National Guard

Mexican border campaign records, i 1916-1917.

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Schedule Description

This series provides a comprehensive account of the activities of the National Guard when called into service by President Wilson in June 1916. The Guard protected against raids conducted by Mexican revolutionary factions across the border into the United States. The series consists primarily of administrative records and correspondence of individual units of the Guard: the First Utah Cavalry, the Field Hospital and Sanitary Department, and the First Field Artillery. Records include internal memoranda and orders, plus memoranda and orders between the units and the federal War Department or regional headquarters of the Regular Army. Correspondence with the State Adjutant General's Office in Salt Lake is also included.

Mobilization activities are detailed, including recruitment, physicals, equipment issues, and muster in. Activities at the border are well documented, involving both logistical (rations, supplies, animals, etc.) and personnel issues. Personnel issues include absences, changes in rank, payroll, oaths, etc. Relief for dependent families is also addressed. There were few hostile encounters, but regular marches and maneuvers. Part of the Utah Cavalry was combined with a squadron from California to form a Provisional Regiment. Also cited are efforts to ensure adequate sanitary conditions and the role of the field hospital in treating the sick or injured. Mustering out procedures are detailed, spanning from Nov._10, 1916 to Mar._8, 1917.

Scope and Content

This series provides a comprehensive account of the activities of the National Guard when they were called into service by President Woodrow Wilson on June 18, 1916. The Guard protected against raids which were being conducted by Mexican revolutionary factions across the border into the United States. The series consists primarily of administrative records and correspondence of individual units of the Guard. The records include internal memoranda and orders plus memoranda and orders between the units and the federal government, namely the War Department in Washington D.C. and regional headquarters of the Regular Army Replies to a memorandum are normally made on the same or attached sheet and are referred to as endorsements (abbreviated "ind."). There are also communications between the units and the state National Guard Adjutant General in Salt Lake City.

The service of the First Utah Cavalry (formerly the First Utah Infantry) is the most thoroughly documented. In fact, the series includes administrative papers of that unit before it was called into active duty. The First Utah Cavalry consisted of two squadrons: the first made up of Troops A, B, C, and D and the second of Troops E, F, G, and H. Also documented are the activities of the Field Hospital and the Sanitary Department. Less well documented is information about the First Field Artillery which completed Utah's contribution to the campaign.

Mobilization activities are outlined in detail. Units were ordered to report to their armories where processing was initiated. Additional recruits were also sought or volunteered. Men were issued equipment and given physical examinations. They were then mustered into service at Fort Douglas. At the same time, there were many requests for discharge as men learned they were to be activated. All these activities are documented in the form of correspondence, orders, memoranda, and muster rolls. Muster of individual Utah Guard units into federal service occurred between June 26, 1916 (First Field Artillery) and July 12, 1916 (Field Hospital and second squadron of cavalry).

Activities at the border are well documented in memoranda and orders from field commanders and federal District Headquarters, particularly the Nogales Headquarters Logistical issues, including the issuing and inspection of rations, supplies, equipment, and animals are all covered. Personnel issues include absences, changes in rank, discipline, payroll, transfers, etc. Those who had not taken oaths under the National Defense Act of June 3, 1916, did so. Dependent families under financial stress received funds from the Relief Committee for Dependent Families; less commonly, a soldier received a discharge.

Activities of the units and their members are noted in appointments, assignments, and details. Also outlined are the activities required to combine two squadrons of cavalry from Utah with one squadron of cavalry from California to form the Provisional Regiment. Various marches, maneuvers, and practices were held. There were few hostile encounters. There is information about the role of the field hospital in caring for soldiers in both the National Guard and Regular Army who became sick or were involved in accidents. Also cited are the efforts taken to see that the camps had adequate sanitary conditions.

The mustering out procedures are recorded in detail, involving both men and horses or equipment. After completing a practice march with the Provisional Regiment, the First Squadron Utah Cavalry and the sanitary detachment were mustered out on November 10, 1916. The Utah Artillery Battery was mustered out on December 22, 1916. The Field Hospital was mustered out on December 29, 1916. The Second Squadron Utah Cavalry was finally replaced by the 10th United States Cavalry and mustered out on March 8, 1917.

Notes

Records which contain personal data may be private, particularly medical records, disciplinary actions, and financial records. Access restrictions apply for 100 years for individuals who were age 21 or younger at the time the record was created; restrictions apply for 75 years for those who were over 21. Access to restricted records may be permitted under certain circumstances. Contact the Reference Archivist for more information.

The series is arranged alphabetically by subject or document type, thereunder chronologically. Undated material appears at the end of the subject file; enclosures and endorsements are sometimes kept together under one date.

These records were transferred to the Archives from the Utah National Guard in 1987. Before processing there was no discernible arrangement. Arranged and processing begun by J. Brent Brinkerhoff in 1991.

The series was kept in paper copy because of the variety of document types included. Heavy reference use was not anticipated.