Rough Riders: Theodore Roosevelt, His Cowboy Regiment, and the Immortal Charge Up San Juan Hill

by Mark Lee Gardner

THE AWARD-WINNING, NEW DEFINITIVE HISTORY OF TEDDY ROOSEVELT AND THE ROUGH RIDERS

"Thrilling. ... A CLASSIC." —True West

 Army Historical Foundation Distinguished Writing Award; New Mexico-Arizona Book Award; and Colorado Book Award

The now-legendary Rough Riders were a volunteer regiment recruited in 1898 to help drive the Spaniards out of Cuba. Drawn from America’s southwestern territories and led by the irrepressible Theodore Roosevelt, these men included not only cowboys and other Westerners, but also several Ivy Leaguers and clubmen, many of them friends of “TR.” Roosevelt and his men quickly came to symbolize American ruggedness, daring, and individualism. He led them to victory in the famed Battle of San Juan Hill, which made TR a national hero and cemented the Rough Riders’ iconic place in history.

Now Mark Lee Gardner synthesizes previously unknown primary accounts—private letters, diaries, and period newspaper reports from public and private archives across the country—to breathe fresh life into the Rough Riders and pay tribute to their daring feats and indomitable leader.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Biography, American History, Military History, Military Fiction, Presidents

322 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 17, 2016

About the author

Mark Lee Gardner grew up in rural Missouri in the small town of Breckenridge (pop. 500), in the heart of historic Jesse James country. He's written extensively about the American West, on subjects such as the Santa Fe Trail, George Armstrong Custer, Bent's Old Fort, Geronimo, Billy the Kid, and Crazy Horse. His book on the 1876 Northfield raid by the notorious James-Younger gang, Shot All To Hell, received the Western Writers of America Spur Award for best western nonfiction historical book, the Best Book Award from the Wild West History Association, and the Milton F. Perry Award for Best Nonfiction Book. His Rough Riders, published in 2016, received the Army Historical Foundation Distinguished Writing Award, the Father Thomas J. Steele Award for History, and the Colorado Book Award for Biography.

Mark's most recent book is The Earth Is All That Lasts: Crazy Horse, Sitting Bull, and the Last Stand of the Great Sioux Nation (Mariner Books). Mark spent five years researching and writing this dual biography, examining rare documents and artifacts in archives and museums across the country, from Chicago's Newberry Library to Cody's Buffalo Bill Center of the West. And he visited numerous historic sites all over the northern plains, even crossing the "holy line" into Canada, where Sitting Bull and his followers spent four years in exile.

True West magazine proclaimed The Earth Is All That Lasts the "Best Historical Nonfiction Book" of 2022. The book also won the 2023 Colorado Book Award for best history/biography and the 2023 John M. Carroll Literary Award from the Little Big Horn Associates.

In addition to his historical research and writing, Mark is also a performer of the historic music of the American West. His most recent CD is Outlaws: Songs of Robbers, Rustlers, and Rogues.

Mark's passions include rare books and ephemera; historic photography; old-time, bluegrass, and classic country music; and hunting, mainly calling up gobblers in the spring.

Mark is the 2024 recipient of the Frank Waters Award for Literary Excellence. He holds a master's degree in American Studies from the University of Wyoming and a bachelor's degree in history and journalism (double major) from Northwest Missouri State University. He's married with two children and lives with his family at the foot of majestic Pikes Peak.

Follow Mark on Instagram: mark_lee_gardner

Reviews

[Howard · Rating 5 out of 5]

REMEMBER THE MAINE!

"The day that Roosevelt can go into battle with [the Rough Riders] will likely be the happiest of his life." – Chicago Tribune

Mark Gardner writes early in his thoroughly researched and lively account of Theodore Roosevelt and the Rough Riders, “This war with Spain was no surprise to Assistant Secretary of the Navy Theodore Roosevelt. For months, he had been doing everything in his power – not always with the direct knowledge or approval of the secretary – to make the navy ready for the great conflict he was certain was coming. And he also let it be known that he had no intention of observing the war from afar. Crazy as it sounded – and more than a few did think Roosevelt was crazy – this lighting-rod bureaucrat intended to go where the bullets were flying. He had been waiting for a war, any war, his entire adult life, and now that it was here, nothing was going to keep him from the battlefield.”

Gardner adds, “But Roosevelt’s war fever was actually due to America’s fever for war, or at least its long glorification of all things military.”
-----------

In 1898, the USS Maine was dispatched to Cuba to protect American interests and property due to reported riots by Cuban insurrectionists who were in rebellion against their Spanish rulers. On February 15, the ship exploded in the Havana harbor; two hundred and sixty-six sailors were killed.

A court of inquiry called by President William McKinley ruled that the explosion had been caused by an underwater mine, but did not place the blame on the Spaniards. It didn’t matter. The Hearst and Pulitzer newspapers did not hesitate to name the Spaniards as the perpetrators.

McKinley was the last U.S. president to serve during the Civil War. He knew war wasn’t all glory and adventure for he had experienced it firsthand. Reluctant to plunge his nation into another conflict, he hoped to avoid war by negotiating independence for the Cubans. When his efforts failed, Congress declared war on Spain. “Remember the Maine; and to Hell with Spain” became the rallying call for battle.

THE ROUGH RIDERS

Thirty-nine year old Theodore Roosevelt resigned his position as Assistant Secretary of the Navy and began using personal and political contacts to lobby Russell Alger, the Secretary of War, to allow him to raise a volunteer cavalry regiment. One of the personal contacts he called on was Colonel Leonard Wood, and through their combined efforts they were successful in getting the secretary’s consent.

While Wood was named commander of the regiment, Roosevelt received a commission as lt. colonel and was named second in command. Roosevelt was impressed by the fact that Wood had won a Medal of Honor during the campaign against Geronimo in the American southwest and he fervently desired to win one of his own.

As long as there is a war, Roosevelt wrote his friend, Senator Henry Cabot Lodge, “the only thing I want to do is command this regiment and get into all the fighting I can.”

Since cowboys were regarded as natural born horsemen, the two officers decided to recruit from among their ranks. And it worked. Cowboys from Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona readily volunteered to serve in the regiment. Although it was sometimes called the “cowboy regiment,” it also included “Oklahoma Indians, Ivy League football stars, and champion polo players,” -- and more than one fugitive from justice.

The official name of the unit was the First U.S. Volunteer Cavalry Regiment, but it quickly became known by the press and the public as the “Rough Riders,” or more specifically, “Roosevelt’s Rough Riders,” despite the fact that he was second in command.

But Colonel Wood didn’t mind that his subordinate was getting all the attention. And what could he do about it if he had minded? One newspaper observed “this only goes to show that wherever Roosevelt rides is the head of the parade.” It was not meant as a compliment.

The Rough Riders were “riders” in name only. In fact, due to a shortage of transports needed to ship the horses to the island all the cavalry units were dismounted. The only horses to make it to Cuba were pack animals and the horses belonging to the officers. As a result, the natural born horsemen of the American West fought the war on foot as infantrymen.

And it wasn’t long before Roosevelt did command the regiment. It happened when Colonel Wood was given the command of a brigade and Roosevelt received a promotion to full colonel and command of the Rough Riders.

KETTLE AND SAN JUAN HILLS

"I put myself in the way of things happening, and they happened." – Theodore Roosevelt

The war’s final decisive battles were fought on two hills located in the San Juan Heights: Kettle and San Juan. Roosevelt and his Rough Riders were in the thick of those battles and were instrumental in the victorious outcome. That is not to say that they didn’t have a lot of support from other cavalry units. But as Gardner writes, “It was no surprise that the news reports gave the Rough Riders much of the glory, even though the First and Tenth Cavalries fought equally as hard.”

The Tenth Cavalry, it should be noted, was one of two cavalry regiments made up of African American troopers. They were the so-called “Buffalo Soldiers” that fought in the Indian wars in the years following the Civil War.

"There can be no better soldiers in the world, and yet I used to doubt whether the negro could fight with as much dash as the white man." – Rough Rider

MEDAL OF HONOR?

"I don’t ask this as a favor, I ask it as a right….I am entitled to the Medal of Honor, and I want it." – Theodore Roosevelt, letter to Senator Henry Cabot Lodge

Theodore Roosevelt was courageous and bold to the point of foolhardiness. Throughout the campaign he exposed himself to enemy fire. Since he was often mounted on horseback he represented an inviting target for enemy bullets. But by some miracle he didn’t receive a scratch even though men who were charging into enemy fire near him were killed or wounded.

In his desire to achieve glory he reminds one of another soldier, George Armstrong Custer. They differed, however, in one important respect. Custer was primarily interested in his own welfare, while Roosevelt never failed to look out for the well-being of his men. His men were fiercely loyal to him and he returned that loyalty by looking out for their interests.

"Our general is poor; he is too unwieldy to get to the front. I commanded my regiment, I think I may say, with honor. We lost a quarter of our men." – Theodore Roosevelt, letter to Senator Henry Cabot Lodge

Roosevelt’s commanders recommended him for a Medal of Honor, but to no avail. Gardner speculates that Roosevelt’s comments to the press about the conduct of the war and a critical letter that was published by the Associated Press so infuriated Secretary Alger that he personally blocked the award. And though the war was a logistical nightmare and in some respects a comedy of errors, his public criticisms did constitute insubordination. He was fortunate that a president like Harry Truman was not the commander-in-chief or he might have experienced the same fate as General Douglas MacArthur during the Korean War.

Roosevelt and the Rough Riders had become the darlings of the press and the public. And Regulars were justified in resenting the situation, for believing that the Rough Riders – and their commander – had received media attention all out of proportion to their actual contribution to the war effort. This also became a factor militating against Roosevelt and his desire to receive a Medal of Honor.

In fact, the tempest in a teapot that their commander had initiated worked against not only him, but also his regiment. When the final names of the war’s Medal of Honor recipients were named – twenty-five in all – not only was Roosevelt not one of them, no member of the Rough Riders was named.

Two Rough Riders did eventually receive a Medal of Honor at a later date. The first was Captain James Robb Church, who had served as assistant surgeon under Roosevelt. The medal was presented to Church in 1906 by his old commander, and now President of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt. It must have been a bittersweet moment for the president.

In 1996, Congress passed a bill that waived time restrictions for awarding the Medal of Honor. After some debate, Congress voted to award Theodore Roosevelt the medal. On January 16, 2001 President Bill Clinton presented the medal to Roosevelt’s great-grandson, Tweed Roosevelt. Thus, Theodore Roosevelt became the second Rough Rider, and the only president, to win a Medal of Honor.

As Roosevelt would have said: “Bully! Dee-lighted!”

[Sweetwilliam · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a pleasant surprise. I honestly don’t remember downloading this one on my Kindle but I must have. It was there. I didn’t intend to read it at this point in time. It wasn’t in my que but I by chance, I opened it and started to read a few pages and I couldn’t put it down. What a page turner this is. It was a near effortless read. I loved it.

The title is extremely accurate. The focus is on TR and his Rough Riders and their part in the Spanish American War. TR grew up with a sense of guilt over his father’s failure to do his civic duty in the Civil War. TR’s father paid for a replacement - a legitimate option - to fight for him. When the USS Maine exploded in Havana Harbor and war was afoot, TR resigned his post as Assistant Secretary of the Navy and raised a cavalry regiment with his friend, Leonard Wood, a Professional Soldier as Colonel and TR as a Lieutenant Colonel.

TR had made many friends during his ranching days out west in the 1880’s. The book contained a funny story about Teddy when he first arrived in Wyoming to become a rancher. The locals played a trick on the tenderfoot. They substituted an unbroken bucking bronco for TR’s horse. TR mounted the horse and was immediately bucked off. He got on it again and was thrown off a second time. The locals started to hoot and holler as TR attempted to mount the horse a third time. The prankster’s attitude suddenly changed believing that the greenhorn was going to hurt himself. They tried to stop him but TR would have none of it. He gripped the unbroken horse between his knees and proceeded to ride and break the horse. The cowboys were impressed by the pluck of this man. TR quickly won over the respect of the men of the West with demonstrating courage like this.

The 1st US Volunteer Cavalry Regiment nicknamed the Rough Riders, was made up mostly of Westerners that could out ride and out shoot any Easterner. There was also a fine mix of college athletes from Back East. Everyone wanted to be a Rough Rider and they captured the imagination of the nation. The Volunteer Regiment was one of the few – maybe the only – Volunteer Regiment to have the 30-40 Krag. This was the first smokeless powder rifle adopted by the US Army. It fired a .30 caliber round with 40 grains of smokeless powder. Other Volunteers and all Reserve units still used black powder. Black powder automatically gave away the position of infantry firing a volley so smokeless powder was a game changer. They also had two modern Colt Machine guns and a unreliable pneumatic gun that fired charge of dynamite called a dynamite gun. Much of the regiments was funded by TR and his wealthy Eastern college buddies.

The deployment was a disaster. There was not enough room for all the Rough Riders in the holds of their ship and there certainly was not enough room for horses for all but a few of the officers. The Rough Riders would have to fight on foot. One of TR’s horses drowned on deployment and he would have to make due with one horse for the campaign.

TR proved to be a natural leader and a fine soldier and he quickly distinguished himself in battle during the first engagement. Leonard Wood was quickly promoted to General and TR found himself in charge of the regiment. Shortly after this, Roosevelt would lead a dramatic charge up San Juan Hill.

My history teacher told me that Teddy was brave but he was facing unmotivated Spaniards with rusty broken down weapons. I was surprised to learn that that the Spaniard’s 1893, 7mm Mauser was a far superior rifle to the 30-40 Krag. It was more accurate and had a higher muzzle velocity then the 30-40 Krag. The author said that the Mauser magazine could be loaded very quickly with a clip of bullets. Upon further reading, I learned that the magazine was staggered to increase the capacity to hold 5 rounds. Furthermore, the Spaniards were entrenched and had fields of fire and artillery pre-sighted in. The Rough Riders attacked with the 10th US Cavalry on one flank and the 2nd US Cavalry on the other. 6,600 men charged up San Juan and Kettle Hills and 1,400 became casualties. A US Army investigation attributed the 20% US casualties to the superior, flat-shooting, fast-loading, 1893 Mauser rifle used by the Spaniards.

TR was recommended for the Medal of Honor for his role in the charge but he was not to see this accommodation during his life time. According to the author, TR had offended the Secretary of the Army and the rest of the War Dept. Also, the military establishment were very jealous of the publicity of the attention the Rough Riders received by the press. It wasn’t until Bill Clinton was in office, did TR’s descendants receive the MOH. The author made it clear that any historian that plays down TR’s role in the charge is either ignorant or being a partisan.

This was a fun, entertaining outstanding read and if you have an interest in Teddy Roosevelt or the Spanish American War you ought to try this one on for size. It provided hours of nighttime fun. It is a five star read.

[Steven Peterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a terrific story of the founding of the Rough Riders and then their deployment and combat experience. And the aftermath. Teddy Roosevelt was a bundle of energy--and sometimes that might not have been so good, in general. In this case, his energy had positive effects--although perhaps not so much at the outset of the Spanish-American War.

The sinking of the Maine in Cuban waters (under the control of Spain) fed a lust for war with Spain. The assumption was that that nation had taken action to sink the Maine. History suggests that that was an inaccurate explanation. Nonetheless, many prominent Americans--including TR--urged that the US avenge the sinking of the Maine. This is not Roosevelt at his best. A part of him wanted "action," to take part in military action.

The book chronicles the process by which the Rough Riders (a cavalry regiment) were recruited and trained. Roosevelt wanted cowboys, sharpshooters, and others from the West (including native Americans). Also participating--gentlemen from the East Coast, including athletes, upper strata individuals, and so on. A strange mix indeed! But the troops got along pretty well, given their differing backgrounds.

Roosevelt was neatly terrified by the possibility that his regiment would not be sent into battle. He used his many connections to make sure that his troops got into the fight. In the end, of course, a large proportion (but not all) of his troops boarded transports (without their horses) and steamed toward Cuba.

The work does a nice job of describing the difficult conditions in Cuba--inadequate supplies, heat, disease. There is a solid depiction of the battles that involved the Rough Riders. The deaths and injuries suffered and the accomplishments. The regiment did well--but suffered heavily from battle casualties and disease.

Afterwards the Rough Riders became favorites of the American people. The troops went back to their homes and life went on. Some did well--others poorly. There was such esprit, that meetings of surviving troops took place. TR's arrival at such meetings was responded to well.

The book also provides a good picture of TR--his pluses (intelligence, energy, imagination, a concern for the people) and some minuses (a lust for battle and a willingness to push the nation toward war). All in all, a fine volume and very readable.

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love reading about Teddy Roosevelt. This book covers his exploits with the Rough Riders from start to finish - including their connections after the War. Overall I thought this was really well written and it does a nice job of including the many personalities that were a part of the Rough Riders. It is fair to Roosevelt and calls out his flaws when the occurred (especially in regards to his indifference and even disdain for the African American Buffalo soldiers).

Recommended if you enjoy Roosevelt, a good battle, or the Spanish American War time period.

[Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book from author Mark Lee Gardner through GoodReads as a GoodReads give away. Those that enjoy history and Teddy Roosevelt will enjoy this book. This is not a biography of Theodore Roosevelt as it centers around his years prior to the US Spanish war, involvement in, and the aftermath. Firsthand accounts of how the cowboy type regiment that became known as The Rough Riders was created, formed, outfitted and transported to Cuba. I say cowboy type regiment but after reading this book one will discover the Rough Riders was not solely comprised of cowboys and westerners as many Harvard and Yale men, white and blue collar types from all over the nation came to the call to avenge the sinking of the USS Maine when it was in the Havana harbor. I highly recommend this book to fans of history and I need to say it's not a dry boring history textbook type read as it contains many firsthand accounts never before published from events on Kettle & San Juan Hills.

[Rob · Rating 5 out of 5]

The explosion of the USS Maine in Havana Harbor in February 1898 stunned the world and triggered a war between the United States and Spain. With full diplomatic relations eventually being restored with Cuba, San Juan Hill (and Kettle Hill) will soon be popular tourist destinations. If you’re a Teddy Roosevelt fan, you’ll enjoy Gardner’s well-written history lesson shining new light on Roosevelt, how he organized his volunteer cowboy regiment, and went on to capture the imagination of Americans with his immortal charge up San Juan Hill. It may be a light read, but it’s first-rate history.

[Diabolica · Rating 3 out of 5]

This novel, frankly speaking, I read under two hours. So, did I give due attention? Absolutely not.
I just needed to write a paper for pete's sake, so I happened to be only looking for pertinent information.

That said, this novel happens to extremely slightly biased, especially in promoting the American presence in the Spanish-American war. The entire novel praised the Theodore Roosevelt and the rest of his crew for joining the war due to nationalism and revenge. While the later isn't all that noble, it is when you realize that they were taking revenge for the Spanish attacking the Maine, and when the alternative reason was imperialism.

While the founding fathers of America as well as the Constitution were staunchly against colonialism, for obvious reasons (America was un-colonized no less than a century ago), there is evidence that some motivations of imperialism did exist. And for some reason this novel did not include any of that.

Another aspect of this book that made it a little difficult to stomach was the prose. Unlike the previous non-fiction novel I read, pertaining to rape, this novel was immensely dry. At parts it was interesting, but that's where the bias comes in, shining through the author's use of rhetorical devices. While at other parts, I could have done with a quick summary.

However, despite all my complaints, the author did a decent job of reiterating the events of the Spanish American war. While my reading focused very little on the actual battles ( I was reading, trying to find out causes for the Spanish American war, with little success, I might add) it was pretty clear that the author did research. And the quotations included did help overall with the quality of the novel.

Overall, this novel was a little dry for me, not mention that the Spanish American War isn't necessarily the most interesting event in American history either. While I didn't care for the author's blatant bias throughout the novel and the prose was a little dry, the content was well researched and put together.

3.5 stars

[Joe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I will always be a sucker for a battle narrative, a read that allows one to get a closer look at what unfolds on the field of battle without actually having to dodge and weave from bullets yourself. (Of course, one will never get a true feeling of battle without partaking in one.)

This book is a prime example of this. Mark Lee Gardner has written a definitive account about what it was like for Teddy Roosevelt's Rough Riders to charge up both Kettle Hill and San Juan Hill while under withering fire from an enemy with superior arms.

And yes, you heard me right: Kettle Hill AND San Juan Hill. One of the biggest revelations from reading this book is that the Rough Riders did in fact charge up both hills. There is a fallacy among the history of the Spanish-American War that the famed Rough Riders never charged up San Juan Hill, and that it was actually only Kettle Hill they attacked. Gardner concludes that this was born from unwarranted criticism, and that historical records prove that the Rough Riders engaged the Spanish in both battles.

Great writing filled with interesting and relevant facts. A good work of history combines both. Rough Riders by Mark Lee Gardner falls easily in this category.

[Sarah - All The Book Blog Names Are Taken · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finally finished this one but it was worth the read. The time it took to read it is no fault of the book, but just that I suddenly got very busy with my own book-writing and have little time for anything but Eleanor of Aquitaine right now. Still, I really dug this one, which is saying something, seeing as how I don't really care for any kind of military history at all.

See my full review on my blog

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[Eric · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received the book through a Goodreads giveaway. This book was simply 'bully'. Even if I hadn't gotten it for free I would've praised it highly. The writing and the research are excellent. It's paced well. It holds my interest. Great job.

[David Todd · Rating 5 out of 5]

Only president to receive the Medal of Honor. Rousing read.

[Jessica Foley · Rating 3 out of 5]

For someone else, I could see this being a four or five star book. For me, it was kind of a slog. I read it at the recommendation of someone. I think it is thoroughly-researched, but I just struggle to care about all of the minute details of what the regiment did. It also read a little bit like a "good old boys" glorification of the Rough Riders. There didn't seem to be a lot of nuance or insight into the why of the war or it's larger place in history, etc., just a regurgitation of their day-to-day activities. So, 4+ stars if you're looking for that kind of thing, otherwise don't waste your time...

[Brian · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this book as part of Goodreads First Reads giveaways in exchange for my honest review.

Teddy Roosevelt led a fascinating life, so I tend to read everything I can about him and this book will fit in nicely with my ever growing collection of TR books. Most people know the basics about Teddy and the Rough Riders, but what sets this book apart is the level of detail paid to the unit as a whole. Of course Teddy is the focus, but you really get to know a lot of the other colorful characters that filled out the historic troop.

I gave it 4 stars as it's a concise, informative, quick book that reads very smoothly.

[Charles Inglin · Rating 3 out of 5]

An entertaining book, competently written, but also something of a throwback to the uncritical hero worshipping style of maybe the '40's or '50's. The book recounts the story of Teddy Roosevelt and the 1st Volunteer Cavalry Regiment, the "Rough Riders," in the Spanish-American War, with a brief follow up on Roosevelt's political career and the future careers of some of the Rough Riders. The book is very uncritical and doesn't go into any depth into the causes, justification or consequences of the Spanish-American War. It reminds me of some of the juvenile history I read growing up in the '50's and '60's.

[Andrew Canfield · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book provides a look at Theodore Roosevelt's time with the First Volunteer Cavalry during the Spanish-American War. Considering it only comprises a period of several months, Rough Riders is demonstrative of just how accomplished and filled to the the brim the life of this American leader was.

Author Mark Lee Gardner deserves credit for keeping this book tightly focused on the short-lived Rough Rider unit and its goings-on immediately before, during, and after the Spanish-American War. It provides only the briefest glimpses of Teddy Roosevelt's life before and after this period in 1898.

The story will be familiar to scholars of Roosevelt: anxious to demonstrate his mettle and patriotism, then-Assistant Secretary of the Navy Theodore Roosevelt jumps on the opportunity afforded by the sinking of the U.S.S. Maine to stir up anti-Spanish, patriotic fervor. Aided by the Yellow Press (a situation skillfully written about in The War Lovers) goading the country's leadership into war, a cautious by nature President William McKinley decides to sends troops to Cuba.

Roosevelt promptly resigns his day job in D.C. and, to hear Gardner tell it, tries to pull strings with governors and a general to gain an appointment to a regiment bound for the fighting. Then in his late thirties, Roosevelt sees his time to gain "glory" in actual combat vanishing like sand in an hourglass.

He winds up as lieutenant colonel of the First Volunteer Cavalry under Colonel Leonard Wood. This unit trains in San Antonio prior to shipping off to Tampa en route to Cuba. The author spends ample time talking about the different backgrounds many of the man who mustered in San Antonio came from. Dilettante millionaires from New York mingled with cowboys from New Mexico and Arizona, making for a narrative that was more than often than not enjoyable to read.

This book does not forego detailing snags along the way to the battlefield (and possibly some on the battlefield) including confusion on the rail routes to Tampa and a delay which causes the anxious-to-depart Rough Riders to wait on board their ships before departing for the war zone.

Troops like Oklahoma Pawnee William Pollock and sheriff, school superintendent, and mayor William "Buckey" O'Neill added a human touch to the military glory attained by the First Volunteer Cavalry unit. It would have made for an even better narrative to hear more about the characters, but the book's focused structure did not allow for much deviation. Little mention is made of the Cuban insurrectos whose cause, ironically, America supposedly entered the war to promote. They often seem like bit players in a narrative centered around the Americans.

There is, however, quite a bit of detail when it comes to gruesome injuries sustained during the fighting at Log Guasimas and the charge toward the Spaniards at San Juan "Kettle" Hill. Most readers will understand that war is hell without quite so many gory details.

The June 24, 1898 Los Gusimas battle is made to look like a situation where Roosevelt unnecessarily endangered his men so that the Rough Riders could gain the sort of accolades due from a win against the enemy. It is writing like this which frees Mark Lee Gardner from looking like a total T.R. apologist. Gardner also worked a good bit into the narrative regarding just how much other fighting units were irritated at the positive, glowing press received by the Rough Riders.

His description of the two main fights the Rough Riders were in-at Los Gugimas and the July 1, 1898 charge up Kettle Hill-are composed with flourishes typical of such writing. They do not become overly bogged down in confusing detail, but neither do they contain top-notch flair for battle writing.

Prior to the Rough Rider's departure to the war zone, Gardner paints a scene showing Roosevelt jumping the Rough Riders ahead of a regular Army unit, supposedly to avoid any possibility of "missing out" on action in Cuba before the conclusion of what many suspected to be a short-lived war. Anecdotes like this show T.R. as a man willing to do what it took to get on the front lines and ensure his men got to participate in the sort of adventure he was always craving. Gardner could have written even more about how Roosevelt-always good at using the press--leveraged newspaper writers who were present in Cuba (men like Richard Harding Davis) to ensure the exploits of himself and his unit were amply covered.

T.R.'s dislike for the wartime management of men like Secretary of War Russell Alger is an example of the good eye for detail contained in this book. The human element, though possible to improve upon, was one of this book's stronger traits.

Roosevelt comes across as a brave leader during his brief stint in combat, though not one immune from the human desire to be the center of the press's adulation. This is a solid book for what it is: a breezy narrative of several spring and summer months in 1898.

-Andrew Canfield Denver, Colorado

[Kathy Heare Watts · Rating 5 out of 5]

An insight with letters, newspaper accounts, diary entries and more, along with photographs and documented sources on the Rough Riders and Theodore Roosevelt.

I won a copy of this book during a Goodreads giveaway. I am under no obligation to leave a review or rating and do so voluntarily. I am paying it forward by passing this book along to a friend or family member who I think will enjoy it too.

[Cathy Couch · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 1/2 stars. Well written and entertaining, this book taught me a lot about a period of history I knew little of.

[Al Berry · Rating 3 out of 5]

Merely an okay book on Teddy and the Roughriders.

Does nothing new nor better than other books on the topic, writing never really stood out nor ever enthralled the interest.

[Red · Rating 4 out of 5]

A pro Teddy account of his exploits in the Spanish American war. Reads quick and covers a lot of ground. Goes on a bit after the war and it is a bit of a drag then.

[Brian · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the best Teddy Roosevelt books I’ve ever read. Well researched and written-you almost feel like you’re a first hand observer of the Roughriders. Bully!

[Jimmy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was quite a fun read. The author Mark Gardner gives us a fast paced account of Theodore Roosevelt’s famous Army volunteer unit nicknamed the Rough Riders that fought during the Spanish American War. The book was not just only about Teddy Roosevelt; it was also about the men who comprised the unit.
The author’s narrative of events left me glued. The book begins with the excitement of war that spread across America after the US Navy Ship USS Maine was blown up in Cuba. Thirst for revenge mobilized many men to join the Army in hopes of an adventure and the book covered different men who wanted to join the military to be a part of the upcoming war. I thought it was interesting how many of the men were afraid that they would miss an adventure of a lifetime, afraid that the war would past them by leaving them untried and untested. There’s quite a bit of machismo here and it wasn’t only among the enlisted men that eventually became the Rough Riders, it was also true of the officers of the unit. It was insightful seeing how Roosevelt was at this time the assistant secretary of the Navy and he dropped that office in order to seek more direct participation of the war effort. As the book reveals from Roosevelt’s writing, he was seeking glory of being a participant of the combat that is to come. It seems like then as well as now we see young men desiring to go to war. Meanwhile there are some who try to caution these men to reconsider. Roosevelt himself was told by friends and family to consider his station in life, his wife and his children. Yet Roosevelt was determined to go to war. Against all odds and competition between regular Army units and volunteer outfits Roosevelt had to pull on some strings using his political capital to be able to go to Cuba for the war.
One get the sense of the Swashbuckling attitude of the Rough Riders. The author also did a good job portraying the many colorful personalities in the unit. You have your cowboys. You have your Ivy League college boys. The unit even had a former law enforcement officer in the unit that was together with a fugitive which ironically the officer before the war was trying to apprehend. Then you got the interesting pets that the unit brought along with them.
The actual battle of San Juan Hill was shorter than I expected in the book. Much of the book covered the journey to the war. I suppose that was expected given the Spanish American War went relatively quick. There’s a sense of romanticism with the glory of war one that the characters involved would have enjoyed less if it was a more prolonged and total conflict like the World Wars that would follow a few decades afterwards. As I read the book I thought about the days in 2003 when I was a young Marine among other Marines, many of whom were heading off to war for the first time as well. While technology and means of transportation has changed, it seems the human condition and human nature stays much the same.
The book also had a neat epilogue in which the author discussed about the men after the war with their pride in accomplishment, their relations to Teddy and for some how they sought the President for favors or to get out of trouble. This was very interesting for me to read. I appreciated the bravery of Roosevelt and others in the book and reading of the camaraderie among the men of the unit.

[Casey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a well written and researched book. It is the second book by the author I have read and like “To Hell On A Fast Horse” it is an engaging read. The author presents a detailed history of the Rough Riders and the challenges they faced. It also includes what happened to several of them after the conclusion of the Spanish American War. It also debunks the conspiracy theorists and historians who claim that it never happened. Overall a very good read.

[Dustin A. Vore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well Researched Story, Vividly Told

An excellent historical narrative. Author makes liberal use of quotes and first hand accounts to present a vivid and compelling story.

[Jacob Rollins · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall a well researched book to give you an intricate view into this chapter of history and Roosevelt’s life. Would read off and on for over a year. Sometimes the narrative would get lost in the details.

[R.G. Phelps · Rating 5 out of 5]

My daughter gave me this book for Father's Day with the inscription: To another 'Rough Rider' - Love Bridget. I am pleased to share my feelings about Mark Lee Gardner's, "Rough Riders" the true history of Theodore Roosevelt, His Cowboy Regiment, and the Immortal Charge Up San Juan Hill. We need this type of research to assure that history, as we know it, is truthfully told as it occurred. I gained a deeper understanding of an American hero, Theodore Roosevelt, because of this book. Mark Lee Gardner indeed did his research traveling from Colorado, to Boston, New York City, Washington D.C., as well as lengthy trips to New Mexico, Arizona, and Texas - to share this story with us fortunate readers. His research led him to prolific letters and diaries written by dozens of the original members of the Rough Riders, plus newspaper articles and journals written about this memorial time in American History. I learned that Theodore Roosevelt was not selfish and contributed what he could to make the life of the "Rough Riders" more palatable. When you read this book you will feel the heat of the battle and hopefully, like I, will gain more respect for Theodore Roosevelt. My biggest surprise was how individuals would try to take away how heroic Theodore Roosevelt truly was. There have always been spoilers out there that attempt to change history to be what they think is "politically correct" rather than the way it actually happened. I suggest that you read this account and form your own opinion without the distractions tried by jealous individuals. Enjoy...

[Feisty Harriet · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't know much about the Spanish-American war fought in Cuba, but the short version is that Teddy Roosevelt and a couple thousand cowboy-soldiers (well, cowboys and East coast upper crusts) drove the Imperial Spanish army out of Cuba with support and cheering on from the Cuban Resistance fighters. The story is a great one, for sure, but mostly the book just frustrated me. The US declares war on Spanish-controlled Cuba after the USS Maine was "torpedoed" by the Spanish army...only, there is zero proof of such an act, it was probably an internal explosion, but the newspapers of the time--and the rampant Yellow Journalism, thanks Pulitzer and Hearst--blamed it on the Spanish and were pushing the US to engage. AND THEN, the army finally gets to Florida and it's time to leave for Cuba, and everything is so sloppy and unorganized, it's a total mess. There aren't supplies and food and medicine for the army, when they get to the jungle they are woefully ill equipped, they don't have ammunition or food or anything. Because the US wasn't actually ready to go to war. But the press pushed them into it, somehow. Ugh. I was disgusted by the whole thing.

Teddy and his Rough Riders did their jobs, but I 100% disagree with how this whole campaign came to be, and that tainted the whole book for me. Blergh.

[David Zimmerman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This work is a solid 4.5 star read. Gardner brings together lesser known events of history, and brings them to life. His representation of Roosevelt is the best I have read. He has become a more impressive individual in my esteem. His role in leading the Rough Riders didn’t create Roosevelt; it provided the stage in which the integrity and character of Roosevelt were allowed to be seen, though that was never Roosevelt’s intent.

Not only does the author do a superb job of portraying Roosevelt, he also gives us an unvarnished look at his times. It gives the reader an opportunity to see some of the flaws of American history, which our current cancel culture endeavors to erase, and how men were shaped by them and, rose above them. It also allows us to see that, for all the flaws that remain, how far America has progressed in correcting them.

The only weakness to the book (and it may be more of myself, the reader) is that it gets bogged down at times in the final chapters. While I appreciate his concluding vignettes of the Rough Riders, I think some of them could have been omitted. Some were helpful, filling in the portrait of Roosevelt. Others just felt like filler.

If you like American history and biography, this volume is worth reading. Expect a 5 star read, but you won’t be overly disappointed if it falls a bit short.

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

I did a review on this book about a month ago. It did not have the picture on the cover yet. It has a plain generic cover. Sent the review through again.

Merged review:

I was a good reads first reads winner of this book. I received an ARC copy. This is a rather interesting part of history. In 1898 the Ship the USS Maine was sunk in Havana Harbor by Spaniards. President McKinley authorized troups from the USA to go and help Cuba get the Spaniards out of Cuba. Theodore Roosevelt was the man who helped start up the "Rough Riders" to go to Cuba and battle the Spaniards. Within weeks Roosevelt recruited nearly 1,000 men. The interesting part is who he recruited, the company consisted Cowboys, Ivy league graduates, and well to do Clubmen, He even recruited some African American men. this book writes of getting those groups together organizing the ride to Miami on Train with the troops, horses, and equipment. When they got to Cuba the wait to start the War against the Spaniards. It is pretty descriptive of what they went through. The men who died. How long this short war took. Many details in this book, about the Rough Riders. Teddy Roosevelt's involvement . A pretty good read. I learned some about the Rough Riders.and Theodore Roosevelt.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very informative book encompassing a part of Teddy's life that I personally knew little about - I have previously read about his years as commissioner of the NYPD and his fight against corruption there and of course about his many feats during his presidency. However, although his time in the Rough Riders was frequently alluded to in other books this was my first real exploration of it. Gardner was a descriptive story teller and I appreciated that he gave readers perspectives from various sources other than Teddy himself - other Rough Riders, war correspondents, and friends of Roosevelt. As someone who is not a frequent reader of war books or battle strategies, I found his descriptions of the battles the men were in and the particulars of the chain of command that Roosevelt was so often frustrated with easy to follow and I never found myself confused about what was going on. I enjoyed learning more about Teddy and why he was awarded a Medal of Honor and would recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a quick read about a part of Teddy's life that is not as often spoken about.

[Paul Anderson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this as part of a GoodReads First Reads contest. I had previously read Edmund Morris' trilogy of Roosevelt biographies, but was interested in seeing this one element of TR's life in detail. This book was a well written account, drawing on countless primary sources and diary entries to capture both the important strategic moments of the Battle of San Juan Hill and the day to day minutiae of the Rough Rider experience. Also, a minor note, but the placement of photographs was very well thought out, they were always at exactly the right point in the narrative. If anything, this shines an ever brighter light on some of Roosevelt's flaws, such as his disturbing bloodlust, racism, and over-inflated sense of pride. Still, a complicated character of a man, and this book captured those multiple angles well.