Teddy Roosevelt at a speaking event. Look at the guard's rifle

[jon_norstog]

Here is a picture of Teddy Roosevelt taken in 1918 at Wittenberg College in Springfield, Ohio. He was invited to give a speech there to show support for this Germnan-Lutheran college at a time when the Hun was deeply out of favor. I look at the picture, yeah that's him. Then at the guard presenting arms. WTH! First I thought Krag, then crap! No side plate! Definitely not an '03. Look at the stock and the bolt release. Sure looks like a Mauser to me.

No, we don't have anything to do with Germany here, folks

jn


TR_at_wittenberg_1918.jpg

[Art]

Dang Jon...I think you're right!!!!!

[bruce]

Lutheran school w/ German heritage ... honor guard w/ German Mauser rifle ... makes perfect sense! After all, no reason a school would be expected to only use US designed/made rifles. Sincerely. bruce.

[Len]

It appears to be a Spanish M1893. The fellow holding it looks like he’s dressed in a Span Am War uniform. The rifle might be a capture from Cuba.

[lyman]

It appears to be a Spanish M1893. The fellow holding it looks like he’s dressed in a Span Am War uniform. The rifle might be a capture from Cuba.

yup,

not a 98, no takedown hole in the stock and the muzzle area looks odd for a 98

[barretcreek]

Good eyes, all y'all.

[JB White]

All I noticed was a guy that gots's a gun.

[butlersrangers]

In 1918, Krag rifles, model 1905 Ross rifles, Remington and Westinghouse made Mosins were being used in WW1 Training Camps.

The portly Gentleman, 'Presenting Arms' to TR, is likely a member of "United Spanish War Veterans".

He is using a model 1893 Spanish Mauser. Such rifles had been available from Bannerman's,
since the early 1900's.

His Mauser's cleaning rod is clearly visible. It appears there is a brass front-sight protector/muzzle cover on the
Spanish rifle. In addition to a Sling, the butt-stock looks like it is wearing some type of cloth or leather cover?

TR 1918-ed.jpg

[fguffey]

Any soldier at war with the near by farmers that carried a 303 in South Africa would would have been

happy with a Mauser. That did not change when we went to Cuba.

F. Guffey

[jon_norstog]

I wondered about that. It looked like an older Mauser to me ... a '95 or '96. '93 makes sense, a lot of them came back from Cuba.


\jn