Archive – Herbert Kohr – Regular Army Enlisted Man – SOLD

Description

Herbert O. Kohr authored his own history in the United States Army entitled:

“AROUND THE WORLD WITH UNCLE SAM; SIX YEARS IN THE UNITED STATES ARMY. A TRUE STORY OF TRAVEL AND ADVENTURE BY A FORMER ENLISTED MAN OF THE RANKS IN THE U.S. ARMY. Beginning With Recruit Life Soldiering In Colorado, In The War With Spain, Campaigning In Cuba, At Battle of El Caney, Capitulation Of Santiago; Later, Traveling Across The Great American Continent, Sailing Across The Pacific, In The Philippines, A Year In China During Boxer Trouble, Through The Suez Canal, A Great Storm On The Atlantic, Completing The Tour Of The World. This Book Dictated From Memory By A Blind Man.”

Published by the Commercial Printing Co., Akron, Ohio, 1907.

This title page pretty much sums up Kohr’s military career, and the grouping expands that scope through photos, letters, documents, and news clippings, along with other family related material, all making for an interesting archive for the Kohr Family beginning with Herbert’s father, a Civil War veteran.

The archive consists of :

• Private purchase campaign hat with 1896 pattern Co. “B,” engineer’s cap insignia. Condition is fine with very minor mothing, and light tracking. Two small holes punched on either side to allow a neck strap which is gone.
• Kohr’s 2 books that he authored; one mentioned above, and another entitled “The Escort Of An Emperor, The Story of China During the Great Boxer Movement.” published in 1910. Both books show wear, but overall very good and tight. Both hard cloth covers.
• Pattern 1896 cap insignia for Co. “E,” 7^thS. Infantry, and one engineer shoulder tab for 1899 tropical coat.
• Letter from Nagasaki, Japan, dated July 3, 1900. Written during his second enlistment as an engineer, serving with the 9^thS. Infantry enroute to China. He describes Japan as a beautiful country, and the people are very nice. A very brief letter written aboard a steamer to his parents.
• Letter from Peking, China, March 24^th, 1901. A 5 page letter to his parents. Main points of military interest are the funeral of Captain Riley, who was killed in August of 1900, when the took the city. He had been quickly buried at the Legation, then disinterred and body sent home, including every one who was buried there; his unit was leaving next month for the Philippines, leaving 150 men to guard the Legation, “I guess the Chinese have got enough fighting for awhile, they say here that every thing is settled between them and the Powers…” He has been there for a year, and the Chinese here in Peking would like to see us stay here they seem to like Americans pretty well”…Herbert goes on to describe Chinese funerals and weddings; “any person caught stealing has his head cut off at once..” The Emperor and Empress are coming back here in April….there were no railroads in the City then, now there are two. … Wants his letters addressed to Manila.”
• Blue print of Bell Tower, Peking, China, at “Camp of U.S. Engr’s Det. Co. B.” (6.5 x 8.5).
• 29 photographs from all periods of his enlistment; portrait shots of buddies in the different regiments stateside, and overseas. Some are armed images, with showing field uniforms. (see photos). There are a few of Kohr in civilian clothing, with one cabinet photo of him taken shortly after he was blinded in a dynamite explosion which occurred after he was discharged from the army.
• Later discharge papers from the army to replace Kohr’s originals (1951).
• Several pencil manuscripts of writings, “A Rebellion In Cuba,” A brief account of his experiences going to Cuba in a cattle boat Stephen Decatur, much more.
• Pension papers.
• 64^th Congress, H.R. 3756, A Bill Granting a pension to Herbert O. Kohr.
• Printed letter from the Imperial Order of the Dragon, Office of the Grand Viceroy, New York City, 190_ , signed. In regards to joining this elite group of men who served in the China Relief Expedition of 1900.
• Photogravure photo proofs for his book, “Around The World…”
• Roster, printed, 7^thS. Infantry Regiment. Some tears into the roster from top edge.
• Herbert Kohr’s father’s papers: Civil War discharge for Christian G.B. Kohr, Private, Co. “E”, 126^th Ohio Infantry;   Memorial Day Parade, 1928, with photograph of parade; Sheet of paper (broadside), “Survivors of the 126^thV.I., Dec. 15, 1922; Booklet, “Services for the Use of the G.A.R. , 1923, 70 pages (some water stains on cover); miscellany.
• Small group of post card notices for meeting of the USWV (United Spanish War Veterans for Daniel Kohr, Herbert’s brother, and a few letters to his parents, war related.
• Lot of papers, family correspondence, Fathers deed to property, telegrams, songs, more.
• Letter written on Family Business Handbill/ broadside.
• Manuscripts of writings: When the Lights Went Out. A brief story beginning when he left the service and took a job with a construction company in Minneapolis, when some dynamite went off, blowing off a hand, and causing Kohr to loose his sight., more.; “Catching a Thief” a story about another soldier stealing from him…
• A few letters about family genealogy, with info on fathers Civil War history, Bros. history, etc.
• Long account of medical trip to Guadalajara, Mexico “Help after Hell and High Water.” Nov. 1, 1959, by G. Herbert Fleener, Administrator, Montemorelos Sanitarium & Hospital.

 

Kohr enlisted in the 7^th U.S. Infantry, at Fort Logan, Colorado, in 1896 for three years, first as a private, discharged as a sergeant. He re-enlisted as a corporal in the U.S. Engineers, and later assigned to the 9^th U.S. Infantry, seeing service in Cuba, in the Philippines, and a year in China during the Boxer Rebellion.

After his six years of service in the army, Kohr got a job working at a construction company in Minneapolis, Mn., acting as a demolition expert. An unexpected explosion took most of his right arm, and blinded him for life in both eyes.

Being unable to work, he began to write of his experiences in the army, and other related topics; two of his books are about his military career, “AROUND THE WORLD WITH UNCLE SAM; SIX YEARS IN THE UNITED STATES ARMY,” and “The Escort Of An Emperor, The Story of China During the Great Boxer Movement.” “Around the World With Uncle Sam, and A Blind Man’s Hope.” Etc.

Kohr began a process through his State Congressman, William A. Ashbrook, to obtain a pension that would be enough to sustain him, and would take some time in acquiring the pension, eventually using the assistance of Theodore Roosevelt, who had met with Kohr personally and took up his cause. Kohr remembers from the interview with the former president, “the speed and energy in handling the case. He had already caught glimpses of the president when the latter was leading the Rough Riders during the Spanish American War.”

The remainder of his life was spent writing and traveling all over the world.

 

Birth Place:	Winfield, Tuscarawas County, Ohio, United States of America, 24 Aug 1875
Death Date:	2 May 1965
Death Place:	Mount Vernon, Knox County, Ohio, United States of America
Cemetery:	Mound View Cemetery
Burial or Cremation Place:	Mount Vernon, Knox County, Ohio, United States of America