Spanish-American War (1898)

John Mulholland voices his enthusiastic support for Theodore Roosevelt to run for president in 1912. Mulholland tells Roosevelt he can mobilize the unions in Ohio and use a confidential voter lists to help his campaign. Mulholland asserts that the country needs Roosevelt in this time of global social upheaval and says a progressive revolution is coming and it should be a “conservative progressive movement.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-12-21

On behalf of Theodore Roosevelt, his secretary asks Frederick Muller to clarify if he knows a man named Stephen Easton, who claims he was a Rough Rider.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1912-02-01

Theodore Roosevelt is pleased with Herbet H. Sargent’s letter and values his opinions. He hopes Sargent will publish another history of the Battle of Santiago during the Spanish-American War. He mentions that he enjoyed French Ensor Chadwick’s book as well. Roosevelt clarifies that he has not read Henry W. Wessells’ letter yet. Roosevelt asks if Sargent has seen Samuel S. Sumner’s letter.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1912-02-01

The Spanish War Guard asks Vice President Roosevelt for his patronage. The group, made up of veterans from the Spanish-American War, describes itself as a self-supporting, independent military organization ready to defend the country.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1901-03-23

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1912-01-03

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Recipient

Yager, James L., 1836-

A story chronicling American history from the Revolutionary War to the end of the 19th century. The main characters are personifications of Columbia and Uncle Sam.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1901-03-07

Medal given to Chief Trumpeter Sergeant Clay W. Platt for his service in “Roosevelt’s Rough Riders.”

Collection

Marple Collection

Creation Date

1898

William MacLeod Raine recounts the life of William Owen “Bucky” O’Neill, a “poet, adventurer, scholar, editor, lawyer, judge, sheriff, politician, and soldier.” Raines describes instances of his kindness and bravery, mentioning stories of O’Neill standing up against outlaws and bandits and helping his neighbors when he could. Raine states O’Neill was the first to volunteer to join the Spanish-American War and was a “politician of the better sort”.

Collection

Grand Canyon National Park

Creation Date

1951-05-04

Lowell Parker addresses common misconceptions of the Spanish-American War and clarifies the involvement of William Owen “Bucky” O’Neill and other army volunteers in the conflict, including African American troops and the Rough Riders.

Collection

Grand Canyon National Park

Creation Date

1978-01-23

Lowell Parker describes the inexperience of the Rough Riders in military maneuvers during basic training in San Antonio, Texas and the confusion and unpreparedness of the troops as they traveled to Tampa, Florida and Cuba. Parker further details the efforts of the Rough Riders in battles at Las Guasimas, Kettle Hill, and San Juan Hill, and the death of Bucky O’Neill.

Collection

Grand Canyon National Park

Creation Date

1978-01-24

Chronology of the daily life of Theodore Roosevelt from January 1892 to December 1898. Notable events include the death of Elliott Roosevelt, Theodore Roosevelt is appointed New York City Police Commissioner, his tenure as Assistant Secretary of the Navy, the Spanish-American War, and Roosevelt’s gubernatorial campaign.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association

Creation Date

1985

Colorized stereograph of the USS Oregon. Several soldiers, many wearing white uniforms, can be seen on the deck of the ship, and an American flag is raised at the back of the ship. Text on the reverse of the stereograph details the history of the Oregon as a battleship in the Spanish-American War, as well as various features of the ship and the armaments on board.

Comments and Context

As printed on the reverse of the stereograph, “Even if we have a magnificent fleet going around the Horn, we must not forget the Oregon that made the phenomenal trip from San Francisco and took part in the battle at Santiago while the nation held its breath, while American learnt what a battleship really meant, nor can we in this generation forget the Oregon even if it has not the first place in our fleet; it has the first place in our hearts, so in presenting the magnificent types of battleships we offer you no apology for giving you a view of the battleship Oregon.

The battleship Oregon is of special interest on account of her trip from the Pacific Coast around Cape Horn to Key West to fight the nation’s battles. Leaving San Francisco March 12th, 1898, she arrived at Jupiter Inlet, Florida, May 24th, covering a distance of 17,000 miles with pauses for coal only, without a break of any sort, and played an important part in the destruction of Cervera’s fleet. After her long journey, without having had any repairs, she gave chase to and aided in defeating the Christobal Colon, one of the fleetest cruisers in the world.

This exhaustively illustrated account of the Spanish-American war seeks to present the official history of the war according to the United States War Records Office. It encompasses the events leading up to the war, the war itself, as well as its resolution and aftermath. While it mentions the various engagements taking place during the war, most of the focus is on Cuba and the action of the United States Navy and Army in fighting Spanish forces there in support of Cuban rebels. It additionally includes general information on the theaters of war, including Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines.

Collection

Smithsonian

Creation Date

1900

This pamphlet is a long list of reasons to reelect President Roosevelt. It outlines Roosevelt’s personal virtues and successful political record, as well as that of the Republican Party.

Comments and Context

In his letter to Theodore Roosevelt, John O. Haynie says he printed thousands of this leaflet and distributed them in several states during Roosevelt’s campaign for president. Haynie sends it to Roosevelt in 1911 but it was probably created in 1904.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

In support of the merchant marine ship subsidy bill, Edward Blackledge discusses the economic, political, and military results of Great Britain’s shipbuilding subsidies and contrasts them with the current state of the American shipbuilding industry as presently constituted without subsidies.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-11-18

John A. Gable provides a pointed criticism of the PBS documentary Crucible of Empire: The Spanish-American War by highlighting topics that the film does not discuss. Gable stresses that the film ignores the potential consequences to the Philippines if the United States had withdrawn after the war, and he notes that it also does not consider the weakness of the Cuban and Philippine governments in their infancy as independent nations. Gable admires the contributions of the many “talking head” historians, and he reserves a great deal of praise for the film’s use of period music.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Creation Date

1999

Mark E. Episkopsos records his reaction to reading Theodore Roosevelt’s account of his service in the Spanish-American War, The Rough Riders. Episkopsos admits that he was relieved to find that Roosevelt’s memoir did not fit with other war memoirs that he had read which emphasized the author as a victim of events. Episkopsos asserts that in The Rough Riders Roosevelt stresses his agency and his actions in battle, and he commends Roosevelt for not downplaying the horrors of war and its toll on his soldiers. William N. Tilchin provides a introduction to the essay. 

Three illustrations accompany the essay, including the cover of a recent edition of The Rough Riders and the iconic image of the Rough Riders atop the San Juan Heights in 1898.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Tweed Roosevelt recounts the Battle of Cuzco Well during the Spanish-American War in Cuba. A combined Navy and Marine Corps force captured the water supply that supplied the Spanish garrison at Guantanamo Bay, one of the finest natural harbors in the Caribbean. Roosevelt believes that the successful seizure of the well allowed American forces to hold and use Guantanamo for naval operations that were crucial to the prosecution of the war. Roosevelt asserts that the Battle of Cuzco Well was instrumental in maintaining the existence of the Marine Corps whose usefulness had been called into question at the time of the conflict. Roosevelt relates some of the earlier history of the area, describing battles between British and Spanish forces during the War of Jenkins’ Ear in the mid nineteenth century. 

Three photographs, two illustrations, and a map supplement the essay. A text box with the mission statement of the Theodore Roosevelt Association (TRA) appears at the end of the essay. 

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Gary Ross Mormino explores the relationship between Florida, Cuba, and the Spanish-American War. Mormino describes the enclaves of Cuban immigrants in Florida, and he notes that cities like Key West, Florida, were home to revolutionary movements and figures like Jose Marti. Mormino examines the influx of soldiers into Florida cities such as Tampa, Lakeland, and Miami, and he details the not unexpected difficulties with drink, women, and race relations between white and African American soldiers. Mormino also describes the chaotic mustering and departure of the troops from Florida, and he asserts that while much of Florida may have experienced a temporary economic boost from the war, it had “little long-term impact” on the state.

Eight photographs and five illustrations populate the article.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Quintard Taylor provides a history of the African American servicemen, the Buffalo Soldiers, who served in the American West after the Civil War, and he examines the relationship between Colonel Theodore Roosevelt and two regiments of the Buffalo Soldiers, the Ninth and Tenth Cavalry, that served alongside the Rough Riders in Cuba. Taylor highlights the heroics of individual Buffalo Soldiers, including recipients of the Medal of Honor, and he quotes extensively from Roosevelt’s writings to give Roosevelt’s views on these servicemen. Taylor examines a dispute that arose after the war when Roosevelt questioned the actions of some of the Tenth Cavalry men at the Battle of San Juan Heights. 

A photograph of Taylor, five photographs of various Buffalo Soldiers, and an illustration of Roosevelt with Booker T. Washington appear in the article.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal