Cary T. Grayson Diary
Title
Cary T. Grayson Diary
Creator
Grayson, Cary T. (Cary Travers), 1878-1938
Identifier
WWP17014
Date
1918 December 24
Source
Cary T. Grayson Papers, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library, Staunton, Virginia
Language
English
Text
The President conferred at great length with Premier Clemenceau today outlining to him various matters of interest to the coming Peace Conference. The plans had been completed for the President’s visit to GHQ for Christmas, and he was then to proceed to England. The fact that the President had accepted the invitation to visit England at this time was known none too pleasing to Clemenceau, who had opposed it, explaining to the President that he thought it would be better for him to remain in Paris, at least until the formal sessions of the Peace Conferenece had begun. The actual conference between the President and Clemenceau, however, was very interesting, inasmuch as it was plain that Clemenceau was hopeful of lining the President up for the French peace plans, which included a great many things neither England nor Italy were expected unqualifiedly to approve.
After Clemenceau left a delegation of Italians from the redeemed provinces of Italy visited the President and presented him with a memorial address.
At midnight the President and Mrs. Wilson, accompanied by a select party, left in a special train to pay the promised visit to General Pershing at GHQ at Chaumont. The trip was made in the French official train, which was extremely cold. The bed clothing had apparently been sent directly from the laundry and put on the beds without having been thoroughly dried and was damp. I felt impelled to persuade the President to remain up for an hour in his car while we had all of the heat possible turned on and the sheets aired. I threw my sheets out of the bed and slept between blankets, while others of the party did the same thing.
DIARY ENTRY: December 24th Left Paris at 12 o clock night for Chaumont—General Pershings headquarters to spend Christmas Day with the American soldiers. Arrived at RR Station at 11 o’clock. Train very damp & cold. sheets damp—even wet. I spent a bad night. Accompanied by French Ambassador and Madam Jusserand. General Léorat and Col Lo. General Harts—capt. JA Garfield,—Kimball Nightengale—Genl Corcoran & Coleman Jennings. JH Hoover, Gilbert Close, Chas. Swem—Joseph Murphy, Starling; Slye, Landvoigt, Miss Edith Benham—
After Clemenceau left a delegation of Italians from the redeemed provinces of Italy visited the President and presented him with a memorial address.
At midnight the President and Mrs. Wilson, accompanied by a select party, left in a special train to pay the promised visit to General Pershing at GHQ at Chaumont. The trip was made in the French official train, which was extremely cold. The bed clothing had apparently been sent directly from the laundry and put on the beds without having been thoroughly dried and was damp. I felt impelled to persuade the President to remain up for an hour in his car while we had all of the heat possible turned on and the sheets aired. I threw my sheets out of the bed and slept between blankets, while others of the party did the same thing.
DIARY ENTRY: December 24th Left Paris at 12 o clock night for Chaumont—General Pershings headquarters to spend Christmas Day with the American soldiers. Arrived at RR Station at 11 o’clock. Train very damp & cold. sheets damp—even wet. I spent a bad night. Accompanied by French Ambassador and Madam Jusserand. General Léorat and Col Lo. General Harts—capt. JA Garfield,—Kimball Nightengale—Genl Corcoran & Coleman Jennings. JH Hoover, Gilbert Close, Chas. Swem—Joseph Murphy, Starling; Slye, Landvoigt, Miss Edith Benham—
Original Format
Diary
Files
Collection
Citation
Grayson, Cary T. (Cary Travers), 1878-1938, “Cary T. Grayson Diary,” 1918 December 24, WWP17014, Cary T. Grayson Papers, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum, Staunton, Virginia.