United States. Army

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Nelson W. Aldrich

President Roosevelt instructs Senator Aldrich that the language of the bill must be clear that it is permissible but not mandatory that the board members may reinstate the members of the 25th Infantry Companies B, C, and D of the United States Army that are innocent of assault and have no criminal knowledge of the Brownsville Affair of 1906. Roosevelt would like Aldrich to show this letter to Senators Henry Cabot Lodge, Francis E. Warren, William Warner, and Joseph Benson Foraker.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1909-01-27

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to James Franklin Bell

President Roosevelt would like to know if Major General Chief of Staff Franklin can implement the exercises William K. Sixsmith recommends in the army. 

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1909-01-28

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt

President Roosevelt highly recommends William K. Sixsmith’s exercise regime and would like them to be mandatory for the military and in the schools for the boys and girls to participate in. Roosevelt attaches the recommendations from Captain Frederick B. Hennessy and two Surgeons General of an experimental class using Sixsmith’s exercises among the enlisted men at Fort Myer, Virginia. 

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1909-01-28

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Thomas Henry Barry

President Roosevelt was very touched to receive the cable from Major General Barry. Roosevelt thanks Barry and the Army of Cuban Pacification, both personally and as representative of the American people, for the good work they have done.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1909-01-01

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Truman Handy Newberry

President Roosevelt tells Secretary of the Navy Newberry that he does not believe a recent order issued by the Bureau of Navigation regarding the physical fitness of naval officers is a good one. Roosevelt encloses a letter from Surgeon General of the Navy Presley Marion Rixey that he believes would be a better sort of order, and feels that the tests should be administered yearly, and be uniform among all officers of the armed services.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-12-26

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Sydney Brooks

President Roosevelt is planning to take Sydney Brooks’ advice in describing the British attitude in India in an upcoming speech. He liked Brooks’ article, and is pleased that he is going to write another one. Roosevelt appreciated Brooks’ praise of his achievements in office, but highlights what he believes are his greatest achievements while in the presidency, including increasing the size of the navy, the construction of the Panama Canal, the creation of forest reserves, and the involvement of the United States in international affairs to promote world peace. He encloses several volumes of his Presidential addresses and State papers.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-12-28

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Luke E. Wright

President Roosevelt directs Secretary of War Wright to order Major Edgar Alexander Mearns, on the day of his retirement, to report to the President of the United States for active duty. Roosevelt wishes for him to receive pay and commutation of a retired officer when placed on active duty.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-12-24

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to James Buchanan Aleshire

President Roosevelt tells Quartermaster General Aleshire that the clothes made for him by Charles E. Lightfoot, chief cutter under Aleshire, are very good quality. Roosevelt also mentions that Dr. Fred B. Gage has done a very good job tending to the horses in the White House stables, and hopes that he will not be sent away during Roosevelt’s term, unless it is to detail him to West Point.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-12-18

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Cornelius Newton Bliss

President Roosevelt informs Cornelius Newton Bliss that while he has a high regard for Major Hugh Lenox Scott, superintendent of the Military Academy at West Point, the Senate Military Committee has told him that they will not confirm the promotion of anyone below a colonel to the rank of brigadier general.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-12-01

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Charles Henry Brent

President Roosevelt informs Bishop Brent that he feels it is very undesirable to appoint someone to the position of surgeon general who is close to retirement. For that reason, he does not think he can appoint John Van Rensslaer Hoff. If Roosevelt bent the rules in this regard for Hoff, there would be several other people who would deserve the position first. The army would then have several different surgeon generals serving and retiring in quick succession.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-12-04

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to United States Civil Service Commission

President Roosevelt tells the United States Civil Service Commission that he believes that Perl’s case is one of “exceptional merit.” Given Perl’s service both in the regular army and as a civilian clerk in both the Philippines and Panama, Roosevelt believes that he should be classified by the department.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-11-27

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Fitzhugh Lee

President Roosevelt was glad to receive Fitzhugh Lee’s letter, and was very interested to read what he wrote about the French cavalry school and the French military in general. Roosevelt tells Lee about the goings-on in the Roosevelt household and the activities of the Roosevelt children. He was pleased about the results of the presidential election, and thinks that president-elect William H. Taft will do a good job.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-11-27

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Victor Howard Metcalf

President Roosevelt tells Secretary of the Navy Metcalf that he believes physical tests are needed for higher officers in both the Navy and the Army, and asks if they can be implemented.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-11-27

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Luke E. Wright

President Roosevelt tells Secretary of War Wright that he believes physical tests are needed for higher officers in both the Army and the Navy, and asks if they can be implemented.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-11-27

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Leonard Wood

President Roosevelt tells General Wood that he is welcome to quote Roosevelt on the matter of merging the Marine Corps into the United States Army. Roosevelt thinks it is an excellent corps, and says that it would be of great benefit to both services for the incorporation to take place.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-11-28

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Louis Adams Frothingham

President Roosevelt will recommend Louis Adams Frothingham’s friend for the next examination for second lieutenant in the army.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-07-31

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Luke E. Wright

President Roosevelt tells Secretary of War Wright that if Major Beecher B. Ray campaigns for William H. Taft, it will draw justified criticism. Roosevelt thinks that Ray should be returned to regular duty.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-07-18

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Luke E. Wright

President Roosevelt has read the letter from Assistant Secretary of War Robert Shaw Oliver, as well as the letter from Judge Advocate General of the Army George B. Davis. In Roosevelt’s opinion, the court-martials of Lieutenants John J. Moller and Claire R. Bennett were “an outrageous miscarriage of justice.” Roosevelt wishes he had the legal power to change the action of the court-martial and, barring that, informs Secretary of War Wright that he would like to punish them in any way that he can for as long as he is president for the damage they have done to the reputation of the army. (Moller and Bennett were tried on charges of allowing torture of Filipino prisoners to try to extort information from them)

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-07-06

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to W. Sloan Simpson

President Roosevelt tells W. Sloan Simpson that there is no chance of Howze being appointed brigadier general. The Senate Committee has notified Roosevelt that they will not confirm people below the rank of colonel as brigadier generals. Furthermore, Roosevelt believes he has already done more for Howze than for any other officer in the service. He hopes the push for Howze to be made a brigadier general is not coming from Howze himself, as Roosevelt does not like that sort of self-serving action.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-06-30

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to George B. Davis

President Roosevelt asks George B. Davis, Judge Advocate General of the Army, for advice concerning the case of William Buwalda. Roosevelt does not currently want to change the sentence, as he feels that Buwalda must be punished, but thinks that the term of punishment is too long and is considering shortening the sentence. (Buwalda was court-martialed for shaking anarchist Emma Goldman’s hand.)

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-06-24