Description:

BATTLE OF ST. MIHIEL ‘FIELD ORDERS' ADVANCE MAP, USED BY COL. WILLIAM J. DONOVAN
WILLIAM J. DONOVAN (1883-1959) 'Wild Bill', American brigadier general chosen by Roosevelt to head the O.S.S. (precursor to the C.I.A.). Donovan planted over 16,000 people behind enemy lines and developed elaborate plans to subvert Axis military operations. Historic field-used and annotated map, used by Donovan during the brutal Battle of St. Mihiel from Sep. 12-16, 1918 as colonel of the U.S. 165th Regiment, originally the famous 69th New York Infantry 'Fighting Irish'. The regiment would distinguish itself at the Second Battle of the Marne, the Ourcq River during the Aisne-Marne Offensive, and the Meuse-Argonne Offensive. Donovan himself would be awarded the Medal of Honor for his bravery in mid-October, 1918. The map, approx. 14 x 23.5 in., is cut down from a larger French map showing a 1:80,000-scale view of the commune of Commercy. It has been overprinted in blue ink using the hectograph, or gelatin duplicator, process, and is titled ‘Special Map to Accompany Field Orders No. 17 42nd [Infantry] Division', to which the 165th belonged, and itself subordinated to the French Fourth Army. It shows the two sectors assigned to the 42nd during the battle, labeled ‘83' and ‘84', and charts the progress of the division's advance, starting at the ‘Line of Departure' running through the villages of Limey, Flirey and Seicheprey, moving north to the line reached during the first phase on the first day, south of Pannes. It further denotes the line reached during the second phase of the first day, the objective line set by the Fourth Army prior to the battle, running through St. Benoit, and the actual exploitation line reached by the regiment to the north of the original objective, near Dampvitoux and Dommartin. The verso bears the annotation ‘1/80,000 ‘Commercy' To accompany Field Orders for the attack at St. Mihiel – Showing limits of Div. and Brig. Sectors, Phases of the attack and objectives', in green ink, signed ‘Allen', for 1st Lt. Harold L. Allen, intelligence officer of the 165th Regiment Headquarters Company. The map shows folds overall, with some splits thereto, particularly at the left edge, which also shows some damp stains and ink bleeding, all consistent with field use, otherwise in very good condition. This map, along with other maps and documents, was contained within two of Donovan's footlockers purchased by our consignor and previously sold by us.

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November 14, 2025 10:00 AM EST
Elkton, MD, US

Alexander Historical Auctions LLC

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