::: SOLDIERS MAIL :::
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JUNE 2, 1898 TO JUNE 13, 1900
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When American troops en route to the Philippines during the Spanish American War
arrived at Honolulu on June 2, 1898, the town threw open its doors and welcomed them
with open arms. From this point forward, American troops were present in Hawaii.
Their letters home formed a distinctive postal history until June 13, 1900, when
Hawaii's postal system merged into the United States Postal Service.
FIRST PERIOD OF SOLDIER MAIL
Expedition followed expedition full of volunteer infantrymen from various state
militias as well as regular Army Infantry. Hawaii had been seeking annexation to the
United States since 1893 but the American Senate stubbornly resisted. With Hawaii now
a strategic re-coaling station in the mid-Pacific, the Senate finally was turned in
favor of the idea and a treaty of annexation was signed. Formal annexation ceremonies
were held in Honolulu on August 12, 1898, and the stars and stripes were raised above
Hawaii. Mail from soldiers up to the date of annexation forms the First Period of
Soldier Mail. Click here for a study of First Period
Soldier Mail.
SECOND PERIOD OF SOLDIER MAIL
Two days after the annexation ceremony, troops of the New York Infantry Volunteers
arrived at Honolulu to establish a garrison. Manila fell August 12 and
Spain relinquished the Philippines to the United States. But in early 1899, American
troops began fighting a guerrilla war against the Philippine Insurgents, a war that
lasted into 1902. Garrison troops and soldiers on troop ships bound for Manila
continued to send their mail home. Mail from soldiers in Hawaii up to June 13, 1900
form the Second Period of Soldier Mail. Once the Territory of Hawaii government
commenced, the United States domestic 2¢ rate applied to Hawaii and soldier mail became
indistinguishable.
For almost two years following annexation the United States Congress debated terms
of the Organic Laws to govern Hawaii. Meanwhile, Hawaii's existing internal governance
structure was left in place, including its postal system. Hawaii remained a member of
the Universal Postal Union and postage rates between Hawaii and the mainland United
States remained unchanged. Thus, a letter still cost 5¢ per half ounce, prepaid in
Hawaiian (not United States) stamps, although domestic United States postage was only
2¢ per half ounce. Unpaid or underpaid letters were taxed double the deficiency to
the addressee. With annexation soldier mail came under special regulations promulgated
by the United States. Specifically, a soldier could send a letter home for only 2¢
per half ounce, prepaid with either United States or Hawaiian stamps or collect, so
long as it was properly endorsed as a soldier letter and signed by a staff officer,
surgeon or chaplain. Letters could be sent collect or underpaid and recipients of
soldier letters were taxed only the exact amount of unpaid postage. A proper endorsement was
not always necessary for soldier mail from Hawaii, as will be seen. However, the 2¢
letter rate makes soldier mail distinctive until June 13, 1900.
Much soldier mail of the second period was sent by garrison soldiers. Initial
contingents of the New York Infantry Volunteers and the U. S. Volunteer Engineers
arrived on August 14, 1898, to establish a garrison at Honolulu.
Click here for a study of garrison mail.
Mail from troops en route to Manila or from sailors aboard naval ships on station at
Honolulu or passing by make up the balance of the soldier mail in the second period.
Click here for Spanish American War Soldier Mail – Naval Markings.
NOTES ABOUT SECOND PERIOD MAIL
Newspaper Wrappers
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Newspaper wrapper franked with a 2¢ Hawaiian brown (Scott No. 75). A member of the
fourth expedition on board St. Paul sent this paper home. It was left before
annexation, but mailed afterward. There was no special rate applicable to newspapers
sent by soldiers so they were charged at the ordinary UPU rate of 2¢.
YMCA Corner Cards
Y.M.C.A. support for soldiers passing through or garrisoned at Honolulu was evident in
the variety of corner cards on envelopes furnished the troops. Some examples:
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July 6, 1898
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August 4, 1898
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September 3, 1898
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September 22, 1898
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December 4, 1899
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Letterhead of stationery; September 29, 1898 at Camp Otis
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Advertising cover
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Postmarked November 7, 1899 (on the front) this advertising cover for the Hawaiian
Hotel in Honolulu shows on the back of a soldier letter from an officer en route to
Manila.
Boys in Blue Post Cards
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Front and back of a Boys in Blue post card postmarked at Hilo on December 2, 1898 and
at Honolulu on December 4, this post card shows the soldiers milling about the Iolani
Palace in Honolulu. This card was sent from a tourist rather than from a soldier
because the Camp Waiakea troops left Hilo in late November, 1898.
Fumigated Mail
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Postmarked April 27, 1900 at Honolulu, this cover shows slits in the corners, made to
let fumigation gas into the envelope. Plague first hit Honolulu in December, 1899.
Initial steps to quarantine Honolulu were lifted when it appeared the danger passed.
In January, the plague was back with a vengeance. Troops of the 6th Artillery
participated in enforcing the quarantine in the infected areas of city, particularly in
Chinatown. Where a plague case was found, the house and sometimes a whole city block
was burned. One day in January, an attempt to burn one block blew out of control and
large areas of Honolulu burned. During the plague quarantine, troop and supply ships
bound for Manila diverted to Hilo or simply passed Hawaii altogether. Regular steamers
stopping at Honolulu were required to stand off the wharf to land or receive mail,
passengers and goods. Baggage and outgoing mail had to be fumigated and passengers had
to pass a period of quarantine. After a month without a new case of plague, the
quarantine was lifted on April 30, 1900 and mail fumigation no longer was required.
People nonetheless continued to slit their envelopes in case another case of plague
was discovered and quarantine re-imposed before the letter was away on a ship.
Mainland Postmarks
Mainland transit marks found on soldier mail will tell whether the ship was sent to San
Francisco or Puget Sound. Even mail bound for San Francisco sometimes got put aboard a
steamer bound for Tacoma, Washington or Vancouver, British Columbia. Here are examples
of some mainland transit marks:
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San Francisco
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Circle Date Stamp, December 2, 1899
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Machine cancel, wave with "2" August 15, 1898
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Machine cancel, straight line with "1" February 23, 1899
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Machine cancel, straight line with "3" December 11, 1899
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Tacoma, Washington
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Vancouver, British Columbia
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July 15, 1898
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November 3, 1898
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