Nickname(s) "Rollie" Role Journalist Died April 21, 1952 | Rank Major Name Granville Fortescue | |
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Born October 12, 1875
New York City ( 1875-10-12 ) Allegiance United States of America Battles/wars Spanish–American War
San Juan Hill
Philippine–American War
Russo-Japanese War (military attache)
World War I
Rif War {Correspondent}
Spanish Civil War (correspondent) Awards Distinguished Service Cross
Purple Heart
Order of the Rising Sun (Japan) Place of burial Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia, United States Children Thalia Massie, Helene Whitney Books Front Line and Deadline: The Experiences of a War Correspondent Battles and wars Battle of San Juan Hill | ||
Service/branch United States Army Years of service 1898–1906
1917–1928 | ||
Granville Roland Fortescue (October 12, 1875 – April 21, 1952) was an American soldier, a Rough Rider serving with his cousin, Colonel Theodore Roosevelt in Cuba, a presidential aide in the first Roosevelt administration and later, a journalist and war correspondent for the London Standard during the Rif War in 1920 Spanish Morocco. He wrote for the London Daily Telegraph during World War I and during the Spanish Civil War.
Contents
Early life and education
Fortescue was the son of U.S. Congressman Robert Roosevelt (1829–1906), and Marion Theresa "Minnie" O'Shea Fortescue, his mistress. At the time of his birth, his father was still married to his first wife, Elizabeth Ellis. After Ellis' death, Robert married married Minnie. His father then adopted the three children that he had conceived with Minnie before their marriage, Granville, Kenyon, and Maud, and they were known as his stepchildren, although they were his biological children. At the time of their birth, their father had been listed as "Robert Francis Fortescue," and all maintained the Fortescue name throughout their lives, even though they were born to Robert Roosevelt.
His father, Robert Roosevelt, was the brother of Theodore Roosevelt, Sr., the uncle of President Theodore Roosevelt and the great-uncle of Eleanor Roosevelt.
Fortescue's undergraduate education began at Yale College; then he transferred to the University of Pennsylvania. His college years were cut short when he volunteered in 1898 for the 1st United States Volunteer Cavalry. He completed his education when he graduated from the Army Staff College in 1904.
Career
Fortescue was a Rough Rider wounded at San Juan Hill in Cuba and serving in the Philippines during the Spanish–American War.
Fortescue was posted as a U.S. military attaché in Japan during the Russo-Japanese War. Along with other Western military attachés, he had two complementary missions—to assist the Japanese and to observe the Japanese forces in the field during the Russo-Japanese War. Service as an artillery officer during World War I was the capstone of Fortescue's military career.
Military honors
Personal life
In 1910, Captain "Rolly" Fortescue married Grace Hubbard Fortescue (née Grace Hubbard Bell) (1883–1979), a niece of the inventor Alexander Graham Bell and an heir to the Bell Telephone Company fortune. The wedding party included Captain Archibald Butt, who served with the groom in the White House as a Presidential aide.
The couple had three daughters:
An alleged rape of daughter Thalia Massie embroiled his wife in the 1932 murder trial in Hawaii, known as the "Massie Affair". Afterwards, she returned to a quiet life with her husband as they moved seasonally between family homes on Long Island and in Palm Beach. Another daughter took the stage name of Helene Whitney (1914–1990) as an actress.
Fortescue died on April 21, 1952 and was laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery, the only Roosevelt to be buried there.
Published works
His journalism experience led to further writing: