Collection Summary
Charles L. Scott Papers
1940-1945
1940-1945
MSS39289
Scott, Charles L. (Charles Lewis), 1883-1954
3,000 items
12 containers
4.8 linear feet
English
Collection material in English
Manuscript Division, Library of Congress
Washington, D.C.
Army officer. Correspondence, reports,
orders, speeches, articles, memoranda, photographs, and other military papers concerning
the 2nd Armored Division of the United States Army, which Scott organized, and military
tactics and history.
Selected Search Terms
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the LC
Catalog. They are grouped by name of person or organization, by subject or location, and
by occupation and listed alphabetically.
People
Scott, Charles L. (Charles Lewis), 1883-1954.
Organizations
Armored Replacement Training Center (Fort Knox, Ky.)
United States. Army--Armored troops.
United States. Army. Armored Division, 2nd.
Subjects
Mechanization, Military.
Military art and science.
Tactics.
World War, 1939-1945--Campaigns--Africa, North.
World War, 1939-1945--Tank warfare.
World War, 1939-1945.
Occupations
Army officers.
Acquisition Information
The papers of Charles L. Scott, army officer, were given to the Library of Congress by
his wife, Helen Patterson Scott, via the Office of Chief of Military History in
1955.
Processing History
The papers of Charles L. Scott were processed in 1958. The finding aid was revised in
2012. The finding aid was updated in 2023 by Maria Farmer as part of a division-wide
remediation project by the Inclusive Description Working Group.
Copyright Status
The status of copyright in the unpublished writings of Charles L. Scott is governed by
the Copyright Law of the United States (Title 17, U.S.C.).
Access and Restrictions
The papers of Charles L. Scott are open to research. Researchers are advised to contact
the Manuscript Reading Room prior to visiting. Many collections are stored off-site and
advance notice is needed to retrieve these items for research use.
Preferred Citation
Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information:
Container number, Charles L. Scott Papers, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress,
Washington, D.C.
Scope and Content Note
The papers of Charles Lewis Scott (1883-1954) consist of correspondence, memoranda,
reports, orders, speeches and articles, photographs, and other papers spanning Scott’s
military service from 1940 to 1945. The focus of the collection is on his role as a
military tactician and the development and employment of mechanized armored units in
World War II.
A graduate of the United States Military Academy in 1905, Scott’s early career as an
army officer was in the cavalry. He became a noted horseman and was the manager of the
1931 United States Olympic equestrian team. Turning to mechanized cavalry, Scott was a
pioneer in the development and use of armor in war. In 1940 he organized the 2nd Armored
Division (“Hell on Wheels”) of the United States Army, which he commanded at its
formation in Fort Benning, Georgia, with George S. Patton in charge of training. The 2nd
Armored Division served with the First, Seventh, and Ninth Armies. Scott was an observer
in the North African campaigns in World War II, and in 1942 he took command of the
Armored Replacement Training Center (ARTC) at Fort Knox, Kentucky.
Arrangement of the Papers
The papers are organized by topic or type of material as arranged and described before
their receipt by the Library. Some formerly classified items are filed at the end of the
collection.
Container List
Container
Contents
1
Correspondence
1
Personal and official
1
Book 1, 1942, Aug.-Nov.
1942,
Aug.-Nov.
1
Book 2, 1942, Nov.-1943, Feb.
1942, Nov.-1943,
Feb.
1
Book 3, 1943, Feb.-Apr.
1943,
Feb.-Apr.
2
Book 4, 1943, Apr.-June
1943,
Apr.-June
2
Book 6, 1943, Oct.-1944, Jan.
1943, Oct.-1944,
Jan.
2
Book 7, 1944, Jan.-Mar.
1944,
Jan.-Mar.
3
Book 9, 1944, May-July
1944,
May-July
3
Book 10, 1944, July-Sept.
1944,
July-Sept.
4
Official
4
Book 1, 1944, Sept.-1945,
Aug.
[
See also Container 11, same heading
](Book11)
1944,
Sept.-1945, Aug.
4
Book 2, 1945, Aug.-Oct.
1945,
Aug.-Oct.
4
Personal
4
1942, Aug.-1943, June
1942, Aug.-1943,
June
4
1942, Dec.-1943, June
1942, Dec.-1943,
June
4
Book 1, 1944, Sept.-1945, May
1944,
Sept.-1945, May
5
Book 2, 1945, May-Oct.
1945,
May-Oct.
5
Memoranda
5
CG, Replacement and School Command,
Harry F. Hazlett, [
See also Container 11, same heading
](Memo11)
1944, Sept.-1945, Oct.
1944, Sept.-1945,
Oct.
5
G-1, Armed Ground Forces, Clyde L. Hyssong,
1944, Nov.-1945, Oct.
1944, Nov.-1945,
Oct.
5
G-4, Armed Ground Forces, L. M. Haynes and A. W.
Waldron, 1944, Sept.-1945, Apr.
1944, Sept.-1945,
Apr.
5
CG, The Armored School, Paul M. Robinett and
Gaffey
5
CG, Armored Replacement Training Center (ARTC),
T. J. Camp-John A. Wood, 1944, Sept.-1945, Oct.
1944, Sept.-1945,
Oct.
6
Subject file
6
Talks, speeches, lectures, etc.,
Officers Candidate School classes, University of Kentucky, etc.,
1940-1945
[
See also Container 11, same heading
](Sub11)
1940-1945
7
Reports on ETO and Middle East
Operations [
See also Container 11, same heading
](Rep11)
7
Reports, British TO/Es, Middle East
7
ARTC publication, tankers in Tunisia
7
Articles and speeches
7
Military biography
7
Personal file, Headquarters, 2nd Armored
Division
7
General
8
A-Z
8
Administrative notes
8
Commendations
8
New means and methods to combat armored
units
8
Report, Desert Training Center
8
Questionnaire, British equipment
8
Early history of mechanization
8
Notes on training, cost of equipment,
etc.
8
Conversion conference
8
Talk to new battalions at ARTC
8
Various talks to officers and non-commissioned
officers at ARTC
9
Organization and operation of mechanized
reconnaissance
9
Employment of armored corps in the
Army
9
Maintenance of depth, value of sustained action,
use of combined arms in armored units
9
Tanks in jungle warfare, U.S. Marine
Corps
9
9
Vehicle instruction, safety memoranda,
etc.
9
Photographs, Middle East
9
Army Ground Forces firing tests
9
Notes on observations in Middle East
9
Reorganization of ARTC, Feb.-Mar.
1945
Feb.-Mar.
1945
9
Test of T-26
9
Board report, ARTC training
9
ARTC officers’ training, promotion, etc.
9
Memoranda to General Jacob Loucks Devers
regarding observations in Middle East
9
Extracts of reports on training of armored
replace
9
“The armored division” (doctrine), draft by
Colonel Benson
9
Centralized training under Group Command
ARTC
9
Battle replacements for armored
units
9
Treatment of enlisted men
9
Complaints by EM regarding lack of training and
improper classification of battle replacements
9
Division Commanders Conference, July 10,
1944
July 10,
1944
9
Photos T-16 and T-33 mock ups
9
Vickers, Inc., sighting equipment
10
Vital statistics, foreign countries
10
Roosevelt at Malta
11
Formerly classified material
11
Correspondence
11
Official
11
Book 1, 1944,
Sept.-1945, Aug.
[
See also Container 4, same heading
](book4)
1944,
Sept.-1945, Aug.
11
Memoranda
11
CG, Replacement and School
Command, Harry F. Hazlett, 1944, Sept.-1945, Oct.
1944,
Sept.-1945, Oct.
11
Subject file
11
Talks, speeches, lectures, etc.,
Officers Candidate School classes, University of Kentucky, etc.
1940-1945
[
See also Container 6, same heading
](talk6)
1940-1945
11
Reports on ETO and Middle East
Operations [
See also Container 7, same heading
](rep7)
11
Report of G. M. Dean ETO trip
11
Shortages of replacement tanks and spare
parts
11
ARTC expansion and proposed TOs
11
War Department policy on research and
development
11
Development of an improved tank
medium
11
Freyberg, Baron Bernard Cyril, report of New
Zealand division in Cyrenaica [
See also Container 9, same heading
](comment9)
12
AFV Middle East liaison letter
no. 6 [
See also Container 9, Comments on letter from
Middle East (no. 6)
](talk6)
12
Hart, J. P.
12
Red border letters, 1944
1944
12
Hermack, L. A.
12
Holly, J. A.
12
Jones, Ellis
12
Patton, George S.
12
Requirement Section, Armed Ground Forces, A.
W. Waldron
12
Telephone conversations, Sept.
1944-June 1945
Sept. 1944-June
1945