Armed Forces--Organization

Creation Date

1908-10-26

Creator(s)

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to William H. Taft

President Roosevelt instructs Secretary of War Taft to implement all three propositions in the enclosed report by Lieutenant Colonel William W. Wotherspoon, if it is possible.

Collection

Creation Date

1906-01-15

Creator(s)

Translation of a decree by Tomás Estrada Palma

Cuban President Tomás Estrada Palma calls for the creation of a Cuban militia to serve nationally and in the individual provinces to restore peace and order. Estrada Palma’s decree details the organization and pay of the militia.

Collection

Estrada Palma, Tomás, 1835-1908

Creation Date

1906-08-25

Creator(s)

Letter from A. T. Mahan to Theodore Roosevelt

A. T. Mahan asks President Roosevelt whether it would be improper for Roosevelt to recommend that President-Elect William H. Taft avoid dividing the battleship fleet between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. While Mahan recognizes Taft’s qualifications for the presidency, he is unsure whether Taft possess a “strong military sense.”

Collection

Mahan, A. T. (Alfred Thayer), 1840-1914

Creation Date

1909-03-02

Creator(s)

Letter from Leonard Wood to Charles Laurie McCawley

General Wood clarifies for Lieutenant Colonel McCawley that his previous letter was confidential, and says that President Roosevelt did not ask Wood to use his influence in the matter of merging the Marine Corps with the Army, but to prepare his views of such a move. Wood understands that Roosevelt would favor such a merger if a basis of transfer could be reached. He will be in Washington soon, and is willing to meet with General George F. Elliott, Colonel Frank L. Denny, and McCawley at that time to explain his position. Wood asks McCawley to not quote the President’s opinion, as it can easily be misunderstood.

Collection

Creation Date

1908-11-26

Creator(s)

Letter from Leonard Wood to Theodore Roosevelt

General Wood encloses several self-explanatory letters to President Roosevelt, and tells him that he had personal talks with Colonel Frank L. Denny and Lieutenant Colonel Charles Laurie McCawley in order to determine what the attitude of the Marine Corps would be if it were to be transferred into the United States Army. Wood believes that such a transfer would be good, as the Marines are off the ships and are already essentially infantry, and so therefore should report to the Secretary of War. He also believes that General George F. Elliot hopes to get an increase in the Marine Corps and have it branch out as a separate branch of marine infantry, which Wood considers potentially harmful to the Army.

Collection

Creation Date

1908-11-26

Creator(s)

Letter from Leonard Wood to George F. Elliott

While General Wood believes that the conversation he had with President Roosevelt was personal, he understands General Elliott’s interest in the subject matter, and clarifies the situation for him. Roosevelt did not ask Wood to use his influence to have the Marine Corps merged into the Army, but asked him to prepare his views on the matter should the opportunity arise. Roosevelt favors such a merger, as does Wood. Wood spoke with Colonel Frank L. Denny and Lieutenant Colonel Charles Laurie McCawley to get their opinions on the subject if such a transfer were going to happen, and Wood presented only his personal views on the matter.

Collection

Creation Date

1908-11-26

Creator(s)

Letter from George F. Elliott to Leonard Wood

Major General Elliott has been informed that General Wood said that President Roosevelt had asked Wood to use his influence to have the Marines “turned over to the Army.” Elliott does not believe that Roosevelt would ask for this transfer without first telling either Elliott, or the Secretary of the Navy.

Collection

Elliott, George F. (George Frank), 1846-1931

Creation Date

1908-11-24

Creator(s)

Letters from Charles Laurie McCawley and Frank L. Denny to Leonard Wood

In separate letters, Colonel Denny and Lieutenant-Colonel McCawley remind General Wood of a conversation in which Wood told them that President Roosevelt supported transferring the Marine Corps to the Army, and asked them to ask their fellow officers what they thought about it. General George F. Elliott not only does not support such a move, but does not believe Denny and McCawley correctly understood the conversation, and has written Wood for clarification.

Collection

McCawley, Charles Laurie, 1865-1935; Denny, Frank L. (Frank Lee), 1857-1914

Creation Date

1908-11-24

Creator(s)

Letter from Albert L. Key to Theodore Roosevelt

Albert L. Key sends President Roosevelt a copy of his written statement and printed testimony given before the Senate Committee. He wants Roosevelt to know that he is not an “irresponsible agitator,” that he advocated for moving the naval base from Subic to Manila, and that he is not responsible for the criticism of the Navy and naval vessels in the press. His investigation into the Navy was done independently, and his report and recommendations are based on facts.

Collection

Key, Albert L. (Albert Lenoir), 1860-1950

Creation Date

1908-03-22

Creator(s)

Letter from Leonard Wood to Theodore Roosevelt

Leonard Wood realizes he has not written President Roosevelt in some time, and so updates him on various events in the Philippines. The major disturbances in Samar and Leyte are over, and aside from occasional police work, American troops are not needed to keep the peace. Wood describes the military training over the year, culminating in a Division Meet. Wood is pleased that Roosevelt has issued orders regarding the physical health of field officers, and emphasizes that if Roosevelt could see how officers who are near retirement perform, he would enthusiastically back Wood’s push to base promotions and retirement on the qualifications of individuals. Wood describes his belief that officers are responsible for leading by example, and had hoped that officers could devote more time to their troops and less to administrative work. Wood says more officer training is required in horsemanship.

Collection

Creation Date

1907-07-01

Creator(s)

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

Creation Date

1908-08-13

Creator(s)

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to James Andrew Drain

Theodore Roosevelt enjoyed having James Andrew Drain to lunch. He believes a proposal to abolish the detailed general staff is a large step backwards.

Collection

America

Creation Date

1911-12-27

Creator(s)

Extract from letter of commanding officer of Marblehead, senior officer present at Darien Harbor

Extract from a letter from the commanding officer of the USS Marblehead regarding the Colombian forces at Titumati and the attitudes of the region’s indigenous tribes.

Collection