President McKinley called for volunteers for the Spanish-American War in 1898, resulting in the formation of three regiments, including the Rough Riders. Led by Colonel Leonard Wood and later Theodore Roosevelt, the group consisted of skilled riders and riflemen from diverse backgrounds. Equipped with a variety of weapons, they successfully fought in Cuba despite losing a quarter of their strength due to political pressure.
Because the United States Army was so depleted by the Civil War, which occurred just 30 years before the Spanish-American War, President William McKinley called on the country’s citizens to volunteer for service in 1898. As a result, three regiments were called up to fight, although only one – the Rough Riders of the 1st US Volunteer Cavalry Regiment – was actually in combat from April to August of 1898 under the command of Colonel Leonard Wood. They received the nickname due to their rugged cowboy looks from their unique uniforms which consisted of a blue flannel shirt with brown pants and leggings tucked into boots, an unfastened cowboy hat, and bandannas tied around their necks. Later known as “Roosevelt’s Rough Riders”, the group was eventually commanded by Theodore Roosevelt when Colonel Wood assumed command of the 1st Cavalry Brigade. The group eventually found success despite numerous odds stacked against it while fighting in Cuba.
This group of volunteers consisted of men from all walks of life with the main requirement that the men be skilled, skilled at riding and able to handle a rifle. From cowboys to Native Americans, prospectors to gamblers, college students to Buffalo soldiers, the crew was easily assembled and, indeed, Colonel Wood had to turn away many men once the 1,250 seats were filled. Drawn from Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Arizona and Indian Territory, Wood hoped their normal working environment would make these men well suited to Cuba’s climate. Among the ranks were military veterans of the Civil War American, who served as commanders within the unit and helped establish an effective training program for soldiers.
Thanks to Roosevelt’s former position as Assistant Secretary of the Navy and a firm belief that the United States should be involved in Cuba’s struggle for independence, the Rough Riders had a multitude of weapons to choose from. Each member was issued a Springfield M1892/98 bolt-action rifle, and the officers carried new Winchester M1895 lever action rifles, both chambered in .30 Army. In addition to standard equipment, the regular cavalry also carried a Krag-Jorgensen carbine rifle, and a wealthy donor gave them two Colt-Browning M1895 gas-operated machine guns.
A party of 1060 Rough Riders, along with 1258 horses and mules, set out for Tampa, Florida in May 1898. Due to political pressure from Washington, DC, the unit soon left for Cuba, forcing them to leave behind approximately 400 men and almost all the horses they were trained on. After arriving in Cuba with only supplies the men could carry on their backs, with no transport, and losing a quarter of their fighting strength, the men proceeded to successfully overcome an entrenched enemy who was fighting fully at their conditions and take control of multiple strategic locations on the island. The Rough Riders returned to Long Island, New York on August 14, 1898.
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