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Theodore Roosevelt tells his son Kermit that General Peyton Marsh has made Kermit a captain of artillery in the American army and that he is to proceed to Madrid, Spain, for orders. Roosevelt feels the American army is too small to fight the German advances and mentions his ill feelings toward President Woodrow Wilson.
1918-05-08
Theodore Roosevelt writes his son Kermit and is concerned he has not been getting his letters so that he does not know he has been appointed a captain of artillery and must report to Madrid, Spain. He says Flora Payne Whitney has permission from her father to go to Europe and marry Quentin Roosevelt and Quentin is upset there are still no planes to fly over France. Roosevelt reports that Major Wadsworth is dead and the son of his friend Frederick Courteney Selous was killed.
1918-05-12
Fearing Kermit has not been getting his letters, Theodore Roosevelt writes to tell him once again that he has been made a captain of artillery and is to report to Madrid, Spain, for orders. Roosevelt says he has been spending his time making speeches and riding his horse.
1918-05-19
Theodore Roosevelt writes his son Kermit to criticize President Woodrow Wilson’s handling of the war and bemoan the lack of equipment and supplies for the army.
1918-05-22
Theodore Roosevelt writes his son Kermit to congratulate him on being awarded the British war cross and say how glad he is Kermit is now in the American army. He talks of his speech trip out west and how he will send a duplicate of this letter to Madrid to ensure Kermit receives it. Roosevelt also encloses a news article written by him.
1918-06-02
In this shorter version of a duplicate letter he sent to Paris, Theodore Roosevelt congratulates his son Kermit on being awarded the British war cross and says he is glad Kermit is now in the American army. He adds that Ted is in the thick of the fighting.
1918-06-02
Theodore Roosevelt writes his son Kermit to say how proud he is Kermit was awarded the British war cross. He also talks of receiving an honorary degree at Trinity College with his friend Russell J. Coles and how glad he is to have finished his western speaking trip. He closes with a story about some dinner guests.
1918-06-20
Theodore Roosevelt writes his son Kermit to say he received his letters about the big fight and how proud he is of him. He says Archie Roosevelt is coming home because his wounds necessitate another operation and the British have loaned transport ships so more troops are coming to the front. Roosevelt says General Leonard Wood has been treated unjustly and Roosevelt will continue to preach for speeding up the war.
1918-06-25
Theodore Roosevelt writes his son Kermit to say he wrote General Peyton March to get orders for Kermit. He reports that Quentin Roosevelt shot down a German plane and Eleanor wants Belle to join her in Paris. He recounts a visit from his friends Chapman and Cherrie and a story about Cherrie’s sons enlisting. Roosevelt says he and Mother ride horses and row and he was a pallbearer at former New York Mayor John Mitchell’s funeral.
1918-07-13
Theodore Roosevelt writes his son Kermit regarding a letter Kermit had written months earlier and telling him if he does not like his commission as captain of artillery, perhaps he can be transferred. He says Mother is proud of her sons but feels anxiety. He adds that Robert Perkins visited and his friend William Beebe is sick.
1918-07-16
Theodore Roosevelt writes his son Kermit regarding Quentin Roosevelt’s death and how everyone at Sagamore Hill is dealing with the news. He says he could not be prouder of his sons and would not have had it any other way. He says he and Mother went rowing to help ease their minds.
1918-07-21
Theodore Roosevelt writes his son Kermit from Dark Harbor, Maine where he and Mother are staying with Ethel Roosevelt Derby and mourning Quentin Roosevelt. He says Ethel’s son Richard has been a great comfort for Mother and he hopes they will send Archie Roosevelt home soon. Roosevelt says Quentin’s death has been in every newspaper and has helped unite the country.
1918-07-28
Theodore Roosevelt writes his son Kermit to say nineteen of his letters arrived in one day. Roosevelt discusses his views on the author Thomas Hardy and literature in general. He writes about Quentin Roosevelt’s death and how Mother and Quentin’s fiancee Flora Payne Whitney are doing. He adds he wrote to General John Pershing regarding Kermit being assigned to machine gun work.
1918-08-04
Theodore Roosevelt writes to his son Kermit about the amazing things American newspapers are saying about Roosevelt’s four sons and how they contrast them with German Kaiser Wilhelm II’s sons. He says Quentin Roosevelt’s grave has been discovered and his fiancee Flora Payne Whitney will stay with Ethel Roosevelt Derby. Roosevelt talks of letters from Belle Roosevelt and Aunt Emily Tyler Carow and how he is doing all he can to get people to speed up the war.
1918-08-10
Theodore Roosevelt writes his son Kermit about mourning Quentin Roosevelt and how upset he is Flora Payne Whitney was not able to go to Europe and marry him before he died. Roosevelt tells Kermit to write to Rudyard Kipling and that he will not give him any advice on machine guns or tanks because he trusts Kermit’s judgment. He is upset to have to sit and watch everything happen because he is too old to help.
1918-08-18
Theodore Roosevelt tells his son Kermit that Bridges wanted some articles from Kermit about his time in Mesopotamia. Roosevelt says it is his sixtieth birthday and he has a lot of happy memories to look back on. He lists several guests he has had the past few days and criticizes President Woodrow Wilson for accepting any type of peace just to end the war.
1918-10-27
Theodore Roosevelt writes his son Kermit about the honor of him serving in General John J. Pershing’s army and the state of peace negotiations. He gives updates on Ethel Roosevelt Derby and Archie Roosevelt.
1918-11-03
Theodore Roosevelt writes his son Kermit that Mother received a letter from Belle about the christening of Joseph Willard and he has heard of Kermit’s part in the latest war action. Roosevelt gives updates on Archie Roosevelt and says he heard Ethel Roosevelt Derby’s husband Richard has aged a great deal in the war.
1918-12-03
Theodore Roosevelt writes his son Kermit to tell him Ted Roosevelt’s wife Eleanor has arrived and told him Kermit’s battery was attached to Ted’s regiment. Roosevelt reviews all the action Kermit has seen in the war and tell him how proud he is of him. He adds that Archie Roosevelt has written a small book about his experiences in the first year of the war.
1918-12-16