Sumner, Samuel S. (Samuel Storrow), 1842-1937

President Roosevelt is glad to hear from Captain McCoy and learn about the camp at Fort Riley. He is uncertain if he can obtain the copy of Major George M. Barber’s journal notes McCoy requests. Instead, he sends an edition of Rough Riders for reference. As a member of the campaign in question, Roosevelt wants to know who takes exception to Captain Herbert H. Sargent’s account and why.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-08-27

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Typed excerpt from Chapter VII of Theodore Roosevelt’s Autobiography, The War of America the Unready, in which he reviews his actions during the battle for the San Juan Hills.

Collection

Dickinson State University

Creation Date

1913

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

President Roosevelt thanks French Ensor Chadwick for the letter, and compares the fight at San Juan to the boxing match between James J. Corbett and John Lawrence Sullivan, where the beginning of the fight was very difficult, but eventually the Americans gained the momentum and were assured of victory. Roosevelt sends Chadwick a copy of his book The Rough Riders, and asks him to look at the notes and letter in the last appendices. He agrees with Chadwick that Pascual Cervera y Topete acted with courage, but does not rank him quite so high as Chadwick does.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-07-01

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

President Roosevelt advises General Dodge on which generals will become senior upon the retirement of G. L. Gillespie and George Morton Randall. He adds that following its conduct during the “Missouri accident,” he will not give the Army and Navy Journal authoritative statements of his positions.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-03-28

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

President Roosevelt responds to allegations that diminished his role in the Battle of San Juan Hill. For clarification, Roosevelt offers Fleming a copy of The Rough Riders and cites accounts written by other officers on the scene.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-08-18

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

If possible, President Roosevelt would like to see Edwin Sumner’s son appointed to one of the military academies. Senator Lodge supports Sumner’s son above any other Massachusetts man.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1902-12-24

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Frank Ross McCoy relates to President Roosevelt that Captain Herbert H. Sargent read him a letter “from an officer of standing who was…on Kettle Hill, and who takes exception” to the statement that Roosevelt and General Samuel S. Sumner led the charge. McCoy requests Roosevelt send Sargent a copy of George M. Barber’s journal account of the event as supporting evidence. Wishing Roosevelt could experience it, McCoy describes military camp life at Fort Riley. He attests that Edgar Alexander Mearns is a valuable asset for the Africa trip.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-08-18

Creator(s)

McCoy, Frank Ross, 1874-1954

John A. Gable critiques a book and an article that have been cited to undermine the case for awarding Theodore Roosevelt the Medal of Honor. Gable considers Teddy Roosevelt at San Juan: The Making of a President by Harold Samuels and Peggy Samuels and an article by military historian Mitchell A. Yockelson. Gable argues that the panel considering the merits of Roosevelt’s case should consider these works so that they can see the weakness of the argument against awarding Roosevelt the medal. Gable highlights some of the deficiencies in each of these works and refers to the Samuels’s book as “a blatant hatchet job.” 

A photograph of Gable with Tweed Roosevelt and two photographs of the Roosevelt Rough Rider equestrian statue in Portland, Oregon, supplement the letter. 

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

A handbook for Roosevelt’s Rough Rider Association, which includes a list of association officers, the association’s constitution and by-laws, and a list of the association’s members, honorary members, and the muster-out roll. Handwritten annotations about members or officers is present throughout. Pages 56-57 and 88-89 are uncut in the original and cannot be scanned.

Collection

Arizona Historical Society

Creation Date

1912

Creator(s)

Roosevelt's Rough Rider Association

Responding to Oswald Garrison Villard’s letter concerning the promotion of General Leonard Wood, President Roosevelt explains how he and Secretary of War Elihu Root make decisions about promoting men in the Army, arguing that promotions should not be based on seniority alone. To illustrate his point, Roosevelt discusses his plans for the two vacant brigadier general positions.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1903-07-17

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

General James Franklin Bell and General William Crozier are the most likely officers to be named Chief of Staff and promoted to major general.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-12-30

Creator(s)

Unknown

General Chaffee, military governor of the Philippines, reports to General Henry Clark Corbin, adjutant general of the U.S. Army, regarding military movements ordered by Corbin. A number of troops are being sent home, leaving a little less than 20,000 in the Philippines. Of those who remain, as many as possible will be quartered near Manila, and a prison is being established on Maligi Island. Chaffee expects to receive the proceedings of the Gardener Board (called to investigate allegations of atrocities committed by American troops in the Philippines), and will forward them as soon as possible.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1902-07-01

Creator(s)

Chaffee, Adna Romanza, 1842-1914

W. B. Hastings sends news that Julian Ralph is going to the Transvaal for the Daily Mail, presumably to report on the Boer War; and will be the “only American correspondent on the field.” He also relates viewing a large demonstration at Trafalgar Square.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1899-09-28

Creator(s)

Hastings, W. B.