Was General Lawton maligned?
It appears, after thorough review of official documents in the Library of Congress and documents in the public domain that a few individuals took pains to undermine Henry Lawton's character. The few tidbits that suggest Lawton may have experienced a drinking 'binge' in Cuba have been essentially trounced by the scrutiny pf the press and news correspondents who, with sharp eyes, observed his movements and activities on a day to day basis.
The effort to portray Lawton as a drinker continued after his move to the Philippines but again, within the Army and throughout the government and press, the groundless rumors were effectively put to rest. As General Corbin indicates in one of his letters, the whole affair was a matter of 'mischievous gossip'.
Letters from the McKinley papers (Vol 36-reel 7-Library of Congress) put the matter to rest.
General King to Lawton June 5, 1899:
Lawton to Corbin July 12, 1899:
Corbin to George B Cortelyou-McKinley's secretary-August 22, 1899:
