Spanish-American War (1898)

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to William S. Cowles

Governor Roosevelt encloses a document from an Oyster Bay, New York, neighbor who has questions regarding what circumstances would allow his discharge. Roosevelt is confused over Secretary of State Hay’s and President McKinley’s views on the canal treaty. If such a canal as they suggest existed during the Spanish-American War there would have been a great deal of anxiety over the Spanish fleet using the canal to attack the Pacific coast or Admiral Dewey in the Philippines. Roosevelt wants a canal held and fortified by the United States.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1900-02-16

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to William S. Cowles

Governor Roosevelt believes that the proposed canal should be fortified. If it is not, the canal would be another weak point to watch over during a conflict. If the canal had existed during the Spanish-American War, American forces would have needed to defend the canal to prevent the Spanish fleet from crossing into the Pacific Ocean and causing problems in a new theater. Roosevelt also favors an American canal as he does not want to see European powers gain new interests in the Americas.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1900-02-26

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to William S. Cowles

President Roosevelt encloses a letter and memorandum from William Sowden Sims and requests Commander Cowles’s opinion of them. Roosevelt believes that Sims is an alarmist but agrees that naval target practice might be deficient.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1901-12-12

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Anna Roosevelt Cowles

Theodore Roosevelt updates Anna Roosevelt Cowles on the preparations for sending his regiment to Cuba and on the whereabouts of the Roosevelt family’s friends who are in the armed forces.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1898-05-08

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Anna Roosevelt Cowles

Edith Roosevelt has traveled to Tampa to see the regiment, including Colonel Roosevelt, off to Cuba. He notes that they will have to leave eight troops behind but he is proud to be part of such an eager group and he is very busy. He is most pleased with the way John Jacob Astor has risen to this challenge.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1898-06-07

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Anna Roosevelt Cowles

Colonel Roosevelt writes to say goodbye to Anna Roosevelt Cowles and William Sheffield Cowles, as he will finish last-minute preparations and leave for Cuba shortly. He is frustrated at the details and delays but only because he is eager to see real action.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1898-05-12

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Anna Roosevelt Cowles

Colonel Roosevelt has been aboard a ship in Port Tampa awaiting departure for Cuba for six days. With 1,000 men on board, he is concerned about the heat and potential for disease before they reach their destination. The delay wears on all the men. Roosevelt expresses his belief that the Navy has had all the fun so far, but hopefully the Army will get some action between Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1898-06-12

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Anna Roosevelt Cowles

Colonel Roosevelt describes operational mismanagement and the appalling conditions under which he and his men are fighting and surviving. Food and medicine are scarce and he is purchasing food for both wounded and able-bodied soldiers with his own money. Of the 600 men with whom he arrived, over 300 are dead or in hospital from disease or wounds. He is very proud of his regiment and thrilled with their accomplishments.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1898-07-19

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Anna Roosevelt Cowles

Colonel Roosevelt describes the thankfulness of all the men at receiving the supplies from the Red Cross and he is grateful to Anna Roosevelt Cowles for helping to get those supplies to them. The regiment is now in a permanent camp with ample food, clothing, and care for everyone. He is extraordinarily proud of his group and the way they all work together. Roosevelt is in good health and hopes he can see William Sheffield Cowles sometime soon.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1898-07-28

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Anna Roosevelt Cowles

Assistant Secretary Roosevelt writes that he is staying in Washington temporarily and is organizing forty men for the early effort in what will become the Spanish-American War. He expects to leave shortly; William Sheffield Cowles is already aboard the USS Topeka. Edith Roosevelt’s health continues to improve but she worries over his departure.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1898-05-05

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Bradley T. Johnson

Governor Roosevelt describes his busy work schedule to General Johnson and his desire to take a holiday. Roosevelt also inquires if Johnson has a copy of Roosevelt’s book, Rough Riders, and if not he wishes to send him one. Roosevelt also discusses Generals Stonewall Jackson and Robert E. Lee and the memory of the Civil War.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1899-07-26

Speech at the dinner of the Nobel Peace Committee

Theodore Roosevelt discusses the United States’s involvement in the Spanish-American War and its ongoing commitment to the new republic of Cuba in his 1910 speech at the Nobel Peace Committee Dinner. Roosevelt also describes other incidents of U.S. intervention.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1910-05-05

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Bradley T. Johnson

Colonel Roosevelt, from his camp in Santiago de Cuba, describes to General Johnson the outbreak of yellow fever plaguing his volunteer regiment. Roosevelt also describes how, despite the loss of life and difficult conditions, he and the men see the value of their volunteerism and expresses his hopes for moving on to Puerto Rico soon.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1898-07-19

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Bradley T. Johnson

From camp, Colonel Roosevelt tells General Johnson that if he is able to make arrangements, he would surely enjoy a visit with him, but that at this time he cannot guarantee their meeting.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1898-09-03

Chicago speech, 1912

Theodore Roosevelt discusses public service and the duties of public servants such as politicians and Supreme Court judges. This record also contains Roosevelt’s handwritten opinion of President William H. Taft as a 1912 presidential candidate.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1912

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to James Hilton Manning

President Roosevelt thanks James Manning Hilton for his recent letter, passed along by William Loeb, regarding an address to the New York State National Guard Association. Manning shared a draft of his address with Roosevelt, and among its topics, Manning references his service with Roosevelt’s Rough Riders.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1904-07-24

Roosevelt to the world

President Roosevelt has decided that Admiral Sampson was technically in command during the Battle of Santiago de Cuba. Sampson laid out the general plan for the battle and none of the ships acted under the general orders of Admiral Schley.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1902-02-16

Report regarding Hawaii and the Spanish-American War

Henry E. Cooper denies that Hawaii considered neutrality leading up to the Spanish-American War and subsequently provided assistance to the United States.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1902-02-21

Commander Wainwright’s statement

Rear Admiral Wainwright provides his account of the Battle of Santiago de Cuba, along with some handwritten edits to the typed statement.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1902-02-03

Statement of Captain Clark

Captain Clark provides his account of the Battle of Santiago de Cuba. This draft contains handwritten edits suggested by President Roosevelt.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1902-02-03