Letter from Elihu Root to Theodore Roosevelt
Subject(s): American Civil War (1861-1865), Armed Forces--Officers--Professional ethics, Armed Forces--Officers--Rating of, Miles, Nelson Appleton, 1839-1925, Military orders, Orders, Preparation of (Military science), Retirement
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Secretary of War Root apologizes for the criticism directed at President Roosevelt for the form of the order made upon the retirement of General Nelson Appleton Miles. Precedent was followed and the order was exactly the same as others sent to Civil War generals of similar rank and service. Root views Miles as a “bad officer” and not in a class with the great leaders of the Civil War. An order praising Miles would have been full of falsehoods and hypocrisy.
Collection
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Creation Date
1903-08-19
Creator(s)
Recipient
Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919
Language
English
Period
U.S. President – 1st Term (September 1901-February 1905)
Repository
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Page Count
3
Production Method
Record Type
Multi-image
Resource Type
Rights
These images are presented through a cooperative effort between the Library of Congress and Dickinson State University. No known restrictions on publication.
Citation
Cite this Record
Chicago:
Letter from Elihu Root to Theodore Roosevelt. [August 19, 1903]. Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Library of Congress Manuscript Division.
https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o41994. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
MLA:
Root, Elihu, 1845-1937. Letter from Elihu Root to Theodore Roosevelt. [19 Aug. 1903]. Multi-image.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Library of Congress Manuscript Division.
Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. January 15, 2026. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o41994.
APA:
Root, Elihu, 1845-1937., [1903, August 19]. Letter from Elihu Root to Theodore Roosevelt.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Library of Congress Manuscript Division.
Retrieved from https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o41994.
Cite this Collection
Chicago:
Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Library of Congress Manuscript Division.
https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/collection/library-of-congress-manuscript-division. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
MLA:
Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Library of Congress Manuscript Division.
Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. January 15, 2026. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/collection/library-of-congress-manuscript-division.
APA:
Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Library of Congress Manuscript Division.
Retrieved from https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/collection/library-of-congress-manuscript-division.
