Military maneuvers

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Cecil A. Grenfell

Theodore Roosevelt asks Cecil A. Grenfell if he can have lunch next Friday at his office. While Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt is doing better, he does not want to entertain at Sagamore Hill. He returns the letter from Grenfell’s brother regarding the French maneuvers. Roosevelt comments on the German use of the cavalry during their maneuvers and admits their artillery is immeasurably superior. He recently had a report on Germany’s use of airplanes.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-11-04

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Leonard Wood

President Roosevelt is glad that Leonard Wood will be able to witness military maneuvers in France and Germany, and asks if Wood needs him to do anything else to set the matter up. Roosevelt believes that if Wood is able to see the field training in England, it would be first rate.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-07-30

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to James Franklin Bell

President Roosevelt has spoken with the German ambassador, who has told him that Emperor William II will welcome General Leonard Wood to unofficially view the maneuvers, but only on the condition that he does not officially attend maneuvers in France or anywhere else. The value in attending such events comes from watching smaller units work, rather than big spectacles. Roosevelt suggests that General Bell mention this to Wood.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-05-02

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to William H. Taft

President Roosevelt asks Secretary of War Taft to obtain permission for General Leonard Wood to observe German war maneuvers and attend French war exercises in an official capacity during his summer trip to Europe.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-04-18

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Leonard Wood

President Roosevelt has arranged for Governor of Moro Province Wood, a general staff officer, and an aide to attend the upcoming military maneuvers in Honan, Philippines. He is glad Wood is willing to have General Frank Ross McCoy. Roosevelt is unsure how the trouble in Cuba will turn out.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-09-24

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to William H. Taft

President Roosevelt would like this year’s maneuvers to be held in Texas.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-02-01

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Hermann Speck von Sternburg

Secretary of War Elihu Root has informed President Roosevelt that it is too late to make arrangements for General Adna Romanza Chaffee to attend the German maneuvers. President Roosevelt thanks Ambassador Sternburg for the invitation and would like him to extend the President’s warm regards to German Emperor William II.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-08-12

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Hermann Speck von Sternburg

At the Emperor’s request, President Roosevelt will be sending several officers to the German military maneuvers. Roosevelt addresses at length the reports of brutality and torture by the Army in the Philippines. Roosevelt does not support torture or “needless brutality” and understands that the Army has acted improperly on numerous occasions. However, he believes that on the whole the soldiers have been “exceedingly merciful.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1902-07-19

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Elihu Root

Three United States Army officers will attend the German army maneuvers next September and President Roosevelt suggests Leonard Wood as one of the three.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1902-03-15

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Leonard Wood to Theodore Roosevelt

General Wood wants to discuss a number of matters with President Roosevelt regarding his very positive experiences observing the maneuvers of the German and French armies. He would like Roosevelt to develop a scheme to allow more American officers to observe maneuvers and troop training in Europe.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-11-13

Creator(s)

Wood, Leonard, 1860-1927

Letter from Leonard Wood to Theodore Roosevelt

General Wood has been invited to witness military maneuvers in France and Germany. Both invitations are personal, and Wood will attend with the same status in each country. Wood will not receive any remuneration for his presence other than his regular pay. Wood also plans to attend a day or two of training in England before he attends the Spanish Historical Congress in Zaragoza. Wood’s family is settling in to living in Switzerland and are hard at work learning French. In a postscript, Wood says the Americans nearby think the Republican ticket will win easily.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-07-20

Creator(s)

Wood, Leonard, 1860-1927

Letter from Leonard Wood to Theodore Roosevelt

General Wood updates President Roosevelt on his travels through Spain and provides his observations on the country. He also outlines his plans to observe military exercises in France and Spain, but asks Roosevelt to recall him if necessary. Wood provides the names of several officers who will have information on conditions at Manila, if Roosevelt needs it.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-04-29

Creator(s)

Wood, Leonard, 1860-1927

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

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-07-01

Creator(s)

Wood, Leonard, 1860-1927

Letter from Leonard Wood to Theodore Roosevelt

General Wood informs President Roosevelt about the situation in the Philippines, reporting that besides the areas of Leyte and Samor, the situation is relatively quiet. He recommends that America keep the islands garrisoned to prevent agitators from upsetting order. Wood opines that the Filipinos are far behind Cuba on the path to deserving independence, but praises the Spanish for having evangelized and civilized the Philippines. Wood recommends the recovering Lieutenant Gordon Johnston for the Medal of Honor. Wood plans to send his family home to the United States for the children’s schooling, and after the Filipino elections hopes himself to visit France and Germany to observe military maneuvers and methods there. Wood hopes afterwards to be appointed to New York where he can work on seacoast defense, but is willing to return to the Philippines if requested. Wood also discusses his opinions on the results of the Russo-Japanese War.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-11-18

Creator(s)

Wood, Leonard, 1860-1927

Telegram from William Lawrence Merry to Elihu Root

William Lawrence Merry lets Secretary of State Root know that the disarmament is bona-fide and that “strict neutrality” will be maintained in fact and appearance.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-07-28

Creator(s)

Merry, William Lawrence, 1842-1911

Letter from William Sowden Sims to Theodore Roosevelt

Lieutenant-Commander Sims updates President Roosevelt on the warship training exercises held in Cuba. Sims states the marksmanship of the men has greatly improved and has now surpassed that of the British navy.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-07-05

Creator(s)

Sims, William Sowden, 1858-1936

Letter from William H. Taft to Theodore Roosevelt

William H. Taft writes to President Roosevelt regarding troop movements in the Philippines. Taft agrees with following the advice of General Wood.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-02-14

Creator(s)

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

Letter from Leonard Wood to Theodore Roosevelt

Leonard Wood discusses the progress of training the troops in the Philippines. Wood describes the problems with recent appointee Horatio C. Pollock, who owes large gambling debts and who kept records of Wood’s letters without his knowledge or consent.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-02-25

Creator(s)

Wood, Leonard, 1860-1927

Letter from Leonard Wood to Theodore Roosevelt

General Wood writes to President Roosevelt about the movement of troops in the Philippines. Wood does not think that anything of the Santiago experience will repeat itself.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-02-15

Creator(s)

Wood, Leonard, 1860-1927

Telegram from George von Lengerke Meyer to Elihu Root

George von Lengerke Meyer sends a telegram and confirmation that Czar Nicholas II is away for the day, but will meet with Count Lamzdorf upon his return.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-08-22

Creator(s)

Meyer, George von Lengerke, 1858-1918