Pawnee, Oklahoma - Highland Cemetery Rough Riders Monument

The monument was dedicated in November, 1899. It is a tall, 3-tiered, stepped marble obelisk monument that sits atop a patterned concrete base on a concrete pad in a cluster of evergreen trees. On the eastern face, on the 1st tier of the marble base of the obelisk is inscribed: ROUGH RIDERS. On the same face on the 2nd tier above is inscribed: IN MEMORY OF THE ROUGH RIDERS WHO ENLISTED FROM PAWNEE CO. OKLA IN THE SPANISH AMERICAN WAR APR. 21, 1898 MAR. 17, 1899 On the 2nd tier of the south and north faces are inscribed 8 names (4/face) of the Pawnee County Rough Riders: WILLIAM POLLOCK, JOSEPH H. PROCTER, CLARE H. STEWART, CLYDE H. STEWART, ORLANDO C. PALMER, CALVIN HILL, WILLIAM O. WRIGHT, ARTHUR A. LUTHER (Note: William Pollock, a member of the Pawnee Indian Tribe, is buried in close proximity to the monument, while the remaining veterans are buried at various other sites in the cemetery.) On the pad supporting the monument, on the east side, is a small plaque inscribed: RESTORED BY PAWNEE CO. HISTORICAL SOC. AND FRIENDS OF PAWNEE SEPTEMBER 2000 (Note: “Rough Riders” was the nickname given to the First U.S. Volunteer Cavalry. The unit was famously commanded by Colonel Theodore Roosevelt, who later became President of the United States. Although designated a cavalry unit, the unit fought on foot as infantry during the conflict. The “Rough Riders” arrived in Cuba on June 22, 1898, and participated in the Battle of Las Guasimas on June 24th; Battle of San Juan Hill from July 1st-3rd; and Battle of Santiago from July 4th – 10th. The eight Pawnee veterans were part of a contingent of some 1040 “Rough Riders” who served. The unit suffered 23 killed in action, plus 3 who later died of wounds, 104 wounded in action, and an additional 20 who died of disease.) (Note: In response to Spain’s mistreatment of Cuba’s population, during Cuba’s violent attempt to become independent, the United States took military action against Spain on Cuba’s behalf. The catalyst for American intervention was the sinking of the U.S. warship USS Maine which was blown up and sank while docked in the Cuban port of Havana. In addition to the humanitarian aspect of providing aid to suffering Cubans, the conflict served American strategic interests and led to the United States gaining possession of Spanish territories in the Philippine Islands, Puerto Rico, and Guam. Congress declared war on Spain in April, 1898. The Spanish government surrendered on August 12, 1898.)