The brain was a surprise to me. It is actually three to four times larger and heavier, in proportion to the body, than a man’s brain is in proportion to his body. This, plus the fact that the creature used a weapon (which, alas, was lost in the current of the river), leads me to the startling but inescapable conclusion that what we have here is a species of intelligence at least equal to, and probably greater than, our own.
Respectfully submitted on this 14th day of July, 1898, by
Theodore Roosevelt, Colonel
United States Armed Forces
Letter to Willis Maynard Crenshaw, of Winchester Rifles, July 14, 1898: Dear Mr. Crenshaw:
Enclosed you will find a sample of skin from a newly-discovered animal. The texture is such that it is much thicker than elephant or rhinoceros hide, though it in no way resembles the skin of either pachyderm.
However, I’m not asking you to analyze the skin, at least not scientifically. What I want you to do is come up with a rifle and a bullet that will penetrate the skin.
Just as importantly, I shall need stopping power. Assume the animal will weigh just under a ton, but has remarkable vitality. Given the terrain, I’ll most likely be shooting from no more than twenty yards, so I probably won’t have time for too many second shots. The first shot must bring it down from the force of the bullet, even if no vital organs are hit.
Please let me know when you have a prototype that I can test in the field, and please make no mention of this to anyone except the artisans who will be working on the project.
Thank you.
Yours very truly,
Theodore Roosevelt
Private hand-delivered message from Theodore Roosevelt to President William McKinley, July 17, 1898:
Dear Mr. President:
Certain facts have come to my attention that makes it imperative that you neither recall the Rough Riders from the Island of Cuba, nor disband them upon signing the Armistice with Spain.
There is something here, on this island, that is so evil, so powerful, so inimical to all men, that I do not believe I am exaggerating when I tell you that the entire human race is threatened by its very existence. I will make no attempt to describe it, for should said description fall into the wrong hands we could start a national panic if it is believed or become figures of public ridicule if it is not.
You will simply have to trust me that the threat is a very real one. Furthermore, I urge you not to recall any of our troops, for if my suspicions are correct we may need all of them and still more.
Col. Theodore Roosevelt
“The Rough Riders”
Letter to Secretary of War Daniel S. Lamont, July 20, 1898:
Dear Danieclass="underline"
McKinley is a fool! I warned him of perhaps the greatest threat yet to the people of America, and indeed to the world, and he has treated it as a joke.
Listen to me: it is essential that you cancel the recall order immediately and let my Rough Riders remain in Cuba. Furthermore, I want the entire army on standby notice, and if you’re wise you’ll transfer at least half of our forces to Florida, for that seems the likeliest spot for the invasion to begin.
I will be coming to Washington to speak to McKinley personally and try to convince him of the danger facing us. Anything you can do to pave the way will be appreciated.
Regards,
Roosevelt
Speech delivered from the balcony above the Columbia Restaurant, Tampa, Florida, August 3, 1898:
My fellow Americans:
It has lately come to your government’s attention that there is a threat to the national security — indeed, to the security of the world — that currently lurks in the jungles of Cuba. I have seen it with my own eyes, and I assure you that no matter what you may hear in the days and weeks to come, the danger is real and cannot be underestimated.
Shortly after my Rough Riders took San Juan Hill, I encountered something in the nearby jungle so incredible that a description of it would only arouse your skepticism and your disbelief. It was a creature, quite probably intelligent, the likes of which has never before been seen on this Earth. I am, and always have been, a vociferous Darwinian, but despite my knowledge of the biological sciences, I cannot begin to hazard a guess concerning how this creature evolved.
What I can tell you is that it has developed the ability to create weapons unlike any we have seen, and that it has no compunction about using them against human beings. It is an evil and malevolent life form, and it must be eradicated before it can turn its hatred loose against innocent Americans.
I was fortunate enough to kill the one I encountered in Cuba, but where there is one there will certainly be more. The United States government was originally dubious about the veracity of my claim, but I gather than recent information forwarded to the White House and the State Department from England, where more of these creatures have appeared, has finally convinced them that I was telling the truth.
Thus far none of the creatures has been discovered in the United States, but I say to you that it would be foolhardy to wait until they are found before coming up with an appropriate response. Americans have always been willing to make sacrifices and take up arms to defend their country, and this will be no exception. These creatures may have had their momentary successes against Cuban peasants and an unprepared Great Britain, but I tell you confidently they have no chance against an army of motivated Americans, driven by the indomitable American spirit and displaying the unshakable courage of all true Americans.
To us as a people it has been granted to lay the foundations of our national life on a new continent. We are the heirs of the ages, and yet we have had to pay few of the penalties which in old countries are exacted by the bygone hand of a dead civilization. We have not been obliged to fight for our existence against any alien challenge — until now. I believe we are up to the challenge, and I am convinced that you believe so too.
I am leaving for Miami tomorrow, and from there I will be departing for Cuba two days later, to lead my men into battle against however many of these creatures exist in the dank rotting jungles of that tropical island. I urge every red-blooded, able-bodied American among you to join me on this greatest of adventures.
Letter to Kermit, Theodore Junior, Archie and Quentin Roosevelt, August 5, 1898:
Dear Boys:
Tomorrow I embark on a great and exciting safari. I’m sure the details will be wired back to the newspapers on a daily basis, but I promise that when I return, we’ll sit around a campfire at Sagamore Hill, and I’ll tell you all the stories that the press never reported. Not only that, but I will bring back a trophy for each and every one of you.
School will be starting before I return. I expect each of you to go to class prepared for his lessons and to apply your minds as vigorously as you apply your bodies to the games you play at home. Had I been slow of wit or of body, I would not have survived my initial encounter with the creatures I shall be hunting in the coming days and weeks. Always remember that balance is the key in all things.
Love,
Father
Letter (# 1,317) to Edith Carow Roosevelt, August 5, 1898: