Rough Riders: Theodore Roosevelt, His Cowboy Regiment, and the Immortal Charge Up San Juan Hill

"Thrilling. ... A CLASSIC." —True West

WINNER: Army Historical Foundation Distinguished Writing Award; New Mexico-Arizona Book Award; and Colorado Book Award

The now-legendary Rough Riders were a volunteer regiment recruited in 1898 to help drive the Spaniards out of Cuba. Drawn from America’s southwestern territories and led by the irrepressible Theodore Roosevelt, these men included not only cowboys and other Westerners, but also several Ivy Leaguers and clubmen, many of them friends of “TR.” Roosevelt and his men quickly came to symbolize American ruggedness, daring, and individualism. He led them to victory in the famed Battle of San Juan Hill, which made TR a national hero and cemented the Rough Riders’ iconic place in history.

Now Mark Lee Gardner synthesizes previously unknown primary accounts—private letters, diaries, and period newspaper reports from public and private archives across the country—to breathe fresh life into the Rough Riders and pay tribute to their daring feats and indomitable leader.

How did a volunteer regiment of cowboys and Ivy Leaguers become an American legend?

• Theodore Roosevelt’s Leadership: Follow the irrepressible TR as his ambition and daring forge a national hero and cement his path to the presidency.
• Primary Source Accounts: Discover the true story of the Rough Riders through previously unknown private letters, diaries, and newspaper reports synthesized for the first time.
• The Battle of San Juan Hill: Experience the chaos and triumph of the famed charge that catapulted the Rough Riders into the American imagination.
• A Regiment of Contrasts: Meet the real men behind the legend—a mix of Southwestern cowboys and Eastern Ivy Leaguers who came to symbolize American ruggedness.