The United Spanish War Veterans (USWV) was a voluntary, fraternal organization of men who served in the United States military during the Spanish-American War (1898-1902). Following the conclusion of the first phase of the war (1898), returning veterans began forming fraternal organizations; by the beginning of the twentieth century several large organizations existed, such as the National Army and Navy Spanish War Veterans, the National Association Spanish-American War Veterans, and the Service Men of the Spanish War. In April of 1904, those three organizations signed an “Amalgamation Agreement” to become a single entity- the United Spanish War Veterans. Other organizations to amalgamate with the USWV were the Legion of Spanish War Veterans (1906) and the Veteran Army of the Philippines (1908). Wisconsin, which had formed a Department of the Spanish-American War Veterans in 1902, was among the first states to establish a Department in the USWV in April 1904.
The USWV was organized at both the state and national level. Each participating state was considered a department, which was divided into local camps. The local camps were numbered and named. No two camps within a state could share a name. Each department held an annual encampment, which often included camping out, formal dinners, entertainment, and memorial events. The USWV held a national encampment in a different city each year; several were held in Wisconsin, including Milwaukee (1905, 1932, 1946, and 1960) and Madison (1976). Several Wisconsin men also served as Commander-in-Chief of the national organization: William H. Armstrong, Morris G. Osterreich, and Edmund L. Wescott.
The USWV objectives, as outlined in its constitution, were: 1) “to unite in fraternal bonds... those men and those women nurses who served in the military or naval establishment of the United States of America at any time during the war with Spain...” 2) “To honor the memory and preserve from neglect and oblivion the graves of the dead.” 3) “To assist former comrades and shipmates, their widows, orphans, and dependent relatives...” 4) “To perpetuate the memories of the war with Spain and the campaigns in the Philippine Islands and in China...” 5) “To promote the best interest of those who participated in the war with Spain and the campaigns in the Philippine Islands and in China.” 6) “To inculcate the principles of universal liberty, equal rights and justice to all mankind, of loyalty to our country, reverence for its institutions, obedience to its laws and respect for its magistrates...” 7) “To encourage and promote the maintenance of an adequate military and naval establishment in our country...” 8) “To educate our people as to the necessity for making provision for national defense...” 9) “To so develop the Order that it may be a valuable aid to the army and navy and the government during any future war.”
In particular, the USWV focused on patriotism and nationalism. Their stated principles were “Freedom, Patriotism and Humanity.” In addition, the following statement appeared at the top of the national organizations printed orders and was spoken at every USWV meeting: “Americanism is an unfailing love of country; loyalty to is institutions and ideals; eagerness to defend it against all enemies; undivided allegiance to the flag, and a desire to secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and posterity.”
Membership in the USWV was restricted to certifiable veterans of the Spanish-American War. The organization seemed to take pride in its limited membership, writing the following in a publication: “The 'United Spanish War Veterans' is a unique organization. No child can be born into it; no proclamation of President... can command admission; the wealth of a Rockefeller or a Ford cannot purchase the position; its doors swing open only upon presentation of the bit of paper, torn, worn, begrimed though it may be, which certifies to an honorable discharge from the armies or navies of the nation during the Spanish-American War.” The statement went on to assert that no “new blood” would ever be allowed in, and that when the last veteran of the Spanish-American War died, the organization would cease to exist.
Unlike larger veterans' organizations like the Grand Army of the Republic (G.A.R.) and the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), there is very little published literature about the USWV. It is difficult to ascertain what, aside from the stated goals of their constitution, the organization sought to accomplish. It is also difficult to pinpoint the year in which the organization ceased to exist, though the requirements of membership would suggest a date in the late 1970's or early 1980's.
