Portrait of an American Rifleman: Theodore Roosevelt

[caseyblane]

Please let me have your edits/critique. These articles should start appearing quarterly in the Sportsman's Gazette, a regional magazine.
Thanks,
Casey

Portrait of an American Rifleman: Theodore Roosevelt

Theodore Roosevelt was a sickly child, plagued by asthma and poor eyesight. However, with the encouragement of his father, the future 26th and youngest president embarked on a vigorous lifestyle to improve his health. Born to an affluent New York family with a mother of the Savannah, GA aristocracy, Roosevelt used his advantages to fully pursue what he coined the "strenuous life". Taking up boxing to increase his strength and health as a boy was the beginning of a lifelong adventurous and sporting lifestyle. He engaged in athletics of all sorts, went west to become a rancher (when the west was still somewhat wild), went on Safari in Africa, and a South American expedition. While president, he fully lost vision in his left eye boxing a young artillery captain at the White House.1 Perhaps Roosevelt's most famous adventure was leading the Rough Riders during the Spanish American War. In Cuba, with the Rough Riders, he picked up "The Colonel," a nickname he was called the rest of his life. Close friends never referred to him as "Teddy."

As Assistant Secretary of the Navy and an ardent supporter of war with Spain, Roosevelt used his connections to form the First United States Volunteer Cavalry which later became known as the Rough Riders. The regiment was formed for in Texas and was made up of cowboys, Indians, Indian fighters, Ivy League college boys, lawmen, and outlaws. The conflict inspired ten American men to fight for every one position available and brought northerners and southerners together again for a common cause.2 Lt. Colonel Roosevelt deferred the actual top command of the regiment to a more experienced officer, but Roosevelt gained the respect of his men and national notoriety from his exploits with the Rough Riders. Roosevelt's experience with the Rough Riders also strengthened his belief in the importance of rifle marksmanship. In his second annual message as Governor of New York he remarked "...it should be remembered that target practice proper is the alphabet of the soldier's marksmanship. In a battle the only bullets that count are those that hit." As president he remarked "if a soldier has the fighting edge, and ability to care for himself in the open, his efficiency on the line of battle is almost directly proportionate to excellence in marksmanship."

We can't know for sure how good a shot Roosevelt was himself but he was often called a fine shot in spite of his poor vision. According to his grandson, Tweed Roosevelt, when asked if he was a good marksman, Theodore Roosevelt would say "I don't shoot well, but I shoot often."3 Roosevelt is still known today for his favor of Winchester repeating rifles. He is reported to have owned at least 20 of them and given more as gifts.4 The naturalist Alden Loring, who accompanied Roosevelt on safari in Africa reported "...the Colonel is a good marksman...In hunting dangerous game, such as buffaloes, elephants, rhinoceroses, and lions he exhibited the courage of a veteran big-game hunter, and the quickness with which he mastered the situation when in dangerous places, and the accuracy of his shooting, showed that he never got excited." Loring surmised that ten times the amount of game taken could have been killed if the expedition had not been fully scientific in nature.5

As president, Roosevelt was concerned about the marksmanship abilities of both American troops and the civilian population. ". . . it is unfortunately true that the great body of our citizens shoot less and less as time goes on. To meet this we should encourage rifle practice among schoolboys, and indeed among all classes, as well as in the military services, by every means in our power. Thus, and not otherwise, may we be able to assist in preserving the peace of the world. Fit to hold our own against the strong nations of the earth, our voice for peace will carry to the ends of the earth. Unprepared, and therefore unfit, we must sit dumb and helpless to defend ourselves, protect others, or preserve peace. The first step in the direction of preparation to avert war if possible, and to be fit for war if it should come is to teach our men to shoot."6

As president, "The Colonel" took steps to make sure American's had the ability to remain free through practice with the rifle and the development of marksmanship skills. In his first term as president, the National Board for the Promotion of Rifle Practice was established. An annual national marksmanship competition was established and Roosevelt instituted the long standing presidential tradition of writing a congratulatory letter to the winner. Roosevelt also said the Congress should "encourage the formation of rifle clubs throughout all parts of the land."7 The national board has now evolved to become the federally chartered, non-profit Civilian Marksmanship Program. Today, American civilians can purchase surplus military rifles and ammunition from the Civilian Marksmanship Program through participation in marksmanship training with a rifle club. As Roosevelt once wrote "The rifle is the free man's weapon."8 Once upon a time in America, free men like Theodore Roosevelt took steps to preserve liberty for future generations. Those generations must continue to defend liberty through rifle and marksmanship practice.

(1)The Life of Theodore Roosevelt, WM Draper Lewis, 1919.
(2)The Rough Riders, Theodore Roosevelt, 1899.
(3)Roosevelt Hunt Honors Military and Helps Fight Cancer, 119th Wing North Dakota Air National Guard News, Senior Master Sgt. David H. Lipp, 2008.
(4)Theodore Roosevelt Outdoorsman, R.L. Wilson, 1994.
(5)Tells of Roosevelt's Hunt, The New York Times, August 25, 1910.
(6)State of the Union Message, 1908.
(7)Theodore Roosevelt, American Rifleman, May, 1958.
(8)Ibid.

http://blogofcorrespondence.blogspot.com/2009/11/theodore-roosevelt-was-sickly-child.html

[MeanStreaker]

I admire his skill with a rifle.  However, it's too bad Teddy isn't a Rifleman in the Appleseed sense of the word since he was one of the most accomplished Progressives elected to the White House.

Edit to Add: Great writing!  I certainly didn't intend for my aside to insinuate that this wasn't a nice write up.

[caseyblane]

Meanstreaker: I hear you. It is my understanding that Roosevelt was certainly a believer in Lincoln Republicanism and the expansion of executive power which seems to be the main culprit in the destruction of America today. However, in contrast to contemporary politicians and presidents, in my research I found that Roosevelt also not only believed in the right of free people to arm themselves, but to do it well and to hone their abilities. As Jefferson wrote "...it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it...", Roosevelt believed in the right of the people to have "the teeth" to do so.

[SamD]

Yepper,
Progressive is the word.
He had many good traits, most people do.
Did plenty of good for the US in the world affairs arena and won a Nobel Prize on merit.
He was a champion of the little guy and believed it, but not what most would call a Republican these days or an Appleseed Rifleman.

Good writing by the way, don't take our commentary personal.

Sam

[gunville]

Teddy is getting a bad deal on the progressive rap.  The progressive stuff is mostly after his term of office and in his second run on the Bull Moose ticket.

His term of office as President was key in bringing America to the fore-front on military and economic terms, and in defining America as the 20th century power.

I've never quite understood the later slip into government-centric policies.

He's definitely an interesting character - definitely on my list of dead guys I would invite to a dinner party....

[henschman]

yeah... I definitely admire him for his promotion of marksmanship... not so much for his promotion of government interventionism (both in foreign policy and the economy). 

[SamD]

It kind of makes point we need to pay attention to.

#1 Not all people you are unhappy with need hate or derision
#2 Even people you admire can have flaws.

Sam

[caseyblane]

You're not kidding SamD. I admire myself a lot and find that I have plenty of flaws as well The same goes for pretty much any historical figure that we know much about. The more you know about them the more flaws you can find. One of the first of these articles I wrote was about Isaac Davis. No flaws there for history to see, but then again we know very little about him overall.

[metalbot]

However, it's too bad Teddy isn't a Rifleman in the Appleseed sense of the word since he was one of the most accomplished Progressives elected to the White House.

I would argue that you can be a Rifleman whatever your political views.  A Rifleman sees problems and takes action to fix them.  I might disagree with their actions, but at least they are doing something.

The problem with America is not that Republicans aren't getting off the couch, or that conservatives aren't getting off the couch, it's that Americans are not getting off the couch. 

If I run an Appleseed of 30 people, and the only result of that is that one person starts writing letters to their representatives that I don't agree with, that is not my failure as a Shoot Boss.  My failure as a Shoot Boss is the other 29 people who don't take ownership of their government. 

[MeanStreaker]

That's a good point metalbot and I say the same thing in my Benediction, although more ambiguously.  "I don't care what your political party is nor what your hot button political topics happen to be.  I do care that our country was founded on the principle that We the People are supposed to be ever vigilant and involved in the political process.  That doesn't happen any more..."

I leave the rest on faith that in learning about our Founding Principles, people will get active in the correct way.  If I thought I was only influencing Progressives to become more active, I'd send Fred back by hats in a hurry.  Call me crazy, but I personally think a Progressive/Socialist whatever can use some Rifleman tactics for evil... but that doesn't make them a Rifleman.

And since I started this reply to give a little info about my Benediction speech... and it has now sort of come close to iceburg spotting, I'll leave it at that.