The 1st U.S. Volunteer Cavalry—A.K.A. “The Rough Riders”

Last month, I told you about Buckey O’Neill, who served in many capacities of law enforcement and political positions in his brief thirty-eight years. One of the ways he served his country was as a captain in Theodore Roosevelt’s Rough Riders. The Rough Riders have always been of some interest to me because they stayed in the Old Tampa Bay Hotel, a beautiful historic building in downtown Tampa, Florida, which is now the main building of my alma mater, University of Tampa. (Read more about the school's historic roots here). So, I thought it would be interesting to learn more about the Rough Riders. Here’s what I learned.

25th President of the United States,
William McKinley

The 1^st U.S. Volunteer Cavalry was formed in 1898 by President William McKinley as the Spanish-American War broke out. McKinley knew that the American military was much smaller than it had been during the Civil War just thirty years prior, so he asked for 1250 volunteers to form this cavalry regiment. They sought men mainly from the Southwestern states, as the hot climate was similar to Cuba’s, where they would be fighting. Men from Arizona, Texas, Oklahoma, and New Mexico applied for the 1250 positions. In fact, so many men asked to be a part that they had to turn many away. It became a joke that the difficulty wasn’t in selecting the men, but rather rejecting them from the huge pool of very qualified choices. The men who were chosen were cowboys, prospectors, law enforcement officers, gamblers, Native Americans, and even some college students. All were good with a gun and had excellent horsemanship skills. Those men who had served in either the Civil War or Western Indian Wars were typically made the ranking officers within the unit.

 The regiment’s original commander was Colonel Leonard Wood, and his second in command was the former Assistant Secretary of the Navy (none other than one Theodore Roosevelt). Under Woods’ leaders, the troops of the 1^st US Volunteer Cavalry were nicknamed “Wood’s Weary Walkers.” That’s a bit of a strange name—walkers—for a cavalry (mounted) regiment, right? Well, yes, but the crazy thing was—this cavalry unit didn’t have horses. They fought as an infantry unit under Colonel Woods. Read on to find out why!

Colonel Theodore Roosevelt,
leader of the "Rough Riders"

The men trained every moment they could on horseback, and when they were unable to practice their formations due to traveling via train or ship, or due to other constraints, they read books with detailing their many tactics. They were quite prepared to see action, both in their fighting formations and with the weapons they used. The weapons ranged from Springfield bolt-action rifles for the soldiers and non-commissioned officers to Winchester rifles for the commissioned officers. They also all carried Colt .45 pistols and Bowie knives. A last-minute donation of a Colt-Browning machine gun completed their firepower.

By late May 1898, the 1^st U.S. Volunteer Cavalry and their horses and mules traveled by rail to Tampa, Florida. There, they stayed in the Old Tampa Bay Hotel while they awaited their orders to leave for Cuba. Due to a desire to deploy the men quickly, the orders came through, but only eight of the twelve companies and a fraction of their horses and mules were green-lighted to head to Cuba. This shocking oversight caused a huge loss of morale among the remaining volunteer cavalry soldiers. Not a great way to start the fighting.

They traveled to Cuba on the steamship Yucatan and arrived on June 23, 1898. There, they offloaded the supplies they’d been allowed to bring, but had to quickly adapt to being an infantry unit, carrying a few days’ supplies on their backs rather than packing everything on a mule train, or marching long days through hot, humid, jungle landscapes when they’d trained themselves to ride under such conditions.

Their first battle—the Battle of Guasimas—came just a few days after their arrival. The on-foot cavalry soldiers set out to look around the jungle and soon discovered a Spanish outpost, Las Guasimas. By that afternoon, they were told to go in and take the outpost. The Americans slept overnight and prepared to secure the area early the next morning. However, because the men were without their livestock, the physical exertion proved to be far more taxing on the soldiers than expected. Many either dropped their packs or fell out of the ranks while marching up a steep hill, leaving fewer than 500 men to fight. To make matters worse, the Spaniards had the advantage because they knew the dense jungle terrain and had hidden quite well. However, the 1^st Volunteer Cavalry marched up to the outpost alongside the regular cavalry, found their opposition, and took them out. The Volunteers lost eight men, with another thirty-one wounded. For six days after the battle, they held their position at the Spanish outpost. During that time, the commander of the regulars died of illness, and Colonel Wood was moved into his position, leaving Teddy Roosevelt to command the Volunteer force. He changed the nickname from Woods’ Weary Walkers to Roosevelt’s Rough Riders.

On the sixth day, the cavalry (volunteer and regular) was told to march eight miles along the road to Santiago. The movement was a distraction technique while the Spaniards were barraged with artillery and battery strikes from afar. The Rough Riders made it to the base of San Juan Hill but quickly found themselves in the line of fire, both from snipers on the Spanish side and the artillery strikes from their own. They moved out of the way to await orders, which finally came—accompany the regulars as they took San Juan Hill. Even with the orders, things were rather unorganized until Roosevelt took charge, rallied the men, and barged up the hill in a series of short runs. With the help of several men firing thousands of rounds from Gatling guns, they captured the hill in twenty minutes. Unfortunately, casualties were heavy during this battle.

Teddy Roosevelt and his Rough Riders atop San Juan Hill

From the victory on San Juan Hill, Roosevelt’s Rough Riders helped capture the town of Santiago, which was important because of a fleet of Spanish cruisers that waited in the nearby port. The U.S. forces were able to drive the cruisers out of the port within two days, and within a few months, they put enough pressure on the Spaniards that on August 12, 1898, Spain surrendered. As terms of the armistice between the two countries, Spain left Cuba, and the United States gained the territories of Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines.

The Rough Riders returned to America, heading to Long Island, New York, where they spent a month convalescing from injuries and illness such as malaria, yellow fever, and dysentery. After most had recuperated enough to enjoy it, they held a celebration of their victories in Cuba. The Rough Riders were officially disbanded in September 1898.

It’s your turn. Have you heard of the Rough Riders before today? What do you find most impressive about them?

Jennifer Uhlarik discovered the western genre as a pre-teen when she swiped the only “horse” book she found on her older brother’s bookshelf. A new love was born. Across the next ten years, she devoured Louis L’Amour westerns and fell in love with the genre. In college at the University of Tampa, she began penning her own story of the Old West. Armed with a B.A. in writing, she has won five writing competitions and finaled in two other competitions. In addition to writing, she has held jobs as a private business owner, a schoolteacher, a marketing director, and her favorite—a full-time homemaker. Jennifer is active in American Christian Fiction Writers and lifetime member of the Florida Writers Association. She lives near Tampa, Florida, with her husband, teenaged son, and four fur children.

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About The Outcast's Redemption by Jennifer Uhlarik

When a reformed rustler is framed for stealing cattle, his secret crush--the daughter of the disgraced lawman who arrested him--come to his aid. But who really saves who?

Buckey O'Neill: Jack Of All Trades

Buckey O’Neill was one of those Western men who did a little bit of everything. I first became aware of him during our trip to Grand Canyon last summer, but upon returning home, I did further research and found him to be quite the character.

Capt. Buckey O'Neill

William Owen O’Neill was born in St. Louis, Missouri, in February 1860. He moved to Washington, D.C. with his mother and brothers, and later graduated from the National Law School. He applied for the Assistant Paymaster of the United States Navy, and of seventy-two applicants, he was the one chosen. However, when the appointment was delayed, O’Neill ended up going west instead.

Her arrived in the Arizona Territory in 1879, and by 1880, took up residence in the town of Tombstone. As many men did in that day and in that town, O’Neill got involved in gambling, playing the common game of the day, Faro. He liked to play against the odds, which was known as “bucking the tiger.” And thus came his nickname, “Buckey.” It would be the name he was known by the rest of his days.

Buckey took a job with the local newspaper, the Tombstone Epitaph. This was during the days when the Earp brothers provided law enforcement for the town, and since the Epitaph was a pro-Earp newspaper, Buckey likely had plenty of dealings with the famous brothers. In fact, it may very well have been Buckey who reported on the shootout we know as the “Gunfight at the O.K. Corral.”

Wyatt, Morgan, and Virgil Earp 

Soon after that incident, Buckey became a special deputy for the Phoenix City Marshal Henry Garfias. In 1882, he, Garfias, and two other officers faced down a trio of drunken cowboys who went on a shooting spree along Washington Street. As the story goes, the four lawmen attempted to arrest the drunken men, who in turn charged their horses directly at the marshal and his deputies. Garfias fired two shots, first knocking the gun from one of the men’s hand, then killing him. Upon seeing their friend die before their eyes, the remaining two cowboys surrendered quite willingly.

Later in 1882, Buckey moved on to Prescott Arizona, where he settled down. He became a court reporter, editor of the Arizona Miner, as well as began his own newspaper dedicated to the livestock industry, the Hoof and Horn. He served as school superintendent, tax collector, Yavapai County probate judge, and a member of the volunteer firefighters known as the “Toughs.”

Pauline Schindler O'Neill

Four years later in 1886, he joined the local branch of the Arizona militia, the Prescott Grays, where it is said that he once passed out while on the honor guard, serving at the hanging of a convicted murderer. Once the trap door dropped from under the murderer’s feet, poor Buckey also dropped unconscious. It was a moment he never quite lived down.

In the same year, married Pauline Schindler. He and Pauline quickly had a son, but the boy was born premature and lived only two weeks. Later the same year, they adopted a child who they named Maurice.

While serving as judge in Yavapai County, Buckey ran for and was elected Sheriff. On March 20, 1889, four cowboys decided to rob the train in Diablo Canyon. As soon as Buckey heard, he gathered a posse of three other men—Carl Holton, Jim Black, and Ed St. Clair—and rode to the scene of the crime. They tracked the bandits for weeks and eventually caught up to them near Wahweap Canyon. When one of the bandits made a break for it, Buckey shot the man’s horse out from under him. In turn, the man shot Buckey’s horse as well, and Buckey was temporarily pinned by the dead saddle horse. However, the rest of the train robber gang were so surprised by the outbreak of gunfire that their horses all ran off, stranding the men on foot. It took very little time for the posse to capture the four. This incident elevated Buckey to the status of hero.

When his term as sheriff ended, Buckey chose not to run for the office again, and instead delved into mining. He became quite prosperous with onyx mines across the next several years. He also spent his time writing pamphlets promoting the Arizona Territory, as well as fictional stories he published in a few newspapers and magazines across a span of twenty years.

With his interests in mining, Buckey soon struck on an idea—create a railroad between Williams, Arizona, and Grand Canyon, which was sixty miles away. The railroad would provide a means for the mines to transport the heavy ore more easily, as well as provide a means for tourists to visit the beautiful canyon that was otherwise difficult to reach. He became instrumental in securing the funding to build the Grand Canyon Railway. (You can read more of the story here in my earlier blog post on the railway). He also built a cabin there on the South Rim, which still stands today.

Historic view of Buckey O'Neill cabin.

Politics wasn’t completely out of Buckey’s system. In the 1890’s, Buckey ran twice to become the Territorial delegate to Congress (1894 and 1896). However, he ran under the Populist party and was defeated both times by major party candidates. His final foray into political office was to run for mayor of Prescott, which he won handily in 1897.

His stint as mayor didn’t last long, though. When the Spanish-American War broke out in 1898, Buckey mounted a volunteer force from the men in Arizona Territory. He was made the captain of Company A, 1^st US Volunteer Cavalry, which most people would know better as Teddy Roosevelt’s Rough Riders. He and his men fought in the Battle of Las Guasimas and moved on to the Battle of San Juan Hill. Unfortunately for Buckey, his penchant for bucking the odds ran out here. At the age of 38, he was struck in the head by a bullet and died instantly. His men buried him on San Juan Hill, but his body was later exhumed and relocated to Arlington National Cemetery. Nine years after his death, a monument featuring Buckey as a Rough Rider was unveiled in Prescott Arizona, and he was portrayed by Sam Elliott in the TNT movie, Rough Riders.

Teddy Roosevelt and his Rough Riders atop San Juan Hill,
where Buckey O'Neill lost his life.

It’s your turn: Have you ever heard of Buckey O’Neill? Which of his many accomplishments most impresses you?

Jennifer Uhlarik discovered the western genre as a pre-teen when she swiped the only “horse” book she found on her older brother’s bookshelf. A new love was born. Across the next ten years, she devoured Louis L’Amour westerns and fell in love with the genre. In college at the University of Tampa, she began penning her own story of the Old West. Armed with a B.A. in writing, she has won five writing competitions and finaled in two other competitions. In addition to writing, she has held jobs as a private business owner, a schoolteacher, a marketing director, and her favorite—a full-time homemaker. Jennifer is active in American Christian Fiction Writers and lifetime member of the Florida Writers Association. She lives near Tampa, Florida, with her husband, teenaged son, and four fur children.

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The Story of the Spanish-American War

by Rebecca Price Janney

When most Americans think of wars in which our nation has been involved, the Revolution, Civil War, the two World Wars, and Vietnam most often come to mind.  Less in our thoughts are the War of 1812, the conflict with Mexico, the Korean War, and perhaps America’s most obscure struggle, the Spanish-American War.  It was also one of our most short-lived. 

 By the 1890s, Spain had been in control of the island of Cuba, our neighbor just to the south of Florida, since the time of Christopher Columbus.  However, a home-grown movement to gain independence was in motion at the end of the 19^th century.  Many Cubans had tired of being under Spanish influence, and as the situation became especially unstable at the beginning of 1898, President William McKinley ordered the battleship Maine to Havana to protect U.S. interests in that small nation; American businesses had invested millions of dollars in Cuba’s sugar plantations.

 

The Maine explodes

On the night of February 15^th, the Maine suddenly, mysteriously, exploded, killing over 260 men on board, nearly three-quarters of her crew.  It has never been determined exactly who might have cause that devastation, but popular opinion held that Spain had engineered the attack.  “Remember the Maine” became a rallying cry in the Unites States, and, after a thorough investigation of the incident, America declared war on Spain, on April 25th.

 

America Prepares for War

 

President McKinley was a devout Methodist who believed America was a “city on a hill” with a mission to extend its democratic ideals, as well as its Christian way of life, to other parts of the world.  Although he initially opposed going to war against the Spanish, he came to view the conflict as a time in which “our aspirations as a Christian, peace-loving people will be realized.” (Charles S. Olcott, The Life of William McKinley, vol. 1, Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1916, p. 19)

 

President McKinley

Most Americans agreed with their President that Spanish rule over Cuba, as well as Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines needed to end so their people could emerge from old-style colonialism and live freely under fresh, new, Christian-based democracies.  At that time, many of the leading newspapers and their editors agreed.

The California Advocate proclaimed, “This war is the Kingdom of God coming!”  According to The Nation, “Coming to poor Cuba—the sunrise of a better day for the Philippines! . . . Oppression, cruelty, bigotry, superstition, and ignorance must down, and give a Christian civilization the right of way.”  The Pacific Advocate stated, “The cross will follow the flag.  The clock of the ages is striking.” (Sydney E. Ahlstrom, A Religious History of the American People, vol. 1, Garden City, NY: Image Books, 1975, p. 879)

 

Newspaper Headline From Spanish-American War

Although Spain had once been a major world power, its sun was rapidly setting at the end of the nineteenth century, and a little over three months later when the United States won the war, the Spanish empire collapsed.

 The Rough Riders

The most well-known battle of the war occurred on July 1 when Vice-President Theodore Roosevelt led a unit of mostly “raw” college students, ranchers, and cowboys in a charge up San Juan Hill.  Known as “The Rough Riders,” they played a key role in winning the war against Spain.

When President McKinley spoke to an audience of Methodists shortly after the U.S. victory, he shared his thoughts about the Spanish-American War, especially as it related to the American acquisition of the Philippines:

“I am not ashamed to tell you, gentlemen, that I went down on my knees and prayed Almighty God for light and guidance more than one night.  And one night late it came to me this way. . . There was nothing left for us to do but to take them all and to educate the Filipinos and uplift and civilize and Christianize them and by God’s grace do the very best we could by them, as our fellow men for whom Christ also died.” (Ibid.)

This story is adapted from Dr. Rebecca Price Janney’s Great Events in American History (AMG Publishers, 2009), which tells the story of many important dates in our nation’s past from a faith-based perspective.  She lives in suburban Philadelphia with her husband and son and is fostering an appreciation for America’s rich heritage through her involvement with the Children of the American Revolution.  www.rebeccapricejanney.com; @rebeccajanney.