The Washington herald., 1913-09-21
Col Roosevelt, Commenting on Unpreparedness Of United
States for Conflict with Spain, Relates Remarkable
Activities of Some Citizens

Surgeon Leonard Wood. He was a sur
geon. Not having an income. he had
to earn his own living. He had gone
through the Harvard Medical School.
and had then Joined the army in the
Southwest as a contract doctor. He
had every physical, moral, and mental
quality which fitted him for a soldiers
life and for the exercise of command.
In the inconceivably wearing and harass-
ing campaigns against the Apaches he
had served nOminally as a surgeon.
really in command of troops on more
than one expedition. He was as anxious
as l was that if there were war we
should both have our part in it,
I had always felt that IL there were
a serious war wished to be in a posi-
tion to explain 10 my children why
did take part in it, and not why 1 did
not take part in it. Moreover, I had
very deeply felt that it was our duty to
free Cuba, and l had publicly expressed
this feeling; and when a man takes such
a position, he ought TO be willing to
make his words good by his deeds un-
less there is some very strong reason
to the contrary. He should pay with
his body.
The Rough Riders.
As soon as war was upon US, Wood
and l began to try for a chance to go
TO the front. Congress had authorized
the raising of three national volunteer
cavalry regiments. wholly apart from
the State Contingents. Secretary AIger
of the War Department was fond Of me
personally. and Wood was his family
doctor Alger had been a gallant SOL
der in the civil war and was almost
the only mSmber of the administration
who felt all along that we would have
to go 20 war with Spain over Cuba. He
liked my attitude in the matter. and
because Of his remembrance of his own
experiences he sympathized with my de-
sire to go to the front. Accordingly. he
offered me the command of one of the
regiments. | told him that after six
weeks service in the field | would feel
competent TO handle the regiment, but
that I would not know how to equip Il
or how to get it into the first action;
but that Wood was entirely competent
at once to take command. and that II he
would make Wood colonel I would ac-
Cept the lieutenant cOlOnelcy.
Gen. Algvr thought this an act IF
foolish self-abnegation on my part-in-
stead Of ITS N"InR. what it was. the wisest
act l could have performed. He told
me to accept the OlolelCy. and that he
would make Wood lieutenant colonel:
hut I answered that I did not wish to
rise on any mans shoulders: that I hoped
10 he given every chance that my deeds
and abilities warranted: but that I did
not wish what l did not earn, and that
above all l did not wish to hold any
position where any one else did the
work.
He laughed at me a little and SAID
! was foolish. but | do not think he
really minded. and he promised to do
rs | wished. True to his word. he secured
the appointment Of Wood as colonel and
Of myself as lieutenant colonel of the
First United States Volunteer Cavalry
This was soon niCknamed. both by the
public and bv the rest OF the army the
Cough Riders. doubtless because the
bulk OF the men We're from the South
western ranch country. and were skilled
in the wild horsemanship of great plains.
Raising the Regiment.
Wood instantly began the work of rails
ing the regiment. He first assembled sew
eral cid ncn-cOmmisSioned officers Of ex-
perie1Ce, put them in Office. and save
them blanks for acquisitions for the full
equlTment Of cavalry regiment. He
selected SaH Antonio as the gathering
place, as il was il a good horse country.
near lllt Iuit- IRON some port on WnlCf
We would have to embark. and near an
old arsenal and an Old army post from
which got good deal of stuff
sGme Of il practically condemned, but
which We found serviCeable al pinch
and much hetter than nothI7E. He Or
laniZed a horse board in Texas, and he
gan purchasing all horses that we're not
too big ard We're sound. day or two
after he was commissioned he wrote out
in the office of the Secretary of War.
under his authority, kilograms to the
Governors OF Arizona. New Mexico, Okla
h"ma. and Indian Territory, in substance
a follows
Tho President desires to raise -