Rough Riders
Teddy Roosevelt created the first volunteer calvary regiment in the U.S. Teddy made Leonard Wood the commander of the troops and Teddy was lieutenant colonel. Lenard Wood was a doctor, a good friend to Teddy, and he had won the Medal of Honor. Teddy was the Assistant Secretary of the Navy, and he wanted Cuba to be free from Spain. He asked the Department of War if he could make a new group to fight after Spain wanted to go to war with the U.S.
The Rough Riders were made up of men from Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and also the Indian Territory. These men had all different jobs; lawyers, preachers, cowboys, and many more. Some were even Native Americans. There were more than 1,250 men in this regiment and they were good at riding horses and shooting. They were also in good shape so they didn't need much training before they went to war. The Rough Riders were made in San Antonio, Texas in May 1898. They left for Cuba in June 1898.
When the Rough Riders got to Cuba on June 22, they had a battle two days later. It was called the Battle of Las Guasimas. On July 1st, Teddy, the Rough Riders and other regiments got control of Kettle Hill. After that, Teddy led the troops up San Juan Heights. The "Crowded Hour" is what Teddy called these events. When they got control over San Juan Heights, the war was pretty much over. Teddy brought the troops home fast because he had lost more soldiers from different diseases than he had from battles he had lost. The Rough Riders returned to the U.S. on September 16, 1898.
I think that the Rough Riders were brave men who wanted to help out their country. Teddy Roosevelt had a good idea when he decided to create the Rough Riders. It was cool that there was a mixture of men in the Rough Riders. They all had different jobs like lawyers and preachers which you wouldn't think they would just stop their job and become a soldier.
Leonard Wood
http://www.theodoreroosevelt.org/life/rough_riders.htm
http://www.homeofheroes.com/wallofhonor/spanish_am/08_roughriders.html
Comments
Well done!