Inventory of the Henry Nelson Hammond papers

Finding aid prepared by Tess McCarthy
Hoover Institution Library and Archives
© 2014
434 Galvez Mall
Stanford University
Stanford, CA 94305-6003
hoover-library-archives@stanford.edu


Title: Henry Nelson Hammond papers
Date (bulk): 1919-1922
Collection Number: 2014C23
Contributing Institution: Hoover Institution Library and Archives
Language of Material: English
Physical Description: 1 manuscript box, 1 cubic foot box (1.4 Linear Feet)
Abstract: Diaries, photographs, printed matter, and miscellany relating to American military operations in Hawaii, Siberia during the Russian Revolution and in the Philippines.
Creator: Hammond, Henry Nelson, 1900-1969
Physical Location: Hoover Institution Library & Archives

Access

The collection is open for research; materials must be requested in advance via our reservation system. If there are audiovisual or digital media material in the collection, they must be reformatted before providing access.

Use

For copyright status, please contact the Hoover Institution Library & Archives.

Acquisition Information

Materials were acquired by the Hoover Institution Library & Archives in 2014.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], Henry Nelson Hammond papers, [Box no.], Hoover Institution Library & Archives

Biographical Note

Corporal, United States Army; member, Company I, 27th Infantry Regiment, 1919-1922.
Henry Nelson Hammond (b. September 1, 1990 - d. April 11, 1969) was born in Traverse City, Michigan to Finely and Bertha Hammond.
Hammond began his military career in 1919 setting sail on the USAT Thomas (United States Army Transport) to San Francisco from New York to Honolulu, Manila and Vladiovosk, Siberia which took over three years.
After the military, he moved back to Traverse City, Michigan and married Lillian Gain (d. March 16, 1953) and subsequently married again to his last wife Ida. In 1926 he moved to Marshall, Michigan.
Hammond was a veteran of World War I with the Polar Bear Division serving in the US Army Expedition Forces in Siberia. In addition, he became a member of the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars.
In his civilian life he owned a service station for several years and later sold it to begin a new business repairing and selling water pumps. He also served as former City Commissioner of Marshall, Michigan.

Scope and Content of Collection

The collection contains the diaries, photographs and associated papers of Henry Hammond (1900-1969), a corporal in the U.S. Army 27th Infantry Regiment, nicknamed the "Wolfhounds." The materials cover his enlistment and deployment in the Russian Far East as part of the American Expeditionary Forces in Siberia. (A.E.F.)
The six handwritten journals offer a rare glimpse into the life of an American soldier stationed in Schofield Barracks, Hawaii and Fort Shafter, Hawaii on to Siberia, the Philippines, and back to the U.S. from 1919 to 1922. Photographs that accompany the diaries often have notes indicating the date, place and subject of the photograph. The collection also includes a lockbox used by Hammond in Siberia, a memoranda book containing notes, rosters and addresses, five photo albums, and a number of loose prints and associated papers, including Hammond's memorial book from his funeral held on April 15, 1969.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

United States -- Armed Forces -- Philippines
Soviet Union -- History -- Allied intervention, 1918-1920
Siberia (Russia) -- History -- Revolution, 1917-1921
United States. Army. Infantry Regiment, 27th
United States. Army. American Expeditionary Forces

box 1, folder 1

Memorabilia 1940 - circa 1980

Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

Publication, "The Bear" (1940) is included in folder which has information about the company Hammond he served including brief histories of the expeditions taken in the Philippines and Siberia; military life and images of military exercises and mascot featured. Meeting pamphlet published by The American Legion & Auxiliary Department of Michigan contains lyrics to songs sung in 1917-1918 including the song entitled "Over There." Last item contains Hammond's memorial book from his funeral in 1969.
box 1, folder 2

Photographs, 1921 - circa 1980

Scope and Contents

Depictions of military exercises, places and fellow soldiers. Places include Hawaii, Manila and Siberia; one portrait of Hammond dated 1921 and, color photographs of the Polar Bear Memorial in Michigan.
 

Diaries, 1918-1922

Scope and Contents

Henry N. Hammond's six diaries chronicle his life in the military and is a record of places he had been to such as San Francisco, California'; Honolulu, Hawaii; Manila, Philippine Islands; Vladivostok and Bereskova, Siberia, Russian in Siberia.
Additionally he kept some memoranda on duties such as guard duty. His notes about other non-commissioned officers and other rosters are detailed. The bulk of the diaries record his life at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii and Fort Shafter, Hawaii.
box 1, folder 3

1920 July - September

Scope and Contents

Notes that Hammond was in the Transportation Corps in American Expeditionary Forces, promissory notes;=, Russian currency, and loose photographs.
box 1, folder 4

1920 September - November

Scope and Contents note

Notes and diary entries about field exercises and places he traveled to. Also contains a letter found on the inside front pocket Hammond's diary. There is no salutation but it is signed Gwen. Letter is partially numbered and encircled on the inside.
box 1, folder 5

1920 November - December

Scope and Contents

Entries highlight Hammond's typical day at working at the military prison and off-duty travels to San Miguel and places around Manila in the Philippine Islands. Of note, there is one clipping entitled "The Shimmey Shake" that is inserted into a diary page by means of cutting two opposite sides in which the clipping then was inserted through. That particular clipping is found on the entry that dates "Wednesday, Dec. 15th" facing the opposite page.
Entries also list the names of ranked soldiers who have corresponding months next to them. They are entitled: "Guard" and "Charge of Quarters."
box 1, folder 6

19210 January - December

Scope and Contents

Documents life aboard the USAT Thomas (United States Army Transport Ship), Schofield Barracks (Bks.), Hawaii (HI) and Fort Shafter (HI). Each entry corresponds to a specific date entitled above each page. Back pages entitled "Memoranda" contain names and addresses of persons. Last page includes a log of miles accumulated during his travels. Diary contains three clippings and one certificate of membership card for the Fort Shafter Service Club.
box 1, folder 7

December 1921 - March 1922 1921 December - 1922 March

Scope and Contents

Entries of lists and rosters with dates overlapping. Examples of lists are the non-commissioned officers of Company I, 27th Infantry; Fatigue Roster; Charge of Quarters and Guard (duty). Illustrated diagrams last pages. Of note is a typewritten drill equipment list with a photograph corresponding it. Also includes addresses and names of persons in the United States.
box 1, folder 8

1922 January - March

Scope and Contents

Daily life at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. Contains one mounted photograph of Corporal Hammond facing the first entry. Of note, blotting paper located near the middle of the diary.
box 1, folder 9

1922 March - June

Scope and Contents

Notes Hammond's final months at Schofield Barracks and transport on the USAT Buford to Fort McDowel, California, the Presidio of San Francisco, California then on a train to Traverse City, Michigan. Back page has two names and addresses of persons. Pasted on the front, hand illustrated calendar months of March through June.
 

Albums 1918-1921

Scope and Contents

The albums included in this collection cover a variety of images. Each of the five albums similarly follow overlapping dates as in the Diaries series. For the most part, depictions of soldiers, landscapes, geographic locations, military exercises and images of family and friends back home populate throughout most of these albums. Images are in sepia and black and white where processing was available. Small format photographs dominate the collection of albums and few larger photographs are included. Of note are postcard photographs which soldiers typically got made to send back home.
 

1918-1922

Scope and Contents

A variety of photographs from Traverse City, Michigan in the 1920s and one photograph entitled "Mother 1918." Depictions of sea, land, portraits, artillery, field exercises and base camps. Photos dated 1922 were taken in places such as Honolulu and Siberia.
box 2, folder 1

Manuscript undated

Scope and Contents

Single page, hand-written poem. Back page is typewritten "GIFTS".
box 2, folder 2

1919 July - 1920 August

Scope and Contents

Small leather, twine bound album of family members and soldiers on ship from Siberia, on the USAT Logan and into Manila and then Hawaii. Depictions of land views from sea, casual photos of soldiers off duty. Marked on the inside of cover is: "Pvt. H. Hammond Co. I, 27th Inf. A.E.F. Siberia"
box 2, folder 3

1919 August - 1920 August

Scope and Contents

Siberian barracks and other places such as Beresvoka from 1919 and Vladivosk from 1920. Depictions of Russian gun boats, barrack housing, a Polish battleship, artillery, and soldiers in Siberia. 1920s pictures of soldiers in Manila, the Army/Navy YMCA in Manila (Philippine Islands), and soldiers performing military exercises. Near the end of album, Russian currency is pasted on to pages with descriptions about it. Contains some loose photographs.
box 2, folder 4

1920 August - 1921 March

Scope and Contents

No successive dates following pictures. Single and group portraits of soldiers in Manila (dated 1920) and performing exercises. Includes places in Manila where Hammond visited like Luneta. Following Manila are depictions of Schofield Barracks, Hawaii in 1921. Fort Shafter (1921) and later pictures rice paddies near Fort Shafter in 1920. Last pages are places in Manila and a depiction of a cock fight and, "The Walled City" (Intramuros, Manila). Has inscription on the front of the leather bound album: "Snapshots Traverse City Mich."
 

1921 March - December

Scope and Contents

Depictions of Fort Shafter military exercises in Hawaii and Schiofield Barracks, Hawaii. Casual photos of soldiers of men sunbathing and swimming during off duty in Hawaii.
box 2, folder 5

Manuscript undated

Scope and Contents

No date or to whom it was addressed to with excerpts from Rudyard Kipling's poem "The Ladies." Two encapsulated pages.
box 2

Wooden box

Scope and Contents

Wooden box constructed with two hinges and latch. No lock. Painted.