Rough Riders

"The Rough Riders" was the name bestowed by the American press on the 1st U.S. Volunteer Cavalry regiment during the Spanish-American War.

Related Topics:
American - Press - Spanish-American War

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Command of the regiment was initially offered by War Secretary Russell Alger to Theodore Roosevelt. Roosevelt, however, having no previous military experience, deferred to his associate, Colonel Leonard Wood, a Medal of Honor recipient and a doctor in the Army's medical corps. Roosevelt was made a Lieutenant Colonel and second in command of the regiment.

Related Topics:
Russell Alger - Theodore Roosevelt - Leonard Wood - Medal of Honor

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Roosevelt had resigned as Assistant Secretary of the Navy to fight in the war, and his forceful personality and notoriety among the largely yellow press of the period were probably the main driving factors resulting in the fame of this regiment, as well as its being one of the very few volunteer units to actually see battle during the war.

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Out of over 23,000 applicants, approximately 2,000 were selected to serve in the 1st Volunteer Cavalry. Recruitment for the regiment was done largely by Roosevelt, and resulted in a widely varied force consisting of seasoned ranch hands, Pawnee scouts, Ivy League athletes and east-coast polo players, among others who represented a broad cross-section of American society.

Related Topics:
Ranch - Pawnee - Ivy League - Polo

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Cavalry training was conducted for about a month at Camp Wood in San Antonio, Texas, and was highly rigorous. Ironically, though, major logistical problems in the journey to Tampa, Florida and thence to Cuba resulted in the necessity of leaving most of the unit's horses and almost half of its men behind (horses were retained for top officers).

Related Topics:
San Antonio, Texas - Tampa, Florida - Cuba

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Upon arrival near Daiquiri, Cuba on June 22, 1898 with a larger volunteer force under the command of General Joseph Wheeler, the Rough Riders were assigned to the Army's V Corps. Still technically a cavalry unit, its mission was nevertheless perforce transformed to one of largely infantry-style fighting. They immediately began marching towards Santiago, their objective. Two days later, the unit participated in the Battle of Las Guasimas. Slightly outnumbered, the American contingent was nonetheless able to force a retreat of the Spanish troops to the city of Santiago.

Related Topics:
Daiquiri, Cuba - June 22 - 1898 - Joseph Wheeler - Cavalry - Infantry - Santiago - Battle of Las Guasimas

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