?Final Price Realized includes Buyer’s Premium added to Hammer Price
Estimate: $ 800 - $ 1,200
WITH CORRECTIONS BY PRESIDENT MCKINLEY (SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR.) [Alger, Russell A.] Draft letter to Nelson Miles ordering the launch of the Puerto Rican Campaign. Typed letter, unsigned with pencil corrections, and an inked note reading "Corrections in pencil made by the president. W.S.C." 2 pages, 10 1/2 x 8 inches; mount remnants recto and verso, minor soiling and foxing. Washington, 26 June 1898
This letter was drafted on War Department letterhead and signed in type "Secretary of War" for Alger's signature. It was directed to General Miles as commanding general of the army. Miles was to organize a major expedition "for movement against the enemy in Cuba and Porto Rico." The order was introduced as "by direction of the President," and was presented to President McKinley for review. The pencil revisions, which appear to be in McKinley's hand, substantially change the parameters of the expedition. Most notably, the original letter described the expedition to Miles as being "under your direction and command," and added that "Major General Brooke . . . will report to you." With the revisions, the letter places the expedition "under the immediate command of Genl Brooke." The revisions also add an increased sense of urgency to the order, changing a sentence which originally began "When your command is ready to move" to read "It is important that immediate preparations be made for this movement." The Puerto Rican Campaign began under the command of Miles just 29 days later. The actual letter as sent to Miles was substantially identical to the corrected letter offered here. When Alger testified before Congress a few months later on his prosecution of the war, he presented the text of the letter as evidence, which was then published in the 12 October 1898 New York Times.
![(SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR.) [Alger, Russell A.] Draft letter to Nelson Miles ordering the launch of the Puerto Rican Campaign.](https://catalogue.swanngalleries.com/full//973\638973.jpg)
![(SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR.) [Alger, Russell A.] Draft letter to Nelson Miles ordering the launch of the Puerto Rican Campaign.](https://catalogue.swanngalleries.com/full//973\638973_view 02_02.jpg)
![(SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR.) [Alger, Russell A.] Draft letter to Nelson Miles ordering the launch of the Puerto Rican Campaign.](/Content/images/image-placeholder.png)
![(SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR.) [Alger, Russell A.] Draft letter to Nelson Miles ordering the launch of the Puerto Rican Campaign.](https://catalogue.swanngalleries.com/thumb//\973\638973tn.jpg)
![(SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR.) [Alger, Russell A.] Draft letter to Nelson Miles ordering the launch of the Puerto Rican Campaign.](https://catalogue.swanngalleries.com/thumb//\973\638973_view 02_02tn.jpg)