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vesselwouldnothavebeenaformidablefoetoanyantagonistsofmuchmoremodernconstructionthanthegalleysofAlcibiadesseemedtodisturbnobody。

Thiswasonesideofthepicture。Theothersidewasthatthecrisisatoncebroughttothefrontanyamountoflatentfightingstrength。

TherewereplentyofCongressmenwhoshowedcool-headedwisdomandresolution。Theplainpeople，themenandwomenbackofthepersonswholosttheirheads，setseriouslytoworktoseethatwedidwhateverwasnecessary，andmadethejobathoroughone。Theyoungmenswarmedtoenlist。Intimeofpeaceithadbeendifficulttofillthescantyregulararmyandnavy，andtherewereinnumerabledesertions；

nowtheshipsandregimentswereover-enlisted，andsomanydesertersreturnedinordertofightthatitbecamedifficulttodecidewhattodowiththem。England，andtoalessdegreeJapan，werefriendly。ThegreatpowersofContinentalEuropewereallunfriendly。Theyjeeredatourshipsandmen，andwithfatuouspartisanshipinsistedthattheSpaniardswouldprovetoomuchforour“mercenaries“becausewewereacommercialpeopleoflowidealswhocouldnotfight，whilethemenwhomweattemptedtohireforthatpurposewerecertaintorunonthedayofbattle。

AmongmyfriendswasthethenArmySurgeonLeonardWood。Hewasasurgeon。Nothavinganincome，hehadtoearnhisownliving。HehadgonethroughtheHarvardMedicalSchool，andhadthenjoinedthearmyintheSouthwestasacontractdoctor。Hehadeveryphysical，moral，andmentalqualitywhichfittedhimforasoldier’slifeandfortheexerciseofcommand。IntheinconceivablywearingandharassingcampaignsagainsttheApacheshehadservednominallyasasurgeon，reallyincommandoftroops，onmorethanoneexpedition。HewasasanxiousasIwasthatiftherewerewarweshouldbothhaveourpartinit。IhadalwaysfeltthatiftherewereaseriouswarIwishedtobeinapositiontoexplaintomychildrenwhyIdidtakepartinit，andnotwhyIdidnottakepartinit。Moreover，IhadverydeeplyfeltthatitwasourdutytofreeCuba，andIhadpubliclyexpressedthisfeeling；andwhenamantakessuchaposition，heoughttobewillingtomakehiswordsgoodbyhisdeedsunlessthereissomeverystrongreasontothecontrary。Heshouldpaywithhisbody。

Assoonaswarwasuponus，WoodandIbegantotryforachancetogotothefront。CongresshadauthorizedtheraisingofthreeNationalVolunteerCavalryregiments，whollyapartfromtheStatecontingents。

SecretaryAlgeroftheWarDepartmentwasfondofmepersonally，andWoodwashisfamilydoctor。AlgerhadbeenagallantsoldierintheCivilWar，andwasalmosttheonlymemberoftheAdministrationwhofeltallalongthatwewouldhavetogotowarwithSpainoverCuba。

Helikedmyattitudeinthematter，andbecauseofhisremembranceofhisownexperienceshesympathizedwithmydesiretogotothefront。

Accordinglyheofferedmethecommandofoneoftheregiments。Itoldhimthataftersixweeks’serviceinthefieldIwouldfeelcompetenttohandletheregiment，butthatIwouldnotknowhowtoequipitorhowtogetitintothefirstaction；butthatWoodwasentirelycompetentatoncetotakecommand，andthatifhewouldmakeWoodcolonelIwouldacceptthelieutenant-colonelcy。GeneralAlgerthoughtthisanactoffoolishself-abnegationonmypart——insteadofitsbeing，whatitwas，thewisestactIcouldhaveperformed。Hetoldmetoacceptthecolonelcy，andthathewouldmakeWoodlieutenant-

colonel，andthatWoodwoulddotheworkanyway；butIansweredthatI

didnotwishtoriseonanyman’sshoulders；thatIhopedtobegiveneverychancethatmydeedsandabilitieswarranted；butthatIdidnotwishwhatIdidnotearn，andthataboveallIdidnotwishtoholdanypositionwhereanyoneelsedidthework。HelaughedatmealittleandsaidIwasfoolish，butIdonotthinkhereallyminded，andhepromisedtodoasIwished。Truetohisword，hesecuredtheappointmentofWoodascolonelandofmyselfaslieutenant-coloneloftheFirstUnitedStatesVolunteerCavalry。Thiswassoonnicknamed，bothbythepublicandbytherestofthearmy，theRoughRiders，doubtlessbecausethebulkofthemenwerefromtheSouthwesternranchcountryandwereskilledinthewildhorsemanshipofthegreatplains。

Woodinstantlybegantheworkofraisingtheregiment。Hefirstassembledseveraloldnon-commissionedofficersofexperience，puttheminoffice，andgavethemblanksforrequisitionsforthefullequipmentofacavalryregiment。HeselectedSanAntonioasthegathering-place，asitwasinag