J. Willard Marriott Library Special Collections
Isaac K. Russell papers
Russell, I. K. (Isaac K.)
ACCN 1568
2.25 linear feet
1 box and 1 oversize box
1897-1900
The Isaac K. Russell papers (1897-1900) consists of documents regarding U. S. military activities in the Philippines during the Spanish-American War. Included are letters from Isaac Russell to various members of his family describing his activities, a troop roster (1899), issues of The American soldier, illustrations from Harper's weekly concerning the U.S. Navy (1897), and two maps of the Philippines (1899). Russell was a Utah soldier who served in the Phillipines during the Spanish-American War. He founded a newspaper in the Philippines titled The American soldier.
English
Russell, as a young man, went to the Philippine Islands in July 1898 with Battery A of the Utah Volunteer Light Artillery. There he participated in the battle of Manila and in quelling native insurrections following the war. He started a weekly newspaper,
The American Soldier, in Manila. He was separated from the service while in the Philippines and remained there after his battalion returned to the U.S. in mid-1899. He worked for the firm, Thomas E. Evans, Importers and Commission Merchants, in Manila and then served as civilian aide/secretary to General Bates, the military governor of Mindanao and Jolo.
The Isaac K. Russell papers (1897-1900) includes correspondence, copies of
The American Soldier, and other documents regarding U. S. military activities in the Phillipines. These items were received by Russell's family in Salt Lake City during and after his military service in the Philippine Islands during the Spanish American War. The collection's twenty-nine letters written to Russell's family include short personal letters to his mother, aunt, and younger sisters and brother, as well as long letters to his older brother Samuel that include details of his experiences. These letters to Sam make frequent mention of sending material he wished to have saved for useful reference in an anticipated writing career. There are also letters from a cousin, Parker Pratt, who was in the army in the Philippines during this period, and a letter from Thomas Evans, Isaac's employer in Manila. Thirteen issues of The American Soldier from 1898 are also in the collection; these identify Russell as President and Managing Editor on the masthead. Finally, the collection includes a troop roster (1899), a copy of The Soldier's Friend (1989), unattributed poetry, and a letter-to-the-editor of The American Soldier. Russell returned to the United States in August 1900, and later had two books published: Hidden Heroes of the Rockies (Yonkers-on-Hudson, New York: World Book Co., 1923) and Joseph Smith and the Great West (n.p., n.d.).
Click here to view digitized materials from the collection or visit ArchivesSpace for a container level list of digitized materials.
Twenty-four hour advanced notice encouraged. Materials must be used on-site. Access to parts of this collection may be restricted under provisions of state or federal law.
The library does not claim to control copyright for all materials in the collection. An individual depicted in a reproduction has privacy rights as outlined in Title 45 CFR, part 46 (Protection of Human Subjects). For further information, please review the J. Willard Marriott Library's Use Agreement and Reproduction Request forms.
Collection Name, Collection Number, Box Number, Folder Number. Special Collections, J. Willard Marriott Library, The University of Utah.
Processed by William Roberson and Mark Jensen in 1997.
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See also the Isaac K. Russell photograph collection (P0715) in the Multimedia Division of Special Collections.
Russell, I. K. (Isaac K.)--Archives
United States. Navy--History
Spanish-American War, 1898--Campaigns--Philippines
Military
Correspondence
Maps (documents)
Correspondence, Publications, and Poetry
Correspondence
1898-1900
1
1-9
Letter-to-the-Editor
1898
1
10
This folder contains a letter to the editor of The American Soldier, author identified only by initials.
Roster for Troops Serving in the Department of the Pacific and Eighth Army Corps
1899
1
11
The Soldier's Letter
1898
1
12
Published in Manila, Phillipines. Note on cover states: "American Soldier office copy."
Poetry
1
13
This folder contains typescript and handwritten poetry on military themes, entitled, "Rumminoosences."
Illustrations from Harper's Weekly and Phillipine Islands Maps
1897
1899
2
1
This folder contains Pre-Spanish American War Navy and other maritime subjects. Illustrations from cover pages include (on reverse side) the first page of text from the magazine. This folder also contains two maps: one is an overall view of the Phillipine Islands and the other is of Manila and the surrounding area that provides information on U. S. military positions and movements.
The American Soldier
1898
2
2-11
Volume 1, issues 4, 5, 6, 8 [missing pages], 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, and 15.