The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt

[FtValleyPS]

'The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt', by Edmund Morris, 1979, 895pp; Pulitzer Prize; the story of TR from childhood through the SAW; interesting insights into his personality, what it takes to climb the ladder, politics of the era, and how similar American and international politics may have been then and now; about 100 pages out of the 900 concern the SAW, nice details; extensive references throughout. While the Rough Riders (and other cavalry) were un-horsed in Cuba, the details here on how they coped, and of other facts such as Gen's. Wheeler, Shafter and others are interesting

I normally don't enjoy long biographies, frankly, and might skip around to more interesting parts in a lot of cases, but this one kept me reading the whole book. Very enjoyable, helped fill a gap in my knowledge of this era of history. Hope it's factual, because, if it is, it certainly is an interesting piece of work. This guy would've probably driven me crazy with his "snapping teeth", aggressive personality and character, his drive, seeming contradictions (compassion, for example, and perhaps his particular brand of morals), etc., but it sounds like he was the right man for the times. I have to think some other folks here have read it, would appreciate their take on the book.

[Pat Holscher]

The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt is a truly excellent book. There's actually two different versions of it. A new version was written after Morris released Theodore Rex, which deals with Roosevelt's presidency. If you liked The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt, you'll also like Theodore Rex. If you rated them on one of those arbitrary scales you'll occasionally see, I'd rate The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt a ten out of ten and rate Theodore Rex an 8 out of 10. The second book isn't as good, but it only covers his presidency and in some ways the biography of a president, when restricted to his term, will always be a bit problematic. Still very good and recommended, however.

This November the third and final book in the series, Colonel Roosevelt, is scheduled to be released.

Of interest here, The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt caused a bunch of new Roosevelt biographies to be released. I've read most of them (but not all of them). The Rise, however, is by far the best for the time period it covers, and Roosevelt short but busy life can't really be addressed in a one volume biography. Given that, I'd note that another really excellent book is Mornings On Horseback, which only addresses Roosevelt's childhood. It's also truly excellent.

[FtValleyPS]

Thanks, Pat, I'll sure look forward to reading more of Morris' work - I certainly enjoyed The Rise of TR. He's been an interesting contradiction for me, in that he was the kind of person who was super aggressive, knew what it took to climb the ladder, which in today's political environment, I'm fairly sarcastic about, and yet he seemed to be doing things for all the right reasons - fairness, personal responsibility, appreciation of our country, etc. I guess I (un-realistically)expect pixies and do-gooders to run for office, and Roosevelt must have been a good one, which I find refreshing. At the final muster of his troops they gathered to thank him, and seemingly to the man they were loving him as a great leader, which is sure significant, and they supported his political ambitions.

For me, there's a small personal connection. When I worked at Mormon Lake, AZ in the 1980's I knew a woman by the name of Isabella Wallace whose father, John (Jack) Wallace, was a Rough Rider, and after the SAW, he was the first forest ranger in the area. Apparently, Roosevelt would come west every now and then (ca 1910 - 1915? ... year unknown, have to read the second book, huh? ) to visit his Rough Rider pals, and he'd get off the train in Flagstaff, rent a horse, ride thirty miles south to Wallace's place, rap on the door un-announced, and when little Isabella answered the door, he'd say "Where's Teddy's chair?", which was a rocking chair in the small house. She lived in the same cabin most of her life, and still had the chair when I met her; it's there today, I think. When she told me this I was somewhat in awe.

I have to think that TR, who was involved in the whole John Muir preservation vs. conservation debate, and the formation of the U.S. Forest Service as a result, and who was one of the original thinkers and do-er's in the area of resource conservation in the U.S., perhaps appreciated his friend Jack Wallace as a forest ranger, and wanted to know how all of that new stuff was going; can you imagine Jack Wallace, forest ranger, confabbing with TR in those days?

[Pat Holscher]

Thanks, Pat, I'll sure look forward to reading more of Morris' work - I certainly enjoyed The Rise of TR. He's been an interesting contradiction for me, in that he was the kind of person who was super aggressive, knew what it took to climb the ladder, which in today's political environment, I'm fairly sarcastic about, and yet he seemed to be doing things for all the right reasons - fairness, personal responsibility, appreciation of our country, etc. I guess I (un-realistically)expect pixies and do-gooders to run for office, and Roosevelt must have been a good one, which I find refreshing. At the final muster of his troops they gathered to thank him, and seemingly to the man they were loving him as a great leader, which is sure significant, and they supported his political ambitions.

For me, there's a small personal connection. When I worked at Mormon Lake, AZ in the 1980's I knew a woman by the name of Isabella Wallace whose father, John (Jack) Wallace, was a Rough Rider, and after the SAW, he was the first forest ranger in the area. Apparently, Roosevelt would come west every now and then (ca 1910 - 1915? ... year unknown, have to read the second book, huh? ) to visit his Rough Rider pals, and he'd get off the train in Flagstaff, rent a horse, ride thirty miles south to Wallace's place, rap on the door un-announced, and when little Isabella answered the door, he'd say "Where's Teddy's chair?", which was a rocking chair in the small house. She lived in the same cabin most of her life, and still had the chair when I met her; it's there today, I think. When she told me this I was somewhat in awe.

I have to think that TR, who was involved in the whole John Muir preservation vs. conservation debate, and the formation of the U.S. Forest Service as a result, and who was one of the original thinkers and do-er's in the area of resource conservation in the U.S., perhaps appreciated his friend Jack Wallace as a forest ranger, and wanted to know how all of that new stuff was going; can you imagine Jack Wallace, forest ranger, confabbing with TR in those days?

1910 to 1915 will be the third book, I'm afraid. The second one is his presidential years, which is very interesting.

Roosevelt did make some very long rides while President. In an incident similar to what you note, he stopped in Laramie Wyoming and went to Old Main to make an address. While there, some Rough Rider veterans asked him if he'd like to ride to his next stop, Cheyenne, which was 50 miles away over Sherman Hill. He said yes, and did. I have a photo of him arriving outside of Cheyenne, with the other riders, up on my office wall.

Roosevelt was a great man. Some state that he personally felt that he'd been denied the opportunity to be a great President as he did not serve during a time of war or great national crisis, and that this explains his later disruptive role in Presidential politics. I doubt that's true, but he was so young at the time of his being President that he undoubtedly couldn't really content himself with being on the sidelines.

One thing I will note is that in my view Roosevelt was highly admirable politically (and always admirable personally) up through his second term as President. After that, however, he started to slide towards increasing radicalism. Those who are uncritical fans of his sometimes gloss over this, but it's hard to put his progressive views of his Presidency together with his Progressive views of his final Presidential campaign. Had he beaten Taft and Wilson, with his enormous personal drive, he likely would have been a highly effective third term President, but he also would have been by far the most left leaning President we ever had. People will sometimes cite to his views about things like would be come Social Security or Health Care, and suggest he was ahead of his time, but they'll fail to note his proposals for basic partial nationalization of corporations. As it was, the country had him as President just when it needed him as President, and then it had him as a loyal opponent of Wilson when it needed a loyal opponent of Wilson, so we were pretty lucky, all in all.

[Harve Curry]

I would like to get these books. Which version of The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt do you recommend? Are there differences within them ?
I like Theodore Roosevelt's views on being an American, not being a hyphenated American, and English being the official language. If they had become the policy and law of the land then, we might not have some of the dividing problems of today. My Grandmother was born from immigrant parents in N.Y. 1906. Her views reflected his views, I didn't know that till I began reading some online about Theodore Roosevelt. I've visited his house at Sagamore Hill twice as a boy and it fascinated me.

Bought it last week. What a great book.

[Harve Curry]

I have been engrossed in this book. Does anyone know what firearms he was using in his 1883 & 1884 hunts on the Dakota Badlands? Was it the 1876 Winchester 45-75?

[Pat Holscher]

I have been engrossed in this book. Does anyone know what firearms he was using in his 1883 & 1884 hunts on the Dakota Badlands? Was it the 1876 Winchester 45-75?

Roosevelt had two 1874 Winchesters in .50-95 that he took with to the Dakotas in 1883. They were an engraved consecutively numbered pair. He seems to have used a Sharpes 1874 hunting, however, and a 10 gauge double barreled shotgun that year. I believe the Sharpes was borrowed, and used on the belief that it was a heavier rifle and more appropriate for buffalo.

In 1884, when he returned, he also had a Winchester 1873 in .32-20 and a 1876 in .45-75. I think he likely used the heavier rifle for hunting, but I don't know that.

[Tom Muller]

I have been engrossed in this book. Does anyone know what firearms he was using in his 1883 & 1884 hunts on the Dakota Badlands? Was it the 1876 Winchester 45-75?

Bill,

I have read his book on hunting in the US (can't remember the title at the moment). Apparently he prefered the Winchester? 45-90.

Tom

[Pat Holscher]

I have been engrossed in this book. Does anyone know what firearms he was using in his 1883 & 1884 hunts on the Dakota Badlands? Was it the 1876 Winchester 45-75?

Bill,

I have read his book on hunting in the US (can't remember the title at the moment). Apparently he prefered the Winchester? 45-90.

Tom

I have that volume (which also covers ranching). It's excellent. Originally it might have been published as Hunting Trips of a Ranch Man.

Roosevelt liked firearms and had quite a few. He did generally favor lever action Winchesters for hunting, but he used other things as well. Indeed, he received a very early sporterized Springfield from Springfield Armory while President. That rifle, a .30-03, saw some hunting use.

[Tom Muller]

Pat,

it is called: The Wilderness Hunter. The volume you mentioned is on my list for this year.

Tom

[Harve Curry]

I'm lucky enough to have an original 1876 Winchester 45-75, ser.no.2XX. I've hunted with it but never got a shot at anything. The rifling is pretty far gone but otherwise safe and reliable to shoot. One of these seasons before I get to old to carry it I'd like to get a nice deer or elk with it.