James Harris was the first man to command the Lincoln Battalion of the XVth International Brigade. His background and fate in Spain remain clouded in mystery. Little concrete biographical information is available on Harris.

James Harris is described as thick set with sandy hair. He is believed to have been of Polish decent and to have lived in Milwaukee. (Eby, pp. 6-7) The organizing committee in New York selected Harris to be the military commander of the Americans. This decision was based on his military experience. He was reputed to have extensive military experience with either the U. S. Army or the Marine Corps serving in China. (Landis, p. 32; Voros, pp. 350-51) Archival records indicate he had ten years of previous service in the military. (Russian Archival Documents see ALBA Biographical Dictionary) Some references state that he served with the Red Chinese. (Carroll, p. 67)

By trade Harris was a seaman, possessing Navigator's papers. He joined the Communist Party in 1931 and had been a member for six years when he volunteered for Spain. (Complete List of Americans in Spain)

When the first volunteers met in a YMCA in New York, Harris was put in charge of training them. He taught the men close-order drill substituting broom sticks for rifles. (Carroll, p. 67) Harris traveled with the first party of volunteers aboard the Normandie.

His name does not appear on the sailing list. Harris arrived in Spain on January 6, 1937. (Landis, p. 18, VALB Sail List, Complete List of Americans on File) Once the cadre for the American Battalion arrived in their training base outside Albacete, Harris assumed his role as commander.

Harris attempted to implement a training program for the new recruits. His efforts were frustrated by the anarchic condition of the training base, as well as by his own limitations. Daily, the original volunteers were joined by new recruits. This compounded the already chaotic conditions in the training camp.

Training primarily consisted of lectures on various military subjects. Volunteers with prior military experience conducted the lectures. Harris was particularly unsuited to this type of instruction. During his lectures he was prone to ask tactical problems posed in technical jargon. He would then turn to a volunteer, holding a command position, and request an answer. Whatever the response he would state "No good. You'd kill off all your men that way." He would then continue with his lecture without ever enlightening the volunteer as to the proper answer. (Eby, p. 24; Voros, p. 349-51) Harris's questions tended to put men off from remaining in or accepting leadership positions.

Robert Hale Merriman joined the Lincoln's as Harris's adjutant. He came straight from Moscow and some believed he had been ordered to Spain. In short order, Merriman took over many of Harris's responsibilities including military lectures and drafting all orders. Harris became more isolated from the men. (Landis, 32; Merriman & Lerude, p. 89)

Stress

Harris began to exhibit signs of stress. He confided to Merriman that he felt that some of the men were plotting to have him replaced. In fact Merriman himself was seeking to have Harris replaced. (Merriman & Lerude, pp. 88-89)

After less than six weeks of training the battalion was ordered to prepare for movement to the front. Perhaps the knowledge that the unit was far from prepared for combat pushed him over the edge. Harris had already been noted as having been drinking heavily. On February 13, 1937, Harris and Merriman were summoned to headquarters in Albacete. Their men followed in trucks and were in the bullring when Harris and Merriman returned heavily laden with map case, binoculars, compass, and pistols. Both had been confirmed as Captain. (Rolfe, p. 29, Carroll, p. )

In the bullring at Albacete the men were issued new rifles directly from their packing cases, wrapped in newspaper, and sticky with packing grease. Merriman states that at this point Harris began to act irrationally grabbing rifles from the hands of some men and saying he was a rifle inspector. Merriman noted that Commissar Stember, in consequence, ordered Harris to bed. Harris went away but came back after a while and fired his pistol in the Guardia Nacional, then disappeared again. (Merriman & Lerude, pp. 90-91; Voros, pp. 350-352)

Harris appears to have traveled with the battalion to the front. On the day following the battalion's first day under fire, Harris was evacuated to a hospital. Dr. William Pike, head of the Brigade medical corps examined Harris. Despite showing obvious signs of trauma, Harris found a way to rejoin the battalion two days later. (Carroll, p. 120)

On the night of February 21, while Merriman was in a meeting with the Brigade chief of staff. Harris announced that he was back in command and was going to be leading the battalion to a new position. With full packs, the battalion assembled on the backside of its reserve position. Harris then led elements of the battalion across friendly lines into no-man's-land. When Merriman was informed of Harris's actions, he intercepted the force and assumed command. During the course of the march Harris became disoriented. When asked where the unit was going, "Follow the Northern Star," he responded. (Landis, p. 46; Merriman & Lerude p. 99) 

On the morning following the "Moonlight Walk" Harris was evacuated in an ambulance. (Warren & Lerude, 98) Few American volunteers were to see Harris again. Three months later two Lincoln volunteers are reported to have met Harris in Murcia. They noted that Harris still seemed to be suffering from trauma. (Eby, p. 46)

Russian archival material supported by Sandor Voros seems to imply that after Harris recovered he was offered the choice to return to the United States in disgrace or to join the XIIIth International Brigade, the Dombrowskis. (Voros, p. 349) Harris accepted the chance to regain his reputation and was reported killed in action with the XIIIth brigade. (RA 906) He most likely died after Brunete.

No photographs of Harris are known to exist. If anyone knows of a source for a photograph of James Harris please contact me through the editor.

James Harris
Sailed: December 26, 1936
Ship: Normandie
Marital status:
Vocation: Seaman; Navigator
Party affiliation: CP 1931
Arrival in Spain: January 6, 1937
Units served with: XV BD, Commander Lincoln BN, later served with Dombrowski BD KIA: No date with Dombrowskis (probably at Brunete)
Archival: April 13, list only primary list
RA 906# only gives that he was killed with the Dombrowskis and confirm his arrival date
Notes indicate he was given the choice of returning to the US in disgrace or joining the Dombrowskis.