Series II: Military papers
Scope and Contents Note
This series includes cablegrams and reports from World War I, as well as articles and reports on both civilian and military aspects of the Philippines from Harbord's years of service there.
Subseries II.1: Correspondence, reports and diary
Scope and Contents Note
This subseries contains cablegrams, war reports, and papers relating to the 1937 Convention of the American Legion. There is also one folder of military photographs and a folder of pamphlets.
Cablegrams
Cablegrams A 813-A 2099 (boxes II.1-2) are cablegrams received by Harbord which primarily relate to personnel concerns. Earlier cablegrams mostly center around logistics (shipments, production, training, payments, replies to queries) while later cablegrams are mostly concerned with discharge, messages to soldiers, and verification of soldier status (location, health, condition, rank, citizenship).
These cables are organized topically by individual date and labeled with alphanumerical code, typically ranging 1-2 pages in length per topic group. Each cable is subgrouped into numbered paragraphs which represent separate messages.
Each of these cables is signed by Kerr, McCain, or Harris; several messages from March, Marcorps, Baker; others include Williams, Garfield, Goethals, Keppel, Dockery, Pershing, Crowell, Biddle, Wheeler, Marks. The messages are addressed to "Pershing Amexforce" General Headquarters A.E.F.
A significant number of cablegrams are absent, noted only by alphanumeric code on otherwise blank sheets, noting that there were "no copies made." Most of these cablegrams refer to "casuals" or "casualties," though others are simply marked "confidential."
The majority of cablegrams are seeking/relaying orders about personnel; procedure; release of and communication with prisoners; requests for money and/or goods; discharge of soldiers; aid for military families of fallen soldiers; notifications sent to soldiers while abroad (mostly related to death of family members); foreign infantrymen & U.S. naturalization/citizenship (Mexican, Cuban, Swedish, Norwegian, Spanish; Panamanian, Danish, Russian, Colombian, Netherlands, Brazilian, Portuguese, Bulgarian); officers available to work different positions (veterinarian, ophthalmologist, flight surgeon); delays in mail; hospital organization; service award and rank announcements; requests for more officers; expense reports; machinery requests; shipments of Christmas presents; deaths from disease; epidemic in France; transportation authorization (including of military wives and children); funds transferred to Commanding General trust in Paris; prevention of disease spread upon reentry to U.S.; new system for baggage records (in response to lost baggage complaints); reassignments/moving of officers; statements to be read to soldiers; missing cabled money to soldier; verification of status of health and/or causes of death; Christmas greetings from Baker and March; service records; issues with notifying family of death/illness; uniform regulations; employment of soldiers; YMCA and other welfare organizations; suitable soldiers; special assignments for soldiers continuing military service (ex: American propaganda balloons); hiring of artists overseas for lack of camera coverage; "handling soldiers of enemy-alien birth."
Cablegrams with prefixes CA and CP (end of box II.2-II.3) include three alternate types of cablegrams different from the above type, though they still follow the chronological and alphanumeric code system. CA and CP cablegrams are sent via courier rather than cable, and both sets are addressed to the Commander in Chief or Commanding General from the Adjutant General and copied to Harbord in his capacity as Chief of Staff to Pershing. The CP cablegrams are drafts to be reviewed and sent out. Most of the CP cablegrams are in letter-form with much more detailed explanation or requests.
The first folder in box II.3 is comprised of cablegrams from Pershing to Harbord. These are often denoted as "extract cablegrams" and are also in longer, letter-format. These cablegrams are primarily concerned with logistics about troops and supplies. There are also multiple requests for more men of specific positions and at least one request for women stenographers, typists, and clerks.
The last three folders in box 3 are comprised of cablegrams received and sent about urgent need either for supplies or conditions of living (primarily in prison or aboard ships). Urgent supply needs include medical, artillery, clothing, uniform, beds, horses, lithographs, and cameras among other materials. Most of the messages are complaints or concerns about morale and/or health risks, but most of these claims are decided to be unfounded.
SOS (Services of Supply) cablegrams in boxes II.4-II.5 are sent and received directly by Harbord, addressed and signed by him and the Adjutant General. These are primarily concerned with logistics of supplies, specifically artillery, machine, animals.
Reports
Reports and memorandums were generally authored by Harbord and cover a variety of military topics as indicated by the titles in the Box and Folder list.
Cablegrams A2100-A3445, 1918-1919
Cablegrams A813-A2009, 1918
Cablegrams, 1918
S.O.S cablegrams, 1918-1919
Index to cablegrams, 1918-1919
S.O.S daily statistical reports, 1918-1919
Other S.O.S. reports
Report of Board of Officers Appointed by S.O.S.; Report of Assistant Chief of Staff of S.O.S. with accompanying maps, 1919
Report of Commanding General First Army American Expeditionary Forces; Summaries of Intelligence; Field Orders, 1918-1919
Notes on Organization of Operations Section; Report on Organization of French H.Q., 1918-1919
Review of U.S. Artillery Program, 1918 October 4
Shipment of Troops, 1918 July-September
Tank Corp Papers, 1918 September
Directory of officers/organization chart, 1919
Memorandums and reports, 1917-1919
Peace celebration orders, 1919
Historical Report of Railway Artillery Reserve
Second Division Northwest of Chateau Thierry, 1918 June 1-July 10
Report, "The U.S. in the Mediterranean", undated
Report to His Excellency, Don Horacio Vasquez, President of the Dominican Republic, of the Economic Commission, circa 1929
War Report, Edited Minutes of Army-Navy Conference of Industry-Labor and Other Leaders, 1944 January 7-8
American Legion 1937 Convention Corporation, 1937
American Legion 1937 Convention Corporation, 1937
Letters and clippings regarding Second Division Reunion, 1919, 1934
War pamphlets: Estimating Tactical Field Orders and Chemical Warfare, 1909, 1936
Photographs, 1914-1919, undated
Scope and Contents Note
Includes group portraits, images of Bellau Woods and the Ceremony of Decoration with the Croix de Guerre, and a booklet of photos of Veterinary Hospital No. 9, France
Images of Memorial de Chateau-Thierry, France, 1937
Diary of Major General Harbord (2 copies), 1918
Scope and Contents Note
Provides a very detailed account of the passage from the U.S. to Europe on the U.S.S. Baltic when America first becomes involved in World War I, particularly the danger of submarine attack, disease and hardship experienced on the boats. Describes in detail the important landing of Pershing at Liverpool. Excellent descriptions of the trenches. And while diaries were forbidden at the Front, he described the important battles in which he took part, namely during the stand of the 2nd Division near Chateau Thierry, which stopped the German invasion of Paris in June 1918, as well as the Soissons Offensive on July 18th and 19th.
Letters, 1918-1919
Subseries II.2: Materials from the Philippines
Scope and Contents Note
This subseries contains articles and reports about various aspects of Philippine government and culture, including Islamic culture.