13 - Rough Riders by Theodore Roosevelt

Join Theodore Roosevelt as he recounts his thrilling experiences with The Rough Riders, the legendary 1st United States Volunteer Cavalry formed in 1898 for the Spanish-American War. As Lt. Colonel and second-in-command, Roosevelt vividly portrays the brave men and their spirited horses, the challenges they faced, and the fierce battles they fought in Cuba. He paints a picture of soldiers forged from the rugged wilderness, accustomed to the wild and the unpredictable. With a passion for adventure and an eagerness for action, these “grim hunters of the mountains” were ready to face any foe. Roosevelt’s account is a stirring tribute to their courage and camaraderie, making it a compelling listen for history enthusiasts.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Section thirteen of the Rough Writers by Theodore Roosevelt. This
LibriVox recording is in the public domain recording by William Peck.
Appendix A muster out roll. Owing to the circumstances of
the regiment's service, the paperwork was very difficult to perform.
This muster out roll is very defective in certain points,

(00:24):
notably in the enumeration of the wounded who have been
able to return to duty. Some of the dead are
also undoubtedly passed over. Thus I have put in Race Smith, Sanders,
and Tiffany as dead, correcting the rolls. But there are
doubtless a number of similar corrections which should be made,
but have not been, as the regiment is now scattered

(00:45):
far and wide. I have also corrected the record for
the wounded men in one or two places where I
happen to remember it. But there are a number of
the wounded, especially the slightly wounded, or are not down
at all. Field Staff and Bank. Colonel Well Theodore Roosevelt,
Troop A, Captain Frank France, Troop B, Captain James H. McClintock,

(01:08):
Troop C, Captain Joseph L. B. Alexander, Troop D, Captain R. B.
Huston Troop E Captain Frederick Mueller, Troop F Captain Maximilian
Luna Troop G. Captain William H. H. Leewewyn, Troop H
Captain George Curry, Troop I Captain Skyler A. McGinnis, Troop

(01:32):
K Captain Woodbury Kine, Troop L Captain Richard C. Day,
Troop M Captain Robert H. Bruce. As said above, this
is not a complete list of the wounded, or even
of the dead among the troopers. Moreover, a number of
officers and men died from fever soon after the regiment

(01:52):
was mustered out. Twenty eight field and line officers landed
in Cuba on June twenty second. Ten of them were
killed or wounded during the nine days following. Of the
five regiments of regular cavalry in the Division one, the
tenth lost eleven officers. None of the others lost more
than six. The loss of the rough Riders in enlisted

(02:12):
men was heavier than that of any other regiment in
the cavalry division. Of the nine infantry regiments in Kent's
Division one, the six lost eleven officers. None of the
others as many as we did. None of the nine
suffered as heavy a loss in enlisted men, as they
were not engaged at Las classimas. No other regiment in

(02:32):
the Spanish American War suffered as heavy a loss as
the first United States Volunteer Cavalry. End of Appendix A