Books and Documents

SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR

Introduction

The Spanish-American War was a major watershed in the history of the U.S. Army Medical Department. That story and its aftermath are fully covered in Mary Gillett's, The History of the U.S. Army Medical Department, 1865-1917, which can be found elsewhere in Books and Documents on the AMEDD History website. To facilitate access, the following links are provided to the three chapters that cover the Spanish-American War:

Chapter 5: Preparations for Conquests Overseas

Chapter 6: Supporting the Invasion Forces

Chapter 7: Disease and Death in U.S. Camps

In this section, we are providing excerpts from the official Report of the Surgeon General of the Army to the Secretary of War for the Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 1898. The first excerpt, "Work of the Medical Department during the Spanish war" (pages 100-139), is the report of Brig. Gen. George M. Sternberg, The Surgeon General, on the activities of the Medical Department during the Spanish-American War.  The second excerpt, "Reports and Papers" (pages 139-265), includes reports from many of the surgeons assigned to the most important operational commands, camps, and hospitals. The actual reports of those Medical Corps officers who most directly confronted the problems of disease in the mobilization camps and hospitals in the United States and of disease and caring for sick and wounded soldiers in Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines vividly relate the often grim and deadly challenges of military medicine.

John T. Greenwood, Ph.D.
Chief, Office of Medical History
Office of The Surgeon General, U.S. Army

REPORT OF THE SURGEON-GENERAL OF THE ARMY

TO THE SECRETARY OF WAR FOR THE

FISCAL YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 1898.

WASHINGTON: GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, 1898.

Work of the Medical Department during the Spanish war:

Reports and Papers:

    Circulars, Surgeon-General's Office

    Col. Charles R. Greenleaf, chief surgeon, armies in the field

    Lieut. Col. A. C. Girard, chief surgeon, Second Army Corps

    Lieut. Col. Charles Smart on Camp Alger, Va.

    Lieut. Col. Rush S. Huidekoper, chief surgeon, First Army Corps

    Lieut. Col. A. A. Woodhull, U.S. A., on Camp George H. Thomas, Ga.

    Lieut. Col. L. M. Maus, on typhoid fever in the Seventh Army Corps

    Lieut. Col. B. F. Pope, chief surgeon, Fifth Army Corps

    Lieut. Col. V. Havard, chief surgeon, Cavalry Division, Fifth Army Corps

    Maj. Louis A. La Garde, surgeon, U.S.A., the base hospital at Siboney, Cuba

    Maj. M. W. Wood, chief surgeon, First Division, Fifth Army Corps

    Maj. R. W. Johnson, brigade surgeon, First Division, Fifth Army Corps

    Lieut. Guy C. M. Godfrey, U.S.A., Ambulance Corps Company, Fifth Army Corps

    Capt. E. L. Munson, U.S.A., Reserve Ambulance Company, Fifth Army Corps

    Capt. Geo. J. Newgarden, U.S.A., Third United States Cavalry

    Capt. Chas. F. Kieffer, U.S.A., Artillery Brigade, Fifth Army Corps

    Maj Frank J. Ives, chief surgeon, Provisional Division, Fifth Army Corps

    Col. Wm. H. Forwood, chief surgeon, Camp Wikoff, L.I.

    Col. Chas. R. Greenleaf, chief surgeon, armies in the field, on conditions at Camp Wikoff, L.I.

    Lieut. Col. Henry Lippincott, chief surgeon, Philippine expedition