“All of them were in rags and many . . . almost naked . . . emaciated, sick, diseased, filthy, covered with dirt and vermin . . . driven along for many weeks like herds of cattle, with little to eat . . . There were few men among them, most of the men having been killed by the Kurd before their arrival at Harpoot. Many of the women and children also had been killed and very many others had died on the way . . . Of those who had started, only a small portion were still alive and they were rapidly dying . . . Many Turkish officers and other Turks visited the camps to select the prettiest girls and had their doctors present to examine them . . . Several hundred of the dead and dying scarttered about the camp . . . the body of a middle-aged man who had apparently just died or been killed. A number of dead bodies of women and children lay here and there . . . Old men sat there mumbling incoherently. Women with matted hair and sunken eyes sat staring like maniacs. One, whose face has haunted my memory ever since, was so emaciated and the skin was drawn so tightly over her features that her head appeared to be only a lifeless skull. Others were in the spasms of death. Children with bloated bellies were on the ground wallowing in filth. Some were in convulsions. All in the camp were beyond help.” 

US Consul Leslie Davis describing Armenian "deportees" passing through the Harpoot Plain on their way to Der Zor, United States Official records on the Armenian Genocide 1915-1917, pp. 644, doc. NA/RG59/867.4016/392.

“Any doubt that may have been expressed in previous reports as to the Government’s intentions in sending away the Armenians have been removed and any hope that may have been expressed as to the possibility of some of them surviving have been destroyed. It has been no secret that the plan was to destroy the Armenian race as a race…”

Consul Leslie Davis to Ambassador Henry Morgenthau, Harpoot, 24 July 1915. United States Official records on the Armenian Genocide 1915-1917, pp. 461, doc. NA/RG59/867.4016/269

"Deportation of and excesses against peaceful Armenians is increasing and from harrowing reports of eye witnesses it appears that a campaign of race extermination is in progress under a pretext of reprisal against rebellion.
"Protests as well as threats are unavailing and probably incite the Ottoman government to more drastic measures as they are determined to disclaim responsibility for their absolute disregard of Capitulations and I believe nothing short of actual force which obviously United States are not in a position to exert would adequately meet the situation. Suggest you inform belligerent nations and mission boards of this."

Confidential telegram, Ambassador Morgenthau to Secretary of State, Constantinople, 16 July 1915, United States Official records on the Armenian Genocide 1915-1917, pp. 55, document NA/RG59/867.4016/76

"I argued in all sorts of ways with him but he said that there was no use, that they had already disposed of three quarters of them, that there were none left in Bitlis, Van, Erzeroum, and that the hatred was so intense now that they have to finish it. I spoke to him about the commercial losses and he said they did not care, that they had figured it out and knew it would not exceed for the banks etc. five million pounds. He said they want to treat the Armenians like we treat the negroes. I think he meant like the Indians. I asked him to make exceptions in some few cases which he promised to do."

Henry Morgenthau's report of his conversation with Talaat Pasha.dated 8 August 1915. United States Diplomacy on the Bosphorus: The Diaries of Ambassador Morgenthau 1913-1916, p. 298.

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