Camp Lee (3)

Camp Lee (3) (1898-1898) - A Spanish American War muster camp established in 1898 near Kanawha City, Kanawha County, West Virginia. Abandoned in 1898. History Established in May 1898 soon after the declaration of war for the Spanish American War. Among the first set of troops to be called up were West Virginia National Guardsmen reorganized into the 1st West Virginia Volunteer Infantry Regiment. The West Virginia Adjutant General’s Office issued General Orders No. 1 dated 2 May 1898. The order called for the formation of a volunteer infantry regiment at Camp Lee, in Kanawha City near Charleston, West Virginia. The unit was mustered between 7 May and 14 May 1898 at Camp Lee. By 14 May, the various companies had been organized and the regiment was mustered into U.S. Service. Brig. Gen. Spilman accepted a commission as colonel of the new regiment. At the time of the muster-in, the regiment consisted of 46 officers and 964 enlisted men. Reportedly Camp Lee was unpopular with locals due to significant disorganization and dysfunction at the site. On 16 May 1898, the regiment left by train for Chickamauga Park, Georgia. They arrived at Chattanooga, Tennessee, on 19 May 1898. The next day the regiment moved to an area in the Chickamauga Battlefield Park that had been designated as Camp George H. Thomas. Here, many of the troops came down with Typhoid fever from contaminated drinking water and unsanitary living conditions. Current Status No Visible Remains. Location: Kanawha City, Kanawha County, West Virginia. Maps & Images Lat: 38.327778 Long: -81.60000 Multi Maps from ACME Maps from Bing Maps from Google Elevation: ....' GPS Locations: 38.327778, -81.60000 See Also: Camp George H. Thomas Sources: First Regiment West Virginia Volunteer Infantry Muster Roll, 1898-1899 Links: North American Forts - Camp Lee Fortification ID: WV0167 - Camp Lee (3) Visited: No