]> PUBLIC "-//The New York Public Library//TEXT (US::NN::Sc MG 51::Robert Rudd Papers, 1875-1906)//ENG" "scmgrudd.xml" Inventory of the Robert Rudd Papers, 1875-1906 Processed by Leslie Harrison; machine-readable finding aid created by Apex Data Services; revised by Terry Catapano.

Text converted and initial EAD tagging provided by Apex Data Services, April 1999. Revised by Terry Catapano April 2000 Description is in English October 16, 2006 EAD v1.0 finding aid converted to EAD 2002 using UC Berkeley's eadv1to2002.pl perl script. Inventory of the Robert Rudd Papers, 1875-1906 Sc MG 51 Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture The New York Public Library New York, New York Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. New York Public Library. 515 Malcolm X Boulevard New York, NY 10037-1801 (212) 491-2224 scmarbref@nypl.org http://nypl.org/research/sc/scm/marb.html Processed by: Leslie Harrison Date Completed: June 1980 Encoded By: Apex Data Services; Terry Catapano

Preface

This inventory is one of several prepared as a part of the archival preservation program at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, a research division of The New York Public Library.

The Schomburg Centers's archival preservation program involves the organization and preservation of primary source material held by the Center and of significance to the study of the black experience. It, furthermore, included the preparation of detailed inventories of these records, making the information contained therein accessible as well as available to scholars.

The necessary staff and supplies for this program were made available through a combination of Library, National Endowment for the Humanities grant, and State of New York grant funds.

Descriptive Summary Robert Rudd Papers, 1875-1906 Sc MG 51 Rudd, Robert 2 boxes. The New York Public Library Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture English History

Black Americans were enthusiastic about helping to fight the Spanish-American War (1898) partly because they identified and sympathized with Afro-Cubans who lived under extreme Spanish oppression. Black volunteers flocked to the recruiting stations throughout the United States, however, they were disappointed for they were rejected or delayed by recruiting centers and were not readily given commissions.

Blacks felt they were well qualified to be awarded commissions and voiced their resentment in newspapers, sermons and by demonstrations. Initially, only organized State National Guard Volunteer units were accepted. This excluded blacks because in the Northern and Western states few blacks were accepted in state units, and the Southern states barred them altogether. Black citizens raised volunteer units with black officers and offered them to the states; however under laws governing National Guards, such units could not be accepted. Finally, blacks appealed to the President of the United States and to Congress. Congress authorized temporary regiments for blacks, but the War Department insisted upon making all field and staff officers white, while allowing the company grade to be black. The President's call for volunteers, however, was left to the state governor. Thus, the 48th infantry United States Volunteers of Ohio was formed.

`I' Company of the 48th Infantry, commanded by Captain Robert R. Rudd, was comprised entirely of black soldiers, including Rudd himself. In the words of the Regiment Commander Major William P. Duvall, “His [Rudd's] `I' Company was from the first one of the very best in the Regiment.” As for Captain Rudd, Major Duvall said that he was “an officer of marked ability and force...the most capable, thorough and efficient among all my Company officers.” The 48th Infantry was mustered out of the service after the war as were all volunteer units. `I' company served mostly in the Philippine Islands (1900-1901), administering the Benguet Province of Luzon.

Robert R. Rudd was born in July, 1860 in Nelson County, Kentucky. He began his military career in 1875 by enlisting in the Ohio National Guard and came up through the ranks of the National Guard until he was promoted to the rank of Captain in 1881. He was commissioned as such under the Act of Congress, approved March 2, 1899.

Scope and Content

The Robert R. Rudd Papers, 1875-1906 largely record the activities of `I' Company of the 48th Infantry United States Volunteers. The collection is comprised of personal papers, correspondence, roster books, ledgers and a holograph report.

Series Descriptions/Container List 1 1 Personal Papers, 1875-1901

The series consists entirely of Rudd's discharge papers from various National Guard Units. Some of the discharges are in the form of promotions to higher ranks.

Correspondence

The majority of the series consists of letters and telegrams dealing with official military business, such as supplies, orders, performance evaluations, and requests and details regarding the mustering out of the regiment. Correspondence of note are letters of introduction for Captain Rudd and those in praise of him. This incoming correspondence has been arranged chronologically, the outgoing correspondence also deals with military affairs. Of particular interest, is Rudd's letter, dated 1900, June 5, to his brother, who was also a captain, enclosing a descriptive history of the Igorrotes who inhabited the Benguet District and part of a report he made on the district to the government. The outgoing correspondence is arranged chronologically following the incoming correspondence.

1 2 Incoming, 1900-1906 1 3 Outgoing, 1900-1901 Military Records 1 4 Roster, 1899-1900

There are two Rosters: one (1899) lists the officers of volunteer regiments, and the other (1900) lists the troops serving in the department of the Pacific and the Eighth Army Corps. Included with the rosters are a population census form of 1900 that lists the men in `I' Company, a transfer notice list and a muster roll.

1 5 Report, 1900

A holograph Report (1900), entitled “Agricultural Notes on Benguet,” describes the topography of Benguet. A handwritten map of the district is also included in this file.

1 6 Miscellaneous Ledgers

The suberies consists of five individual books containing additional letters, and telegrams (incoming and outgoing), receipts, orders, supply records, soldiers allotment records, summary court and general court martial records and an inventory of the effects of deceased soldiers. Each ledger is numbered and has an index.

2 1 Circulars written by Captain Rudd, 1900-1901 2 2 Circulars and special orders, 1900-1901 2 3 Report on guards mounted at La Trinidad, 1900 2 4 Record of firing and target practice, 1900 2 5 List of deposits made by men with the paymaster, 1899-1900