Spanish American War

Minnesota and the War 

Mobilization

When war was declared in April 1898, President McKinley called on the states to volunteer troops, just as President Lincoln had done at the outbreak of the Civil War. Minnesota's assigned quota was three regiments of infantry. Its three National Guard infantry regiments were named to fill the quota, but individual Guard members could volunteer or opt out. Muster into federal service took place in St. Paul at the state fairgrounds, May 6-8. A fourth regiment was organized later that month.  Because Minnesota had eleven volunteer infantry regiments in the Civil War, its Spanish American War regiments were renumbered as the 12th-15th. Their membership totaled 5,348 officers and men.

The Thirteenth Minnesota 

Only the 13th Regiment saw foreign service. Like other National Guard units in the midwest and west, it was sent to the Philippines, where it landed August 7 near Manila to become part of Brigadier General Arthur MacArthur's Third Brigade, First Division. It saw sharp fighting on August 13, the day Manila fell. For the next seven months, the 13th formed part of the provost guard in Manila, but on February 4, 1899, the tense relations between American military authorities and the Filipino insurgents broke into open warfare. In March, this time assigned to the Third Brigade, Second Division, it took part in a tough 33-day expedition against the insurgents.

Stateside Camps

The 12th and 14th Regiments were sent to Camp Thomas in Georgia's Chickamauga National Park. There they settled down to a monotony of drill, guard duty and work details, until dangerous health conditions in the camp forced removal of the 12th to Camp Hamilton in Kentucky, and the 14th to Camp Poland in Tennessee. The 15th was shuttled from Fort Snelling, to Camp Meade in Pennsylvania, and to Camp Mckenzie in Georgia before it was finally mustered out. Throughout their service, the men in these stateside camps were beset by illness, poor food, and disappointment that the war ended before they could see the action they had volunteered for.

Other Minnesotans. 2,027 Minnesotans joined the US Army. Of these, the largest number signed up with the Third US Infantry Regiment stationed at Fort Snelling. The Third initially fought in Cuba, returned home briefly, and then went to the Philippines where it fought insurgents until 1902. Many others joined other state regiments, the navy and marine corps or one of several national volunteer units which recruited locally.

Altogether, 8, 498 men from Minnesota took part in the Spanish American War and Philippine Insurrection.