The corps was constituted May 7, 1898; on May 16, Maj. Gen.
William M. Graham was assigned to the command and the troops which were to compose the corps were ordered to
Camp Alger. 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, in the form of one dismounted cavalry division and two infantry divisions, sailed for Cuba in June 1898. Expeditions also were mounted for Puerto Rico and the Philippine Islands, in which partial army corps provided the troops.
Corps headquarters The following troops were attached to Second Corps Headquarters: • 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. The troops assigned to the 1st Brigade, 1st Division at various times included the following: • 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 Volunteer Infantry, from the 2nd Brigade June 23, 1898. (Colored Troops/African American) to Corps Headquarters Guards. • The 10th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, under Colonel H. A. Axline, joined at Camp Meade, Pa., August 20, 1898, with a strength of 45 officers and 1,246 enlisted men. • The 1st Regiment, Maryland Volunteer Infantry, under Colonel William P. Lane, joined at Camp Meade, Pa., September 8, 1898, with a strength of 44 officers and 1,211 enlisted men. • The 35th Regiment, Michigan Volunteer Infantry, under Colonel E. M. Irish, 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. Garretson, U.S.V. took command on June 8, 1898. The troops assigned to the 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, at various times were as follows: • 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 Puerto Rico from July 25, 1898, until September 7, 1898. • The 9th Battalion, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, from 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division June 8, 1898, (Colored Troops/African American) to 1st Brigade. • The 14th Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, 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. Gobin, U.S.V. took command on June 24, 1898. The troops assigned to 3rd Brigade were the following: 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. Davis, 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 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 September 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, 1898. The troops assigned to the 2nd Brigade at various times were: • 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:
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. • 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.
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: •
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) ==Camps==