Oregon State University Libraries, Special Collections & Archives Research Center
121 The Valley Library
Oregon State University
Corvallis, OR 97331-4501
Phone: 541-737-2165
Email: archives@oregonstate.edu
Web:
http://osulibrary.oregonstate.edu/archives
Consult repository.
McAlexander, Ulysses Grant, 1864-1936
Ulysses Grant McAlexander
Collection
1883-1964
1883-1940
3 cubic feet
The Ulysses Grant McAlexander Collection
documents McAlexander's military activities, particularly his involvement in
the Second Battle of the Marne in France in July 1918, his training at West
Point and his years as commandant of cadets at Oregon Agricultural College.
Materials in English.
Biographical Note:
Military hero known as the Rock of the Marne, McAlexander served as
Commandant of Cadets at Oregon Agricultural College from 1907 to 1911 and again
from 1915 to 1916.
Major-General Ulysses Grant McAlexander was born 30 August 1864 at
Dundas, Minnesota and graduated from West Point in 1887. He served at Fort
Meade in the Dakota Territory and Fort Custer and Fort Missoula, Montana.
McAlexander fought in Cuba during the Spanish American War and served in the
Phillipines from 1900 to 1907.
In 1907, he was appointed Commandant of Cadets and Professor of Military
Science and Tactics at Oregon Agricultural College. He was greatly admired by
the students and the 1912
Orange was dedicated to him. The armory,
built in 1911, was also dedicated to him and in 1971 was renamed the
McAlexander Fieldhouse.
In July 1918, Colonel McAlexander commanded the greatly outnumbered 38th
U.S. Infantry Regiment against German forces at the second Battle of the Marne,
for which he was promoted to Brigadier General, awarded many military honors,
and became known as the "Rock of the Marne".
McAlexander retired from the Army in 1924 and chose Newport, Oregon as
his home. Oregon State Agricultural College conferred an honorary doctorate
upon him in 1930. He was an unsuccessful candidate in the 1934 Republican
gubernatorial primary election. McAlexander died at his home in Portland,
Oregon, on 18 September 1936 and was buried in the Arlington National
Cemetery.
Series 1 includes items from McAlexander's student days at the U.S.
Military Academy at West Point. Series 2 pertains to World War I and the
history of the 38th regiment and includes of a typed manuscript by McAlexander
about the Battle of the Marne. Series 3 contains correspondence and other
materials pertaining to McAlexander's service at Oregon Agricultural College
and various gifts to the college. Series 4 contains several published military
histories, including McAlexander's 1905 History of the Thirteenth Regiment.
Series 5 is a scrapbook that contains photographs of McAlexander,
clippings, his military identification and passports, and other memorabilia.
Series 6 consists of commissions, citations, certificates and awards received
by McAlexander, primarily for his military service. Series 7 consists of two
charcoal drawings of McAlexander, one of them made in Paris. Series 8 consists
of McAlexander's military medals. Series 9 includes newspapers and magazines
collected by or about McAlexander, including 16 months of
The Stars and Stripes (Feb. 1918- June 1919)
and a 1919 VFW newspaper titled
Rock of the Marne.
Series 10 consists of military maps pertaining to the Battle of the
Marne. Series 11 includes photographs of Fort Missoula, Montana (1889), the
presentation of the Distinguished Service Cross to McAlexander, portraits of
McAlexander, and the 38th Infantry boxing team (1942).
Organized into eleven series.
Ulysses Grant McAlexander Collection, Oregon State University Archives,
Corvallis, Oregon.
Part of the collection was transferred to the University Archives from
the former Horner Museum in July 1996. Included was a drawing and several maps
of the Battle of the Marne, several published military histories, various
citations and certificates, and McAlexander's West Point account ledger folio.
Many artifacts donated by McAlexander or his family remain a part of the Horner
Collection.
The Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) Records (RG 58) include
records from McAlexander's years as Commandant of Cadets at Oregon Agricultural
College. The Memorabilia Collection file on McAlexander (MC - McAlexander,
Ulysses Grant) contains biographical information, a list of his commissions and
citations, clippings and other articles, and a map showing the location of his
grave site in the Arlington National Cemetery. Harriet's Collection #908 (U. G.
McAlexander) includes photographs of a troop transport ship in Tampa, June
1898; the bronze bust of McAlexander; a Memorial Union display case with
McAlexander artifacts (1939); and a painting made of McAlexander in 1918 in
Paris. Photographs of McAlexander in the Military Photographic Collection (P 2)
include portraits, on horseback, and with his wife.
Chastaine, Ben-Hur.
Fretwell, Frank M.
Lovejoy,
Clarence E. (Clarence Earle), 1894-1974.
Roosevelt,
Theodore, 1887-1944.
United States. Infantry. 38th Regiment--History.
Oregon Agricultural College. Cadet Corps.
United
States Military Academy.
Fort Missoula (Mont.)
Marne, 2nd Battle of the,
France, 1918.
Military history,
Modern--20th century.
World War,
1914-1918--Campaigns--France.
World War,
1914-1918--History.
Awards.
Military maps.
Military
commissions.
Photographs.
Scrapbooks.
Rock of the Marne.
Story of the Thirty-eighth.
History of the Thirteenth Regiment United States Infantry.
Rank and file.
Oregon
Photographs
Maps
Colleges and
Universities
International Relations
Scrapbooks
Military
Series I
West Point Records
1883-1887
1
Appointment to the U.S.
Military Academy
July 1883
1
Account ledger
folio
1883
1
Civil Engineering Textbook
[partial]
1886
1
Map drawn while a
cadet
1884
3
apx 20x24 in.
Map drawn while a
cadet
undated
Series II
World War I and 38th Infantry
Regiment History
1918-1939
1
"Rock of the Marne" by
Ulysses G. McAlexander
typescript - 2 original copies,
1 photocopy
1
List of
Casualties
1
Brief History of the 38th
Infantry
1
Historical Data on the "Rock
of the Marne"
1918-1939
1
Historical
Records
1918-1939
2 folders
3
apx 20x24 in.
Copy of inscription, "Le
Rocher de la Marne," possibly used in Memorial Union exhibit
3
apx 20x24 in.
"Remembering" rotogravure
section with photographs of McAlaxander. Oregon Sunday
Journal
Feb. 4, 1940
Series III
Correspondence
1911-1964
2
Clippings and
correspondence
1911-1964
2
Souvenir Program of the 146th
Anniversary of the U.S. Army Quartermaster Corps
1921
2
Correspondence Regarding
Bronze Bust and Other Gifts to Oregon State College
1934-1937
Series IV
Published Volumes
1905-1928
2
Illustrated book, Zwischen
Maas und Mosel (Between the Maas and Moselle Rivers)
ca. 1918
Published military
histories
2
History of the Thirteenth
Regiment, United States Infantry, U.G. McAlexander
1905
2
The Story of the
Thirty-Eighth, C.E. Lovejoy
1919
2
History of the 18th U.S.
Infantry First Division, 1812-1919, Ben H. Chastaine
1919
2
"Rock of the Marne: A
Narration of the Military Exploits of Gen. Ulysses Grant McAlexander at the
Second Battle of the Marne", compiled and edited by Frank M.
Fretwell
2
A Guide to the Military
History of the World War, 1914-1918, Thomas G. Frothingham
1921
2
Rank and File: True
Stories of the Great War, Theodore Roosevelt
1928
Series V
Scrapbook
7
apx 12x17 in.
Scrapbook and loose items -
photographs, clippings, documents
ca. 1910-1940
Series VI
Commissions, honors, citations
and certificates
1887-1931
3
apx 20x24 in.
Diploma, U.S. Military
Academy
11 June 1887
3
apx 20x24 in.
Commission as 2nd Lieutenant,
25th Regiment of Infantry
23 January 1888
3
apx 20x24 in.
Certificate admitting to
practice of law in Montana
2 June 1891
3
apx 20x24 in.
Commission as 1st Lieutenant
of Infantry
23 August 1894
3
apx 20x24 in.
Commission as Assistant
Quartermaster of Volunteers, with the rank of Captain
23 May 1898
3
apx 20x24 in.
Commission as Captain of
Infantry
13 April 1899
3
apx 20x24 in.
Commission as Captain of
Infantry
26 December 1899
3
apx 20x24 in.
Companion of the First Class
of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States
31 August 1904
3
apx 20x24 in.
Certificate of completion,
U.S. Army War College
1906-1907
3
apx 20x24 in.
Commission as Major of
Infantry
2 February 1911
3
apx 20x24 in.
Commission as Lieutenant
Colonel of Infantry
27 July 1916
3
apx 20x24 in.
Commission as Colonel of
Infantry
12 June 1917
3
apx 20x24 in.
Citation, Distinguished
Service Cross, U.S. Army
7 December 1918
3
apx 20x24 in.
Citation for distinguished
and exceptional gallantry, U.S. Army
27 March 1919
3
apx 20x24 in.
La Croce al Merito di Guerra,
by the Italian government
14 April 1919
3
apx 20x24 in.
Citation à l'Ordre de l'Armée
for exceptional courage at Jaulgonne, France (Battle of the Marne)
8 May 1919
3
apx 20x24 in.
La Décoration d'Officer de
l'Ordre National de la Légion d'honneur, Republic of France
29 May 1919
3
apx 20x24 in.
Accolade of the New chivalry
of Humanity for service "with honor in the World War and was wounded in
action," United States
ca. 1919
3
apx 20x24 in.
Certificate of completion,
General Staff College
1920
3
apx 20x24 in.
Commission as Brigadier
General
16 July 1920
3
apx 20x24 in.
Commission as Brigadier
General
27 April 1921
3
apx 20x24 in.
Croix de Guerre, Republic of
France
12 April 1924
3
apx 20x24 in.
Commission as Major
General
21 July 1924
3
apx 20x24 in.
Distinguished Service Medal
for Exceptionally Meritorious and Distinguished Services
10 November 1925
3
apx 20x24 in.
Distinguished Service Cross
for Extraordinary Heroism
14 November 1925
3
apx 20x24 in.
Silver Star for gallantry in
action against Spanish forces at Santiago, Cuba in July 1898
12 April 1927
3
apx 20x24 in.
Honorary Doctor of Laws
degree, Oregon State Agricultural College
2 June 1930
3
apx 20x24 in.
Silver Beaver Award, Boy
Scouts of America
28 November 1931
Series VII
Drawings
1919
and undated
3
apx 20x24 in.
Charcoal sketch of
McAlexander made in Paris
1919
4
apx 23x31 in.
Charcoal drawing of
McAlexander
3
apx 20x24 in.
Series VIII
Military Service Medals
[framed]
Series IX
Newspapers and
Magazines
1911-1919
3
apx 20x24 in.
Bound volume of The Stars and
Stripes, printed in France
Feb. 8, 1918 to June 13, 1919
*
Telegram Magazine, with cover
article "Major U.G. McAlexander, USA, Commandant of the OAC Cadet Corps
8 April 1911
*
Rock of the Marne newspaper
issued by VFW Post no. 138
17 May 1919, 31 May 1919 & 21 June 1919
Series X
Military Maps
1918
and undated
4
apx 23x31 in.
Hand colored map of the
Second Battle of the Marne, by Robinson Murray [verified by McAlexander in 1920
and 1922]
ca. 1918
4
apx 23x31 in.
Locations of U.S. forces at
the Second Battle of the Marne [5 photostatic copies]
5
Three aerial photos of the
Marne River region
ca. 1918
5
Photos of German battle maps
[2 maps]
5
French and American telephone
lines in the Marne area
ca. June 1918
5
French battle maps, June 1918
[2 maps]
5
Topographical markings near
the Marne River
ca. 1918
5
Troop movements?
ca. 1918
*
Map showing boundaries of the
1st and 2nd armies
29 Aug. - 11 Nov. 1918
Series XI
Photographs
1889-1942
8
Fort Missoula, Montana,
Battalion, 25th Infantry
ca. 1889
8
Officers quarters, Fort
Missoula, Montana, winter
ca. 1889
8
Presentation of Distinguished
Service Cross to McAlexander
6 photos
8
Portrait photo
2 originals and 2 copies of the
same
8
9
Map of the Battle of the
Marne [print and nitrate negative]
8
38th Infantry Boxing
Team
1942
2 photos
8
Award presentation,
boxing