Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Use Restrictions

See the University of Virginia Library’s use policy.

Preferred Citation

James P. Hutchinson World War I Papers, 1915-1918, #14418, Special Collections, University of Virginia Library, Charlottesville, Va.

Acquisition Information

These papers were purchased from Beltrone & Company, Keswick, Va., on November 3, 2008.

Scope and Content

The collection contains correspondence, special orders, memoranda and miscellaneous items, ca. 50 items, 1915-1918, pertaining to Dr. James P. Hutchinson's service with the American Ambulance Service in France and the American Red Cross Military Hospital No. 1.

Correspondence includes the following correspondents: Dr. Edmund B. Piper describing his trip to Bordeaux to sail for home after serving under Hutchinson in France for three months (October 3, 1915 and Hutchinson's reply, November 10, 1915); Hutchinson's letters to Mrs. W.K. Vanderbilt, New York, describing in detail the staff, the administrative problems, the general work, a patient train, and arrangement of the hospitals benefitting from Mr. Vanderbilt's fund (January 10, February 3, 1916); Dr. [William?] C. Speakman, a dentist and facial surgeon who traveled to France and provided dental surgery to soldiers from June to November 1915, and whose wife Marie Speakman served on the War Relief Committee in Wilmington, Delaware, writes about sending Hutchinson some buckwheat and shipments of nitrous oxide (February 7, 10, 1916); specifications for uniforms and insignia worn by various members of the American Ambulance (March 1, 1916); Countess de Viel-Castel requests care for some of her wards from Belgium and other children in her care (March 25, [1916]); Fred T. Murphy, who became the surgeon and Base Hospital director of a unit from the Washington University Medical School in 1917, describes the preparations going on there to staff an American Red Cross Base Hospital (ultimately No. 21) in his letter to Hutchinson (July 18, 1916); a formula for "Morison's" or "Bipp" paste from Dr. D. Pearce Penhallow, Chief Surgeon at the American Women's War Hospital, South Devon (March 28, 1917); 1st Lt. Lloyd W. Johnson explains that he has been assigned to service with the British Army but is willing to serve in France (October 26, 1917, December 26, 1917, and January 11, 1918); description of training at the Medical Officers Training Camp, Fort Riley, Kansas (July 27, 1917); S.H. Wadhams concerning the future hospital needs in Paris (March 13, 1918); E.A. Mahan concerning the retention of the driver, Adriano Fabrice (March 22, 1918); and undated letter about the purchase of an ambulance.

Memoranda includes: need for diminishing all unnecessary consumption of gas and electricity (August 14, 1917); passes for visiting French and British war zones (October 5, 1917); certification that Major James P. Hutchinson, M.R.C., while on duty at the American Red Cross Military Hospital No. 1, did not occupy government quarters (November 18, 1917); and the appointment of Hutchinson as visiting Consultant to American Red Cross Military Hospital No. 3 (November 26, 1917).

The miscellaneous papers include: Circular No. 1 concerning the giving of Wasserman tests (February 8, 1918); two undated printed broadsides concerning the American Ambulance in France Field Service and the Paris Section; an oversize printed item titled "Utilisation des Poussiers," with stamped date of June 18, 1917 (transferred to Rare Books); an evacuation authorization for Pierre Nouailles and Auguste Paulet (January 8, 1916); an officer's pay voucher (1917); and a Palace Hotel receipt (1916).

Special Orders include the list of officers of the Medical Reserve Corps called to active service and assigned to the American Red Cross Military Hospital No. 1 (July 28, 1917); and lists of officers to attend two different Inter-Allied Surgical Conferences at Val-de-Grace (October 11, 1917 and February 26, 1918);