Prescott LIVING Magazine
No Result
View All Result
Prescott LIVING Magazine - Click for Current Issue
  • Inside
    • Voices
    • Special Sections
      • 40 Under 40
      • Annual Photo Contest
        • People’s Choice Photo Winners
      • Best of Greater Prescott
      • Everyone Can Be a Hero
      • Holiday
      • Medical, Health & Wellness
      • Men of Vision
      • New Year, New You
      • Relocation
      • Wealth Management
      • Weddings & Events
      • Women in Leadership
    • Up Front
      • City Speak
    • BIZ
    • YOU
      • Out & About
      • Beauty & Style
      • Health, Happiness & Education
      • Education
      • Pets
      • Home
        • Home & Garden
    • FUN
      • Arts & Culture
      • Outdoor Adventure
      • Restaurants
        • Pizza
      • Travel & Tourism
    • The ROX Interview
    • Prescott Pioneer Local News
    • Q & A
  • Current Issue
  • Community Calendar
  • Past Issues
  • Subscribe
    • eNewsletter & Digital Edition Subscription
  • Inside
    • Voices
    • Special Sections
      • 40 Under 40
      • Annual Photo Contest
        • People’s Choice Photo Winners
      • Best of Greater Prescott
      • Everyone Can Be a Hero
      • Holiday
      • Medical, Health & Wellness
      • Men of Vision
      • New Year, New You
      • Relocation
      • Wealth Management
      • Weddings & Events
      • Women in Leadership
    • Up Front
      • City Speak
    • BIZ
    • YOU
      • Out & About
      • Beauty & Style
      • Health, Happiness & Education
      • Education
      • Pets
      • Home
        • Home & Garden
    • FUN
      • Arts & Culture
      • Outdoor Adventure
      • Restaurants
        • Pizza
      • Travel & Tourism
    • The ROX Interview
    • Prescott Pioneer Local News
    • Q & A
  • Current Issue
  • Community Calendar
  • Past Issues
  • Subscribe
    • eNewsletter & Digital Edition Subscription
No Result
View All Result
Prescott LIVING Magazine
Prescott LIVING Magazine - Click for Current Issue
Home FUN

The Rough Riders Were Born in Prescott

April 1, 2019
342
SHARES
2.6k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

by Drew Desmond, Secretary, Prescott Western Heritage Foundation
When news arrived of the explosion and sinking of the USS Maine, William “Buckey” O’Neill was Mayor of Prescott. Buckey, like most Americans, was infuriated by the disaster and hungry to join the fight.
While discussing the situation with Alexander Brodie and James McClintock, both veteran officers and prominent citizens, an idea occurred to them to raise up a volunteer cavalry from the Arizona territory. Buckey wanted to raise a regiment of hardcore Arizona frontiersmen. He would call them “The Rough Riders,” and they would become the origin and core of the First U.S. Volunteer Cavalry.
Buckey wired President McKinley for authorization to muster 1,000 Arizona “rough riding” soldiers. McKinley wired back authorizing a number he thought was more realistic for the sparsely populated territory, 250 men. O’Neill was named captain of Troop A of the 1st Volunteer Cavalry and immediately resigned his position as Prescott’s Mayor. The three had little trouble recruiting the allotment of men.
Off to War
Throughout the spring of 1898, the volunteers trained at Fort Whipple. Then on May 4, 1898, the troops shipped out. For the City of Prescott, the departure day was a well-attended, bittersweet affair. “The entire town seemed to be on the streets, in the Plaza and at the depot to see the brave boys off,” the local paper reported.
It would be the first time that Arizona sent its citizens outside the territory to fight for its country. Arizona was the first in the U.S. to muster in its men and the first to have its volunteers leave for the conflict.
During the send-off ceremony, the troops were not only presented with a battle flag, but a young mountain lion named “Josephine” also was presented as a mascot. Over $500 was raised in a matter of hours to outfit the volunteers with supplies, including hams, mutton, pigs feet, pickles, three barrels of bottled beer and other items far too numerous to mention.
A Farewell to be Remembered
“As the train was about to depart, the volunteers expressed themselves as being overwhelmed with the rousing farewell demonstration accorded them by its people and said they would be forever remembered wherever the fate of war might carry them,” said the paper.
The train’s engineer “pulled out very slowly until the train had passed through the cut in the yards, while a perfect sea of handkerchiefs and parasols were waved in the air and a chorus of shouts went up from hundreds of voices,” the paper wrote.
First, they would go to San Antonio, Texas, where their number swelled to 1,250 and they met their new Lt. Commander Teddy Roosevelt. Roosevelt wholly embraced the idea of “rough riding” horsemen going to war and instructed all his men to behave as such. After a stop in Florida, they went to Cuba to fight with great distinction and glory still well remembered to this day.
But the name and concept of “Rough Riders?” …that’s pure Prescott.
Sources: Arizona Weekly Journal-Miner 5/11/1898, Prescott Courier 4/11/1975.

Previous Post

Prescott Residents Urged to Participate in Water Conservation Program

Next Post

Phippen Museum 45th Annual Western Art Show & Sale

Next Post

Phippen Museum 45th Annual Western Art Show & Sale

Join our Newsletter

Prescott LIVING eNewsletter Subscription

No Result
View All Result
Cover for Prescott Living Magazine
11,553
Prescott Living Magazine

Prescott Living Magazine

Come & enjoy the local scene in Prescott Arizona!

Prescott Living Magazine

1 day ago

Prescott Living Magazine
LOCAL NEWS: The Northern Arizona VA in Prescott has provided an update on their Homeless Veteran Program. . . .PRESCOTT, Ariz. – The Northern Arizona VA Health Care System’s Homeless Veteran Program, along with its community partners, housed 445 Veterans in 2022, exceeding their target goal by 157%.Nationally, the 2022 goal was to house 38,000 homeless Veterans— a goal that was exceeded by 6.3%. The Department of Veterans Affairs remains committed to ending Veteran homelessness and increasing housing placements is critical to achieving this goal.“This success is a result of efforts built on the evidence-based ‘Housing First’ approach, which prioritizes getting a Veteran into housing, then provides the Veteran with the support they need to stay housed,” said Steve Sample, Medical Center Director.In Northern Arizona, there are a variety of services designed to house homeless Veterans. The VA’s Health Care for Homeless Veterans (HCHV) Program includes VA Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) vouchers that provide formerly homeless Veterans with subsidized housing and a wraparound, interdisciplinary case management team to address issues that may have contributed to homelessness. The program provides justice outreach services, employment services, health care services through the Homeless Patient Aligned Care Team, outreach, and transitional housing support. The VA also works closely with community partners to house homeless Veterans through a system called Coordinated Entry, where community agencies along with the VA regularly meet to coordinate efforts and ensure homeless Veterans do not fall through the cracks.“We are fortunate that there is so much support for helping homeless Veterans in our area,” said Jessica Taylor, Homeless Program Coordinator for the Northern Arizona VA. “This success could not have been possible without great collaboration between our community partners, Housing Authorities, Tribal partnerships, and support from our local communities.”Looking ahead, the VA will continue to explore new avenues to house homeless Veterans and overcome housing barriers. In collaboration with U.S VETS, Gorman & Company, and the Arizona Department of Housing, a supportive housing project on the grounds of the VA’s Fort Whipple campus is in the initial planning stages. The VA is also expanding outreach to ensure that homeless Veterans are aware of services available to them. For Veterans who are homeless or at imminent risk of homelessness— or if you know of homeless Veterans in need of assistance, call 877-424-3838.For more information on renting to or hiring homeless Veterans, visit: www.va.gov/homelessAbout the Northern Arizona VA: Through its main campus in Prescott, along with Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs) in Cottonwood, Flagstaff, Kingman, Lake Havasu City, and Anthem— with additional clinics in Tuba City, Page, Kayenta, Chinle, Holbrook, and Polacca, the Northern Arizona VA provides services to approximately 33,000 Veterans over a catchment area of more than 65,000 square miles.. . .www.facebook.com/VAPrescott ... See MoreSee Less

Photo

View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

Prescott Living Magazine

2 days ago

Prescott Living Magazine
Empty Bowls of Prescott Arizona has announced that it will distribute $24,000 to local foodbanks! Their 2022 Empty Bowls fundraising event took place in September, and donations can be made year round on their website.prescott-empty-bowls.square.site ... See MoreSee Less

media1.tenor.co

media1.tenor.co

View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

It’s About LOCAL – ADVERTISE WITH US

© 2022 ROX Media •  Privacy Policy
info@roxco.com • 130 N. Granite St. • Prescott, AZ 86301 • 928.350.8006
CORPORATE OFFICE: 1919 N. Trekell Rd.,  Suite C •  Casa Grande, AZ 85122

No Result
View All Result
  • Inside
    • Voices
    • Special Sections
      • 40 Under 40
      • Annual Photo Contest
      • Best of Greater Prescott
      • Everyone Can Be a Hero
      • Holiday
      • Medical, Health & Wellness
      • Men of Vision
      • New Year, New You
      • Relocation
      • Wealth Management
      • Weddings & Events
      • Women in Leadership
    • Up Front
      • City Speak
    • BIZ
    • YOU
      • Out & About
      • Beauty & Style
      • Health, Happiness & Education
      • Education
      • Pets
      • Home
    • FUN
      • Arts & Culture
      • Outdoor Adventure
      • Restaurants
      • Travel & Tourism
    • The ROX Interview
    • Prescott Pioneer Local News
    • Q & A
  • Current Issue
  • Community Calendar
  • Past Issues
  • Subscribe
    • eNewsletter & Digital Edition Subscription

© 2022 ROX Media