46
36
ORIGIN OF THE NAME "ROUGH RIDERS"
Colonel Theodore Roosevelt says: "Wood and I were speedily commissioned as Colonel and Lieutenant-Colonel of the First United States Volunteer Cavalry. This was the official title of the regiment, but for some reason or other the public promptly christened us the 'Rough Riders.' At first, we fought against the use of the term, but to no purpose; and when, finally, the Generals of Division and Brigade began to write in formal communications about our regiment as the 'Rough Riders,' we adopted the term ourselves."
{Image} COPYRIGHT 1898 "BUFFALO BILL"
COL. THEODORE E. ROOSEVELT
LEADING HIS "ROUGH RIDERS" IN THE FAMOUS CHARGE AT SAN JUAN, '98.
The "some reason or other" for calling his regiment "Rough Riders," regarding which Colonel Roosevelt seems to be in doubt, is so readily found and explained that his failure to discover it is really surprising. The name is one with which the public has become familiar, and in a way fascinated, through its adoption some years ago by Col. W. F. Cody-"Buffalo Bill"- to designate precisely the class of frontiersmen associated with his Wild West Exhibition, which, as Colonel Roosevelt himself remarks, "made up the bulk of the regiment and gave it its peculiar character." The term was gradually widened to include the Cossack, Arabian, Mexican, South American, trooper, and other free, fearless equestrians, now marshaled under the leadership of the greatest horseman of them all. Millions of people had grown to understand, fully appreciate, and unboundedly admire that title and what it stands for, and its transference to the First U. S. V. Cavalry was not only a deserved compliment but an honorable designation, whose admirable fitness was at once and universally recognized. Colonel Cody first introduced the name "Rought Riders" to the American public. The manner in which Colonel Roosevelt subsequently introduced it to the Spaniards has made it historically immortal.
47
37 LT. - COL. BADEN-POWELL, THE ENGLISH ROUGH RIDER, ON THE AMERICAN SCOUT. ______
Scouting as a fine art had its origin in America, when the pioneer settled first upon the shores of the new country which stretched away, away, to the Westward, how far they knew not. What wonders, what dangers, what secrets were held by that unknown country by the forest primeval they likewise knew not.
They were surrounded by hostile savages, who came and went like shadows, who found their way as straight as the flight of a carrier pigeon through countless miles of trackless forest; who appeared and disappeared as quickly and completely as the elfs of the fabled fairy-lands. But the instinct of self-preservation sharpened their wits; no man sleeps soundly when danger threatens.
They learned first the secrets by which the Indian made his way from place to place, and tracked his foe for vengeance or his game for sustenance. They quickly discovered how by training and vigilance the eye became quick, the ear alert, and the touch sensitive.
A crushed blade of grass or a weed, a broken twig, a bent bough, all these things were to the Indian as they are to Sherlock Holmes, sufficient to construct a theory as to the character and numbers of those he pursued.
(IMAGE) LIEUT.-COL. BADEN-POWELL, THE ENGLISH ROUGH RIDER.
_________
THE WILD WEST AT THE VATICAN - "BUFFALO BILL's" Indians and Cow-Boys at the Anniversary Ceremony of Leo XIII.
New York IIlerald, March 4, 1890- (From our Special Correspondent. ROME, March 3. One of the strangest spectacles ever seen within the venerable walls of the Vatican was the dramatic entry of "BUFFALO BILL" at the head of his Indians and cow-boys this morning, when the ecclesiastical and secular military court of the Holy See assembled to witness the twelfth annual thanksgiving of Leo XIII, for his coronation. In the midst of the splendid scene, crowded with the old Roman aristocracy, and surrounded by walls immortalized by Michael Angelo and Rafael, there suddenly appeared a host of savages in war paint, feathers and blankets, carrying tomahawks and knives.
A vast multitude surged in the great square before St. Peter's early in the morning to witness the arrival of the Americans. Before half-past nine o'clock the Ducal Hall, Royal Hall, and Sextine Chapel of the Vatican were packed with those who had influence enough to obtain admittance. Through middle of the three audiences, the pathway was bordered with the brilliant uniforms of the Swiss Guards, Palatine Guards, Papel gensdarmes and private
48
38
chamberlains. The sunlight fell upon lines of glittering steel, nodding plumes, golden chains, shimmering robes of silk, and all the blazing emblems of pontifical power and glory.
THE WILD WEST MAKE THEIR ENTREE.
Suddenly, a tall and chivalrous figure appeared at the entrance, and all eyes were turned toward him. It was COLONEL W. F. CODY, "BUFFALO BILL." With a sweep of his great sombrero, he saluted the chamberlains, and then strode between the guards with his partner, MR. NATE SALSBURY, by his side.
{Image} ST. PETER'S AND VATICAN, ROME.
"ROCKY BEAR" led the Sioux warriors, who brought up the rear. They were painted in every color that Indian imagination could devise. Every man carried something with which to make big medicine in the presence of the great medicine man sent by the Great Spirit.
"ROCKY BEAR" rolled his eyes and folded his hands on his breast as he stepped on tip-toe through the glowing sea of color. His braves furtively eyed the halberds and two-handed swords of the Swiss Guards.
The Indians and cow-boys were ranged in the south corners of the Ducal Hall. COLONEL CODY and MR. SALSBURY was escorted into the Sextine Chapel by chamberlains, where they were greeted by Miss Sherman, daughter of General Sherman. A princess invited COLONEL CODY to a place in the tribune of the Roman nobles.
He stood facing the gorgeous Diplomatic Corps, surrounded by the Prince and Princess Borghesi, the Marquis Serlupi, Princess Bandini, Duchess di Grazioli, Prince and Princess Massimo, Prince and Princess Ruspoli, and all the ancient noble families of the city.
THE PAPAL BLESSING.
When the Pope appeared in the sedia gestatoria carried above the heads of his guards preceded by the Knights of Malta and a procession of cardinals and archbishops, the cow-boys bowed and so did the Indians. "ROCKY BEAR" knelt and made the sign of the cross. The Pontiff leaned affectionately toward the rude group and blessed them. He seemed to be touched by the sight.
As the Papal train swept on, the Indians became excited, and a squaw fainted. They had been warned not to utter a sound, and were with difficulty restrained from whooping. The Pope looked at COLONEL CODY intently as he passed, and the great scout and Indian fighter bent low as he received the Pontifical benediction.
After the Thanksgiving Mass, with its grand choral accompaniment, and now and then the south of Leo XIII's voice heard ringing through the chapel, the great audience poured out of the Vatican.
49
39 ROMAN WILD HORSES. TAMED BY COW-BOYS. RIDDEN IN FIVE MINUTES. HOW "BUFFALO BILL'S" COW-BOYS TAMED THE ROMAN WILD HORSES. (Per the Commercial Cable to the "Herald.") ROME, 4TH MARCH, 1890.
All Rome was to-day astir over an attempt of "BUFFALO BILL'S" cow-boys with wild horses, which were provided for the occasion by the Prince of Sermoneta.
Several days past the Roman authorities have been busy with the erection of specially cut barriers for the purpose of keeping back the wild horses from the crowds. The animals are from the celebrated stud of the Prince of Sermoneta, and the Prince himself declared that no cow-boy in the world could ride these horses. The cow-boys laughed over this surmise, and then offered, at least, to undertake to mount one of them, if they might choose it.
Every man, woman and child expected that two or three people would be killed by this attempt.
The anxiety and enthusiasm were great. Over 2,000 carriages were ranged round the field, and more than 20,000 people lined the spacious barriers. Lord Dufferin and many other diplomatists were ont he Terrace, and amongst Romans were presently seen the consort of the Prime Minister Crispi, the Prince of Torlonia Madame Depretis, Princess Colonna, Gravina Antonelli, the Baroness Reugis, Princess Brancaccia, Grave Giannotti, and critics from amongst the highest aristocracy. In five minutes the horses were tamed.
Two of the wild horses were driven without saddle or bridle in the Arena. "BUFFALO BILL" gave out that they would be tamed. The brutes made springs into the air, darted hither and thither in all directions, and bent themselves into all sorts of shapes, but all in vain.
In five minutes the cow-boys had caught the wild horses with the lasso, saddled, subdued and bestrode them. Then the cow-boys rode them round the Arena,whilst the dense crowds of people applauded with delight.
AMERICAN WILD WEST EXHIBITION. Editorial from the "London Times," Nov. 1, 1887. - The American Exhibition, which has attracted all the town to West Brompton for the last few months, was brought yesterday to an appropriate and dignified close. A meeting of representative Englishmen and Americans was held, under the presidency of Lord Lorne, in support of the movement for establishing a Court of Arbitration for the settlement of disputes between this country and the United States. At first sight it might seem to be a far cry from the Wild West to an International Court. Yet the connection is not really very remote. Exhibitions of American products and scenes from the wilder phases of American life certainly tend in some degree at least to bring America nearer to England. They are partly cause and partly effect. They are the effect of increased and increasing intercourse between the two countries, and they tend to promote a still more intimate understanding. The two things, the Exhibition and the Wild West show, supplemented each other. Those who went to be amused often staid to be instructed. The Wild West was irresistible. COLONEL CODY suddenly found himself the hero of the London season.
THE FIGHTING CHIEF, KICKING BEAR, AND STAFF, CAMPAIGN 1891, PINE RIDGE.
50
40 Notwithstanding his daily engagements and his punctual fulfillment of them, he found time to go everywhere, to see everything, and to be seen by all the world. All London contributed to his triumph and now the close of his show is selected as the occasion for promoting a great international movement with Mr. Bright, Lord Granvillo, Lord Wolseley and Lord Lorne for its sponsors. Civilization itself consents to march onward in the train of day realizes the design attributed to him of running the Wild West Show within the classic precincts of the Colosseum at Rome.
This association of the cause of international arbitration with the fortunes of the American Wild West is not without its grotesque aspects. But it has a serious import, nevertheless. After all, the Americans and the English are one stock. Nothing that is American comes altogether amiss to an Englishman. We are apt to think that American life is not picturesque. We have been shown one of its most picturesque aspects. It is true that "RED SHIRT" would be as unusual a phenomenon in Broadway as in Cheapside. But the Wild West for all that is racy of the American soil. We can easily imagine Wall Street for ourselves; we need to be shown the cow-boys of Colorado. Hence it is no paradox to say that COLONEL CODY has done has done his part in bringing America and England nearer together.
A GREAT PONY-EXPRESS RIDE.
While riding pony-express between Red Buttes and Three Crossings, seventy-six miles, CODY had a dangerous and lonely route, including crossing of the North Platte River, one-half mile wide, often much swollen and turbulent. An average of fifteen miles an hour had to be made, inluding changes of horses, detours for safety, and time for meals.
On reaching Three Crossings, finding the rider on the next division, a route of eighty-six miles, had been killed during the night before, he made the extra trip on time. This round trip of three hundred and twent-four miles was made without a stop, except for meals and change of horses, one of the longest and best-ridden pony-express journeys ever made - Buell's Ilistory of the Plains.
"OLD CHARLIE" - DIED AT SEA, 1888.
"MAJOR" BURKE'S APPEAL FOR A PEACEFUL SOLUTION OF THE INDIAN TROUBLE. From the Washington Post.
Perhaps one of the most eloquent and effective pleas for a peaceful solution of the Indian trouble was that made by MAJOR JOHN M. BURKE, at the famous conference in the Ogallalla camp on the 17th of January, when negotiating for the Indians' surrender with Capt. Lee. The proceedings, as reported for the Department, gives Major Burke's remarks as follows: "My friends, I came here on the invitation of many of my Ogallalla friends who know me. I am happy to sit down among you to-day, because it is so much quieter than for some weeks. I do not come here in behalf of the Government , or any society, but because I travel and live with the Indians, and they are my friends for many years. When I first heard of this trouble, GEN. CODY ('BUFFALO BILL') sent me to do what I could do for you. I have been here eight or nine weeks - have listened, heard and seen a great deal. From the first I saw no necessity for this trouble. A great deal of it came from a misunderstanding and the lack of confidence among the Indians as regards the intention of the Government . Our friend, Capt. Lee, does not carry arms neither do I. While it looked like peace daily you were just like scared birds, ready to stampede at any time. I am going to Washington to see the great counsellors, and I want to be able to say that when I left all was peace, and that the Indians fully understood Gen. Miles' intention. I want you to place every confidence in him. When the earth loses something God sends something else, and when God took your friend Gen. Crook he sent you Gen. Miles, who us now your benefactor. The foundation of all good in men us truth and honor. When a man has these foundations he has right, and can stand open handed and talk for his rights. He needs no gun, which is dangerous and causes