Champ Clark letter to John J. Pershing - October 28, 1918
Transcript
U.S.A. October 28, 1918. General John J. Pershing, Commanding American Expeditionary Forces in France via New York: My Dear General: I hope you will not consider this letter preposterous or in any way intended to interfere with military orders, commands or matters. It is a matter purely personal to my son, Lieutenant - Colonel Bennett C. Clark of the 140th Infantry. The situation is this: He was detailed to attend Gen. Army Staff College at Langres, which as a dutiful soldier & patriotic American he did, though he much preferred to stay with his regiment which he loves & which loves him - a regiment composed of the very flower of Missouri boys & which he & Col. Linxweder shaped & fashioned. Gen. Wright writes me that he parted with flying colors. Gen. Wright was commander for months of the 35th division in which my son served since August 5, 1917, as Lieutenant - Colonel Gen. Wright knows him & seems to like him. After getting through Staff College, my son was assigned
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[page 2] as Assistant Chief of Staff [ms illegible: 1 wd] of 88th Division and I understand from returning visiting statesmen who have been over there, he is discharging his duties faithfully & well and isn’t wounding or kicking. [written vertically in right margin] The chief reason I am writing you is that he tried to apply through regular channels to G.H.Q. to be sent back to his regiment but the Brigade Commander would not forward the application for fear it would get [ms illegible: 1 wd] in bad [ms continues as normal] Generals March McIntyre and Crowder all tell me that the position of Asst. Chief of Staff is a promotion for a Lieutenant Colonel, though it carries no increase of rank or pay; but, my Dear General, my boy pines for his regiment & they for him. He wants to be where the fighting is going on & wants to help do the fighting - and I want him to do so and while I know nothing of army affairs [written vertically in right margin] it seems to me that those who want to should be given a chance to do so. [written vertically in left margin] It surely must be that men fight better under Officers whom they love [ms continues as normal] Therefore I ask you to give him back to his Regiment for the good of the service. If sending him back to his regiment as Lieutenant - Colonel were a promotion instead of a practical demotion, I would not ask it, for no man is more anxious for the success of our arms than I am. Of course like any other father, I am partial to my own son, but I know him so well that I know he will discharge the duties of any position to which he is assigned. Congratulating you on your splendid and growing fame & hoping that in writing this letter I have not violated the properties, I am your Friend, Champ Clark.
Details
Title | Champ Clark letter to John J. Pershing - October 28, 1918 |
Creator | Clark, Champ |
Source | Clark, Champ. Letter to John J. Pershing. 28 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 28, 1918 letter to General of the Armies John J. Pershing, Champ Clark discussed his son Bennett's 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 Lieutenant Colonel in the 140th Regiment, 35th Division 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; World War, 1914-1918; United States. Army. Infantry regiment, 140th; Pershing, John J. (John Joseph), 1860-1948; United States. Army. Division, 35th |
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 28, 1918 |
Language | English |