Richard E. Byrd Sr. to Woodrow Wilson

Title

Richard E. Byrd Sr. to Woodrow Wilson

Creator

Byrd, Richard E., 1860-1925

Identifier

WWP25222

Date

1918 September 28

Description

Letter from an old friend, who thanks President Wilson for his speech and shares news of his sons.

Source

Library of Congress, Woodrow Wilson Papers

Publisher

Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum

Subject

Wilson, Woodrow, 1856-1924--Correspondence
Byrd, Harry F. (Harry Flood), 1887-1966
Byrd, Richard Evelyn, 1888-1957

Contributor

Morgan Willer

Relation

WWP25223

Language

English

Provenance

Document scan was taken from Library of Congress microfilm reel of the Wilson Papers. WWPL volunteers transcribed the text.

Text

President Woodrow Wilson,
Washington, D.C.

My dear Mr. President: (PERSONAL)

I cannot thank you too much for your New York Speech of last night. It is one of the greatest and most timely of the wonderful series of pronouncements which you have made concerning this war.

You know I am adverse to any unnecessary trespass on your attention which is so much concerned with momentous decisions. At the same time I cannot help thinking that you may occasionally like to hear from your friends who are in close touch with the people and who have vital, personal interests in the war.

My youngest son, Captain Thomas Bolling Byrd, is on the battle front in France. My second son, Lieutenant Richard Evelyn Byrd, Jr., is in charge of a United States Naval Aviation Camp in Canada and is himself a flyer. My oldest son, State Senator Harry Flood Byrd, has resigned the position of Fuel Administrator for Virginia in order to enter the fighting ranks of the army. He has waived all exemptions and has asked that his deferred classification, due to dependant wife and children and his agricultural occupation, be advanced and that he be put in Class one. He will soon enter the army as a private.

The conduct of my three boys has filled me with pride and I ask nothing better than that they serve under your splendid leadership. It is my conviction and their conviction and the conviction of practically the citizenship of this State that this war must be fought to a final military decision and that peace must not be by negotiation, but unconditional and dictated by force of arms.

You have the country back of you in such manner as it never before backed any President and your speech of last night was an incomparable interpretation of their whole hearted desire and relentless purpose.

Your friend,
Richard Evelyn Byrd

Original Format

Letter

To

Wilson, Woodrow, 1856-1924

Files

http://resources.presidentwilson.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/WWI1202.pdf

Collection

Citation

Byrd, Richard E., 1860-1925, “Richard E. Byrd Sr. to Woodrow Wilson,” 1918 September 28, WWP25222, World War I Letters, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum, Staunton, Virginia.