Proposal to Establish America’s Tenth National Military Park

Honoring Military & Civilian Volunteers

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Newsletter # 6 / August 15, 2026

Opened August 8th — Closed October 9th, 1898

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STATE OF THE UNION, 1898

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Monday, August 15, 1898

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Gen. Joseph Wheeler, West Point, 1859, served as a Confederate General in the Civil War, then rose to rank of General in the United States Army. Only General to see action in both wars. And, having served in the Confederacy, then the US Army, he came to personify, for the nation, the re-unification of the country following the Civil War.

Col. Theodore Roosevelt, Harvard University, 1880 / 1st United States Volunteer Cavalry, popularly known as the Rough Riders.

Gen. Wheeler illustration, Boston Globe | Col. Roosevelt illustration, The Traveler.

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22,500 Soldiers of Gen. Shafter’s Fifth Army Corps, including 1,000 Rough Riders, returned home
at Fort Pond Bay in August & September, 1898.

7,000 Soldiers of the Fifth Army Corps arrived at Montauk by train from Southern Posts.

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Joseph Pulitzer’s The World / Double Page Spread, August 15, 1898

The Long Island Rail Road had extended its South Fork line to Montauk in 1895. It built the Iron Pier, with an extended rail line, for the transport of military supplies, horses & mules. The Montauk Station transported tens of thousands of soldiers — all soldiers left Camp Wikoff by train — relatives & visitors, during the two-month encampment, making its service, performed flawlessly, one of the greatest events in the Long Island Rail Road’s history.

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Colors & Color Sergeant Wright of the Rough Riders

New York Herald, James Gordon Bennet, Illustrator.

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National Military Park Proposal

Newsletter # 6

August 15, 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:

 Camp Wikoff played an important role in the American war with Spain in 1898. In many ways the Camp reflected the spirit of the times, especially with regard to volunteerism and the Progressive impulse of the late – 19th and early 20th centuries. Through its gates passed thousands of heroic Americans — military and civilian, famous and ordinary — whose commitment and sacrifice brought victory in the war. For these reasons and the many others you outlined in the proposal, we support your cause and encourage you to continue pursuing the project.

Best wishes for success in establishing Camp Wikoff as a national military park.

Patrick Finnegan

Brigadier General, US Army 

Dean of the Academic Board           

United States Military Academy / West Point

CAMP WIKOFF NATIONAL MILITARY PARK Proposal

America’s Tenth NMP:

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 & markers, monuments, dedicated benches and markers to those sites.

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CW NATIONAL MILITARY PARK OVERLAY COMPONENTS

Fort Pond Bay & Beach

Shadmoor State Park

Third House County Park

Montauk Point State Park

Additional Proposed

Camp Wikoff Memorial Walkway: Montauk Station <> Fort Pond Bay

Information Kiosk at Montauk Station

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CW NATIONAL MILITARY PARK ANNUAL EVENTS

April — Navy Vessel anchors in Fort Pond Bay

April / Last Weekend — Camp Wikoff Lectures / Montauk

—- Spring Half-Marathon: Fort Pond Bay <> Montauk Point Lighthouse

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May — Spanish-American War Lectures / Long Island

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October / Third Weekend — Re-enactments at Third House County Park

President William McKinley’s Address to the Fifth Army Corps / Sept 3rd

Col. Roosevelt’s BULLY Pulpit sermon delivered to this men / Sept 4th.

          Col. Roosevelt’s Farewell to the Rough Riders / Sept 13th 

NYS Gubernatorial Nominee Theodore Roosevelt’s Speech / Oct 5th

—- Autumn Half-Marathon: Fort Pond Bay <> Montauk Point Lighthouse

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— Platform Wall Tent Camping 

— Camp Wikoff Historic Bike Tour / Fort Pond Bay <> Montauk Point Lighthouse 

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Fort Pond Bay at approximate location of the Iron Pier. Photo, 2014.

November / Third Sunday

HOMECOMING

TRIBUTE to MILITARY & CIVILIAN VOLUNTEERS / 1898

Including American Red Cross, Sisters of Mercy, Women’s National War Relief Association,
and East Hampton Relief Corps / Diet Kitchen & individuals who contributed 

Fort Pond Bay Beach

— Address: The Lessons of Camp Wikoff

— Reading of the Names of 340+ soldiers who died at Camp Wikoff and of the 60+ who died at sea.

— Soloist Sings: John Howard Payne’s Home! Sweet Home!

Favorite song of the soldiers on board the transports returning home.

Bugler plays Taps.

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Montauk Light was a beacon of hope for fever-stricken, malnourished troops