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Ambassador Griscom informs President Roosevelt that he can soon expect to receive a one-of-a-kind sword from the people of Sendai, Japan. Griscom mentions that Reverend D. B. Schneder is on his way to America with the sword. Griscom encourages Roosevelt to send a letter to the Sendai mayor in return for the gift.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-06-21
President Roosevelt thanks Jacob Scherffius for sending him the “very beautiful and valuable old rapier.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-12-02
Uncle Sam, with a bundle of papers labeled “Canal Plans,” pats a diminutive man, wearing a hat labeled “Panama,” on the shoulder. The man smiles broadly and is leaning on a large sword. Canal construction equipment is just offshore, in the background. Caption: Uncle Sam — Well! Well! You boys have at last had a revolution which will help the whole world.
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
1903-11-25
Damocles, frightened, wearing a crown labeled “Industry,” stands beneath a large sword labeled “Coal Strikes” hanging by a single thread.
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
1903-02-04
Columbia stands on a globe labeled “United States,” holding a balance scale labeled “Constitutional Amendment” on which rests a large sword labeled “Centralized Government.”
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
1903-01-21
Uncle Sam sits at a table with 10 figures, three of which are unidentified, the others showing the attributes of the rulers of Russia (Nicholas II), England (Edward VII), Germany (William II), Japan (Meiji, Emperor of Japan), Italy (Victor Emmanuel III), Austria (Franz Joseph I), and France (Emile Loubet), representing the eight nation alliance. A large tray of fruit labeled “Chinese Indemnity” is on the table. Hanging above the table by a thin string is an enormous sword labeled “Awakening of China.”
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
1901-09-04
President Roosevelt heartily thanks Yogoro Matsumoto for gifting him a sword by the famous sword-maker Munemitsu of Jakushu. He accepts it under the “Bushido” philosophy wherein, “the sword must never be drawn save with justice and never sheathed save with honor.” Roosevelt expresses his interest in the history of Japan, and feels that “the great civilized nations of the world can each teach and each can learn from the others.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-01-16
Theodore Roosevelt is glad that Mrs. M. Paulus’ daughter liked the letter. He prefers that Mrs. Paulus not send the sword. He has too many things in his house that have personal associations.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1914-12-31
President Roosevelt thanks fellow Rough Rider John W. Green for the moro kris style sword and sends his regards.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-09-20
President Roosevelt just received the sword from Kentarō Kaneko, and he thanks Baron Komura for sending it to him. He congratulates Komura on all the work he has done to achieve peace and sends him a photograph.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-09-10
President Roosevelt heartily thanks Yogoro Matsumoto for gifting him a sword by the famous sword-maker Munemitsu of Jakushu. He accepts it under the “Bushido” philosophy wherein, “the sword must never be drawn save with justice and never sheathed save with honor.” Roosevelt expresses his interest in the history of Japan, and feels that “the great civilized nations of the world can each teach and each can learn from the others.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-01-16
President Roosevelt gives Secretary of War Taft his thoughts on several weapons used in the military, saying especially that he believes “that ramrod bayonet about as poor an invention as I ever saw.” Roosevelt wishes officers could carry rifles, but if they must carry swords, Roosevelt believes “it ought to be a sword that can do damage.” Roosevelt also requests the opinions of Captain Peyton Conway March and officers in the Philippines about bayonets and swords.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-01-04
President Roosevelt is pleased that Governor Durbin will be presenting a sword to Admiral Taylor, “one of the most efficient officers in the entire Navy.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1903-02-20
The books on Africa that Victor Geza Fischer had hoped to give to President Roosevelt have been delayed, but he promises to send them once they have arrived. In the meantime, Fischer sends Roosevelt a Japanese sword as a Christmas present, and thanks Roosevelt for the gift he sent to him, as well as for the sentiment with which it was sent.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-12-24
United States Minister to Japan Griscom tells President Roosevelt that in accordance with Secretary of State John Hay’s instructions he is returning the letters that Roosevelt had written to Yogoro Matsumoto declining to accept an offered sword. Griscom regrets that Roosevelt’s letters cannot be made public, as he feels that they would have produced an excellent effect in Japan.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-03-12
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