IN CAMP AT TAMPA--TO PORT TAMPA IN COAL CARS--THEODORE ROOSEVELT'S QUICK
MOVE TO OBTAIN A TRANSPORT--THE WAIT IN THE HARBOR--OFF FOR CUBA AT LAST
That the path of the soldier is not always one full of glory can easily
be proven by what happened to the Rough Riders when, late in May, they
were ordered to Tampa, Florida, where a part of the army was gathering
in readiness to be transported to Cuba.
"We were just wild to go," says one of the number, in speaking of that
time. "We were tired of staying at San Antonio and drilling day in and
day out, rain or shine. I guess everybody felt like hurrahing when we
piled on to the cars.
"Colonel Roosevelt--he was only Lieutenant-Colonel then--had six troops
under him, and he did all he could to make the boys comfortable. But the
cars were crowded, and travelling was so slow it took us four days to
reach Tampa. Then when we got there, we found everything in confusion.
The railroad yard was chock-a-block with freight and passenger cars, and
nobody was there to tell us where to go or where to find provisions.
"The boys were hungry and tired out, for sleeping on the railroad had
been almost out of the question. There wasn't a sign of rations in
sight, and it looked as if we would have to stay hungry. But Teddy
Roosevelt just put his hand into his own pocket and bought us about all
we wanted. Then he scurried around and found out where we were to go,
and in another twenty-four hours we were settled in camp." Even in camp
the Rough Riders had to put up with continued discomfort. The weather
was warm, flies and mosquitoes were numerous, and the drinking water was
not of the best. The rations were plain, but the Rough Riders did not
mind this, for many of them had often fared worse on the plains.
Although it was now a regular military camp that the Rough Riders were
in, it was rather difficult to control some of the men, especially
those who had been used to an unusually rough life. But they were held
in check as much as possible by their commanders, and on Sunday all
attended a church service held by Chaplain Brown, who spoke to them in a
manner that soon claimed their attention.
After but a few days spent in the camp at Tampa, within walking distance
of many of the fashionable hotels, the command was ordered to Port
Tampa, there to board a transport to sail for some destination not
revealed. But the soldiers knew they were going to Cuba, to fight the
Spaniards and to aid in freeing Cuba, and again there was a loud
hurrahing.
But immediately on top of this came one of the hardest blows the Rough
Riders had to endure, and one which some of them will probably never
forget.
As already stated, volunteers from all over our nation were anxious to
get into the fight, and it was no easy matter for the authorities at
Washington to decide who should go and who should be left behind.
"Only eight troops of seventy men each of the Rough Riders will embark
on the transport," was the order sent to Colonel Wood. More than this,
it was ordered that the command should be on board of the transport by
the following morning, otherwise it could not go.
"Four troops to be left behind!" exclaimed Theodore Roosevelt.
"Too bad," returned Colonel Wood. "Every man expects to go, and wants to
go."
It was a hard task to tell some of the men that they could not go. Mr.
Roosevelt tells us that many of them actually cried at the news. They
were willing to go under any conditions. They did not want any pay, they
did not want any pensions if they were disabled, and some, who had
money, even offered to pay their way, just for the privilege of fighting
for Uncle Sam. After such an exhibition, let nobody dare to say that
true patriotism is dying out in this country.
But orders were orders, and as quickly as possible those to go were
selected. Then the command marched to the railroad tracks to await the
cars. None came, and they were given orders to march to another track.
This they also did; but still no train appeared.
"We'll be left, that is certain," said Colonel Wood, anxiously.
"It certainly looks like it, unless we march the boys down to the port."
"Here comes a train!" was the cry.
It was a train, but only of empty coal cars. It was about to pass by
when the Rough Riders halted it.
"What's the matter with riding down to the port in the coal cars?" was
the question asked by several.
"Good enough!" came the answer. "Into the cars, boys, and don't waste
time!" And into the dirty coal cars they piled, and persuaded the
engineer of the train to take them down to Port Tampa as quickly as he
could.
If there had been bustle and confusion up at Tampa, it was far worse at
the port. Everybody was in a hurry, and ten thousand soldiers stood
around, not knowing what to do with their baggage, and not knowing which
of the many transports to board.
At last the Rough Riders were told to go aboard the _Yucatan_, and
started to do so.
"The _Yucatan_?" exclaimed a member of another command. "That is our
transport."
"No, she has been allotted to us," put in an officer belonging to still
another command.
"How many men will she hold?" questioned a captain of the Rough Riders.
"About a thousand."
"Then she can't take the three commands."
Theodore Roosevelt overheard this talk, and at once made up his mind
that it would be a question of what command got aboard of the transport
first. Without the loss of a moment he ran back to where his men were in
waiting.
"Double-quick to the dock!" was his order. And forming quickly, the
troops made their way to the wharf with all possible speed. In the
meantime, Colonel Wood had gone out to the transport in a steam-launch
and gotten the vessel to come up to the wharf. On board went the Rough
Riders pell-mell, and not a minute too soon.
"This is our boat!" cried an officer, as he came up with his command a
minute later.
"Sorry for you, sir, but it is our boat," was Colonel Wood's firm
answer.
Then the third command loomed up, and a three-handed dispute arose. But
the Rough Riders remained aboard of the transport, taking four companies
of another command in with them.
I have told of the particulars of this affair to show my young readers
what was needed at this time, and how well Theodore Roosevelt performed
his duties. He had been a soldier and officer only a few weeks, yet he
realized that army life on paper and army life in reality were two
different things. He felt that an officer must do much besides leading
his men in the field: that he must look after them constantly, see that
their health was provided for, see that they got their rations, see that
transportation was ready when needed, and even see to it that some were
kept away from the temptations of drink, and that they did not quarrel
among themselves.
When going on board of the transport, the Rough Riders were supplied
with twelve days' rations each. The most of the food was good, but the
canned beef was very bad, just as it was found to be very bad in many
other quarters, and it made a great number sick. Added to this, somebody
had forgotten to issue salt to the soldiers; so much had to be eaten
without this very necessary seasoning.
"But we took matters good-naturedly," said one of the number, in
speaking of the trip that followed. "Many of the boys were out for a
lark, and when they growled, they did it good-naturedly. We had all
sorts of men, and all sorts of nicknames. An Irishman was called Solomon
Levi, and a nice young Jew Old Pork Chop. One fellow who was
particularly slow was called Speedy William, and another who always
spoke in a quick, jerky voice answered to the hail of 'Slow-up Peter.'
One cowboy who was as rough as anybody in the command was christened The
Parson, and a fine, high-toned, well-educated college boy had to answer
to the name of Jimmy the Tramp. Some of the boys could sing, and they
organized the Rough Rider Quartette; and others could play, and they
gave us music on the mouth harmonicas and other instruments they had
managed to smuggle along."
The War Department had expected to send the troops to Cuba without
delay, but now came in a report that some Spanish war-ships were
hovering around, ready to sink the transports as soon as they should
show themselves, and for five days the vessels remained in Port Tampa
Harbor, until it was ascertained that the report was untrue.
Those five days were important to Theodore Roosevelt and to the men
under him. Every day the young officer spent a certain portion of his
time in studying military tactics and in drilling his soldiers. Much had
still to be learned, and the officers had their school of instructions
as well as did those under them.
The weather was broiling hot, and some were already suffering from fever
or its symptoms. Fortunately bathing was good, and many went in once or
twice a day. Bathing in the ocean was great sport to some of the
plainsmen who had never seen anything larger than a river or creek, and
they frolicked around like children, and got up races, with prizes for
the best swimmers.
At last came the orders for the transports to set sail for Cuba. They
numbered thirty-two in all, including a schooner which was towed along
filled with drinking water, for water must be had, and that was the only
place where it could be stowed. To protect the transports from a
possible attack by the enemy, they were accompanied by five war-ships at
first, and later on by fourteen. All told, there were on the transports
eight hundred officers and sixteen thousand enlisted men. Of the
commands, the most were from the regular army, the volunteers numbering
but three--the Rough Riders, the Seventy-first New York Infantry, and
the Second Massachusetts Infantry.