General:

James Ogden Wells was a private in Troop D of the 1st U.S. Volunteer Infantry ("Rough Riders"). He served with the regiment in Cuba.

James Ogden Wells, who went by his middle name of Ogden, was born on November 20, 1877 in Saint Joseph, Berrien County, in Michigan. His father, A. W. Wells was one of the founders of the Cooper-Wells Company and was rather affluent. This allowed J. Ogden Wells to attend Harvard University to pursue a degree in engineering. He was in his second year at Harvard when the Spanish American War occurred. Wells left Harvard and traveled to Guthrie in the Oklahoma Territory to join the 1st U.S. Volunteer Infantry, more commonly known as "Roosevelt's Rough Riders." He mustered in the regiment on May 5, 1898. At the time of his enlistment, he was described as being five feet nine and a half inches tall, with a dark complexion, brown hair and eyes.

After training around San Antonio, Texas for several weeks, the regiment was ordered Port Tampa, Florida on May 27. Early June found the regiment on the transport YUCATAN bound for Cuba. Wells found the trip pleasant but was rather appalled at the food served aboard ship. He noted that "...we have been issued horrible stuff called 'canned fresh beef.' There is no salt in it. At best it is stringy and tasteless; at the worst, it is nauseating. Besides this, there is no ice, and the water we have for drinking is brackish and not even fit to wash in."

Wells participated in the skirmish at Las Guasimas and the Battle of San Juan Hill. During the actions, he was unharmed, but managed to have Spanish bullets pass through both his hat and issued tin cup. During his time with the "Rough Riders" he became friends with his tentmate, Frank Knox. The two would remain friends for the rest of their lives. Knox would go on to become the Secretary of the Navy. Though he avoided the enemy's bullets, he apparently was struck with malaria, an illnessthat would continue to plague him throughout the remainder of his life. He was listed as being "sick in the line of duty" and was discharged on August 27, 1898 at Camp Wikoff nearly three weeks before the remainder of the regiment. He lost thirty pounds during his service.

Following the war, Wells returned to Harvard, graduating in 1901. At one point soon after his return from Cuba his continuing battle with malaria required him to leave the college to return home to Michigan. His condition was such that he was taken to the sanitarium at Battle Creek, Michigan for treatment. After his graduation from Harvard he returned to Michigan and went to work at the Cooper-Wells Company, his father's company.

Wells also held his former commander, Col. Theodore Roosevelt, in high esteem. On January 25, 1905 Wells received an invitation to be one of the thirty former "Rough Riders" to serve as a mounted escort for the newly elected President Roosevelt at his inauguration. Wells responded immediately. He traveled to Washington to take part in the event. On the day of the inauguration, as the president's carriage left the White House and as the carriage approached the street "...the mounted escort, composed of picked members of Roosevelt's Rough Riders and Troop A of the New York [Volunteer Cavalry] awaited its coming. The president's old regimental comrades were dressed in khaki, some of them wearing the very uniforms that had served them in the Spanish war." Wells apparently considered Roosevelt, also a Harvard graduate, as a close friend. After the inauguration, President Roosevelt and the First Lady entertained the members of the Rough Rider escort, and other members of the former regiment who came for the event, at a luncheon at the White House.

The Rough Rider veterans escorting Theodore Roosevelt in his 1905 inauguration. J. Ogden Wells was among the escort.(Library of Congress)

On his father's death Ogden wells took over the Cooper-Wells Company. The company became one of the leading hosiery manufacturers in the United States with mills in both Michigan and Alabama. Wells also became president of the Union Banking Company in St. Joseph and the chairman of the building committee of the Hotel Whitcomb Company which built the large hotel of that name. Also, quite notably, Wells served as mayor of St. Joseph, something he literally did not plan on doing. The previous mayor resigned, and his name was placed in nomination without even consulting him, and the aldermen elected him!

In December of 1928, James Ogden Wells was found dead in the garage of his home. The car engine was on, and he succumbed to carbon monoxide poisoning. The newspaper reported that he must have been tinkering with the engine and not noticed the carbon monoxide risk. The family, however, believed it to be a suicide as he was suffering from recurring bouts of malaria, and he had sold his holdings in a number of companies recently as if in preparation for his death. Wells's remains were placed in the family mausoleum in the Saint Joseph City Cemetery in Saint Joseph, Michigan.

The Letters:

Letter 1: J. Ogden Wells writes home to his father about the skirmish at Las Guasimas. Of course, the estimate of the Spanish force is quite inflated, and his knowledge of the skirmish is limited to only what he saw on his front. The U.S. Cavalry (the regulars) was engaged elsewhere in the skirmish.

"Five miles from Santiago, June 25

Dear Papa: Well we had our first battle yesterday and by licking 3,000 Spanish troops behind strong entrenchments with 400 rough riders we have made a name for ourselves - We lost 8 killed and 43 wounded.

I was in the thickest of it and had a hole shot through my tin cup which hangs at side, but I did not get hurt.  We had five men in the troop wounded. The regulars who came up too late to help us said they had never heard such lighting. About 7,000 troops are camped on the battle field now and as we are within five miles of Santiago our regiment will probably be permitted to rest until the siege is begun. The Seventh Infantry will lead the advance to-day.

It's not any warmer here than it was in Florida and I am feeling well. Hoping that you will not worry on my account I remain lovingly, Ogden.

Hereafter address, Troop D, 1st U.S. Vol. Cav., Military Station No. 1, Cuba, New York, N.Y."

Letter 2: J. Ogden Wells writes home to his mother about the battle for the San Juan ridge line, better known as the "Battle of San Juan Hill." Again, the estimates of forces are not correct, which is not surprising since Wells would not have access to that data. The reference to Sampson finishing off the Spanish is, however, quite prophetic as the Rear Admiral Sampson's squadron did destroy the Spanish squadron only days later at the Battle of Santiago.

Dear Mamma: I will have to write this letter on the back of another letter as I have lost all my own other paper and I know that you are anxious to bear from me. - 1 have just found out that all the St. Joe and Benton Harbor boys in the Thirty-third Michigan believe me dead and I am afraid the report will reach you. So to get word to you any kind of paper will do.

I  have been fighting now for thirty-six hours without sleep or rest and to-morrow will probably end it, but as the Rough Riders are all cut to pieces I will not be in it. Out of about 3.000 men in my brigade, there must be 1500 killed and wounded. I am in the rear now because I just brought off the 1st lieutenant of my troop who was wounded and as I cannot get back am going to try and sleep. Sampson will finish them to-morrow, 1 hope. We have captured everything with the 1st regular, 1st volunteer and 10th regular cavalry but we have suffered immensely; these 3,000 men have been fighting 16,000 Spaniards who are strongly entrenched and who would rather die than surrender but we have captured about 200 persons who think we are going to burn them. I am feeling well but as I was on picket duty within 300 yards of the Spanish outpost last night I am all tired out but will rest to-night. I hope that Spain will give up when Santiago falls for this is a terrible place for fighting and the country is so hilly and grown up with underbrush. Well I must close now. Will put date of mailing on the outside so you will then know 1 am all right up to that date. With love to all I remain, Ogden.

P.S. 10,000 re-inforcements have just landed and will be up to-night The big bombardment begins in the morning. Santiago must fall by the 4th.

J. OGDEN WELLS."

"Auto Fumes Kill J. Ogden Wells," The Herald-Palladium (Benton Harbor, Michigan). December 1, 1928, 1, 11.

Findagrave.com, Memorial 178821242

"From White House to Capitol and Back," The Morning Post (Raleigh, North Carolina). March 5, 1905, 1.

"Imposing Pageant," Fall River Daily Evening News (Fall River, Massachusetts). March 3, 1905, 3.

Jones, Virgil Carrington, Roosevelt's Rough Riders. (Garden City, NY: Doubleday & Company, 1971) 73, 79, 336-337.

"Letter from Ogden Wells, The Herald-Palladium (Benton Harbor, Michigan). July 16, 1898, 4.

Ogden Wells In Battle," The Weekly Palladium (Benton Harbor, Michigan). July 8, 1898, 5.

Roosevelt, Theodore, The Rough Riders. (New York: Da Capo Press Inc, 1990, reprint of the 1902 original) 247.

"St. Joseph Boy Rides as Escort to the President," The Herald-Palladium (Benton Harbor, Michigan). March 4, 1905, 5.

"St. Joseph is Honored," St. Joseph Saturday Herald (St. Joseph, Michigan). February 4, 1905, 5

"St. Joseph's Mayor Does Man's Work in Man's Way," St. Joseph Daily Press (Saint Joseph, Michigan). January 11, 1915, 1.