TR and the Rough Riders
On Monday I watched a DVD of the muniseries Rough Riders, starring Tom Berenger as Theodore Roosevelt. It was typical of the westerns or war films of a decade ago, although Berenger was surprisingly good in his portrayal of TR. I was curious about the historical accuracy of the film, including how Roosevelt's Rough Riders fought alongside of a division of African-American soldiers led by future General John J. "Black Jack" Pershing, so I decided to read more about his service in the Spanish-American War.
There is considerable controversy about the whole conflict, including whether or not atrocities committed by Spanish soldiers upon Cubans were exaggerated by American press controlled by William Randolph Hearst, and about the sinking of the Maine. But when war was declared in 1898, Roosevelt resigned from his position as Assistant Secretary of the Navy. He approached his friend U.S. Army Colonel Leonard Wood, and obtained permission to assemble a group of volunteers consisting of cowboys from the Western territories as well as some of his Ivy League friends from New York. He formed the First U.S. Volunteer Cavalry Regiment which came to be known as the "Rough Riders."
Roosevelt was given the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and served under Colonel Wood. In Roosevelt's book, The Rough Riders, he wrote "after General Young was struck down with the fever, and Wood took charge of the brigade. This left me in command of the regiment, of which I was very glad, for such experience as we had had is a quick teacher." Wood was promoted to Brigadier General of Volunteer Forces, Roosevelt was promoted to Colonel and given command of the Regiment.
The Rough Riders led charges up Kettle Hill and San Juan Hill on July 1, 1898. Roosevelt was the only American with a horse because transport ships were in short supply. During the battle he rode his horse named "Little Texas". He was forced to walk up the last part of Kettle Hill due to barbed wire entanglements and because Little Texas became tired. Despite the enemy having a tactically superior position, the Roughriders were able to capture both hills.
Charging Kettle Hill with the Rough Riders were members of the all-black 10th Cavalry "Buffalo Soldiers". One of the 10th's officers who took part in the attack was Lt. John J. "Black Jack" Pershing, who would later reach the highest rank ever held in the United States Army, General of the Armies. Pershing wrote about the battle, stating:
"...the entire command moved forward as coolly as though the buzzing of bullets was the humming of bees. White regiments, black regiments, regulars and Rough Riders, representing the young manhood of the North and the South, fought shoulder to shoulder, unmindful of race or color, unmindful of whether commanded by ex-Confederate or not, and mindful of only their common duty as Americans."
Roosevelt was nominated for the Medal of Honor but the nomination was disapproved. Malaria and other diseases subsequently claimed the lives of more troops than the battle did and in August, Roosevelt and other officers demanded that the soldiers be returned home. Letters signed by Roosevelt were leaked to the press, which enraged Secretary of War Russell Alger. Roosevelt believed that it was this incident that cost him the Medal of Honor.
In September 1997, Congressman Rick Lazio of New York requested that Roosevelt be posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. The medal was awarded to Roosevelt in 2001 and is currently on display in the Roosevelt Room of the White House. He was the first and so far the only President to receive both his nation's highest honor for military valor and the world's foremost prize for peace, the Nobel Peace Prize.
There is considerable controversy about the whole conflict, including whether or not atrocities committed by Spanish soldiers upon Cubans were exaggerated by American press controlled by William Randolph Hearst, and about the sinking of the Maine. But when war was declared in 1898, Roosevelt resigned from his position as Assistant Secretary of the Navy. He approached his friend U.S. Army Colonel Leonard Wood, and obtained permission to assemble a group of volunteers consisting of cowboys from the Western territories as well as some of his Ivy League friends from New York. He formed the First U.S. Volunteer Cavalry Regiment which came to be known as the "Rough Riders."
Roosevelt was given the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and served under Colonel Wood. In Roosevelt's book, The Rough Riders, he wrote "after General Young was struck down with the fever, and Wood took charge of the brigade. This left me in command of the regiment, of which I was very glad, for such experience as we had had is a quick teacher." Wood was promoted to Brigadier General of Volunteer Forces, Roosevelt was promoted to Colonel and given command of the Regiment.
The Rough Riders led charges up Kettle Hill and San Juan Hill on July 1, 1898. Roosevelt was the only American with a horse because transport ships were in short supply. During the battle he rode his horse named "Little Texas". He was forced to walk up the last part of Kettle Hill due to barbed wire entanglements and because Little Texas became tired. Despite the enemy having a tactically superior position, the Roughriders were able to capture both hills.
Charging Kettle Hill with the Rough Riders were members of the all-black 10th Cavalry "Buffalo Soldiers". One of the 10th's officers who took part in the attack was Lt. John J. "Black Jack" Pershing, who would later reach the highest rank ever held in the United States Army, General of the Armies. Pershing wrote about the battle, stating:
"...the entire command moved forward as coolly as though the buzzing of bullets was the humming of bees. White regiments, black regiments, regulars and Rough Riders, representing the young manhood of the North and the South, fought shoulder to shoulder, unmindful of race or color, unmindful of whether commanded by ex-Confederate or not, and mindful of only their common duty as Americans."
Roosevelt was nominated for the Medal of Honor but the nomination was disapproved. Malaria and other diseases subsequently claimed the lives of more troops than the battle did and in August, Roosevelt and other officers demanded that the soldiers be returned home. Letters signed by Roosevelt were leaked to the press, which enraged Secretary of War Russell Alger. Roosevelt believed that it was this incident that cost him the Medal of Honor.
In September 1997, Congressman Rick Lazio of New York requested that Roosevelt be posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. The medal was awarded to Roosevelt in 2001 and is currently on display in the Roosevelt Room of the White House. He was the first and so far the only President to receive both his nation's highest honor for military valor and the world's foremost prize for peace, the Nobel Peace Prize.