Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1898-07-05
Rough Riders Under Fire.
New York Evening SUM-

Colonel Woods and Lieutenant Col
onel Rooscvelt's Rough Riders" had
their baptism of fire and came out of
most enthusiastic well-wishers could
have predicted or desired for them.
The volunteer cavalrymen had eX-
pressed a desire to get to the front at
once. Their honorable ambition was
gratified by the commanding general.
Reinforced by several troops of the lst
and 10th cavalry, Roosevelt's men, dis
mounted, attacked a force of the enemy
nearly twice their size and favorably
situated. In spite of a heavy fire from
the high underbrush the troopers drove
the enemy from their position with
heavy losses Sixteen killed and 81
wounded represented the cost at which
the brilliant operation of the cavalry
men was performed. When all the cir
cumstalices of the fight are taken into
cial significance. Trained to operate
Oh horseback the Rough Riders
showed that they could be relied on to
give Il splendid account of themselves
under the slower circumstances of an
infantry assault. The conformation Of
the country with its high grass and
tangled distractions did not disheartcn
the men They went ahead possessed
by one desire, that of getting at the foe.
And when they achieved thatObject the
Spaniards had an experience that they
will not forget in a hurry.
Roosevelt's Rough Riders'ma fairly
be described as the most representative
body of American volunteers at present
in the service of the government. For
this reason, among others, their work
will be watched with special interest in
all parts of the country. While other
regiments come from special localities,
these cavalrymen are ''at large" so to
speak. Men of fashion and leisure, men
of note in athletic circles and cross
country riders are serving with the pro-
feSsional cowboys of the plains. There
were some who limited that the regiment
had been formed on too picturesque lines
to prove useful when the time came for
showing what it could do. Foreign
critics especially took this view. But
the dandies and the bucks have shown
once more that they can get down to the
stern business of lighting with the best
of them when the occasion arises. These
cavalrymen are the true soldiers of for
tune of the present war. True patriots
all, some of them are with the colors for
the love of adventure, the joy of the
hazardous enterprise, the delight of bat
tie in the company of their peers. They
furnish a fine example of the solidarity
produced by a common cause and an
honorable devotion to it.
The Spaniards have had their first
hand to hand encounter with our volun-
teers. 1t is to be hoped that they liked
the experience. They may reflect that
there is an important difference be-
tween our troops aud theirs. Our men
are at the front not because they were
drafted or forced to go, but because
they wanted to go. That fact explains
the fire and dash that the troopers put
into their work. Our opponents have
been making predictions about what
would happen when we landed and IN
countered the seasoned soldiers of
Spain. Well, we have cone from be-
hind the steel sides of our warships.
The lesson of the first encounter is an
interesting one for the other side.
49,.
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