Description:

LEONARD WOOD IS VILLIFIED BY FITZHUGH LEE AND JAMES H. WILSON
Fascinating content pair of letters discussing Secretary of War ELIHU ROOT's untrue statements concerning the military exploits of Gen. LEONARD WOOD at the battle of San Juan Hill. Wood, who with current president Theodore Roosevelt had organized the Rough Riders, is attacked by two more senior generals who has also fought in Cuba. The first letter is from ex-Confederate General FITZHUGH LEE to his fellow general (and ex-adversary as a Union general) JAMES H. WILSON, an A.L.S., 1p. 4to., Richmond, Feb. 13, 1904. In part: "…Army officers I met seem to think Root's testimony was rather hard on you. I was told also that after Root testified that Wood behaved so gallantly at 'Bloody Ford' an officer said Wood was not there… he was with Wood or knew where he was every hour during that day… Root's duty to ask to correct his testimony… he [Wood] never accounted for funds spent in Santiago…" In his reply to Lee, a T.L.S. written on Feb. 17, 1904, Wilson is furious: "…I am not at all surprised that Root lied when he gave his favorable testimony in behalf of Wood's alleged gallant behavior… I would not put it past him to lie on any occasion in behalf of a client... there is no hope of beating General Wood's confirmation… what a mistake was made – what an outrage was perpetuated upon the army in making this man [Wood] a Major General…" Wilson had good reason to hate Root – he had been severely grilled by Root's congressional commission examining the conduct of the war. Yet in the end Wilson was correct – Wood never was involved at San Juan Hill, nor was he even anywhere near the "Bloody Ford" at the base of the mountain, as he had withdrawn his exhausted men from battle days earlier.

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May 24, 2016 10:30 AM EDT
Elkton, MD, US

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