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President Roosevelt asks Ambassador to Germany Tower to thank German Emperor William II for the picture with the emperor’s autograph. Roosevelt is also pleased William II liked what the president said about Frederick II, a man of “particular interest” to Roosevelt.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-12-31
President Roosevelt agrees with Finley Peter Dunne about protesting against the “Anglo-Saxon alliance” theory because he believes Americans are “a new race, composed of many Old-World stocks.” While the president is not against friendliness to the English government, he is not going to ignore other European governments. Roosevelt declares himself a “strong home-ruler” and gives examples of a number of individuals who have hated their country of origin, noting it is impossible for him to champion every hatred. The president expresses his gratitude for the support he has received from young men, “Catholic by faith and of Irish descent,” and discusses a number of Irish and Catholic individuals he has put in government positions.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-12-03
President Roosevelt thanks Frederick Dent Grant for the birthday wishes, but holds off on accepting the congratulations on his election until the actual results are in. Roosevelt invites Grant and his wife, Ida Grant, to have lunch with him when they come to Washington, D.C., for the unveiling of a monument.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-11-01
President Roosevelt thanks Colonel Sanger for his recent letter and wishes him good luck in his caribou hunt. Roosevelt also believes that Ambassador Charlemagne Tower will have to stay with Roosevelt until after the dedication of the statue of King Frederick II of Prussia for the St. Louis World’s Fair.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-09-10
Due to the unfinished state of the War College building, President Roosevelt agrees to Emperor William’s proposal to delay the dedication of the statue of Frederick the Great until the spring of 1904.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1903-03-04
George F. Frisch offers Theodore Roosevelt some documents signed by King of Prussia Frederick II. The papers are family heirlooms, but circumstances push him to part with them. If Roosevelt is uninterested, Frisch asks him to refer him to someone who might be.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-12-08
F. V. Greene believes Theodore Roosevelt is right about Frederick and encloses a document showing so. He asks if Roosevelt can look over some documents and let him know what he thinks at lunch on some upcoming day, and suggests a time for such a meeting.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-03-06
F. V. Greene provides a source for his statement about Frederick II, King of Prussia’s opinion about George Washington. He is glad that Theodore Roosevelt has a favorable opinion of his book.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-02-24
Acting Secretary of State Bacon forwards copies of correspondence to William Loeb related to the recent gift of two busts by William II, German Emperor, to the United States Military Academy at West Point, as they may interest President Roosevelt.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-10-17
Acting Secretary of War Oliver acknowledges the receipt of busts representing Frederick II of Prussia and Count Helmuth von Moltke, which have been presented to the United States Military Academy at West Point. Oliver asks Secretary of State Root to thank the German Ambassador on behalf of the War Department.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-10-11
West Point Superintendent Scott asks Adjutant General McCain to send his thanks to Emperor of Germany William II for the busts of Frederick II, King of Prussia, and General Field Marshal Count Helmuth Moltke.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-10-07
Acting Secretary of State Bacon passes along a message from German Ambassador Hermann Speck von Sternburg. German Emperor William II has gifted two busts to the United States Military Academy in West Point, New York which are currently being held by the Department of State.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-09-25
Major General Gillespie informs William Loeb that Arthur von Briesen could not give a citation for the story dealing with the presentation of a sword to George Washington by King Frederick II of Prussia, and admits “that the ‘pretty story’ has been completely exploded.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-10-20
J. G. Rosengarten cites a book by Friedrich Kapp to General Gillespie with information that he believes dismisses the myth that Frederick II, King of Prussia, sent a sword to George Washington as a gift. He will report any further information he discovers on the matter.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-10-19
Arthur von Briesen responds to Major General G. L. Gillespie’s request for further information on Briesen’s statement that he had gotten his facts regarding a sword supposedly gifted by King Frederick II of Prussia to George Washington from Mr. Ward. He has since come to believe that the story may be rather different, based on a book by Friedrich Kapp which says that the sword came from the sword-maker Theophilus Alte of Solingen. This is further reinforced by a letter from Washington to John Quincy Adams.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-10-19
Major-General Gillespie sends William Loeb a memorandum reporting on some of his findings regarding a sword supposedly given as a gift from Frederick II, King of Prussia, to President George Washington. Taking all the evidence together, Gillespie believes that “there is no authority for the statement that Frederick the Great made any kind of a present to General Washington,” but promises to transmit any additional information that may be found.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-10-18
James W. Cheney, Librarian of the War Department, presents some of his findings to Major General Gillespie regarding the reported gift of a sword from Frederick II, King of Prussia, to George Washington. The relevant papers would be located in the collections of the Library of Congress, but they are not indexed which makes the search more difficult. Cheney cites a number of related exhibits, and says that if Gillespie wishes, the War Department Library will conduct further research on the topic.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-10-17
Ambassador Sternburg informs President Roosevelt that German Emperor William II has selected Lieutenant General Alfred von Loewenfeld and Major Count Eberhard von Schmettow to attend the dedication of a statue of King Frederick II of Prussia.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-10-13
Writing on behalf of President Roosevelt, William Loeb asks General G. L. Gillespie to look into a sword that was presented to George Washington by Frederick the Great. Loeb also encloses a recent letter from Arthur von Briesen to President Roosevelt regarding the sword.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-10-13
Arthur von Briesen explains his position to President Roosevelt that he believes the truth of the story of a sword given to George Washington by Frederick the Great. Von Briesen’s opinion is in opposition to a recent New York Sun article which stated the sword giving event did not occur.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-10-12