Battle of San Juan Hill
San Juan Heights, near Santiago de Cuba, Cuba
What happened
US forces under General William Shafter, including Theodore Roosevelt's Rough Riders and the Buffalo Soldiers of the 10th Cavalry and 24th Infantry, fought Spanish troops under General Arsenio Linares. During the Spanish-American War, US troops landed in Cuba to capture the city of Santiago. On 1 July they attacked the San Juan Heights, a ridge outside the city that includes Kettle Hill and San Juan Hill. Under heavy fire from a much smaller Spanish force, they drove the defenders off the heights.
Why it matters
Why it matters: The victory led to the siege and surrender of Santiago, and Spain agreed to leave Cuba. It ended more than four centuries of Spanish rule there.
What came next
Santiago surrendered on 17 July 1898. The Rough Riders were disbanded that September.
Did you know?
In 2001 Theodore Roosevelt was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions in Cuba, making him the only US president to receive it.
Timeline
- 1 July 1898US forces take the San Juan Heights.
- 2 July 1898The siege of Santiago begins.
- 17 July 1898Santiago surrenders.
- September 1898The Rough Riders are disbanded.
- 2001Roosevelt is awarded the Medal of Honor.