On April 6, 1898, Congress declared war on Spain and President William McKinley organized United States forces for the "Splended Little War." Of the tens of thousands of regular, volunteer and National Guard (Militia) troops who served, 343 Utah Guardsmen saw service in the Philippine Islands. On May 1st, after the Navy's stunning victory at Manila Bay, McKinley authorized an invasion force to capture the Philippine archipelago from Spain. Organized into two batteries, the Utah "Light" Artillery mustered into federal service on May 9, 1898 at Fort Douglas, Utah. Shortly thereafter, at Camp Merritt near San Francisco, the Utah Artillery became part of Brigadier General Francis V. Greene's brigade of the U.S. VIII Corps under the command of Major General Wesley Merritt. By Keith Rocco, National Gaurd Series
