Guide to the Manus McCloskey Papers, 1899-1956 AIS.1977.44

Repository
ULS Archives & Special Collections
Title
Manus McCloskey Papers
Creator
McCloskey, Manus
Collection Number
AIS.1977.44
Extent
1.25 Linear Feet (2 boxes)
Date
1899-1956
Abstract
This collection consists of the papers of Manus McCloskey (1874-1963), a U.S. Army General. Includes letters, correspondence, a journal, diaries, photographs, and printed material concerning McCloskey's military career, in particular the Philippines Insurrection, the Boxer Rebellion, and World War I, as well as official war reports and material on the army's role during the Great Depression.
Language
English .
Author
Archives Service Center Staff. Revisions occurred to the finding aid as a part of the encoding process in May, 1999.
Publisher
ULS Archives & Special Collections
Address
University of Pittsburgh Library System
Archives & Special Collections
Website: library.pitt.edu/archives-special-collections
Contact Us: www.library.pitt.edu/ask-archivist
URL: http://library.pitt.edu/archives-special-collections

Biography

Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on April 24, 1874, Brigadier General Manus McCloskey entered the U.S. Military Academy in 1894, and graduated in 1898. He was assigned to Reilly's Battery of Light Artillery in the field, Santiago de Cuba. With the battery, McCloskey was transferred to the Philippines in March, 1899, where he participated in many operations. From the Philippines, the battery was assigned to the allied relief expedition during the Boxer Rebellion in China. Following his return to the States after the rebellion, McCloskey served with the Coast Defenses of Puget Sound, then in 1906 at Ft. Ethan Allen, Vermont. In 1907, he returned to the Philippines as commander of a mountain artillery battery.

With the outbreak of World War I, McCloskey organized and commanded the 12th Field Artillery with which he served until his promotion to Brigadier General in August, 1918. With the promotion he assumed command of the 152nd Brigade of Field Artillery, 77th Division. He served with this brigade until the Armistice, taking part in action on the Vesle, the Aisne, and the Meuse-Argonne. After the war, he served in the Army of Occupation, attended the Army War College, and served in Chicago, Hawaii, and New York City, ending his military career in 1938 as commander of Ft. Bragg, North Carolina. McCloskey then became Warden of Cook County Hospital in Chicago and was active in civil affairs throughout World War II. McCloskey promoted Chicago business and commercial development until his retirement. He died in 1963.

Scope and Content Notes

This collection consists of the papers of Manus McCloskey (1874-1963), a U.S. Army General. Includes letters, correspondence, a journal, diaries, photographs, and printed material concerning McCloskey's military career, in particular the Philippines Insurrection, the Boxer Rebellion, and World War I, as well as official war reports and material on the army's role during the Great Depression.

Access Restrictions

No restrictions.

Acquisition Information

Gift of Brigadier General Monro McCloskey, son of Manus McCloskey, October 1977.

Previous Citation

Manus McCloskey Papers, 1899-1956, AIS.1977.44, Archives Service Center, University of Pittsburgh

Preferred Citation

Manus McCloskey Papers, 1899-1956, AIS.1977.44, Archives & Special Collections, University of Pittsburgh Library System

Processing Information

This collection was processed by Archives Service Center Staff.

Revision and rearrangement for the encoded version of the finding aid provided by Jennifer Marshall in May 1999. Information about the collection title and the controlled access terms was extracted from the MARC record in the University of Pittsburgh catalog Notis ID number: AKA2805.

Copyright

Permission for publication is given on behalf of the University of Pittsburgh as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained.

Subjects

    Corporate Names

    • United States. Army -- Foreign service -- China

    Personal Names

    • McCloskey, Manus

    Geographic Names

    • United States -- History -- 1933-1945
    • China -- History -- Boxer Rebellion, 1899-1901
    • Philippines -- History -- Philippine American War, 1899-1902

    Genres

    • Diaries

    Other Subjects

    • Soldiers -- United States
    • Depressions -- 1929 -- United States
    • New Deal, 1933-1939
    • World War, 1914-1918 -- Campaigns
    • Personal papers

Container List

Biographical Data
Containers
box 1, folder 1

General Physical Description

1 item (10 pp.)

Scope and Content Notes

Manuscript entitled General Manus McCloskey. Detailed description of McCloskey's military career.

Letters from McCloskey to his wife, April 3, 1899 - July 12, 1901
Containers
box 1, folder 2-3

General Physical Description

67 items

Scope and Content Notes

Describes details of military life during campaigns in the Philippines and China. Turn of century artillery practices and procedures are illustrated, as well as small unit warfare. Occupation duty in China is described. It should be noted that Monro McCloskey indicated that some letters are incomplete, some have passages deleted, and others are marked R D (meaning "read and destroyed"). This editing was done in 1950 by Manus McCloskey and his daughter, who were preparing to write a book on McCloskey's experiences; they felt that some of the passages were too personal for publication.

Significant letters include:

  • Number and type of troops being sent to the Philippines, dated April 22, 1899.
  • First combat with insurrectionists, dated November 19, 1899.
  • Orders for battery to go to China, dated July 8, 1900.
  • Description of allied fleets in Tangku Harbor, China, dated July 28, 1900

General Correspondence, August 26, 1900 - October 18, 1934
Containers
box 1, folder 4

General Physical Description

24 items

Scope and Content Notes

Letters to McCloskey during the course of his career in the Philippines, China, and World War I.

Significant letters include:

  • From General John J. Pershing, Commander of American Expeditionary Force, informing McCloskey of his appointment to Brigadier General, dated May 23, 1918.
  • Notification of Distinguished Service Medal to be awarded for actions during World War I, dated August 2, 1920.

Journal, 1899-1901
Containers
box 1, folder 5

General Physical Description

40 pp.

Scope and Content Notes

Entitled History of Platoons of Light Battery F, 5th U.S. Artillery commanded by Lieutenant Manus McCloskey, 5th Artillery in Cuba, the Philippine Islands and China. Descriptions of actions involving McCloskey's artillery platoon. More detailed than the letters to his wife; contains a list of battles, skirmishes, etc., that the battery was engaged in (p. 20).

Diary, c1900-1902
Containers
box 1, folder 6

General Physical Description

10 pp.

Scope and Content Notes

Brief notations of activities.

Diary
Containers
box 1, folder 7

General Physical Description

50 leaves

Scope and Content Notes

Entitled Manus McCloskey, Colonel, 12th Field Artillery. Illustrates overseas service from September 26, 1917 to January 6, 1926. Chiefly concerned with events during World War I.

Reports, August 31, 1907 - February 5, 1919
Containers
box 1, folder 8

General Physical Description

3 items

Scope and Content Notes

Official military business: History of Captain Manus McCloskey, August 31, 1907

Report of Operations of the 152nd Brigade Field Artillery: September 26, 1918 - November 11, 1918

Farewell Letter to 152nd Brigade Field Artillery, February 5, 1919

Speech, February 3, 1919
Containers
box 1, folder 9

General Physical Description

1 item

Scope and Content Notes

Entitled The Artillery of the 77th Division in the Argonne-Meuse Campaign. Talk delivered as commanding officer of the 152nd Field Artillery Brigade, describing its war services.

Commendations, diplomas, etc., 1894-1956
Containers
box 1, folder 10

General Physical Description

17 items

Scope and Content Notes

Certificates of merit and achievement and awards for valor, skill and competence won by McCloskey during his career.

Retirement Bill -- S.2765, July 6, 1937
Containers
box 1, folder 11

General Physical Description

1 item

Scope and Content Notes

Entitled A Bill to grant recognition to distinguished military service. Denied promotion to major general as a result of a new war department policy, S.2765 was introduced into the Senate to enable McCloskey to retire with the rank, pay, and allowances of a major general.

Scrapbook
Containers
box 1, folder 12

General Physical Description

30 leaves

Scope and Content Notes

Contains newspaper articles descriptive of McCloskey's career, family history, and Western Pennsylvanian society.

Fort Bragg, N.C., June 1931-April 1938
Containers
box 2, folder 13

General Physical Description

3 items

Scope and Content Notes

Material illustrating McCloskey's command of Fort Bragg, N.C., then the largest artillery post in the U.S.

Three items: Description of units based at Fort Bragg article entitled,"Not Bragging," in Our Army , v. 6, no. 2, November 1933. Pg 5-11.

Carolina's Adopted Son A poem and tribute to McCloskey on his retirement.

Booklet from Testimonial Banquet for General Manus McCloskey, April 7, 1938

Philippines (Imus), and China, 1899 1899 - 1901
Containers
box 2, folder 14

General Physical Description

55 items

Container Summary

(photograph)

Scope and Content Notes

Unidentified civilian and military.

Unidentified military
Containers
box 2, folder 15

General Physical Description

16 items

Container Summary

(photograph)

Manus McCloskey
Containers
box 2, folder 16

General Physical Description

2 items

Container Summary

(photograph)

Miscellaneous, August 1901
Containers
box 2, folder 17

General Physical Description

11 items

Container Summary

(photograph)

Scope and Content Notes

Includes photos of a train wreck.

Negatives
Containers
box 2, folder 18

General Physical Description

9 items

Container Summary

(photograph)

Official Register of the Officers and Cadets of the U.S.Military Academy, West Point, June 1894
Containers
box 2, folder 19

Scope and Content Notes

Includes printed material as background to the various military campaigns when McCloskey was a participant.

Maps, 1899-1924
Containers
box 2, folder 20

Scope and Content Notes

Seven maps: The Capture of Santiago, Cuba, October 7-15, 1899. Showing Operations of Provisional Brigade -- 1st Division

Map to accompany report of Brigadier General F. D. Grant's report of actions near Imus, September 29-October 8, 1899

Map of Cavite and Batangas provinces, Philippine Islands

Plan of Peking, Map

China Relief Expedition, Map

Admiral Seymour's Relief Expedition, Map

Legation Quarter of Peking, Map

Article entitled Battery B of the Twelfth Field Artillery During the Late War by Captain George D. Wahl, F. A., in Field Artillery Journal, January-April, 1924
Containers
box 2, folder 21

Scope and Content Notes

15 pp., 1 map

New York Troops in the World War
Containers
box 2, folder 22

General Physical Description

64 pp.

Scope and Content Notes

Includes information about the 11th Engineers, 165th Infantry, 27th Division, 77th Division, and 369th Infantry.

Memories, Headquarters Detachment, 152nd F.A. Brigade.
Containers
box 2, folder 23

General Physical Description

33 pp.

Scope and Content Notes

Commemorative booklet marking end of WWI.

The Weekly Wash, newspaper of the Headquarters Detachment, 152nd F.A. Brigade, v. 2, no. 8, March 22, 1919
Containers
box 2, folder 24

Scope and Content Notes

Contains official report of Brigade operations.

Newspaper Clippings, 1899-1955
Containers
box 2, folder 25

General Physical Description

35 items

Scope and Content Notes

Articles illustrating McCloskey's military career, with emphasis on commands and posts.