Search

This 154-page volume is Albert F. Gudatt's journal of his experiences serving with the United States Army's 2nd Volunteer Infantry Regiment during the Spanish-American War, with the United States Army's 33rd Volunteer Infantry Regiment in the Philippines during the Philippine-American War, and with the Manila police between 1901 and 1902. Later entries concern his work with the Market Street Railway in San Francisco, California, between 1902 and 1904.

This 154-page volume is Albert F. Gudatt's journal of his experiences serving with the United States Army's 2nd Volunteer Infantry Regiment during the Spanish-American War, with the United States Army's 33rd Volunteer Infantry Regiment in the Philippines during the Philippine-American War, and with the Manila police between 1901 and 1902. Later entries concern his work with the Market Street Railway in San Francisco, California, between 1902 and 1904.

The Albert F. Gudatt journal dates from May 15, 1898-February 16, 1904, and consists of a combination of recollections in narrative form and discrete journal entries, which primarily reflect his experiences during the Spanish-American War and during his time in the Philippines.

Albert F. Gudatt began writing shortly after leaving his home in Victoria, Texas, to enlist in the United States Army. He described his journey to Covington, Louisiana, where he became a member of Duncan N. Hood's "Second Immunes," the 2nd Volunteer Infantry Regiment. Gudatt detailed his experiences while in training at Covington and while serving in Cuba, where he noted the prevalence of tropical diseases.

He joined the 33rd Volunteer Infantry Regiment and traveled to the Philippine Islands, where he wrote about marches, local people, military life, and engagements between United States forces, including his own unit, and insurgents. He also experienced earthquakes and commented on political and social events.

After 1900, Gudatt wrote shorter entries concerning his pay, his correspondence habits, and American military personnel. After November 1901, he worked with the police in Manila, and commented on a cholera epidemic in the spring of 1902. After returning to the United States in late 1902, Gudatt found work with San Francisco's Market Street Railway. In occasional entries dated until 1904, he discussed some of his experiences and mentioned significant events, such as a potential strike and a coworker's suicide.

The final pages contain a copied passage from the Monroe Doctrine (pp. 152-153) and a partial list of books in Manila's American library (p. 154).

This collection consists of over 300 letters that Private Albert Starke Drischell wrote to his family in Baldwin, New York, while serving in the United States Army during World War II. The collection also contains letters and postcards that Drischell received during his military service. Drischell wrote about his experiences while training in various camps, participating in an educational program, working with army theatrical groups in the United States and England, and serving in Germany during the last months of the war and the first months of the occupation.

The bulk of this collection (1 linear foot) consists of over 300 letters that Private Albert Starke Drischell wrote to his family in Baldwin, New York, about his experiences in the United States Army from January 21, 1943-December 6, 1945. The collection also contains letters and postcards that Drischell received during his military service and a few ephemera items.

Drischell addressed the majority of his letters to his parents, and occasionally wrote to his younger siblings, Ralph and Ruth. He composed his first letters while at Camp Upton in Long Island, New York, soon after entering the service, and provided his impressions of the camp, his companions, military life, and training exercises. At Camp Swift, Texas, he wrote about his experiences at Texas A&M University, where he was among a group tested for entrance into a selective educational program. After being accepted, he moved to New Mexico and began taking college-level engineering courses at New Mexico College of Agricultural and Mechanical Arts. He and many others found the coursework difficult, and by November he had failed a course and was removed from the program. While in New Mexico, he shared his determination to succeed and gave his opinions of other men in the army, particularly his negative opinions of those who drank to excess (July 8, 1943). He also mentioned his moral objection to the war.

Drischell left New Mexico for Fort Custer, Michigan, where he attended courses in military government and occasionally guarded German prisoners. In one letter, he expressed his fear that soldiers would have difficulty readjusting to civilian life after being schooled in "mass murder" (January 23, 1944). In early 1945, Drischell moved to Camp Reynolds, Pennsylvania, where his unit awaited overseas deployment. He continued to describe his experiences, offered his opinions on the army, and mentioned trips taken to the surrounding towns while on temporary leave. In mid-May 1944, Drischell arrived in Scotland, though he was transferred to England soon after. As part of a replacement battalion, he occupied much of his free time by accompanying women to dances and befriending local families. He also acted in a play put on by the army, and briefly toured with an army theatrical group in the fall of 1944, an experience he enjoyed and hoped to continue in his post-army life. Many of his letters from this time focused on the economic and physical hardships of the war, and other letters mention a visit to London (February 15, 1945), his support for Thomas E. Dewey in the 1944 presidential election (August 6, 1944), George Bernard Shaw's views on capitalism, communism, and democracy (August 8, 1944), and his efforts to obtain conscientious objector status.

After being deployed on the Continent in March 1945, Drischell shared his impressions of the devastated French and German countryside, through which he advanced as part of the 318th Infantry Regiment. After the war, he described the small Austrian town where he was stationed, in which German children born out of wedlock were being "raised for use in foreign lands" (May 16, 1945). Drischell also accounted for the gap in his letters between April and May, when he advanced deep into Germany and Austria and participated in active combat (May 31, 1945, et al.). Freed from the constraints of censorship after V-E day, he reported on some of his combat experiences, and he believed that he never directly killed an enemy soldier. Throughout his European service, Drischell continually voiced his appreciation for the United States and compared it to Europe, occasionally calling his native country a relative "utopia."

Drischell sometimes enclosed souvenirs from his European travels in his letters, including a French 50-franc note (March 25, 1945), German stamps (June 20, 1945), and clippings from the Stars and Stripes and other papers. By late August 1945, he was in Paris as a member of a traveling dramatic troupe, and he wrote less frequently. His final letter, dated December 6, 1945, reveals that he went on tour in Germany.

Additional items include 2 printed church programs from 1944, a newspaper clipping featuring an English unit's canine mascot, and a list of men from St. Peter's Church who served in the war, including Albert S. Drischell. One undated letter fragment from "Iggie" discusses his experiences as a soldier in India, and another by an anonymous writer concerns Drischell's acting and a mutual acquaintance named "Fip."

This collection contains correspondence, documents, and typescripts related to Byron D. Paddock's service in the 1st Michigan Light Artillery Regiment, Battery F, during the Civil War. Most of the manuscripts concern the Atlanta Campaign and its immediate aftermath.

This collection contains correspondence, documents, and typescripts related to Byron D. Paddock's service in the 1st Michigan Light Artillery Regiment, Battery F, during the Civil War. Manuscript letters, reports, and orders largely pertain to the regiment's actions during the Atlanta Campaign of 1864 and in its immediate aftermath, including the siege and surrender of Atlanta. A typescript includes extracts from published works regarding the 1st Michigan Light Artillery Regiment, a muster roll for Battery F with information about each soldier's disposition at the end of the war, and a Paddock's war diaries. The diaries concern Paddock's experiences between January 1, 1862, and April 15, 1865, particularly with regard to camp life, target practice, movements and marches, engagements with Confederate forces and batteries, and celebrations at the end of the war. A gap from September to October 1864 coincides with Paddock's furlough.

This collection is made up of letters that Private First Class Earl Seitzinger wrote to his mother while serving with the United States Army's 8th Infantry Regiment in El Paso, Texas, from July 1916-January 1917. He wrote about border tensions between the United States and Mexico, military activities at Camp Stewart, and leisure activities.

This collection is primarily made up of 28 letters that Private First Class Earl Seitzinger wrote to his mother while serving with the United States Army's 8th Infantry Regiment in El Paso, Texas, from July 21, 1916-January 6, 1917. The remaining items are a photographic portrait of an unidentified soldier, housed in a folded paper frame, and a real photo postcard showing bodies being burned on a Veracruz street.

Seitzinger wrote most frequently about his daily experiences in Texas, including military and leisure activities. The soldiers drilled, built roads, and went on hikes, such as a 4-day trek that Seitzinger described in his letter of September 29, 1916. He occasionally commented on political tensions between the United States and Mexico, reporting on exchanges of fire and his belief that the United States soldiers could easily overpower Mexican troops. Seitzinger enjoyed the warm weather and considered the possibility of moving west permanently to work on a railroad, though he intended to return to Pennsylvania to be near his mother. He and other soldiers frequently encountered rattlesnakes and other Texas wildlife. Seitzinger's letter of January 1, 1917, regards New Year's celebrations at Fort Bliss, which included firing the fort's guns. Some of the letters were written on stationery from the Young Men's Christian Association; one was written on the back of a printed advertisement for El Paso.

This collection consists of letters written from Edwin Freeman to Prescott Barrows while serving in the United States Army in World War II. The letters are written from an army base in Greenville, Mississippi and from an army post in India.

This collection includes 26 letters written from Edwin Freeman to Prescott Barrows in 1942 from an army base in Greenville, Mississippi and an additional 9 letters written to Prescott Barrows from a posting in India in 1945. Many of the letters are written on illustrated army stationery.

The Greenville letters largely portray Freeman's dissatisfaction with army life. He describes the drills, several meals, constant homesickness, and the fact that he is ill-suited to military life. He talks of going on leave to Greenville, and includes racist remarks about the "colored girls" there, in addition to disparaging remarks about southerners in general. A pervasive theme throughout the letters is Freeman's love of classical music which forms a bond between the two men. He talks of composers and favorite classical pieces, and frequently details his efforts to hear classical music while on the base, even describing a fistfight he initiated when another man tried to turn off the radio during a classical program.

The India letters reiterate these themes, with the addition of local weather, more racist comments about the "black Indians," and a colorful description of a Hindu religious festival. Of particular interest is a letter dated 10 May 1945, in which Freeman writes of receiving news both of Germany's defeat and of Roosevelt's death, which causes widespread dismay. He has strong and racist feelings about the Japanese. In a letter of 28 July 1945, he mentions seeing film footage of a liberated Japanese concentration camp and his and the other men's rage at the state of the men and this evidence of "inhuman cruelty." On another occasion, he sees former Japanese POWs passing through on their way back to the States. Because of their condition, he feels the Japanese fully deserve the atomic bomb and other horrors besides.

This collection consists of letters that brothers Frank and Glenn Pollock wrote to their parents in Detroit and Atlantic Mine, Michigan, while serving in the United States Army during World War I. Both discussed their training at Camp Custer, Michigan. Glenn described some of his experiences in France as part of the 20th Engineer Regiment.

This collection consists of letters that brothers Frank Pollock (3 items, September 25, 1917-November 6, 1917) and Glenn Pollock (12 items, September 14, 1917-January 16, 1919) wrote to their parents in Detroit and Atlantic Mine, Michigan, while serving in the United States Army during World War I. Most of the letters are 2-6 pages long.

Frank and Glenn Pollock wrote about their experiences while training at Camp Custer, Michigan, in the fall of 1917. Each mentioned their failed attempts to be placed in the same company; Frank joined the 339th Infantry Regiment and Glenn joined the 329th Field Artillery. Frank complained about camp meals and entertainment, and reported that his late arrival after a visit home might have cost him the rank of corporal. Glenn noted his displeasure with kitchen duty and remarked on arrivals of new recruits and visitors. On October 20, 1917, Glenn wrote from American University in Washington, D.C., about his expected departure for France.

Glenn Pollock wrote 9 letters to his family while serving in France from February 4, 1918-January 16, 1919. He commented on his travels and the age of the buildings, noting that French infrastructure was outdated. He complained to his brother that the days and weeks seemed to drag on (February 4, 1918). Glenn's company included members from each of the 48 states, and proudly described their camaraderie and brotherly feelings. He mentioned his correspondence with his brother's future wife (Claudine), a "girl friend," and others.

This collection contains World War II-era correspondence between Garrison ("Garry") and Jane Dover of Queens, New York, as well as letters that Garrison Dover received from other family members. Jane told Garrison, an army private, about her social activities, her work, and life on the home front; he wrote about his affection for her and his uncertainty about overseas deployment while stationed at the Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland and at Camp Beale, California.

This collection (96 items) contains World War II-era correspondence between Garrison ("Garry") and Jane Dover of Queens, New York, as well as letters that Garrison Dover received from other family members.

Jane Dover wrote the majority of the letters, describing her life and social activities on the home front and commenting on her work for a temp agency, finances, and, on one occasion, the effect of the Victory Tax on her paycheck (October 29, 1943); she frequently sent money to her husband. Her letters also reflect Garrison's updates about his training at the Aberdeen Proving Ground from October 1943-March 1944.

Between March 17, 1944, and April 10, 1944, Garrison Dover wrote 12 letters to his wife from Camp Beale, California, where he anticipated being sent overseas. He described his travels to Sacramento on weekend passes and various aspects of camp life. On May 23, 1944, his wife reported that a Ouija game had predicted his return home on April 2, 1945, and she sent him a birthday card in late August. Her letter of September 14, 1944, mentions a hurricane threatening Atlantic City, New Jersey. Jane also wrote about the 1944 presidential election, including her growing distaste for Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt (September 26, 1944) and a literacy test she underwent as a first-time voter (October 12, 1944). Her final letter to Garrison is dated February 7, 1945, during his recovery at Mason General Hospital in Brentwood, Long Island. The collection also contains a card that Jane wrote to her husband in June 1945, while he lived and worked in Utica, New York, and letters that Garrison Dover received from family members.

The Jennie Nutter correspondence contains letters that Nutter's former students wrote to her about their service in the United States Army, Army Air Forces, Navy, and Marine Corps during World War II.

This collection contains 141 letters that Jennie L. Nutter, a teacher at the Good Will-Hinckley school in Fairfield, Maine, received from former students about their service in the United States Armed Forces from March 1940-October 1945. Nutter's correspondents, who were members of the United States Army, United States Army Air Forces, United States Marine Corps, and United States Navy, served at bases throughout the United States, including many in California, as well as in the European and Pacific Theaters. They described their training, coursework, and military life, such as a navy drill that tested sailors' response time for a simulated disaster (May 14, 1940). Many expressed gratitude for Nutter's instruction in subjects such as Latin and French; one letter is written in Latin (March 30, 1940). Others discussed their reading material, reminisced about their time at the school, inquired about Nutter's mother ("Ma" or "Ma Smith"), and referred to their correspondence with fellow Good Will alumni; one letter is addressed directly to "Ma." A few writers mention travels to locations such as Hawaii, Italy, and England, and offer opinions on the war. The collection includes manuscript and typed letters, V-mail letters, a greeting card, and a postcard. Clarence Perry enclosed programs from an Easter service at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Sacramento, California, in his letters of April 6, 1944, and April 10, 1944.

This collection is made up of letters that Private Joseph Kennel wrote to H. H. Matthews, a friend, from France and Germany between April 24, 1919, and September 25, 1919. Kennel described his experiences with the United States Army American Expeditionary Forces in Koblenz, Germany; discussed his unsuccessful attempts to obtain a United States passport and return home after his discharge; and commented on the treatment of veterans.

This collection is made up of 8 letters that Private Joseph Kennel wrote to H. H. Matthews, a friend, from France and Germany between April 24, 1919, and September 25, 1919. Kennel described his experiences with the United States Army American Expeditionary Forces in Koblenz, Germany; discussed his unsuccessful attempts to obtain a United States passport and return home after his discharge; and commented on the treatment of veterans.

Kennel sent his letters to H. H. Matthews of Cleveland, Ohio, though he addressed them to an unspecified group of friends. In the first 5 letters, he discussed his experiences in Koblenz, Germany, where he was stationed from April to August 1919. He appreciated the scenery along the Rhine River, but often complained of his loneliness, on account of non-fraternization rules and a lack of incoming mail. After September 1919, Kennel wrote 3 letters from Paris and Bruyères-sur-Oise, France (Seine-et-Oise department), about his work for the Red Cross and his attempts to return to the United States. Though he was naturalized in December 1916, Kennel was unable to secure a United States passport while in France, and he frequently voiced his frustration with the process. He also expressed his dissatisfaction with the general treatment of soldiers after the war. He noted that many American veterans had been forced to live on the streets in Paris after running out of money, and expressed his displeasure at news of working conditions in the United States, which included riots and, he believed, higher salaries for draft dodgers. Kennel commented twice on his love of baseball and his hope that the Cleveland Indians would reach the World Series.

Joseph A. Kennel wrote many of his letters on printed stationary of the American Expeditionary Forces, Knights of Columbus overseas services, or the American Red Cross (including an inter-office variation).

This letterbook includes approximately 62 letters sent and received by Minne Voorhees, a commissary with the Continental Army medical department during the American Revolution. It includes eyewitness accounts from Valley Forge, West Point, White Plains, and Rhode Island, especially regarding military hospitals. It contains frequent reflections on women, courtship, and marriage.

This letterbook includes approximately 62 letters sent and received by Minne Voorhees, a commissary with the Continental Army medical department during the American Revolution.

Much of the correspondence is between Voorhees and his peers, other young men, physicians/surgeons working with the army hospitals, family, and acquaintances at home. He described army camps and hospital work at Valley Forge (1777-78), White Plains (1778), the Battle of Rhode Island (1778), Pennsylvania and New Jersey (1778-1779), and various sites in New York, including West Point (1779).

Of note are pointed letters between male peers about women, written at times in a joking manner--on courtship, marriage, and avoiding "vile Jades" (prostitutes). He reflected on military service and its discomforts, setting up hospitals and tending to the sick, fighting boredom in camp, and trying to remain solvent while performing his duties. As a young man of marriageable age, he was also concerned about his social circle, homesickness, flirtations with women, and marriage prospects.

Several entries relate to the death of his cousin, Peter Voorhees, who was taken prisoner and killed by the Queen's Rangers in 1779 while on leave in New Jersey. Letters indicate the commotion this caused in the region and the grief it engendered in the family, including Peter's fiancée.

On the front pastedown of the letterbook is an inscription by David Bishop (1824-1876), great-great-nephew of Minne Voorhees. Several pages at the end of the letterbook contain biographical details on Minne Voorhees, his correspondents, and his sister Elizabeth Voorhees's descendants.