Bennett Champ Clark letter to Champ Clark and family - October 1, 1918
Transcript
Headquarters, [88th Division] A.E.F. France 3 October 1918. Dear Darlings: I saw in the New York Herald that Jim and his colleagues attended a dinner in Paris day before yesterday. I would have wired him if I had known where to reach him but had no intimation as to his address as he did not appear to be registered at any of the Paris hotels. However, I guess he will look me up before he leaves France. I am certainly anxious to see him. The adjutant of this division is an old fellow from New Orleans named Toombs, and one of the lieutenants on my billeting staff used to be manager of the St. Charles hotel in [New Orleans]. I am still rocking along trying to get this division equipped and ready for action. I send fifty telegrams a day trying to get the equipment we are entitled to and it is slowly but surely coming in. I guess we will get it all some of these fine days but meanwhile it makes my work very much more difficult. I havent had any mail now for more than a month except the two letters from Little How that I intercepted when I was back at the staff college. I guess I will get it all sometime. I am wild to hear from you all. I was broken hearted when I saw that the Missouri and Kansas troops were covering themselves with glory in the new drive to think
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that I wasn’t with them. Dad, I believe if you would write General [John] Pershing a note telling him of the peculiar state of affection existing between me and my regiment, that you believe I can be of more service with my own outfit than in any other capacity, that I have tried twice to get in a letter to G.H.Q. through military channels asking to be relieved of staff duty and sent back to the 140th Infantry and never been able to get the division commander to forward it, and you think that a man that wants to fight instead of doing staff duty ought to be allowed to do it. I believe I can get back. If there is no vacancy and none can be made in the 140th as a Lt. Col., I would cheerfully and gladly accept a reduction to a majority, a captaincy, a lieutenancy or anything that there is a vacancy for in that regiment. But, of course, don’t let on that I put you up to it. Its the first time that I ever wanted to use any pull for myself since I’ve been in the Army and I think that a man that just wants to fight is justified in doing it. I can’t bear to go home and tell the folks that I put in my soldering as a staff officer. I don’t relish the Roosevelts getting the credit for the regiment Linx and I made.
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I’m getting along all right here. I’ve got my Chiefs of Service eating out of my hand although they are all regulars and four of them are full colonels. This talk about the regulars knowing so blamed much is all a myth. They don’t know anything but each other. I can get away with this job all right but it is distasteful to me and I want to get back to my roughnecks. I suppose you know all the glorious news that is coming in now from all fronts. It looks like the Bosche wouldn’t be able to hold off for any great length of time. I hope Jim will be able to get away from his party to run down and see me for a few days as I am crazy to get news of you all and to send you some messages. With lots and lots of love to you all. Your devoted son and brother, Bennett Address Lt. Col. Bennett C Clark Asst. Chief of Staff, [88th Division], A.E.F., France Army P.O. 795
Details
| Title | Bennett Champ Clark letter to Champ Clark and family - October 1, 1918 |
| Creator | Clark, Bennett Champ |
| Source | Clark, Bennett Champ. Letter to Champ Clark and family. 01 October 1918. Clark, Champ (1850-1921) and Bennett Champ (1890-1954), Papers, 1853-1973. C0666. The State Historical Society of Missouri, Columbia, MO. |
| Description | In this October 1, 1918 letter to his family, Bennett Champ Clark discussed equipping the 88th Division, and his resentment that he was no longer with the 140th and fighting alongside Missourians. Champ Clark, a long-time resident of Bowling Green, Missouri, was a politician in the Democratic Party. He served as a representative of Missouri from 1893 to 1895 and from 1897 to 1921. From 1911 to 1919 he served as the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives. Bennett Clark served as a Colonel in the 140th Regiment and as Assistant Chief of Staff for the 88th Division during World War I, and was Missouri State Senator from 1933 to 1945. |
| Subject LCSH | Clark, Champ, 1850-1921; Clark, Bennett Champ, 1890-1954; United States. Army. Division, 88th; Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919; World War, 1914-1918; United States. Army. Infantry regiment, 140th |
| Subject Local | WWI; World War I |
| Site Accession Number | C0666 |
| Contributing Institution | The State Historical Society of Missouri |
| Copy Request | Transmission or reproduction of items on these pages beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the State Historical Society of Missouri: 1020 Lowry Street, Columbia, Missouri, 65201-7298. (573) 882-7083. |
| Rights | The text and images contained in this collection are intended for research and educational use only. Duplication of any of these images for commercial use without express written consent is expressly prohibited. |
| Date Original | October 1, 1918 |
| Language | English |