History Of The Rough Riders

The Rough Riders were the first United States Volunteer Cavalry and was the most famous unit to fight in Cuba during the Spanish–American War. It was one of the three regiments raised in 1898 for the Spanish–American War and the only one of that three to actually see the action. The U.S Army was understaffed and undersized in juxtaposition to its size during the American Civil War nearly thirty years before. To fix this situation, President William McKinley ordered for 1,250 volunteers to serve and support in the war struggles. The small army unit was first commanded by Colonel Leonard Wood, leading to its first name, " Wood's Weary Walkers." This nickname served to acknowledge that despite being a cavalry unit, they ended up fighting as an infantry on foot. …show more content…
Roosevelt was a former Assistant Secretary of the United States Navy and resigned in May 1898 to join the volunteer cavalry. He was a man who pushed for American involvement in Cuban independence. Wood and Roosevelt supplied and trained the men exceptionally at their camp in San Antonio, Texas. Unlike many other volunteer companies, the Rough Riders were allowed into action. The Rough Riders became "Roosevelt's Rough Riders," when Colonel Wood left and became the 2nd Cavalry Brigade. The Rough Riders were mostly made of cowboys, miners, college athletes, ranchers and other outdoors-men. The assistance received from Roosevelt and the Rough Riders were a key part in the outcome of the Spanish–American War. They helped American forces in forming a tight ring around Santiago de Cuba. They helped to sink the Spanish cruiser fleet at Santiago Bay. However, the sinking of the cruisers did not end the