- the impossible history -
June 1898. Teddy Roosevelt and his Roughriders were in Cuba fighting the Spanish-American War.
In an engagement that was to become famous Teddy and the boys stormed a hill which was thought to be held by Spanish troops.
When they reached the top, having met no resistance, they realized they had attacked the wrong hill. It was almost dark by the time the Roughriders reformed and marched off in the direction of the "right" hill.
They reached their objective just before dawn and took an hour to rest. At first light they again charged up the hill. Again they met no resistance.
When Teddy reached the summit he was swearing. An aide standing nearby overheard Teddy say "The same wrong hill!!". A reporter also overheard the remark.
When the aides discovered the statement in the reporter's dispatch there was a great deal of consternation.
Teddy had no desire to be shown as an incompetent officer. So in present day parlance some sort of "spin" had to be applied". Teddy and his aides cast around for a face-saving quote.
Some unknown, whose name has been lost to history, came up with "San Juan Hill" to replace "same wrong hill" and that is how it went into the history books.
Teddy made president partly for charging up the same wrong hill!
the end...