Hamilton Fish II (Rough Rider)

Hamilton Fish (June 27, 1873 - June 24, 1898) was a wealthy young New Yorker who was a member of a prominent political family. He joined the United States Army's 1st United States Volunteer Cavalry Regiment, the Rough Riders, during the Spanish–American War. Fish attained the rank of sergeant, and died after he was shot during the Battle of Las Guasimas.

For other people named Hamilton Fish, see Hamilton Fish (disambiguation).
Hamilton Fish
From 1899's The Rough Riders by Theodore Roosevelt
Nickname(s)Ham
Born(1873-06-27)June 27, 1873
New York City
DiedJune 24, 1898(1898-06-24) (aged 24)
Santiago de Cuba, Cuba
Buried
Saint Philip's Church Cemetery, Garrison, New York
Allegiance United States of America
Service/branchUnited States Army
Years of service1898
RankSergeant
Unit1st United States Volunteer Cavalry Regiment
Battles/warsSpanish–American War

Biography

Fish was son of diplomat and banker Nicholas Fish and Clemence Smith (Bryce) Fish. He was the nephew of namesake Hamilton Fish II, the former speaker of the New York State Assembly, and grandson of the 26th United States Secretary of State, Hamilton Fish. Fish attended Columbia University as a member of the class of 1895 and was a member of St. Anthony Hall. To prepare for a career as a railroad executive, he was employed through family connections by the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad in Salt Lake City, where he worked in the maintenance and repair shops, as a brakeman, and in other blue collar positions within the company.[1]

Fish was a member of "L" troop commanded by Captain Allyn K. Capron, Jr. He was not the only soldier from a prominent family in the unit: "... To this rugged crew, Roosevelt added some 50 men with backgrounds closer to his own: Ivy Leaguers from wealthy Eastern families. In citing their qualifications for active duty, Roosevelt touted their athletic accomplishments. Dudley Dean was "perhaps the best quarterback who ever played on a Harvard 11." Bob Wrenn was "the champion tennis player of America." Other Easterners included "Waller, the high jumper; Craig Wadsworth, the steeplechase rider; Joe Stephens, the crack polo player; and Hamilton Fish, the ex-captain of the Columbia crew."[2]

He was one of the first Americans killed in the Battle of Las Guasimas, near Santiago, Cuba, on June 24, 1898. He died of a gunshot just near the heart and survived less than a minute, according to a Rough Rider, trooper Ed Culver, who was wounded by the same bullet.[3]

Trivia

A dog given as a present by Theodore Roosevelt to Hamilton Fish became the mascot of Company B of the Rough Riders and a canine celebrity after the war. The animal, named "Don", reportedly also rushed up San Juan Hill with the Rough Riders. Don's subsequent owners were Col. William Wallace, then when Wallace died, Wallace's physician, Dr. Hadley. A contemporary account stated that "Since that time the big dog had had the freedom of the Quaker town (of Whittier, California), and had never walked through the streets without receiving much attention from small boys and girls to those of larger growth." Death came from "a big touring car containing four persons, going around a corner at so high a speed that the old dog, which was walking quietly along, could not get out of its way."[4]

Movies

Hamilton Fish was played by Holt McCallany in the 1997 TV movie Rough Riders.[5]

References
  1. "Former Salt Laker Killed". The Daily Tribune. Salt Lake City, UT. June 25, 1898. p. 8 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. http://www.fiu.edu/~fcf/rooseveltsbull.html
  3. https://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/moa/ABE8188.0001.001?hi=0;rgn=main;view=fulltext;q1=Anecdotes
  4. http://www.1947project.com/tags/teddy-roosevelt?PHPSESSID=e8f33a30d6b0ae263a0e552b5e68571b%5B%5D
  5. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118453/
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