| Remembering the Rough Riders | ||
Sharon Vander Meer Editor Jack Stewart is a Rough Rider reenactor. He and the handful of men in Arizona who are members of Troop B, Arizona volunteers, have only been at it since Jan. 24, 1998 but in that time have logged more than 6,000 miles of travel, and that just since April 24. He and the truly dedicated among the troop members are historians first and foremost. Authenticity is critical to these men. In an interview this week Stewart said "We don't take our roles as Rough Riders lightly. We stay in character. If someone asks us what we do, we respond in our 19th century identity." he said. When Troop B, or that portion able to come to Las Vegas, arrives on Saturday Morning, it will be a small representation of what took place at Lincoln Park many years ago. "We'll probably have a two man pup tent and do 'junk on a bunk'." "Junk on a bunk" is jargon among reenactors for a spead of all the equipment a soldier would have carried or been issued in a given campaign. Stewart said they will also have a replica of the Rough Rider Regimental Flag which was the one carried by the Arizona volunteers, "...because they were the first ones to arrive in San Antonio for training," Stewart said. The original is on display in the Arizona State museum in Phoenix. Stewart said wives and girlfriends of reenactors frequently travel with the troop and also appear in period costume. "They probably spend as much or more on costume than the men," Stewart said. Stewart's persona as a reenactor is that of Capt. James McClintock. Another reenactor will portray Wild Bill Owens, a memorable soldier who was so named because of his penchant for pulling his gun and shooting just for the fun of it.
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Stewart said visitors to Lincoln Park on Saturday and Sunday can expect to see a little bit of history come to life. The Rough Riders were made up of volunteers from New Mexico, Arizona and Oklahoma and the Indian Territories, according to Stewart. Melanie LaBorwit, director of the Las Vegas City and Rough Rider Memorial Museum said the New Mexico contingent began forming after a call went out from the territorial governor. "This war had a huge effect on foreign policy. It was the first war we exported, she said. Territorial Governor Miguel Otero's call for volunteers brought out so many volunteers that New Mexico had the largest contingent of soldiers in the war. Stewart said that voluteers were critical. "There were only about 28,000 men in the regular army. Following the Civil War, the best way to make it in politics was to not give money to the military. The volunteers were sent to San Antonio for one month of training. Some got very little, some got no training at all. There were stragglers joining right up to the day before the regiment was sent to Florida where they boarded ships and then sailed to Cuba." Steward said. Stewart is well versed in the history and lore of Troop B of the Rough Riders Regiment. Not only has he studied to lend veracity to his re-enactment persona, he has researched diligently for his book "Cowboys in Uniform" which is being published by Rough Rider Publications. "It's basically a text book about arms, flags, equipment and anything else having to do with the Rough Riders," he said, stating that the museum in Las Vegas has a wealth of information about the Rough riders. He will use photos from the local museum in the book.
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 Teddy and his troopers 100 years ago Theodore Roosevelt posed following a campaign that would make heroes out of an entire generation of New Mexico, Arizona and Oklahoma men.
Las Vegas was the first town where a Rough Rider Reunion was held and eventually became the home of the annual reunion, right up until 1968 when the last living Rough Rider attended. LaBorwit said that in the 50's and 60's the reunions were the biggest events in town. This"...splendid little war" as it was defined by Col. Leonard Wood, commander of the army, made American heroes of an entire generation of Arizona, New Mexico and Oklahoma men." B Troop reenactors pay tribute to the honor and integrity of men who fought for a cause they believed in, for a man they trusted. During the two day mini-encampment, you can visit Lincoln Park and have a chance to learn what life was like in the 1800s and to visit with men who played a decisive role in the shaping of the American West. For more information about the Rough Riders, visit the Las Vegas City and Rough Rider Memorial Museum on Grand Avenue. You can also visit with the reenactors on Saturday and Sunday.
Stewart said there may be a demonstration of some of the weapons used by the soldiers during the conflict. Demonstrations will likely take place at King Stadium. |
