Description
First edition of The Spanish-American War by Secretary of War R.A. Alger, inscribed by the author to the Mayor of Detroit, William C. Maybury.
Octavo, [vii], [7], 466pp, [2]. Publisher’s blue cloth, title stamped in gilt on spine, color embellishment to front cover. Top edge gilt. Light wear to blue cloth, solid text block. Complete with seven maps, one being a large fold-out map of Eastern Cuba.
Inscribed on the front free endpaper: “His Honor Wm. C. Maybury / with best regards / R.A. Alger / Detroit Nov. 18, 1901.”
Russell Alexander Alger (1836-1907) served as the U.S. Secretary of War under President William McKinley from 1897 to 1899. A Civil War veteran and former governor of Michigan, Alger’s tenure as Secretary of War was marked by controversy during the Spanish-American War. He faced criticism for inadequate logistical planning, poor troop accommodations, and supply shortages, earning widespread public and congressional backlash. These issues led to the establishment of the Dodge Commission to investigate wartime management. Under pressure, Alger resigned in 1899 but later served as a U.S. Senator from Michigan, where he remained until his death.
