Rough Riders Memorial, Military monument in Arlington National Cemetery, US
The Rough Riders Memorial is a monument to the First United States Volunteer Cavalry located in Section 22 of Arlington National Cemetery. A grey granite pillar displays the regiment's insignia and the names of three major battlefields from the Spanish-American War.
The memorial was constructed in 1906 by regiment members and their supporters to honor those who fought in the Spanish-American War. The formation of this volunteer cavalry represented a unique moment when ordinary men from across the nation joined together to serve.
The memorial honors the cavalry unit that brought together cowboys, ranchers, and frontiersmen under Theodore Roosevelt's leadership during wartime. You can sense how this unusual mix of ordinary people from different walks of life became a legendary fighting force.
The memorial is located in Section 22 of Arlington National Cemetery and is easy to reach on foot by following the signage throughout the grounds. It stands in an open area where you can approach it from multiple directions and take time to read the inscriptions.
A time capsule containing historical objects from the early 1900s lies buried beneath the stone pillar, placed there by those who dedicated the memorial. This hidden element connects visitors to a distant era and reveals what the survivors wanted to preserve for the future.
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