Pelham Davis Glassford (1883-1959) commanded the 103rd Field Artillery in the American Expeditionary Force in France during World War I and retired from the army in July 1931. He was appointed police chief of Washington, D.C. In May 1932, a group of unemployed veterans known as the Bonus Army converged on the capital, petitioning for immediate payment of certificates owed them by the federal government. Glassford reluctantly complied with President Hoover's decision to evict the veterans from sections of the Federal Triangle area, and a policeman killed two veterans. Against Glassford's advice, the President sent in army troops under the command of General Douglas MacArthur to disperse the veterans. On October 20, the district commissioners asked for and received Glassford's resignation. The collection consists of correspondence, diary, printed material, official papers, photographs, books, magazines, and memorabilia. Includes material on the 1932 Bonus Army and the Imperial Valley (California) labor disputes of 1934.

Glassford was born on August 8, 1883 in Las Vegas, New Mexico; raised in Denver, Colorado, graduating from West Point in 1904; became a field artillery officer, and served three years as an instructor at West Point; in July 1918, assumed command of the 103rd Field Artillery in the American Expeditionary Force in France during World War I; retired from the army in July 1931, and was appointed police chief of Washington, D.C.; in May 1932, a group of unemployed veterans known as the Bonus Army converged on the capital, petitioning for immediate payment of certificates owed them by the federal government; Glassford reluctantly complied with President Hoover's decision to evict the veterans from sections of the Federal Triangle area, and a policeman killed two veterans; against Glassford's advice, the President sent in army troops under the command of General Douglas MacArthur to disperse the veterans; on October 20, the district commissioners asked for and received Glassford's resignation; in 1934 he served as an unsuccessful federal conciliator in an agricultural labor dispute in California's Imperial Valley; in 1936 he served briefly as police chief of Phoenix, Arizona; spent last years in Laguna Beach, California, where he painted, served as unofficial head of the chamber of commerce, and in 1948 organized a MacArthur for President club; died on August 9, 1959.

26 boxes (13 linear ft.) 1 oversize box

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