Archives West Finding Aid

The First Washington Infantry, U.S. Volunteers, was organized in mid-1898 to fulfill the state's responsibility to provide volunteer soldiers to fight in the Spanish-American War. Shortly after the U.S. declared war against Spain, President William McKinley issued a national call for 125,000 volunteers to serve a minimum of two years. Washington's state quota was one regiment of infantry, consisting of three battalions, each with several companies. These included two from Seattle, two from Spokane, and one each from Tacoma, Walla Walla, North Yakima (later renamed Yakima), Waitsburg, Ellensburg, Centralia, Dayton, and Vancouver.

Under the command of Colonel John H. Wholley, the First Washington Infantry's twelve companies assembled together and were mustered into U.S. military service at Camp John R. Rogers, near Tacoma, on May 1, 1898. On May 10, the first battalion, consisting of companies A," "B," "D," and "E," left Tacoma under sail for San Francisco to await further orders and practice drills. The second battalion, consisting of companies "F," "G," "I," and "L," left Camp Rogers on May 15 to join the first battalion at San Francisco's Camp Merritt. The third battalion, consisting of companies "C," "H," "K," and "M," proceeded to the Vancouver Barracks, Vancouver, Washington, on May 24, and like the other battalions its devoted the next several weeks to field drills. There was no Company "J." By late July, the third battalion rejoined its fellow battalions in San Francisco. By late October, the Washington volunteer regiment had embarked steamers for Manila, Philippine Islands.

The First Washington Infantry, U.S.V., participated in numerous battles with Filipino insurgents throughout the first half of 1899. By late August, Colonel Wholley received orders to return to the States, arriving in San Francisco in early October 1899. Washington Governor Rogers and several delegates from the state met the men at the docks to celebrate their victories and their safe return home. The volunteers were mustered out on October 31, 1899.

For a detailed account of the First Washington Infantry's time in the Philippines, see William L. Luhn, "Official History of the Operations of the First Washington Infantry, U.S.V., in the Campaign in the Philippine Islands," in Karl Irving Faust, Campaigning in the Philippines San Francisco: Hicks-Judd Company, 1899.