ll just suit me," said Theodore Roosevelt. "I know many
of those men, and I know we can raise a regiment in no time."

And without delay he sought out Secretary of War Alger and told him of
his hopes.

"I am perfectly willing to give you command of one of those regiments,"
said the war secretary. "I know you are something of a rough rider
yourself, and a good marksman to boot."

This was certainly flattering, but Theodore Roosevelt's head was not
turned by the offer.

"I don't think I am quite ready to take command," said he. "I know that
I can learn, and that quickly, but it will be precious time wasted."

"Well, what do you wish, Mr. Roosevelt?" asked the Secretary of War,
curiously.

"What I should like best of all is for Dr. Wood to become colonel of the
regiment, and for myself to become lieutenant-colonel."

"Very well; I will consult President McKinley on the subject," said the
secretary. The request was granted, and in a few days more Colonel Wood
and Lieutenant-Colonel Roosevelt sallied forth to organize the Rough
Riders, and fit them for service in Cuba.

Leaving his family, which now consisted of his wife and six children,
the lieutenant-colonel made his way to San Antonio, Texas, where the
regiment was to gather. Previous to going he spent a full week in
Washington, seeing to it that arrangements were completed for supplying
the command with uniforms, carbines, saddles, and other articles which
were needed. This was in itself quite a task, for all of the departments
at the Capitol were more than busy, and it took a great amount of
"hustling" to get what one wanted.

As soon as it was known that Theodore Roosevelt was going to help
organize the Rough Riders, offers from everywhere began to pour in upon
him. Not alone did the men of the plains and ranch who knew him want
to go, but likewise his old college chums at Harvard. These men, of
wealth and good families, were willing to serve in any capacity, if only
they could be mustered in. There were crack base-ball and foot-ball
players, yachtsmen, all-round athletes and men of fortune, all mixed in
with hunters, cowboys, men who had served as sheriffs in the far West,
where fighting was an everyday occurrence, some policemen who had served
under Roosevelt when he was a Police Commissioner in New York, and even
some Indians. Nearly every nationality was represented when it came to
blood, and the men ran from the best educated to the most ignorant.

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