Box 13

Scope and Contents From the Collection: The collection consists of ten boxes that are divided into eleven series, representing both the papers of the admiral and his mother, Katherine Scott Umsted, a writer of fiction, poetry, and travel accounts. Series I, Correspondence, is divided into two subseries: official correspondence, letters both sent and received, 1917–1951, regarding Umsted’s naval career; and personal correspondence, letters both and sent and received, 1908–1971. The latter contains correspondence mainly with his mother regarding his experiences as a naval officer on the Yangtze Patrol in China, 1923–1924; hydrographic research in the USS Niagara, 1927–1930; his command of the USS Tillman, 1932–1933; and duty in USS Raleigh, 1933–1935, where he served as temporary beachmaster, the Canal Zone.Series II, Writings, contain his Naval War College thesis entitled “Tactics and Command,” 1926, and unattributed writings on submarines as a means of polar explorations, the German Submarine in the Battle of Jutland, The U.S. Navy Charts the Gulf of Panama, and The Chungking, Wanhsein Interlude by Rear Admiral Kemp Tolley.Series III, Reports, has the survey of Port La Unión, El Salvador, Central America, and Approaches of 1928.Series IV, Miscellany, houses menus, programs, booklets on historic military topics, newspaper clippings, published journals, museum catalogues, pamphlets, receipts, invitations, Umsted’s Naval Academy grades, a watercolor painting of Seville,...

Abstract

Official correspondence regarding naval career, 1920–1951; Personal correspondence, 1908–1971; Family correspondence, chiefly to his mother, 1914–1934; Miscellany, including photographs, diary, menus, booklets, newspaper clippings; Correspondence and travel writings of his mother Mrs. Katherine Scott Umsted, 1904–1934.