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Cage 619
First Washington Infantry, U.S.V.,
Records, 1899

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. They were accessioned as MS93-17. Robert W. Hadlow processed the collection of payroll records in December 1994.

REGIMENTAL HISTORY

The First Washington Infantry, U.S. Volunteers, was organized in mid-1898 to fulfill the state's responsibility to provide 125,000 volunteers to fight in the Spanish-American War. Shortly after the U.S. declared war against Spain, President William McKinley called for each state to provide 125,000 men to serve a minimum of two years. The state of Washington organized its quota of men into one infantry regiment composed of 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.

ARRANGEMENT AND DESCRIPTION

The First Washington Infantry, U.S.V. 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. They are arranged by voucher number, which also places them in a chronological order. 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, P.I., 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.

A related collection of interest to researchers is Cage 595, Bucklin Family Papers. It includes personal correspondence, diaries, and photographs of Robert Eben Bucklin, a Washington Agricultural College student who left school in late 1898 to volunteer in the First Washington Infantry's Company "K." In the spring of 1899, in battle, he received a gunshot wound to his left leg that shattered his femur. Bucklin was subsequently sent to the military hospital at the the Presidio, near San Francisco, where he spent two years recuperating from his wounds. He later returned to his home on Puget Sound.

CONTAINER LIST

 BOX  FOLDER  DESCRIPTION
 1    1       Voucher No. 196, John W. McArthur
      2       Voucher No. 219, Martin M. Niles
      3       Voucher No. 352, John H. Wholley
      4       Voucher No. 379, William C. Russell
      5       Voucher No. 500, "A" Detachment of the Hospital Corps
      6       Voucher No. 501, Field Staff and Band
      7       Voucher No. 502, Company "A"
      8       Voucher No. 503, Company "B"
      9       Voucher No. 504, Company "C"
     10       Voucher No. 505, Company "D"
     11       Voucher No. 506, Company "E"
     12       Voucher No. 507, Company "F"
     13       Voucher No. 508, Company "G"
     14       Voucher No. 509, Company "H"
     15       Voucher No. 510, Company "I"
     16       Voucher No. 511, Company "K"
     17       Voucher No. 512, Company "L"
     18       Voucher No. 513, Company "M"
     19       Voucher No. 545, Simon Castles
     20       Voucher No. 547, Thomas Thomson
     21       Voucher No. 572, Fred A. Brockway
     22       Voucher No. 573, Howard M. Nichols
     23       Voucher No. 574, John Kane
     24       Voucher No. 575, Thomas A. Logan
     25       Voucher No. 576, Andrew Wilson
     26       Voucher No. 577, Charles J. Lee
     27       Voucher No. 578, Alexander H. Mattucks
     28       Voucher No. 579, Robert T. Morrison
     29       Voucher No. 580, Joseph W. Stewart
     30       Voucher No. 581, Edward H. Traux [Truax]
     31       Voucher No. 582, Bluford M. Faris
     32       Voucher No. 583, Peter Smith
     33       Voucher No. 584, Charles F. Watrous
     34       Voucher No. 606, Charles Hillman
     35       Voucher No. 617, Fred Cuff
     36       Voucher No. 629, Roy L. Eldridge
     37       Voucher No. 642, Franklin Polen
     38       Voucher No. 661, Reginald S. Paterson
     39       Voucher No. 681, Lewis C. Greenwood
     40       Voucher No. 682, Edward Lamb
     41       Voucher No. 683, George G. Ahlbaum
     42       Voucher No. 742, Joseph Dobman
     43       Voucher No. 743, Rufus B.Clark