American Occupation of Cuba (1906-1909)

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Robert Bacon

President Roosevelt informs Acting Secretary of State Bacon that he must take time to consider issuing such a manifesto and does not foresee trouble in waiting several days. He asks Bacon to come Friday alongside Secretary of War William H. Taft. Roosevelt has a rough draft but wants to review it carefully. He wishes there were “some big men” at Havana, Cuba, and considers sending Charles E. Magoon.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-09-12

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Samuel A. Harper

President Roosevelt thanks Samuel A. Harper for his letter but chastises him for requesting more insight on Aaron Burr when Roosevelt is busy with a myriad of current affairs.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-09-12

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Robert Bacon

President Roosevelt informs Acting Secretary of State Bacon of the immediate need to act “to protect American interests by fulfilling American obligations to Cuba” as evidenced by the lack of governmental leadership and repeated requests for aid. Seeing the situation as “one of impending chaos,” and finding the usual diplomatic communications useless, the enclosed letter will be sent to Cuban President Tomás Estrada Palma and be published.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-09-14

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Jacob Sleeper to Elihu Root

Cuban chargé d’affaires Sleeper informs Secretary of State Root that the expected armed uprising has occurred in two Cuban provinces. Sleeper lists the strength of the rebel forces and their leaders, noting that the Rural Guard has had defectors. As nearly half of the Guard’s members are disaffected with their leadership, President Tomás Estrada Palma has called for 2,000 more soldiers. To date, the insurgents have merely committed petty crimes, but while no serious fighting has occurred, they have entrenched in a church near Pinar del Rio’s capital. Dr. Juan F. O’Farrill, the acting Secretary of Government, feels Venezuela can fully cope with the situation, and while Sleeper feels the situation is more serious than O’Farrill admits, he agrees that the nation should be able to “crush the revolt with the resources at its disposal.” He encloses several pertinent newspaper clippings.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-08-21

Creator(s)

Sleeper, Jacob, 1869-1930

Telephone message from William J. Bruff

William J. Bruff’s Union Metallic Cartridge Company is sending 10,000 guns, but no ammunition, to the Cuban government tomorrow. The company sent a proposition to the Ordnance Department of the Army requesting to borrow five million cartridges. The department was to take the matter to President Roosevelt, but Bruff has not heard back. He requests to be informed as soon as possible of Roosevelt’s decision.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-08-24

Creator(s)

Presidential Office Staff

Letter from Luke E. Wright to Theodore Roosevelt

Secretary of War Wright encloses a letter from General Charles E. Magoon, Occupation Governor of Cuba, discussing an issue with early bond in Cuba. Speyer & Co have offered to finance the matter but Wright would like to wait until Roosevelt is back in Washington to discuss it. Wright sends a second letter from Magoon indicating a misunderstanding on the topics of the creation of a Cuban army and the Liberal party.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-09-13

Creator(s)

Wright, Luke E. (Luke Edward), 1846-1922

Letter from Charles E. Magoon to Theodore Roosevelt

Per President Roosevelt’s request, Charles E. Magoon, the occupation governor of Cuba, provides his assessment of the current political, economic, and social situation in Cuba. He advises Roosevelt of the feasibility of withdrawing from Cuba and dissolving the provisional government and installing Cuban officials. Several measures should be taken to ensure the stability of a new Cuban government, including solidifying economic relations with Cuba, installing several American advisers to assist in the administration of the state, and getting Cuban “non-politicos” involved in politics.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-04-16

Creator(s)

Magoon, Charles E. (Charles Edward), 1861-1920

Letter from William H. Taft to Theodore Roosevelt

Secretary of War Taft sends to President Roosevelt a confidential letter from Governor Charles Edward Magoon of Cuba.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-10-20

Creator(s)

Taft, William H. (William Howard), 1857-1930

Telegram from William H. Taft to Theodore Roosevelt

Secretary of War William H. Taft relays to President Roosevelt his view that the Cuban government should pay for the construction and maintenance of quarters for the United States Army’s stay in Cuba during the occupation. However, Army officers’ salaries should not be taken from the Cuban treasury. Taft hopes that United States Comptroller of the Currency William Barret Ridgely will agree that U.S. funds can be expended so that construction can begin immediately and then the Cuban treasury can reimburse the expense. Both Army Chief of Staff General James Franklin Bell and newly named Provisional Governor of Cuba Charles Edward Magoon concur with Taft’s view.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-10-10

Creator(s)

Taft, William H. (William Howard), 1857-1930

Dictation of Theodore Roosevelt by Elihu Root

President Roosevelt considers an addition to a proclamation from the Cuban point of view. He also approves that Army officers should receive nothing from the Cuban treasury, and instead be compensated by Congress. Roosevelt suggests that the Cuban treasury pay the United States’ Quartermaster for construction costs.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-10-10

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Telegram from William H. Taft to Theodore Roosevelt

Secretary of War Taft asks President Roosevelt if the USS Dolphin or USS Mayflower would pick up him and his staff when they arrive in Hampton Roads, Virginia, and take them back to Washington.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-10-12

Creator(s)

Taft, William H. (William Howard), 1857-1930

Telegram from William H. Taft to Theodore Roosevelt

William H. Taft issues a proclamation vacating his position as the provisional governor of Cuba and recognizing Charles E. Magoon as his successor.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-10-12

Creator(s)

Taft, William H. (William Howard), 1857-1930

Telegram from Charles E. Magoon to William H. Taft

Governor Magoon delivers an update on the occupation of Cuba. He discusses the progress of the insurgent forces, and the yellow fever situation is also improving. He is also working with liberal leaders to remove leftover leaders and electing municipal governments. He ends the telegram with an update on the payment of soldiers’ salaries and other expenses.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-10-15

Creator(s)

Magoon, Charles E. (Charles Edward), 1861-1920

Letter from John St. Loe Strachey to Theodore Roosevelt

John St. Loe Strachey asks President Roosevelt what he ought to think of William Randolph Hearst. Is he truly unfit for public office, or is there a conspiracy by the trusts to blacken him more than he deserves? Strachey trusts Roosevelt to speak impartially and without regard to party politics. Strachey informs Roosevelt that he met Major Beacon, the American military attache in Sussex. Strachey is watching the American occupation of Cuba with great interest.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-10-15

Creator(s)

Strachey, John St. Loe, 1860-1927

Letter from Frederic Jesup Stimson to Theodore Roosevelt

Frederic Jesup Stimson informs President Roosevelt that all the men at Harvard College with whom he has conferred agree that Roosevelt’s son Theodore Roosevelt, has behaved well. Stimson thinks that District Attorney John B. Moran dragging his son before a grand jury is a political stunt. Stimson plans to vote the straight Republican ticket. He also commends Roosevelt, Secretary of War William H. Taft, and Attorney General William H. Moody for the work they have been doing. Stimson regrets missing Moody in Boston, and thinks it is too bad that Moody cannot become a Supreme Court justice.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-10-04

Creator(s)

Stimson, Frederic Jesup, 1855-1943

Telegram from William H. Taft to Theodore Roosevelt

Updating from Cuba, Secretary of War Taft reports that the yellow fever situation is not cause for alarm. Disarmament and surrenders are taking place all over the island, with expected difficulties in the process. Many of the insurgents have just gone home and the prospect of peace is strong.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-10-05

Creator(s)

Taft, William H. (William Howard), 1857-1930

Letter from William H. Taft to Theodore Roosevelt

Provisional Governor Taft updates President Roosevelt on the progress of disarmament in Cuba. Frederick Funston is not as effective in managing the details of disarmament as Taft had hoped. Taft does not want to avoid responsibility for some of the mistakes, but feels that Funston lacks capacity as an executive. There is also some delay in dismissing the militia because of corruption. Secretary of State Elihu Root’s publication of the correspondence between the United States Government and former Cuban President Tomás Estrada Palma has caused surprise among the Moderate Party in Cuba.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-10-06

Creator(s)

Taft, William H. (William Howard), 1857-1930

Cipher Cable from William H. Taft to Theodore Roosevelt

Secretary of War Taft writes about the progress of rebel disarmament as the American occupation of Cuba begins. He reports on the condition of the weapons and horses received and difficulties in transfer because of misunderstandings due to language. He faults himself for not providing closer supervision.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-10-07

Creator(s)

Taft, William H. (William Howard), 1857-1930

Telegram from William H. Taft to Theodore Roosevelt

Secretary of War Taft updates President Roosevelt with the latest news regarding the disarmament of Cuban rebels. Taft worries about bitterness between different factions and wants troops on the ground to enforce the peace. Taft has sent Frank Maximilian Steinhart to negotiate peace in Cienfuegos and he expects to leave Cuba with Robert Bacon on the USS Louisiana (BB-19) the same day that Charles E. Magoon and General James Franklin Bell are expected to arrive.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-10-08

Creator(s)

Taft, William H. (William Howard), 1857-1930

Letter from William H. Taft to Theodore Roosevelt

Provisional Governor William Howard Taft seeks guidance from President Roosevelt on the transfer of office in Cuba between him and his replacement, Charles Edward Magoon. Taft feels it is important for the Cuban people to know that the policies already in place with the Platt Amendment will be continued with the new leadership; implying otherwise, Taft asserts, would be “a most serious obstacle to slowly coming peace and tranquility.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-10-10

Creator(s)

Taft, William H. (William Howard), 1857-1930