theodore roosevelt-第22章
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； that he remembered that the reputation of a successful soldier had often proved a ladder to political promotion in our Republic。 Every reader of our history； though he were the dullest； understood that。 But that was not the chief reason； or even an important one； in shaping his decision。 He went to San Antonio in May； and worked without respite in learning the rudiments of war and in teaching them to his motley volunteers； who were already called by the public； and will be known in history； as the 〃Rough Riders。〃 He felt relieved when 〃Teddy's Terrors；〃 one of the nicknames proposed； did not stick to them。 At the end of the month the regiment proceeded to Tampa； Florida； whence part of it sailed for Cuba on the transport Yucatan。 It sufficiently indicates the state of chaos which then reigned in our Army preparations； that half the regiment and all the horses and mules were left behind。 Arrived in Cuba；； the first troops； accustomed only to the saddle； had to hobble along as best they could； on foot； so that some wag rechristened them 〃 Wood's Weary Walkers。〃 The rest of the regiment； with the mounts； came a little later； and at Las Guasimas they had their first skirmish with the Spaniards。 Eight of them were killed； and they were buried in one grave。 Afterward； in writing the history of the Rough Riders； Roosevelt said： 〃There could be no more honorable burial than that of these men in a common graveIndian and cowboy； miner； packer； and college athletethe man of unknown ancestry from the lonely Western plains； and the man who carried on his watch the crests of the Stuyvesants and the Fishes； one in the way they had met death； just as during life they had been one in their daring and their loyalty。〃 *
* The Rough Riders； 120。
I shall not attempt to follow in detail the story of the Rough Riders； but shall touch only on those matters which refer to Roosevelt himself。 Wood； having been promoted to Brigadier…General； in command of a larger unit； Theodore became Colonel of the regiment。 On July 1 and 2 he commanded the Rough Riders in their attack on and capture of San Juan Hill； in connection with some colored troops。 In this engagement； their nearest approach to a battle； the Rough Riders； who had less than five hundred men in action； lost eighty…nine in killed and wounded。 Then followed a dreary life in the trenches until Santiago surrendered； and then a still more terrible experience while they waited for Spain to give up the war。 Under a killing tropical sun； receiving irregular and often damaged food； without tent or other protection from the heat or from the rain； the Rough Riders endured for weeks the ravages of fever； climate； and privation。 To realize that their sufferings were directly owing to the blunders and incompetence of the War Department at home； brought no consolation； for the soldiers could see no reason why the Department should not go on blundering indefinitely。 One of the Rough Riders told me that； when stricken with fever； he lay for days on the beach； and that anchored within the distance a tennis…ball could be thrown was a steamer loaded with medicines； but that no orders were given to bring them ashore！
The Rough Riders were hard hit by disease； but not harder than the other regiments in the Army。 Every one of their officers； except the Colonel and another； had yellow fever； and at one time more than half of the regiment was sick。 A terrible depression weighed them down。 They almost despaired； not only of being relieved； but of living。 To face the entire Spanish Army would have been a great joy； compared with this sinking； melting away； against the invisible fever。
The Administration at Washington； however； although it knew the condition of the Army in Cuba； seemed indifferent rather than anxious； and talked about moving the troops into the interior； to the high ground round San Luis。 Thereupon； Roosevelt wrote to General Shafter； his commanding officer：
To keep us here； in the opinion of every officer commanding a division or a brigade； will simply involve the destruction of thousands。 There is no possible reason for not shipping practically the entire command North at once 。。。。
All of us are certain； as soon as the authorities at Washington fully appreciate the conditions of the army； to be sent home。 If we are kept here it will in all human probability mean an appalling disaster； for the surgeons here estimate that over half the army； if kept here during the sickly season； will die。
This is not only terrible from the standpoint of the individual lives lost； but it means ruin from the standpoint of military efficiency of the flower of the American Army； for the great bulk of the regulars are here with you。 The sick…list； large though it is； exceeding four thousand； affords but a faint index of the debilitation of the army。 Not ten per cent are fit for active work。
This letter General Shafter really desired to have written； but when Roosevelt handed it to him； he hesitated to receive it。 Still Roosevelt persisted； left it in the General's hands； and the General gave it to the correspondent of the Associated Press who was present。 A few hours later it had been telegraphed to the United States。 Shafter called a council of war of the division and brigade commanders； which he invited Roosevelt to attend； although his rank as Colonel did not entitle him to take part。 When the Generals heard that the Army was to be kept in Cuba all summer and sent up into the hills； they agreed that Roosevelt's protest must be supported； and they drew up the famous 〃Round Robin〃 in which they repeated Roosevelt's warnings。 Neither President McKinley nor the War Department could be deaf to such a statement as this： 〃This army must be moved at once or perish。 As the army can be safely moved now； the persons responsible for preventing such a move will be responsible for the unnecessary loss of many thousands of lives。〃
This letter also was immediately published at home； and outcries of horror and indignation went up。 A few sticklers for military etiquette professed to be astonished that any officer should be guilty of the insubordination which these letters implied； and； of course； the blame fell on Roosevelt。 The truth is that Shafter； dismayed at the condition of the Fifth Army； and at his own inability to make the Government understand the frightful doom which was impending； deliberately chose Roosevelt to commit the insubordination； for； as he was a volunteer officer； soon to be discharged； the act could not harm his future； whereas the regular officers were not likely to be popular with the War Department after they had called the attention of the world to its maleficent incompetence。
Washington heard the shot fired by the Colonel of the Rough Riders； and without loss of time ordered the Army home。 The sick were transported by thousands to Montauk Point； at the eastern end of Long Island； where； in spite of the best medical care which could be improvised； large numbers of them died。 But the Army knew； and the American public knew； that Roosevelt； by his 〃 insubordination；〃 had saved multitudes of lives。 At Montauk Point he was the most popular man in America。
This concluded Roosevelt's career as a soldier。 The experience introduced to the public those virile qualities of his with which his friends were familiar。 He had not endured the hardships of ranching and hunting in vain。 If life on the Plains democratized him； life with the Rough Riders did also； indeed； without the former there would have been no Rough Riders and no Colonel Roosevelt。 He learned not only how to lead a regiment according to the tactics of that day； but alsoand this was far more importanthe learned how disasters and the waste of lives； and treasure； and the ignominy of a disgracefully managed campaign； sprang directly from unpreparedness。 This burned indelibly into his memory。 It stimulated all his subsequent appeals to make the Army and Navy large enough for any probable sudden demand upon them。 〃America the Unready〃 had won the war against a decrepit； impoverished； third…rate power； but had paid for her victory hundreds of millions of dollars and tens of thousands of lives； what would the count have mounted to had she be
