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New York State Adjutant General's Office Abstracts of Spanish-American War, Philippine-American War, and China Relief Expedition Military and Naval Service


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Overview of the Records

Repository:

New York State Archives
New York State Education Department
Cultural Education Center
Albany, NY 12230

Summary:
This series consists of cards containing military and naval service abstracts and basic personal data for New Yorkers who served in the U.S. Regular Army, Navy, and Marines during the Spanish-American War (1898); Philippine-American War, or "Philippine Insurrection" (1899-1902); and China Relief Expedition against the "Boxer Rebellion" (1900-1901). The cards were procured by the New York Bureau of War Records from the federal government pursuant to Chapter 75 of the Laws of 1919.
Creator:
Title:
Abstracts of Spanish-American War, Philippine-American War, and China Relief Expedition military and naval service
Quantity:

7.5 cubic feet

34 card file boxes)

Inclusive Dates:
1898-1902
Series Number:
B0809

Arrangement

Organized into four subseries: 1. U.S. Army Officers; 2. U.S. Navy; 3. U.S. Enlisted Army; 4. U.S. Marine Corps.

Alphabetical by last name within each subseries.

Administrative History

The Bureau of War Records procured these abstracts of military and naval service from the federal government pursuant to Chapter 75 of the Laws of 1919, which directed the Adjutant General, through the Bureau, to compile, collect, and preserve the "records and relics . . . relating to the wars in which the state participated." (See also Chapter 247 of the Laws of 1887, which established the Bureau as the "Bureau of Records of the War of the Rebellion.")

The Spanish-American War was waged between Spain and the United States in the spring and summer of 1898. The major consequences of the defeat of Spain were the loss of Cuba, Puerto Rico, the Philippine Islands, and the Mariana Islands. American victory made the United States a colonial power with political interests in Far Eastern affairs. The United States also annexed the Republic of Hawaii as a territory before the peace treaty was signed.

The Philippine-American War ("Philippine Insurrection") was fought from 1899-1902. The conflict began when revolutionary forces under Emilio Aguinaldo declared the sovereignty of the Philippines just months after Spain ceded the islands to the United States. In 1900, the U.S. established a colonial government to attract Filipinos who did not back the Aguinaldo regime, introducing limited self-government, as well as social and economic reforms. Eventually, this policy helped to undermine Filipino backing of Aguinaldo, and aided the U.S. in defeating his revolutionary forces.

The "Boxer Rebellion" was a militant, anti-foreign, anti-Christian movement by the Society of Righteous and Harmonious Fists (known as the "Boxers") from 1899-1901 in China. The United States, along with seven other nations (the "Eight-Nation Alliance"), sent troops to China to quell the violence, and safeguard their commercial interests in the Far East. Ultimately, a peace agreement was signed between the Eight-Nation Alliance and the Chinese Qing court, which ordered the execution of high-ranking officials responsible for violence and demanded that war reparations be paid by the Chinese. In the U.S. military, the campaign against the "Boxer Rebellion" was known as the China Relief Expedition.

Scope and Content Note

This series consists of cards containing military and naval service abstracts and basic personal data for New Yorkers who served in the U.S. Regular Army, Navy, and Marines during the Spanish-American War (1898); Philippine-American War, or "Philippine Insurrection" (1899-1902); and China Relief Expedition against the "Boxer Rebellion" (1900-1901). While the records document service in all three campaigns, service cards covering the Spanish-American War and Philippine-American War appear most frequently.

Alternate Formats Available

Items Online

New York State Archives Digital Collections

Abstracts of Spanish-American War, Philippine-American War, and China Relief Expedition military and naval service, 1898-1902 in Digital Collections

Related Material

B0801 Abstracts of muster rolls for National Guard and Naval Militia units mustered into federal service during the Spanish-American War, contains related records.

Processing Information

Teddy Roosevelt's induction/service card was removed from the series for exhibit purposes and subsequently stored separately.

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions regarding access to or use of the material.

Access Terms

Corporate Name(s):
Geographic Name(s):
Subject(s):
Genre(s):
Function(s):

Detailed Description

Subseries 1: U.S. Army Officers

Scope and Content Note:

Service cards for officers of the United States Army include the following data: name; rank; company; regiment; date accepted and/or appointed into service and where appointed; organizations served in; ranks held during service; date and cause of, and rank held, at separation from service; last served in (might include unit, date, and information on mustering out, if applicable); birthplace (includes state and/or city and date); and remarks (if applicable), which may include a brief description of other military service of the officer or awards received from service. The cards also contain spaces to record engagements in which the officer participated and wounds received; however, these fields are generally left blank.

  

Contents Box

Accretion: B0809-85
Abercrombie-Zalinski 35

Subseries 2: U.S. Navy

Scope and Content Note:

Service cards for men in the United States Navy include the following data: name; rank or rate; date of appointment or enlistment; location enlisted at or appointed from; term; service number; trade/occupation; residence at appointment or enlistment (usually the city and state; sometimes street address included for New York City men); birthplace (usually city and state; if foreign born, just country); birth date; height, eye color, hair color, and complexion (amount of information varies per soldier); vessels or stations where individual served; engagements (if applicable); final disposition, date, cause and rate (information on discharge included here); and other naval service (if applicable).

  

Contents Box

Accretion: B0809-85
Aanensen-Beebee 1
Beecroft-Dahlstron 2
Daignean-Gherardi 3
Giaccone-Johannessen 4
Johansen-McCormick 5
McCourt-Nylund 6
Oakley-Samon 7
Sampson-Tuchler 8
Tucker-Zuber 9

Subseries 3: U.S. Enlisted Army

Scope and Content Note:

Service cards for enlisted men in the United States Army include the following data: name; rank; company; regiment; when and where soldier enlisted (most cards also provide length of enlistment); residence at time of enlistment (usually city and state; sometimes street address included for New York City men); organizations served in; ranks held during service; date and cause of, and rank held, at separation from service; last served in (might include unit, date, and information on mustering out, if applicable); birthplace (usually city and state; if foreign born, just country); age at enlistment; occupation; color of eyes and hair; complexion; height; and remarks (if applicable), which might include information on the soldier's "character"-e.g. "good," "excellent," "poor"-and/or a soldier's service history. With few exceptions, engagements and wounds received are not recorded on these cards.

  

Contents Box

Accretion: B0809-85
Aagoard-Beaumont 10
Beaupre-Bright 11
Brigman-Cary 12
Casbohm-Covey 13
Cowan-Dodd 14
Dodge-Fay 15
Faye-Gautsche 16
Gavelt-Hanners 17
Hannibal-Hogan 18
Hogancamp-Kennedy 19
Kenney-Livingston 20
Loscher-Maguth 21
Mahan-Mooney 22
Moore-Obst 23
O'Callaghan-Powers 24
Powley-Rogers 25
Rogerson-Schwartz 26
Schwarz-Smith 27
Smithers-Swan 28
Swanberg-Van Dyck 29
Van Gorder-Westburg 30
Westcott-Young 31
Youngblood-Zwoboda 32

Subseries 4: U.S. Marine Corps

Scope and Content Note:

Service cards for men in the United States Marine Corps include the following data: name; former residence (usually city and state; sometimes street address included for New York City men); where accepted for enlistment, with date; where enlisted, with date; place of birth (usually city and state; if foreign born, just country); date of birth; organizations served in (may also include where soldier served and dates); eye and hair color; complexion; height; grade, with date of appointment (date not included for rank of private, however); engagements (if applicable); wounds or other injuries received in action (if applicable); and information on individual's exit from service (e.g. how discharged, character of soldier, etc.).

  

Contents Box

Accretion: B0809-85
Abbery-Larsen 33
Larrson-Zipprian 34