The Way of Duty, Honor, Country: The Memoir of General Charles Pelot Summerall

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Edited and Annotated by Timothy K. Nenninger The Memoir of General Charles Pelot Summerall Charles Pelot summerall DuTy, HoNor, CouNTry THE wAy of THE wAy of DuTy, HoNor, CouNTry The Memoir of General Charles Pelot Summerall DuTy, HoNor, CouNTry THE wAy of ฀ graduate of West Point, Charles Pelot Summerall (1867–1955) launched a distinguished military career fighting Filipino insurgents in 1899 and Boxers in China in 1900. His remarkable service included brigade, division, and corps commands in World War I, where he received the highest honors awarded by the military, including the Distinguished Service Cross and the Silver Star. He served as chief of staff of the U.S. Army from 1926 to 1930 and then as president of the Citadel in Charleston, South Carolina, where he was instrumental in establishing the school’s national reputation. In 1950, at eighty-three years old, Summerall composed a detailed account of his personal and professional life on a yellow legal pad and titled it The Way of Duty, Honor, Country.After Summerall’s death in 1955, his son Charles typed the manuscript, and for many years the only available copy was held in the archives of the Citadel. Historian Timothy K. Nenninger has edited and annotated the original manuscript, producing an accessibly written version of The Way of Duty, Honor, Country that is available to all for the first time. Summerall’s writings touch on major military conflicts and critical moments in American history and serve as a valuable resource for anyone interested in the life of a celebrated soldier. Summerall witnessed profound technological , military, and social changes in his lifetime. His memoir offers a detailed account of his military career and also encompasses many aspects of his personal life, from his impoverished childhood in Florida during Reconstruction to his experiences as a young cadet at West Point. In September 1931, Summerall accepted an appointment as the president of the Citadel. During his tenure Summerall doubled enrollment , balanced the budget, gained accreditation for the college, and developed the small Southern military school into a nationally recognized institution. An opinionated man, Charles Pelot Summerall validates his actions and decisions, makes clear who his friends and perceived enemies were, and explains why. The Way of Duty, Honor, Country is filled with his observations about a period of rapid transition for the U.S. Army, describing how the very nature of war changed irrevocably during his lifetime. is chief of the textual records reference staff at the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration. His previous works include The Leavenworth Schools and the Old Army: Education, Professionalism, and the Officer Corps of the United States Army, 1881–1918 and Soldiers and Civilians: The U.S. Army and the American People. Jacket design by Jen Huppert Design “This book will give readers a long-overdue exposure to Summerall’s accounts of the many fascinating events of which he was a part, as well as an equally overdue window into the mind and character of this important American figure.” author of Doctrine Under Trial: American Artillery Employment in World War I “An important work by a pivotal figure in the U.S. Army’s transition from a constabulary to an overseas expeditionary force. The memoirs are especially valuable for Summerall’s views on the imperial wars, the AEF’s performance in World War I, and the problems of the postwar period.” author of The Echo of Battle: The Army’s Way of War “Charles P. Summerall was one of the best American combat commanders in World War I, and after the war he reached the pinnacle of his profession as chief of staff of the U.S. Army. As president of the Citadel (1931–1953), he made the South Carolina military school a national institution. His memoir, ably edited and annotated by Timothy K. Nenninger, is a fascinating account of his life experiences, from his youth as a poor farm boy, to West Point, to his distinction in combat in the Philippines, China, and later in World War I, and finally to his postwar career in the War Department and at the Citadel.” author of The Regulars: The American Army, 1898–1941 Original Manuscript and Research Assistance Provided by the First Division Museum at Cantigny, Wheaton, Illinois Edited and Annotated by Timothy K. Nenninger The Way of Duty, Honor, Country American Warriors Throughout the nation’s history, numerous men and women of all ranks and...