Camp Alger Camp Alger , near Falls Church , Virginia , was established May 18 , 1898 , for the Spanish American War effort . It was approved by Secretary of War Russell A . Alger for whom it was named . Location . Camp Alger was about 1½ miles from Dunn Loring , a station on a branch of the Southern Railway , as above stated , and 7 miles from Washington , D . C , and about 5 miles distant from Fort Myer . The surface of this tract is rolling , partly wooded , with cultivated clearings and with good drainage . The soil is of clay and sand and nearly impervious to water . Immediately after the selection of this camp preparations were made for the reception of troops by the erection of storehouses at Dunn Loring , where the Southern Railway put in extra sidings to accommodate the increased traffic . Second Army Corps . The Second Army Corps was constituted May 7 , and May 16 Maj . Gen . William M . Graham , was assigned to the command , and the troops which were to compose the corps were ordered to this camp . General Graham arrived May 19 and assumed command , which he exercised during the existence of the camp . This corps was composed wholly of volunteers . The troops commenced arriving the 18th of May , and by the last of that month there were 18 , 309 officers and mem in camp . On the last day of June there were 23 , 511 officers and men , on the last day of July there were 22 , 180 , on the last day of August the troops present at this camp . Total number of troops that went to Camp Alger 31 , 195 . Duffield ' s brigade left camp June 15 and Garretson ' s brigade July 5 , both for Santiago , Cuba to reinforce Gen . Shafter ' s army . President McKinley . The 8th Ohio Infantry Regiment , U . S . Volunteers , arrived at Camp Alger on May 19 , 1898 , was nicknamed “ McKinley ’ s Own ” or “ The President ’ s Own ” because three companies were from President William McKinley ’ s hometown of Canton . Another unit from McKinley ' s home state was the Ninth Ohio Volunteer Infantry Battalion , an African American regiment . At Camp Alger , this battalion was initially assigned to the Second Brigade , Second Division , of the Second Army Corps . When President William McKinley and his Cabinet visited Camp Alger , on May 28 , 1898 , two short films were made of this event . Water and Sanitation . The water supply was also quite limited and never was sufficient for other uses than cooking and drinking , and not that until about the 25th of June , when about forty wells had been sunk . There were no adequate bathing facilities nearer than the Potomac River , which was 7 miles distant . The troops were encamped both in the open and wooded portions . Those in the latter did not seem to suffer on account of their position . The sinks were generally properly policed , of the regulation depth , and were very soon inclosed . The woods were quite badly polluted by the excreta of the men ; but the commanding officer issued stringent sanitary regulations and used great efforts to see that they were obeyed . His efforts were fairly successful . The troops were well supplied with tentage . The camps of the different regiments were well policed , and the refuse properly disposed of by burning . The rations were abundant in quantity and good in quality . Field bakeries were established in the camp and at Dunn Loring on August 2 , from which the corps was supplied with excellent bread . As heretofore stated , on 1 August it was decided to reduce the number of troops , one division being sent to Thoroughfare Gap , and about two weeks later it was decided to move the whole corps . Early in September that was accomplished . During the existence of this camp the weather was exceedingly hot and some portion of the time very rainy , both of which conditions , with myriads of flies which infested the camp , were the causes of much discomfort to the men . The health of this locality is reputed to be as good as any in the section of country about Washington . Typhoid . A defining event of the war and Camp Alger was the typhoid fever epidemic of July to November 1898 . The number of deaths from May 18 to October 11 was 71 , and at Thoroughfare Gap 34 . This death rate is not abnormal , and , judging from it , the locality can not be considered unhealthful . The Seventh Illinois Regiment , which was encamped there during the whole time , lost but one man up to the 14th day of December , a record probably not equaled by any other regiment in the service . The establishment of Camp Alger is justifiable upon the report as to the suitableness of the site , but considering the scarcity of water and the want of facilities for bathing , we are of opinion that it was very undesirable , and was not abandoned too soon . On August 2 the 2nd Division of the corps marched to Thoroughfare Gap , 80 miles distant , and remained in camp there for about one month . Early in September the remainder of the corps was transferred to Camp Meade , near Middletown , Pennsylvania .