STATE OF THE UNION, 1898
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President William McKinley’s Message to Congress, April 11, 1898
I ask the Congress to authorize and empower the President to take measures to secure a full and final termination of hostilities between the Government of Spain and the people of Cuba, and to secure in the island the establishment of a stable government, capable of maintaining order and observing its international obligations, insuring peace and tranquility and the security of its citizens as well as our own, and to use the military and naval forces of the United States as may be necessary for these purposes.
— BULLY! pp 509 – 513 / Commercial Advertiser
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On Board Transport Miami en route from Santiago de Cuba
“The people of New York want him for their governor …. The people of the United States will want him to govern them next, and they will have him for their President. I told him so on the ship and he laughed a good deal.”
— General Joseph Wheeler / Inside Cover / BULLY! / Commercial Advertiser
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Editorial / The London Times
Every move has been done in the open, every move has been discussed as a possibility all over the United States before the Government was irrevocably committed one way or the other, and the result of this cautious, tentative policy is that, where he stands at this moment, the President has the whole American People at his back.
We do not think that there can be any higher statesmanship for a President governing under the Constitution of the United States.
— August 14th, 1898 / BULLY! page 59 / Reprinted in Joseph Pulitzer’s The World
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Political Rally @ Carnegie Hall
The general impression that Mr. Roosevelt makes, at first sight at least, is that of a big, hearty, energetic young fellow, too busy to have room for humbug either in his heart or in his mind….
“There comes a time in the life of a nation, as in the life of an individual, when it must face great responsibilities, whether it will or no. We have now reached that time. We cannot avoid the fact that we occupy a new place among the people of the world and have entered upon a new career. All that we can decide is whether we shall bear ourselves well or ill in following out this career….
“The great lesson to be taught our people is the lesson both of brotherhood and self-help. In our several ways each of us must work hard to do his duty; each must preserve his sturdy independence; and yet each must realize his duty to others. And to each who performs his duty in whatever way, must be given the full measure of respect….”
Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Theodore Roosevelt
Carnegie Hall, October 5th, 1898 / BULLY! pp 434 – 441 /Adolph S. Ochs’ New York Times
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Chicago Tribune Masthead, 1898.
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National Military Park Proposal
Newsletter # 3
May 5, 2026
The intent of this newsletter is to inform the general public about Camp Wikoff, the great military encampment established in Montauk, New York, 1898, for the rest & recuperation of Gen. William Shafter’s Fifth Army Corps in preparation for the fall campaign against Havana, Cuba, in the Spanish-American War.
The objective of this effort is to establish Camp Wikoff National Military Park as an enduring tribute to the civilian & military volunteers of 1898.
As America’s tenth national military park, Camp Wikoff would mark the historic transition from mainland wars to wars fought overseas on foreign soil.
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Fort Pond Bay is the main component of the proposed Camp Wikoff National Military Park.
As the Homeport of America’s first veterans of a war fought overseas,
Fort Pond Bay represents all homeports and points of return of America’s veterans of foreign wars.
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Comments & suggestions welcome.
Jeff Heatley, Editor
With appreciation for Brian Tadler’s review & advice.
Note: to receive Newsletter updates, please send request to info@aaqeastend.com
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Thank you to the following organizations for their letters of support:
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Buckey O’Neill Camp No. 175 – AZ / Sons of Spanish-American War Veterans
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Lester F. Quinn Memorial Association
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Sons of Spanish-American War Veterans / National Organization
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Note: This proposal, in modified form, received the support of Brigadier General Patrick Finnegan,
Dean of the United States Military Academy at West Point / March 4th, 2008.
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UPCOMING EVENTS 2026
Launch of Rough Riders Bourbon Daiquiri Beach Series at LIV / Rough Rider Bourbon Distillery, Baiting Hollow, on June 20th to commemorate Rough Riders landing at Daiquiri, Cuba. Roosevelt, Wheeler re-enactors and Spanish-American War descendents.
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THIRD HOUSE / SUFFOLK250 / September 19th w/ Re-enactors: Roosevelt, Wheeler, Pershing — Celebrating 250th, as well as 125th Anniversary of Roosevelt becoming President (9.14.1901), Parade — from Montauk Station to Third House w/ carriages, horses & wagons — and historic mustering out of the Rough Riders (9.15.1898).
Updates to follow.
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CAMP WIKOFF NATIONAL MILITARY PARK Proposal
HOMECOMING
Tribute to Military & Civilian Volunteers / Montauk, 1898
OVERLAY PARK CONCEPT
Overlay Park consists of land that was part of Camp Wikoff that is now Town, County, State parkland.
Overlay would add signage, monuments, dedicated benches and markers to those sites.
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CW NATIONAL MILITARY PARK COMPONENTS
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Fort Pond Bay, August, 1898. Archival Photo Courtesy of Theodore Roosevelt Collection,
Harvard College Library / Rough Rider Emerson Photograph
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Main Component: FORT POND BAY / 40+ Transports directly from Santiago de Cuba w/ 22,500 Soldiers on board
America’ First Veterans of a War Fought Oversea
First Returned Home at Fort Pond Bay.
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CAMP WIKOFF MEMORIAL WALKWAY (to be added)
Between Fort Pond Bay & Montauk Station
Thousands of soldiers, relatives, visitors walked between Fort Pond Bay & Montauk Station
Kiosk with Camp Wikoff Map & Information.
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MONTAUK STATION / Long Island Railroad
LIRR transported thousands of soldiers, relatives, visitors & tons of supplies. All soldiers left by train.
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Spanish American War Museum (to be added)
Either to be constructed or occupy an existing building near Montauk Station.
Features topographical map of the 1898 encampment.
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SHADMOOR STATE PARK
Lieut. John J. ‘Black Jack’ Pershing / 10th Volunteer Cavalry (Buffalo Soldiers)
Lieut. Pershing, 9th & 10th Cavalry supported Col. Roosevelt & Rough Riders Charge at San Juan Hill, July 1, 1898.
Members of the 17th Infantry, concerned about the care of veterans, formed an organization that would become the Veterans of Foreign Wars.
In 1998, the VFW celebrated its Centennial.
Monument / Signage / Dedicated Benches
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THIRD HOUSE COUNTY PARK
(formally Theodore Roosevelt County Park, named in 1998)
Third House served as an Inn for Officers
Col. Roosevelt stayed at Third House on August 18 & 19th. His wife and daughters stayed there during a September visit.
Monument to Roosevelt’s Rough Riders, Signage & Dedicated Benches
Reconstruction of the barn that stood near Third House in 1898.
Monument / Signage / Dedicated Benches
To be added: Roosevelt’s Rough Riders Museum in the reconstructed barn.
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MONTAUK POINT STATE PARK
Celebrated by soldiers on the 40+ Transports from Santiago de Cuba as they rounded the Point on their way to Fort Pond Bay.
More than 60 soldiers died of tropical fevers & malnourishment — on their way home & were buried at sea.
Monument to Those Who Were Buried at Sea / Signage & Dedicated Benches.
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Additional Sites for Monuments, Signage & Dedicated Benches —
MONTAUK VILLAGE GREEN
Monument to President McKinley who addressed the troops on September 3rd, 1898
ROADSIDE Monument @ former Rita’s Stables location
Monument to Col. Theodore Roosevelt’s first Bully Pulpit and Farewell to the Rough Riders.
DITCH PLAINS
Monument to Gen. Joseph Wheeler, his daughter, ‘Camp Angel’ Red Cross Nurse Laurie, and sons / aides-de-camp, Joseph & Thomas
Gen. Wheeler was in command at Camp Wikoff, August 19 – September 5th
He established his Second Headquarters at Ditch Plains
Montauk Downs State Golf Course
Site of the General Hospital
Monument to Volunteer Nurses / Organizations
Fort Hill Cemetery
Monument to 340+ Soldiers who Died of yellow fever, malaria, typhoid, dysentery or malnutrition at Camp Wikoff.
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Archival Map of 4,000 – Acre Camp Wikoff, Dated September, 1898. Courtesy of Montauk Historical Society.
Note that Lake Wyandanee, landlocked, has had channel access to Block Island Sound since 1927.
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CW NATIONAL MILITARY PARK / Proposed Events & Activities
APRIL
Naval Vessel Arrives Fort Pond Bay, Anchors / offering tours.
Camp Wikoff Lecture Series: Quarantine, American Red Cross, Citizen Volunteers — offered by scholars.
Half-Marathon — last Sunday in April — Montauk Station to Lighthouse to Fort Pond Bay
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MAY
Long Island Lecture Series: Spanish American War, offered by scholars at colleges,
universities, historical societies & libraries, available via Zoom
Topics: Spanish-American War | Cuba, Then & Now |Foreign Relations | War & Technology | Cavalry | Yellow Journalism | Manifest Destiny | Tropical Fevers | Round Robins | LIRR, 1898 | New York State Politics, 1898 | Yellow Journalism | ‘Generation 98’ | Theodore Roosevelt | Sagamore Hill….
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OCTOBER
Third House — Third Sunday
Re-enactors: President McKinley, Col. Roosevelt, Gen. Wheeler, Lieut. Pershing, Laurie Wheeler & others
Speech Re-Enactments
President McKinley’s Address to the Troops
Col. Roosevelt’s Bully Pulpit & Farewell Speeches
Army Wagon / Horseback to Lighthouse
Wigwagging & Bugle Call Demonstrations
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Additional Proposed Activities / Year Round
Self-Guided Bike / Hike / Run / Swim / Horseback Ride Tours of Historic Camp Wikoff
Officer Tents / Platform Camping at Third House, with select Veterans only weekends
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NOVEMBER
THIRD SUNDAY
Military & Civilian Volunteers. / 1898
Tribute
Gen. Shafter’s Fifth Army Corps / Roosevelt’s Rough Riders / American Red Cross & Agent Howard Townsend / Sisters of Charity / National Women’s War Relief Association / East Hampton War Relief Association / Ellen Walworth / Samuel Parrish / Helen Gould / Col. John Jacob Astor / Cornelius Vanderbilt …. /
Third Sunday, November
Beach @ Fort Pond Bay
Bugle Call: Reveille
Re-Enactor Gen. Joseph Wheeler Introduces
Re-Enactor President William McKinley who Delivers His
‘Welcome Home’ Address to the Troops
Followed-by
Historic Importance of Camp Wikoff
Reading of Names of Soldiers who died at Camp Wikoff & en route to Montauk
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Soloist Sings John Howard Payne’s ‘HOME! Sweet Home!’
— the most popular song on board transports returning home —
Bugle Call: Taps
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Boston Globe / August 21, 1898
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EXTRA! EXTRA!
QUARANTINE IN MONTAUK
YELLOW FEVER — MALARIA — TYPHOID
READ ALL ABOUT IT!!!!!
“Book is a gold mine of information.”
Dr. John Gable, 1998, Executive Director,
Theodore Roosevelt Association.
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“A gem….BULLY! is as close to a time machine as one is likely to find between book covers.”
Russell Drumm, EH Star reporter, 1998 / Arthur of ‘In The Slick of the Cricket.
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