Morrow, Col. Charles H. (1877-1935) Papers, 1917-1960
Held by the Filson Historical Society
Creator: Morrow, Col. Charles H., 1877-1935
Title: Papers, 1917-1960 (bulk: 1918-1935)
Rights: For information regarding literary and copyright interest for these papers, contact the Collections Department at gro.l1713475410aciro1713475410tsihn1713475410oslif1713475410@hcra1713475410eser1713475410
Size of Collection: 0.72 cu. ft. (in 1 cu. ft. box) and 1 ovsz. vol.
Location Number: Mss. A M872
Scope and Content Note
The collection consists of papers that belonged to, were authored by, concerned with, or pertained to the interests of Charles Haskell Morrow. Morrow was a United States Army colonel originally from Somerset, Kentucky. Most of the collection concerns his roles as the commander of the 27th U.S. Infantry and the Lake Baikal Sector in Siberia during the Russian Civil War and the commandant of the United States Army Post at Fort Niagara in Western New York. The bulk of the documents are from 1918-1921 and 1930-1935. Additionally, there is a large section of political and patriotic speeches that fall within and between these two periods. The types of documents in this collection consist mainly of military reports, correspondence in the form of telegrams, and speeches. The collection also includes a scrapbook containing newspaper clippings from Morrow’s time at Fort Niagara and shortly after his death in 1935. This collection provides insight into the American Expeditionary Forces, the Provisional All-Russian Government under Alexander Kolchak, the White movement and White Army, prisoner of war camps, and White Terror genocide in Siberia.
Folders 1-8 contain correspondence, primarily telegrams, relating to Morrow’s service in the Russian Civil War and wartime events. These documents range in date from 1918 to 1960. Two telegrams postdate his death in 1935 and were addressed to his wife, Eugenia Morrow. Most of the correspondence was sent to or by Morrow, though several documents were not addressed to him but would have been of interest to him. Common topics of conversation include Morrow’s dispute with Ataman Grigory Mikhaylovich Semyonov (Semienoff) regarding Semyonov’s misconduct toward fellow Allied soldiers, Morrow’s administration of a prisoner of war camp in Krasnaya Rechka, the drinking habit of James Murray (Secretary of the Knights of Columbus) during his work with the 27th Infantry in Siberia, and post-war interest in the Russian Civil War. Also included in this section are military orders, memos, proclamations, and exhibits from reports that were addressed to groups of people such as Russian civilians, regiments, and Allied commanders. Additionally, there are telegrams typed in Russian, some of which have accompanying English translations.
Folders 9-11 contain calling cards written in French, Czech, Japanese, and English as well as wartime letters from Japanese generals inviting Morrow to a luncheon and dinner. The calling cards are undated but most likely date between 1918, the beginning of Morrow’s service in Siberia, and 1935, the year of his death. There are also envelopes containing undated documents written in Japanese. It is unclear whether these documents relate to the Russian Civil War or to the events to which the Japanese generals invited Morrow. Additionally, there is a photograph of a Japanese commander standing in a street as well as a 1920 envelope containing photographic negatives of people. There is also a 1920 letter of appreciation from a man named “Billy” to Morrow.
Folders 12-14 consist of miscellaneous correspondence unrelated to Morrow’s service in the Russian Civil War or his role as the camp commandant of the United States Army Post at Fort Niagara. This includes a letter from Edwin Morrow to Charles Morrow discussing how they are going to pay off some expenditure (1933), letters pertaining to the War Department’s termination of Captain Gordon W. Ellis’ service in the Army (1922), and condolence letters (1935-1936) to Eugenia Morrow offering her sympathy after Charles Morrow’s death on December 21, 1935. Captain Ellis’s relation to Morrow is unclear. Also included in this folder are documents concerning the life insurance policy of Thomas R. Fetter (1920-1928), Eugenia Morrow’s brother; and documents relating to the unveiling of a memorial to Charles Morrow at Fort Niagara (1937).
Folders 15-17 include 1918-1920 correspondence and testimonies from Russian civilians and Allied soldiers during the Russian Civil War. Correspondence includes letters of commendation from residents of the Zai-Baikal District in Siberia and Allied commanders to Morrow (1918-1920). Correspondence in this section also consists of a series of 1919-1920 petitions made by Russian villagers in the Zai-Baikal and addressed to Morrow which protest the war, detail their brutal treatment at the hands of Cossack and Japanese soldiers, and call for American intercession. Additionally, there is a compilation of 1919 testimonies made by Cossack soldiers which describe the brutal conduct of Ataman Kalmykov and the soldiers under his command and provide reasons for the January 1919 mutiny among Kalmykov’s forces.
Folders 18-23 contain reports and exhibits from 1918-1920 reports on the operations of the 27th U.S. Infantry during the Russian Civil War as well as military-related subjects that would have concerned Morrow and the 27th U.S. Infantry. Includes general reports on the operations of the 27th U.S. Infantry during spans of time such as from August to October of 1918 and from May 1919 to January 1920. Also contains reports on more specific topics such as the work done by civilian employees to renovate and maintain barracks in which 27th Infantry troops stayed (1919) as well as Morrow and the 27th Infantry’s efforts to renovate and beautify a prisoner of war camp at Krasnaya Rechka (1920), which they were responsible for guarding. Additionally, there is a 1919 report on wartime atrocities committed by Ataman Ivan Kalmykov, commander of the Ussuri Cossacks, and the January 1919 mutiny among his forces. Contains statement and letter by Charles Morrow to the Krug (a Cossack administrative assembly), as Kalmykov had accused American troops of fomenting dissent. Several reports were sent by Morrow to the Adjutant General of the United States Army and the report on civilian employees was sent to Commanding General of the A.E.F. in Siberia, General William Graves. It is unclear whether Morrow authored the reports besides the report on the civilian employees and the prison camp.
Folders 24-25 consist of post-war texts that discuss Allied intervention in the Russian Civil War and provide historical context for the Russian Civil War. Includes a chapter of an unidentified and undated book that details the main historical events related to Russia’s involvement in the First World War and explains the circumstances surrounding Russia’s withdrawal from the war. Also contains a monograph (1923) entitled “The A.E.F. in Siberia” by Lieutenant Colonel Fred W. Bugbee. Explains the purpose of the American Expeditionary Forces’ involvement in the Russian Civil War and gives an account of major events relating to the A.E.F.’s service in Siberia. Published in “Monographs of the World War” in 1923 by the United States Army Infantry School at Fort Benning, Georgia.
Folders 26-34 consist primarily of typed and handwritten addresses (circa 1919-1936) on a variety of subjects including American political elections, the celebration of patriotic holidays, American history, Irish history, the history of Fort Niagara, and an address commemorating Morrow following his death. Also includes addresses (circa 1919) delivered by Military Governor General Mejack and Colonel Morrow during the Russian Civil War. Additionally, there is an address (circa 1926) given by Morrow when presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to 1st Lieutenant Jesse Orin Creech, a poem commemorating Morrow (1936), and documents relating to the history of Fort Niagara (circa 1933-1934). Of these addresses, Morrow delivered one of the addresses from the Russian Civil War (1919); an Armistice Day address at Lexington, Kentucky (1924); a Flag Day address in Somerset, Kentucky (1928); an address labelled “Opening Address as Toastmaster” (undated), delivered at the Four-in-one National Defense Dinner in Louisville, Kentucky. It is unclear whether Morrow delivered any of the other addresses. One of the political addresses was delivered by Charles Morrow’s brother, Governor of Kentucky Edwin Morrow. Many of the addresses are undated and do not note who delivered them. Several of the typed addresses are copies of the handwritten addresses.
Folders 35-39 hold documents concerning Fort Niagara and Morrow’s role as the camp commandant of the U.S. Army post there. Documents range in date from 1929 to 1935. Includes a booklet (1929) published by the Old Fort Niagara Association which details the restoration plans for historic buildings at Fort Niagara, programs for military ceremonies held at Fort Niagara (1930-1935), and correspondence concerning Fort Niagara and Charles Morrow’s service there as well as correspondence sent to Charles and Eugenia Morrow while they were stationed at Fort Niagara (1930-1950). Also includes resolutions passed by the Niagara County Board of Supervisors (1934), a program for the Four-Nation Celebration at Old Fort Niagara (1934), a postcard showing a map of Fort Niagara (1932), and a booklet issued by the Common Council of the City of Buffalo, N.Y. in honor of Morrow following his death (1935).
Folder 40 consists of documents concerning Morrow’s service in China. In 1917, Morrow was second in command of the 15th U.S. Infantry in Tianjin, China as well as the Executive Officer of an American Red Cross flood relief camp there. Documents range in date from 1917 to 1932. Includes a reprint of an article (1917) from the China Critic entitled “American Red-Cross Flood Relief Camp”, a letter (1932) from a man in Tianjin thanking Morrow for his work there, and a newspaper clipping of an undated article entitled “Lt. Col. C.H. Morrow Talks At Reserve Officer Meeting”.
Folder 41 holds newspaper clippings ranging in date from 1919 to 1950, though the majority of the clippings date to 1935. Topics include Charles Morrow’s accusations against Ataman Semienoff, Kentucky’s contributions to the war effort during World War I, Colonel Morrow receiving the command of a regiment at Fort Niagara, the construction of the Rush-Bagot Monument at Fort Niagara, Edwin Morrow’s death and funerary rites, auto accidents at Fort Niagara, Charles Morrow’s death and funerary rites, Robert Lee Bullard’s death, and an anecdote concerning Colonel Ben Johnson and Colonel Morrow. Newspapers include The Courier-Journal, The Somerset Journal, Commonwealth Journal, and Buffalo Courier-Express.
Folder 42 contains miscellaneous documents ranging in date from 1919-1947. Documents most relevant to Morrow include his application for The Empire State Society of the National Society Sons of the American Revolution (1935), an article entitled “Major Forces Square Deal for Prisoners” (1919), and a brief military-related biography of Charles Morrow written on an envelope (undated). Other noteworthy documents include a Kentucky Historical Society communique mentioning Eugenia Morrow (1947), “Report on Barges of Prisoners from Tobolsk and Tumen” (1919), one page of a report about the murder of Russian civilians by Russian soldiers during the Civil War (undated), and an article entitled “The Recognition of Russia” by Edwin Dickinson reprinted from the Michigan Law Review (1931).
Volume 43 is a scrapbook containing newspaper clippings from Morrow’s time as the camp commandant of the United States Army Post at Fort Niagara, New York. Clippings range in date from 1930 to 1935. The clippings describe work that Morrow did at Fort Niagara and newsworthy occurrences in the local area. Several clippings discuss Morrow’s death and funeral, so the scrapbook could not have been entirely assembled by him.
Related Collection:
021PC28 Morrow, Col. Charles H. Military Photographs
Biographical Note
Charles Haskell Morrow (1877-1935) was born on November 28, 1877, in Somerset, Kentucky. He was the twin of Kentucky Governor Edwin P. Morrow (1877-1935), and the son of Colonel Thomas Z. Morrow (1835-1913) and Virginia “Jennie” Bradley Morrow (1842-1900). Colonel Morrow began his military career as a Second Lieutenant in the First Kentucky Volunteer Infantry (Louisville Legion). Prior to the First World War, Morrow served as a member of the Miles Expedition to Puerto Rico during the Spanish-American War, a lieutenant of volunteers during the Philippine Insurrection from 1899 to 1901, and a captain of Philippine Scouts from 1903 to 1909. During World War One, Morrow was stationed in the Philippines and later served as second in command of the 15th U.S. Infantry in Tianjin, China. He was also the Executive Officer of an American Red Cross flood relief camp while in Tianjin. From 1918 to 1920, Morrow commanded the 27th U.S. Infantry in Siberia during the Russian Civil War. In this period, Morrow helped capture the city of Khabarovsk, administered a prisoner of war camp in Krasnaya Rechka, and was responsible for guarding the Lake Baikal Sector. Colonel Morrow received the Distinguished Service Medal (United States), the Cross of Vladimir (Russia), the Croix de Guerre with Palm (France), and the Order of the Sacred Treasure of Japan for his actions in Siberia. After the war, he returned to Kentucky and served as the Senior Instructor for the Kentucky National Guard until 1925. From 1925 to 1930, Morrow was the Senior Instructor for Kentucky’s organized reserves. He was the camp commandant of the United States Army Post at Fort Niagara, New York, and commanded the 28th U.S. Infantry from 1930 to 1935. In this role he championed the large-scale restoration of Old Fort Niagara and the effort to make it a historic site. On December 21, 1935, Charles Morrow died of a heart attack at Fort Niagara. He was survived by his wife, Eugenia Fetter Morrow (1880-1970), whom he married in 1927.
References:
“Colonel Charles Haskell Morrow” by Major James W. Curtis. Article in The New York National Guardsman. (February 1936). Found in printout within collection and online at https://dmna.ny.gov/historic/research/NY_National_Guardsman/NYNG1936_02.pdf
“Col. Morrow.” Article in Buffalo Courier-Express. (December 23, 1935). Original document within collection.
Folder List
Box 1
Folder 1: Correspondence, March 1918-September 1918 [click here for PDF of contents]
Folder 2: Correspondence, February 1919-December 1919 [click here for PDF of contents]
Folder 3: Correspondence, January 1920-December 1920 [click here for PDF of contents]
Folder 4: Correspondence, April 1921-Oct. 1921 [click here for PDF of contents]
Folder 5: Correspondence, circa 1922-1960 [click here for PDF of contents]
Folder 6: Military orders and memos, April 1919-January 1920 [click here for PDF of contents]
Folder 7: Exhibits “A” through “H”: Proclamation, reports, correspondence, April 1919-January 1920 [click here for PDF of contents]
Folder 8: Correspondence and military orders in Russian with English translations, September 1919-January 1920 [click here for PDF of contents]
Folder 9: Envelopes and documents with Japanese writing, circa 1918-1921
Folder 10: Calling cards, correspondence, and photographs, circa August 1920-November 1920
Folder 11: French calling cards, circa 1918-1935
Folder 12: Life insurance documents and financial correspondence to Morrow, 1920-1933
Folder 13: Captain Gordon Ellis correspondence, August 1922
Folder 14: Condolence letters to Eugenia Morrow and documents about Charles Morrow’s memorialization, December 1935-July 1937
Folder 15: Commendations from Zai-Baikal District to Morrow and the American Command, September 1918-January 1920 [click here for PDF of contents]
Folder 16: Testimonies of Cossack mutineers at Krasnaya Rechka, circa 1919 [click here for PDF of contents]
Folder 17: Petitions received from villagers in the Zai-Baikal, Siberia, 1919-1920 [click here for PDF of contents]
Folder 18: Reports on the operations of the 27th U.S. Infantry from August-October 1918 [click here for PDF of contents]
Folder 19: Report on the operations of the 27th U. S. Infantry from May 2, 1919, to January 29, 1920 [click here for PDF of contents]
Folder 20: Exhibits from reports about Morrow and the 27th U.S. Infantry, June 1919-February 1920 [click here for PDF of contents]
Folder 21: Report on Ataman Kalmykov’s atrocities and mutiny among his forces, November 1919 [click here for PDF of contents]
Folder 22: “Report on Civilian Employees at Beresovka” by Morrow, December 1919 [click here for PDF of contents]
Folder 23: Morrow’s report on operations of Krasnaya Rechka prisoner of war camp, February 1920 [click here for PDF of contents]
Folder 24: Chapter one of a manuscript about Allied intervention in Russian Civil War, circa 1921-1939 [click here for PDF of contents]
Folder 25: “The A.E.F. in Siberia” monograph by Lieutenant Colonel Fred W. Bugbee, Infantry, 1923 [click here for PDF of contents]
Folder 26: Russian Civil War addresses, circa 1919 [click here for PDF of contents]
Folder 27: Political addresses, circa 1919-1932
Folder 28: Patriotic holidays addresses, 1924-1932
Folder 29: General patriotic addresses and Distinguished Service Cross address, circa 1926-1932
Folder 30: Fort Niagara addresses, history, map, letter, circa 1933-1934
Folder 31: W.H. Price address to the Irish Protestant Benevolent Society, Toronto, March 1934
Folder 32: Address and poem about Morrow, circa December 1935-September1936
Folder 33: Handwritten addresses, circa 1928-1932
Folder 34: Handwritten addresses, circa 1926-1927
Folder 35: Old Fort Niagara Association’s “The Castle” booklet, 1929
Folder 36: Military ceremonies programs, 1930-1935
Folder 37: Fort Niagara correspondence and attached documents, 1930-1950
Folder 38: Other Fort Niagara documents, January 1934-January 1935
Folder 39: “In Memoriam” booklet for Morrow, circa December 1935
Folder 40: Documents concerning Morrow’s service in China, 1917-1932
Folder 41: Clippings, 1919-1950
Folder 42: Miscellaneous, 1919-1947
Oversize
Volume 43 (wrapped): Newspaper scrapbook, 1930-1935
Subject Headings
Baikal, Lake, Region (Russia)
Civil war – Russia – 20th century
Cossacks
Genocide – Siberia (Russia)
Kentucky – Politics and government – 20th century
Kolchak, Aleksandr Vasiliyevich, 1873-1920
Morrow, Eugenia, 1880-1970
Niagara Frontier (N.Y.)
Old Fort Niagara (N.Y.)
Old Fort Niagara Association
Prisoner-of-war camps – Russia (Federation) – Siberia
Russia (Federation) – Revolution, 1917-1921
Russia (Federation) – War crimes
Semenov, G. (Grigoriĭ), 1890-1946
Siberia (Russia) – Politics and government – 20th century
United States – Armed Forces – Officers
United States. Army. American Expeditionary Forces
United States. Army. Infantry Regiment, 27th (1901-1957)
