rs," and a strange regiment it was.
Most of these men were from the prairies and cattle-ranches in the
West; some were "cowboys," some were Indians. The others in the
regiment were young men from the East--business men, college men, sons
of rich men; all were brave, hardy fellows, fond of out-door life,
fond of excitement, not afraid of work. These young men had been
trained for the war by a man who was now one of their officers,
Lieutenant Colonel Roosevelt. He had given up a high position in order
to serve his country in this way. People in the United States laughed
when this company of "Rough Riders" was formed, and said that the
"cowboys" and Indians would not obey orders, and that the others would
not stand the hardships of war. But the people in the United States
did not laugh after the battle of Las Guasimas.

That June morning it was thought best to separate and march by two
roads, meeting near the Spanish fort. The way of the "Rough Riders"
led them up steep hills. Thick bushes grew all around, so that the men
could hardly see how to go; the sun rose, and the heat was so awful
that some of the men dropped down, faint and sick. Suddenly, from
among the trees and bushes came bullets, and the men began to fall,
wounded and dead. The Spaniards could not be seen at all, and they
were using smokeless powder that left no trace in the air. But our men
heard the whizz of the bullets, and felt their sting. The "Rough
Riders," as they pressed on quickly toward the fort, fired again and
again into the bushes. At last they met their comrades, who had come
by the other road and who had also had a hard fight, and all now
toiled up the hill, firing as they went. The Spaniards had to retreat,
and could now be seen by our men. The top of the hill was reached at
last, the fort was taken, and the Spaniards fled toward Santiago.

This hard fight, which lasted less than two hours, is called the
Battle of Las Guasimas, from the name of the poisonous kind of trees
in the thicket where the "Rough Riders" were shot down.

[Illustration: Last Stand of the Spaniards at Las Guasimas.]

It would require volumes to tell the bravery and heroism of the men
who fought the Spaniards at Las Guasimas. Every one entered into it
with enthusiasm. All stood their ground while the Spanish bullets were
singing around them, and then, when they were allowed to do so, poured
volley after volley into the brush in the direction from which the
shots came.