with a strength of 42 officers and 975 enlisted men.
The 9th Battalion Ohio Volunteer Infantry, (Colored Troops/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...
) Major Charles Young, Commanding, joined at Camp Alger, Va., May 22, 1898, with a strength of 13 officers and 205 enlisted men. to 2nd Brigade, 1st Division.
The 7th Regt. Ill. V. I., Colonel Marcus Kavanaugh, Commanding, joined at Camp Alger, Va., May 30, 1898, with a strength of 50 officers and 971 enlisted men.
Battalion 16th Regt. Pa. V. I.. Lieut. Col. George C. Rickards, Commanding, joined Camp Meade, Pa., August 18, 1898, with a strength of 13 officers and 455 enlisted men.
The 201st Regt. N. Y. V. I., Colonel Henry H. Hubbell, Commanding, joined at Camp Meade, Pa., September 10, 1898, with a strength of 41 officers and 1,213 enlisted men.
The 5th Mass. Vol. Infantry, Colonel J. H. Whitney, Commanding, joined at Camp Meade, Pa., September 12, 1898, with a strength of 42 officers and 1,263 enlisted men.
3rd Brigade, 2nd Division
Brigadier General Nelson D. Cole, U.S.V. took command June 20, 1898.The troops assigned to the 3rd Brigade, 2nd Division, were the following:
1st Regiment Rhode Island Volunteer Infantry
First Regiment Rhode Island U.S. Volunteers
The 1st Rhode Island Infantry were two regiments of the United States Army, the first of which was raised in 1861 at the beginning of the American Civil War on a 90-day enlistment, the second during the Spanish–American War in 1898....
, Colonel Charles W. Abbott, Jr., Commanding, joined at Camp Alger, Va., May 21, 1898, with a strength of 46 officers and 957 enlisted men. To Headquarters. 2nd Army Corps, May 29, 1898.
The 3rd Regt. Missouri V. I., Colonel George P. Gross, Commanding, joined at Camp Alger, Va.. May 30, 1898, with a strength of 49 officers and 975 enlisted men.
The 2nd Regt. Tennessee V. I., Colonel Kellar Anderson, Commanding, joined at Camp Alger, Va.. May 30, 1898, with a strength of 47 officers and 945 enlisted men.
The 1st Regiment Delaware Volunteer Infantry, Colonel J. P. Wickeisham, Commanding, joined at Camp Meade, Pa., August 21, 1898, with a strength of 46 officers and 880 enlisted men.
3rd Division
The 3rd Division of the Corps was never fully organized. On June 7, 1898, Brigadier General Francis L. Guenther, U. S. V., was assigned to the command of the 3rd Division, but he was absent sick since May 25, 1898, and never exercised the command.First Brigade
On June 9 the separate brigade was assigned as the First Brigade, Third Division.Separate Brigade
Brigadier General Henry M. DuffieldHenry 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...
, U.S.V. took Command June 15, 1898
The troops assigned to the Separate Brigade were the:
The 9th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, Colonel Fred B. Bogan, Commanding, joined at Camp Alger, Va., June 1, 1898, with a strength of 43 officers and 861 enlisted men.
The 33rd Regiment Michigan Volunteer Infantry, Colonel Charles L. Boynton. Commanding, joined at Camp Alger, Va., May 30, 1898, with a strength of 48 officers and 976 enlisted men.
The 34th Regiment Michigan Volunteer Infantry, Colonel John P. Peterman. Commanding, joined at Camp Alger, Va.. June 9, 1898, with a strength of 46 officers and 979 enlisted men.
Second Brigade
Recruit Detachment of the Separate Brigade, Camp Alger, Va., June 27, 1898, after the rest of the Brigade was sent to Cuba.On August 2, 1898, the Second Brigade was organized composed of the:
1st Connecticut Volunteer Infantry, Colonel Charles L . Burdett, Commanding, joined at Camp Alger, Va., July 19, 1898, with a strength of 48 officers and 1,273 enlisted men.
3rd Virginia Volunteer Infantry.
The troops of the Second Brigade were returned to their states for muster out September 7 and 8.
(see Camp Haskell below)
Camp Alger
Camp AlgerCamp Alger
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.-Location:...
was established May 18, 1898, near Falls Church, Virginia
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...
, and about 1 miles from Dunn Loring. General Graham arrived May 19 and assumed command. The troops commenced arriving the May 18, and by the last of that month there were 18,309 officers and men 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.
The number of deaths at Camp Alger from May 18 to October 11, 1898 was 71.
Typhoid
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.Thoroughfare Gap
On August 2, 1898, the 2nd Division of the Second Corps marched to Thoroughfare GapThoroughfare 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.
The number of deaths and at Thoroughfare Gap was 34.
At War
Only two brigades of the 2d Army Corps saw combat in the Spanish American War. They left for Santiago de CubaSantiago 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. An armistice having been reached between the U.S. and Spain ending the war’s fighting on August 12, 1898.
The Separate Brigade, 3rd Division 2d Army Corps, under command of Brigadier General Henry M. Duffield
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...
, left Camp Alger June 15, 1898. They soon saw action in the Battle of the Aguadores
Battle of the Aguadores
The Battle of the Aguadores was a sharp skirmish on the banks of the Aguadores River near Santiago de Cuba, on 1 July 1898, at the height of the Spanish-American War...
, Cuba. After which the brigade was transferred to the Fifth Army Corps as a provisional brigade, where it remained until the close of the war.
The Second Brigade, First Division of the Second Army Corps, commanded by Brigadier General George A. Garretson
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...
, left Camp Alger July 5, 1898.
This brigade was instead sent to fight in the Puerto Rico Campaign in the Battle of Yauco and the Battle of Guayama.
Camp Meade
Battalion (2 companies) 2nd Regt. U. S. Vol. Engineers, Capt. A. H. Weber, Commanding, joined at Camp Meade, Pa., August 12, 1898, with a strength of 7 officers and 180 enlisted men. Capt. Weber was made Acting Chief Engineer of the 2nd Army Corps September 17, 1898. The 2nd U. S. V. Engineers also built Camp McKenzie, Augusta, Georgia before being sent to Cuba on November 23, 1898.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:...
was established August 24, 1898, 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...
. Early in September the remainder of the corps was transferred to the camp.
The number of deaths in this Camp Meade to October 11, 1898 was 64.
Winter camps
In November Camp Meade was discontinued and the troops not mustered out, distributed to the various camps in the South. The Second Army Corps was directed to hold itself in readiness to proceed to the island of Cuba, with headquarters at Habana; First and Second Divisions at Habana; Third Division at Mariel. This order for service in Cuba was not carried out.General Graham was relieved November 2, 1898, by Maj. Gen. Samuel B.M. Young
Samuel Baldwin Marks Young
Samuel Baldwin Marks Young was a United States Army general. He also served as the first president of Army War College between 1902 and 1903. He then served from 1903 until 1904 as the first Chief of Staff of the United States Army.-Biography:Young was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to John...
, U. S. Volunteers, and the troops were moved to camps in the South, General Young making his headquarters at Augusta, Ga., the distribution being as follows:
Camp McKenzie
Camp McKenzie, Augusta, GeorgiaAugusta, Georgia
Augusta is a consolidated city in the U.S. state of Georgia, located along the Savannah River. As of the 2010 census, the Augusta–Richmond County population was 195,844 not counting the unconsolidated cities of Hephzibah and Blythe.Augusta is the principal city of the Augusta-Richmond County...
, was originally named Camp S. B. M. Young, after Major General Samuel B. M. Young, U.S. Vols, Commanding Second Army Corps, who had a leadership role in the operations around Santiago
Siege of Santiago
The Siege of Santiago also known as the Siege of Santiago de Cuba was the last major operation of the Spanish-American War on the island of Cuba. This action should not be confused with the naval battle of Santiago de Cuba.-Santiago Campaign:...
. He was to be the camp’s commanding officer.
Headquarters Second Army Corps
First Division Headquarters
First Brigade, First Division 10th Ohio, 1st Maryland, and 3rd Michigan
Third Brigade First Division 13th Pennsylvania, 8th Pennsylvania, 15th Minnesota
Camp Fornance
Camp Fornance, Columbia, South CarolinaColumbia, South Carolina
Columbia is the state capital and largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The population was 129,272 according to the 2010 census. Columbia is the county seat of Richland County, but a portion of the city extends into neighboring Lexington County. The city is the center of a metropolitan...
, was named for Captain James Fornance of the 13th United States Infantry Regiment
13th Infantry Regiment (United States)
The 13th Infantry Regiment is a United States Army infantry regiment whose battalions are currently tasked as basic training battalions.- History :...
who was mortally wounded on July 1, 1898, near 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....
, and died of his wounds on July 3. The Camp was abandoned in March 1899.
Third Brigade, Second Division, 1st Rhode Island, 2nd Tennessee, 1st Delaware
Camp Marion
Camp Marion, Summerville, South CarolinaSummerville, South Carolina
Summerville is a town in the U.S. state of South Carolina situated mostly in Dorchester County with small portions in Berkeley, and Charleston counties. It is part of the Charleston-North Charleston-Summerville Metropolitan Statistical Area as designated for statistical purposes by the U.S. Office...
, was named after Brigadier General Francis "Swamp Fox" Marion
Francis Marion
Francis Marion was a military officer who served in the American Revolutionary War. Acting with Continental Army and South Carolina militia commissions, he was a persistent adversary of the British in their occupation of South Carolina in 1780 and 1781, even after the Continental Army was driven...
of the Revolutionary War.
Second Brigade, First Division 14th Pennsylvania, 3rd Connecticut, and 9th Ohio (Battalion)
Camp Wetherill
Camp Wetherill, Greenville, South CarolinaGreenville, South Carolina
-Law and government:The city of Greenville adopted the Council-Manager form of municipal government in 1976.-History:The area was part of the Cherokee Nation's protected grounds after the Treaty of 1763, which ended the French and Indian War. No White man was allowed to enter, though some families...
, was established in November 1898, was named for one of the first soldiers killed at the Battle of San Juan Hill
Battle of San Juan Hill
The Battle of San Juan Hill , also known as the battle for the San Juan Heights, was a decisive battle of the Spanish-American War. The San Juan heights was a north-south running elevation about two kilometers east of Santiago de Cuba. The names San Juan Hill and Kettle Hill were names given by the...
, Alexander M. Wetherill.
Headquarters Second Division
First Brigade, Second Division, 203rd New York, 2nd West Virginia, 4th New Jersey
First and Second Brigades of the Second Division, Second Army Corps were designated as the 3rd Division of the 5th Army Corps, but was later reassigned to the 2nd Army Corps.
Camp at Spartanburg
Spartanburg, South CarolinaSpartanburg, South Carolina
thgSpartanburg is the largest city in and the county seat of Spartanburg County, South Carolina, United States. It is the second-largest city of the three primary cities in the Upstate region of South Carolina, and is located northwest of Columbia, west of Charlotte, and about northeast of...
Second Brigade, Second Division 4th Missouri, 5th Massachusetts, 201st New York and was later transferred to Camp Wetherill.
Camp Haskell
Camp Haskell, Athens, GeorgiaAthens, Georgia
Athens-Clarke County is a consolidated city–county in U.S. state of Georgia, in the northeastern part of the state, comprising the former City of Athens proper and Clarke County. The University of Georgia is located in this college town and is responsible for the initial growth of the city...
.
Headquarters Third Division
Brig. Gen. George M. Randall
George Morton Randall
George Morton Randall was a Major General in the United States Army, noted for his service in the American Civil War and Indian Wars.-Civil War:...
, U. S. Volunteers.
First Brigade, Third Division
Brig. Gen. William C. Oates
William C. Oates
William Calvin Oates was a Confederate colonel during the American Civil War, the 29th Governor of Alabama from 1894 to 1896, and a brigadier general in the U.S. Army during the Spanish–American War....
, U. S. Volunteers.
The 15th Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, Colonel William A. Kreps, Commanding, joined at Camp Meade, Pa., Sept. 10th, 1898, with a strength of 36 officers and 819 enlisted men.
3rd New Jersey Volunteer Infantry
The 202nd Regiment New York Volunteer Infantry.
Second Brigade, Third Division
3rd Georgia Volunteer Infantry
22nd New York Volunteer Infantry
Dicontinued January 21, 1899.
First Separate Brigade
January 16, 1899, the troops at Macon, Ga., and the troops at Albany, Ga., were made a separate brigade of the Second Corps.Under the command of Brig. Gen. Royal T. Frank, U. S. Volunteers.
2nd U. S. Infantry
2nd Infantry Regiment (United States)
The 2nd Infantry Regiment is an infantry regiment in the United States Army. It has served the United States for more than two hundred years. It is the third oldest regiment in the US Army with a Lineage date of 1808 and a history extending back to 1791...
3rd Alabama Volunteer Infantry
2nd Arkansas Volunteer Infantry
4th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry
Second Separate Brigade
Under the command of Brig. Gen. William J. McKee, U. S. Volunteers3rd U. S. Volunteer Engineers
7th U. S. Volunteer Infantry
10th U. S. Volunteer Infantry
3rd Mississippi Volunteer Infantry
2nd Missouri Volunteer Infantry
Disbanded
February 1, 1899, the Second Army Corps was ordered to be reorganized and consolidated into two camps, one at Augusta, Ga., and one at Greenville, S. C., the corps to consist of three separate brigades.General Young remained in command until May 3, 1899, when the Second Corps was discontinued, all of its subdivisions having been disbanded.
Second Corps Badge
General Orders No. 99, War Department, Adjutant-general's Office, Washington, July 15, 1898.When the land forces of the United States are organized into army corps, divisions, and brigades, the same will be designated by the following symbols, flags, and pennants, and badges, made according to description and designs in the office of the Quartermaster-General:
Symbols.
Second Corps, a four-leaf clover.
The corps symbol is worn by enlisted men in the form of a small badge on the front of the campaign hat or in the center of the crown or the forage cap, and upon the left breast by officers. It is of felt of the color designating the division to which the wearer belongs.
Officers and enlisted men belonging to a corps and not attached to a division will wear the corps symbol, of the proper size, In red, bordered in white one-sixteenth of an inch and edged in blue one-thirty-second of an inch. If preferred, officers and enlisted men are authorized to wear the proper badge made of gold or yellow metal enameled in the proper colors.