First Washington Volunteer Infantry Regiment Records

Overview of the Collection

Creator: United States. Army. Washington Volunteer Infantry Regiment, 1st
Title: First Washington Volunteer Infantry Regiment Records
Dates: 1899 (inclusive)
18991899
Quantity: 0.5 Linear feet of shelf space, (1 Box)
Collection Number: Cage 619 (collection)
Summary: The First Washington Volunteer Infantry Regiment Records are a collection of payroll forms and related correspondence documenting wages paid to men from the state of Washington who fought for the United States in the Philippines during the Spanish-American War.
Repository: Washington State University Libraries' Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections (MASC)
Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections
Terrell Library Suite 12
Pullman, WA
99164-5610
Telephone: 509-335-6691
mascref@wsu.edu
Access Restrictions: This collection is open and available for research use.
Languages: English

Historical Note

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.

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Content Description

The First Washington Volunteer Infantry Regiment Records are a collection of payroll forms and related correspondence documenting wages paid to men from the state of Washington who fought for the United States in the Philippines during the Spanish-American War. The collection covers the period from April to July 1899. It includes vouchers for individual volunteers, often with itemized lists for travel pay and per diem for their return voyage from Manila, Philippines, to their hometowns in the state of Washington. These records also include payroll vouchers for the Washington Volunteers' companies, "A" through "I" and "K" through "M," for May and June 1899.

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Use of the Collection

Restrictions on Use

Preferred Citation

[Item description]

First Washington Volunteer Infantry Regiment Records, 1899 (Cage 619)

Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections, Washington State University Libraries, Pullman, WA.

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Administrative Information

Arrangement

Arranged by voucher number, which is also chronological order.

Acquisition Information

The Washington State University Libraries acquired the First Washington Infantry, U.S.V., Records from Charles Apfelbaum, Dealer, Valley Stream, New York, on March 3, 1993 (MS 93-17).

Related Materials

Bucklin Family Papers, 1864-1988 (Cage 595)

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Detailed Description of the Collection

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Description: Voucher No. 196, John W. McArthur

Container: Box 1 , Folder 1
Description: Voucher No. 219, Martin M. Niles

Container: Box 1 , Folder 2
Description: Voucher No. 352, John H. Wholley

Container: Box 1 , Folder 3
Description: Voucher No. 379, William C. Russell

Container: Box 1 , Folder 4
Description: Voucher No. 500, "A" Detachment of the Hospital Corps

Container: Box 1 , Folder 5
Description: Voucher No. 501, Field Staff and Band

Container: Box 1 , Folder 6
Description: Voucher No. 502, Company "A"

Container: Box 1 , Folder 7
Description: Voucher No. 503, Company "B"

Container: Box 1 , Folder 8
Description: Voucher No. 504, Company "C"

Container: Box 1 , Folder 9
Description: Voucher No. 505, Company "D"

Container: Box 1 , Folder 10
Description: Voucher No. 506, Company "E"

Container: Box 1 , Folder 11
Description: Voucher No. 507, Company "F"

Container: Box 1 , Folder 12
Description: Voucher No. 508, Company "G"

Container: Box 1 , Folder 13
Description: Voucher No. 509, Company "H"

Container: Box 1 , Folder 14
Description: Voucher No. 510, Company "I"

Container: Box 1 , Folder 15
Description: Voucher No. 511, Company "K"

Container: Box 1 , Folder 16
Description: Voucher No. 512, Company "L"

Container: Box 1 , Folder 17
Description: Voucher No. 513, Company "M"

Container: Box 1 , Folder 18
Description: Voucher No. 545, Simon Castles

Container: Box 1 , Folder 19
Description: Voucher No. 547, Thomas Thomson

Container: Box 1 , Folder 20
Description: Voucher No. 572, Fred A. Brockway

Container: Box 1 , Folder 21
Description: Voucher No. 573, Howard M. Nichols

Container: Box 1 , Folder 22
Description: Voucher No. 574, John Kane

Container: Box 1 , Folder 23
Description: Voucher No. 575, Thomas A. Logan

Container: Box 1 , Folder 24
Description: Voucher No. 576, Andrew Wilson

Container: Box 1 , Folder 25
Description: Voucher No. 577, Charles J. Lee

Container: Box 1 , Folder 26
Description: Voucher No. 578, Alexander H. Mattucks

Container: Box 1 , Folder 27
Description: Voucher No. 579, Robert T. Morrison

Container: Box 1 , Folder 28
Description: Voucher No. 580, Joseph W. Stewart

Container: Box 1 , Folder 29
Description: Voucher No. 581, Edward H. Traux [Truax]

Container: Box 1 , Folder 30
Description: Voucher No. 582, Bluford M. Faris

Container: Box 1 , Folder 31
Description: Voucher No. 583, Peter Smith

Container: Box 1 , Folder 32
Description: Voucher No. 584, Charles F. Watrous

Container: Box 1 , Folder 33
Description: Voucher No. 606, Charles Hillman

Container: Box 1 , Folder 34
Description: Voucher No. 617, Fred Cuff

Container: Box 1 , Folder 35
Description: Voucher No. 629, Roy L. Eldridge

Container: Box 1 , Folder 36
Description: Voucher No. 642, Franklin Polen

Container: Box 1 , Folder 37
Description: Voucher No. 661, Reginald S. Paterson

Container: Box 1 , Folder 38
Description: Voucher No. 681, Lewis C. Greenwood

Container: Box 1 , Folder 39
Description: Voucher No. 682, Edward Lamb

Container: Box 1 , Folder 40
Description: Voucher No. 683, George G. Ahlbaum

Container: Box 1 , Folder 41
Description: Voucher No. 742, Joseph Dobman

Container: Box 1 , Folder 42
Description: Voucher No. 743, Rufus B.Clark

Container: Box 1 , Folder 43

First Washington Volunteer Infantry Regiment Records, 1899

Table of Contents

Overview of the Collection

Historical Note

Content Description

Use of the Collection

Restrictions on Use

Preferred Citation

Administrative Information

Arrangement

Acquisition Information

Related Materials

Detailed Description of the Collection

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

Corporate Names