The Rough Riders

The "Rough Riders" was the name bestowed on the 1st United States Volunteer Cavalry, one of three such regiments raised in 1898 for the Spanish-American War and the only one of the three to see action.

The United States army was weakened and left with little manpower after the Civil War roughly 30 years prior. As a result, President William McKinley called upon 1,250 volunteers to assist in the war efforts. Leonard Wood, a doctor who served as the medical advisor for both the President and secretary of war, was appointed the position of Colonel of The Rough Riders with Theodore Roosevelt serving as Lieutenant-Colonel.

Lieutenant-Colonel Roosevelt used his political influence gained as Assistant Secretary of the Navy, to ensure that 'his' volunteer cavalry regiment would be properly equipped to serve as any regular unit of the U.S. Army. "They succeeded in getting their cartridges, revolvers, clothing, shelter-tents, and horse gear ... and in getting the regiment armed with the Krag-Jorgensen carbine used by the regular cavalry." Officers of the regiment each received a new lever-action M1895 Winchester rifle. A last minute gift from a wealthy donor were a pair of modern gas-operated M1895 Colt-Browning machine guns.

In contrast, the uniforms of the regiment were designed to set the unit apart. "The Rough Rider uniform was a slouch hat, blue flannel shirt, brown trousers, leggings, and boots, with handkerchiefs knotted loosely around their necks. They looked exactly as a body of cowboy cavalry should look."