National Guard Spanish American War and Philippine Insurrection muster rolls, 1898-1899.

This series contains muster-in and muster-out rolls for Utah military units called into service during the Spanish American War. The muster-in rolls include the following types of information for each serviceman: name, rank, description (age, height, complexion, eye color and hair color), birthplace, occupation, marital status, residence, emergency contact, date of commission or enlistment in service, valuation of horses and equipment, home station or company rendezvous, and signature. The content of the muster-out rolls is similar but much abbreviated.

Three identical rolls were made at the time of mustering-in for each service unit or troop and were dispersed as follows: one copy to the Adjutant General of the Army; the second copy to the Adjutant General of the state to which the troops belonged; and the third copy to the company or detachment commander. Notably, separate muster rolls were created for each officer, with some slight variations in content.

During the SpanishAmerican War most Utahns served in units organized within the state which were formerly National Guard units. However, a technicality in the law prohibited the National Guardsmen from serving outside the boundaries of the United States. The states got around this technicality by having the guardsmen resign and then reenlist as members of federal units. The units from Utah that served in this manner were batteries A and B of the Utah Light Artillery; Troop A, Utah Cavalry (regular cavalry); and Troop I of Torrey's Roughriders (a special troop of mounted riflemen). An additional unit was sent from Utah, Company K of Engineers, 2nd Engineer Regiment, U.S. Volunteers, recruited from Salt Lake City; and another two hundred men from the state were recruited into the 4th U.S. Cavalry, the 14th U.S. Infantry, and the 11th U.S. Cavalry.

The Spanish American War began on April 25, 1898 when the United States declared war on Spain following the sinking of the Battleship Maine in Havana harboron February 15, 1898. The war ended with the signing of the Treaty of Paris on December 10, 1898. The Utah Artillery fought in the war's Manila campaign. At the war's end they stayed in the Philippines, and assisted in fending off the Philippine Insurrection until June 1899. The other Utah units were stationed in assorted locations throughout the United States and Hawaii, never seeing military action.