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University of Michigan Bentley Historical Library

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Harry H. Bandholtz Papers (Microform), 1890-1937 (majority within 1899-1925)

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Summary

Creator:
Bandholtz, Harry Hill, 1864-1925
Abstract:
Career military officer, served in the Philippines ca. 1900-1913, chief of the Philippine Constabulary, 1907-1913; papers include correspondence, constabulary reports, diaries, topical files, visual materials, and scrapbooks.
Extent:
12 microfilms
1 map
2 oversize folders
10 folders
Language:
English.
Call Number:
9436 mf 255
Authors:
Finding aid prepared by: Thomas E. Powers

Background

Scope and Content:

The Bandholtz collection, covering the period of ca. 1890 to 1925 (with some later papers of his wife Inez Bandholtz), consists mainly of materials accumulated while Bandholtz was stationed in the Philippines, 1900-1913. Except for this time in the Far East, Bandholtz was always on the move with ever changing assignments, and consequently his files covering his work on the Mexican border, for example, or the 1921 West Virginia coal miners strike (also known as the Battle of Blair Mountain) are substantially thinner. But in the Philippines, because he was a provincial governor and head of the indigenous military force, Bandholtz was at the center of affairs in this period of Philippine history. And beyond that, he made an effort to maintain and preserve as much documentation from his service here as he could.

The Bandholtz papers came to the library in three separate accessions in 1965, 1994 and 2005. The first accession includes the following series: Correspondence (1899-1913), Invitations, Miscellaneous, Published Materials, and Philippine Constabulary Reports (1906-1913). The second accession includes the following series: Biographical-Personal, Correspondence (1895-1925), Diaries (1900-1923), Topical Files, Visual Materials, Scrapbooks, and Inez Bandholtz papers. Although there is some overlap (especially in the two Correspondence series), the two accessions have been kept separate, and not interfiled, so that researchers who examined the first accession might read from the new material without having to go through the entire collection. This encoded finding aid treats the correspondence as a single series although it has not been interfiled. the third accession consists of correspondence (1903-1912), chiefly confidential letters between Bandholtz and Luke Wright and Leonard Wood, concerning major military an political issues in the Philippines.

Biographical / Historical:

Harry Hill Bandholtz, a lifelong military man, was born in Constantine, Michigan on December 18, 1864. He graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1890, and then for the next thirty-three years he served his country in more than a dozen different assignments and posts. Bandholtz early demonstrated his competence as an officer with leadership abilities, and he was continuously rewarded with a steady series of promotions to different challenging assignments. He was a front-line officer, a teacher of the military arts, an administrator within the military hierarchy, and a skilled and respected diplomat.

Following some early assignments, Bandholtz in 1896 was selected to teach military science and tactics at Michigan Agricultural College (now Michigan State University). He was a teacher for two years when, with the outbreak of war with Spain in 1898, he returned to active duty. In Cuba he served in the Santiago campaign with the 7th U.S. Infantry, receiving a Silver Star citation for his participation. Between 1898 and 1900, he held different positions in the United States and Cuba. In July 1900, he left Cuba for the Philippine Islands where he served for the next thirteen years. Bandholtz' first responsibility was to help establish peace in the Islands which was then being disturbed by various local insurgent armies, notably in Central Luzon and on the Island of Marinduque and in Tayabas Province.

Bandholtz quickly earned the respect of the Philippine people. In 1902, he was elected governor of Tayabas Province, the only regular army officer to be elected to so high a position. In 1903, he was appointed assistant chief of Philippine Constabulary with the temporary rank of colonel and placed in command of the District of Southern Luzon. Bandholtz was an effective commander who arranged for the unconditional surrender of insurgent general Simeon Ola and his forces in Albay. In 1905, he was transferred to the District of Central Luzon where he similarly apprehended Philippine bandit leaders. In 1907, he was appointed chief of Philippine Constabulary with the temporary rank of brigadier general. He held this position until relieved on September 1, 1913.

Upon returning to the United States, Bandholtz was put in command of Fort Porter at Buffalo, New York (1914-1915) and a battalion of the 30th Infantry at Plattsburg Barracks, N.Y. (1915-1916). With this command, he served on the Mexican border for six months in 1916. During World War I, Bandholtz served on the Western Front, receiving promotion to brigadier general with command of the 58th Infantry Brigade of the 29th Division. In September 1918, General Pershing appointed Bandholtz to be provost marshal general of the American Expeditionary Forces where his duties included reorganizing the military police corps and managing the guarding of German prisoners of war.

From August 1919 to February 1920, Bandholtz served as American representative on the Interallied Military Mission sent to Hungary by the Supreme Council to control the unauthorized Rumanian occupation of that country. Bandholtz later served as the first United States Commissioner to Hungary. He returned to the United States in 1920, receiving promotion to permanent brigadier general with command of the 13th Infantry Brigade at Camps Funston and Meade. In August 1921, Bandholtz was assigned the duty of organizing and commanding the newly authorized District of Washington. Shortly thereafter, he was sent to West Virginia when the state authorities requested federal aid in maintaining the peace during a strike of coal miners. Bandholtz retired from military service in 1923 with the rank of major general. He died in his hometown of Constantine, May 7, 1925.

Acquisition Information:
The collection came to the library in three accessions, the first in 1965 from Grafton Cook who had purchased the papers from Mrs. Bandholtz. (Donor no. 4271 ) The second in 1994 came from the estate of Mary M. Connelly, a friend of Mrs. Bandholtz. (Donor no. 8258 ). A small additional accession was received from Grafton Cook (Donor no. 4271 ) in 2005

Subjects

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Subjects:
Freemasonry -- Michigan.
Postage-stamps.
Presidents -- United States -- Election -- 1908.
Presidents -- United States -- Election -- 1912.
Tariff -- United States.
World War, 1914-1918.
Spanish-American War, 1898.
Dwellings -- Michigan -- Constantine.
Military officers.
Military art and science.
World War, 1914-1918 -- France.
Formats:
Drawings.
Photographs.
Scrapbooks.
Names:
Democratic Party (Mich.)
Inter-allied Military Mission to Hungary, 1919-1920.
Progressive Party (1912)
Republican Party (Mich.)
United States. Army.
United States. Congress. House. Committee on Military Affairs.
United Spanish War Veterans.
Philippine Constabulary.
United States Military Academy. Class of 1890.
Aguinaldo, Emilio, 1869-1964.
Bandholtz, Harry Hill, 1864-1925.
Malcolm, George A. (George Arthur), 1881-1961.
Osmeña, Sergio, 1878-1961.
Quezon, Manuel Luis, 1878-1944.
Taft, William H. (William Howard), 1857-1930.
Wilson, Woodrow, 1856-1924.
Geronimo, Apache chief, 1829-1909.
Allen, Henry T. (Henry Tureman), 1859-1930.
Bell, James Franklin, 1856-1919.
Bigelow, Poultney, 1855-
Bliss, Tasker Howard, 1853-1930.
Bumpus, Hermon Carey, 1862-1943.
Burrows, Julius C. (Julius Caesar), 1837-1915.
Carpenter, Frank W. (Frank Watson), 1871-1938.
Coolidge, Calvin, 1872-1933.
Forbes, W. Cameron (William Cameron), 1870-1959.
Funston, Frederick, 1865-1917.
Gilbert, Newton W. (Newton Whiting), 1862-1939.
Harbord, James G. (James Guthrie), 1866-1947.
Hersey, Mark Leslie, 1863-1934.
Ide, Henry Clay, 1844-1921.
Kahn, Julius, 1861-1924.
McIntyre, Frank, 1865-1944.
Mills, Albert Leopold, 1854-1916.
Pershing, John J. (John Joseph), 1860-1948.
Polk, Frank L. (Frank Lyon), 1871-1943.
Rivers, William Cannon, 1866-1943.
Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919.
Smith, James Francis, 1859-1928.
Swope, Herbert Bayard, 1882-1958.
Townsend, Charles E. (Charles Elroy), 1856-1924.
Wickersham, George W. (George Woodward), 1858-1936.
Wood, Leonard, 1860-1927.
Wright, Luke E., 1846-1922.
Places:
Hungary -- History -- Revolution, 1918-1919.
Philippines -- History -- 1898-1946.
Philippines -- Foreign relations -- Japan.
United States -- Foreign relations -- Japan.
United States -- Politics and government -- 1901-1909.
United States -- Politics and government -- 1909-1913.
United States -- Politics and government -- 1897-1901.
Budapest (Hungary)
Constantine (Mich.)
Philippines -- History -- 1898-1946.
Philippines -- History -- Philippine American War, 1899-1902.
Philippines -- History -- 1898-1946.

Contents

Using These Materials

Info for Visitors

How to Request

Ordering Reproductions

Download PDF Finding Aid
RESTRICTIONS:

The collection is open for research.

USE & PERMISSIONS:

The unpublished writings of Harry Hill Bandholtz are in the public domain. Patrons are responsible for determining the appropriate use or reuse of materials.

PREFERRED CITATION:

item, folder title, box no., Harry H. Bandholtz Papers, Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan

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Collection

Harry H. Bandholtz Papers (Microform), 1890-1937 (majority within 1899-1925)
Call Number 9436 mf 255
Total components 93
Last indexed 2023-08-08