- The Rough Riders were officially the First Volunteer Cavalry Regiment. It consisted of a mix of cowboys, ranchers, Native Americans, Eastern aristocrats, and college boys. Originally, Teddy Roosevelt was second in command to Medal of Honor awardee Leonard Wood. When Wood was promoted in Cuba, Roosevelt was moved up to command the unit for the battle. Roosevelt resigned from his position as Assistant Secretary of the Navy to participate. He left a wife and six kids at home. He had a special uniform made with pockets for six pairs of back-up glasses because his biggest fear was not being to see who he was fighting.
- The Rough Riders brought some horses to Cuba, but they were forced to swim ashore from the transport and several drowned. Only Roosevelt was mounted for the battle. He led the charge from the back of Little Texas, but was forced to dismount when he encountered a fence half way up.
- The Spanish actually had superior weapons. They were armed with breech-loading cannons, Maxim machine guns, and Mauser rifles. Most importantly, their ammunition used smokeless powder whereas the American positions could be easily targeted due to their powder smoke.
- The battle began when a Lt. Jules Ord begged his commanding officer to allow him to lead a charge on San Juan Hill. He and the other Americans were at the base of the hill and were withstanding heavy fire from the enemy. The general was hesitant to issue the order because he had not been given orders to assault the hill. However, he decided to look the other way and allow Ord to take the initiative. Ord led a disorganized charge that included several units, including the Buffalo Soldiers. Ord was killed near the crest of the hill.
- At the same time that Ord began his charge, Roosevelt and the Rough Riders began their charge from the base of nearby Kettle Hill. Members of the Buffalo Soldiers, including Lt. John J. Pershing, were involved. After taking the hill, Roosevelt led his men across the valley to support the attack on San Juan Hill, but before they arrived, the fighting was over. Roosevelt did manage to shoot a fleeing Spaniard in the back. In 2001, Roosevelt was awarded the Medal of Honor by President Clinton.
- One hero of the battle was Lt. John Parker, whose Gatling gun battery gave key support to the assaults.
- The Rough Riders suffered a 37% casualty rate – the highest of any unit during the war. Some of those casualties were from heat stroke. The Army had issued heavy woolen uniforms which were a problem in the tropical heat.
https://www.wearethemighty.com/facts-san-juan-hill?rebelltitem=1#rebelltitem1
https://www.historynet.com/spanish-american-war-battle-of-san-juan-hill.htm
Frederic Remington’s painting of the Charge Up San Juan Hill
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