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COMMEMORATING THE 150TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE CIVIL WAR WITH
THE FINEST ORIGINAL SOLDIER'S LETTERS AND ARTIFACTS
Gen. Henry T. Allen ALS - Philippine Insurrection, June 1900!

To quote the write-up on the Arlington National Cemetery Website:

 

“One of the more colorful cavalrymen of the period.  His career ranged from frontier duty to exploration
of Alaska.  He had been military attaché in Russia and Germany before he fought in Cuba and the Philippines. 
He had been civil governor of the Island of Leyte in the Philippines, where he organized and commanded, as a
Brigadier General, the Philippine Constabulary, before going on in 1904 as an observer with the Japanese
Army in Korea.  He commanded a regiment in the Mexican Punitive Expedition under General John J. Pershing
and when World War I began, he took the 90th Infantry Division to France.”    

 

How many letters have you seen by the leader of the American forces sent to the Philippines to put down the Insurrection?  Our letter is 2 pages written in ink and dated June 30, 1900.  Henry T. Allen is writing to Herbert Pierce, Secretary of the United States Embassy, Saint Petersburg, Russia.  Allen had served from 1890 to 1895 as Military Attaché in Russia, where he and Pierce had become friends.  The gist of the letter concerns bringing Pierce up to date on how the fighting was going and to prepare him for a visit from a Collier’s Magazine reporter.  THE LETTER SPEAKS OF THE LOGIC USED BY PRESIDENT MCKINLEY, THEODORE ROOSEVELT, AND HENRY CABOT LODGE REGARDING THE RETENTION OF THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS BY THE UNITED STATES. 

 

Enclosed in his letter to Pierce was a copy (appears to be greenish-blue carbon, or perhaps typed) of an accommodation that Allen had just received a month earlier.  Its content is great:

            “Henry T. Allen, Major 43rd Infantry U. S. V.

 (Captain 6th U.S. Cavalry) for personal gallantry and

 professional zeal in the attack and pursuit of insurgent

forces under General Lukban, at Catbalogan, Samar,

January 27th to 29th 1900, resulting in his defeat the

destruction of his arsenal and stores and the capture

of his military chest with a large sum of money.”    

 

 Condition of the letter is fine with separation at the folds archivally reinforced.  The letter come with the original envelope, which is quite colorful but shorten on the right side where it was opened, and the copy of Allen’s citation for personal gallantry.   

 

For the collector of great military letters or letters written by famous military leaders, this one is a keeper!

 

#EL35 - Price $325




Transcription:
                                                                                                                                            Catbalogan, Samar
                                                                                                                                                   June 30th, 1900

Dear Pierce:

            Probably you may have seen something of our work on this island since our
arrival.  I have had command of it with two battalions (8 companies) until now. 
Tomorrow I start for Leyte adjoining island of twice the population of this one,
where I take command of the flying column, 5 companies of infantry, Johnston
scouts (white), and gasser’s native scouts that are organized here. I look forward
to considerable sport and plenty of hard work.  General Mohica (Mojica) is at
Lukban (Military Camp) of Leyte and has about 5 to 600 organized soldiers.  I have
lost out of my command on this island 32 killed and 29 wounded and missing, but
we have killed upwards of 700 insurgents.  The situation out here is improving
slowly but twill be a long time before we finish with the robber bands and before
less than 60,000 soldiers are properly required to pin (Bayonet) down the group. 
Now comes China, but hurrah for McK. & Roosevelt.  Lodge’s arguments on the
retention of the Philippines are full of unanswerable logic.  My wife and family
are comfortably quartered at Chestnut Hill near Boston where the chicks have
made fine progress in their studies.

            The object of this letter is to prepare you for the introductory letter which
I have given Mr. Frederick Palmer of Collier’s to you.  He is a downright good
fellow who has campaigned with us and can give you an excellent account of the
situation in the Philippians not as an idealist but as a material observer on the
spot.

            My health has continued excellent and on the whole the same may be said
of my command.

            I hope with all my heart that this finds you and yours well.  I send all of
much love.                                                As always,

                                                                                    Henry T. Allen

                        To
                            Herbert Pierce Esq.
                                 etc.     etc.     etc.