The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1920-04-08
WOODS RECORD
IN CUBAN WAR
With Cleveland. Mckinley and
Acknowledgements Cover
nor OF Santiago.
81 JOHN c. HoLnE.

I
years be coached the football team o.
the Georgia Institute Of Technolog,
and played various positions. His
team lost but one game during thes'
two seasons. His spartan physica
courAEe is illustrated by q football IN
cident. lie received o deep cut ove'
the eve in scrimmage one day. Dress
ing the injury hastily. he finished the
game. then wen; over 10 his office
where. standing before a mirror. bs
sterilized the wound and took -four
STITCHES IN n.
Cleveland va. finishing his second
term when Wood was assigned 10
Washington, where he became one Of
The white House physicians. The pres
ident took an immediate iifinr 10 this
brobzsd. quiet army oficrr who knew
the Southwest like an open book.
Cleveland liked 20 talk with him about
hunting and fishing and especially
about Buzzsrd's Bay on Cape Cod.
where they both had sailed and fshsd-
Wood and Roosevelt Meet
In those days changes In the admin
istrstion did not AFFECT Wood. land when
Mckinley becsin- President his visits
10 the white House Increased IN num-
Der, for Mrs Mckinley was an invalid,
requiring constant medical attention.
President Mckinley soon grew 10 re-
gard the competent army surgeon A.
highly as had his predecessor.
In 1890 Leonard Wood, who nov held
the rank Of Captain In the Army,
medical side, met Theodore Roosevelt.
then Assistant Secretary OF the Navy.
They were introduced az reception
\ in Washington, and before the evening
was over they had become fast friends.
This friendship was to last till the
great American passed away at Saga
more Iiill. They discovered that they
had just missed each other at Harvard.
that they had both had the western fe-
yer and that their likes and dislikes
were remarkably similar
General Wood today admits that II
was Roosevelt who kept him In the
service when he was about 10 resign 10
take up ranching in the West Roose-
welt insisted that the country would
soon need a man Of his ability, and the
two began planning their course of ac-
ton should war be declared. They had
virtually planned raising a regiment Of
picked men before diplomatic relations
with Spain were severed when Con-
gress authorized the raising Of three
regiments among the cowboys. miners
and ranchers Of the West Wood secur-
ed commission as Colonel Of the First
Volunteer Cavalry and Roosevelt as
Lieutenant Colonel.
War was declared April 90, 1898, and
on May 20 the First Cavalry, better
known as the Rough Riders. left the
training camp az San Antonio. Tex,
for Port Tampa, Fla. TO embark for
Cuba Wood and Roosevelt had re-
cruited, drilled, differed and equipped
the Rough Riders in 80 days. counting
Sundays II was a great record OF
speed and efficiency.
Promoted on the Field.
In order TO make this record Wood
cut through quantities Of red tape in
the War Department He could not
get regulation uniforms, so he had his
men wear brown canvas working uni
forms, not so neat, but much more
practical In a tropical climate. He
foresaw that his cavalry would have 10
serve unmounted, so he secured Krag
rifles at a time when Krags were
scarce. He had no time 10 train his
men in the use OF sabers, so he ordered
mschetes. the instruments used for cut
ting sugar cane He got these nipple
ments from the New England factory
which made them for the Cuban sugar
fields. The Rough Riders landed in
Cuba June - under the protection OF
shell FIRE from American warshlps. On
June "A the battle OF Las Guasima.
took place. The Rough Riders and
their commander so distinguished
themselves as TO win the commenda-
ton Of Major General Fighting Joe
Wheeler. in command of the cavalry:
Brlgadler General s. b. VI. Young and
others. When General Young went
down with the fever Wood was advanc- |
ed In rank 20 I'll the vacancy. while |
Roosevelt was placed In fun command |
OF the Rough Riders
Santiago surrendered on July IL. and |
General Shafter. commanding the ex-
Preliminary forces, selected Wood as
military governor OF the city. This |
was the great turning point in Woods |
life. For Is years he had been an |
army surEeon and officer. For the merit /
10 years he was TO play a most i'm
portant role IN American history as
government executive. administrator. /
statesman and diplomat
Shsfter chose Wood for the military 1
go-ernorship 81 Santiago because %
TIE remarkable efficiency and execu-
tive ability he had shown in organizing
tie Rough Riders and In the short but
dangerous campaign IN the jungle be-
fore the fail ~ the city. He chose
Wood hecause Wood was doctor. and
Cuba WIS mighty efek