DS as president, one page, 14.5 x 19.5, January 3, 1899. President McKinley appoints John T. Thompson “Chief Ordnance Officer of Volunteers with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. Boldly signed at the bottom in black ink and countersigned by his Secretary of War. Thompson was a United States military officer best remembered as the inventor of the Thompson submachine gun. With the beginning of the Spanish American War, Thompson was promoted to lieutenant colonel and sent to Tampa, Florida as Chief Ordnance Officer under the top commander for the Cuban campaign, General William R. Shafter. While the rest of the Army was plagued with logistical problems, Thompson on the contrary ran ordnance supply operations to Cuba in a highly efficient manner. Over 18,000 tons of munitions were transferred to the battlefield from his Tampa command without any accidents. In fine condition, with light wrinkling and creasing and some scattered mild toning. Wrinkles affect neither text or McKinley’s bold signature and blue seal is intact. LOA John Reznikoff/PSA/DNA and R&R COA.
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