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The Crowded Hour: Theodore Roosevelt, the Rough Riders, and the Dawn of the American Century
A NEW YORK TIMES 100 NOTABLE BOOKS OF 2019 SELECTION
The dramatic story of the most famous regiment in American history: the Rough Riders, a motley group of soldiers led by Theodore Roosevelt, whose daring exploits marked the beginning of American imperialism in the 20th century.
When America declared war on Spain in 1898, the US Army had just 26,000 men, spread around the country—hardly an army at all. In desperation, the Rough Riders were born. A unique group of volunteers, ranging from Ivy League athletes to Arizona cowboys and led by Theodore Roosevelt, they helped secure victory in Cuba in a series of gripping, bloody fights across the island. Roosevelt called their charge in the Battle of San Juan Hill his “crowded hour”—a turning point in his life, one that led directly to the White House. “The instant I received the order,” wrote Roosevelt, “I sprang on my horse and then my ‘crowded hour’ began.” As The Crowded Hour reveals, it was a turning point for America as well, uniting the country and ushering in a new era of global power.
Both a portrait of these men, few of whom were traditional soldiers, and of the Spanish-American War itself, The Crowded Hour dives deep into the daily lives and struggles of Roosevelt and his regiment. Using diaries, letters, and memoirs, Risen illuminates a disproportionately influential moment in American history: a war of only six months’ time that dramatically altered the United States’ standing in the world. In this brilliant, enlightening narrative, the Rough Riders—and a country on the brink of a new global dominance—are brought fully and gloriously to life.
The dramatic story of the most famous regiment in American history: the Rough Riders, a motley group of soldiers led by Theodore Roosevelt, whose daring exploits marked the beginning of American imperialism in the 20th century.
When America declared war on Spain in 1898, the US Army had just 26,000 men, spread around the country—hardly an army at all. In desperation, the Rough Riders were born. A unique group of volunteers, ranging from Ivy League athletes to Arizona cowboys and led by Theodore Roosevelt, they helped secure victory in Cuba in a series of gripping, bloody fights across the island. Roosevelt called their charge in the Battle of San Juan Hill his “crowded hour”—a turning point in his life, one that led directly to the White House. “The instant I received the order,” wrote Roosevelt, “I sprang on my horse and then my ‘crowded hour’ began.” As The Crowded Hour reveals, it was a turning point for America as well, uniting the country and ushering in a new era of global power.
Both a portrait of these men, few of whom were traditional soldiers, and of the Spanish-American War itself, The Crowded Hour dives deep into the daily lives and struggles of Roosevelt and his regiment. Using diaries, letters, and memoirs, Risen illuminates a disproportionately influential moment in American history: a war of only six months’ time that dramatically altered the United States’ standing in the world. In this brilliant, enlightening narrative, the Rough Riders—and a country on the brink of a new global dominance—are brought fully and gloriously to life.
368 pages, Hardcover
First published June 4, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 99 reviews
December 3, 2019
Thoughts soon.
May 7, 2019
It is always enjoyable to read a history book that reads like a novel. 'The Crowded Hour' is not a biography of Theodore Roosevelt nor is it a full description of the Spanish-American War or even the liberation of Cuba from Spanish control. It is, however, an in-depth portrayal of Roosevelt's Rough Riders and their trials getting to, fighting in, and return from the Cuban conflict. There were many failures on the part of the national government and the Army hierarchy that were tragic and unnecessary. The Rough Riders succeeded in spite of the all.
June 26, 2019
The Spanish-American War sparked the earliest fire of U.S. imperialism, and the eccentric rich man that pushed it forward, Theodore Roosevelt, was at its center. Risen provides a contemporary view of this badly managed chapter in American history, dispelling longstanding myths and examining the long term effect of the conflict on the U.S. military. My thanks go to Net Galley and Scribner for the review copy, which I read free in exchange for this honest review. This book is for sale now.
Roosevelt was challenged with a number of health problems as a youngster, but instead of embracing his sedentary, privileged existence, he embarked on a series of physically demanding adventures in order to strengthen his constitution and affirm his masculinity.
When Cuban nationalists sought independence from Spain, Teddy began campaigning for American intervention. Men of his generation had not known the destruction of lives and property that touched every part of this nation during the American Civil War, and like most young people, they were unwilling to listen to their elders. Roosevelt believed that war was a splendid thing, and that in facing death, men were elevated to a higher level. He joined his voice to those in the press advocating military aid to Cuba, and after tapping every powerful connection his wealthy family could access, he was successful.
His own unit—all volunteers—were dubbed the “Rough Riders.” Most had no military training of any kind; the mighty Union Army had been all but disbanded once the nation was reunited. Though they were promoted as cowboys, the rugged individuals of the Wild West, a goodly number hailed from Wall Street and Harvard. In addition to being able to fund their own wartime excursion, they were noteworthy in their riding capability.
There was no San Juan Hill. There was a series of them.
The American invasion of Cuba cast a spotlight on its unpreparedness. Transporting troops, beasts and equipment across the Atlantic was a debacle of the worst order. There weren’t even close to enough seaworthy vessels, and because of this, most of the so-called cowboys fought on foot the entire time; horses and mules were stuck back in Tampa waiting to sail. There wasn’t enough food, potable water, or appropriate clothing for most of the men; the wealthiest among them fared best, but there were many occasions when there wasn’t any food to be bought at any price. There had been no reconnaissance and so they went in blind; the heat and disease killed more Americans than the Spaniards did. Vultures and immense land crabs that measured 2 feet across and traveled by the thousands made short work of the dead when not buried immediately. American losses were nearly triple those of the Spanish, and when the war ended there were no hospitals or sanitation ready to receive the legions of sick and wounded when they returned from the Caribbean.
Roosevelt used the occasion to point to the need for a standing army and U.S. readiness, and ultimately this was his one useful contribution. In other regards, the man was an ass hat. His bald-faced racism, though not unusual at the time, went over badly with the Cuban freedom fighters that were supposed to benefit from their presence. He crowed to his friends about how much he enjoyed shooting an enemy soldier from just a few feet away “like a jackrabbit,” and called his 45 days of combat the ultimate hunting trip. Mark Twain hated the guy, and it’s not hard to see why.
Risen has an engaging writing style, and he uses lots of well-chosen quotations. His research is excellent as are his sources. I would have liked to see more of a breakdown along the lines of social class and other demographics, but this war did not yield a rich archival treasury like the one that came from the Civil War, so this may not be possible.
All told, this history is a find. Right now it seems that every second historian on the planet is writing about World War II, whereas this cringeworthy but significant chapter of American history has been largely left by the wayside. I highly recommend this book.
Roosevelt was challenged with a number of health problems as a youngster, but instead of embracing his sedentary, privileged existence, he embarked on a series of physically demanding adventures in order to strengthen his constitution and affirm his masculinity.
When Cuban nationalists sought independence from Spain, Teddy began campaigning for American intervention. Men of his generation had not known the destruction of lives and property that touched every part of this nation during the American Civil War, and like most young people, they were unwilling to listen to their elders. Roosevelt believed that war was a splendid thing, and that in facing death, men were elevated to a higher level. He joined his voice to those in the press advocating military aid to Cuba, and after tapping every powerful connection his wealthy family could access, he was successful.
His own unit—all volunteers—were dubbed the “Rough Riders.” Most had no military training of any kind; the mighty Union Army had been all but disbanded once the nation was reunited. Though they were promoted as cowboys, the rugged individuals of the Wild West, a goodly number hailed from Wall Street and Harvard. In addition to being able to fund their own wartime excursion, they were noteworthy in their riding capability.
There was no San Juan Hill. There was a series of them.
The American invasion of Cuba cast a spotlight on its unpreparedness. Transporting troops, beasts and equipment across the Atlantic was a debacle of the worst order. There weren’t even close to enough seaworthy vessels, and because of this, most of the so-called cowboys fought on foot the entire time; horses and mules were stuck back in Tampa waiting to sail. There wasn’t enough food, potable water, or appropriate clothing for most of the men; the wealthiest among them fared best, but there were many occasions when there wasn’t any food to be bought at any price. There had been no reconnaissance and so they went in blind; the heat and disease killed more Americans than the Spaniards did. Vultures and immense land crabs that measured 2 feet across and traveled by the thousands made short work of the dead when not buried immediately. American losses were nearly triple those of the Spanish, and when the war ended there were no hospitals or sanitation ready to receive the legions of sick and wounded when they returned from the Caribbean.
Roosevelt used the occasion to point to the need for a standing army and U.S. readiness, and ultimately this was his one useful contribution. In other regards, the man was an ass hat. His bald-faced racism, though not unusual at the time, went over badly with the Cuban freedom fighters that were supposed to benefit from their presence. He crowed to his friends about how much he enjoyed shooting an enemy soldier from just a few feet away “like a jackrabbit,” and called his 45 days of combat the ultimate hunting trip. Mark Twain hated the guy, and it’s not hard to see why.
Risen has an engaging writing style, and he uses lots of well-chosen quotations. His research is excellent as are his sources. I would have liked to see more of a breakdown along the lines of social class and other demographics, but this war did not yield a rich archival treasury like the one that came from the Civil War, so this may not be possible.
All told, this history is a find. Right now it seems that every second historian on the planet is writing about World War II, whereas this cringeworthy but significant chapter of American history has been largely left by the wayside. I highly recommend this book.
July 2, 2019
As the 20th century peered over the horizon, America was a nation at a historic crossroad. Decades after its own Civil War and Reconstruction, the United States was expanding across its own continent while contemporaneously becoming a far greater player on the world stage. Still a young nation, it had been relatively free of foreign influence largely due to the vast oceans bordering its shores.
But now, in 1898, America’s economic growth and the ever-shrinking world resulting from technological progress were bringing that isolation to an end. Every nation believes that it stands for something, but Americans were convinced they were different. Millions had fought and hundreds of thousands had died in a civil war over liberty and equality. Now the country faced the beginnings of a struggle that asked how it might become a world power while speaking to those values.
Clay Risen’s THE CROWDED HOUR combines the best elements of biography and history to present a significant account of the Spanish-American War, as well as an entertaining profile of the war’s most celebrated hero, Teddy Roosevelt. The future President would form the Rough Riders, a regiment in existence for a mere six months but still one of the best-known military units in American history. The nearly 1,000 volunteer soldiers came from all walks of life, every region of the nation, and seemed motivated simply by a desire to do what they thought was right. Suddenly, the American soldier was not a nameless, faceless misfit. He was a patriot and a man of intelligence fighting for the great American principles of liberty, equality and humanity.
The story of the Rough Riders begins with Theodore Roosevelt Jr. He was born into wealth and represented a new philosophy in American politics: that America’s responsibility to its own interests as well as the world’s required the nation to use its growing power to shape foreign affairs. Throughout his life, Roosevelt would be a strong proponent of energy and intelligence, maintaining his body with exercise and his brain with intellectual vigor. At Harvard, he authored a book on the navy in the War of 1812, which still remains in publication. He became active in New York politics, but retained a world view and joined President McKinley’s administration as an Assistant Secretary of the Navy.
As war with Spain approached over the fight for Cuban independence, it was Roosevelt and Leonard Wood, the White House physician and a Congressional Medal of Honor winner, who were appointed to command the First United States Volunteer Cavalry. When the Spanish-American War commenced, the regular American army consisted of only 28,000 soldiers. A rapid mobilization was required, and volunteers were abundant.
However, many of those volunteers, while high on patriotic fervor, were not quite ready for military service. By June 1898, 127,798 men had applied for enlistment, but only 29,521 were accepted. That meant that 77 percent were deemed unfit to serve. The pace of enlistment and mobilization was chaotic. The United States military at the turn of the century was not a national army, and still relied on militias and territorial defense forces. Creating an army was only part of the problem. McKinley had gone to war without a clear military strategy. Indeed, the only branch of the military that seemed to have a strategy in place was the U.S. Navy.
The media loved the Rough Riders, “drawn from all walks of life and all parts of the country,” and Roosevelt was more than satisfied to have the spotlight focus on him and his regiment. But Roosevelt, a man who stressed preparation for the Navy, must have been extremely frustrated by the lack of any coherent plan to engage on Cuban soil. The Rough Riders prevailed with their gallant charge up San Juan Hill, and Roosevelt’s place in history was firmly established.
THE CROWDED HOUR is a stirring narrative of both Theodore Roosevelt and the Spanish-American War. As a historical account, it is a reminder of how far our nation has come as a world power, but how we struggle today with the obligations that come with that power.
Reviewed by Stuart Shiffman
But now, in 1898, America’s economic growth and the ever-shrinking world resulting from technological progress were bringing that isolation to an end. Every nation believes that it stands for something, but Americans were convinced they were different. Millions had fought and hundreds of thousands had died in a civil war over liberty and equality. Now the country faced the beginnings of a struggle that asked how it might become a world power while speaking to those values.
Clay Risen’s THE CROWDED HOUR combines the best elements of biography and history to present a significant account of the Spanish-American War, as well as an entertaining profile of the war’s most celebrated hero, Teddy Roosevelt. The future President would form the Rough Riders, a regiment in existence for a mere six months but still one of the best-known military units in American history. The nearly 1,000 volunteer soldiers came from all walks of life, every region of the nation, and seemed motivated simply by a desire to do what they thought was right. Suddenly, the American soldier was not a nameless, faceless misfit. He was a patriot and a man of intelligence fighting for the great American principles of liberty, equality and humanity.
The story of the Rough Riders begins with Theodore Roosevelt Jr. He was born into wealth and represented a new philosophy in American politics: that America’s responsibility to its own interests as well as the world’s required the nation to use its growing power to shape foreign affairs. Throughout his life, Roosevelt would be a strong proponent of energy and intelligence, maintaining his body with exercise and his brain with intellectual vigor. At Harvard, he authored a book on the navy in the War of 1812, which still remains in publication. He became active in New York politics, but retained a world view and joined President McKinley’s administration as an Assistant Secretary of the Navy.
As war with Spain approached over the fight for Cuban independence, it was Roosevelt and Leonard Wood, the White House physician and a Congressional Medal of Honor winner, who were appointed to command the First United States Volunteer Cavalry. When the Spanish-American War commenced, the regular American army consisted of only 28,000 soldiers. A rapid mobilization was required, and volunteers were abundant.
However, many of those volunteers, while high on patriotic fervor, were not quite ready for military service. By June 1898, 127,798 men had applied for enlistment, but only 29,521 were accepted. That meant that 77 percent were deemed unfit to serve. The pace of enlistment and mobilization was chaotic. The United States military at the turn of the century was not a national army, and still relied on militias and territorial defense forces. Creating an army was only part of the problem. McKinley had gone to war without a clear military strategy. Indeed, the only branch of the military that seemed to have a strategy in place was the U.S. Navy.
The media loved the Rough Riders, “drawn from all walks of life and all parts of the country,” and Roosevelt was more than satisfied to have the spotlight focus on him and his regiment. But Roosevelt, a man who stressed preparation for the Navy, must have been extremely frustrated by the lack of any coherent plan to engage on Cuban soil. The Rough Riders prevailed with their gallant charge up San Juan Hill, and Roosevelt’s place in history was firmly established.
THE CROWDED HOUR is a stirring narrative of both Theodore Roosevelt and the Spanish-American War. As a historical account, it is a reminder of how far our nation has come as a world power, but how we struggle today with the obligations that come with that power.
Reviewed by Stuart Shiffman
May 19, 2019
I really enjoyed this book! Initially, I feared it would be another boring textbook-like history book, but Clary Risen and his team created an engaging and exciting historical account of a pivotal moment in American history.
I would recommend this book to anyone who's interested in history, the military, imperialism, Theodore Roosevelt, Cuba, and humanitarianism. It's a thoughtful and important read that helped me better understand President Teddy Roosevelt and my country and its history, including why we wage war in other countries.
I would recommend this book to anyone who's interested in history, the military, imperialism, Theodore Roosevelt, Cuba, and humanitarianism. It's a thoughtful and important read that helped me better understand President Teddy Roosevelt and my country and its history, including why we wage war in other countries.
June 28, 2019
A great book, providing a broad history of America’s involvement in the Spanish-American(-Cuban-Filipino) War along with detailed look at Teddy Roosevelt & the Rough Riders participation in that war. This book doesn’t give a very detailed overall account of the Spanish-American War (I recommend ”Empire By Default” by Ivan Musciant for that). But it does show how the social and cultural elements present in America influenced the conflict. The author does a great job in setting the stage for the War and explaining its causes, outlining America at the end of the 19th Century as it was pushed and pulled by various conflicts and opportunities. The story then shifts to a more detailed history of the Rough Riders. The book dispels many myths of that storied unit, but does maintain its aura. Indeed, the author makes a good case that the individual Rough Rider still represents the archetypal American military volunteer, over 100 years later. As can be imagined by the title, Roosevelt’s fight up San Juan Hill is well told, with the various legends surrounding that famous day carefully adjudicated. I actually found the ending, covering the Army’s continued presence in Cuba and then the rushed departure and long spell in various East Coast hospital camps, the most fascinating part. All in all a well written and enjoyable book to read. I certainly better appreciate how the original cultural and emotional architecture of a military unit will affect their later fighting potential. Highly recommended for those wanting to know more about the Spanish-American-Cuban-Filipino War or who want to dive deep into the collective psychology of America’s volunteer military units.
June 20, 2019
Just a thoroughly great read! Mr. Risen's book is both an engrossing page turner and a deep dive into a brief, but ultimately highly consequential moment in American history that nonetheless is often looked at as a brief and quirky adventure in the larger epic of Theodore Roosevelt's life. While the book does an excellent job of covering Roosevelt, what truly makes it shine is the way Mr. Risen brings the Rough Riders to life through copious excerpts from the letters, diaries, and other first-hand accounts of the men who trained and fought with the Rough Riders. Mr. Risen also does an exceptional job of describing the brief Cuban campaign (and the training leading up to it) in such great detail as to almost make one feel the bites of the countless mosquitoes, the ceaseless heat and sun, and the perpetually empty bellies of the soldiers. As such, The Crowded Hour stands as a first-rate example of deeply immersive narrative history, while also doing an excellent job of pointing out both the larger historical and political contexts that framed the conflict, as well the lasting impacts, including the massive changes the conflict brought to the U.S. military, foreign policy, and geo-political power alignments. The truth is, you really don't need to care about Roosevelt, the Rough Riders, or the Spanish-American War to be drawn into the book. The writing is strong enough that even if you had no previous interest in the topic, you will nonetheless become quickly engrossed in the whole saga within a few pages.
May 2, 2019
“The Crowded Hour, Theodore Roosevelt, the Rough Riders, and the Dawn of the American Century” by Clay Risen, published by Scribner.
Category – Military History Publication Date – June 04, 2019.
This book blew my mind and gave me a true perspective of the charge up San Juan Hill. It also destroyed the myth I was taught in school.
The first thing one must understand is that at the time the United States had a very small standing army. When war was declared on Spain, actually it was Cuba, the Philippines’, and Puerto Rico, the United States had to depend on volunteers. Luckily there was no end to the men who wanted to go to war and sometimes for dubious reasons.
Teddy Roosevelt was able to assemble a Cavalry Regiment made up of college students, cowboys, and anyone else that met Teddy’s requirements. The war proved to be an eye-opener as the United States found itself unprepared in equipment, logistics, and capable leadership. The hardships that these men faced were almost unbelievable, and were far from a walk in the park.
The war though brought Roosevelt to the political forefront and ushered in a change from American isolationism to imperialism.
A dynamite book that will change the reader’s concept of the glory of war and how it can change the fortunes of those involved in it.
Category – Military History Publication Date – June 04, 2019.
This book blew my mind and gave me a true perspective of the charge up San Juan Hill. It also destroyed the myth I was taught in school.
The first thing one must understand is that at the time the United States had a very small standing army. When war was declared on Spain, actually it was Cuba, the Philippines’, and Puerto Rico, the United States had to depend on volunteers. Luckily there was no end to the men who wanted to go to war and sometimes for dubious reasons.
Teddy Roosevelt was able to assemble a Cavalry Regiment made up of college students, cowboys, and anyone else that met Teddy’s requirements. The war proved to be an eye-opener as the United States found itself unprepared in equipment, logistics, and capable leadership. The hardships that these men faced were almost unbelievable, and were far from a walk in the park.
The war though brought Roosevelt to the political forefront and ushered in a change from American isolationism to imperialism.
A dynamite book that will change the reader’s concept of the glory of war and how it can change the fortunes of those involved in it.
May 19, 2019
This book is well written and researched. The author does an excellent job of portraying the actual events and exploits of the Rough Riders versus the more public account created by the media of the time and some of the less engaged indviduals who "fought" during that time. What I found most interesting was that the outcome was the same, but the events leading to the creation of the Rough Riders, the training and supplies they received and the course of the actual battles is very different from what many believed. Add to that that the war started based on an event that happened, but not as told in history (the Maine blew up on its own, not due to Spanish sabotage) makes this a very engaging read.
I recomend this book for those looking for more information on the Theodore Roosevelt and the Rough Riders and the actual role they played in the Spanish American War.
I received a free Kindle copy of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher with the understanding that I would post a review on Net Galley, Goodreads, Amazon and my fiction book review blog. I also posted it to my Facebook and Twitter pages.
I recomend this book for those looking for more information on the Theodore Roosevelt and the Rough Riders and the actual role they played in the Spanish American War.
I received a free Kindle copy of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher with the understanding that I would post a review on Net Galley, Goodreads, Amazon and my fiction book review blog. I also posted it to my Facebook and Twitter pages.
May 10, 2020
The Crowded Hour is both a detailed account of the Rough Riders' exploits and an analysis of the Spanish-American War's place in US history. The sections on contemporary sentiments towards the war and on how the conflict influenced future US actions are especially strong. The portions focused on the Rough Riders' feats can get a bit bogged down in details.
July 23, 2019
Another book on Teddy and the Rough Riders, nothing new here
June 18, 2019
What is the point of history?
I've asked this question before. If we consider the point that those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it, any history written today should stand as a warning from the past. Yes, history is just a story, so if I am hell-bent on reading about George Washington, there is that kind of history, but the truly great history books should serve as cautionary tales from our communal past. Take for instance the "Make America Great Again" movement--any of the people swallowing what our little Napoleon of a president is selling here would be hard pressed to tell you when America was actually "great" so that we need to make it "great again." There are two reasons for this--first, MAGA chuds are about as well read as the president himself, and as such they are ignorant as fuck. Secondly, deep down, they know that verbalizing their shitty racist views is bad form, even for them, but the implied answer is that America was great when all of the minorities, women, queers, et al knew their place and shut the fuck up. This view is total horseshit, and totally what an ignorant racist asshole would think, but unfortunately the view has a historical precedent in the idea of American exceptionalism. The embodiment of that philosophy at the turn of the last century was Theodore Roosevelt, who before his stint as the president of the United States was a member of the Rough Riders--a volunteer cavalry unit that was part of the attack on Santiago, Cuba during the Spanish-American War.
I had first heard about The Crowded Hour when I heard the author, Clay Risen, interviewed on NPR (this is my usual entry point for non-fiction books.) While Risen was being interviewed, he made it sound like this book was about not just Roosevelt, but about the individual Rough Riders themselves. This is a bit of false advertising, because for the most part, unless the Rough Rider got killed during the Cuba campaign, the rest of the group comes off as a faceless mass for the most part. (Did you know that some of the Rough Riders got left behind in Tampa? I didn't until I read this book and yet we don't hear about their stories. Sure, it isn't as exciting as getting blown up in Cuba, but it would be an interesting aside.) So that just leaves us the star of the show--Roosevelt himself.
While Roosevelt was the face of "progressive" politics at the beginning of the twentieth century, I think if he lived today, we would think he was a showy, narcissistic asshole, like the current occupant of the White House, albeit a more intelligent version (the current one can barely read a Happy Meal menu.) Reading Roosevelt's story, it feels like he was trying to compensate for being born too late--his adulthood happened after the Civil War and he had no chance to prove how "exceptional" and "masculine" he was. The Spanish-American War was his opportunity for glory, which I would argue is a shitty reason to actually do it. Because the war was portrayed as a humanitarian mission rather than a naked land grab (hmmm...where have we seen that before?) the American people, having forgotten the sting of the death and destruction of the Civil War, got behind it. This reveals the arrogance of American exceptionalism, which was the driver not only behind this war, but our involvement in two World Wars, Korea, Vietnam, Iraq and the driver behind MAGA. The problem is that American exceptionalism "excepts" anyone who isn't a cis white male. Even though a segregated African-American cavalry unit was essential to victory in Cuba (along with a myriad of Spanish fuck ups), Roosevelt downplayed their involvement, indicating that they only did so well because of their white commanders. This is the same bullshit attitude that fuels this MAGA crap.
Ultimately, my issue with this book is that Risen is too subtle with his critiques of American exceptionalism. At the end of the book, he is able to show that by the end of the twentieth century, most of the stories told about the Rough Riders were pure fiction--the foundation of the MAGA movement is built upon lies. Unfortunately, as I said, MAGA true believers are first and foremost ignorant--and they aren't the sort of people who dig for the truth, or likely read. So is there a point to telling this story in the first place?
I've asked this question before. If we consider the point that those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it, any history written today should stand as a warning from the past. Yes, history is just a story, so if I am hell-bent on reading about George Washington, there is that kind of history, but the truly great history books should serve as cautionary tales from our communal past. Take for instance the "Make America Great Again" movement--any of the people swallowing what our little Napoleon of a president is selling here would be hard pressed to tell you when America was actually "great" so that we need to make it "great again." There are two reasons for this--first, MAGA chuds are about as well read as the president himself, and as such they are ignorant as fuck. Secondly, deep down, they know that verbalizing their shitty racist views is bad form, even for them, but the implied answer is that America was great when all of the minorities, women, queers, et al knew their place and shut the fuck up. This view is total horseshit, and totally what an ignorant racist asshole would think, but unfortunately the view has a historical precedent in the idea of American exceptionalism. The embodiment of that philosophy at the turn of the last century was Theodore Roosevelt, who before his stint as the president of the United States was a member of the Rough Riders--a volunteer cavalry unit that was part of the attack on Santiago, Cuba during the Spanish-American War.
I had first heard about The Crowded Hour when I heard the author, Clay Risen, interviewed on NPR (this is my usual entry point for non-fiction books.) While Risen was being interviewed, he made it sound like this book was about not just Roosevelt, but about the individual Rough Riders themselves. This is a bit of false advertising, because for the most part, unless the Rough Rider got killed during the Cuba campaign, the rest of the group comes off as a faceless mass for the most part. (Did you know that some of the Rough Riders got left behind in Tampa? I didn't until I read this book and yet we don't hear about their stories. Sure, it isn't as exciting as getting blown up in Cuba, but it would be an interesting aside.) So that just leaves us the star of the show--Roosevelt himself.
While Roosevelt was the face of "progressive" politics at the beginning of the twentieth century, I think if he lived today, we would think he was a showy, narcissistic asshole, like the current occupant of the White House, albeit a more intelligent version (the current one can barely read a Happy Meal menu.) Reading Roosevelt's story, it feels like he was trying to compensate for being born too late--his adulthood happened after the Civil War and he had no chance to prove how "exceptional" and "masculine" he was. The Spanish-American War was his opportunity for glory, which I would argue is a shitty reason to actually do it. Because the war was portrayed as a humanitarian mission rather than a naked land grab (hmmm...where have we seen that before?) the American people, having forgotten the sting of the death and destruction of the Civil War, got behind it. This reveals the arrogance of American exceptionalism, which was the driver not only behind this war, but our involvement in two World Wars, Korea, Vietnam, Iraq and the driver behind MAGA. The problem is that American exceptionalism "excepts" anyone who isn't a cis white male. Even though a segregated African-American cavalry unit was essential to victory in Cuba (along with a myriad of Spanish fuck ups), Roosevelt downplayed their involvement, indicating that they only did so well because of their white commanders. This is the same bullshit attitude that fuels this MAGA crap.
Ultimately, my issue with this book is that Risen is too subtle with his critiques of American exceptionalism. At the end of the book, he is able to show that by the end of the twentieth century, most of the stories told about the Rough Riders were pure fiction--the foundation of the MAGA movement is built upon lies. Unfortunately, as I said, MAGA true believers are first and foremost ignorant--and they aren't the sort of people who dig for the truth, or likely read. So is there a point to telling this story in the first place?
February 25, 2021
This book did a good job at getting to the truth of the infamous Rough Riders involving the bloodshed, violence, and hardships these brave men faced to answer a sense of duty that they felt was right. As mentioned in the book, many of the current and recent wars such as Vietnam and Iraq are easily tied into what happened in the Spanish American War and the coming of age for the United States.
September 14, 2022
Fascinating history, but rambles quite a bit and very hard to get going.
September 21, 2020
3.5 stars
February 2, 2025
Couldn't even finish this snoozefest. Night at the Museum does a better job at telling his story than this.
August 12, 2019
History has always seemed to hold a romanticized vision of the story of Teddy Roosevelt, the Rough Riders and their time during the Spanish American War at the turn of the 20th century. This book tells the tale, warts and all, leading to a more nuanced view of this time in American history.
While there was a lot to admire about Teddy and his accomplishments, there is a lot to question when it comes to the story's part in the rise of American intervention in foreign affairs and wars and the exclusion of some populations and their support of America's growth and history.
Topics like racism on the part of Roosevelt and others are covered here, and leaders of that time don't fare well in modern eyes.
The book bogs down in spots with what I felt were gratuitous stories of the messy business of war...making it a little tedious to read at points, but I appreciated the author's willingness to attempt to separate fact from the popular fiction of that time.
While there was a lot to admire about Teddy and his accomplishments, there is a lot to question when it comes to the story's part in the rise of American intervention in foreign affairs and wars and the exclusion of some populations and their support of America's growth and history.
Topics like racism on the part of Roosevelt and others are covered here, and leaders of that time don't fare well in modern eyes.
The book bogs down in spots with what I felt were gratuitous stories of the messy business of war...making it a little tedious to read at points, but I appreciated the author's willingness to attempt to separate fact from the popular fiction of that time.
September 24, 2019
The Crowded Hour shouldn’t have felt like a grind to finish, but it regrettably did. From the first few pages it comes across as a very well researched text and an exciting one, too. It discusses in depth the political climate in America at the close of the 19th century. The America described is one licking its wounds from the Civil War, coming to grips with its untested power in the would and reconciling a change towards global military might. The story is about more than Teddy Roosevelt, it is about the men he fought with, the America they grew up in, and the America they returned to as victors in a war at the center of the international stage. Where the Crowded Hour struggles, however, is the opinion injected in between the lines. At points, the Crowded Hour reads more like an apology for America’s rapid military growth and global footprint. It’s aims to tell an untold truth about the Rough Riders and breakdown the myths surrounding one of America’s most storied military units. I was, ultimately, somewhat disappointed, but I still feel like I received the history I wanted in buying this book.
September 26, 2019
This was an excellent and well researched book that made the events come alive. The impact of that war was fascinating. A great read.
September 19, 2019
I liked this book. I am an avid reader of non-fiction books concerning the Spanish American War. This not a books specifically about the Spanish American War, nor is it a book about Roosevelt. It focuses mainly on the Rough Riders as a unit. Little mention is made of the Philippines or Puerto Rico. I found the book interesting and well written, but fairly general despite its narrow focus. There was little new insight or works discussed in the book.
I recommend this book for someone who is looking for an easy to read popular history of the Spanish American War. It focuses on the Rough Rider fights at Las Gausimas and the San Juan Hills. These have been written about often and sometimes in more detail. There is enough information about the war as a whole to lead a reader to looking for more. The facts are accurate. The book is good for someone with a passing interest in the events, but not for scholarly research.
I recommend this book for someone who is looking for an easy to read popular history of the Spanish American War. It focuses on the Rough Rider fights at Las Gausimas and the San Juan Hills. These have been written about often and sometimes in more detail. There is enough information about the war as a whole to lead a reader to looking for more. The facts are accurate. The book is good for someone with a passing interest in the events, but not for scholarly research.
September 4, 2019
I hated to put this book down . The timeworn story of Teddy Roosevelt and his ragtag Rough Riders has become almost as much of "oh, yeah, so we beat the Spanish!" and the nay-sayers that say Roosevelt was a caricature of a real soldier.
With at least 3 lengthy TR biographies under my belt I was nonetheless stunned to read the newspaper reports, excerpts from soldiers' diaries and letters written to wives and children from the troopers themselves. All painted a picture of true hero. Willing to lead, willing to sleep on the ground during the rainy season, eating hardtack and salt pork and all the time keeping his soldiers focused on the war.
And at that time the US War Department had so miserably provided for the invasion ofCuba that, it is quite possible, we could have been an international laughing-stock. The book points out the horrendous errors of logistics, transportation, food/water supplies...even the routes to be taken for the "armada" which never was the number of ships needed. The regular army had been slowly shrunken after the Civil War and the conclusion of the Indian Wars. So this phlegmatic punk, Teddy decided to organize the First Volunteer Cavalry, funding most of its costs while selecting the men himself. And yet when he was offered be the commander he deferred to Dr. Leonard Wood. Just another show of understanding the need for the mission not to be about Teddy, but about victory.
My shelves of war-related books is quite full. The same for political issues and foreign affairs but this book, to me is an outlier in that it intertwines the facets of leadership, intelligence, compassion, courage and, yes, heroism.
I have not enjoyed a non-fiction book as much in the last 10 years. Maybe even, including fiction.
Bully for Theodore Roosevelt.
With at least 3 lengthy TR biographies under my belt I was nonetheless stunned to read the newspaper reports, excerpts from soldiers' diaries and letters written to wives and children from the troopers themselves. All painted a picture of true hero. Willing to lead, willing to sleep on the ground during the rainy season, eating hardtack and salt pork and all the time keeping his soldiers focused on the war.
And at that time the US War Department had so miserably provided for the invasion ofCuba that, it is quite possible, we could have been an international laughing-stock. The book points out the horrendous errors of logistics, transportation, food/water supplies...even the routes to be taken for the "armada" which never was the number of ships needed. The regular army had been slowly shrunken after the Civil War and the conclusion of the Indian Wars. So this phlegmatic punk, Teddy decided to organize the First Volunteer Cavalry, funding most of its costs while selecting the men himself. And yet when he was offered be the commander he deferred to Dr. Leonard Wood. Just another show of understanding the need for the mission not to be about Teddy, but about victory.
My shelves of war-related books is quite full. The same for political issues and foreign affairs but this book, to me is an outlier in that it intertwines the facets of leadership, intelligence, compassion, courage and, yes, heroism.
I have not enjoyed a non-fiction book as much in the last 10 years. Maybe even, including fiction.
Bully for Theodore Roosevelt.
December 14, 2020
There’s always more to be written about Theodore Roosevelt. And this one was especially fun for me to read; my great-great-grandfather, Fred Bugbee, was a Rough Rider with Roosevelt and was in fact hit by a glancing shot to the head from a Spanish rifle.
It bled a lot, but wasn’t enough for Bugbee to seek medical attention. Roosevelt ordered him to the rear, to which Bugbee responded: “Go to hell.” That’s my heritage. Amazing.
So of course this was a book that I'd be drawn to. Though Bugbee was not mentioned in the book, The Crowded Hour provided a superb look at the realities of the Rough Riders — that ragtag group of volunteer soldiers who fought in the Spanish-American War.
It goes well beyond just that regiment's story though. Clay lays out the context of the war: how it came to be, why America got involved, and perhaps most interestingly, how it set the stage for future US involvement in international conflicts. Before this war, the US had not fought on another people's behalf; after this war, our soldiers did so in WWI, WWII, Korea, Vietnam, the Middle East, and numerous other minor conflicts.
The writing was a hair slow, to be honest, but I was fully gripped by both the broader scope of the conflict and the day-to-day experiences of Teddy Roosevelt's now-famous band of fighters. The story reminded me of Candace Millard's Hero of the Empire, which was about Winston Churchill's wartime experience as a young man. This follows a similar trajectory, showing how those few weeks in Cuba had an outsized impact on the rest of Roosevelt's life and philosophy.
Ultimately, I'm incredibly glad that I was able to learn about my great-great-grandfather's real-life experience in Cuba.
It bled a lot, but wasn’t enough for Bugbee to seek medical attention. Roosevelt ordered him to the rear, to which Bugbee responded: “Go to hell.” That’s my heritage. Amazing.
So of course this was a book that I'd be drawn to. Though Bugbee was not mentioned in the book, The Crowded Hour provided a superb look at the realities of the Rough Riders — that ragtag group of volunteer soldiers who fought in the Spanish-American War.
It goes well beyond just that regiment's story though. Clay lays out the context of the war: how it came to be, why America got involved, and perhaps most interestingly, how it set the stage for future US involvement in international conflicts. Before this war, the US had not fought on another people's behalf; after this war, our soldiers did so in WWI, WWII, Korea, Vietnam, the Middle East, and numerous other minor conflicts.
The writing was a hair slow, to be honest, but I was fully gripped by both the broader scope of the conflict and the day-to-day experiences of Teddy Roosevelt's now-famous band of fighters. The story reminded me of Candace Millard's Hero of the Empire, which was about Winston Churchill's wartime experience as a young man. This follows a similar trajectory, showing how those few weeks in Cuba had an outsized impact on the rest of Roosevelt's life and philosophy.
Ultimately, I'm incredibly glad that I was able to learn about my great-great-grandfather's real-life experience in Cuba.
January 6, 2020
Fascinating book. The first time I ever heard of the Rough Riders was in the 'The Longest Day', when one of the characters talks to Henry Fonda, who played one of Roosevelt's kids, about his father's charge up San Juan Hill. A few years later, I stumbled across a VHS copy of 'The Rough Riders' mini-series on sale for $10, remembered that snippet of 'The Longest Day' and bought it. It remains one of my favourites, with Tom Berenger, Sam Elliott and Gary Busey.
Now, having read 'The Crowded Hour', I have a much better understanding of the events surrounding Roosevelt and the Rough Riders' heroics on San Juan Hill. Learnt so much about the world a few years shy of the 1900s, and plenty about Cuba's battle for freedom, as well as about Roosevelt and the Rough Riders themselves. A fascinating book.
Now, having read 'The Crowded Hour', I have a much better understanding of the events surrounding Roosevelt and the Rough Riders' heroics on San Juan Hill. Learnt so much about the world a few years shy of the 1900s, and plenty about Cuba's battle for freedom, as well as about Roosevelt and the Rough Riders themselves. A fascinating book.
December 18, 2019
Really fun and engaging (especially if you love Teddy). My only gripe is that, at the beginning, Risen talks about how we should embrace the Spanish-American War in full color, for both good and ill, but at the end of book, he editorializes on only the ill, lamenting the foreign policy the war created with effects reaching well into our time. While I agree, it would have been fitting for him to also reflect upon the courage on the men who served and their volunteering spirit. On the whole the book is well balanced; just not at the end, where perhaps it matters the most.
August 20, 2019
A tidy and quick read about an interesting time for the United States, of course focused on Teddy and the Rough Riders. The author does a good job putting the legend in its proper context. I recommend this for casual history buffs, not too dense but more entertaining than your dry textbooks.
July 29, 2023
My Great Uncle Andrew Troy was a member of the Rhode Island Infantry called to service during the Spanish-American War. His unit never got to the fighting - he got to Florida and after the war returned to live and died there. He is buried in the Spanish American War Veterans section of the Miami Cemetery. That little connection is what made me interested in this war. This book is much about the Rough Riders and Theodore Roosevelt but it detains the causes of the war and the political and public climate of the period. The total unpreparedness of the country for this war is something that we seemed never to have learned from history when WWI came along. Logistics were terrible. Equipping, feeding, housing, and transporting the regular soldiers and volunteers was sad. War planning was abysmal - nonexistent! Leadership was lacking and direction from the War Department and President was also limited. Soldiers existed on terrible victuals a description of hardtack, a staple by a volunteer is funny as it is a sad statement of what the soldiers were fed. "Hardtack belongs in the ceramic group and is the best substitute for a durable bathroom tile yet discovered" (Risen, p. 105). Units often had to fend for themselves for food and there were no kitchens so soldiers had to cook for themselves. Since some of the Rough Riders were wealthy, those members often spent their own money to feed the unit. Leonard Wood, the colonel of the Rough Riders although an Army doctor turned out to be a solid troop commander. Roosevelt was a quick learner and he became a respected, capable leader. The Rough Riders were a diverse segment of society, wealthy aristocrats, professional athletes, cowboys, Native Americans, farmers, laborers however the unit was not integrated. Reflecting society of the times and the army, African-Americans were in segregated units. As the author points out, "America, like the Rough Riders, was diverse only within the confines of masculine whiteness..." (Risen, p. 383). How the US treated the Cuban Rebels for whom ostensibly they were fighting to free was also reflective of that American feeling. Once the soldiers on the ground saw that many of the rebels were black, they questioned why they were there. The Army leadership ignored the Cuban fighters. kept them out of what little planning there was and relegated them to menial tasks. The Spanish -American War propelled Theodore Roosevelt to the Governorship of New York and the Vice Presidency. Assassination made him President. The war led to some reforms in the Army. Secretary of War Elihu Root created the Army War College - from which I am a graduate. He reorganized the state militia system into the National Guard and increased the size of the standing Regular Army. The War propelled the US into world political affairs and essentially imperialism. The US took over management of Cuba, Philippines and Puerto Rico. Cuba eventually gained its independence. Our relations with it have been precarious. In the Philippines, fighting continued for a number of years as rebels sought independence. The country was a severe battleground in WWII and it gained independence after WWII. Our relations have been positive and negative, looking more positive lately. Puerto Rico vacillates between becoming independent or an American state. Although a US territory, it is treated as less that a state. The people often feel like second class US citizens. Author Clay Risen puts it best,"Looking back, it is possible to see the Spanish-American War for what it was: a half-baked, poorly executed, unnecessary conflict that pushed an immature military power onto the world stage-or, alternately as a ham-handed land grab with a sugarcoating of idealism" (Risen, p. 280). It certainly changed the world.
September 29, 2019
America has many wartime heroes and battle stories – with Teddy Roosevelt and his Rough Riders right up there on the top of the list. In The Crowded Hour, Clay Risen tells the authentic story of the Spanish American War…tearing down the mystique and mythology surrounding the Rough Riders through the use of first-hand accounts from newspapers, journals, diaries and books.
The romantic vision of the now infamous ascent up Cuba’s San Juan Hill of a vigorous troupe of cowboys, athletes, and well-to-do East coast young men, led by the charismatic Roosevelt, is distorted by the reality of facts. The charge was not actually up San Juan Hill, but up a smaller less significant position, Kettle Hill. The men, while they started out bold and viral four month’s earlier, were overheated, sick with tropical diseases, and woefully underfed by an almost comically underprepared US military. The Rough Riders took the smaller hill, not with impressive martial prowess, but by sheer will. It appears that they stumbled behind Roosevelt blindly shooting their way up the hill.
No doubt that Roosevelt had mad leadership skills. To get this disparate band of civilian boys together in the first place was an amazing feat. He continued on to motivate them under adversarial physical conditions such that many of them eagerly gave up their lives for the hyped-up cause of “American values.”
Risen explains the political and social conditions in the US and the world at the time and identifies the Spanish American War as the starting point for our country’s self-righteous identity as protector of global human rights. Truth be told, the Cubans didn’t really want the kind of help the US was doling out – a familiar refrain in our subsequent history. How politicians and the press influenced public opinion regarding the War was truly enlightening and shed particular insight into our current presidency. All around, a luminous read.
The romantic vision of the now infamous ascent up Cuba’s San Juan Hill of a vigorous troupe of cowboys, athletes, and well-to-do East coast young men, led by the charismatic Roosevelt, is distorted by the reality of facts. The charge was not actually up San Juan Hill, but up a smaller less significant position, Kettle Hill. The men, while they started out bold and viral four month’s earlier, were overheated, sick with tropical diseases, and woefully underfed by an almost comically underprepared US military. The Rough Riders took the smaller hill, not with impressive martial prowess, but by sheer will. It appears that they stumbled behind Roosevelt blindly shooting their way up the hill.
No doubt that Roosevelt had mad leadership skills. To get this disparate band of civilian boys together in the first place was an amazing feat. He continued on to motivate them under adversarial physical conditions such that many of them eagerly gave up their lives for the hyped-up cause of “American values.”
Risen explains the political and social conditions in the US and the world at the time and identifies the Spanish American War as the starting point for our country’s self-righteous identity as protector of global human rights. Truth be told, the Cubans didn’t really want the kind of help the US was doling out – a familiar refrain in our subsequent history. How politicians and the press influenced public opinion regarding the War was truly enlightening and shed particular insight into our current presidency. All around, a luminous read.
March 21, 2021
Chronicling both the history and the mythology of Teddy Roosevelt and the Rough Riders role in the Spanish-American war, Clay Risen provides a strong narrative of events leading up to the charge up Kettle Hill, the battles and siege of Santiago itself and the aftermath. I enjoyed his description of the Rough Rider experience as it informed the future of standing armies for the U.S, particularly the manner in which Jacksonian reserve for standing armies and Hamiltonian calls for national preparedness were reconciled.
I struggled with Mr. Risen's imposition of 21st century sensibilities on an earlier age. We can all agree that societies can and need to evolve toward greater justice and equality, but all of history prior to where we are now makes for an easy target for those applying today's values on yesterday's mindsets. It is a form of historical virtue-signaling that does not really add to an understanding of the times.
Mr. Risen notes that the U.S war with Spain previews later interventions that, although couched in moral terms to sell to the American public, are nothing more than land grabs or commercial ventures through military means. I tend to believe Americans are sincere in their desire for a free and democratic world. Upon achieving its goals, America then wishes to trade with their former adversaries seeing the advantages of capitalism and engagement as compared to conflict and despotism. No better example is Japan after World War II. Historians, such as Mr. Risen, never engage in discussions of alternative paths to intervention to root out despotism, nor do they cite examples of alternatives taken that would have been preferable to American intervention.
Mr. Risen reveals his political world view in the last paragraph, reflecting on the "fitting" end of the last Rough Rider to pass away in 1975 since it was less than two months after the fall of Saigon, America's first lost war. This is virtue signaling at its worst, celebrating an American defeat.
I struggled with Mr. Risen's imposition of 21st century sensibilities on an earlier age. We can all agree that societies can and need to evolve toward greater justice and equality, but all of history prior to where we are now makes for an easy target for those applying today's values on yesterday's mindsets. It is a form of historical virtue-signaling that does not really add to an understanding of the times.
Mr. Risen notes that the U.S war with Spain previews later interventions that, although couched in moral terms to sell to the American public, are nothing more than land grabs or commercial ventures through military means. I tend to believe Americans are sincere in their desire for a free and democratic world. Upon achieving its goals, America then wishes to trade with their former adversaries seeing the advantages of capitalism and engagement as compared to conflict and despotism. No better example is Japan after World War II. Historians, such as Mr. Risen, never engage in discussions of alternative paths to intervention to root out despotism, nor do they cite examples of alternatives taken that would have been preferable to American intervention.
Mr. Risen reveals his political world view in the last paragraph, reflecting on the "fitting" end of the last Rough Rider to pass away in 1975 since it was less than two months after the fall of Saigon, America's first lost war. This is virtue signaling at its worst, celebrating an American defeat.
January 27, 2025
I have read several books about T. Roosevelt and the Rough Riders. This is probably one of the better ones since it tells the reader what they need to know, and doesn't let it drag much. The details about the cavalry boys who became infantry by necessity, and attacked Kettle and San Juan Hills outside Santiago, Cuba makes for exciting reading.
Whether the war was necessary is another question. Men fought and died for what they thought was right. I doubt whether they cared if the Spanish sank the MAINE or not. The atrocities committed against Cubans who had rebelled against Spanish rule gave the fight a humanitarian aspect. Sadly, men (Roosevelt among them) like to fight. It had been some 35 years since the Civil War had ended. They had heard stories. They wanted to see 'the elephant'. And see it they did--cowboys, Indian fighters, college men, shopkeepers--signed up to be Rough Riders. Unfortunately, nearly 400 were lost in battle and from disease. Those who did return were treated as heroes. None more so than Theodore Roosevelt who moved up the ranks, eventually moving into the White House with the death of McKinley.
As an example of planning and fighting, this war was a disaster. Shafter, in command, virtuely abdicated many of his resposibilities. Supplies and logistics left the troops hungry and without necessary equipment. Artillery was minimal. Only the fact that the Spanish leadership was as incompetent in many ways made it a fight. The common fighting man on both sides is the real story of this war. The Rough Riders were 'the stars' of the Cuban portion, but there was fighting in Puerto Rico and especially the Philippines as well.
As the author points out, the U.S. was on the brink of a new century where massive wars would dwarf the Spanish-American War, but for those who fought there, it was a never-to-forgotten four months. They were always proud to be known as 'Roosevelt's Rough Riders.'
Whether the war was necessary is another question. Men fought and died for what they thought was right. I doubt whether they cared if the Spanish sank the MAINE or not. The atrocities committed against Cubans who had rebelled against Spanish rule gave the fight a humanitarian aspect. Sadly, men (Roosevelt among them) like to fight. It had been some 35 years since the Civil War had ended. They had heard stories. They wanted to see 'the elephant'. And see it they did--cowboys, Indian fighters, college men, shopkeepers--signed up to be Rough Riders. Unfortunately, nearly 400 were lost in battle and from disease. Those who did return were treated as heroes. None more so than Theodore Roosevelt who moved up the ranks, eventually moving into the White House with the death of McKinley.
As an example of planning and fighting, this war was a disaster. Shafter, in command, virtuely abdicated many of his resposibilities. Supplies and logistics left the troops hungry and without necessary equipment. Artillery was minimal. Only the fact that the Spanish leadership was as incompetent in many ways made it a fight. The common fighting man on both sides is the real story of this war. The Rough Riders were 'the stars' of the Cuban portion, but there was fighting in Puerto Rico and especially the Philippines as well.
As the author points out, the U.S. was on the brink of a new century where massive wars would dwarf the Spanish-American War, but for those who fought there, it was a never-to-forgotten four months. They were always proud to be known as 'Roosevelt's Rough Riders.'
July 19, 2020
Teddy Roosevelt’s rise to power and the White House itself can be traced directly to the Battle of San Juan Hill (or Heights as some accounts detail) with the famous Rough Riders near Santiago, Cuba on 1 Jul 1898. Earlier that year the US declared war on Spain and 26,000 men—from Arizona cowboys to Ivy League athletes set off from San Antonio, east, to join forces with the Cuban rebels to defeat the Spanish. In a conflict that would last only 6 months, horrible living and fighting conditions would see thousands die on both sides, while the dead would be picked apart by vultures and giant land crabs. Author Clay Risen brings to life the exploits of the heroes of the day—not only Roosevelt (a light colonel)—but Colonel Leonard Wood and Major Generals Wheeler and Shafter (recognize these name?!). Roosevelt establishes himself as a men’s man, living in the rough condos irons where food was scarce, and the tropical heat and humidity stifling. The namesake for the book comes into play on the morning of the major battle and turning point of the conflict (and some would say Roosevelt’s own launch to stardom), July 1st, when he awoke early and stated words to the effect that this would be a ‘crowded hour’, in reference to the battle he was to soon undertake. Well researched and written—a fantastic addition to Teddy Roosevelt biopics.
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