Guide to the Frank Tompkins Papers, 1861-1948

Norwich University Archives Kreitzberg Library 158 Harmon Drive Northfield, VT 05663 Phone: (802) 485-2947 Fax: (802) 485-2173 Email: [email protected]

Summary

Creator Tompkins, Frank, 1868-1954 Title Frank Tompkins Papers Dates 1861-1948 Extent 2 Boxes (2 linear feet)

About the Collection

The collection contains biographical information on Frank Tompkins and his family, including his commissions. Also included are papers and other records related to the Mexican Punitive Expedition of 1916. Frank Tompkins’ time at Norwich University is documented in correspondence and photographs. The collection also contains papers of Frank Tompkins’ father, Charles H. Tompkins, son, Frank P. Tompkins, and composition books of his wife, Alice Barr Tompkins. The papers of Charles H. Tompkins pertain to his Civil War service. The content listing contains a more detailed description of the collection.

About Frank Tompkins

Frank Tompkins (1868-1954) was born in Washington, DC, the son of Charles H. Tompkins (1830-1915). His thirty-two years of service with the U.S. Army included stations in , the Philippines, and France. He became well-known for his pursuit of Mexican revolutionary, Francisco Villa during the Mexican border skirmishes of 1916. During , Tompkins commanded Boston’s famous 301st Infantry.

Colonel Tompkins was associated with Norwich University for nearly fifty years, through three tours of duty as professor of military science and tactics and as commandant between 1910 and 1923. Largely through the efforts of Tompkins, Norwich received the Moses Taylor riding hall (later became the Taylor hockey arena), the cavalry stables, Sabine field and, because of his connection with Rush Hawkins, a contribution from General Hawkins of $400,000.00. Frank Tompkins married Alice Gertrude Barr (1870-1964) in 1893 and the couple had two sons, Charles Barr Tompkins (1893-1894) and Francis Parker Tompkins (1896-1971). Additional biographical information on the life and career of Frank Tompkins can be found in control and articles about Frank Tompkins files in the collection.

Access Restrictions

The collection is open; however, materials copied from the collections of the U.S. Sergeant Academy at Fort Bliss, TX, are provided for reference purposes only. Permission for use other than private study, scholarship or research must be requested from the U.S. Sergeant Major Academy.

Preferred Citation

Many items in the University Archives are one-of-a-kind resources that are not likely to be available anywhere but here. For this reason, forming citations for archival sources is a little different than for books and periodicals. If you need to cite anything from this collection, follow the format below:

Identification of specific item; Date (if known); Frank Tompkins Papers, Box and/or Folder and/or Item Identification; Norwich University Archives, Kreitzberg Library, Northfield, VT.

Here’s an example from the collection:

Letter to Frank Tompkins from Robert F. Joyce, 4 October 1943. Frank Tompkins Papers, correspondence, 1931-1943 file, Norwich University Archives, Kreitzberg Library, Northfield, VT.

Additional Information

Extent: 2 Boxes (2 linear feet)

Collection Location: Archives 501

Language(s) of Material: English

Repository: Norwich University Archives, Kreitzberg Library, 158 Harmon Dr., Northfield, VT 05663 USA, Phone: 802.485.2947, Fax: 802.485.2173, [email protected]

Content Listing

 Articles about Frank Tompkins (Box 1)  Commissions, rolled (Box 2) o C.H. Tompkins, 2nd lieutenant, 1861 o C.H. Tompkins, 1st and 2nd lieutenant, 1861 o C.H. Tompkins, major, 1866 o C.H. Tompkins, brevet lieutenant , 1866 o C.H. Tompkins, brevet colonel, 1866 o C.H. Tompkins, brevet brigadier general, 1866 o C.H. Tompkins, assistant quartermaster general, 1881 o Frank Tompkins, 2nd lieutenant, 1892 o Frank Tompkins, 1st lieutenant, 1898 (2 items) o Frank Tompkins, captain, 1901 o C.H. Tompkins, brigadier general, 1904 o C.H. Tompkins, brigadier general on the retired list of the Army, 1910 o Frank Tompkins, major, 1915 and 1916 (2 items) o Frank Tompkins, lieutenant colonel, 1917 o Frank Tompkins, colonel, 1918 o Frank P. Tompkins, Diploma, West Point, 1918 o Frank Tompkins, colonel (retired), 1920  Correspondence, 1911, 1931-1943 (Box 1)  Mexican punitive expedition, 1916 (Box 1) o Annual reports of the Secretary of War, Army Chief of Staff and Army Adjutant General o Army list and directory o Cavalry, general . 7th Cavalry . 10th Cavalry (2 files) . 13th Cavalry o Correspondence and papers (2 files) o “Horse Soldier,” six chapters o “The Mexican Punitive Expedition, 1916″ manuscript notebooks (11 volumes) o Chasing Villa (1934) Tompkins’ published book on General John Pershing’s expedition into Mexico. Copies are also available in the general library collection as well as in Special Collections (SC 972.08 T662c) o Maps (2 files) o Motor transport experiences o Newspaper accounts o Photographs o Santa Cruz de Villegas  Papers, 1908-1916 (Box 1)  Papers and photographs relating to Norwich University, 1910-1948 (Box 1)  Papers copied from originals at the U.S. Sergeant Major Academy, Fort Bliss, TX (Box 1)  Photograph, 1888 football champions (Box 2)  Photographs, flood of 1927 in (Box 1)  Postcard album, U.S. and international travel (Box 2)  Postcards, U.S. and international travel (1 box and 1 file in Box 2)  Tompkins, Alice Barr, composition books, 1886-1889 (Box 2)  Tompkins, Charles H., papers and Civil War diary, 1 June-25 September 1862 (Box 2) o Charles H. Tompkins served with the 1st Regiment, Vermont Volunteer Cavalry. He was commissioned as colonel of the 1st Vermont Cavalry on 24 April 1862 and commanded the unit until his resignation on 9 September 1862. With the diary is a 1996 paper by Norwich student, Kiley Johnston on Tompkins and his diary written for her Civil War history class. The paper includes biographical information, a transcription of the diary and photographs of Charles Tompkins and his family. Also included with the diary is a copy of Charles Tompkins’ article, “With the Vermont Cavalry, 1861-2″ from the Vermonter of April 1912.  Tompkins, Frank Parker, papers, 1918 and 1929 (Box 2)

Related Materials

The following items may be found in the collections of the Sullivan Museum and History Center:

 Col Tompkins' Civilian Tuxedo jacket and trousers, black, with silk lapels

 Saddle/tack trunk owned by Col. Frank Tompkins, former Norwich University Commandant

 Six-piece sterling silver communion set all inscribed "Col. Frank Tompkins 1868-1954”

 Painting (portrait) of Frank Tompkins in uniform with medals

 Boston regimental flag, ca. 1914-1918. During World War I, Tompkins commanded Boston’s 301st Infantry

 Major rank shoulder boards given to A. Wilson Barstow (Class of 1926) by Col. Frank Tompkins in June of 1925.

Copies of Chasing Villa (1934), Frank Tompkins’ published book on General John Pershing’s expedition into Mexico, are available in the general library collection as well as in Special Collections (SC 972.08 T662c).

From Then to Now, a memoir by Alice Barr Tompkins is also available in Archives.