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Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to William Alden Smith

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to William Alden Smith

President Roosevelt tells Senator Smith that he cannot discuss the statement Smith says he made, as he does not remember making it. Regarding the Brownsville affair, Roosevelt affirms his right to dismiss the officers and states that Senator Joseph Benson Foraker’s bill regarding the matter is “purely academic.” The investigation has shown that ten to twenty black soldiers committed the assault and many more of their comrades knew about it.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-04-24

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Kermit Roosevelt

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Kermit Roosevelt

Theodore Roosevelt writes to his son Kermit to say he is disappointed President Woodrow Wilson did not allow him to raise a volunteer cavalry troop to take to the war in Europe. He talks about prospects in the military for Kermit, Archie and Quentin Roosevelt.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1917-05-26

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Victor Howard Metcalf

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Victor Howard Metcalf

President Roosevelt informs Secretary of the Navy Metcalf that the directive from his predecessor, Charles J. Bonaparte, classifying medical ships as floating hospitals and placed under the command of a medical officer, is correct and will be enacted. The Army operates their medical ships in this way, and Roosevelt sees no reason the Navy cannot operate in this manner just as well. He provides precedents in American navies as well as international navies for operating this way, and points out that in times of war the presence of a line officer on the ship may imply a violation of the ship’s neutrality.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-01-04

Letter from Albert L. Key to Theodore Roosevelt

Letter from Albert L. Key to Theodore Roosevelt

Albert L. Key argues that President Roosevelt has been more successful in placing younger officers in higher positions in the Army than he believes, and thinks that he could have the same success in the Navy. Key argues that many of the problems in the Navy right now, both practically and administratively, could be solved by placing younger and more efficient officers in higher-graded positions and promoting based on merit, rather than age. Key also briefly comments on the controversy concerning the placement of armor belts on battleships, disagreeing with Admiral Robley D. Evans’s position that it would be a mistake to raise the armor belts of ships.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-04-14

Letter from Albert L. Key to Theodore Roosevelt

Letter from Albert L. Key to Theodore Roosevelt

Albert L. Key makes recommendations regarding the administrative structure of the Navy Department. He compares and contrasts the management of the department with the management and authority structure on a naval vessel, and recommends that the Assistant Secretary of the Navy be a line officer who has legal responsibility for supervising and coordinating the subordinate bureaus.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-03-27

Letter from Albert L. Key to Theodore Roosevelt

Letter from Albert L. Key to Theodore Roosevelt

Albert L. Key cites different recommendations President Roosevelt and his administration have made over the years regarding organization of the Navy and Navy Department. In spite of the recommendations, Congress and the naval committees have not acted on them. Rather, they seem more concerned with appropriations. Key asks Roosevelt to push the issue of new legislation in a special message to Congress.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-01-25

Form letter from Theodore Roosevelt

Form letter from Theodore Roosevelt

Draft of a letter President Roosevelt will send, appointing members to a commission to study the organization and efficiency of the Department of the Navy. Roosevelt’s goals for the commission include examining laws governing the Navy, divisions of responsibility, the possibility of consolidating bureaus within the department, providing military advisors to the Secretary of the Navy, ensuring accountability for appropriations, and how to ensure the Navy is militarily ready to prepare for and conduct war.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-08-13

Existing administrative organization of the Navy Department

Existing administrative organization of the Navy Department

The report discusses the administrative organization of the Navy Department, noting that the chiefs of various bureaus all report the the Secretary of the Navy, who is a civilian. The writer advocates for streamlining the bureaucracy in the department to increase efficiency, and to place line officers and other men directly involved with battle and preparing the fleet for action in positions of greater authority.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-03-21

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Robley D. Evans

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Robley D. Evans

Assistant Secretary of the Navy Roosevelt has recommended that Captain Evans represent the Navy Department on a proposed “Board of Defense” that will form plans for a campaign. Roosevelt is confident that Secretary of the Navy Long will appoint Evans.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1898-03-19

Letter from William Cary Sanger to George B. Cortelyou

Letter from William Cary Sanger to George B. Cortelyou

Acting Secretary of War Sanger reports that, in accord with President Roosevelt’s instructions, the court-martial against Lieutenant Brown will be suspended until Brown returns to the country; the papers on Lieutenant Howell’s court-martial for drunkenness will be sent to the White House; and excellent field service will be given greater consideration than written examination results, for candidates wishing to enter the regular army.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1901-10-04