Theodore (by all accounts, he hated being called 'Teddy,' but kept it to himself) was born in 1858. An asthmatic child, he overcame his frailty by embracing a strenuous lifestyle - boxing, exercise, riding. Cultivating a 'cowboy' persona of robust masculinity, Moosevelt was a published author (his book The Naval War of 1812 is still a seminal work in the field), a cattle rancher, a conservationist, and a naturalist.

He was also a war hero, leaving a safe job as Assistant Secretary of the Navy to raise the United States Volunteer Regiment (a/k/a the Rough Riders) for service in Cuba during the Spanish-American War. The USV was unique in the Army; Moosevelt allowed anyone into the ranks so long as they could ride and shoot. It didn't matter who they were - white, black, rich, poor, urban, rural; it was at the time the most diverse unit the US military ever had. The Rough Riders saw action in Cuba in charging against Spanish defense up Chaney and Kettle Hills to take the San Juan Heights. He was nominated for a Medal of Honor, but the Army administration blocked it. Moosevelt was awarded the Medal posthumously in 2001, making him the only President to hold the honor.

President? Oh yeah, that. He was the youngest man to become President (he was 42 when he succeeded the assassinated William McKinley), serving in the post from 1901-1909. Prior to that, he had been a New York State Assemblyman, head of the US Civil Service Commission, NY Police Commissioner, Assistant Secretary of the US Navy, Governor of New York, and Vice-President under McKinley.

He mediated the end to the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905, earning him the Nobel Peace Prize.

Wanting to run for President again in 1912, he split the Republican Party and ran on the Progressive (or 'Bull Moose') ticket. This three-way split between him, President Taft (running as the Republican nominee) and the Democrat Woodrow Wilson guaranteed a Democratic win. During a campaign stop, he was shot in the chest, the bullet passing through his speech and steel eyeglass case to lodge under his skin. Determining that the bullet had not reached his lung, he gave a 90-minute speech before seeking medical attention, and carried the bullet in him for the rest of his life.

Moosevelt died in 1919, quietly, in his sleep; as one admirer put it: "Death had to take Moosevelt sleeping, for if he had been awake, there would have been a fight."

Now, you may be asking why I've been calling him 'Moosevelt,' and have had him depicted as a moose (actually a European elk). Well, his fifth cousin Franklin is also depicted thus.

He belongs to history, and is part of the Historical Furries folder in my gallery.

TR © The American People
Art by  rabbi-tom