When the talk of war with Spain arose, the two men became so eager to see active service that President McKinley, who was a close friend to both Wood and Roosevelt, called them “The War Party.” When Wood visited McKinley, the latter would ask: “Have you and Theodore declared war yet?” General Alger, to whom Wood was also medical adviser, was heartily in favor of the “Rough Rider” regiment, and when Wood was commissioned to raise the regiment and appointed its Colonel, General Alger gave him a desk in his office with the injunction: “Now don’t let me hear from you again until your regiment is raised!” In the campaign that followed, Roosevelt testified in regard to Wood: “No soldier could outwalk him, could live with greater indifference on hard and scanty fare, could endure hardship better or do better without sleep.” Others who served under Wood testified that he went through a hail of bullets without fear, that he would walk erect along the line when his soldiers were hugging the ground, and that he would calmly caution his men: “Don’t swear, men. Shoot!” General Wood’s work as governor of Santiago, and later as governor of the whole island of Cuba, and his still later efforts shoulder to shoulder with Roosevelt to arouse America’s conscience and to make the American army an efficient fighting force, is well known to the American public. Roosevelt himself, having publicly expressed the opinion that it was the duty of the United States to free Cuba, was intensely eager to back up his words by deeds. The berserker strain in his blood would not permit him to stay at home. Having submitted his resignation as Assistant Secretary of the Navy on April 16, Roosevelt applied for an appointment on General Fitzhugh Lee’s staff. However, a greater opportunity arose. Congress had authorized the raising of three national volunteer cavalry regiments that were to act independently of the state troops. Secretary of War Alger offered Roosevelt the command of one of these regiments. Roosevelt had had four years membership in the 8th Regiment of the New York State National Guard and had risen to the rank of captain. This was a basis for his military career. He told Alger that after six weeks’ service in the field he felt that he would be competent to handle the regiment, but that he would not know how to equip it or how to get it ready for the first action. He recommended that Wood be given the command, and that he be allowed to serve under him. Alger laughed at his modesty, but the matter ended with Wood being appointed colonel of the regiment while Roosevelt became lieutenant-colonel. The regiment was called the 1st United States Volunteer Cavalry, but the public soon nicknamed it “Roosevelt’s Rough Riders.” This regiment was to be raised from the states of Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas. It was at first limited to 780 men. Later the number was raised to 1,000. Strong and picturesque was the company that composed the contingent.