The Rough Riders
The 1st U.S. Volunteer Cavalry, better known as the Rough Riders, who fought during the Battle of San Juan Hill near Santiago, Cuba, July 1, 1898, is depicted in "The Rough Riders," a painting by Mort Kunstler and commissioned by the National Guard. When the U.S. declared war against Spain in April 1898, 164,932 National Guardsmen entered federal service. The Rough Riders included a squadron of New Mexico National Guardsmen, serving under Army Lt. Col. Theodore Roosevelt Jr., who later became the 26th president of the United States. The victory at the Battle of San Juan Hill led to Spain's surrender two weeks later.