PRESIDENT WILLIAM H. TAFT - MILITARY APPOINTMENT SIGNED 08/24/1912 CO-SIGNED BY: HENRY L. STIMSON - HFSID 3266

WILLIAM H. TAFT and HENRY L. STIMSON. Partly Printed DS: "Wm H. Taft" as 27th U.S. President and "H.L. Stimson" as Secretary of War, 1p, 15¾x19¾. On vellum. Washington, 1912 August 24. In part: "Know Ye, That reposing special trust and confidence in the patriotism, valor, fidelity, and abilities of Ralph Harrison I have nominated and by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, do appoint him Major of Cavalry in the service of the United States...." 2½-inch diameter blue War Office seal affixed at lower left next to military vignette. Large eagle vignette at top. Countersigned: "Geo. Andrews" as the Adjutant General in docket printed in red ink in top left portion. In full: "The Adjutant General's Office./Recorded August 27, 1912" [date in ink in unknown hand]. The U.S. Army between 1900 and 1916 was a force that ranged between 65,000 and 108,000 officers and men. By the later date it was equipped with new and destructive weapons, such as the machine gun, and was beginning to experiment with motor transport and the airplane. Differently deployed than in the 19th century, the Army assumed new responsibilities outside the United States; such as suppressing the Philippine Insurrection (1899-1902), participating in the relief expedition to China during the Boxer Rebellion (1899), occupying Cuba (1899-1902), building the Panama Canal (1907-14), and conducting a punitive expedition to Mexico (1916). Two months before signing this document, Taft had been renominated for President on the first ballot at the Republican National Convention in Chicago (June 18-22, 1912). His predecessor Theodore Roosevelt came in second, prompting Roosevelt's supporters to secede from the Republican Party. They formed the Progressive ("Bull Moose") Party on June 19th, which would split the Republican vote. The Democrats had nominated New Jersey Governor Woodrow Wilson at their convention in Baltimore on July 2nd. On Election Day, November 5th, Wilson won (6,293,454 popular votes, 435 electoral votes, 40 states), Roosevelt finished second (4,119,538 popular votes, 88 electoral votes, six states) and Taft came in third (3,484,980 popular votes, eight electoral votes, two states). It was the only time in history that an incumbent U.S. President finished third in a Presidential election. HENRY LEWIS STIMSON was nominated as Taft's Secretary of War on May 16, 1911 and entered into his duties on May 22, serving until March 5, 1913, when Wilson became President. He later served as Hoover's Secretary of State (1929-1933) and Secretary of War under FDR and Truman (1940-1945). 2½-inch diameter blue War Office seal affixed at lower left next to military vignette. Large eagle vignette at top. Lightly creased, small ink stain at top left blank corner, seal slightly worn. Fine condition.