Armed Forces--Appointments and retirements

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Douglas Robinson

If anyone is appointed who is not the son of an officer, President Roosevelt would likely take a man of Confederate ancestry as the South must be represented. The grandson of General Johnson would be the probable candidate. Douglas Robinson should not cancel his dinner party as he and Roosevelt can meet at a later time. Robert Bacon has been more helpful than George W. Perkins with the trust message.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1901-10-17

Memorandum from William H. Taft to Adna Romanza Chaffee

Secretary of War Taft forwards to Chief of Staff Chaffee correspondence from President Roosevelt inquiring into appointing a “colored contract surgeon.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-12-26

Memorandum from R. M. O’Reilly to Theodore Roosevelt

Surgeon General O’Reilly argues the appointment of African American physicians is undesirable and would negatively affect the Armed Forces. These include the “repugnance” that would be felt by white families treated by an African American doctor and the complexities of rank and race in the service. O’Reilly states clearly the War Department is not concerned with the broader concept of African American rights but with the practicalities of service conditions and morale.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-12-24

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Kermit Roosevelt

Theodore Roosevelt writes his son Kermit to congratulate him on being made a Captain in the British army and gives updates on Quentin, Archie and Ted Roosevelt. Ethel Roosevelt Derby’s son Richard had his appendix out and her husband Richard Derby is eager to ship off to the war. Roosevelt says he is keeping busy with trivial work and rowing with Mother.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1917-08-08

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Kermit Roosevelt

Theodore Roosevelt writes his son Kermit about the commission Kermit just received to serve as an officer in the British military. Roosevelt advises him to act as though he expects nothing and not to bring his family with him.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1917-07-03

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Kermit Roosevelt

Theodore Roosevelt writes his son Kermit regarding possibilities for officer commissions for Kermit and updates him on some family members.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1917-06-25

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Kermit and Belle Roosevelt

Theodore Roosevelt writes his son Kermit and daughter-in-law Belle to say he sent letters to Arthur Hamilton Lee and Prime Minister of the United Kingdom David Lloyd George regarding a commission for Kermit in the British military in Mesopotamia. He also says that Ted and Archie Roosevelt sailed for Europe today and Ethel’s husband Richard Derby is eager to go as well. Quentin will be leaving next month.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1917-06-20

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Kermit and Belle Roosevelt

Theodore Roosevelt writes his son Kermit and daughter-in-law Belle to say how proud he is of them and all his children. He criticizes President Woodrow Wilson and says he will do all he can to secure military posts for Kermit, Archie, Ted and Quentin. Roosevelt gives an update on Mother and Ethel.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1917-05-31

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to the United States War Department

President Roosevelt informs the United States War Department that in light of the correspondence he reviewed, Post Quartermaster Anthony Kleitz is entitled to the appointment. He asks the department to investigate the matter and appoint him unless the statements from General Theodore S. Peck prove to be unfounded.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-11-20

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Richard Achilles Ballinger

President Roosevelt values Land Office Commissioner Ballinger’s recommendation, but is not yet ready to fill the vacancy left by West Point Commandant of Cadets Robert Lee Howze.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-08-04

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Herbert Livingston Satterlee

President Roosevelt is pleased that Assistant Secretary of the Navy Satterlee has accepted the appointment to the Board of Visitors to the United States Naval Academy. As Roosevelt’s schedule is already overfull, however, he regrets to inform Satterlee that he will not be able to visit the academy this week.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-06-04

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to John W. Daniel

President Roosevelt informs Senator John W. Daniel that it will not be possible for him to promote Colonel Junius Levert Powell. He has spoken with the Military Affairs Committee, and six other surgeons with better records and longer service than Powell have not been able to retire as brigadier general, so Roosevelt does not think Powell’s promotion would be confirmed.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-04-22

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to William H. Taft

President Roosevelt thinks that T. W. Symons would be a good replacement for retiring Chief of Engineers Alexander Mackenzie.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-03-09

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Alfred E. Bates

President Roosevelt cannot appoint General Bates to the West Point Board of Visitors because he has already promised General Young an appointment to that board. He would guarantee Bates a position next year if he could, but he will not be in the position to make that decision.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-01-03

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Lincoln Steffens

President Roosevelt encloses copies of correspondence to explain his actions in removing Colonel William F. Stewart from the Coastal Artillery Corps and not renominating William C. Bristol for Attorney General in Oregon. Colonel Steward was a “singularly bad officer” who should not be promoted to Brigadier General. Bristol became “intolerable,” and Roosevelt had serious doubts he was even going to try the land fraud cases at all.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-12-10

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to William H. Brawley

President Roosevelt informs Judge Brawley that he thinks he promised to appoint General Basil Wilson Duke to the kind of position Brawley wrote about when it became available. He is happy to appoint Colonel Haskell if Duke does not want the position, and Roosevelt did not promise the position to anyone else.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-12-07

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Jonathan Bourne

President Roosevelt regrets to tell Senator Bourne that even thought the man he recommends for the Philippine Scouts is a good man, he cannot put aside non-commissioned officers who have stayed in the service for a private who has left the service.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-06-20

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Stephen B. Elkins

President Roosevelt tells Senator Elkins he believes the construction of the Panama Canal should be overseen by “the biggest man we can get.” Roosevelt is satisfied that until the construction of the Gutan Dam, John F. Stevens can continue in his role as chief engineer.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-02-02

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Henry Cabot Lodge

President Roosevelt tells Senator Lodge that he has heard nothing except from Lodge’s telegram about U. S. Navy Rear Admiral Robley D. Evans’s retirement.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-11-05

Letter from Rudolph Forster to Morris K. Jesup

Rudolph Forster acknowledges Morris K. Jesup’s letter, as well as a letter from Josephine Diebitsch Peary. On behalf of President Roosevelt Forster informs Jesup that Navy Admiral Mordecai T. Endicott’s position with the “Bureau” cannot be given to Admiral Robert E. Peary, Josephine’s husband. 

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-10-03