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Volume 1, Issue 7, 2018

“IRON HIM, COLONEL!” The seven men aboard the floating THEODORE ROOSEVELT HUNTS houseboat in the calm waters of the DEVILFISH IN PUNTA GORDA, Gulf of Mexico near Punta Gorda, FLORIDA Florida in late March 1917 were hunting manta rays (Manta birostris), Christopher C. Meyers, Valdosta State commonly called devilfish. Early in the University morning of March 26 the men left the Jacob W. Meyers protected confines of the heavy houseboat and boarded a smaller launch heading for the hunting grounds. The manta expert in this group was Russell J. Coles, who had established himself by collecting specimens for the American Museum of Natural History in New York. The unquestioned leader of the group, however, was former president Theodore Roosevelt, for whom this expedition was organized; Roosevelt wanted to hunt devilfish and capture a large one for the museum. Out in the Gulf of Mexico the men looked for large dark patches in the water, indicating a manta lay just below the surface; it wasn’t long before they spied one. With harpoon in hand Roosevelt positioned himself at the 2

front edge of the boat ready to hurl was devoted specifically to Roosevelt his weapon when the boat approached as an angler was Paul Schullery’s 1982 his prey. article in The American Fly Fisher, and Theodore Roosevelt has a well- it offers only one paragraph about the earned reputation as a big-game former president’s Punta Gorda visit hunter and naturalist/conservationist. (Schullery 1982, 20-27). More He is most closely identified as a recently Roosevelt’s great grandson, hunter of animals that roam the Tweed Roosevelt, wrote an article that prairies, plains, forests, and jungles of explained the former president’s North America, South America, and preference for hunting over fishing; Africa, but he is not known as a this publication also devoted only one fisherman and rarely hunted animals paragraph to the Punta Gorda of any kind in Florida. His 1917 expedition (Roosevelt 2014, 38-43). expedition to Punta Gorda was It’s clear that Theodore Roosevelt was Roosevelt’s first significant foray as a not overly interested in fishing, which hunter of the big game of the sea, and explains the dearth of published this expedition has more closely materials on that topic. identified him with the state of Florida. Though Roosevelt loved and Because he was not a well-known or studied Florida, his personal active fisherman little has been connection to the state was not as written about that aspect of his life. strong as other parts of the country, Roosevelt’s own autobiography, and there is consequently less written published in 1913, does not address about his time in Florida. His fishing in any way since his expedition autobiography does address in Punta Gorda occurred in 1917 Roosevelt’s 1898 stay in Tampa, but (Roosevelt 1913). Roosevelt’s uncle, only in terms of getting his unit ready Robert Barnwell Roosevelt, published to move to Cuba to fight in the two books on fishing in the 1860s, but Spanish-American War. Historian even that did not spark Theodore’s Douglas Brinkley addresses interest in fishing (Roosevelt 1862, Roosevelt’s curiosity about Florida, 1865). Douglas Brinkley’s The writing that the former president Wilderness Warrior also established “studied the state’s weather and its that Roosevelt had no interest in terrain, and kept records of its fishing (Brinkley 2009, 71). Edmund climate. He loved every little thing Morris’s superb three-volume that grew in wild Florida, studying the biography of Roosevelt addresses beach mice, the green anoles, the fishing only sporadically. While Morris gopher tortoises, the ants, the sea does include a brief description of the turtles, and the osprey, all with trip to Punta Gorda, he generally biological sympathy” (Brinkley, 8). confirms that Roosevelt had no The published record of Roosevelt and interest in fishing (Morris 2010, 482- Florida is largely dedicated to his 484, 708n). The first publication that interest in conservation and as a 3

naturalist, not as a hunter. Theodore adventures: “[Roosevelt] did not like Roosevelt’s fishing expedition to Punta to sit still so long” (Schullery, 21). Gorda in 1917 shows the former Tweed Roosevelt concurs with Sewall’s president in a different light--as a conclusion and described his great hunter of the big game of the sea grandfather’s preference this way: “It where he made a more personal is my contention that fishing did not connection with the Sunshine State. offer TR anything like the challenge of The twenty-sixth president spent a big game hunting, nor did fishing significant amount of time hunting and produce the same kind of high” was clearly not interested in being a (Roosevelt 2014, 43). These fisherman by any stretch of the explanations go a long way toward imagination. He recounted that when understanding why Roosevelt wanted he started reading about natural to hunt manta rays in Florida despite history he was drawn to “beasts and his significant lack of interest in birds and the more formidable or fishing. Devilfish provided a prey that interesting reptiles and fishes” had to be tracked and hunted, while (Roosevelt 1918, 322). Roosevelt’s ordinary fishing was largely a curiosity about only the most sedentary activity. Roosevelt, an “formidable” fishes is telling. This advocate of the strenuous life, needed suggests he was not at all interested action. He clearly distinguished in bass, trout, or perch, and catching between fishing and catching devilfish them clearly held no excitement for in Florida. him. This was a characteristic that his The devilfish that Roosevelt sons recognized in him; Kermit wrote wanted to hunt could be found in that his father “detested fishing” and abundance off the Gulf coast of Theodore Jr. observed, “my own Florida, in Punta Gorda. Officially father was not a fisherman.” incorporated as Punta Gorda in 1887, (Schullery, 21, 22). Roosevelt’s close the town was settled shortly after the naturalist friend Gifford Pinchot Civil War and initially known as echoed these sentiments when he “Trabue,” after Isaac Trabue who wrote “T.R., who was a hunter, but no purchased property there in 1884. fisherman….” Theodore himself stated Upon completing his land purchase outright that he disliked fishing: “My Trabue began lobbying railroad brother and cousin were fond of companies to extend their lines fishing and I was not…” (Pinchot 1936, southward from Tampa to his land 221). Any interest Roosevelt had in holdings. Trabue even traveled to fishing started and ended with it being Boston in 1884 to meet with officials a way to provide food for his table - of the Florida Southern Railroad, and only during hunting trips. There is promising half of the lots in the village a simple explanation for this, he was creating. The railroad accepted articulated well by Bill Sewall, who the offer and on July 24, 1886 the guided Roosevelt in his early nature Florida Southern Railroad reached 4

Trabue, making the town more with the fishing industry. Early in the accessible. Within a year-and-a-half, 20th century Punta Gorda became on December 7, 1887, the town was something of a tourist attraction, as incorporated as Punta Gorda (in did much of the Gulf coast of Florida, DeSoto County) much to the chagrin especially for visitors who were of Trabue who hoped the town would interested in fishing. It was Punta retain his name (Brown 1991, 146- Gorda’s unique access to the Gulf that 153; Frisbie 1974, 44-45). attracted Russell Coles there in 1914 and 1915 to hunt for devilfish specimens for the American Museum of Natural History. In 1917 the leading expert on Manta birostris was Danville, Virginia resident Russell J. Coles, whom the New York Times called the “king of devil-fishermen” (New York Times, May 22, 1915). At first glance, Russell Coles, described by the New York Times as resembling a younger President Taft, may not have appeared as the king of the devil- fishermen. However, he earned his reputation. A successful tobacco leaf dealer by trade, Coles invested much of his earnings into his fishing endeavors. He devoted three to four months of every year to fishing, Peace River and Tampa Bay areas in the 1890s. running his boat down the coast of Drawn by Ted Starr. Florida or up the Atlantic seaboard to Newfoundland in pursuit of not just In the thirty years between Punta ordinary fish, but devilfish. Devilfish Gorda’s incorporation and Theodore grew to enormous sizes and could Roosevelt’s arrival the town grew quite easily swamp a well-sized boat slowly, and increasingly became in the struggle of catching one. known as a fishing center. By 1900 Devilfish gained a reputation among the town’s population grew to 860, but fishermen as being the most difficult the growth of Tampa siphoned off creatures in the world to kill. Despite some potential economic expansion. A this, Coles had mastered conquering future state governor, Albert Gilchrist, even the largest of devilfish. Upon settled in Punta Gorda after helping killing them, he meticulously the railroad survey the area, and the measured, weighed, studied, and town became more closely identified indexed his data from his catches. 5

Finally, he sent his specimens to Florida’s Gulf coast, but Roosevelt’s various museums. He was even made interest in the April 2, 1917 session of a lifetime member of the Museum of Congress, during which a declaration Natural History in New York for his of war was expected, cut the trip donation of his eighteen-foot devilfish, down to about a week. then the largest specimen in the world The national and Florida media (Coles 1916, 217-227). Coles picked up the story and Roosevelt’s authored several scientific articles on trip to the sunshine state was big devilfish and other species of rays and news. The Washington Post was the designed a special “spade lance” for first newspaper to announce the trip, the capture of the mantas. If there in a March 14, 1917 article, which also was a man qualified to be Roosevelt’s revealed Roosevelt’s destination as guide to devilfish hunting, it was Punta Gorda. The Post also informed Russell Coles. readers that the hunters would use a Theodore Roosevelt first new spade lance that Coles had encountered the topic of devilfish invented. The Tampa Tribune likewise while reading William Elliott’s 1846 covered Roosevelt’s trip, but was Carolina Sports by Land and Water as unclear of his destination, reporting a boy (Roosevelt 1917, 293). The that “[Roosevelt] declined to say what book’s first chapter was titled “Devil part of the State he would visit.” The Fishing” and described how these Tampa paper also quoted the former mantas were hunted and captured, president as saying he would only be a something that certainly would have “looker-on,” curiously suggesting he appealed to young Theodore. Later, in would not be an active participant the fall of 1916 Roosevelt read the (Tampa Tribune, March 24, 1917). entertaining article Russell Coles wrote The St. Petersburg Evening about his expedition to capture a Independent likewise picked up the devilfish for the American Museum of story of Roosevelt’s visit. Calling the Natural History in New York. Not only former president “Strenuous Teddy,” did the thrill of the hunt appeal to the the Independent was also uncertain former president, but the fact that about his destination, athough it did Coles had a scientific interest in the accurately suggest Punta Gorda (St. mantas attracted his attention. After Petersburg Evening Independent, reading the article, Roosevelt invited March 24, 1917). Newspapers from Coles to visit him at Sagamore Hill, Florida’s neighbor to the north, and the two had a lengthy Georgia, also guessed at Roosevelt’s conversation followed by an exchange landing place, with the Savannah of letters. The result of the visit and Morning News suggesting he was correspondence was an invitation for headed to Fort Myers (Savannah Roosevelt to join Coles in a devilfish Morning News, March 24, 1917). hunt in the spring of 1917. They Regardless of the papers’ accuracy, planned a month-long excursion on 6

the nation was interested in Jack, as Roosevelt called him, had Roosevelt’s trip. fished the Gulf and Atlantic coasts for Roosevelt set out from New York over thirty years, had trained on March 23, 1917 and arrived in hundreds of fishermen, and possessed Punta Gorda, Florida on March 25, an intimate knowledge of the local having stopped in Jacksonville en waterways. The three other fishermen route to deliver a hawkish speech on were from Morehead City, North American participation in the conflict Carolina and had been trained by then raging in Europe. The Tampa Coles himself; they were Captain Tribune described his arrival in Punta Charley Willis, Roland Phillips, and Gorda on the 25th this way: “Punta Mart Lewis. Roosevelt later described Gorda went wild over Teddy today. the four crewmen: “It would not have One thousand people, whites and been possible to find four better men blacks, all ages and both sexes, for their work, nor four better deserted churches and gave him a companions, from every standpoint, noisy and enthusiastic welcome as he for an outing of this character” stepped from his train at 11 o’clock.” (Roosevelt 1917, 294-295) Coles’ The newspaper recorded Roosevelt’s private secretary, A.A. Rice, rounded response when asked how he liked out the crew. Punta Gorda: “Bully, Wonderful, After Roosevelt’s impromptu Delighted” (Tampa Tribune, Match 26, remarks at the Seminole Hotel, he and 1917). The 1910 census records the Coles boarded a small passenger and population of the city of Punta Gorda freight boat, as Coles described it, and at 1,013, so if a thousand persons sailed roughly 35 miles down the showed up to welcome Roosevelt, it coast to their “floating camp” in the would encompass virtually the entire waters off the east coast of Captiva city, a remarkable testament to the Island where the rest of the crew former president’s popularity. After awaited them. The former president eating lunch at the Seminole Hotel described their base, or floating camp, with Coles, the local Dixie Orchestra as “a one-room house aboard a flat serenaded the two and Roosevelt scow” (Roosevelt 1917, 294). It was responded with some patriotic roughly fifty feet by twenty feet, with remarks to the several hundred the house taking up most of that residents who remained. Then they space; the crew cooked, ate, and slept set off for the waters of the Gulf. in that one room. The crew spent the Roosevelt and Coles were night of March 25 on board the boat accompanied by five other men, and woke at dawn to search for including Coles’ private secretary and devilfish. The hunters headed four veterans of previous devilfish southward early on the 26th toward expeditions. Only one of the crew was the southernmost tip of Captiva a local Floridian, Captain Jack McCann, Island, where six of the men left their who hailed from the Keys. Captain camp vessel and boarded a smaller, 7

lighter launch for the short trip to the large dark spot just below the water’s hunting grounds; one of their number, surface, a manta to the experienced probably A.A. Rice, remained on the men but indistinguishable to camp vessel. Roosevelt. Both Coles and Roosevelt The weapon of choice in hunting stepped to the front of the boat with devilfish was a harpoon, which their harpoons, side-by-side, ready to practitioners called the “iron.” Before hurl the sharp weapons at the boarding the launch Coles instructed devilfish. As the target swam swiftly Roosevelt on the construction and close to the boat Roosevelt threw his proper use of the instrument. The harpoon into the sea, but alas the harpoon consisted of an eight-foot manta was too fast for the former wooden handle and an eight inch president. He missed his target. pointed and sharpened iron head. Roosevelt attributed his miss to not Connected to the harpoon is a length allowing for the manta’s speed and of rope, and on one end of the rope is the boat traveling in the opposite attached a drogue, a thick heavy, direction (Roosevelt 1917, 299). square board. The harpoon, or iron, Roosevelt gathered up his harpoon was hurled at the manta ray, and in and prepared himself for another try. the ensuing struggle the wooden The hunters did not have to wait handle frequently came loose or was long for a second opportunity; within a outright smashed. The drogue, few minutes a small group of devilfish connected to the rope, creates was spotted a short distance away. resistance for the devilfish as it tries These mantas were not swimming but to swim away and escape; often the rather lying close to the water’s wounded animal dragged the boat surface, probably easier targets for some distance before it succumbed. the inexperienced former president. When the manta tired sufficiently the Roosevelt again positioned himself at hunter used a lance to kill the prey. the front of the boat, harpoon in hand, The Roosevelt expedition had six as the vessel crept forward to get into harpoons and three lances; the lances striking range. Coles was at his side were in fact specially made for Coles with a second harpoon. As Roosevelt based upon his own design. Six raised his arm to throw the harpoon, harpoons and three lances seemed an Captain Charley Willis shouted “iron ample number, even considering some him, colonel!” This time Roosevelt of the harpoons might likely be “ironed” his target. He hit his prey; destroyed during the hunt. immediately afterward Coles threw a The primary purpose of the trip second harpoon into the manta, and was for Roosevelt to harpoon a the real struggle began. The male ray devilfish or two, so he was the man swam away furiously, dragging the with the harpoon at the ready when boat and crew behind. This part of the the crew set out after breakfast. It death struggle lasted eleven minutes, was not long before they spotted a and in this time the manta dragged 8

the boat and crew a half mile. worker” (New York Times, April 4, Eventually the beast tired and 1917). Roosevelt was able to jab the lance The first ray measured thirteen into it twice killing the manta. That feet, two inches, tip to tip, while the the struggle lasted eleven minutes second was sixteen feet, eight inches. was a testament to the strength of the While the second was a significant devilfish, as Roosevelt’s harpoon size, it was smaller than the one Coles penetrated the heart. The crew captured for the American Museum of dragged the manta to the nearest Natural History in 1915, measuring beach and dropped him off far enough eighteen feet, two inches. Prior to that the tide would not take it away, making the trip Roosevelt contacted and headed out to capture another. the museums in Washington to inquire Within a few minutes the crew was about their interest in any devilfish he out in the Gulf and had spotted might capture. Since the museum another prey, a larger female declined his offer the men began specimen. The manta was heading lightly dissecting the mantas. straight at the vessel a few feet below Roosevelt was disappointed at the the surface. Again both Roosevelt and contents of the stomachs, which Coles had harpoons ready as the contained several remoras and vessel approached the prey, and both digested liquids; he could not tell what men hurled their irons into the they had been feeding on. The former devilfish. It was fortunate that both president, satisfied at bringing in two men threw harpoons because Coles’ devilfish, ended the hunt for the day. did not stick. In response, the crew One of the remarkable aspects of brought the vessel close to the manta this expedition for Roosevelt was the and Roosevelt ironed it again. This opportunity to scientifically study the devilfish fought longer and harder manta rays he had captured. He than the first, pulling the men and remarked at the roughness of their boat for two miles over a twenty-six skin and the black pigment that minute period. This manta ray fought rubbed off whenever he touched so hard that one of the crew allegedly them. The mouth was large and shouted “You’ve got a damned practically without teeth. Roosevelt Spanish devil fish, Teddy! It wants to seemed to be impressed with how kill us!” (Williams 1993, 290). Finally harmless they were to humans, but when it tired Roosevelt used the lance was equally surprised at their strength to kill her. The crew dragged this and tenacity when harpooned second devilfish to shore to measure (Roosevelt 1917, 303). Of course the both and make other scientific requisite photographs were taken with notations. The New York Times the devilfish and the weapons used to reported that the crew was impressed hunt them. with Roosevelt’s prowess with the The purpose of the trip was for harpoon, calling him a “miracle Roosevelt to harpoon devilfish, and 9

that having been accomplished the making the rounds of the newspapers, former president, Coles, and the crew which particularly amused Roosevelt, visited and explored other places near was about his apparent drowning. The Captiva Island. One place they northeastern papers sent messages to explored was Hemp Island, as the Florida contacts about the rumor; the locals called it, athough maps identify rumor apparently started when news it as Cayatuna Island. There the men circulated that one of the boats saw cormorants, pelicans, ibises, and capsized during the devilfish hunt. The herons. For supper they found and St. Petersburg Evening Independent cooked three diamond-backed even ran a story under the headline terrapins and a gopher turtle, which “TEDDY WAS NOT DROWNED” (St. Roosevelt and the men found Petersburg Evening Independent, particularly tasty. Roosevelt spent March 30, 1917). The Atlanta Journal several days exploring the wildlife in likewise ran a headline that indicated the vicinity of Captiva Island, and relief that Roosevelt had not drowned: remarked at the beauty of the sunsets “Teddy in Fine Health.” Across town, over the Gulf of Mexico (Roosevelt the Atlanta Constitution reassured its 1917, 305). A delegation of prominent readers that Roosevelt was “in men from Fort Myers took a speedboat excellent health and spirits” (Atlanta to Captiva Island to invite Roosevelt to Journal, March 29, 1917; Atlanta their city, but the former president Constitution, April 2, 1917). All papers declined their offer preferring to were relieved when Roosevelt was remain at Captiva (Tampa Tribune, indeed still alive. April 1, 1917). Theodore Roosevelt’s expedition to Because Theodore Roosevelt was Punta Gorda fits nicely into the former such a beloved figure in America, the president’s long history of hunting big country’s newspapers covered his trip game. What made this trip stand out, as closely as possible. Readers of the however, was that he hunted the big Athens, Georgia Weekly Banner game of the sea, something for which learned that Roosevelt caught the he had previously shown little interest. “ferocious octopus.” Both the New While Roosevelt was clearly not an York Times and Washington Post angler, hunting devilfish provided him called the manta rays “marine the excitement and danger of the hunt monsters” (The Weekly Banner, March and the resulting adrenaline rush, a 30, 1917; New York Times, March 27, scenario in which he thrived. 1917; Washington Post, March 27, Punta Gorda celebrates Roosevelt’s 1917). Most newspapers kept readers visit in a couple of ways. First, any updated on the success of the trip, book about the city during the early and the New York Times described 20th century includes a mention of the Roosevelt as having acquired a presidential visit and any photographs “thorough coat of tan” (New York of Roosevelt that exist. Books by local Times, April 2, 1917). One story authors Vernon Peeples, Lindsey 10

Williams, and Byron Rhode all include Boat Ramp in Laishley Park. The mural snippets about Roosevelt’s visit, as was sponsored by The Punta Gorda does the Punta Gorda volume in the Historic Mural Society and dedicated in Images of America series (Peeples 2008. The city is certainly proud of the 1987; Williams 1993; Rhode 1988; special visit Theodore Roosevelt made O’Phelan, Shively, House 2009). to Punta Gorda in 1917.

Second, the city remembers Roosevelt’s visit with a mural of him and the devilfish he caught, which is located at Laishley Municipal Marina

REFERENCES

Primary Sources

Books and Articles

Coles, Russell. “My Fight with the Devilfish.” The American Museum Journal (April 1916): 217-227.

Pinchot, Gifford. Just Fishing Talk. New York: The Telegraph Press, 1936.

Roosevelt, Theodore. An Autobiography. New York: DaCapo Press, 1985 reprint of 1913 original.

Roosevelt, Theodore. “Harpooning Devilfish.” Scribner’s Magazine (September 1917): 293-305.

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Roosevelt, Theodore. “My Life as a Naturalist.” The American Museum Journal (May 1918): 321-350.

Newspapers

“Devilfish Killed by Col. Roosevelt off Florida Coast,” Atlanta Constitution, March 27, 1917, pg. 1. “Roosevelt Goes to Washington Hungry for War,” Atlanta Constitution, April 2, 1917, pg.1. “Teddy Kills Two Devilfish,” Atlanta Journal, March 27, 1917. “Teddy in Fine Health; Ready for Devilfish,” Atlanta Journal, March 29, 1917. “Faced Death to Get Biggest Devil-Fish,” New York Times, May 22, 1915, pg. 9. “Roosevelt to Hunt Florida Devilfish,” New York Times, March 24, 1917, pg. 6. “Colonel Kills Devilfish,” New York Times, March 27, 1917, pg. 3. “T.R. Off to Washington,” New York Times, April 2, 1917, pg. 2. “Roosevelt Arrives Home,” New York Times, April 4, 1917, pg. 14. “T.R. Urges U.S. to Hit, and Hit Hard,” Savannah Morning News, March 24, 1917. “T.R. has Exciting Time with Devilfish,” Savannah Morning News, March 27, 1917. “Teddy to Hunt Devilfish as Practice for Germans,” St. Petersburg Evening Independent, March 24, 1917, pg. 7. “Teddy wants to Unfurl Old Glory in Trenches,” St. Petersburg Evening Independent, March 26, 1917, pg. 9. “Teddy Was Not Drowned,” St. Petersburg Evening Independent, March 30, 1917, pg. 8. “Roosevelt on Way to Punta Gorda; Will Hunt Devilfish,” Tampa Tribune, March 24, 1917. “Roosevelt Tendered Splendid Welcome; Clamors for Battle,” Tampa Tribune, March 26, 1917, pg. 1. “Roosevelt Amused at Rumors of Drowning,” Tampa Tribune, April 1, 1917. “T.R. to Hunt Devil Fish,” Washington Post, March 14, 1917, pg. 3. “T.R. Kills Two Devil Fish,” Washington Post, March 27, 1917, pg. 3. “Teddy Catches the Ferocious Octopus,” The Weekly Banner (Athens, GA), March 30, 1917.

Images/Maps

Map from Florida's Peace River Frontier by Canter Brown, Jr. Gainesville: University Press of Florida, 1991. Reprinted with permission of the University Press of Florida.

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Secondary Sources

Books and Articles

Brinkley, Douglas. The Wilderness Warrior: Theodore Roosevelt and the Crusade for America. New York: HarperCollins, 2009.

Brown, Canter. Florida’s Peace River Frontier. Orlando: University of Central Florida Press, 1991.

Morris, Edmund. Colonel Roosevelt. New York: Random House, 2010.

O’Phelan, Ann, Scot Shively, Blanchard House. Punta Gorda. Charleston, SC: Arcadia Publishing, 2009.

Peeples, Vernon. Punta Gorda and the Charlotte Harbor Area: A Pictorial History. Punta Gorda: Charlotte County Chamber of Commerce, 1987.

Rhode, Byron. Punta Gorda Remembered. Punta Gorda: Privately Printed, 1988.

Roosevelt, Tweed. “Theodore Roosevelt: Halfhearted Fisherman, Wholehearted Hunter.” Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal (Fall 2014): 38-43.

Schullery, Paul. “Theodore Roosevelt as an Angler.” The American Fly Fisher (Summer 1982): 20-27.

Williams, Lindsey and U.S. Cleveland. Our Fascinating Past: Charlotte Harbor: The Early Years. Punta Gorda: Charlotte Harbor Area Historical Society, 1993.