fierce along the way, and a number of Rough Riders were killed and wounded. Roosevelt himself came under fire a number of times, and earned the nickname "Old Icebox" for his calm courage. The morning of July 1, 1898, found the Rough Riders within sight of the hills that defended Santiago. This would later be known as the famous battle at San Juan Hill. Assigned the task of capturing the heavily armed high ground, Teddy assembled his troops for what he would later call, "the greatest day of my life". After a brief bombardment, the 1st American Volunteer Cavalry began its assault. The hill was steep, and covered in dense underbrush. Sniper bullets whirled around the men, crashing into Rough Riders to Teddy's right and left. Artillery burst all around. At times the Rough Riders hesitated, but Teddy led them on. "Forward March", he yelled above the crash of battle, and the Rough Riders surged forward. With Teddy at the head, the Rough Riders at last gained the top of the hill, San Juan Hill. Not once, but twice, Teddy led his men along the ridge to root out the Spanish units. The Rough Riders were triumphant that day and were a big part in making the United States a colonial power. Two months after Commodore George Dewey destroyed Manila Bay, Admiral William Sampson repeated with an annihilating victory over the Spanish in a running battle off Santiago, Cuba. One by one the Spanish ships were taken under a withering storm of American shells and were forced to abandon their run to the open sea and instead turn toward the safety of the Cuban coast. The Spanish ships returned fired, but the volume of fire could not match the fire from the American guns. The Oregon and the Brooklyn engaged each ship and continued to pursue the eluding Spanish vessels forcing them to turn toward land. Iowa, Texas, Indiana and the New York also engaged and administered destruction to the Spanish ships. (Oregon, Brooklyn, Iowa, Texas, Indiana, and New York were a...
