Rough Riders

American  

plural noun

1. the members of a volunteer regiment of cavalry organized by Theodore Roosevelt and Leonard Wood for service in the Spanish-American War.

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Rough Riders Cultural  

1. The nickname of a volunteer group of cavalry led by Colonel Theodore Roosevelt in the Spanish-American War. They were famous for a victorious charge at the Battle of San Juan Hill in Cuba.

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Example Sentences

Volunteer Cavalry—the Rough Riders, who helped to secure an American victory at the Battle of San Juan Hill on July 1, 1898.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 29, 2025

Downtown, you’ll find the historic Rough Riders Hotel, pince-nez-wearing teddy bears in the gift shops and, in front of the Old Town Hall Theater, a bronze statue of the man himself.

From New York Times • Oct. 27, 2023

I charged up San Juan Hill with the Rough Riders and joined the doughboys over there.

From Washington Times • Jul. 2, 2023

And the Bulldogs’ opponent in their first home game: none other than the Roosevelt Rough Riders, a storied East Los Angeles Classic rivalry come to life on the baseball diamond.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 13, 2023

Volunteer Cavalry, also known as the Rough Riders.

From "Death on the River of Doubt" by Samantha Seiple