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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/16750-8.txt b/16750-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..26a036b --- /dev/null +++ b/16750-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,12003 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Colored Regulars in the United States +Army, by T. G. Steward + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Colored Regulars in the United States Army + +Author: T. G. Steward + +Release Date: September 25, 2005 [EBook #16750] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE COLORED REGULARS *** + + + + +Produced by Suzanne Shell, Richard J. Shiffer, and the PG +Online Distributed Proofreading Team. + + + + + + + + + +THE COLORED REGULARS + +IN THE UNITED STATES ARMY + + +With a Sketch of the History of the Colored American, and an Account of +His Services in the Wars of the Country, from the +Period of the Revolutionary War to 1899. + + +INTRODUCTORY LETTER FROM + +Lieutenant-General Nelson A. Miles +Commanding the Army of the United States. + + * * * * * + +By CHAPLAIN T.G. STEWARD, D.D., +Twenty-fifth U.S. Infantry. + + +Philadelphia +A.M.E. Book Concern, +631 Pine Street. + +1904 + + +[Illustration: Chaplain T.G. Steward, D.D.] + + + + +TABLE OF CONTENTS. + + +INTRODUCTORY. + +CHAPTER I.--SKETCH OF SOCIAL HISTORY. + +The Importation of the Africans. Character of the Colored Population +in 1860. Colored Population in British West Indian Possessions. Free +Colored People of the South. Free Colored People of the North. Notes. + 21 + +CHAPTER II.--THE AMERICAN NEGRO AND THE MILITARY SPIRIT. + +Early Literature of Negro Soldiers. Negro Soldiers in the War of the +Revolution. The War of 1812. Negro Insurrections. Negro Troops in the +Civil War. Notes. 57 + +CHAPTER III.--THE BLACK REGULARS OF THE ARMY OF INVASION IN THE +SPANISH WAR. + +Organization of Negro Regiments in the Regular Army. First Movement in +the War. Chickamauga and Tampa. Notes. 84 + +CHAPTER IV.--BRIEF SKETCH OF SPANISH HISTORY. 107 + +CHAPTER V.--PASSAGE, LANDING, AND FIRST BATTLE IN CUBA. + +The Tenth Cavalry at Guasimas. The "Rescue of the Rough Riders." Was +there an Ambush? Notes. 116 + +CHAPTER VI.--THE BATTLE OF EL CANEY. + +The Capture of the Stone Fort by the Twenty-fifth Infantry. 150 + +CHAPTER VII.--SAN JUAN. + +Cavalry Division: The Ninth and Tenth Regiments. Kent's Division: The +Twenty-fourth Infantry. Forming under fire. A Gallant Charge. 191 + +CHAPTER VIII.--SAN JUAN (Continued). + +Kent's Division. The Twenty-fourth Infantry. Forming Under Fire. A +Gallant Charge. 208 + +CHAPTER IX.--THE SURRENDER AND AFTERWARDS. + +In the Trenches. The Twenty-fourth in the Fever Camp. Are Negro +Soldiers Immune? Camp Wikoff. 220 + +CHAPTER X.--REVIEW AND REFLECTIONS. + +Gallantry of the Black Regulars. Diary of Sergeant Major E.L. Baker, +Tenth Cavalry. 236 + +CHAPTER XI.--THE COLORED VOLUNTEERS. + +The Ninth Ohio Battalion. Eighth Illinois. Twenty-third Kansas. Third +North Carolina. Sixth Virginia. Third Alabama. The Immunes. 282 + +CHAPTER XII.--COLORED OFFICERS. + +By Captain Frank R. Steward, A.B., LL.B., Harvard, 49th U. S. +Volunteer Infantry. 299 + +APPENDIX. 328 + + + + +PREFACE. + + +The material out of which the story of the COLORED REGULARS has been +constructed has been collected with great pains, and upon it has been +expended a serious amount of labor and care. All the movements of the +Cuban campaign, and particularly of the battles, have been carefully +studied by the aid of official reports, and conversations and +correspondence with those who participated in them. The work has been +performed with an earnest desire to obtain and present the truth, +hoping that the reader will be inspired by it to a more profound +respect for the brave and skilled black men who passed through that +severe baptism of fire and suffering, contributing their full share to +their country's honor. + +It is also becoming in this place to mention with gratitude the +encouragement given by the War Department both in granting me the time +in which to do the work, and also in supplying me with documents and +furnishing other facilities. By this enlightened course on the part of +the Department great aid has been given to historical science, and, +incidentally, very important service rendered to the cause of freedom +and humanity. A struggling people has been helped and further glory +reflected upon the Government. The President, himself, has manifested +a kindly interest in the work, and has wished that the story of the +black soldiers should be told to the world. The interest of the +Commanding General of the Army is shown in his letter. + +Thus encouraged from official sources and receiving the most hearty +words of cheer from friends, of whom none has been more potent or more +earnest than Bishop B.W. Arnett, D.D., of the African M.E. Church, I +have, after five months of severe labor, about completed my task, so +far as I find it in my power to complete it; and trusting that the +majesty and interest of the story itself will atone for any defects in +the style of the narration, the volume is now offered to a sympathetic +public, affectionately dedicated to the men whose heroic services have +furnished the theme for my pen. + +T.G. STEWARD. +Wilberforce, Ohio, September, 1899. + + + + +LETTER FROM GENERAL MILES. + + +Headquarters of the Army, Washington, August 5, 1899. + +Rev. T.G. Steward, Chaplain 25th Infantry, Wilberforce, Ohio. + +Dear Sir:--Your letter of the 20th ultimo was duly received, but my +time has been so much engrossed with official duties, requiring my +presence part of the time out of the city, that it has not been +practicable to comply with your request earlier; and even now I can +only reply very briefly. + +You will remember that my acquaintance with negro character commenced +during the Civil War. The colored race then presented itself to me in +the character of numerous contrabands of war, and as a people who, +individually, yearned for the light and life of liberty. Ages of +slavery had reduced them to the lowest ebb of manhood. From that +degree of degradation I have been an interested spectator of the +marvelously rapid evolution of the down-trodden race. From the +commencement of this evolution to the present time I have been more or +less in a position to closely observe their progress. At the close of +the war I was in command of one of the very important military +districts of the South, and my concern for the welfare of all the +people of that district, not excluding the people of color, you will +find evidenced in the measures taken by me, more especially in regard +to educational matters, at that time. The first regiment which I +commanded on entering the Regular Army of the United States at the +close of the war was made up of colored troops. That regiment--the +40th Infantry--achieved a reputation for military conduct which forms +a record that may be favorably compared with the best regiments in the +service. Then, again, refer to my General Order No. 1, issued after +the fall of Santiago, and you will see that recognition is not +grudgingly given to the troops who heroically fought there, whether of +American, of African, or of Latin descent. If so early in the second +generation of the existence of the race in the glorious light of +liberty it produces such orators as Douglas, such educators as Booker +T. Washington, such divines as the Afro-American Bishops, what may we +not expect of the race when it shall have experienced as many +generations of growth and development as the Anglo-Saxons who now +dominate the thought, the inventive genius, the military prowess, and +the commercial enterprise of the world! Very truly yours, + +NELSON A. MILES. + + +[Illustration: Lieutenant-General Nelson A. Miles.] + + + + +Headquarters of the Army, +Siboney, Cuba, July 16, 1898. + +General Field Orders No. 1. + +The gratifying success of the American arms at Santiago de Cuba and +some features of a professional character both important and +instructive, are hereby announced to the army. + +The declaration of war found our country with a small army scattered +over a vast territory. The troops composing this army were speedily +mobilized at Tampa, Fla. Before it was possible to properly equip a +volunteer force, strong appeals for aid came from the navy, which had +inclosed in the harbor of Santiago de Cuba an important part of the +Spanish fleet. At that time the only efficient fighting force +available was the United States Army, and in order to organize a +command of sufficient strength, the cavalry had to be sent dismounted +to Santiago de Cuba with the infantry and artillery. + +The expedition thus formed was placed under command of Major-General +Shafter. Notwithstanding the limited time to equip and organize an +expedition of this character, there was never displayed a nobler +spirit of patriotism and fortitude on the part of officers and men +going forth to mantain the honor of their country. After encountering +the vicissitudes of an ocean voyage, they were obliged to disembark on +a foreign shore and immediately engage in an aggressive campaign. +Under drenching storms, intense and prostrating heat, within a +fever-afflicted district, with little comfort or rest, either by day +or night, they pursued their purpose of finding and conquering the +enemy. Many of them, trained in the severe experience of the great +war, and in frequent campaigns on the Western plains, officers and men +alike exhibited a great skill, fortitude, and tenacity, with results +which have added a new chapter of glory to their country's history. +Even when their own generals in several cases were temporarily +disabled, the troops fought on with the same heroic spirit until +success was finally achieved. In many instances the officers placed +themselves in front of their commands, and under their direct and +skillful leadership the trained troops of a brave army were driven +from the thickets and jungles of an almost inaccessible country. In +the open field the troops stormed intrenched infantry, and carried and +captured fortified works with an unsurpassed daring and disregard of +death. By gaining commanding ground they made the harbor of Santiago +untenable for the Spanish fleet, and practically drove it out to a +speedy destruction by the American Navy. + +While enduring the hardships and privations of such campaign, the +troops generously shared their scanty food with the 5,000 Cuban +patriots in arms, and the suffering people who had fled from the +besieged city. With the twenty-four regiments and four batteries, the +flower of the United States Army, were also three volunteer regiments. +These though unskilled in warfare, yet, inspired with the same spirit, +contributed to the victory, suffered hardships, and made sacrifices +with the rest. Where all did so well, it is impossible, by special +mention, to do justice to those who bore conspicuous part. But of +certain unusual features mention cannot be omitted, namely, the +cavalry dismounted, fighting and storming works as infantry, and a +regiment of colored troops, who, having shared equally in the heroism +as well as the sacrifices, is now voluntarily engaged in nursing +yellow-fever patients and burying the dead. The gallantry, patriotism +and sacrifices of the American Army, as illustrated in this brief +campaign, will be fully appreciated by a grateful country, and the +heroic deeds of those who have fought and fallen in the cause of +freedom will ever be cherished in sacred memory and be an inspiration +to the living. + +By command of Major-General Miles: + +J.C. GILMORE, +Brigadier-General, United States Volunteers. + + + + +INTRODUCTORY. + + +To write the history of the Negro race within that part of the western +world known as the United States of America would be a task to which +one might devote a life time and still fail in its satisfactory +accomplishment. The difficulties lying in the way of collecting and +unifying the material are very great; and that of detecting the inner +life of the people much greater. Facts and dates are to history what +color and proportion are to the painting. Employed by genius, color +and form combine in a language that speaks to the soul, giving +pleasure and instruction to the beholder; so the facts and dates +occurring along the pathway of a people, when gathered and arranged by +labor and care, assume a voice and a power which they have not +otherwise. As these facts express the thoughts and feelings, and the +growth, of a people, they become the language in which that people +writes its history, and the work of the historian is to read and +interpret this history for the benefit of his fellow men. + +Borrowing a second illustration from the work of the artist, it may be +said, that as nature reveals her secrets only to him whose soul is in +deepest sympathy with her moods and movements, so a people's history +can be discovered only by one whose heart throbs in unison with those +who have made the history. To write the history of any people +successfully one must read it by the heart; and the best part of +history, like the best part of the picture, must ever remain +unexpressed. The artist sees more, and feels more than he is able to +transfer to his canvas, however entrancing his presentation; and the +historian sees and feels more than his brightest pages convey to his +readers. Nothing less than a profound respect and love for humankind +and a special attraction toward a particular people and age, can fit +one to engage in so sublime a task as that of translating the history +of a people into the language of common men. + +The history of the American Negro differs very widely from that of any +people whose life-story has been told; and when it shall come to be +known and studied will open an entirely new view of experience. In it +we shall be able to see what has never before been discovered in +history; to wit: the absolute beginning of a people. Brought to these +shores by the ship-load as freight, and sold as merchandise; entirely +broken away from the tribes, races, or nations of their native land; +recognized only, as African slaves, and forbidden all movement looking +toward organic life; deprived of even the right of family or of +marriage, and corrupted in the most shameless manner by their powerful +and licentious oppressors--it is from this heterogeneous protoplasm +that the American Negro has been developed. The foundation from which +he sprang had been laid by piecemeal as the slave ships made their +annual deposits of cargoes brought from different points on the West +Coast, and basely corrupted as is only too well known; yet out of it +has grown, within less than three hundred years, an organic people. +Grandfathers, and great-grandfathers are among them; and personal +acquaintance is exceedingly wide. In the face of slavery and against +its teaching and its power, overcoming the seduction of the master +class, and the coarse and brutal corruptions of the baser overseer +class, the African slave persistently strove to clothe himself with +the habiliments of civilization, and so prepared himself for social +organization that as soon as the hindrances were removed, this vast +people almost immediately set themselves in families; and for over +thirty years they have been busily engaged hunting up the lost roots +of their family trees. We know the pit whence the Afro-American race +was dug, the rock whence he was hewn; he was born here on this soil, +from a people who in the classic language of the Hebrew prophet, could +be described as, No People. + +That there has been a majestic evolution quietly but rapidly going on +in this mass, growing as it was both by natural development and by +accretion, is plainly evident. Heterogeneous as were the fragments, by +the aid of a common language and a common lot, and cruel yet partially +civilizing control, the whole people were forced into a common outward +form, and to a remarkable extent, into the same ways of thinking. The +affinities within were really aided by the repulsions without, and +when finally freed from slavery, for an ignorant and inexperienced +people, they presented an astonishing spectacle of unity. Socially, +politically and religiously, their power to work together showed +itself little less than marvellous. The Afro-American, developing from +this slave base, now directs great organizations of a religious +character, and in comprehensive sweep invites to his co-operation the +inhabitants of the isles of the sea and of far-off Africa. He is +joining with the primitive, strong, hopeful and expanding races of +Southern Africa, and is evidently preparing for a day that has not yet +come. + +The progress made thus far by the people is somewhat like that made by +the young, man who hires himself to a farmer and takes his pay in +farming stock and utensils. He is thus acquiring the means to stock a +farm, and the skill and experience necessary to its successful +management at the same time. His career will not appear important, +however, until the day shall arrive when he will set up for himself. +The time spent on the farm of another was passed in comparative +obscurity; but without it the more conspicuous period could never have +followed. So, now, the American colored people are making history, but +it is not of that kind that gains the attention of writers. Having no +political organizations, governments or armies they are not performing +those deeds of splendor in statesmanship and war over which the pen of +the historian usually delights to linger. The people, living, growing, +reading, thinking, working, suffering, advancing and dying--these are +all common-place occurrences, neither warming the heart of the +observer, nor capable of brightening the page of the chronicler. This, +however, is, with the insignificant exception of Liberia, all that is +yet to be found in the brief history of the Afro-American race. + +The period for him to set up for himself has not yet come, and he is +still acquiring means and training within a realm controlled in all +respects by a people who maintain toward him an attitude of absolute +social exclusion. His is the history of a people marching from nowhere +to somewhere, but with no well-defined Canaan before them and no Moses +to lead. It is indeed, on their part, a walk by faith, for as yet the +wisest among the race cannot tell even the direction of the journey. +Before us lie surely three possible destinies, if not four; yet it is +not clear toward which one of these we are marching. Are we destined +to see the African element of America's population blend with the +Euro-American element and be lost in a common people? Will the colored +American leave this home in which as a race he has been born and +reared to manhood, and find his stage of action somewhere else on +God's earth? Will he remain here as a separate and subordinate people +perpetuating the conditions of to-day only that they may become more +humiliating and exasperating? Or is there to arise a war of races in +which the blacks are to be exterminated? Who knows? Fortunately the +historian is not called upon to perform the duties of prophet. His +work is to tell what has been; and if others, building upon his +presentation of facts can deduce what is to be, it is no small tribute +to the correctness of his interpretations; for all events are parts of +one vast system ever moving toward some great end. One remark only +need be made. It is reasonable to presume that this new Afro-American +will somehow and somewhere be given an opportunity to express that +particular modification of material life which his spiritual nature +will demand. Whether that expression will be made here or elsewhere; +whether it will be higher or lower than what now surrounds us, are +questions which we may well leave to the future. + +No people can win and hold a place, either as a nation among other +nations, or as an elementary component of a nation, merely by its own +goodness or by the goodness of others. The struggle for national +existence is a familiar one, and is always initiated by a display of +physical force. Those who have the power seize territory and +government, and those who CAN, keep possession and control. It is in +some instances the backing up of right by might, and in others the +substituting of right by might. Too often the greatest of all national +crimes is to be weak. When the struggle is a quiet one, going on +within a nation, and is that of an element seeking a place in the +common social life of the country, much the same principles are +involved. It is still a question to be settled by force, no matter how +highly the claim of the weaker may be favored by reason and justice. + +The powers by which a special people may emerge from an unhappy +condition and secure improved social relations, using the word social +in its broadest sense, are physical, intellectual and material. There +must be developed manly strength and courage and a power of intellect +which will manifest itself in organization and attractiveness, and in +the aptitude of employing appropriate methods for ends in view. To +these must be added the power that comes through wealth; and thus, +with the real advancement of condition and character will come, +tardily and grudgingly perhaps, but nevertheless surely, improved +social standing. Once filled with the common national spirit, +partaking of its thoughts, entering heartily into the common +movements, having the same dress, language and manners as others, and +being as able and as willing to help as to be helped, and withal being +in fact the most intensely American element on the continent because +constructed on this soil, we may hope that the Afro-American will +ultimately win and hold his proper place. + +The history made by the American Negro has been so filled with +suffering that we have overlooked the active side. The world has heard +so much of the horrors of the "Middle Passage"; the awful sufferings +of the slave; the barbarous outrages that have been perpetrated upon +ex-slaves; the inhuman and senseless prejudices that meet colored +Americans almost everywhere on their native soil; that it has come to +look upon this recital as the whole of the story. It needs to be told +that these records constitute the dark side of the picture, dark and +horrible enough, to be sure, but this is by no means the whole +picture. If there are scenes whose representations would serve to +ornament the infernal regions, pictures over which fiends might gloat, +there are also others which angels might delight to gaze upon. There +has been much of worthy action among the colored people of this +country, wherever the bonds of oppression have been slackened enough +to allow of free movement. There have been resistance to wrong by way +of remonstrance and petition, sometimes even by force; laudable +efforts toward self-education; benevolent and philanthropic movements; +reform organizations, and commendable business enterprise both in +individuals and associations. These show a toughness of fibre and +steadiness of purpose sufficient to make the backbone of a real +history. + +The present work deals with these elements of character as they are +exhibited in the garb of the soldier. When men are willing to fight +and die for what they hold dear, they have become a moving force, +capable of disturbing the currents of history and of making a channel +for the stream of their own actions. The American Negro has evolved an +active, aggressive element in the scientific fighting men he has +produced. Individual pugilists of that race have entered all classes, +from featherweight to heavyweight, and have remained there; receiving +blows and dealing blows; showing a sturdy, positive force; mastering +and employing all the methods of attack and defence allowed in such +encounters, and supporting themselves with that fortitude and courage +so necessary to the ring. Such combats are not to be commended, as +they are usually mere tests of skill and endurance, entered into on +the principles of the gambler, and they are introduced here for the +sole purpose of showing the colored man as a positive force, yielding +only to a superior degree of force of the same kind. The soldier +stands for something far higher than the pugilist represents, although +he has need of the same qualities of physical hardihood--contempt for +suffering and coolness in the presence of danger, united with skill in +the use of his weapons. The pugilist is his own general and never +learns the high lessons of obedience; the soldier learns to +subordinate himself to his commander, and to fight bravely and +effectively under the direction of another. + +The evolution of the Afro-American soldier was the work of a short +period and suffered many interruptions. When the War of the Revolution +broke out the colored man was a slave, knowing nothing of the spirit +or the training of the soldier; before it closed several thousand +colored men had entered the army and some had won distinction for +gallantry. Less than forty years later, in the war of 1812, the black +man again appeared to take his stand under the flag of independence. +The War of Secession again witnessed the coming forth of the black +soldier, this time in important numbers and performing heroic services +on a grand scale, and under most discouraging circumstances, but with +such success that he won a place in arms for all time. When the Civil +War closed, the American black man had secured his standing as a +soldier--the evolution was complete. Henceforth he was to be found an +integral part of the Army of the United States. + +The black man passed through the trying baptism of fire in the Sixties +and came out of it a full-fledged soldier. His was worse than an +impartial trial; it was a trial before a jury strongly biased against +him; in the service of a government willing to allow him but half pay; +and in the face of a foe denying him the rights belonging to civilized +warfare. Yet against these odds, denied the dearest right of a +soldier--the hope of promotion--scorned by his companions in arms, the +Negro on more than two hundred and fifty battle-fields, demonstrated +his courage and skill, and wrung from the American nation the right to +bear arms. The barons were no more successful in their struggle with +King John when they obtained Magna Charta than were the American +Negroes with Prejudice, when they secured the national recognition of +their right and fitness to hold a place in the Standing Army of the +United States. The Afro-American soldier now takes his rank with +America's best, and in appearance, skill, physique, manners, conduct +and courage proves himself worthy of the position he holds. Combining +in his person the harvested influences of three great continents, +Europe, Africa and America, he stands up as the typical soldier of the +Western World, the latest comer in the field of arms, but yielding his +place in the line to none, and ever ready to defend his country and +his flag against any and all foes. + +The mission of this book is to make clear this evolution, giving the +historical facts with as much detail as possible, and setting forth +finally the portrait of this new soldier. That this is a prodigious +task is too evident to need assertion--a task worthy the most lofty +talents; and in essaying it I humbly confess to a sense of unfitness; +yet the work lies before me and duty orders me to enter upon it. A +Major General writes: "I wish you every success in producing a work +important both historically and for the credit of a race far more +deserving than the world has acknowledged." A Brigadier General who +commanded a colored regiment in Cuba says to me most encouragingly: +"You must allow me--for our intimate associations justify it--to write +frankly. Your education, habits of thought, fairness of judgment and +comprehension of the work you are to undertake, better fit you for +writing such a history than any person within my acquaintance. Those +noble men made the history at El Caney and San Juan; I believe you are +the man to record it. May God help you to so set forth the deeds of +that memorable first of July in front of Santiago that the world may +see in its true light what those brave, intelligent colored men did." + +Both these men fought through the Civil War and won distinction on +fields of blood. To the devout prayer offered by one of them I +heartily echo an Amen, and can only wish that in it all my friends +might join, and that God would answer it in granting me power to do +the work in such a way as to bring great good to the race and reflect +some glory to Himself, in whose name the work is undertaken. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +SKETCH OF SOCIAL HISTORY. + + The Importation of the Africans--Character of the Colored + Population in 1860--Colored Population in British West + Indian Possessions--Free Colored People of the South--Free + Colored People of the North--Notes. + + +Professor DuBois, in his exhaustive work upon the "Suppression of the +African Slave-Trade," has brought within comparatively narrow limits +the great mass of facts bearing upon his subject, and in synopses and +indices has presented all of the more important literature it has +induced. In his Monograph, published as Volume II of the Harvard +Historical Series, he has traced the rise of this nefarious traffic, +especially with reference to the American colonies, exhibited the +proportions to which it expanded, and the tenacity with which it held +on to its purpose until it met its death in the fate of the +ill-starred Southern Confederacy. Every step in his narrative is +supported by references to unimpeachable authorities; and the +scholarly Monograph bears high testimony to the author's earnest +labor, painstaking research and unswerving fidelity. Should the +present work stimulate inquiry beyond the scope herein set before the +reader, he is most confidently referred to Professor Du Bois' book as +containing a complete exposition of the development and overthrow of +that awful crime. + +It is from this work, however, that we shall obtain a nearer and +clearer view of the African planted upon our shores. Negro slavery +began at an early day in the North American Colonies; but up until the +Revolution of 1688 the demand for slaves was mainly supplied from +England, the slaves being white.[1] "It is probable," says Professor +DuBois, "that about 25,000 slaves were brought to America each year +between 1698 and 1707, and after 1713 it rose to perhaps 30,000 +annually. "Before the Revolution the total exportation to America is +variously estimated as between 40,000 and 100,000 each year." +Something of the horrors of the "Middle Passage" may be shown by the +records that out of 60,783 slaves shipped from Africa during the years +1680-88, 14,387, or nearly one-fourth of the entire number, perished +at sea. In 1790 there were in the country nearly seven hundred +thousand Africans, these having been introduced by installments from +various heathen tribes. The importation of slaves continued with more +or less success up until 1858, when the "Wanderer" landed her cargo of +500 in Georgia. + +During the period from 1790 to the breaking out of the Civil War, +shortly after the landing of the last cargo of slaves, the colored +population, both slave and free, had arisen to about four million, and +had undergone great modifications. The cargo of the "Wanderer" found +themselves among strangers, even when trying to associate with those +who in color and hair were like themselves. The slaves of 1860 +differed greatly from the slaves of a hundred years earlier. They had +lost the relics of that stern warlike spirit which prompted the Stono +insurrection, the Denmark Vesey insurrection, and the Nat Turner +insurrection, and had accepted their lot as slaves, hoping that +through God, freedom would come to them some time in the happy future. +Large numbers of them had become Christians through the teaching of +godly white women, and at length through the evangelistic efforts of +men and women of their own race. Independent religious organizations +had been formed in the North, and large local churches with Negro +pastors were in existence in the South when the "Wanderer" landed her +cargo. There had been a steady increase in numbers, indicating that +the physical well-being of the slave was not overlooked, and the +slaves had greatly improved in character. Sales made in South Carolina +between 1850 and 1860 show "boys," from 16 to 25 years of age, +bringing from $900 to $1000; and "large sales" are reported showing an +"average of $620 each," "Negro men bringing from $800 to $1000," and a +"blacksmith" bringing $1425. The averages generally obtained were +above $600. A sale of 109 Negroes in families is reported in the +"Charleston Courier" in which the writer says: "Two or three families +averaged from $1000 to $1100 for each individual." The same item +states also that "C.G. Whitney sold two likely female house servants, +one for $1000, the other for $1190." These cases are presented to +illustrate the financial value of the American slave, and +inferentially the progress he had made in acquiring the arts of modern +civilization. Slaves had become blacksmiths, wheelwrights, +carriage-makers, carpenters, bricklayers, tailors, bootmakers, +founders and moulders, not to mention all the common labor performed +by them. Slave women had become dressmakers, hairdressers, nurses and +the best cooks to be found in the world. The slave-holders regarded +themselves as the favored of mankind because of the competence and +faithfulness of their slaves. The African spirit and character had +disappeared, and in their place were coming into being the elements of +a new character, existing in 1860 purely in a negative form. The slave +had become an American. He was now a civilized slave, and had received +his civilization from his masters. He had separated himself very far +from his brother slave in St. Domingo. The Haytian Negro fought and +won his freedom before he had been civilized in slavery, and hence has +never passed over the same ground that his American fellow-servant has +been compelled to traverse. + +Beside the slaves in the South, there were also several thousand "free +persons of color," as they were called, dwelling in such cities as +Richmond, Va., Charleston, S.C., and New Orleans, La. Some of these +had become quite wealthy and well-educated, forming a distinct class +of the population. They were called Creoles in Louisiana, and were +accorded certain privileges, although laws were carefully enacted to +keep alive the distinction between them and the whites. In Charleston +the so-called colored people set themselves up as a class, prided +themselves much upon their color and hair and in their sympathies +joined almost wholly with the master class. Representatives of their +class became slave-holders and were in full accord with the social +policy of the country. Nevertheless their presence was an +encouragement to the slave, and consequently was objected to by the +slave-holder. The free colored man became more and more disliked in +the South as the slave became more civilized. He was supposed by his +example to contribute to the discontent of the slave, and laws were +passed restricting his priveleges so as to induce him to leave. +Between 1850 and 1860 this question reached a crisis and free colored +people from the South were to be seen taking up their homes in the +Northern States and in Canada. (Many of the people, especially from +Charleston, carried with them all their belittling prejudices, and +after years of sojourn under the sway of enlightened and liberal +ideas, proved themselves still incapable of learning the new way or +forgetting the old.) + +There were, then, three very distinct classes of colored people in the +country, to wit: The slave in the South, the free colored people of +the South, and the free colored people of the North. These were also +sub-divided into several smaller classes. Slaves were divided into +field hands, house servants and city slaves. The free colored people +of the South had their classes based usually on color; the free +colored people of the North had their divisions caused by differences +in religion, differences as to place of birth, and numerous family +conceits. So that surveyed as a whole, it is extremely difficult to +get anything like a complete social map of these four millions as they +existed at the outbreak of the Civil War. + +For a quarter of a century there had been a steady concentration of +the slave population within the cotton and cane-growing region, the +grain-growing States of Delaware, Maryland and Virginia having become +to a considerable extent breeding farms. Particularly was this the +case with the more intelligent and higher developed individual slaves +who appeared near the border line. The master felt that such persons +would soon make their escape by way of the "Underground Railroad" or +otherwise, and hence in order to prevent a total loss, would follow +the dictates of business prudence and sell his bright slave man to +Georgia. The Maryland or Virginia slave who showed suspicious +aspirations was usually checked by the threat, "I'll sell you to +Georgia;" and if the threat did not produce the desired reformation it +was not long before the ambitious slave found himself in the gang of +that most despised and most despicable of all creatures, the Georgia +slave-trader. Georgia and Canada were the two extremes of the slave's +anticipation during the last decade of his experience. These stood as +his earthly Heaven and Hell, the "Underground Railroad," with its +agents, conducting to one, and the odious slave-trader, driving men, +women and children, to the other. No Netherlander ever hated and +feared the devil more thoroughly than did the slaves of the border +States hate and fear these outrages on mankind, the kidnapping +slave-traders of the cotton and cane regions. I say kidnapping, for I +have myself seen persons in Georgia who had been kidnapped in +Maryland. If the devil was ever incarnate, I think it safe to look for +him among those who engaged in the slave-trade, whether in a foreign +or domestic form. + +Nothing is more striking in connection with the history of American +Slavery than the conduct of Great Britain on the same subject. So +inconsistent has this conduct been that it can be explained only by +regarding England as a conglomerate of two elements nearly equal in +strength, of directly opposite character, ruling alternately the +affairs of the nation. As a slave-trader and slave-holder England was +perhaps even worse than the United States. Under her rule the slave +decreased in numbers, and remained a savage. In Jamaica, in St. +Vincent, in British Guiana, in Barbadoes, in Trinidad and in Grenada, +British slavery was far worse than American slavery. In these colonies +"the slave was generally a barbarian, speaking an unknown tongue, and +working with men like himself, in gangs with scarcely a chance for +improvement." An economist says, had the slaves of the British +colonies been as well fed, clothed, lodged, and otherwise cared for as +were those of the United States, their number at emancipation would +have reached from seventeen to twenty millions, whereas the actual +number emancipated was only 660,000. Had the blacks of the United +States experienced the same treatment as did those of the British +colonies, 1860 would have found among us less than 150,000 colored +persons. In the United States were found ten colored persons for every +slave imported, while in the British colonies only one was found for +every three imported. Hence the claim that the American Negro is a new +race, built up on this soil, rests upon an ample supply of facts. The +American slave was born in our civilization, fed upon good American +food, housed and clothed on a civilized plan, taught the arts and +language of civilization, acquired necessarily ideas of law and +liberty, and by 1860 was well on the road toward fitness for freedom. +No lessons therefore drawn from the emancipation of British slaves in +the West Indies are of any direct value to us, inasmuch as British +slavery was not like American slavery, the British freedman was in no +sense the equal of the American freedman, and the circumstances +surrounding the emancipation of the British slave had nothing of the +inspiring and ennobling character with those connected with the +breaking of the American Negro's chains. Yet, superior as the American +Negro was as a slave, he was very far below the standard of American +citizenship as subsequent events conclusively proved. The best form of +slavery, even though it may lead toward fitness for freedom, can never +be regarded as a fit school in which to graduate citizens of so +magnificent an empire as the United States. + +The slave of 1860 was perhaps, all things considered, the best slave +the world had ever seen, if we except those who served the Hebrews +under the Mosaic statutes. While there was no such thing among them as +legal marriage or legitimate childhood, yet slave "families" were +recognized even on the auction block, and after emancipation legal +family life was erected generally upon relationships which had been +formed in slavery. Bishop Gaines, himself born a slave of slave +parents, says: "The Negro had no civil rights under the codes of the +Southern States. It was often the case, it is true, that the marriage +ceremony was performed, and thousands of couples regarded it, and +observed it as of binding force, and were as true to each other as if +they had been lawfully married." * * * "The colored people +generally," he says, "held their marriage (if such unauthorized union +may be called marriage) sacred, even while they were slaves. Many +instances will be recalled by the older people of the life-long +fidelity which existed between the slave and his concubine" (Wife, +T.G.S.)" ... the mother of his children. My own father and mother +lived together over sixty years. I am the fourteenth child of that +union, and I can truthfully affirm that no marriage, however made +sacred by the sanction of law, was ever more congenial and beautiful. +Thousands of like instances might be cited to the same effect. It will +always be to the credit of the colored people that almost without +exception, they adhered to their relations, illegal though they had +been, and accepted gladly the new law which put the stamp of +legitimacy upon their union and removed the brand of bastardy from the +brows of their children." + +Let us now sum up the qualifications that these people possessed in +large degree, in order to determine their fitness for freedom, then so +near at hand. They had acquired the English language, and the +Christian religion, including the Christian idea of marriage, so +entirely different in spirit and form from the African marriage. They +had acquired the civilized methods of cooking their food, making and +wearing clothes, sleeping in beds, and observing Sunday. They had +acquired many of the useful arts and trades of civilization and had +imbibed the tastes and feelings, to some extent, at least, of the +country in which they lived. Becoming keen observers, shut out from +books and newspapers, they listened attentively, learned more of law +and politics than was generally supposed. They knew what the election +of 1860 meant and were on tiptoe with expectation. Although the days +of insurrection had passed and the slave of '59 was not ready to rise +with the immortal John Brown, he had not lost his desire for freedom. +The steady march of escaping slaves guided by the North star, with the +refrain: + + "I'm on my way to Canada, + That cold but happy land; + The dire effects of slavery + I can no longer stand," + +proved that the desire to be free was becoming more extensive and +absorbing as the slave advanced in intelligence. + +It is necessary again to emphasize the fact that the American slaves +were well formed and well developed physically, capable of enduring +hard labor and of subsisting upon the plainest food. Their diet for +years had been of the simplest sort, and they had been subjected to a +system of regulations very much like those which are employed in the +management of armies. They had an hour to go to bed and an hour to +rise; left their homes only upon written "passes," and when abroad at +night were often halted by the wandering patrol. "Run, nigger, run, +the patrol get you," was a song of the slave children of South +Carolina. + +Strangers who saw for the first time these people as they came out of +slavery in 1865 were usually impressed with their robust appearance, +and a conference of ex-slaves, assembled soon after the war, +introduced a resolution with the following declaration: "Whereas, +Slavery has left us in possession of strong and healthy bodies." It is +probable that at least a half-million of men of proper age could then +have been found among the newly liberated capable of bearing arms. +They were inured to the plain ration, to labor and fatigue, and to +subordination, and had long been accustomed to working together under +the immediate direction of foremen. + +Two questions of importance naturally arose at this period: First, did +the American slave understand the issue that had been before the +country for more than a half-century and that was now dividing the +nation in twain and marshalling for deadly strife these two opposing +armies? Second, had he the courage necessary to take part in the +struggle and help save the Union? It would be a strange thing to say, +but nevertheless a thing entirely true, that many of the Negro slaves +had a clearer perception of the real question at issue than did some +of our most far-seeing statesmen, and a clearer vision of what would +be the outcome of the war. While the great men of the North were +striving to establish the doctrine that the coming war was merely to +settle the question of Secession, the slave knew better. God had hid +certain things from the wise and prudent and had revealed them unto +babes. Lincoln, the wisest of all, was slow to see that the issue he +himself had predicted was really at hand. As President, he declared +for the preservation of the Union, with or without slavery, or even +upon the terms which he had previously declared irreconcilable, "half +slave and half free." The Negro slave saw in the outbreak of the war +the death struggle of slavery. He knew that the real issue was +slavery. + +The masters were careful to keep from the knowledge of the slave the +events as well as the causes of the war, but in spite of these efforts +the slave's keen perception enabled him to read defeat in the dejected +mien of his master, and victory in his exultation. To prevent the +master's knowing what was going on in their thoughts, the slaves +constructed curious codes among themselves. In one neighborhood +freedom was always spoken of as "New Rice"; and many a poor slave +woman sighed for the coming of New Rice in the hearing of those who +imagined they knew the inmost thoughts of their bondwomen. Gleefully +at times they would talk of the jollification they would make when the +New Rice came. It was this clear vision, this strong hope, that +sustained them during the trying days of the war and kept them back +from insurrection. Bishop Gaines says: "Their prayers ascended for +their deliverance, and their hearts yearned for the success of their +friends. They fondly hoped for the hour of victory, when the night of +slavery would end and the dawn of freedom appear. They often talked to +each other of the progress of the war and conferred in secret as to +what they might do to aid in the struggle. Worn out with long bondage, +yearning for the boon of freedom, longing for the sun of liberty to +rise, they kept their peace and left the result to God." Mr. Douglass, +whom this same Bishop Gaines speaks of very inappropriately as a +"half-breed," seemed able to grasp the feelings both of the slave and +the freeman and said: "From the first, I for one, saw in this war the +end of slavery, and truth requires me to say that my interest in the +success of the North was largely due to this belief." Mr. Seward, the +wise Secretary of State, had thought that the war would come and go +without producing any change in the relation of master and slave; but +the humble slave on the Georgia cotton plantation, or in the Carolina +rice fields, knew that the booming of the guns of rebellion in +Charleston was the opening note of the death knell of slavery. The +slave undoubtedly understood the issue, and knew on which side liberty +dwelt. Although thoroughly bred to slavery, and as contented and happy +as he could be in his lot, he acted according to the injunction of the +Apostle: "Art thou called being a servant, care not for it; but if +thou mayest be made free, use it rather." The slaves tried to be +contented, but they preferred freedom and knew which side to take when +the time came for them to act. + +Enough has been said to show that out of the African slave had been +developed a thoroughly American slave, so well imbued with modern +civilization and so well versed in American politics, as to be +partially ready for citizenship. He had become law-abiding and +order-loving, and possessed of an intelligent desire to be free. +Whether he had within him the necessary moral elements to become a +soldier the pages following will attempt to make known. He had the +numbers, the physical strength and the intelligence. He could enter +the strife with a sufficient comprehension of the issues involved to +enable him to give to his own heart a reason for his action. Fitness +for the soldier does not necessarily involve fitness for citizenship, +but the actual discharge of the duties of the soldier in defence of +the nation, entitles one to all common rights, to the nation's +gratitude, and to the highest honors for which he is qualified. + +In concluding this chapter I shall briefly return to the free colored +people of the South that the reader may be able to properly estimate +their importance as a separate element. Their influence upon the slave +population was very slight, inasmuch as law and custom forbade the +intercourse of these two classes. + +According to the Census of 1860 there were in the slave-holding States +altogether 261,918 free colored persons, 106,770 being mulattoes. In +Charleston there were 887 free blacks and 2,554 mulattoes; in Mobile, +98 free blacks and 617 mulattoes; in New Orleans, 1,727 blacks and +7,357 mulattoes. As will be seen, nearly one-half of the entire number +of free colored persons were mulattoes, while in the leading Southern +cities seventy-five per cent. of the free colored people were put in +this class. The percentage of mulatto slaves to the total slave +population at that time was 10.41, and in the same cities which showed +seventy-five per cent, of all the free colored persons mulattoes, the +percentage of mulatto slaves was but 16.84. Mulatto in this +classification includes all colored persons who are not put down as +black. + +In New Orleans the free mulattoes were generally French, having come +into the Union with the Louisiana purchase, and among them were to be +found wealthy slave-holders. They much resembled the class of +mulattoes which obtained in St. Domingo at the beginning of the +century, and had but little sympathy with the blacks, although they +were the first to acquiesce in emancipation, some of them actually +leading their own slaves into the army of liberation. It is possible, +however, that they had not fully realized the trend of the war, +inasmuch as New Orleans was excepted from the effects of the +Proclamation. It is certain that the free colored people of that city +made a tender of support to the Confederacy, although they were among +the first to welcome the conquering "Yankees," and afterward fought +with marked gallantry in the Union cause. The free mulattoes, or +_browns_, as they called themselves, of Charleston, followed much the +same course as their fellow classmen of New Orleans. Here, too, they +had been exclusive and to some extent slave-holders, had tendered +their services to the Confederacy, and had hastily come forward to +welcome the conquerors. They were foremost among the colored people in +wealth and intelligence, but their field of social operations had been +so circumscribed that they had exerted but little influence in the +work of Americanizing the slave. Separated from the slave by law and +custom they did all in their power to separate themselves from him in +thought and feeling. They drew the line against all blacks as +mercilessly and senselessly as the most prejudiced of the whites and +were duplicates of the whites placed on an intermediate plane. It was +not unusual to find a Charleston brown filled with more prejudice +toward the blacks than were the whites. + + [Transcriber's Note: This footnote appeared in the text + without a footnote anchor: "Census of 1860."] + +The colored people of the North in 1860 numbered 237,283, +Pennsylvania having the largest number, 56,849; then came New York +with 49,005; Ohio, 36,673; New Jersey, 25,318; Indiana, 11,428; +Massachusetts, 9,602; Connecticut, 8,627; Illinois, 7,628; Michigan, +6,799; Rhode Island, 3,952; Maine, 1,327; Wisconsin, 1,171; Iowa, +1,069; Vermont, 709; Kansas, 625; New Hampshire, 494; Minnesota, 259; +Oregon, 128. + +Considerably more than one-half of this population was located within +the States along the Atlantic Coast, viz.; Maine, New Hampshire, +Massachusetts, Vermont, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, +Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Here were to be found 154,883 free +colored people. Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey took the lead in +this population, with Massachusetts and Connecticut coming next, while +Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont had but few. The cities, Boston, New +York and Philadelphia, were the largest cities of free colored people +then in the North. In Boston there were 2,261; New York City, 12,574, +while in Philadelphia there were 22,185 + +As early as 1787 the free colored people of Philadelphia, through two +distinguished representatives, Absalom Jones and Richard Allen, "two +men of the African race," as the chroniclers say, "saw the irreligious +and uncivilized state" of the "people of their complexion," and +finally concluded "that a society should be formed without regard to +religious tenets, provided the persons lived an orderly and sober +life," the purpose of the society being "to support one another in +sickness and for the benefit of their widows and fatherless children." +Accordingly a society was established, known as the Free African +Society of Philadelphia, and on the 17th, 5th-mo., 1787, articles were +published, including the following, which is inserted to show the +breadth of the society's purpose: + +"And we apprehend it to be necessary that the children of our +deceased members be under the care of the Society, so far as to pay +for the education of their children, if they cannot attend free +school; also to put them out apprentices to suitable trades or places, +if required."[2] + +Shortly after this we read of "the African School for the free +instruction of the black people," and in 1796, "The Evening Free +School, held at the African Methodist Meeting House in Philadelphia" +was reported as being "kept very orderly, the scholars behaving in a +becoming manner, and their improvement beyond the teachers' +expectations, their intellects appearing in every branch of learning +to be equal to those of the fairest complexion." The name African, as +the reader will notice, is used with reference to school, church, and +individuals; although not to the complete exclusion of "colored +people" and "people of color." These phrases seem to have been coined +in the West Indies, and were there applied only to persons of mixed +European and African descent. In the United States they never obtained +such restricted use except in a very few localities. The practice of +using African as a descriptive title of the free colored people of the +North became very extensive and so continued up to the middle of the +century. There were African societies, churches and schools in all the +prominent centres of this population. + +In 1843 one, Mr. P. Loveridge, Agent for Colored Schools of New York, +wrote the editor of the African Methodist Magazine as follows:[3] "As +to the name of your periodical, act as we did with the name of our +schools--away with Africa. There are no Africans in your connection. +Substitute colored for African and it will be, in my opinion, as it +should be." The earnestness of the writer shows that the matter of +parting with African was then a live question. The cool reply of the +editor indicates how strong was the conservative element among the +African people of '43. He says: "We are unable to see the +reasonableness of the remarks. It is true we are not Africans, or +natives born upon the soil of Africa, yet, as the descendants of that +race, how can we better manifest that respect due to our fathers who +begat us, than by the adoption of the term in our institutions, and +inscribing it upon our public places of resort?" To this Mr. Loveridge +rejoins in the following explanatory paragraph: "We who are engaged in +the Public Schools in this city found upon examination of about 1500 +children who attend our schools from year to year, not one African +child among them. A suggestion was made that we petition the Public +School Society to change the name African to Colored Schools. The +gentlemen of that honorable body, perceiving our petition to be a +logical one, acquiesced with us. Hence the adjective African (which +does not apply to us) was blotted out and Colored substituted in its +place. It is 'Public Schools for Colored Children.' We are Americans +and expect American sympathies." + +In 1816 the colored Methodists conceived the idea of organizing and +evangelizing their race, and to this end a convention was called and +assembled in Philadelphia of that year, composed of sixteen delegates, +coming from Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland and New Jersey. The +convention adopted a resolution that the people of Philadelphia, +Baltimore and all other places who should unite with them, should +become one body under the name and style of the African Methodist +Episcopal Church. Similar action was taken by two other bodies of +colored Methodists, one in New York, the other in Wilmington, +Delaware, about the same time. The people were coming together and +beginning to understand the value of organization. This was manifested +in their religious, beneficial and educational associations that were +springing up among them. In 1841 the African Methodist Magazine +appeared, the first organ of religious communication and thought +issued by the American colored people. It was published in Brooklyn, +N.Y., Rev. George Hogarth being its editor. + +There were papers published by the colored people prior to the +appearance of the African Methodist Magazine, but these were +individual enterprises. They were, however, indices of the thought of +the race, and looking back upon them now, we may regard them as +mile-stones set up along the line of march over which the people have +come. New York, city and State, appears to have been the home of these +early harbingers, and it was there that the earliest literary centre +was established, corresponding to that centre of religious life and +thought which had been earlier founded in Philadelphia. In 1827 the +first newspaper published on this continent by colored men issued from +its office in New York. It was called "Freedom's Journal," and had for +its motto "Righteousness exalteth a nation." Its editors and +proprietors were Messrs. Cornish & Russwurm. Its name was subsequently +changed to the "Rights of All," Mr. Cornish probably retiring, and in +1830 it suspended, Mr. Russwurm going to Africa. Then followed "The +Weekly Advocate," "The American," "The Colored American," "The +Elevator," "The National Watchman," "The Clarion," "The Ram's Horn," +"The North Star," "Frederick Douglass' Paper," and finally that +crowning literary work of the race, "The Anglo-African." + +"The Anglo-African" appeared in 1859, under the management of the +strongest and most brilliant purely literary families the American +Negro up to that time had produced. It was edited and published by +Thomas Hamilton, and like all the important literary ventures of the +race in those days, had its birth in New York. It came out in 1859 and +continued through the war, and in 1865 went out of existence +honorably, having its work well done. Its first volume, that of 1859, +contains the ablest papers ever given to the public by the American +Negro; and taken as a whole this volume is the proudest literary +monument the race has as yet erected. + +Reviewing the progress of the race in the North, we may say, the +period of organized benevolence and united religious effort began +before the close of the past century, Philadelphia being its place of +origin; that the religious movement reached much broader and clearer +standing about 1816, and in consequence there sprang up organizations +comprehending the people of the whole country; that the religious +movement advanced to a more intellectual stage when in 1841 the +African Methodist Magazine appeared, since which time the organized +religion of the American Negro has never been for any considerable +time without its organs of communication. The journalistic period +began in 1827, its centre being New York and the work of the journals +almost wholly directed to two ends: the abolition of slavery, and the +enfranchisement and political elevation of the free blacks. This work +had reached its highest form in the Anglo-African, as that epoch of +our national history came to its close in the slave-holders' war. + +The titles of the newspapers indicate the opening and continuance of a +period of anti-slavery agitation. Their columns were filled with +arguments and appeals furnished by men who gave their whole souls to +the work. It was a period of great mental activity on the part of the +free colored people. They were discussing all probable methods of +bettering their condition. It was the period that produced both +writers and orators. In 1830 the first convention called by colored +men to consider the general condition of the race and devise means to +improve that condition, met in the city of Philadelphia. The history +of this convention is so important that I append a full account of it +as published in the Anglo-African nearly thirty years after the +convention met. It was called through the efforts of Hezekiah Grice, +of Baltimore, who afterwards emigrated to Hayti, and for many years +followed there the occupation of carver and gilder and finally became +Director of Public Works of the city of Port-au-Prince. While visiting +that city years ago, I met a descendant of Mr. Grice, a lady of great +personal beauty, charming manners, accomplished in the French +language, but incapable of conversing at all in English. + +The conventions, begun in 1830, continued to be held annually for a +brief period, and then dropped into occasional and special gatherings. +They did much good in the way of giving prominence to the colored +orators and in stemming the tide of hostile sentiment by appealing to +the country at large in language that reached many hearts. + +The physical condition, so far as the health and strength of the free +colored people were concerned, was good. Their mean age was the +greatest of any element of our population, and their increase was +about normal, or 1.50 per cent. annually. In the twenty years from +1840 to 1860 it had kept up this rate with hardly the slightest +variation, while the increase of the free colored people of the South +during the same period had been 1 per cent, annually.[4] The increase +of persons of mixed blood in the North did not necessarily imply +laxity of morals, as the census compilers always delighted to say, but +could be easily accounted for by the marriages occurring between +persons of this class. I have seen more than fifty persons, all of +mixed blood, descend from one couple, and these with the persons +joined to them by marriages as they have come to marriageable age, +amounted to over seventy souls--all in about a half century. That the +slaves had, despite their fearful death rate, the manumissions and the +escapes, increased twice as fast as the free colored people of the +North, three times as fast as the free colored people of the South, +and faster than the white people with all the immigration of that +period, can be accounted for only by the enormous birth rate of that +people consequent upon their sad condition. Their increase was +abnormal, and when properly viewed, proves too much. + +There is no way of determining the general wealth of the colored +people of the North at the period we are describing; but some light +may be thrown upon their material condition from the consideration +that they were supporting a few publications and building and +supporting churches, and were holders of considerable real estate. In +New York city, the thirteen thousand colored people paid taxes on +nearly a million and a half in real estate, and had over a quarter +million of dollars in the savings banks. It is probable that the +twenty-five thousand in Philadelphia owned more in proportion than +their brethren in New York, for they were then well represented in +business in that city. There were the Fortens, Bowers, Casseys, +Gordons, and later Stephen Smith, William Whipper and Videl, all of +whom were men of wealth and business. There were nineteen churches +owned and supported by colored people of Philadelphia, with a seating +capacity of about 10,000 and valued at about $250,000. + +[5]The schools set apart for colored children were very inferior and +were often kept alive by great sacrifices on the part of the colored +people themselves. Prior to the war and in many cases for some time +afterward, the colored public schools were a disgrace to the country. +A correspondent writing from Hollidaysburg, Pa., says, speaking of the +school there: "The result of my inquiries here is that here, as in the +majority of other places, the interest manifested for the colored man +is more for political effect, and that those who prate the loudest +about the moral elevation and political advancement of the colored man +are the first to turn against him when he wants a friend." The +correspondent then goes on to say that the school directors persist in +employing teachers "totally incompetent." What the schools were in New +York the report made by the New York Society for the promotion of +Education among Colored Children to the Honorable Commissioners for +examining into the condition of Common Schools in the City and County +of New York, will show. Reverend Charles B. Ray, who was President of +this Society, and Philip A. White, its Secretary, both continued to +labor in the interest of education unto the close of their lives, Mr. +White dying as a member of the School Board of the city of Brooklyn, +and Mr. Ray bequeathing his library to Wilberforce University at his +death. + +In summing up the conditions which they have detailed in their report +they say: "From a comparison of the school houses occupied by the +colored children with the splendid, almost palatial edifices, with +manifold comforts, conveniences and elegancies which make up the +school houses for white children in the city of New York, it is +clearly evident that the colored children are painfully neglected and +positively degraded. Pent up in filthy neighborhoods, in old +dilapidated buildings, they are held down to low associations and +gloomy surroundings. * * * The undersigned enter their solemn protest +against this unjust treatment of colored children. They believe with +the experience of Massachusetts, and especially the recent experience +of Boston before them, there is no sound reason why colored children +shall be excluded from any of the common schools supported by taxes +levied alike on whites and blacks, and governed by officers elected by +the vote of colored as well as white voters." + +This petition and remonstrance had its effect, for mainly through its +influence within two years very great improvements were made in the +condition of the New York colored schools. + +For the especial benefit of those who erroneously think that the +purpose of giving industrial education is a new thing in our land, as +well as for general historical purposes, I call attention to the +establishment of the Institute for Colored Youth in Philadelphia in +1842. This Institute was founded by the Society of Friends, and was +supported in its early days and presumably still "by bequests and +donations made by members of that Society." The objects of the +Institute as set forth by its founders, fifty-seven years ago, are: +"The education and improvement of colored youth of both sexes, to +qualify them to act as teachers and instructors to their own people, +either in the various branches of school learning or the mechanic +arts and agriculture." Two years later the African Methodists +purchased one hundred and eighty acres of land in eastern Ohio and +established what was called the Union Seminary, on the manual labor +plan. It did not succeed, but it lingered along, keeping alive the +idea, until it was eclipsed by Wilberforce University, into which it +was finally merged. + +The anti-slavery fight carried on in the North, into which the colored +men entered and became powerful leaders, aroused the race to a deep +study of the whole subject of liberty and brought them in sympathy +with all people who had either gained or were struggling for their +liberties, and prompted them to investigate all countries offering to +them freedom. No country was so well studied by them as Hayti, and +from 1824 to 1860 there had been considerable emigration thither. +Liberia, Central and South America and Canada were all considered +under the thought of emigration. Thousands went to Hayti and to +Canada, but the bulk preferred to remain here. They liked America, and +had become so thoroughly in love with the doctrines of the Republic, +so imbued with the pride of the nation's history, so inspired with +hope in the nation's future, that they resolved to live and die on her +soil. When the troublous times of 1860 came and white men were fleeing +to Canada, colored men remained at their posts. They were ready to +stand by the old flag and to take up arms for the Union, trusting that +before the close of the strife the flag might have to them a new +meaning. An impassioned colored orator had said of the flag: "Its +stars were for the white man, and its stripes for the Negro, and it +was very appropriate that the stripes should be red." The free Negro +of the North was prepared in 1861 to support Abraham Lincoln with +40,000 as good American-born champions for universal liberty as the +country could present. + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[1] Slave Trade--Carey. + +[2] Outlines--Tanner. + +[3] A.M.E. Magazine, 1843. + +[4] It is to be noted that in Maryland and Virginia an important +number of white serving women married Negro slave men in the early +days of these colonies. + +[5] In 1835 there were six high schools, or schools for higher +education, in the United States that admitted colored students on +equal footing with others. These were: Oneida Institute, New York; +Mount Pleasant, Amherst, Mass.; Canaan, N.H.; Western Reserve, Ohio; +Gettysburg, Pa.; and "one in the city of Philadelphia of which Miss +Buffam" was "principal." There was also one manual labor school in +Madison County, N.Y., capable of accommodating eighteen students. It +was founded by Gerrit Smith. + + +NOTES. + +A. + +THE FIRST COLORED CONVENTION. + +On the fifteenth day of September, 1830, there was held at Bethel +Church, in the city of Philadelphia, the first convention of the +colored people of these United States. It was an event of historical +importance; and, whether we regard the times or the men of whom this +assemblage was composed, we find matter for interesting and profitable +consideration. + +Emancipation had just taken place in New York, and had just been +arrested in Virginia by the Nat Turner rebellion and Walker's +pamphlet. Secret sessions of the legislatures of the several Southern +States had been held to deliberate upon the production of a colored +man who had coolly recommended to his fellow blacks the only solution +to the slave question, which, after twenty-five years of arduous labor +of the most hopeful and noble-hearted of the abolitionists, seems the +forlorn hope of freedom to-day--insurrection and bloodshed. Great +Britain was in the midst of that bloodless revolution which, two years +afterwards, culminated in the passage of the Reform Bill, and thus +prepared the joyous and generous state of the British heart which +dictated the West India Emancipation Act. France was rejoicing in the +not bloodless _trois jours de Juliet_. Indeed, the whole world seemed +stirred up with a universal excitement, which, when contrasted with +the universal panics of 1837 and 1857, leads one to regard as more +than a philosophical speculation the doctrine of those who hold the +life of mankind from the creation as but one life, beating with one +heart, animated with one soul, tending to one destiny, although made +up of millions upon millions of molecular lives, gifted with their +infinite variety of attractions and repulsions, which regulate or +crystallize them into evanescent substructures or organizations, which +we call nationalities and empires and peoples and tribes, whose minute +actions and reactions on each other are the histories which absorb our +attention, whilst the grand universal life moves on beyond our ken, +or only guessed at, as the astronomers shadow out movements of our +solar system around or towards some distant unknown centre of +attraction. + +If the times of 1830 were eventful, there were among our people, as +well as among other peoples, men equal to the occasion. We had giants +in those days! There were Bishop Allen, the founder of the great +Bethel connection of Methodists, combining in his person the fiery +zeal of St. Francis Xavier with the skill and power of organizing of a +Richelieu; the meek but equally efficient Rush (who yet remains with +us in fulfilment of the Scripture), the father of the Zion Methodists; +Paul, whose splendid presence and stately eloquence in the pulpit, and +whose grand baptisms in the waters of Boston harbor are a living +tradition in all New England; the saintly and sainted Peter Williams, +whose views of the best means of our elevation are in triumphant +activity to-day; William Hamilton, the thinker and actor, whose sparse +specimens of eloquence we will one day place in gilded frames as rare +and beautiful specimens of Etruscan art--William Hamilton, who, four +years afterwards, during the New York riots, when met in the street, +loaded down with iron missiles, and asked where he was going, replied, +"To die on my threshold"; Watkins, of Baltimore; Frederick Hinton, +with his polished eloquence; James Forten, the merchant prince; +William Whipper, just essaying his youthful powers; Lewis Woodson and +John Peck, of Pittsburg; Austin Steward, then of Rochester; Samuel E. +Cornish, who had the distinguished honor of reasoning Gerrit Smith out +of colonization, and of telling Henry Clay that he would never be +president of anything higher than the American Colonization Society; +Philip A. Bell, the born sabreur, who never feared the face of clay, +and a hundred others, were the worthily leading spirits among the +colored people. + +And yet the idea of the first colored convention did not originate +with any of these distinguished men; it came from a young man of +Baltimore; then, and still, unknown to fame. Born in that city in +1801, he was in 1817 apprenticed to a man some two hundred miles off +in the Southeast. Arriving at his field of labor, he worked hard +nearly a week and received poor fare in return. One day, while at work +near the house, the mistress came out and gave him a furious scolding, +so furious, indeed, that her husband mildly interfered; she drove the +latter away, and threatened to take the Baltimore out of the lad with +cowhide, etc., etc. At this moment, to use his own expression, the +lad became converted, that is, he determined to be his own master as +long as he lived. Early nightfall found him on his way to Baltimore +which he reached after a severe journey which tested his energy and +ingenuity to the utmost. At the age of twenty-three he was engaged in +the summer time in supplying Baltimore with ice from his cart, and in +winter in cutting up pork for Ellicotts' establishment. He must have +been strong and swift with knife and cleaver, for in one day he cut up +and dressed some four hundred and fifteen porkers. + +In 1824 our young friend fell in with Benjamin Lundy, and in 1828-9, +with William Lloyd Garrison, editors and publishers of the "Genius of +Universal Emancipation," a radical anti-slavery paper, whose boldness +would put the "National Era" to shame, printed and published in the +slave State of Maryland. In 1829-30 the colored people of the free +States were much excited on the subject of emigration; there had been +an emigration to Hayti, and also to Canada, and some had been driven +to Liberia by the severe laws and brutal conduct of the fermenters of +colonization in Virginia and Maryland. In some districts of these +States the disguised whites would enter the houses of free colored men +at night, and take them out and give them from thirty to fifty lashes, +to get them to consent to go to Liberia. + +It was in the spring of 1830 that the young man we have sketched, +Hezekiah Grice, conceived the plan of calling together a meeting or +convention of colored men in some place north of the Potomac, for the +purpose of comparing views and of adopting a harmonious movement +either of emigration or of determination to remain in the United +States; convinced of the hopelessness of contending against the +oppressions in the United States, living in the very depth of that +oppression and wrong, his own views looked to Canada; but he held them +subject to the decision of the majority of the convention which might +assemble. + +On the 2d of April, 1830, he addressed a written circular to prominent +colored men in the free States, requesting their opinions on the +necessity and propriety of holding such convention, and stated that if +the opinions of a sufficient number warranted it, he would give time +and place at which duly elected delegates might assemble. Four months +passed away, and his spirit almost died within him, for he had not +received a line from any one in reply. When he visited Mr. Garrison +in his office, and stated his project, Mr. Garrison took up a copy of +Walker's Appeal, and said, although it might be right, yet it was too +early to have published such a book. + +On the 11th of August, however, he received a sudden and peremptory +order from Bishop Allen to come instantly to Philadelphia, about the +emigration matter. He went, and found a meeting assembled to consider +the conflicting reports on Canada of Messrs. Lewis and Dutton; at a +subsequent meeting, held the next night, and near the adjournment, the +Bishop called Mr. Grice aside and gave to him to read a printed +circular, issued from New York City, strongly approving of Mr. Grice's +plan of a convention, and signed by Peter Williams, Peter Vogelsang +and Thomas L. Jinnings. The Bishop added, "My dear child, we must take +some action immediately, or else these New Yorkers will get ahead of +us." The Bishop left the meeting to attend a lecture on chemistry by +Dr. Wells, of Baltimore. Mr. Grice introduced the subject of the +convention; and a committee consisting of Bishop Allen, Benjamin +Pascal, Cyrus Black, James Cornish and Junius C. Morel, were appointed +to lay the matter before the colored people of Philadelphia. This +committee, led, doubtless, by Bishop Allen, at once issued a call for +a convention of the colored men of the United States, to be held in +the city of Philadelphia on the 15th of September, 1830. + +Mr. Grice returned to Baltimore rejoicing at the success of his +project; but, in the same boat which bore him down the Chesapeake, he +was accosted by Mr. Zollickoffer, a member of the Society of Friends, +a Philadelphian, and a warm and tried friend of the blacks. Mr. +Zollickoffer used arguments, and even entreaties, to dissuade Mr. +Grice from holding the convention, pointing out the dangers and +difficulties of the same should it succeed, and the deep injury it +would do the cause in case of failure. Of course, it was reason and +entreaty thrown away. + +On the fifteenth of September, Mr. Grice again landed in Philadelphia, +and in the fulness of his expectation asked every colored man he met +about the convention; no one knew anything about it; the first man did +not know the meaning of the word, and another man said, "Who ever +heard of colored people holding a convention--convention, indeed!" +Finally, reaching the place of meeting, he found, in solemn conclave, +the five gentlemen who had constituted themselves delegates: with a +warm welcome from Bishop Allen, Mr. Grice, who came with credentials +from the people of Baltimore, was admitted as delegate. A little while +after, Dr. Burton, of Philadelphia, dropped in, and demanded by what +right the six gentlemen held their seats as members of the convention. +On a hint from Bishop Allen, Mr. Pascal moved that Dr. Burton be +elected an honorary member of the convention, which softened the +Doctor. In half an hour, five or six grave, stern-looking men, members +of the Zion Methodist body in Philadelphia, entered, and demanded to +know by what right the members present held their seats and undertook +to represent the colored people. Another hint from the Bishop, and it +was moved that these gentlemen be elected honorary members. But the +gentlemen would submit to no such thing, and would accept nothing +short of full membership, which was granted them. + +Among the delegates were Abraham Shadd, of Delaware; J.W.C. +Pennington, of Brooklyn; Austin Steward, of Rochester; Horace Easton, +of Boston, and ---- Adams, of Utica. + +The main subject of discussion was emigration to Canada; Junius C. +Morel, chairman of a committee on that subject presented a report, on +which there was a two days' discussion; the point discussed was that +the report stated that "the lands in Canada were synonymous with those +of the Northern States." The word synonymous was objected to, and the +word similar proposed in its stead. Mr. Morel, with great vigor and +ingenuity, defended the report, but was finally voted down, and the +word similar adopted. The convention recommended emigration to Canada, +passed strong resolutions against the American Colonization Society, +and at its adjournment appointed the next annual convention of the +people of color to be held in Philadelphia, on the first Monday in +June, 1831. + +At the present day, when colored conventions are almost as frequent as +church meetings, it is difficult to estimate the bold and daring +spirit which inaugurated the Colored Convention of 1830. It was the +right move, originating in the right quarter and at the right time. +Glorious old Maryland, or, as one speaking in the view that climate +grows the men, would say,--Maryland-Virginia region,--which has +produced Benjamin Banneker, Nat. Turner, Frederick Douglass, the +parents of Ira Aldridge, Henry Highland Garnett and Sam. Ringold Ward, +also produced the founder of colored conventions, Hezekiah Grice! At +that time, in the prime of his young manhood, he must have presented +the front of one equal to any fortune, able to achieve any +undertaking. Standing six feet high, well-proportioned, of a dark +bronze complexion, broad brow, and that stamp of features out of which +the Greek sculptor would have delighted to mould the face of +Vulcan--he was, to the fullest extent, a working man of such sort and +magnetism as would lead his fellows where he listed. + +In looking to the important results that grew out of this convention, +the independence of thought and self-assertion of the black man are +the most remarkable. Then, the union of purpose and union of strength +which grew out of the acquaintanceship and mutual pledges of colored +men from different States. Then, the subsequent conventions, where the +great men we have already named, and others, appeared and took part in +the discussions with manifestations of zeal, talent and ability, which +attracted Garrison, the Tappans, Jocelyn and others of that noble +host, who, drawing no small portion of their inspiration from their +black brethren in bonds, did manfully fight in the days of +anti-slavery which tried men's souls, and when, to be an abolitionist, +was, to a large extent, to be a martyr. + +We cannot help adding the thought that had these conventions of the +colored people of the United States continued their annual sittings +from 1830 until the present time, the result would doubtless have been +greater general progress among our people themselves, a more united +front to meet past and coming exigencies, and a profounder hold upon +the public attention, and a deeper respect on the part of our enemies, +than we now can boast of. Looking at public opinion as it is, the +living law of the land, and yet a malleable, ductile entity, which can +be moulded, or at least affected, by the thoughts of any masses +vigorously expressed, we should have become a power on earth, of +greater strength and influence than in our present scattered and +dwindled state we dare even dream of. The very announcement, +"Thirtieth Annual Convention of the Colored People of the United +States," would bear a majestic front. Our great gathering at Rochester +in 1853, commanded not only public attention, but respect and +admiration. Should we have such a gathering even now, once a year, not +encumbered with elaborate plans of action, with too many wheels within +wheels, we can yet regain much of the ground lost. The partial +gathering at Boston, the other day, has already assumed its place in +the public mind, and won its way into the calculations of the +politicians. + +Our readers will doubtless be glad to learn the subsequent history of +Mr. Grice. He did not attend the second convention, but in the +interval between the second and third he formed, in the city of +Baltimore, a "Legal Rights Association," for the purpose of +ascertaining the legal status of the colored man in the United States. +It was entirely composed of colored men, among whom were Mr. Watkins +(the colored Baltimorean), Mr. Deaver, and others. Mr. Grice called on +William Wirt, and asked him "what he charged for his opinion on a +given subject." "Fifty dollars." "Then, sir, I will give you fifty +dollars if you will give me your opinion on the legal condition of a +free colored man in these United States." + +Mr. Wirt required the questions to be written out in proper form +before he could answer them. Mr. Grice employed Tyson, who drew up a +series of questions, based upon the Constitution of the United States, +and relating to the rights and citizenship of the free black. He +carried the questions to Mr. Wirt, who, glancing over them, said, +"Really, sir, my position as an officer under the government renders +it a delicate matter for me to answer these questions as they should +be answered, but I'll tell you what to do: they should be answered, +and by the best legal talent in the land; do you go to Philadelphia, +and present my name to Horace Binney, and he will give you an answer +satisfactory to you, and which will command the greatest respect +throughout the land." Mr. Grice went to Philadelphia, and presented +the questions and request to Horace Binney. This gentleman pleaded age +and poor eyesight, but told Mr. Grice that if he would call on John +Sargent he would get answers of requisite character and weight. He +called on John Sargent, who promptly agreed to answer the questions if +Mr. Binney would allow his name to be associated as an authority in +the replies. Mr. Binney again declined, and so the matter fell +through. This is what Mr. Grice terms his "Dred Scott case" and so it +was. + +He attended the convention of 1832, but by some informality, or a want +of credentials, was not permitted to sit as full member!--Saul ejected +from among the prophets!--Yet he was heard on the subject of rights, +and the doctrine of "our rights," as well as the first colored +convention, are due to the same man. + +In 1832, chagrined at the colored people of the United States, he +migrated to Hayti, where, until 1843, he pursued the business of +carver and gilder. In the latter year he was appointed Director of +Public Works in Port-au-Prince, which office he held until two years +ago. He is also engaged in, and has wide knowledge of machinery and +engineering. Every two or three years he visits New York, and is +welcomed to the arcana of such men as James J. Mapes, the Bensons, +Dunhams, and at the various works where steam and iron obey human +ingenuity in our city. He is at present in this city, lodging at the +house of the widow of his old friend and coadjutor, Thomas L. +Jinnings, 133 Reade street. We have availed ourselves of his presence +among us to glean from him the statements which we have imperfectly +put together in this article. + +We cannot dismiss this subject without the remark, of peculiar +pertinence at this moment, that it would have been better for our +people had Mr. Grice never left these United States. The twenty-seven +years he has passed in Hayti, although not without their mark on the +fortunes of that island, are yet with out such mark as he would have +made in the land and upon the institutions among which he was born. So +early as his thirty-second year, before he had reached his +intellectual prime, he had inaugurated two of the leading ideas on +which our people have since acted, conventions to consider and +alleviate their grievances, and the struggle for legal rights. If he +did such things in early youth, what might he not have done with the +full force and bent of his matured intellect? And where, in the wide +world, in what region, or under what sun, could he so effectually have +labored to elevate the black man as on this soil and under American +institutions? + +So profoundly are we opposed to the favorite doctrine of the Puritans +and their co-workers, the colonizationists--Ubi Libertas, ibi +Patria--that we could almost beseech Divine Providence to reverse some +past events and to fling back into the heart of Virginia and Maryland +their Sam Wards, Highland Garnets, J.W. Penningtons, Frederick +Douglasses, and the twenty thousand who now shout hosannas in +Canada--and we would soon see some stirring in the direction of Ubi +Patria, ibi Libertas.--Anglo-African Magazine, October, 1859. + + +B. + +COMMUNICATION FROM THE NEW YORK SOCIETY FOR THE PROMOTION OF EDUCATION +AMONG COLORED CHILDREN. + +To the Honorable the Commissioners for examining into the condition of +Common Schools in the City and County of New York. + +The following statement in relation to the colored schools in said +city and county is respectfully presented by the New York Society for +the Promotion of Education among Colored Children: + + 1. The number of colored children in the city and county of + New York (estimated in 1855, from the census of 1850), between + the ages of 4 and 17 years 3,000 + + a. Average attendance of colored children at public + schools in 1855 913 + + Average attendance of colored children in + corporate schools supported by school funds + (Colored Orphan Asylum) 240 + ---- 1,153 + + b. Proportion of average attendance in public + schools of colored children to whole number + of same is as 1 to 2.60. + + 2. The number of white children in the city of New + York in 1855 (estimated as above), between the ages of + 4 and 17 years 159,000 + + a. Average attendance of white children in public + schools in 1855 43,858 + + Average attendance of white children in + corporate schools supported by public + funds 2,826 + ------ 46,684 + + b. Proportion of average attendance of white children + in public schools to whole number of same + is as 1 to 3.40. + + 3. From these facts it appears that colored children attend + the public schools (and schools supported by public funds in + the city of New York) in the proportion of 1 to 2.60, and that + the white children attend similar schools in said city in the + proportion of 1 to 3.40; that is to say, nearly 25 per cent. more of + colored children than of white children attend the public schools, + and schools supported by public funds in the city of New York. + + 4. The number of colored children attending private schools + in the city of New York, 125. + + a. The number of white children attending private + schools in 1850, census gave 10,560, which number has since + been increased by the establishment of Catholic parochial + schools, estimated in 1856, 17,560. + + b. The proportion of colored children attending private + schools to white children attending same, is as 1 to 140. + + c. But the average attendance of colored children in all + schools is about the same as that of the white in proportion, + that is to say, as many colored children attend the + public schools as do whites attend both public and private + schools, in proportion to the whole number of each class + of children. + + Locality, capability, etc., of colored schools. + + 1. The Board of Education, since its organization, has + expended in sites and buildings for white schools $1,600,000. + + b. The Board of Education has expended for sites and + buildings for colored schools (addition to building leased + 19 Thomas), $1,000. + + c. The two schoolhouses in possession of the Board + now used for colored children were assigned to same by + the Old Public School Society. + + 2. The proportion of colored children to white children + attending public schools is as 1 to 40. + + a. The sum expended on school buildings and sites of + colored and white schools by the Board of Education is as + 1 to 1,600. + + 3. a. Schoolhouse No. 1, for colored children, is an old + building, erected in 1820 by the New York Manumission Society + as a school for colored children, in Mulberry street, in a poor + but decent locality. It has two departments, one male and one + female; it consists of two stories only, and has two small + recitation rooms on each floor, but as primary as well as grammar + children attend each department, much difficulty and confusion + arises from the want of class room for the respective studies. + The building covers only part of the lot, and as it is, the best + attended and among the best taught of the colored schools, a + new and ample school building, erected in this place, would + prove a great attraction, and could be amply filled by children. + + b. Schoolhouse No. 2, erected in Laurens street more + than twenty years ago for colored children by the Public + School Society, is in one of the lowest and filthiest + neighborhoods, and hence, although it has competent teachers + in the male and female departments, and a separate primary + department, the attendance has always been slender, + and will be until the school is removed to a neighborhood + where children may be sent without danger to their morals. + + c. School No. 3, for colored children, in Yorkville, is + an old building, is well attended, and deserves, in connection + with Schoolhouse No. 4, in Harlem, a new building midway + between the present localities. + + d. Schoolhouse No. 5, for colored children, is an old + building, leased at No. 19 Thomas street, a most degraded + neighborhood, full of filth and vice; yet the attendance on + this school, and the excellence of its teachers, earn for it the + need of a new site and new building. + + e. Schoolhouse No. 6, for colored children, is in Broadway, + near 37th street, in a dwelling house leased and fitted + up for a school, in which there is always four feet of water + in the cellar. The attendance good. Some of the school + officers have repeatedly promised a new building. + + f. Primary school for colored children, No. 1, is in the + basement of a church on 15th street, near 7th avenue, + in a good location, but premises too small for the attendance; + no recitation rooms, and is perforce both primary + and grammar school, to the injury of the progress of all. + + g. Primary schools for colored children, No. 2 and 3, + are in the rear of church, in 2d street, near 6th avenue; the + rooms are dark and cheerless, and without the needful + facilities of sufficient recitation rooms, etc. + +From a comparison of the schoolhouses with the splendid, almost +palatial edifices, with manifold comforts, conveniences and elegancies +which make up the schoolhouses for white children in the city of New +York, it is evident that the colored children are painfully neglected +and positively degraded. Pent up in filthy neighborhoods, in old and +dilapidated buildings, they are held down to low associations and +gloomy surroundings. + +Yet Mr. Superintendent Kiddle, at a general examination of colored +schools held in July last (for silver medals awarded by the society +now addressing your honorable body) declared the reading and spelling +equal to that of any schools in the city. + +The undersigned enter their solemn protest against this unjust +treatment of colored children. They believe with the experience of +Massachusetts, and especially the recent experience of Boston before +them, there is no sound reason why colored children shall be excluded +from any of the common schools supported by taxes levied alike on +whites and blacks, and governed by officers elected by the vote of +colored as well as white voters. + +But if in the judgment of your honorable body common schools are not +thus common to all, then we earnestly pray you to recommend to the +Legislature such action as shall cause the Board of Education of this +city to erect at least two well-appointed modern grammar schools for +colored children on suitable sites, in respectable localities, so that +the attendance of colored children may be increased and their minds be +elevated in like manner as the happy experience of the honorable Board +of Education has been in the matter of white children. + +In addition to the excellent impulse to colored youth which these new +grammar schools would give, they will have the additional argument of +actual economy; the children will be taught with far less expense in +two such schoolhouses than in the half dozen hovels into which they +are now driven. It is a costly piece of injustice which educates the +white scholar in a palace at $10 per year and the colored pupil in a +hovel at $17 or $18 per annum. + +Taxes, etc., of colored population of the city. + +No proposition can be more reasonable than that they who pay taxes for +schools and schoolhouses should be provided with schools and +schoolhouses. The colored population of this city, in proportion to +their numbers, pay their full share of the general and therefore of +the school taxes. There are about nine thousand adults of both sexes; +of these over three thousand are householders, rent-payers, and +therefore tax-payers, in that sense of the word in which owners make +tax-payers of their poor tenants. The colored laboring man, with an +income of $200 a year, who pays $72 per year for a room and bedroom, +is really in proportion to his means a larger tax-payer than the +millionaire whose tax rate is thousands of dollars. But directly, +also, do the colored people pay taxes. From examinations carefully +made, the undersigned affirm that there are in the city at least +1,000 colored persons who own and pay taxes on real estate. + + Taxed real estate in the city of New York owned + by colored persons $1,400,000 + Untaxed by colored persons (churches) 250,000 + Personal estate 710,000 + Money in savings banks 1,121,000 + ----------- + $3,481,000 + +These figures indicate that in proportion to their numbers, the +colored population of this city pay a fair share of the school taxes, +and that they have been most unjustly dealt with. Their money has been +used to purchase sites and erect and fit up schoolhouses for white +children, whilst their own children are driven into miserable edifices +in disgraceful localities. Surely, the white population of the city +are too able, too generous, too just, any longer to suffer this +miserable robbing of their colored fellow-citizens for the benefit of +white children. + +Praying that your honorable commission will take due notice of these +facts, and recommend such remedy as shall seem to you best, + +We have the honor to be, in behalf of the New York Society for the +Promotion of Education among Colored Citizens, + +Most respectfully yours, + +CHARLES B. RAY, President. +PHILIP A. WHITE, Secretary. +New York City, December 28, 1857. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +AMERICAN NEGRO AND THE MILITARY SPIRIT. + + Early Literature of Negro Soldiers--Negro Soldiers in the + War of the Revolution--The War of 1812--Negro + Insurrections--Negro Troops in the Civil War--Notes. + + +"Do you think I'll make a soldier?" is the opening line of one of +those delightful spirituals, originating among the slaves in the far +South. I first heard it sung in the Saint James Methodist Church, +corner of Spring and Coming Streets, Charleston, South Carolina, +immediately after the close of the war. It was sung by a vast +congregation to a gentle, swinging air, with nothing of the martial +about it, and was accompanied by a swaying of the body to the time of +the music. Occasionally there would be the "curtesys" peculiar to the +South Carolina slave of the low country, which consists in a stooping +of the body by bending the knees only, the head remaining erect, a +movement which takes the place of the bow among equals. The older +ladies, with heads adorned with the ever-present Madras kerchief, +often tied in the most becoming and tasteful manner, and faces aglow +with an enthusiasm that bespoke a life within sustained by visions of +spiritual things, would often be seen to shake hands and add a word of +greeting and hope which would impart a charm and meaning to the +singing far above what the humble words of the song without these +accessories could convey. As the rich chorus of matchless voices +poured out in perfect time and tune, "Rise, shine, and give God the +glory," the thoughts of earthly freedom, of freedom from sin, and +finally of freedom from the toils, cares and sorrows of earth to be +baptized into the joys of heaven, all seemed to blend into the many +colored but harmonious strain. The singing of the simple hearted +trustful, emancipated slave! Shall we ever hear the like again on +earth? Alas, that the high hopes and glowing prophecies of that +auspicious hour have been so deferred that the hearts of millions have +been made sick! + +Of the songs that came out of slavery with these long suffering +people, Colonel Higginson, who perhaps got nearer to them in sentiment +than any other literary man not really, of them, says: "Almost all +their songs were thoroughly religious in their tone, however quaint +their expression, and were in a minor key both as to words and music. +The attitude is always the same, and, as a commentary on the life of +the race, is infinitely pathetic. Nothing but patience for this +life--nothing but triumph in the next. Sometimes the present +predominates, sometimes the future; but the combination is always +implied." + +I do not know when this "soldier" song had its birth, but it may have +sprung out of the perplexity of the slave's mind as he contemplated +the raging conflict and saw himself drawn nearer and nearer to the +field of strife. Whether in this song the "present predominates," and +the query, therefore, has a strong primary reference to carnal weapons +and to garments dyed in blood; whether the singer invites an opinion +as to his fitness to engage in the war for Freedom--it may not be +possible to determine. The "year of Jubilee," coming in the same song +in connection with the purpose for which the singer is to be made a +soldier, gives clearer illustration of that combination of the present +and future which Mr. Higginson says was always present in the +spirituals of that period, if it shows no more. When it is remembered +that at that time Charleston was literally trodden under foot by black +soldiers in bright uniforms, whose coming seemed to the colored people +of that city like a dream too good to be true, it is not hard to +believe that this song had much of the present in it, and owed its +birth to the circumstances of war. + +Singularly enough the song makes the Negro ask the exact question +which had been asked about him from the earliest days of our history +as a nation, a question which in some form confronts him still. The +question, as the song has it, is not one of fact, but one of opinion. +It is not: Will I make a soldier? but: Do you think I will make a +soldier? It is one thing to "make a soldier," another thing to have +men think so. The question of fact was settled a century ago; the +question of opinion is still unsettled. The Negro soldier, hero of +five hundred battlefields, with medals and honors resting upon his +breast, with the endorsement of the highest military authority of the +nation, with Port Hudson, El Caney and San Juan behind him, is still +expected by too many to stand and await the verdict of thought, from +persons who never did "think" he would make a soldier, and who never +will think so. As well expect the excited animal of the ring to +_think_ in the presence of the red rag of the toreador as to expect +_them_ to think on the subject of the Negro soldier. They can curse, +and rant, when they see the stalwart Negro in uniform, but it is too +much to ask them to think. To them the Negro can be a fiend, a brute, +but never a soldier. + +To John G. Whittier and to William C. Nell are we indebted for the +earliest recital of the heroic deeds of the colored American in the +Wars of the Revolution and 1812. Whittier contributed an article on +this subject to the "National Era" in 1847, and five or six years +later Nell published his pamphlet on "Colored Patriots," a booklet +recently reprinted by the African Methodist Episcopal Church. It is a +useful contribution, showing as it does the rising and spreading +abroad of that spirit which appreciates military effort and valor; and +while recognizing the glory that came to American arms in the period +described, honestly seeks to place some of that glory upon the +deserving brow of a race then enslaved and despised. The book is +unpretentious and aims to relate the facts in a straight-forward way, +unaccompanied by any of the charms of tasteful presentation. Its +author, however, is deserving our thanks, and the book marks an +important stage in the development of the colored American. His mind +was turning toward the creation of the soldier--the formation of +armies. + +There are other evidences that the mind of the colored man was at this +time turning towards arms. In 1852 Doctor Pennington, one of the most +learned colored men of his times, having received his Degree in +Divinity from Heidelberg, delivered an address before a mass +convention of colored citizens of Ohio, held in Cleveland, in which he +spoke principally of the colored soldier. During the convention the +"Cleveland Light Artillery" fired a salute, and on the platform were +seated several veteran colored men, some of them, particularly Mr. +John Julius, of Pittsburg, Pa., taking part in the speech-making. Mr. +Nell says: "Within recent period several companies of colored men in +New York city have enrolled themselves a la militaire," and quotes +from the New York Tribune of August, 1852, as follows: + + "COLORED SOLDIERS.--Among the many parades within a few days + we noticed yesterday a soldierly-looking company of colored + men, on their way homeward from a target or parade drill. + They looked like men, handled their arms like men, and + should occasion demand, we presume they would fight like + men." + +In Boston, New Haven, New Bedford and other places efforts were made +during the decade from 1850 to 1860 to manifest this rising military +spirit by appropriate organization, but the efforts were not always +successful. In some cases the prejudices of the whites put every +possible obstacle in the way of the colored young men who attempted to +array themselves as soldiers. + +The martial spirit is not foreign to the Negro character, as has been +abundantly proved in both ancient and modern times. Williams, in his +admirable history of the Negro as well as in his "Negro Troops in the +Rebellion," has shown at considerable length that the Negro has been a +soldier from earliest times, serving in large numbers in the Egyptian +army long before the beginning of the Christian era. We know that +without any great modification in character, runaway slaves developed +excellent fighting qualities as Maroons, in Trinidad, British Guiana, +St. Domingo and in Florida. But it was in Hayti that the unmixed Negro +rose to the full dignity of a modern soldier, creating and leading +armies, conducting and carrying on war, treating with enemies and +receiving surrenders, complying fully with the rules of civilized +warfare, and evolving finally a Toussaint, whose military genius his +most bitter enemies were compelled to recognize--Toussaint, who to the +high qualities of the soldier added also the higher qualities of +statesmanship. With Napoleon, Cromwell and Washington, the three great +commanders of modern times who have joined to high military talent +eminent ability in the art of civil government, we must also class +Toussaint L'Ouverteur, the black soldier of the Antilles. Thiers, the +prejudiced attorney of Napoleon, declares nevertheless that Toussaint +possessed wonderful talent for government, and the fact ever remains +that under his benign rule all classes were pacified and San Domingo +was made to blossom as the rose. In the armies of Menelek, in the +armies of France, in the armies of England, as well as in the +organization of the Zulu and Kaffir tribes the Negro has shown himself +a soldier. If the Afro-American should fail in this particular it will +not be because of any lack of the military element in the African side +of his character, or for any lack of "remorseless military audacity" +in the original Negro, as the historian, Williams, expresses it. + +In our own Revolutionary War, the Negro, then but partially civilized, +and classed with "vagabonds," held everywhere as a slave, and +everywhere distrusted, against protest and enactment, made his way +into the patriot army, fighting side by side with his white +compatriots from Lexington to Yorktown. On the morning of April 19th, +1775, when the British re-enforcements were preparing to leave Boston +for Lexington, a Negro soldier who had served in the French war, +commanded a small body of West Cambridge "exempts" and captured Lord +Percy's supply train with its military escort and the officer in +command. As a rule the Negro soldiers were distributed among the +regiments, thirty or forty to a regiment, and did not serve in +separate organizations. Bishop J.P. Campbell, of the African Methodist +Church, was accustomed to say "both of my grandfathers served in the +Revolutionary War." In Varnum's Brigade, however, there was a Negro +regiment and of it Scribner's history, 1897, says, speaking of the +battle of Rhode Island: "None behaved better than Greene's colored +regiment, which three times repulsed the furious charges of veteran +Hessians." Williams says: "The black regiment was one of three that +prevented the enemy from turning the flank of the American army. These +black troops were doubtless regarded as the weak spot of the line, but +they were not." + +The colony of Massachusetts alone furnished 67,907 men for the +Revolutionary War, while all the colonies together south of +Pennsylvania furnished but 50,493, hence the sentiment prevailing in +Massachusetts would naturally be very powerful in determining any +question pertaining to the army. When the country sprang to arms in +response to that shot fired at Lexington, the echoes of which, +poetically speaking, were heard around the world, the free Negroes of +every Northern colony rallied with their white neighbors. They were in +the fight at Lexington and at Bunker Hill, but when Washington came to +take command of the army he soon gave orders that no Negroes should be +enlisted. He was sustained in this position by a council of war and by +a committee of conference in which were representatives from Rhode +Island, Connecticut and Massachusetts, and it was agreed that Negroes +be rejected altogether. The American Negro's persistency in pressing +himself where he is not _wanted_ but where he is _eminently needed_ +began right there. Within six weeks so many colored men applied for +enlistment, and those that had been put out of the army raised such a +clamor that Washington changed his policy, and the Negro, who of all +America's population contended for the privilege of shouldering a gun +to fight for American liberty, was allowed a place in the Continental +Army, the first national army organized on this soil, ante-dating the +national flag. The Negro soldier helped to evolve the national +standard and was in the ranks of the fighting men over whom it first +unfolded its broad stripes and glittering stars. + + [Transcriber's Note: This footnote appeared in the text + without a footnote anchor: + + "To the Honorable General Court of the Massachusetts Bay: + + "The subscribers beg leave to report to your Honorable + House, which we do in justice to the character of so brave a + man, that, under our own observation, we declare that a + Negro man called Salem Poor, of Col. Frye's regiment, Capt. + Ames' company, in the late battle at Charlestown, behaved + like an experienced officer, as well as an excellent + soldier. We would only beg leave to say, in the person of + this said Negro centres a brave and gallant soldier. The + reward due to so great and distinguished a character we + submit to the Congress. + + "Cambridge, Dec. 5, 1775." + + These black soldiers, fresh from heathen lands, not out of + slavery, proved themselves as worthy as the best. In the + battle of Bunker Hill, where all were brave, two Negro + soldiers so distinguished themselves that their names have + come down to us garlanded with the tributes of their + contemporaries. Peter Salem, until then a slave, a private + in Colonel Nixon's regiment of Continentals, without orders + fired deliberately upon Major Pitcairn as he was leading the + assault of the British to what appeared certain victory. + Everet in speaking "of Prescott, Putnam and Warren, the + chiefs of the day," mentions in immediate connection "the + colored man, Salem, who is reported to have shot the gallant + Pitcairn as he mounted the parapet." What Salem Poor did is + not set forth, but the following is the wreath of praise + that surrounds his name: + + Jona. Brewer, Col. Eliphalet Bodwell, Sgt. + Thomas Nixon, Lt.-Col. Josiah Foster, Lieut. + Wm. Precott, Col. Ebenr. Varnum, 2d Lieut. + Ephm. Corey, Lieut. Wm. Hudson Ballard, Capt. + Joseph Baker, Lieut. William Smith, Capt. + Joshua Row, Lieut. John Morton, Sergt. (?) + Jonas Richardson, Capt. Richard Welsh, Lieut.] + + +It is in place here to mention a legion of free mulattoes and blacks +from the Island of St. Domingo, a full account of whose services is +appended to this section, who fought under D'Estaing with great +distinction in the siege of Savannah, their bravery at that time +saving the patriot army from annihilation. + +When the Revolutionary War had closed the brave black soldier who had +fought to give to the world a new flag whose every star should be a +star of hope to the oppressed, and whose trinity of colors should +symbolize Liberty, Equality and Fraternity, found his race, and in +some instances himself personally, encased in a cruel and stubborn +slavery. For the soldier himself special provision had been made in +both Northern and Southern colonies, but it was not always hearty or +effective. In October, 1783, the Virginia Legislature passed an act +for the relief of certain slaves who had served in the army whose +"former owners were trying to force to return to a state of servitude, +contrary to the principles of justice and their solemn promise." The +act provided that each and every slave who had enlisted "by the +appointment and direction of his owner" and had "been received as a +substitute for any free person whose duty or lot it was to serve" and +who had served faithfully during the term of such enlistment, unless +lawfully discharged earlier, should be fully and completely +emancipated and should be held and deemed free in as full and ample +manner as if each and every one of them were specially named in the +act. The act, though apparently so fair on its face, and interlarded +as it is with patriotic and moral phrases, is nevertheless very narrow +and technical, liberating only those who enlisted by the appointment +and direction of their owners, and who were accepted as substitutes, +and who came out of the army with good discharges. It is not hard to +see that even under this act many an ex-soldier might end his days in +slavery. The Negro had joined in the fight for freedom and when +victory is won finds himself a slave. He was both a slave and a +soldier, too often, during the war; and now at its close may be both a +veteran and a slave. + +The second war with Great Britain broke out with an incident in which +the Negro in the navy was especially conspicuous. The Chesapeake, an +American war vessel was hailed, fired upon and forced to strike her +colors, by the British. She was then boarded and searched and four +persons taken from her decks, claimed as deserters from the English +navy. Three of these were Negroes and one white. The Negroes were +finally dismissed with a reprimand and the white man hanged. Five +years later hostilities began on land and no opposition was manifested +toward the employment of Negro soldiers. Laws were passed, especially +in New York, authorizing the formation of regiments of blacks with +white officers. It is remarkable that although the successful +insurrection of St. Domingo was so recent, and many refugees from that +country at that time were in the United States, and our country had +also but lately come into possession of a large French element by the +Louisiana purchase, there was no fear of a servile insurrection in +this country. The free colored men of New Orleans, under the +proclamation of the narrow-minded Jackson, rallied to the defence of +that city and bore themselves with commendable valor in that useless +battle. The war closed, however, and the glory of the Negro soldier +who fought in it soon expired in the dismal gloom of a race-slavery +becoming daily more wide-spread and hopeless. + +John Brown's movement was military in character and contemplated the +creation of an army of liberated slaves; but its early suppression +prevented any display of Negro valor or genius. Its leader must ever +receive the homage due those who are so moved by the woes of others as +to overlook all considerations of policy and personal risk. As a plot +for the destruction of life it fell far short of the Nat Turner +insurrection which swept off fifty-seven persons within a few hours. +In purpose the two episodes agree. They both aim at the liberation of +the slave; both were led by fanatics, the reflex production of the +cruelty of slavery, and both ended in the melancholy death of their +heroic leaders. Turner's was the insurrection of the slave and was not +free from the mad violence of revenge; Brown's was the insurrection of +the friend of the slave, and was governed by the high and noble +purpose of freedom. The insurrections of Denmark Vesey in South +Carolina, in 1822, and of Nat Turner, in Virginia, in 1831, show +conclusively that the Negro slave possessed the courage, the cunning, +the secretiveness and the intelligence to fight for his freedom. +These two attempts were sufficiently broad and intelligent, when taken +into consideration with the enforced ignorance of the slave, to prove +the Negro even in his forlorn condition capable of daring great +things. Of the probable thousands who were engaged in the Denmark +Vesey insurrection, only fifteen were convicted, and these died +heroically without revealing anything connected with the plot. +Forty-three years later I met the son of Denmark Vesey, who rejoiced +in the efforts of his noble father, and regarded his death on the +gallows as a holy sacrifice to the cause of freedom. Turner describes +his fight as follows: "The white men, eighteen in number, approached +us to about one hundred yards, when one of them fired, and I +discovered about half of them retreating. I then ordered my men to +fire and rush on them. The few remaining stood their ground until we +approached within fifty yards, when they fired and retreated. We +pursued and overtook some of them whom we thought we left dead. After +pursuing them about two hundred yards, and rising a little hill, I +discovered they were met by another party, and had halted and were +reloading their guns. Thinking that those who retreated first and the +party who fired on us at fifty or sixty yards distant had all only +fallen back to meet others with ammunition, as I saw them reloading +their guns, and more coming up than I saw at first, and several of my +bravest men being wounded, the others became panic struck and +scattered over the field. The white men pursued and fired on us +several times. Hark had his horse shot under him, and I caught another +for him that was running by me; five or six of my men were wounded, +but none left on the field. Finding myself defeated here, I instantly +determined to go through a private way and cross the Nottoway River at +Cypress Bridge, three miles below Jerusalem, and attack that place in +the rear, as I expected they would look for me on the other road, and +I had a great desire to get there to procure arms and ammunition. +After going a short distance in this private way, accompanied by about +twenty men, I overtook two or three who told me the others were +dispersed in every direction. After trying in vain to collect a +sufficient force to proceed to Jerusalem, I determined to return, as I +was sure they would make back to their old neighborhood, where they +would rejoin me, make new recruits, and come down again. On my way +back I called on Mrs. Thomas', Mrs. Spencer's and several other +places. We stopped at Major Ridley's quarters for the night, and being +joined by four of his men, with the recruits made since my defeat, we +mustered now about forty strong. + +After placing out sentinels, I lay down to sleep, but was quickly +aroused by a great racket. Starting up I found some mounted and others +in great confusion, one of the sentinels having given the alarm that +we were about to be attacked. I ordered some to ride around and +reconnoitre, and on their return the others being more alarmed, not +knowing who they were, fled in different ways, so that I was reduced +to about twenty again. With this I determined to attempt to recruit, +and proceed on to rally in the neighborhood I had left."[6] + +No one can read this account, which is thoroughly supported by +contemporary testimony, without seeing in this poor misguided slave +the elements of a vigorous captain. Failing in his efforts he made his +escape and remained for two months in hiding in the vicinity of his +pursuers. One concerned in his prosecution says: "It has been said +that he was ignorant and cowardly and that his object was to murder +and rob for the purpose of obtaining money to make his escape. It is +notorious that he was never known to have a dollar in his life, to +swear an oath, or drink a drop of spirits. As to his ignorance, he +certainly never had the advantages of education, but he can read and +write (it was taught him by his parents) and for natural intelligence +and quickness of apprehension, is surpassed by few men I have ever +seen. As to his being a coward, his reason as given for not resisting +Mr. Phipps shows the decision of his character."[7] + +The War of the Rebellion, now called the Civil War, effected the last +and tremendous step in the transition of the American Negro from the +position of a slave under the Republic to that of a soldier in its +armies. Both under officers of his own race at Port Hudson and under +white officers on a hundred battlefields, the Negro in arms proved +himself a worthy foeman against the bravest and sternest enemies that +ever assailed our nation's flag, and a worthy comrade of the Union's +best defenders. Thirty-six thousand eight hundred and forty-seven of +them gave their lives in that awful conflict. The entire race on this +continent and those of allied blood throughout the world are indebted +to the soldier-historian, Honorable George W. Williams, for the +eloquent story of their service in the Union Army, and for the +presentation of the high testimonials to the valor and worthiness of +the colored soldier as given by the highest military authority of the +century. From Chapter XVI of his book, "Negro Troops in the +Rebellion," the paragraphs appended at the close of this chapter are +quoted. + + +A. + +HOW THE BLACK ST. DOMINGO LEGION SAVED THE PATRIOT ARMY IN THE SIEGE +OF SAVANNAH, 1779. + +The siege and attempted reduction of Savannah by the combined French +and American forces is one of the events of our revolutionary war, +upon which our historians care little to dwell. Because it reflects +but little glory upon the American arms, and resulted so disastrously +to the American cause, its important historic character and +connections have been allowed to fade from general sight; and it +stands in the ordinary school text-books, much as an affair of shame. +The following, quoted from Barnes' History, is a fair sample of the +way in which it is treated: + +"French-American Attack on Savannah.--In September, D'Estaing joined +Lincoln in besieging that city. After a severe bombardment, an +unsuccessful assault was made, in which a thousand lives were lost. +Count Pulaski was mortally wounded. The simple-hearted Sergeant Jasper +died grasping the banner presented to his regiment at Fort Moultrie. +D'Estaing refused to give further aid; thus again deserting the +Americans when help was most needed." + +From this brief sketch the reader is at liberty to infer that the +attack was unwise if not fool-hardy; that the battle was unimportant; +and that the conduct of Count D'Estaing immediately after the battle +was unkind, if not unjust, to the Americans. While the paragraph does +not pretend to tell the whole truth, what it does tell ought to be the +truth; and this ought to be told in such a way as to give correct +impressions. The attack upon Savannah was well-planned and thoroughly +well considered; and it failed only because the works were so ably +defended, chiefly by British regulars, under brave and skillful +officers. In a remote way, which it is the purpose of this paper to +trace, that sanguinary struggle had a wider bearing upon the progress +of liberty in the Western World than any other one battle fought +during the Revolution. + +But first let us listen to the story of the battle itself. Colonel +Campbell with a force of three thousand men, captured Savannah in +December, 1778; and in the January following, General Prevost arrived, +and by March had established a sort of civil government in Georgia, +Savannah being the capital. In April, the American general, Lincoln, +feeble in more senses than one, perhaps, began a movement against +Savannah by way of Augusta; but Prevost, aware of his purpose, crossed +into South Carolina and attempted an attack upon Charleston. Finding +the city too well defended, he contented himself with ravaging the +plantations over a wide extent of adjacent country, and returned to +Savannah laden with rich spoils, among which were included three +thousand slaves, of whose labor he made good use later. + +The patriots of the South now awaited in hope the coming of the French +fleet; and on the first of September, Count D'Estaing appeared +suddenly on the coast of Georgia with thirty-three sail, surprised and +captured four British warships, and announced to the government of +South Carolina his readiness to assist in the recapture of Savannah. +He urged as a condition, however, that his ships should not be +detained long off so dangerous a coast, as is was now the hurricane +season, and there was neither harbor, road, nor offing for their +protection. + +By means of small vessels sent from Charleston he effected a landing +in ten days, and four days thereafter, on the 16th, he summoned the +garrison to surrender to the arms of France. Although this demand was +made in the name of France for the plain reason that the American army +was not yet upon the spot, the loyalists did not fail to make it a +pretext for the accusation that the French were desirous of making +conquests in the war on their own account. In the meantime Lincoln +with the regular troops, was hurrying toward Savannah, and had issued +orders for the militia to rendezvous at the same place; and the +militia full of hope of a speedy, if not of a bloodless conquest, were +entering upon this campaign with more than ordinary enthusiasm. + +During the time that the fleet had been off the coast, and especially +since the landing, the British had been very busy in putting the city +in a high state of defence, and in making efforts to strengthen the +garrison. Lieutenant-colonel Cruger, who had a small force at Sunbury, +the last place in Georgia that had been captured by the British, and +Lieutenant-colonel Maitland who was commanding a considerable force at +Beaufort, were ordered to report in haste with their commands at +Savannah. On the 16th, when the summons to surrender was received by +Prevost, Maitland had not arrived, but was hourly expected. Prevost +asked for a delay of twenty-four hours to consider the proposal, which +delay was granted; and on that very evening, Maitland with his force +arrived at Dawfuskie. Finding the river in the possession of the +French, his course for a time seemed effectually cut off. By the +merest chance he fell in with some Negro fishermen who informed him of +a passage known as Wall's cut, through Scull's creek, navigable for +small boats. A favoring tide and a dense fog enabled him to conduct +his command unperceived by the French, through this route, and thus +arrive in Savannah on the afternoon of the 17th, before the expiration +of the twenty-four hours. General Prevost had gained his point; and +now believing himself able to resist an assault, declined the summons +to surrender. Two armed ships and four transports were sunk in the +channel of the river below the city, and a boom in the same place laid +entirely across the river; while several small boats were sunk above +the town, thus rendering it impossible for the city to be approached +by water. + +On the day of the summons to surrender, although the works were +otherwise well advanced, there were not ten cannon mounted in the +lines of Savannah; but from that time until the day of assault, the +men of the garrison, with the slaves they had captured, worked day and +night to get the defences of the city in the highest state of +excellence. Major Moncrief, chief of the engineers, is credited with +placing in position more than eighty cannons in a short time after the +call to surrender had been received. + +The city itself at this time was but a mere village of frame buildings +and unpaved streets. Viewed as facing its assailants, it was protected +in its rear, or upon its north side, by the Savannah river; and on its +west side by a thick swamp or morass, which communicated with the +river above the city. The exposed sides were those of the east and +south. These faced an open country which for several miles was +entirely clear of woods. This exposed portion of the city was well +protected by an unbroken line of defences extending from the river +back to the swamp, the right and left extremes of the line consisting +of strong redoubts, while the centre was made up of seamen's batteries +in front, with impalements and traverses thrown up to protect the +troops from the fire of the besiegers. The whole extent of the works +was faced with an ample abattis. + +[Illustration: Savannah River.] + +To be still more particular: there were three redoubts on the right of +the line, and on the right of them quite near the swamp, was a +sailor's battery of nine pounders, covered by a company of the British +legion. The left redoubt of these three, was known as the Springhill +redoubt; and proved to be the objective of the final assault. Between +it and the centre, was another sailor's battery behind which were +posted the grenadiers of the 60th regiment, with the marines which had +been landed from the warships. On the left of the line near the river +were two redoubts, strongly constructed, with a massy frame of green +spongy wood, filled in with sand, and mounted with heavy cannon. The +centre, or space between these groups of redoubts, was composed, as +has been said, of lighter but nevertheless very effective works, and +was strongly garrisoned. + +Having thus scanned the works, let us now take a glance at the men who +are to defend them. As all of the assaulting forces are not made up of +Americans, so all of the defenders are not foreigners. The centre +redoubt of the triplet on the right, was garrisoned by two companies +of militia, with the North Carolina regiment to support them; Captains +Roworth and Wylie, with the provincial corps of King's Rangers, were +posted in the redoubt on the right; and Captain Tawse with his corps +of provincial dragons, dismounted, in the left or Springhill redoubt, +supported by the South Caroline regiment. The whole of this force on +the right of the line, was under the command of the gallant +Lieutenant-colonel Maitland; and it was this force that made the +charge that barely failed of annihilating the American army. On the +left of the line, the Georgia loyalists garrisoned one of those massy +wooden sand-filled redoubts; while in the centre, cheek by jowl so to +speak, with two battalions of the seventy-first regiment, and two +regiments of Hessians, stood the New York Volunteers. All of these +corps were ready to act as circumstances should require and to support +any part of the line that might be attacked. The Negroes who worked on +these defences were under the direction of Major Moncrief. + +The French troops had landed below the city and were formed facing the +British lines, with the river on their right. On their left, later, +assembled the American troops. The final dispositions were concluded +by September 22nd, and were as follows: The American troops under +Lincoln formed the left of the line, their left resting upon the swamp +and the entire division facing the Springhill redoubt and her two +sister defences; then came the division of M. de Noailles, composed of +nine hundred men. D'Estaing's division of one thousand men beside the +artillery, came next, and formed the centre of the French army. On +D'Estaing's right was Count Dillon's division of nine hundred men; on +the right of Dillon were the powder magazine, cattle depot, and a +small field hospital; on the right of the depot and a little in +advance, were Dejean's dragoons, numbering fifty men; upon the same +alignment and to the right of the dragoons were Rouvrais' Volunteer +Chasseurs, numbering seven hundred and fifty men; still further on to +the right and two hundred yards in advance of Rouvrais, was Framais, +comanding the Grenadier Volunteers, and two hundred men besides, his +right resting upon the swampy wood that bordered the river, thus +completely closing in the city on the land side. The frigate, La +Truite, and two galleys, lay within cannon shot of the town, and with +the aid of the armed store ship, La Bricole, and the frigate, La +Chimere, effectually cut off all communication by water. + +On the 23rd, both the French and the Americans opened their trenches; +and on the 24th, a small detachment of the besieged made a sortie +against the French. The attack was easily repulsed, but the French +pursuing, approached so near the entrenchments of the enemy that they +were fired upon and several were killed. On the night of the 27th +another sortie was made which threw the besiegers into some confusion +and caused the French and Americans to fire upon each other. +Cannonading continued with but little result until October 8th. + +The engineers were now of the opinion that a speedy reduction of the +city could not be accomplished by regular approaches; and the naval +officers were very anxious about the fleet, both because of the +dangers to which it was exposed from the sea, and also because with so +many men ashore it was in especial danger of being attacked and +captured by British men-of-war. These representations agreeing +altogether with D'Estaing's previously expressed wishes to leave the +coast as soon as possible, induced that officer and General Lincoln +to decide upon an attempt to storm the British works at once. It is +quite probable that this had been the purpose as a last resort from +the first. The preservation of the fleet was, however, the powerful +factor in determining the time and character of the assault upon +Savannah. + +On the night of the eighth, Major L'Enfant, with a detachment +attempted to set fire to the abattis in order to clear the way for the +assault, but failed to through the dampness of the wood. The plan of +the assault may be quite accurately obtained from the orders given to +the American troops on the evening of the 8th by General Lincoln and +from the inferences to be drawn from the events of the morning of the +9th as they are recorded in history. At least two of the historians +who have left us accounts of the seige, Ramsey and McCall, were +present at the time, and their accounts may be regarded as original +authority. General Lincoln's orders were as follows: + + + "Evening Orders. By General Lincoln. + Watchword--Lewis. + + "The soldiers will be immediately supplied with 40 rounds of + cartridges, a spare flint, and have their arms in good + order. The infantry destined for the attack of Savannah will + be divided into two bodies; first composed of the light + troops under the command of Colonel Laurens; the second, of + the continental battalions and the first battalion of the + Charleston militia, except the grenadiers, who are to join + the light troops. The whole will parade at 1 o'clock, near + the left of the line, and march by platoons. The guards of + the camp will be formed of the invalids, and be charged to + keep the fires as usual in camp. + + "The cavalry under the command of Count Pulaski, will parade + at the same time with the infantry and follow the left + column of the French troops, precede the column of the + American light troops; they will endeavor to penetrate the + enemy's lines between the battery on the left of Springhill + redoubt, and the next towards the river; having effected + this, will pass to the left towards Yamacraw and secure such + parties of the enemy as may be lodged in that quarter. + + "The artillery will parade at the same time, follow the + French artillery, and remain with the corps de reserve until + they receive further orders. + + "The whole will be ready by the time appointed, with the + utmost silence and punctuality; and be ready to march the + instant Count Dillon and General Lincoln shall order. + + "The light troops who are to follow the cavalry, will + attempt to enter the redoubt on the left of the Springhill, + by escalade if possible; if not by entrance into it, they + are to be supported if necessary by the first South Carolina + regiment; in the meantime the column will proceed with the + lines to the left of the Springhill battery. + + "The light troops having succeeded against the redoubt will + proceed to the left and attempt the several works between + that and the river. + + "The column will move to the left of the French troops, + taking care not to interfere with them. + + "The light troops having carried the work towards the river + will form on the left of the column. + + "It is especially forbidden to fire a single gun before the + redoubts are carried; or for any soldier to quit his rank to + plunder without an order for that purpose; any who shall + presume to transgress in either of these respects shall be + reputed a disobeyer of military orders which is punishable + with death. + + "The militia of the first and second brigades, General + Williamson's and the second battalion of the Charleston + militia will parade immediately under the command of General + Huger; after draughting five hundred of them the remander of + them will go into the trenches and put themselves under the + commanding officer there; with the 500 he will march to the + left of the enemy's line, remain as near them as he possibly + can without being seen, until four o'clock in the morning, + at which time the troops in the trenches will begin an + attack upon the enemy; he will then advance and make his + attack as near the river as possible; though this is only + meant as a feint, yet should a favorable opportunity offer, + he will improve it and push into the town. + + "In case of a repulse after taking Springhill redoubt, the + troops will retreat and rally in the rear of redoubt; if it + cannot be effected that way, it must be attempted by the + same route at which they entered. + + "The second place of rallying (or the first if the redoubt + should not be carried) will be at the Jews' burying-ground, + where the reserve will be placed; if these two halts should + not be effected, they will retire towards camp. + + "The troops will carry in their hats a piece of white paper + by which they will be distinguished." + +General Huger with his five hundred militia, covered by the river +swamp, crept quite close to the enemy's lines and delivered his attack +as directed. Its purpose was to draw attention to that quarter and if +possible cause a weakening of the strength in the left centre of the +line. What its real effect was, there is now no means of knowing. + +Count Dillon, who during the siege had been on D'Estaing's right, and +who appears to have been second in command in the French army, in this +assault was placed in command of a second attacking column. His +purpose was to move to the right of General Huger, and keeping in the +edge of the swamps along the river, steal past the enemy's batteries +on the left, and attack him in the rear. Bancroft describes the +results of his efforts as follows: "The column under Count Dillon, +which was to have attacked the rear of the British lines, became +entangled in a swamp of which it should only have skirted the edge was +helplessly exposed to the British batteries and could not even be +formed." Here were the two strong sand-filled redoubts, mounted with +heavy cannon, and these may have been the batteries that stopped +Dillon's column. + +Count Pulaski with his two hundred brave cavalrymen, undertook his +part in the deadly drama with ardor, and began that perilous ride +which had for its object: "to penetrate the enemy's lines, between the +battery on the left of the Springhill redoubt, and the next towards +the river." Balch describes it as an attempt to "penetrate into the +city by galloping between the redoubts." It was the anticipation of +the Crimean "Charge of the Light Brigade;" only in this case, no one +blundered; it was simply a desperate chance. Cannon were to the right, +left, and front, and the heroic charge proved in vain; the noble Pole +fell, banner[8] in hand, pierced with a mortal wound--another foreign +martyr to our dearly bought freedom. + +The cavalry dash having failed, that much of the general plan was +blotted out. The feints may have been understood; it is said a +sergeant of the Charleston Grenadiers deserted during the night of the +8th and gave the whole plan of the attack to General Prevost, so that +he knew just where to strengthen his lines. The feints were +effectually checked by the garrison on the left, twenty-eight of the +Americans being killed: while Dillon's column was stopped by the +batteries near the river. This state of affairs allowed the whole of +Maitland's force to protect the Springhill redoubt and that part of +the line which was most threatened. The Springhill redoubt, as has +been stated, was occupied by the South Carolina regiment and a corps +of dragoons. This circumstance may account for the fact, that while +the three hundred and fifty Charleston militia occupied a most exposed +position in the attacking column, only one man among them was killed +and but six wounded. The battery on the left of this redoubt was +garrisoned by grenadiers and marines. + +The attacking column now advanced boldly, under the command of +D'Estaing and Lincoln, the Americans consisting of six hundred +continental troops and three hundred and fifty Charleston militia, +being on the left, while the centre and right were made up of the +French forces. They were met with so severe and steady a fire that the +head of the column was soon thrown into confusion. They endured this +fire for fifty-five minutes, returning it as best they could, although +many of the men had no opportunity to fire at all. Two American +standards and one French standard, were placed on the British works, +but their bearers were instantly killed. It being found impossible to +carry any part of the works, a general retreat was ordered. Of the six +hundred continental troops, more than one-third had fallen, and about +one-fifth of the French. The Charleston militia had not suffered, +although they had bravely borne their part in the assault, and it had +certainly been no fault of theirs if their brethren behind the +embankments had not fired upon them. Count D'Estaing had received two +wounds, one in the thigh, and being unable to move, was saved by the +young naval lieutenant Truguet. Ramsey gives the losses of the battle +as follows: French soldiers 760; officers 61; Americans 312; total +1133. + +As the army began its retreat, Lieutenant-colonel Maitland with the +grenadiers and marines, who were incorporated with the grenadiers, +charged its rear with the purpose of accomplishing its annihilation. +It was then that there occurred the most brilliant feat of the day, +and one of the bravest ever performed by foreign troops in the +American cause. In the army of D'Estaing was a legion of black and +mulatto freedmen, known as Fontages Legion, commanded by Vicount de +Fontages, a brave and experienced officer. The strength of this legion +is given variously from six hundred to over eight hundred men. This +legion met the fierce charge of Maitland and saved the retreating +army. + +In an official record prepared in Paris, now before me, are these +words: "This legion saved the army at Savannah by bravely covering its +retreat. Among the blacks who rendered signal services at that time +were: Andre, Beauvais, Rigaud, Villatte, Beauregard, Lambert, who +latterly became generals under the convention, including Henri +Christophe, the future king of Haiti." This quotation is taken from a +paper secured by the Honorable Richard Rush, our minister to Paris in +1849, and is preserved in the Pennsylvania Historical Society. Henri +Christophe received a dangerous gunshot wound in Savannah. Balch says +in speaking of Fontages at Savannah: "He commanded there a legion of +mulattoes, according to my manuscript, of more than eight hundred men, +and saved the army after the useless assault on the fortifications, by +bravely covering the retreat." + +It was this legion that formed the connecting link between the siege +of Savannah and the wide development of republican liberty on the +Western continent, which followed early in the present century. In +order to show this connection and the sequences, it will be necessary +to sketch in brief the history of this remarkable body of men, +especially that of the prominent individuals who distinguished +themselves at Savannah. + +In 1779 the French colony of Saint Domingo was in a state of peace, +the population then consisting of white slave-holders, mulatto and +black freedmen (affranchis), and slaves. Count D'Estaing received +orders to recruit men from Saint Domingo for the auxiliary army; and +there being no question of color raised, received into the service a +legion of colored freedmen. There had been for years a colored militia +in Saint Domingo, and as early as 1716, the Marquis de Chateau Morant, +then governor of the colony, made one Vincent the Captain-general of +all the colored militia in the vicinity of the Cape. This Captain +Vincent died in 1780 at the reputed age of 120 years. He was certainly +of great age, for he had been in the siege of Carthegenia in 1697, was +taken prisoner, afterwards liberated by exchange and presented to +Louis XIV, and fought in the German war under Villars. Moreau de St. +Mery, in his description of Vincent, incidentally mentions the +Savannah expedition. He says: "I saw him (Vincent) the year preceding +his death, recalling his ancient prowess to the men of color who were +enrolling themselves for the expedition to Savannah; and showing in +his descendants who were among the first to offer themselves, that he +had transmitted his valor. Vincent, the good Captain Vincent, had a +most pleasing countenance; and the contrast of his black skin with his +white hair produced an effect that always commanded respect." + +[Illustration: Hutchinson Island.] + +The Haytian historian, Enclus Robin, says when the call for volunteers +reached Saint Domingo: "eight hundred young freedmen, blacks and +mulattoes, offered themselves to take part in the expedition;" that +they went and "fought valiantly; and returned to Saint Domingo covered +with glory." Madiou, another Haytian historian of the highest +respectability says: "A crowd of young men, black and colored, +enlisted with the French troops and left for the continent. They +covered themselves with glory in the siege of Savannah, under the +orders of Count D'Estaing." + +What effect this experience had upon these volunteers may be inferred +from their subsequent history. Robin says: "These men who contributed +their mite toward American independence, had still their mothers and +sisters in slavery; and they themselves were subject to humiliating +discriminations. Should not France have expected from that very +moment, that they would soon use in their own cause, those very arms +which they had learned so well to use in the interests of others?" +Madiou says: "On their return to Saint Domingo they demanded for their +brothers the enjoyment of political rights." Beauvais went to Europe +and served in the army of France; but returned to fight for liberty in +Hayti, and was Captain-general in 1791; Rigaud, Lambert and Christophe +wrote their names--not in the sand. These are the men who dared to +stir Saint Domingo, under whose influence Hayti became the first +country of the New World, after the United States, to throw off +European rule. The connection between the siege of Savannah and the +independence of Hayti is traced, both as to its spirit, and +physically, through the black legion that on that occasion saved the +American army. How this connection is traced to the republics of South +America, I will allow a Haytian statesman and man of letters, honored +both at home and abroad, to relate. I translate from a work published +in Paris in 1885: + +"The illustrious Bolivar, liberator and founder of five republics in +South America, undertook in 1811 his great work of shaking off the +yoke of Spain, and of securing the independence of those immense +countries which swelled the pride of the catholic crown--but failed. +Stripped of all resources he took flight and repaired to Jamaica, +where he implored in vain of the governor of that island, the help of +England. Almost in despair, and without means, he resolved to visit +Hayti, and appeal to the generosity of the black Republic for the +help necessary to again undertake that work of liberation which had +gone to pieces in his hands. Never was there a more solemn hour for +any man--and that man the representative of the destiny of South +America! Could he hope for success? After the English, who had every +interest in the destruction of Spanish colonial power, had treated him +with so much indifference, could he hope that a new-born nation, weak, +with microscopic territory, and still guarding anxiously its own +ill-recognized independence, would risk itself in an enterprise +hazardous as the one he represented? Full of doubt he came; but Petion +gave him a most cordial welcome. + +"Taking the precautions that a legitimate sentiment of prudence +dictated at that delicate moment of our national existence, the +government of Port-au-Prince put to the disposition of the hero of +Boyaca and Carabobo, all the elements of which he had need--and +Bolivar needed everything. Men, arms and money were generously given +him. Petion did not wish to act openly for fear of compromising +himself with the Spanish government; it was arranged that the men +should embark secretly as volunteers; and that no mention of Hayti +should ever be made in any official act of Venezuela." + +Bolivar's first expedition with his Haytian volunteers was a failure; +returning to the island he procured reinforcements and made a second +descent which was brilliantly successful. Haytian arms, money and men +turned Bolivar's disasters to victory; and the spirit of Western +liberty marched on to the redemption of South America. The liberation +of Mexico and all Central America, followed as a matter of course; and +the ground was thus cleared for the practical application of that +Continentalism enunciated in the Monroe doctrine. + +The black men of the Antilles who fought in the siege of Savannah, +enjoy unquestionably the proud historical distinction of being the +physical conductors that bore away from our altars the sacred fire of +liberty to rekindle it in their own land; and also of becoming the +humble but important link that served to unite the Two Americas in the +bond of enlightened independence. + +T.G. STEWARD, U.S.A. + +Note:--In the preparation of the above paper I have been greatly +assisted by the Honorable L.J. Janvier, Charge d'affairs d' Haiti, in +London; by Right Reverend James Theodore Holly, bishop of Hayti, and +by Messrs. Charles and Frank Rudolph Steward of Harvard University. To +all of these gentlemen my thanks are here expressed. T.G.S. + +Paper read at the session of the Negro Academy, Washington, D.C., +1898. + + +B. + +EXTRACTS FROM CHAPTER XVI "NEGRO TROOPS IN THE REBELLION"--WILLIAMS. + +Adjutant-General Thomas in a letter to Senator Wilson, May 30, 1864, +says: "Experience proves that they manage heavy guns very well. Their +fighting qualities have also been fully tested a number of times, and +I am yet to hear of the first case where they did not fully stand up +to their work." + +Major-General James G. Blunt writing of the battle of Honey Springs, +Arkansas, said of Negro troops: "The Negroes (First Colored Regiment) +were too much for the enemy, and let me here say that I never saw such +fighting as was done by that Negro regiment. They fought like +veterans, with a coolness and valor that is unsurpassed. They +preserved their line perfect throughout the whole engagement, and +although in the hottest of the fight, they never once faltered. Too +much praise cannot be awarded them for their gallantry. The question +that Negroes will fight is settled; besides, they make better soldiers +in every respect than any troops I have ever had under my command." + +General Thomas J. Morgan, speaking of the courage of Negro troops in +the battle of Nashville, and its effect upon Major-General George H. +Thomas, says: "Those who fell nearest the enemy's works were colored. +General Thomas spoke very feelingly of the sight which met his eye as +he rode over the field, and he confessed that the Negro had fully +vindicated his bravery, and wiped from his mind the last vestige of +prejudice and doubt." + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[6] Confession of Nat Turner, Anglo-African Magazine, Vol. 1, p. 338, +1859. + +[7] Ibid. + +[8] The presentation of this banner by the Moravian Nuns of Bethlehem +forms the text of the poem by Longfellow beginning-- + + When the dying flame of day + Through the chancel shot its ray, + Far the glimmering tapers shed + Faint light on the cowled head; + And the censer burning swung + Where, before the altar, hung + The crimson banner, that with prayer + Had been consecrated there. + And the nuns' sweet hymn was heard the while, + Sung low in the dint, mysterious aisle, + "Take thy banner! may it wave + Proudly o'er the good and brave; + When the battle's distant wail + Breaks the Sabbath of our vale, + When the cannon's music thrills + To the hearts of those lone hills. + When the spear in conflict shakes, + And the strong lance shivering breaks. + + * * * * * + + "Take thy banner! and if e'er + Thou should'st press the soldier's bier + And the muffled drum shall beat + To the tread of mournful feet, + Then the crimson flag shall be + Martial cloak and shroud for thee." + The warrior took that banner proud, + And it was his martial cloak and shroud. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +THE BLACK REGULARS OF THE ARMY OF INVASION IN THE SPANISH-AMERICAN +WAR. + + Organization of Negro Regiments in the Regular Army--First + Move in the War--Chickamauga and Tampa--Note. + + +Altogether the colored soldiers in the Civil War took part and +sustained casualties in two hundred and fifty-one different +engagements and came out of the prolonged conflict with their +character so well established that up to the present hour they have +been able to hold an important place in the Regular Army of the United +States. No regiment of colored troops in the service was more renowned +at the close of the war or has secured a more advantageous position in +the history of that period than the Fifty-fourth Massachusetts +Regiment of Infantry. Recruited among the free colored people of the +North, many of them coming from Ohio, it was remarkable for the +intelligence and character of its men, and for the high purpose and +noble bearing of its officers. Being granted but half the pay per +month given to white soldiers, the regiment to a man, for eighteen +months refused to receive one cent from the Government. This was a +spectacle that the country could not longer stand. One thousand +volunteers fighting the country's battles without any compensation +rather than submit to a discrimination fatal to their manhood, aroused +such a sentiment that Congress was compelled to put them on the +pay-roll on equal footing with all other soldiers. By them the +question of the black soldier's pay and rations was settled in the +Army of the United States for all time. Every soldier, indeed every +man in the army, except the chaplain, now draws the pay of his grade +without regard to color, hair or race. By the time these lines reach +the public eye it is to be hoped that even the chaplain will be lifted +from his exceptional position and given the pay belonging to his rank +as captain. + +(February 2, 1901, the bill became a law giving chaplains the full pay +of their grade.) + +More than 185,000 blacks, all told, served in the army of the Union +during the War of the Rebellion, and the losses from their ranks of +men killed in battle were as heavy as from the white troops. Their +bravery was everywhere recognized, and in the short time in which they +were employed, several rose to commissions. + +Perhaps the most notable act performed by a colored American during +the war was the capture and delivery to the United States forces of +the rebel steamer Planter, by Robert Smalls, of Charleston. Smalls was +employed as pilot on the Planter, a rebel transport, and was entirely +familiar with the harbors and inlets, of which there are many, on the +South Atlantic coast. On May 13, 1862, the Planter came to her wharf +in Charleston, and at night all the white officers went ashore, +leaving a colored crew of eight men on board in charge of Smalls. +Smalls hastily got his wife and three children on board, and at 2 +o'clock on the morning of the 14th steamed out into the harbor, +passing the Confederate forts by giving the proper signals, and when +fairly out of reach, as daylight came, he ran up the Stars and Stripes +and headed his course directly toward the Union fleet, into whose +hands he soon surrendered himself and his ship. The act caused much +favorable comment and Robert Smalls became quite a hero. His +subsequent career has been in keeping with the high promise indicated +by this bold dash for liberty, and his name has received additional +lustre from gallant services performed in the war after, and in +positions of distinguished honor and responsibility in civil life. The +Planter, after being accepted by the United States, became a despatch +boat, and Smalls demonstrating by skill and bravery his fitness for +the position, was finally, as an act of imperative justice, made her +commander. + +With the close of the Revolutionary War the prejudice against a +standing army was so great that the army was reduced to scarce six +hundred men, and the Negro as a soldier dropped out of existence. When +the War of 1812 closed sentiment with regard to the army had made but +little advancement, and consequently no place in the service was left +for Negro soldiers. In the navy the Negro still lingered, doing +service in the lower grades, and keeping up the succession from the +black heroes of '76 and 1812. When the War of the Rebellion closed the +country had advanced so far as to see both the necessity of a standing +army, and the fitness of the Negro to form a part of the army; and +from this position it has never receded, and if the lessons of the +Cuban campaign are rightly heeded, it is not likely to recede +therefrom. The value of the Regular Army and of the Black Regular were +both proven to an absolute demonstration in that thin line of blue +that compelled the surrender of Santiago. + +In July, 1866, Congress passed an act adding eight new regiments of +infantry and four of calvary to the nineteen regiments of infantry and +six of calvary of which those arms of the Regular Army were at that +time composed, thus making the permanent establishment to consist of +five regiments of artillery, twenty-seven of infantry, and ten of +cavalry. Of the eight new infantry regiments to be formed, four were +to be composed of colored men; and of the four proposed for the +calvary arm, two were to be of colored men. The President was +empowered by the act also to appoint a chaplain for each of the six +regiments of colored troops. Under this law the Ninth and Tenth +Cavalry Regiments were organized. + +In 1869 the infantry suffered further reduction, and the four colored +regiments organized under the law of 1866, numbered respectively the +38th, 39th, 40th and 41st, were consolidated into two regiments, and +numbered the 24th and 25th--the 38th and 41st becoming the former, and +the 39th and 40th the latter. Previous to this consolidation the +numbers between the old 19th and the 38th, which was the lowest number +borne by the new colored regiments, were filled in by dividing the old +three batallion regiments in the service, and making of the second and +third batallions of these regiments new regiments. The whole infantry +arm, by the law of 1869, was compressed into twenty-five regiments, +and in that condition the army remains to the present, to wit:[9] Ten +regiments of cavalry, five of artillery and twenty-five of infantry. + +The number of men in a company and the number of companies in a +regiment have varied greatly within the past few months. Just previous +to the breaking out of the war a regiment of infantry consisted of +eight companies of about sixty men each, and two skeletonized +companies and the band--the whole organization carrying about five +hundred men; now a regiment of infantry consists of twelve companies +of 106 men each and with the non-commissioned staff numbers twelve +hundred and seventy-four men. + +Since 1869, or for a period of thirty years, the colored American has +been represented in the Regular Army by these four regiments and +during this time these regiments have borne more than their +proportionate share in hard frontier service, including all sorts of +Indian campaigning and much severe guard and fatigue duty. The men +have conducted themselves so worthily as to receive from the highest +military authority the credit of being among our best troops. General +Miles and General Merritt,[10] with others who were active leaders in +the Indian wars of the West, have been unstinting in their praise of +the valor and skill of colored soldiers. They proved themselves not +only good individual fighters, but in some instances non-commissioned +officers exhibited marked coolness and ability in command.[11] + +From 1869 to the beginning of the Hispano-American War there were in +the Regular Army at some time, as commissioned officers, the following +colored men, all from West Point, all serving with the cavalry, and +none rising higher than first-lieutenant, viz: John H. Alexander, H.O. +Flipper and Charles Young. H.O. Flipper was dismissed; Alexander died, +and Young became major in the volunteer service, and was placed in +command of the Ninth Battalion of Ohio Volunteers, discharging the +duties of his position in such a manner as to command general +satisfaction from his superior officers.[12] + +These colored men while cadets at West Point endured hardships +disgraceful to their country, and when entering the army were not +given that cordial welcome by their brother officers, becoming an +"officer and gentleman," both to give and to receive. Of course there +were some noble exceptions, and this class of officers seems to be +steadily increasing, so that now it is no longer necessary, even on +the ground of expediency, to strive to adhere to the rule of only +white men for army officers. Of Alexander and Young it can be said +they have acquitted themselves well, the former enjoying the +confidence and esteem of his associates up to the time of his early +death--an event which caused deep regret--and the latter so impressing +the Governor of his State and the President as to secure for himself +the responsible position which he, at the time of this writing, so +worthily fills. Besides these line officers, five colored chaplains +have been appointed, all of whom have served successfully, one, +however, being dismissed by court-martial after many years of really +meritorious service, an event to be regretted, but by no means without +parallel. + +Brief sketches of the history of these four colored regiments, as well +as of the others, have been recently made by members of them and +published in the Journal of the Military Service Institution and +subsequently in a large and beautiful volume edited by +Brigadier-General Theo. F. Rodenbough and Major William L. Haskin, +published by the Institution and designated "The Army of the United +States," a most valuable book of reference. From the sketches +contained therein the following summary is given. + +The Twenty-fourth Infantry was organized, as we have seen, from the +38th and 41st Regiments, these two regiments being at the time +distributed in New Mexico, Louisiana and Texas, and the regiment +remained in Texas from the time of its organization in 1869 until +1880. Its first Lieutenant-Colonel was William R. Shafter. It was +from this regiment and the Tenth Cavalry that the escort of Paymaster +Wham was selected which made so brave a stand against a band of +robbers that attacked the paymaster that several of them were given +medals for distinguished gallantry, and others certificates of merit. +The Twenty-fifth Infantry was organized in New Orleans out of the +39th, that was brought from North Carolina for that purpose, and the +40th, that was then in Louisiana. It was organized during the month of +April, 1869, and early in 1870 moved to Texas, where it remained ten +years. In 1880 it moved to the Department of Dakota and remained in +the Northwest until it took the road for the Cuban war. + +The Ninth Cavalry was organized in New Orleans during the winter of +1866-67. Its first Colonel was Edward Hatch and its first +Lieutenant-Colonel Wesley Merritt. From 1867 to 1890 it was in almost +constant Indian warfare, distinguishing itself by daring and +hardihood. From 1890 to the opening of the Cuban war it remained in +Utah and Nebraska, engaging in but one important campaign, that +against hostile Sioux during the winter of 1890-91, in which, says the +historian: "The regiment was the first in the field, in November, and +the last to leave, late in the following March, after spending the +winter, the latter part of which was terrible in its severity, under +canvas." + +The Tenth Calvary was organized under the same law as was the Ninth, +and at the same time. Its place of rendezvous was Fort Leavenworth, +Kansas, and its first Colonel, Benjamin H. Grierson. This regiment was +the backbone of the Geronimo campaign force, and it finally succeeded +in the capture of that wily warrior. The regiment remained in the +Southwest until 1893, when it moved to Montana, and remained there +until ordered to Chickamauga for the war. + +These four regiments were finely officered, well drilled and well +experienced in camp and field, particularly the cavalry regiments, and +it was of them that General Merritt said: "I have always found them +brave in battle." With such training and experience they were well +fitted to take their place in that selected host of fighting men which +afterwards became the Fifth Army Corps, placed under command of +Major-General William R. Shafter, the first Lieutenant-Colonel of the +Twenty-fourth Infantry. + +When the news of the blowing up of our great battleship Maine, in the +harbor of Havana, with the almost total loss of her crew, flashed over +the country, carrying sadness to hundreds of homes, and arousing +feelings of deepest indignation whether justly or unjustly, it was +easy to predict that we should soon be involved in war with Spain. The +Cuban question, already chronic, had by speeches of Senators Thurston +and Proctor been brought to such a stage of aggravation that it needed +only an incident to set the war element in motion. That incident was +furnished by the destruction of the Maine. Thenceforth there was no +power in the land sufficient to curb the rapidly swelling tide of +popular hate, which manifested itself in the un-Christian but truly +significant mottoes: "Remember the Maine," "Avenge the Maine," and "To +hell with Spain." These were the outbreathings of popular fury, and +they represented a spirit quite like that of the mob, which was not to +be yielded to implicitly, but which could not be directly opposed. + +The President did all in his power to stay this element of our +population and to lead the country to a more befitting attitude. He +and his advisers argued that Spain was to be resisted, and fought if +necessary, not on account of the Maine, not in the spirit of revenge, +but in the interest of humanity, and upon principles sanctioned even +by our holy religion. On behalf of the starving reconcentrados, and in +aid of the noble Cuban patriot, we might justly arm and equip +ourselves for the purpose of driving Spanish rule from the Western +Hemisphere. + +This view appealed to all lovers of freedom, to all true patriots, and +to the Christian and philanthropist. It also afforded a superb +opportunity for the old leaders in the South, who were not entirely +relieved from the taint of secession, to come out and reconsecrate +themselves to the country and her flag. Hence, Southern statesmen, who +were utterly opposed to Negroes or colored men having any share in +ruling at home, became very enthusiastic over the aspirations of the +colored Cuban patriots and soldiers. The supporters, followers, and in +a sense, devotees of Maceo and Gomez, were worthy of our aid. The same +men, actuated by the same principles, in the Carolinas, in Louisiana +or in Mississippi, would have been pronounced by the same authorities +worthy of death. + +The nation was, however, led into war simply to liberate Cuba from the +iniquitous and cruel yoke of Spain, and to save thousands of +impoverished Cubans from death by starvation. Great care was taken not +to recognize the Cuban government in any form, and it seemed to be +understood that we were to do the fighting both with our navy and our +army, the Cubans being invited to co-operate with us, rather than that +we should co-operate with them. We were to be the liberators and +saviors of a people crushed to the very gates of death. Such was the +platform upon which our nation stood before the world when the first +orders went forth for the mobilization of its forces for war. It was a +position worthy our history and character and gave to our national +flag a prouder meaning than ever. Its character as the emblem of +freedom shone out with awe-inspiring brilliancy amid the concourse of +nations. + +While there was such a clamor for war in the newspapers and in the +public speeches of statesmen, both in and out of Congress, it is +remarkable that the utmost serenity prevailed in the army. Officers +and men were ready to fight if the stern necessity came, but they were +not so eager for the death-game as were the numerous editors' whose +papers were getting out extras every half-hour. It was argued by the +officers of rank that the Maine incident added nothing whatever to the +Cuban question; that it did not involve the Spanish Government; that +the whole subject might well be left to arbitration, and full respect +should be given to Spain's disclaimer. It was also held that to rush +into a war in order to prevent a few people from starving, might not +relieve them, and at the same time would certainly cost the lives of +many innocent men. Spain was revising her policy, and the benevolence +of the United States would soon bring bread to the door of every needy +Cuban. Such remarks and arguments as these were used by men who had +fought through one war and were ready to fight, through another if +they must; but who were willing to go to any reasonable length to +prevent it; and yet the men who used such arguments beforehand and +manifested such a shrinking from carnage, are among those to whom the +short Spanish War brought distinction and promotion. To their honor be +it said that the war which gave them fresh laurels was in no sense +brought about through their instigation. + +As chaplain of the Twenty-fifth Infantry, stationed with the +headquarters of the regiment at Fort Missoula, where we had been for +ten years, the call for the war met me in the midst of my preparations +for Easter service. One young man, then Private Thomas C. Butler, who +was practicing a difficult solo for the occasion, before the year +closed became a Second Lieutenant, having distinguished himself in +battle; the janitor, who cared for my singing books, and who was my +chief school teacher, Private French Payne, always polite and +everywhere efficient, met his death from a Spanish bullet while on the +reserve before bloody El Caney. + +It was on a bright day during the latter part of March and near the +close of the day as I was looking out of the front window of my +quarters that I saw the trumpeter of the guard come out of the +Adjutant's office with a dispatch in his hand and start on a brisk run +toward the quarters of the Commanding Officer. I immediately divined +what was in the wind, but kept quiet. In a few minutes "officers' +call" was sounded, and all the officers of the post hastened to the +administration building to learn the news. + +When all were assembled the Commanding Officer desired to know of each +company officer how much time he would need to have his company ready +to move from the post to go to a permanent station elsewhere, and from +all officers how much time they would require to have their families +ready to quit the station. The answers generally were that all could +be ready within a week. It was finally agreed, however, to ask for ten +days. + +Immediately the work of preparation began, although none knew where +the regiment was to go. At this time the order, so far as it was +understood at the garrison, was, that two companies were to go to Key +West, Florida, and the other companies of the regiment to Dry +Tortugas. One officer, Lieutenant V.A. Caldell, early saw through the +haze and said: "It means that we will all eventually land in Cuba." +While we were packing, rumors flew through the garrison, as indeed +through the country, thick and fast, and our destination was changed +three or four times a day. One hour we would be going to Key West, the +next to St. Augustine, the next to Tortugas. In this confusion I asked +an old frontier officer where he thought we would really go. +Regarding himself as an indicator and always capable of seeing the +amusing side of a subject, he replied: "I p'int toward Texas." Such +was the state of uncertainty as to destination, and yet all the time +the greatest activity prevailed in making ready for departure. Finally +definite orders came that we were to store our furniture in the large +gymnasium hall at the post and prepare to go in camp at Chickamauga +Park, Georgia. + +Our regiment was at the time stationed as follows: Headquarters, four +companies and the band at Fort Missoula; two companies at Fort +Harrison, near Helena, and two companies at Fort Assinniboine, all in +Montana. The arrangements contemplated moving the regiment in two +sections, one composed of the Missoula troops to go over the Northern +Pacific Railroad, the other of the Fort Harrison and Fort Assinniboine +troops to go over the Great Northern Railroad, all to arrive in St. +Paul about the same time. + +On the 10th of April, Easter Sunday, the battalion at Fort Missoula +marched out of post quite early in the morning, and at Bitter Root +Station took the cars for their long journey. Officers and men were +all furnished sleeping accommodations on the train. Arriving in the +city of Missoula, for the gratification of the citizens and perhaps to +avoid strain on the bridge crossing the Missoula River, the men were +disembarked from the train and marched through the principal streets +to the depot, the citizens generally turning out to see them off. Many +were the compliments paid officers and men by the good people of +Missoula, none perhaps more pleasing than that furnished by a written +testimonial to the regret experienced at the departure of the +regiment, signed by all the ministers of the city. + +As the Twenty-fifth was the first regiment to move in the preparation +for war, its progress from Montana to Chickamauga was a marked event, +attracting the attention of both the daily and illustrated press. All +along the route they were greeted with enthusiastic crowds, who fully +believed the war with Spain had begun. In St. Paul, in Chicago, in +Terre Haute, in Nashville, and in Chattanooga the crowds assembled to +greet the black regulars who were first to bear forward the Starry +Banner of Union and Freedom against a foreign foe. What could be more +significant, or more fitting, than that these black soldiers, drilled +up to the highest standard of modern warfare, cool, brave and +confident, themselves a proof of American liberty, should be called +first to the front in a war against oppression? Their martial tread +and fearless bearing proclaimed what the better genius of our great +government meant for all men dwelling beneath the protection of its +honored flag. + +As the Twenty-fifth Infantry was the first regiment to leave its +station, so six companies of it were first to go into camp on the +historic grounds of Chickamauga. Two companies were separated from the +regiment at Chattanooga and forwarded to Key West where they took +station under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel A.S. Daggett. The +remaining six companies, under command of Colonel A.S. Burt, were +conducted by General Boynton to a choice spot on the grounds, where +they pitched camp, their tents being the first erected in that +mobilization of troops which preceded the Cuban invasion, and theirs +being really the first camp of the war. + +Soon came the Ninth Cavalry, the Tenth Cavalry and the Twenty-fourth +Infantry. While these were assembling there arrived on the ground also +many white regiments, cavalry, artillery and infantry, and it was +pleasing to see the fraternity that prevailed among black and white +regulars. This was especially noticeable between the Twenty-fifth and +Twelfth. In brigading the regiments no attention whatever was paid to +the race or color of the men. The black infantry regiments were placed +in two brigades, and the black cavalry likewise, and they can be +followed through the fortunes of the war in the official records by +their regimental numbers. During their stay in Chickamauga, and at Key +West and Tampa, the Southern newspapers indulged in considerable +malicious abuse of colored soldiers, and some people of this section +made complaints of their conduct, but the previous good character of +the regiments and the violent tone of the accusations, taken together +with the well-known prejudices of the Southern people, prevented their +complaints from having very great weight. The black soldiers held +their place in the army chosen for the invasion of Cuba, and for that +purpose were soon ordered to assemble in Tampa. + +From the 10th of April, when the war movement began with the march of +the Twenty-fifth Infantry out of its Montana stations, until June +14th, when the Army of Invasion cleared Tampa for Cuba--not quite two +months--the whole energy of the War Department had been employed in +preparing the army for the work before it. The beginning of the war is +officially given as April 21st, from which time onward it was declared +a state of war existed between Spain and the United States, but +warlike movements on our side were begun fully ten days earlier, and +begun with a grim definiteness that presaged much more than a practice +march or spring manoeuver. + +After arriving at Chickamauga all heavy baggage was shipped away for +storage, and all officers and men were required to reduce their field +equipage to the minimum; the object being to have the least possible +amount of luggage, in order that the greatest possible amount of +fighting material might be carried. Even with all this preparation +going on some officers were indulging the hope that the troops might +remain in camps, perfecting themselves in drill, until September, or +October, before they should be called upon to embark for Cuba. This, +however, was not to be, and it is perhaps well that it was not, as the +suffering and mortality in the home camps were almost equal to that +endured by the troops in Cuba. The suffering at home, also, seemed +more disheartening, because it appeared to be useless, and could not +be charged to any important changes in conditions or climate. It was +perhaps in the interest of humanity that this war, waged for +humanity's sake, should have been pushed forward from its first step +to its last, with the greatest possible dispatch, and that just enough +men on our side were sent to the front, and no more. It is still a +good saying that all is well that ends well. + +The Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park, the place +where our troops assembled on their march to Cuba, beautiful by +nature, especially in the full season of spring when the black +soldiers arrived there, and adorned also by art, has, next to +Gettysburg, the most prominent place among the historic battle-fields +of the Civil War. As a park it was established by an act of Congress +approved August 19, 1890, and contains seven thousand acres of rolling +land, partly cleared and partly covered with oak and pine timber. +Beautiful broad roads wind their way to all parts of the ground, along +which are placed large tablets recording the events of those dreadful +days in the autumn of 1863, when Americans faced Americans in bloody, +determined strife. Monuments, judiciously placed, speak with a mute +eloquence to the passer-by and tell of the valor displayed by some +regiment or battery, or point to the spot where some lofty hero gave +up his life. The whole park is a monument, however, and its definite +purpose is to preserve and suitably mark "for historical and +professional military study the fields of some of the most remarkable +manoeuvres and most brilliant fighting in the War of the Rebellion." +The battles commemorated by this great park are those of Chickamauga, +fought on September 19-20, and the battles around Chattanooga, +November 23-25, 1863. The battle of Chickamauga was fought by the Army +of the Cumberland, commanded by Major-General W.S. Rosecrans, on the +Union side, and the Army of Tennessee, commanded by General Braxton +Bragg, on the side of the Confederates. The total effective strength +of the Union forces in this battle was little less than 60,000 men, +that of the Confederates about 70,000. The total Union loss was 16,179 +men, a number about equal to the army led by Shatter against Santiago. +Of the number reported as lost, 1,656 were killed, or as many as were +lost in killed, wounded and missing in the Cuban campaign. The +Confederate losses were 17,804, 2,389 being killed, making on both +sides a total killed of 4,045, equivalent to the entire voting +population of a city of over twenty thousand inhabitants. General +Grant, who commanded the Union forces in the battles around +Chattanooga, thus sums up the results: "In this battle the Union army +numbered in round figures about 60,000 men; we lost 752 killed, 4,713 +wounded and 350 captured or missing. The rebel loss was much greater +in the aggregate, as we captured and sent North to be rationed there +over 6,100 prisoners. Forty pieces of artillery, over seven thousand +stand of small arms, many caissons, artillery wagons and baggage +wagons fell into our hands. The probabilities are that our loss in +killed was the heavier as we were the attacking party. The enemy +reported his loss in killed at 361, but as he reported his missing at +4,146, while we held over 6,000 of them as prisoners, and there must +have been hundreds, if not thousands, who deserted, but little +reliance can be placed upon this report." + +In the battle of Chickamauga, when "four-fifths of the Union Army had +crumbled into wild confusion," and Rosecrans was intent only on saving +the fragments, General Thomas, who had commanded the Federal left +during the two days' conflict, and had borne the brunt of the fight, +still held his position. To him General James A. Garfield reported. +General Gordon Granger, without orders, brought up the reserves, and +Thomas, replacing his lines, held the ground until nightfall, when he +was joined by Sheridan. Bragg won and held the field, but Thomas +effectually blocked his way to Chattanooga, securing to himself +immediately the title of the "Rock of Chickamauga." His wonderful +resolution stayed the tide of a victory dearly bought and actually +won, and prevented the victors from grasping the object for which they +had fought. In honor of this stubborn valor, and in recognition of +this high expression of American tenacity, the camp established in +Chickamauga Park by the assembling army was called Camp George H. +Thomas. + +The stay of the colored regulars at Camp George H. Thomas was short, +but it was long enough for certain newspapers of Chattanooga to give +expression to their dislike to negro troops in general and to those in +their proximity especially. The Washington Post, also, ever faithful +to its unsavory trust, lent its influence to this work of defamation. +The leading papers, however, both of Chattanooga and the South +generally, spoke out in rather conciliatory and patronizing tones, and +"sought to restrain the people of their section from compromising +their brilliant display of patriotism by contemptuous flings at the +nation's true and tried soldiers. + +The 24th Infantry and the 9th Cavalry soon left for Tampa, Florida, +whither they were followed by the 10th Cavalry and the 25th Infantry, +thus bringing the entire colored element of the army together to +prepare for embarkation. The work done at Tampa is thus described +officially by Lieutenant-Colonel Daggett in general orders addressed +to the 25th Infantry, which he at that time commanded. On August 11th, +with headquarters near Santiago, after the great battles had been +fought and won, he thus reviewed the work of the regiment: "Gathered +from three different stations, many of you strangers to each other, +you assembled as a regiment for the first time in more than +twenty-eight years, on May 7, 1898, at Tampa, Florida. There you +endeavored to solidify and prepare yourselves, as far as the +oppressive weather would permit, for the work that appeared to be +before you." What is here said of the 25th might have been said with +equal propriety of all the regular troops assembled at Tampa. + +In the meantime events were ripening with great rapidity. The historic +"first gun" had been fired, and the United States made the first naval +capture of the war on April 22, the coast trader Buena Ventura having +surrendered to the American gunboat Nashville. On the same day the +blockade of Cuban ports was declared and on the day following a call +was issued for 125,000 volunteers. On May 20th the news that a Spanish +fleet under command of Admiral Cervera had arrived at Santiago was +officially confirmed, and a speedy movement to Cuba was determined +upon. + +Almost the entire Regular Army with several volunteer regiments were +organized into an Army of Invasion and placed under the command of +Major-General W.R. Shafter with orders to prepare immediately for +embarkation, and on the 7th and 10th of June this army went on board +the transports. For seven days the troops lay cooped up on the vessels +awaiting orders to sail, a rumor having gained circulation that +certain Spanish gunboats were hovering around in Cuban waters awaiting +to swoop down upon the crowded transports. While the Army of Invasion +was sweltering in the ships lying at anchor off Port Tampa, a small +body of American marines made a landing at Guantanamo, and on June +12th fought the first battle between Americans and Spaniards on Cuban +soil. In this first battle four Americans were killed. The next day, +June 13th, General Shafter's army containing the four colored +regiments, excepting those left behind to guard property, sailed for +Cuba.[13] + +The whole number of men and officers in the expedition, including +those that came on transports from Mobile, amounted to about seventeen +thousand men, loaded on twenty-seven transports. The colored regiments +were assigned to brigades as follows: The Ninth Cavalry was joined +with the Third and Sixth Cavalry and placed under command of Colonel +Carrol; the Tenth Cavalry was joined with the Rough Riders and First +Regular Cavalry and fell under the command of General Young; the +Twenty-fourth Infantry was joined with the Ninth and Thirteenth +Infantry and the brigade placed under command of Colonel Worth and +assigned to the division commanded by General Kent, who, until his +promotion as Brigadier-General of Volunteers, had been Colonel of the +Twenty-fourth; the Twenty-fifth Infantry was joined with the First and +Fourth Infantry and the brigade placed under command of Colonel Evans +Miles, who had formerly been Major of the Twenty-fifth. All of the +colored regiments were thus happily placed so that they should be in +pleasant soldierly competition with the very best troops the country +ever put in the field, and this arrangement at the start proves how +strongly the black regular had entrenched himself in the confidence of +our great commanders. + +Thus sailed from Port Tampa the major part of our little army of +trained and seasoned soldiers, representative of the skill and daring +of the nation.[14] In physique, almost every man was an athlete, and +while but few had seen actual war beyond an occasional skirmish with +Indians, all excepting the few volunteers, had passed through a long +process of training in the various details of marching, camping and +fighting in their annual exercises in minor tactics. For the first +time in history the nation is going abroad, by its army, to occupy the +territory of a foreign foe, in a contest with a trans-Atlantic power. +The unsuccessful invasions of Canada during the Revolutionary War and +the War of 1812 can hardly be brought in comparison with this movement +over sea. The departure of Decatur with his nine ships of war to the +Barbary States had in view only the establishment of proper civil +relations between those petty, half-civilized countries and the United +States. The sailing of General Shafter's army was only one movement in +a comprehensive war against the Kingdom of Spain. More than a month +earlier Commodore Dewey, acting under orders, had destroyed a fleet of +eleven war ships in the Philippines. The purpose of the war was to +relieve the Cubans from an inhumane warfare with their mother country, +and to restore to that unhappy island a stable government in harmony +with the ideas of liberty and justice. + +Up to the breaking out of the Spanish War the American policy with +respect to Europe had been one of isolation. Some efforts had been +made to consolidate the sentiment of the Western world, but it had +never been successful. The fraternity of the American Republics and +the attempted construction of a Pan-American policy had been thus far +unfulfilled dreams. Canada was much nearer to the United States, +geographically and socially, than even Mexico, although the latter is +a republic. England, in Europe, was nearer than Brazil. The day came +in 1898, when the United States could no longer remain in political +seclusion nor bury herself in an impossible federation. Washington's +advice against becoming involved in European affairs, as well as the +direct corrollary of the Monroe Doctrine, were to be laid aside and +the United States was to speak out to the world. The business of a +European nation had become our business; in the face of all the world +we resolved to invade her territory in the interest of humanity; to +face about upon our own traditions and dare the opinions and arms of +the trans-Atlantic world by openly launching upon the new policy of +armed intervention in another's quarrel. + +While the troops were mobilizing at Tampa preparatory to embarking for +Cuba the question came up as to why there were no colored men in the +artillery arm of the service, and the answer given by a Regular Army +officer was, that the Negro had not brains enough for the management +of heavy guns. It was a trifling assertion, of course, but at this +period of the Negro's history it must not be allowed to pass +unnoticed. We know that white men of all races and nationalities can +serve big guns, and if the Negro cannot, it must be because of some +marked difference between him and them. The officer said it was a +difference in "brains," i.e., a mental difference. Just how the +problem of aiming and firing a big gun differs from that of aiming and +firing small arms is not so easily explained. In both, the questions +of velocity, gravitation, wind and resistance are to be considered and +these are largely settled by mechanism, the adjustment of which is +readily learned; hence the assumption that a Negro cannot learn it is +purely gratuitous. Several of the best rifle shots known on this +continent are Negroes; and it was a Negro who summerized the whole +philosophy of rifle shooting in the statement that it all consists in +knowing _where_ to aim, and _how_ to pull--in knowing just what value +to assign to gravitation, drift of the bullet and force of the wind, +and then in being able to pull the trigger of the piece without +disturbing the aim thus judiciously determined. This includes all +there is in the final science and art of firing a rifle. If the Negro +can thus master the revolver, the carbine and the rifle, why may he +not master the field piece or siege gun? + +But an ounce of fact in such things is worth more than many volumes of +idle speculation, and it is remarkable that facts so recent, so +numerous, and so near at hand, should escape the notice of those who +question the Negro's ability to serve the artillery organizations. +Negro artillery, both light and heavy, fought in fifteen battles in +the Civil War with average effectiveness; and some of those who fought +against them must either admit the value of the Negro artilleryman or +acknowledge their own inefficiency. General Fitz-Hugh Lee failed to +capture a Negro battery after making most vigorous attempts to that +end. This attempt to raise a doubt as to the Negro's ability to serve +in the artillery arm is akin to, and less excusable, than that other +groundless assertion, that Negro officers cannot command troops, an +assertion which in this country amounts to saying that the United +States cannot command its army. Both of these assertions have been +emphatically answered in fact, the former as shown above, and the +latter as will be shown later in this volume. These assertions are +only temporary covers, behind which discomfitted and retreating +prejudice is able to make a brief stand, while the black hero of five +hundred battle-fields, marches proudly by, disdaining to lower his gun +to fire a shot on a foe so unworthy. When the Second Massachusetts +Volunteers sent up their hearty cheers of welcome to the gallant old +Twenty-fifth, as that solid column fresh from El Caney swung past its +camp, I remarked to Sergeant Harris, of the Twenty-fifth: "Those men +think you are soldiers." "They know we are soldiers," was his reply. +When the people of this country, like the members of that +Massachusetts regiment, come to know that its black men in uniform are +soldiers, plain soldiers, with the same interests and feelings as +other soldiers, of as much value to the government and entitled from +it to the same attention and rewards, then a great step toward the +solution of the prodigious problem now confronting us will have been +taken. + + * * * * * + + Note.--"I had often heard that the physique of the men of + our regular army was very remarkable, but the first time I + saw any large body of them, which was at Tampa, they + surpassed my highest expectations. It is not, however, to be + wondered at that, for every recruit who is accepted, on the + average thirty-four are rejected, and that, of course, the + men who present themselves to the recruiting officer already + represent a physical 'elite'; but it was very pleasant to + see and be assured, as I was at Tampa, by the evidences of + my own eyes and the tape measure, that there is not a guard + regiment of either the Russian, German or English army, of + whose remarkable physique we have heard so much, that can + compare physically, not with the best of our men, but simply + with the average of the men of our regular army."--Bonsal. + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[9] The army has been reorganized since. See Register. + +[10] "My experience in this direction since the war is beyond that of +any officer of my rank in the army. For ten years I had the honor of +being lieutenant-colonel of the Ninth Cavalry, and during most of that +service I commanded garrisons composed in part of the Ninth Cavalry +and other organizations of cavalry and infantry. I have always found +the colored race represented in the army obedient, intelligent and +zealous in the discharge of duty, brave in battle, easily disciplined, +and most efficient in the care of their horses, arms and equipments. +The non-commissioned officers have habitually shown the qualities for +control in their position which marked them as faithful and sensible +in the discharge of their duties. I take pleasure in bearing witness +as above in the interest of the race you represent." WESLEY MERRITT. + +[11] See chapter on Colored Officers. + +[12] Young is now captain in the Ninth Cavalry.--T.G.S. + +[13] The colored regulars were embarked on the following named ships: +The 9th Cavalry on the Miami, in company with the 6th Infantry; the +10th Cavalry on the Leona, in company with the 1st Cavalry; the 24th +Infantry on the City of Washington, in company with one battalion of +the 21st Infantry; the 25th infantry on board the Concho, in company +with the 4th Infantry. + +[14] See Note, at the close of this chapter. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +BRIEF SKETCH OF SPANISH HISTORY. + + +The following brief sketch of Spain, its era of greatness, the causes +leading thereto, and the reasons for its rapid decline, will be of +interest to the reader at this point in the narrative, as it will +bring into view the other side of the impending conflict: + +Spain, the first in rank among the second-rate powers of Europe, by +reason of her possessions in the West Indies, especially Cuba, may be +regarded as quite a near neighbor, and because of her connection with +the discovery and settlement of the continent, as well as the +commanding part she at one time played in the world's politics, her +history cannot but awaken within the breasts of Americans a most +lively interest. + +As a geographical and political fact, Spain dates from the earliest +times, and the Spanish people gather within themselves the blood and +the traditions of the three great continents of the Old World--Europe, +Asia and Africa--united to produce the mighty Spaniard of the 15th and +16th centuries. It would be an interesting subject for the +anthropologist to trace the construction of that people who are so +often spoken of as possessing the pure blood of Castile, and as the +facts should be brought to view, another proud fiction would dissipate +in thin air, as we should see the Spaniard arising to take his place +among the most mixed of mankind. + +The Spain that we are considering now is the Spain that gradually +emerged from a chaos of conflicting elements into the unity of a +Christian nation. The dismal war between creeds gave way to the +greater conflict between religions, when Cross and Crescent contended +for supremacy, and this too had passed. The four stalwart Christian +provinces of Leon, Castile, Aragon and Navarre had become the four +pillars of support to a national throne and Ferdinand and Isabella +were reigning. Spain has now apparently passed the narrows and is +crossing the bar with prow set toward the open sea. She ends her war +with the Moors at the same time that England ends her wars of the +Roses, and the battle of Bosworth's field may be classed with the +capitulation of Granada. Both nations confront a future of about equal +promise and may be rated as on equal footing, as this new era of the +world opens to view. + +What was this new era? Printing had been invented, commerce had +arisen, gunpowder had come into use, the feudal system was passing, +royal authority had become paramount, and Spain was giving to the +world its first lessons in what was early stigmatized as the "knavish +calling of diplomacy." + +Now began the halcyon days of Spain, and what a breed of men she +produced! Read the story of their conquests in Mexico and Peru, as +told with so much skill and taste by our own Prescott; or read of the +grandeur of her national character, and the wonderful valor of her +troops, and the almost marvelous skill of her Alexander of Parma, and +her Spinola, as described by our great Motley, and you will see +something of the moral and national glory of that Spain which under +Charles V and Philip II awed the world into respectful silence. + +Who but men of iron, under a commander of steel, could have conducted +to a successful issue the awful siege of Antwerp, and by a discipline +more dreadful than death, kept for so many years, armed control of the +country of the brave Netherlanders? A Farnese was there, who could +support and command an army, carry Philip and his puerile +idiosyncrasies upon his back and meet the fury of an outraged people +who were fighting on their own soil for all that man holds dear. Never +was wretched cause so ably led, never were such splendid talents so +unworthily employed. + +Alexander of Parma, Cortez, the Pizarros, were representatives of that +form of human character that Spain especially developed. Skill and +daring were brought out in dazzling splendor, and success followed +their movements. Take a brief survey of the Empire under Charles V: +Himself Emperor of Germany; his son married to the Queen of England; +Turkey repulsed; France humbled, and all Europe practically within his +grasp. And what was Spain outside of Europe? In America she possessed +territory covering sixty degrees of latitude, owning Mexico, Central +America, Venezuela, New Granada, Peru and Chili, with vast parts of +North America, and the islands of Cuba, Jamaica and St. Domingo. In +Africa and Asia she had large possessions--in a word, the energies of +the world were at her feet. The silver and gold of America, the +manufactures and commerce of the Netherlands, combined to make her the +richest of nations. + +The limits of the present purpose do not permit an exhaustive +presentation of her material strength in detail, nor are the means at +hand for making such an exhibit. We must be content with a general +picture, quoted directly from Motley. He says: + +"Look at the broad magnificent Spanish Peninsula, stretching across +eight degrees of latitude and ten of longtitude, commanding the +Atlantic and the Mediterranean, with a genial climate, warmed in +winter by the vast furnace of Africa, and protected from the scorching +heats of summer by shady mountain and forest, and temperate breezes +from either ocean. A generous southern territory, flowing with oil and +wine, and all the richest gifts of a bountiful nature--splendid +cities--the new and daily expanding Madrid, rich in the trophies of +the most artistic period of the modern world; Cadiz, as populous at +that day as London, seated by the straits where the ancient and modern +systems of traffic were blending like the mingling of the two oceans; +Granada, the ancient, wealthy seat of the fallen Moors; Toledo, +Valladolid, and Lisbon, chief city of the recently conquered kingdom +of Portugal, counting with its suburbs a larger population than any +city excepting Paris, in Europe, the mother of distant colonies, and +the capital of the rapidly-developing traffic with both the +Indies--these were some of the treasures of Spain herself. But she +possessed Sicily also, the better portion of Italy, and important +dependencies in Africa, while the famous maritime discoveries of the +age had all enured to her aggrandizement. The world seemed suddenly to +have expanded its wings from East to West, only to bear the fortunate +Spanish Empire to the most dizzy heights of wealth and power. The most +accomplished generals, the most disciplined and daring infantry the +world has ever known, the best equipped and most extensive navy, royal +and mercantile, of the age, were at the absolute command of the +sovereign. Such was Spain." + +Such is not Spain to-day. A quite recent writer, speaking of Spain +before the war, said, that although Spain in extent holds the sixth +place in the European states, "it really now subsists merely by the +sufferance of stronger nations." Thus has that nation, which three +centuries ago dominated the world, lost both its position and its +energy. + +Without attempting to sketch chronologically, either this rise or this +decline, let us rather direct our efforts to an inquiry into the +causes of both the one and the other. + +In attempting to explain the greatness of Spain we must give first +place to the vigor of the Spanish race. The great Spaniard was a +mighty compound. He had the blood of Rome mingled with the awful +torrent that gave birth to the soulless Goths and Vandals. In him also +flowed the hot blood of the Moors. He was both sturdy and fiery; he +had the fervor of the South with the tenacity of the North; the pride +of the Roman with the passion of the Moor. The Spanish race was +emphatically a rich race. + +And then we must remember that this race had been forged in war. +Century after century, from the earliest times, they had lived with +their arms in their hands. First came the long war between the Arian +Vandals, and the Trinitarian natives; then the seven-hundred-year war +with the followers of Mahomed. The whole mission of life to them was +to fight. + +Naturally there was developed in the people at large the most complete +unification and subjection. Individualism gave place almost entirely +to the common weal, and the spectacle was presented of a nation with +no political questions. Maccaulay maintains that human nature is such +that aggregations of men will always show the two principles of +radicalism and conservatism, and that two parties will exist in +consequence, one composed of those who are ever looking to a brighter +future, the other of those who are ever seeking to restore a +delightful past; but no such phenomena appear in the ascending period +of Spain's history. The whole nation moved as an organized army, +steadily forward, until its zenith was reached. This solidity was a +marked element of its strength. + +Mr. Buckle recognizes this, and accounts for the harmonious movements +of the nation by the influence of two leading principles, which he is +pleased to call superstition and loyalty. The Arab invasion had +pressed upon the Christians with such force that it was only by the +strictest discipline that the latter had managed to survive. To secure +such discipline, and at the same time supply the people with the +steady enthusiasm necessary to support a war from century to century, +all the terrors and all the glories that could be derived from +religion were employed. The church and the state, the prince and the +priest, became as one, and loyalty and religion, devotion to the +standard and to the cross, were but different names for the same +principles and actions. Hence Spain emerged to greatness without the +least dream of liberty of either person, conscience or thought. Her +rallying cry was: For the Prince and the Church; not, For God and +Liberty. She went up to greatness the most loyal and the most +religious of nations; but Liberty, Justice and Truth were not upon her +banners. + +Look over the territory settled and conquered by her, and what do we +see? Columbus, sailing under Spain, names the first land he discovers +San Salvador; the first settlement made in this country is St. +Augustine; the second, Sante Fe. Look down over the southern half of +our continent and such names as Espirito Santo, Corpus Christi, San +Diego, San Juan, San Jose, San Domingo attest the religious zeal of +the conquerors. They were missionaries of the Cross, robbing the +people of their gold and paying them off with religion. + +Steadfast in the faith and sturdy in her loyalty, Spain resisted all +innovations with respect to her religious beliefs, and all +insurrections against her government. Her Alva and her Torquemada but +illustrated how strong was her conservatism, while her Isabella and +her Philip II show how grand and comprehensive and how persistent was +her aggressiveness, under the idea of spreading and upholding the true +faith. She not only meant to hold all she had of wealth and power, but +she aspired to universal dominion; already chief, she desired to be +sole, and this in the interest and name of the Holy Church. + +The Reformation did not disturb Spain; it was crushed out within +twenty years. The spirit of liberty that had been growing in England +since Bosworth's Field, and that was manifesting itself in Germany and +the Netherlands, and that had begun to quiver even in France, did not +dare stir itself in Spain. Spain was united, or rather, was solidity +itself, and this solidity was both its strength and its death. England +was not so united, and England went steadily onward and upward; but +Spain's unity destroyed her, because it practically destroyed +individualism and presented the strange paradox of a strong nation of +weak men. + +As a machine Spain in the sixteenth century was a marvel of power; as +an aggregation of thinking men, it was even then contemptible. +Ferdinand, Charles V and Philip II were able and illustrious rulers, +and they appeared at a time when their several characters could tell +on the immediate fortunes of Spain. They were warriors, and the nation +was entirely warlike. During this period the Spaniard overran the +earth, not that he might till the soil, but that he might rob the man +who did. With one hand he was raking in the gold and silver of Mexico +and Peru; with the other confiscating the profits of the trade and +manufactures of the Low Countries--and all in the name of the Great +God and Saints! + +How was Spain overthrown? The answer is a short one. Spain, under +Philip II staked her all upon a religious war against the awakening +age. She met the Reformation within her own borders and extinguished +it; but thought had broken loose from its chains and was abroad in the +earth. England had turned Protestant, and Elizabeth was on the throne; +Denmark, Norway and Sweden, indeed all countries except Spain and +Italy had heard the echoes from Luther's trumpet blast. Italy +furnished the religion, and Spain the powder, in this unequal fight +between the Old and the New. Spain was not merely the representative +of the old, she WAS the old, and she armed her whole strength in its +behalf. + +Here was a religion separated from all moral principle and devoid of +all softening sentiment--its most appropriate formula being, death to +all heretics. Death--not to tyrants, not to oppressors, not to robbers +and men-stealers--but death to _heretics_. It was this that equipped +her Armada. + +The people were too loyal and too pious to THINK, and so were hurled +in a solid mass against the armed thought of the coming age, and a +mighty nation crumbled as in a day. With the destruction of her Armada +her warlike ascendancy passed and she had nothing to put in its place. +She had not tillers of the soil, mechanics or skilled merchants. +Business was taking the place of war all over the world, but Spain +knew only religion and war, hence worsted in her only field, she was +doomed. + +From the days of Philip II her decline was rapid. Her territory +slipped from her as rapidly as it had been acquired. Her great domains +on our soil are now the seat of thriving communities of +English-speaking people. The whole continent of South America has +thrown off her yoke, though still retaining her language, and our +troops now embarked from Port Tampa are destined to wrest from her the +two only remaining colonies subject to her sway in the Western +World,--Cuba and Porto Rico. With all her losses hitherto, Spain has +not learned wisdom. Antagonistic to truth and liberty, she seems to +sit in the shadow of death, hugging the delusions that have betrayed +her, while all other people of earth are pressing onward toward light +and liberty. + +The struggle in Cuba had been going on for years, and in that colony +of less than two millions of inhabitants, many of whom were Spaniards, +there was now an army four times as large as the standing army of the +United States. Against this army and against the Government of Spain a +revolt had been carried on previous to the present outbreak for a +period of ten years, and which had been settled by concessions on the +part of the home government. The present revolt was of two years' +standing when our government decided to interfere. The Cubans had +maintained disorder, if they had not carried on war; and they had +declined to be pacified. In their army they experienced no color +difficulties. Gomez, Maceo and Quintin Banderas were generals honored +and loved, Maceo especially coming to be the hero and idol of the +insurgents of all classes. And it can truthfully be said that no man +in either the Cuban or Spanish army, in all the Cuban struggle +previous to our intervention, has earned a loftier fame as patriot, +soldier and man of noble mould than ANTONIO MACEO. + +Cuba, by far the most advanced of all the West Indian colonies; Cuba, +essentially Spanish, was destined to be the battle ground between our +troops and the veterans of Spain. The question to be settled was that +of Spain's sovereignty. Spain's right to rule over the colonies of +Cuba and Porto Rico was disputed by the United States, and this +question, and this alone, is to be settled by force of arms. Further +than this, the issue does not go. The dictum of America is: Spain +shall not rule. The questions of Annexation, Expansion and Imperialism +were not before us as we launched our forces to drive Spain out of the +West Indies. The Cuban flag was closely associated with our own +standard popularly, and "Cuba Libre" was a wide-spread sentiment in +June, 1898. "We are ready to help the Cubans gain their liberty" was +the honest expression of thousands who felt they were going forward in +a war for others. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +PASSAGE, LANDING, AND FIRST BATTLE IN CUBA. + + The Tenth Cavalry at Guasimas--The "Rescue of the Rough + Riders"--Was There an Ambush?--Notes. + + +"The passage to Santiago was generally smooth and uneventful," says +General Shafter in his official report. But when the fact is called to +mind that the men had been on board a week before sailing, and were a +week more on the passage, and that "the conveniences on many of the +transports in the nature of sleeping accommodations, space for +exercise, closet accommodations, etc., were not all that could have +been desired," and that the opinion was general throughout the army +that the travel ration was faulty, it cannot be doubted that the trip +was a sore trial to the enlisted men at least. The monotonous days +passed in the harbor at Port Tampa, while waiting for orders to sail, +were unusually trying to the men. They were relieved somewhat by +bathing, swimming, gaming and chatting on the coming events. A soldier +who was in one of the colored regiments describes the inside life of +one of the transports as follows: "After some miles of railroad travel +and much hustling we were put on board the transport. I say _on +board_, but it is simply because we cannot use the terms _under +board_. We were huddled together below two other regiments and under +the water line, in the dirtiest, closest, most sickening place +imaginable. For about fifteen days we were on the water in this dirty +hole, but being soldiers we were compelled to accept this without a +murmur. We ate corn beef and canned tomatoes with our hard bread +until we were anything but half way pleased. In the fifth or sixth day +out to sea the water furnished us became muddy or dirty and well +flavored with salt, and remained so during the rest of the journey. +Then, the ship's cooks, knowing well our condition made it convenient +to themselves to sell us a glass of clean ice water and a small piece +of bread and tainted meat for the sum of seventy-five cents, or one +dollar, as the case might be." + +A passage from Port Tampa, around the eastern end of Cuba, through the +Windward Passage, even in June, is ordinarily pleasant. On the deck of +a clean steamer, protected from the sun's rays by a friendly awning, +it may be put down as nearly an ideal pleasure trip; but crowded into +freight ships as these men were, many of them clad in thick and +uncomfortable clothing, reduced to the uninviting travel ration, +compelled to spend most of the time below decks, occupied with +thoughts of home and friends, and beset with forebodings of coming +events, it was very far from being to them a pastime. Of the thousands +who are going to Cuba to magnify the American flag, not all will +return. Occasionally the gay music of the bands would relieve the dull +routine and cause the spirits to rise under the effects of some +enlivening waltz or stirring patriotic air; or entering a school of +flying fish the men would be entertained to see these broad-finned +creatures dart from the waves like arrows from the bow, and after a +graceful flight of perhaps near two hundred yards drop again into the +sea; but taken altogether it was a voyage that furnishes little for +the historian. + +The transports were so arranged as to present an interesting and +picturesque spectacle as they departed from our shores on their ocean +march. Forming in three columns, with a distance of about 1,000 yards +between the columns, and the vessels in the columns being distanced +from one another about 400 yards, the fleet was convoyed from Port +Tampa by small naval vessels until it reached a point between the Dry +Tortugas and Key West. Here it was met by the noble battleship Indiana +and nine other war vessels, thus making a convoy altogether of fifteen +fighting craft. Transports and convoy now made an armada of more than +forty ships, armed and manned by the audacious modern republic whose +flag waved from every masthead. Thus spreading out over miles of +smooth sea, moving quietly along by steam, carrying in its arms the +flower of the American army, every man of which was an athlete, this +fleet announced to the world the grim purpose of a nation aroused. + +The weather from the time of leaving Port Tampa continued fine until +the fleet entered the passage between the western coast of Hayti and +the eastern end of Cuba, known as the Windward Passage, when the +breeze freshened and a rough sea began, continuing more or less up to +the time of landing. Rounding this eastern coast of Cuba the fleet +headed its course westerly and on the morning of the 20th was able to +determine its position as being off Guantanamo Bay, about fifty miles +east of Santiago. Here, eight days before, the first battle on Cuban +soil, in which four American marines were killed, had been fought. +About noon on the same day, the fleet came to a halt off Santiago +harbor, or a little to the west of the entrance to it, and Admiral +Sampson came on board. He and General Shafter soon after went ashore +to consult the Cuban General, Garcia, who was known to be in that +vicinity with about 4,000 well armed troops. + +The voyage over, and the men having been crowded together on +shipboard for nearly two weeks, it was now expedient to get them on +shore as soon as possible. But it was necessary to find out beforehand +what defences were along the coast, and what forces of the enemy were +likely to be encountered in landing. The fleet lay off from the shore +about a mile, and it was no small undertaking to convey the 17,000 men +on board with all their arms and equipments to the shore in small +boats over a rough sea, especially should the landing be disputed. It +was to arrange for the landing and also to map out a general plan of +campaign that the three great leaders, Shafter, Sampson and Garcia met +at Aserradores on the afternoon of June 20th as the American fleet +stood guard over the harbor of Santiago. + +General Garcia was already aware of the coming of the fleet, having +received a message from Major-General Miles two weeks previous. The +letter of General Miles ran as follows: + + + Headquarters of the Army, + In the Field, Tampa, Fla., June 2, 1898. + + Dear General:--I am very glad to have received your + officers, General Enrique Collazo and Lieut.-Col. Carlos + Hernandez, the latter of whom returns to-night with our best + wishes for your success. + + It would be a very great assistance if you could have as + large a force as possible in the vicinity of the harbor of + Santiago de Cuba, and communicate any information by signals + which Colonel Hernandez will explain to you either to our + navy or to our army on its arrival, which we hope will be + before many days. + + It would also assist us very much if you could drive in and + harass any Spanish troops near or in Santiago de Cuba, + threatening or attacking them at all points, and preventing, + by every means, any possible re-enforcement coming to that + garrison. While this is being done, and before the arrival + of our army, if you can seize and hold any commanding + position to the east or west of Santiago de Cuba, or both, + that would be advantageous for the use of our artillery, it + will be exceedingly gratifying to us." + +To this General Garcia replied that he would "take measures at once to +carry out your (Miles') recommendation, but concentration of forces +will require some time. Roads bad and Cubans scattered. Will march +without delay." Admiral Sampson also cabled the Secretary of the Navy +that Garcia "regards his (Miles') wishes and suggestions as orders, +and immediately will take measures to concentrate forces at the points +indicated, but he is unable to do so as early as desired on account of +his expedition at Banes Port, Cuba, but will march without delay. All +of his subordinates are ordered to assist to disembark the United +States troops and to place themselves under orders." It was in +compliance with these requests that General Garcia had the five +thousand troops so near Santiago at the time he welcomed Shafter and +Sampson to his camp, as mentioned above, and there is every necessary +evidence that these Cuban troops took part in the fight about +Santiago. Says General Miles of Garcia: "He had troops in the rear as +well as on both sides of the garrison at Santiago before the arrival +of our troops." + +It was agreed that the force of five hundred men under General +Castillo, posted near Daiquiri, should be increased to 1,000, and +should be prepared to make an attack upon the rear of the Spanish +garrison at Daiquiri on the morning of the 22nd, at which time the +debarkation would begin. General Rabi with about 500 men was also to +attack Cabanas at the same time, in the same manner, the transports +and war vessels so manoeuvring as to give the impression that a +landing was to be made at that place. While these attacks in the rear +were distracting the garrisons, the navy, by order of Admiral Sampson, +was to start up a vigorous bombardment of all the villages along the +coast, thus clearing the shore for the landing of the army. Thus did +the conference unite the hands of Americans and Cubans in the fight +against Spain on Cuban soil, and each was pledged to the other by the +expressions of good will. Having accomplished its work the important +conference closed, Admiral Sampson and General Shafter to return to +their ships, and General Garcia to carry out the part of the work +assigned to him, which he did with fidelity and success.[15] + +According to orders published on the 20th, General Lawton's Division, +known as the Second Division, Fifth Army Corps, was to disembark +first. This Division contained the three following Brigades: The +First, General Ludlow's, composed of the Eighth and Twenty-second +Infantry (regulars) and the Second Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry; +the Second Brigade, General Miles', composed of the Fourth and +Twenty-fifth Infantry (regulars); the Third Brigade, General +Chaffee's, containing the Seventh, Twelfth and Seventeenth Infantry +(regulars). Next to follow was General Bates' Brigade, which was to +act as reserve to Lawton's Division. This Brigade consisted of the +Third and Twentieth Infantry (regulars) and one squadron of the Second +Cavalry, the only mounted troops in Shafter's army. The cavalry, +however, were not to disembark with the Brigade, but were to be the +last troops to leave the transports. After Bates' Brigade, was to +follow Wheeler's Dismounted Cavalry Division, containing the two +following Brigades: The First, composed of the Third, Sixth and Ninth +Cavalry (regulars); the Second, composed of the First and Tenth +Cavalry (regulars) and the First Volunteer Cavalry (Rough Riders). To +follow the Cavalry Division was to come the First Division, General +Kent's, containing the following troops: The First Brigade, General +Hawkins', consisting of the Sixth and Sixteenth Infantry (regulars) +and the Seventy-first New York Volunteer Infantry; the Second Brigade, +General Pearson's, consisting of the Second, Tenth and Twenty-first +Infantry (regulars); the Third Brigade, Colonel Wikoffs, made up of +the Ninth, Thirteenth and Twenty-fourth Infantry (regulars). Then, +lastly, was to depart the squadron of mounted cavalry. + +Thus prepared, both on board the ships and on shore, the morning of +the 22nd dawned to witness the beginning of mighty operations. The war +vessels, drawn up in proper order, early began to hurl shot and shell +upon the towns, forts, blockhouses and clumps of trees that could be +discovered along the shore. The cannonading lasted between two and +three hours and was furious throughout. Meanwhile General Lawton's +Division began the work of going ashore. The sea was rough and the +passage to the shore was made in small boats furnished from the +transports and from the naval vessels, towed by steam launches +belonging to the navy. The larger of the boats were capable of +carrying ten or twelve men each, while the smaller ones could carry +but six or seven. During the passage to the shore several of the men +who had escaped thus far, were taken with seasickness, greatly to the +amusement of their more hardy companions. The landing was made at a +pier which had been used formerly as a railroad pier, but was now +abandoned and somewhat dilapidated. To get from the boats to the pier +in this rough sea was the most perilous part of the whole trip from +Tampa to Cuba. As the boats would rise on the waves almost level with +the landing place it was necessary to leap quickly from the boat to +the shore. In this way two cavalrymen of the Tenth lost their lives, +falling into the sea with their equipments on and sinking before help +could reach them. Some of the boats were rowed ashore and made a +landing on the beach some distance from the pier. By this method some +men of the Twenty-fifth tried to be the first to land, but failed, +that regiment landing, however, in the first body of troops to go +ashore, and being the second in order, in the invasion of the island. +By night of the 22nd more than one-third of the troops were on shore, +and by the evening of the 24th the whole army was disembarked +according to the program announced at the beginning, the squadron of +cavalry coming in at the close of the march to the shore. + +The only national movement on our part deserving to be brought into +comparison with the expedition against the Spanish power in Cuba, is +that of fifty years earlier, when General Scott sailed at the head of +the army of invasion against Mexico. Some of the occurrences of that +expedition, especially connected with its landing, should be carefully +studied, and if the reports which have reached the public concerning +it are truthful, we would do well to consider how far the methods then +in use could be applied now. Scribner's recent history, published just +before the outbreak of the Spanish War, tells the story of that +expedition, so far as it tells it at all, in the following sentence: +"On the 7th of March, the fleet with Scott's army came to anchor a few +miles south of Vera Cruz, and two days later he landed his whole +force--nearly twelve thousand men--by means of surf-boats." A writer +in a recent number of _The Army and Navy Journal_ says General Worth's +Division of 4,500 men were landed in one hour, and the whole force was +landed in six hours, without accident or confusion. In the prosecution +of that unholy war, which lasted about a year, nearly three thousand +men were lost in battle and about as many more by disease, peace being +finally made by the cession of territory on the part of Mexico, the +United States paying in return much more than the territory was +worth. The twenty millions paid to Texas probably in great part went +into the coffers of the patriots who occupied that region, some of +whom had not been known as desirable citizens in the parts from which +they came, and had manifested their patriotism by leaving their +country for their country's good. The fifteen millions handed over to +Mexico looks like a contribution to a conscience fund, and an +atonement offered for an assault without provocation. The country +gained Arizona, New Mexico, California and finally Texas, but it lost +six thousand good men, the cost of the war, and all told, in +negotiations, about thirty million dollars, besides. However, it is +not always profitable to look up the harvests of war. There are always +two--the harvest of gain, and the harvest of loss. Death and debt are +reapers, as well as are honor and extent of territory. + +The feelings of the six thousand American troops who landed on Cuban +soil on June 22nd, 1898, may well be imagined. Although they felt the +effects of the confinement to which they had been subjected while on +shipboard, there was very little sickness among them. Again possessed +of the free use of their limbs they swarmed the beach and open space +near the landing, making themselves at home, and confronting the +difficulties and perils that lay before them with a courage born of +national pride. Before them were the mountains with their almost +impassable roads, the jungles filled with poisonous plants and the +terrible prickly underbrush and pointed grass, in which skulked the +land crab and various reptiles whose bite or sting was dangerous; +twenty miles of this inhospitable country lay between them and +Santiago, their true objective. And somewhere on the road to that city +they knew they were destined to meet a well-trained foe, skilled in +all the arts of modern warfare, who would contest their advance. The +prospect, however, did not unnerve them, although they could well +conjecture that all who landed would not re-embark. Some in that six +thousand were destined never again to set foot on shipboard. Out of +the Twenty-fifth Infantry and the Tenth Cavalry men were to fall both +before Spanish bullets and disease ere these organizations should +assemble to return to their native shores. These thoughts did not +prevent the men from taking advantage of what nature had to offer +them. + +"We landed in rowboats, amid, and after the cessation of the +bombardment of the little hamlet and coast by the men-of-war and +battle-ships," writes a brave soldier of the Twenty-fifth Infantry, +and adds immediately: "We then helped ourselves to cocoanuts which we +found in abundance near the landing." Ordinarily this statement, so +trivial and apparently unimportant, would not merit repetition, but in +its connection here it is significant as showing the immediate +tendency of the men to resort to the fruits of the country, despite +all warnings to the contrary. The two weeks' experience on board the +transports had made the finding of cocoanuts an event to be noted, and +the dry pulp and strongly flavored milk of this tropical fruit became +extremely grateful to the palate, even if not altogether safe for the +stomach. If ripe, however, the cocoanut could scarcely be more +ungenial to many, than the raw, canned tomatoes upon which they had in +part subsisted during the voyage. It is to be added that this report +of the finding of the cocoanuts is not the report of an old soldier, +but of a young and intelligent, first enlistment man. + +Lawton's Division soon after landing, was ordered to move forward in +the direction of Santiago, on the road leading past Siboney. A staff +officer, writing of that movement, says: "General Lawton, with his +Division, in obedience to this order, pushed forward from Daiquiri +about five miles, when night overtook him and he bivouacked on the +road." An old soldier of the Twenty-fifth, writing me from the +hospital in Tampa, Florida, July 22nd, says of the same event: "After +the regiment landed we marched about four and a half miles through the +mountains; then we made camp." The old soldier says nothing of +cocoanuts, but makes his statement with as much accuracy as possible, +and with no waste of words. The novice describing the same thing says: +"A short distance ahead (from the shore) we bivouacked for the night. +We were soon lying in dreamland, so far from friends and home, indeed, +on a distant, distant shore." These two extracts show at once the +difference between the soldier produced by years of trial and training +on our plains, and the soldier who but yesterday was a civilian. With +the one the march is a short distance; with the other it is about four +and a half miles; one reports that they "made camp," the other talks +of dreamland, friend, home and distant shore; one expresses his +feelings, the other shows control of feeling and reserve in +expression. + +That first night on Cuban soil, the night following June 22nd, was one +without events, but one of great concern to the commanders on shore +and on the fleet. The work of disembarking had gone on successfully, +and already about six thousand men were on shore. Nearly the whole of +Lawton's Division, with Bates' independent brigade, were bivouacked, +as we have seen, about five miles from Daiquiri, exactly where the +railroad crosses the wagon road leading to Siboney. General Wheeler's +troops--one brigade--were encamped on the open ground near the +landing, the remainder of his division being still on the transports. +The Twenty-fifth Infantry was with Lawton; the Tenth Cavalry was +ashore with Wheeler's troops. A detachment of the Twenty-fifth was put +on outpost duty on that night of their landing, and five miles within +Cuban territory they tramped their solitary beats, establishing and +guarding the majestic authority of the United States. + +Lawton's orders were to seize and hold the town of Siboney at which +place Kent's Division, containing the Twenty-fourth, was to land. It +was then intended that the whole army should advance as rapidly as +would be consistent with supplying the men with rations toward +Santiago. Siboney was to be the base of supplies, and from this point +ammunition and food were to be conveyed to the front by wagons and +pack trains. General Shafter also intended that Lawton with his +division should lead the advance upon Santiago, but circumstances +beyond his control brought about a different result. On the morning of +the 23rd Lawton's division was in motion early, and before half-past +ten o'clock he was able to report that the Spaniards had evacuated +Siboney and were in full retreat, pursued by a body of Cubans under +direction of General Castillo; that the town was in his hands, and he +had also captured one locomotive and nearly one hundred cars loaded +with coal. + +General Young's brigade of General Wheeler's cavalry division, got on +shore on the afternoon of the 23rd and after landing received verbal +orders to move out with three days' rations "to a good camping place +between Juraguacito and Siboney, on the road leading to Santiago de +Cuba." In obedience to these orders, at 4.30 in the afternoon Young +with the Rough Riders and a squadron from each of the First and Tenth +Regular Cavalry moved from the bivouack near the landing and arrived +at Siboney at about 7 o'clock. When General Young arrived at Siboney +he had with him the Rough Riders, the other troops having been delayed +by the crowded condition of the trail and the difficulty of following +after nightfall. Although these troops are always spoken of as +cavalry, the reader must not forget that they were dismounted and in +marching and fighting were the same as infantry. + +General Young on arriving at Siboney reported to General Wheeler, who +had preceded him to the same place. The statements of the several +commanders here appear somewhat conflicting, although not +inexplicable. General Lawton says: "Yesterday afternoon, late, General +Wheeler and staff arrived and established his headquarters within the +limits of my command. Saw him after dark. Late last night Colonel +Wood's regiment of dismounted cavalry (Rough Riders) passed through my +camp at Division Headquarters, and later General Young, with some of +the dismounted Cavalry, and early this morning others of the +dismounted cavalry." Wheeler says that "in obedience to instructions +from the Major-General Commanding," given to him in person, he +proceeded, on June 23rd, to Siboney, but does not say at what hour. He +says he "rode out to the front and found that the enemy had halted and +established themselves at a point about three miles from Siboney." He +then informs us that "at 8 o'clock on that evening of the 23rd General +Young reached Siboney with eight troops of Colonel Wood's regiment (A, +B, D, E, F, G, K and L), 500 strong; Troops A, B, G and K, of the +First Cavalry, in all 244, and Troops A, B, E and I, of the Tenth +Cavalry, in all 220 men, making a total force of 964 men, which +included nearly all of my command which had disembarked. These troops +had marched from Daiquiri, 11 miles. With the assistance of General +Castillo a rough map of the country was prepared and the position of +the enemy fully explained, and I determined to make an attack." +Lieutenant Miley says that the whole brigade of Wheeler's troops +arrived in Siboney about dark and were occupying the same ground as +General Lawton ("In Cuba With Shafter," p. 76.) General Young says +that after reporting to General Wheeler he "asked and obtained from +General Wheeler authority to make a reconnoisance in force" for the +purpose of obtaining "positive information * * * as to the position +and movements of the enemy in front." + +The distance from Daiquiri to Siboney was but eleven miles, and as the +troops left the former place at 4.30 it is probable that they were all +bivouacked near Siboney before 9 o'clock, as they were all together, +according to General Wheeler's report, at 5.45 on the morning of the +24th. General Young having discovered that there were two roads or +trails leading from Siboney northward toward the town of Sevilla +determined to make his reconnoisance by both these trails. He directed +Colonel Wood to move by the western trail and to keep a careful +lookout and to attack any Spaniards he might encounter, being careful +to join his right in the event of an engagement, with the left of the +column advancing by the eastern trail. Colonel Wood's column was the +left column and was composed of the Rough Riders only. The column +marching by the eastern trail was composed of the First and Tenth +Cavalry (regulars) and was under the command of General Young. It was +the intention of General Young by this column to gain the enemy's +left, and thus attack in front and left. As early as 7.20 a.m. Captain +Mills discovered the enemy exactly as had been described by General +Castillo. When this was done word was sent to Colonel Wood, who was +making his way to the front over a more difficult route than the one +by which General Young's column had marched. A delay was therefore +made on the part of General Young in order that the attack should +begin on both flanks at the same time. During this delay General +Wheeler arrived and was informed of the plans and dispositions for the +attack, and after examining the position gave his approval of what +had been done, whereupon General Young ordered the attack. General +Wheeler in speaking of the same event says: "General Young and myself +examined the position of the enemy. The lines were deployed and I +directed him to open fire with the Hotchkiss gun. The enemy replied +and the firing immediately became general." There can be no question +as to the planning of this fight nor as to the direction of the +American force in the fight so far as any general direction was +possible. Colonel Wood directed one column and General Young another, +while the plan of the attack undoubtedly originated with General +Young. General Wheeler conveys as much when he says: "General Young +deserves special commendation for his cool deliberate and skillful +management." General Young, if only the commander of the right column +consisting of two squadrons of regular cavalry, had not as large a +command, nor as difficult and important a one as had Colonel Wood, and +hence is not deserving of special commendation except upon the general +ground that he had supervision over the whole battle. This position is +taken by General Shafter in his report, who though admitting the +presence of the Division Commander, credits the battle to General +Young, the commander of the brigade. The reconnoissance in force for +which Young had obtained authority from General Wheeler on the night +of the 23rd had developed into a battle, and the plan had evolved +itself from the facts discovered. This plan General Wheeler approved, +but in no such way as to take the credit from its originator; and it +is doubtless with reference both to the plan and the execution that he +bestows on General Young the mead of praise. This statement of fact +does not in the least detract from either the importance or the +praiseworthiness of the part played by Colonel Wood. Both he and the +officers and men commanded by him received both from General Young +and from the division commander the most generous praise. The advance +of Wood's column was made with great difficulty owing to the nature of +the ground, and according to General Young's belief, he was in the +rear when at 7.20 in the morning Captain Mills discovered the enemy, +and a Cuban guide was dispatched to warn Wood, and a delay made to +allow time for him to come up. Colonel Wood, on the other hand, claims +to have discovered the enemy at 7.10 and to have begun action almost +immediately, so that it turned out as Young had planned, and "the +attack of both wings was simultaneous." The Spaniards were posted on a +range of high hills in the form of a "V," the opening being toward +Siboney, from which direction the attack came. + +From Colonel Wood's report it appears that soon after the firing began +he found it necessary to deploy five troops to the right, and left, +leaving three troops in reserve. The enemy's lines being still beyond +his, both on the right and on the left, he hastily deployed two more +troops, which made the lines now about equal in length. The firing was +now "exceedingly heavy," and much of it at short range, but on account +of the thick underbrush it was not very effective; "comparatively few +of our men were injured." Captain Capron at this time received his +mortal wound and the firing became so terrific that the last remaining +troop of the reserve was absorbed by the firing line, and the whole +regiment ordered to advance very slowly. The Spanish line yielded and +the advance soon showed that in falling back the enemy had taken a new +position, about three hundred yards in front of the advancing +regiment. Their lines extended from 800 to 1,000 yards, and the firing +from their front was "exceedingly heavy" and effective. A "good many +men" were wounded, "and several officers," says Colonel Wood's +report. Still the advance was kept up, and the Spanish line was +steadily forced back. "We now began," says Colonel Wood, "to get a +heavy fire from a ridge on our right, which enfiladed our line." The +reader can at once see that although the Rough Riders were advancing +heroically, they were now in a very serious situation, with an +exceedingly heavy and effective fire striking them in front, and a +heavy, enfilading fire raking them from the right. Their whole +strength was on the line, and these two fires must have reduced their +effectiveness with great rapidity had it kept up, the Spaniards having +their range and firing by well-directed volleys. It was for the +regiment a moment of the utmost peril. Had they been alone they must +have perished. + +It was from this perilous situation of Colonel Wood's command that one +of the most popular stories of the war originated, a story that +contained some truth, but which was often told in such a way as to +cause irritation, and in some instances it was so exaggerated or +mutilated in the telling as to be simply ridiculous. On the day after +the battle the story was told in Lawton's camp according to the +testimony of an intelligent soldier of the Twenty-fifth Infantry. His +words are: "The next day about noon we heard that the Tenth Cavalry +had met the enemy and that the Tenth Cavalry had rescued the Rough +Riders. We congratulated ourselves that although not of the same +branch of service, we were of the same color, and that to the eye of +the enemy we, troopers and footmen, all looked alike." According to +artists and cheap newspaper stories this rescuing occurred again and +again. A picture is extensively advertized as "an actual and +authoritative presentation of this regiment (the Tenth Cavalry) as it +participated in that great struggle, and their heroic rescue of the +Rough Riders on that memorable _July_ day." This especial rescuing +took place on _San Juan Hill_. The editor of a religious paper +declares that it was the _Twenty-fifth Infantry_ that rescued the +Rough Riders and that it was done at _El Caney_![16] + +Before we go any farther let us see just what the Tenth Cavalry did do +in this fight. That their action was highly meritorious admits of no +doubt, and the laurels they won were never allowed to fade during the +whole campaign. General Wheeler speaks of them with the First Cavalry. +He says: "I was immediately with the troops of the First and Tenth +Regular Cavalry, dismounted, and personally noticed their brave and +good conduct." There were four troops of the Tenth engaged, composing +the First Squadron of that regiment, under command of Major Norval. +Troop A was commanded by Captain W.H. Beck, who was specially +commended by General Wheeler for good conduct. Second Lieutenant F.R. +McCoy was Captain Beck's assistant. This troop moved over to the left, +receiving the fire of the enemy, but making no response, the distance +being too great for effective carbine firing. This troop reached +Colonel Wood's right and made the line continuous so that there was +now a force in front of that ridge where the Spaniards were securely +entrenched and from which they were pouring their enfilading fire upon +Colonel Wood's line. Troop A, although coming into the line, did not +fire. Their presence, however, gave the Rough Riders the assurance +that their flank was saved. Troop E was commanded by Captain C.G. +Ayres with Second Lieutenant George Vidmar. This troop was placed by +General Young in support of Captain Watson's two Hotchkiss guns, and +also of the troops in their front. The troop was under fire one hour +and a quarter, during which they were in plain view of the Spaniards, +who also had their exact range. One man was killed and one wounded. +Their courage, coolness and discipline in this trying hour and a +quarter were of the very highest order. The troop commander says: +"Their coolness and fine discipline were superb." This troop did not +fire a shot. Thus one-half of the squadron moved to its positions and +held them without being able to do any damage to the enemy, as they +were carrying out to the letter their instructions, which were to fire +only when they could see the enemy. Troop B was commanded by Captain +J.W. Watson with H.O. Willard as Second Lieutenant. A detachment of +this troop was placed in charge of four Hotchkiss mountain guns. This +detachment opened fire upon the enemy, using the ammunition sparingly, +as they had but fifty rounds with them. Twenty-two shots were fired, +apparently with effect. The remainder of the troop under Lieutenant +Williard was ordered to move out to the extreme right, which would +place it beyond the line of the First Cavalry, thus bringing that +regiment between Troop A of the Tenth, which connected it with the +Rough Riders and Troop B, which was to be on its extreme right. +Lieutenant Williard's report of this movement is as follows: + + "I ordered the troop forward at once, telling them to take + advantage of all cover available. In the meantime the + volleys from the Spanish were coming in quite frequently and + striking the ground on all sides near where we were. I found + it very difficult to move the men forward after having found + cover, and ran back to a portion of the troop near an old + brick wall, and ordered them forward at once. They then made + a dash forward, and in doing so three or four men were + wounded, Private Russell severely. Who the others were I do + not know. We encountered a severe fire directly after this + move forward; and Private Wheeler was wounded in the left + leg. There was a wire fence on our right, and such thick + underbrush that we were unable to get through right there, + so had to follow along the fence for some distance before + being able to penetrate. Finally, was able to get the + greater proportion of my men through, and about this time I + met Lieutenants Fleming and Miller, Tenth Cavalry, moving + through the thicket at my left. I there heard the order + passed on 'not to fire ahead,' as there was danger of firing + into our own forces. In the meantime there was shouting from + the First Cavalry in our front, 'Don't fire on us in rear.' + My troop had not fired a shot to my knowledge, nor the + knowledge of any non-commissioned officers in the troop. + About this time I found I was unable to keep the troop + deployed, as they would huddle up behind one rock or tree, + so I gave all sergeants orders to move out on the extreme + right and to keep in touch with those on their left. Then, + with a squad of about five men, I moved to the right front, + and was unfortunate enough to lose the troop, i.e., I could + see nothing of them except the men with me. + + "But as I had given explicit instructions to my sergeant, in + case I was lost from them, to continue to advance until + halted by some one in authority, I moved ahead myself, + hoping to find them later on. In making a rush forward three + men of my squad were lost from me in some way. I still had + two men with me, Privates Combs and Jackson, and in the next + advance made I picked up a First Cavalry sergeant who had + fallen out from exhaustion. After a terrific climb up the + ridge in front of me, and a very regular though ineffective + fire from the enemy kept up until we were about sixty yards + from the summit of hill, we reached the advance line of the + First United States Cavalry, under command of Captain + Wainwright. I then reported to him for orders, and moved + forward when he next advanced. The firing had ceased, and no + more shots were fired, to my knowledge, after this time. + With the First Cavalry, Troop G, we followed along the right + of the ridge and came down to the right front, encountering + no opposition or fire from the enemy, but finding the + enemy's breastworks in confusion, ammunition and articles of + clothing scattered around; also one dead Spaniard and two + Mauser rifles. At the foot of the ridge we met some of the + First Volunteer Cavalry, and being utterly exhausted, I was + obliged to lie down. Soon after, Captain Mills, + adjutant-general of Second Brigade, Cavalry Division, came + up to where I was and placed me in command of Troop K, First + United States Cavalry, whose officers were wounded. I then + marched them forward on the road to where General Wheeler + was sitting, and received orders from Colonel Wood, First + Volunteer Cavalry, to remain until further orders and make + no further advance. Directly afterwards, learning the action + was over, I reported back to General Young, and received + orders to remain camped with the First Cavalry Squadron, + where the action had closed. In the meantime, I should have + stated that I found the principal part of my troop and + collected them and left them under the first sergeant, when + I went back to receive orders. So far as I know, and to the + best of my knowledge, the men of my troop acted with the + greatest bravery, advancing on an enemy who could not be + seen, and subjected to a severe and heavy fire at each step, + which was only rendered ineffective to a great degree by the + poor marksmanship of the enemy, as many times we were in + sight of them (I discovered this by observation after the + engagement) while we could see nothing. We were also + subjected to a severe reverse fire from the hills in our + right rear, several men being wounded by this fire. + Throughout the fight the men acted with exceptional + coolness, in my judgment. The casualties were: Privates + Russell, Braxton and Morris, severely wounded; Privates F.A. + Miller, Grice, Wheeler and Gaines, slightly wounded, i.e., + less severely. None killed. + + Very respectfully, + + HENRY O. WILLIARD. + June 24, 1898. + Troop B, Tenth Cavalry, during action near La Guasima, + Second Lieutenant, Tenth United States Cavalry, Commanding. + + +Troop I of the Tenth Cavalry was commanded by First Lieutenant R.J. +Fleming with Second Lieutenant A.M. Miller. This troop moved to the +right and wedged in between B Troop and the right of the First +Cavalry. Lieutenant Fleming discovered the enemy posted on the high +ridge immediately in front of his troop, and also extending to his +right, in front of B Troop. Moving his troop a little to the right so +as to secure room to advance without coming in contact with the First +Cavalry, he then directed his course straight toward the hill on which +he had located the enemy. The advance was made with great caution, the +men seeking cover wherever possible, and dashing across the open +spaces at full run. Thus they moved until the base of the steep part +of the hill was reached. This was found very difficult of ascent, not +only because of the rugged steepness, but also on account of the +underbrush, and the sharp-leaved grass, the cacti and Spanish bayonet, +that grow on all these hillsides. Paths had to be cut through these +prickly obstructions with knives and sabres. Consequently the advance +up that hill, though free from peril, was very slow and trying. Twice +during the advance the men obtained a view of their enemies and were +permitted to fire. The instructions were rigidly adhered to: No firing +only at the visible foe. Lieutenant Fleming says: "Owing to the +underbrush it was impossible for me to see but a very few men at a +time, but as they all arrived on the crest about the time I did, or +shortly after, they certainly advanced steadily." He says: "The entire +troop behaved with great coolness and obeyed every order." Farrier +Sherman Harris, Wagoner John Boland and Private Elsie Jones especially +distinguished themselves for coolness and gallantry. The aggressive +work of the Tenth Cavalry, therefore, appears to have been done by +Troops B and I, a detachment of the former troop serving the Hotchkiss +gun battery. Troop I was commanded by Lieutenant Fleming and by him +conducted to the front, although he admits that in their advance up +the slope of the hill he could see but very few of the men at a time, +and declares that their advance was certainly steady, because all +arrived at the crest of the hill simultaneously or nearly so. + +Lieutenant Fleming does not show that his troop of excellent men were +in any sense _peculiarly_ dependent upon their white officers as some +have asserted. They advanced steadily, just as the regulars always do, +advanced noiselessly and without any reckless firing, and reached the +crest of the hill in order, although he could not see them as they +were making their advance. They kept their line despite all the +obstructions. Lieutenant Fleming also says that in moving to his +position he passed Troop B, which then "inclined to the right, and +during the remainder of the action was on my right." Troop B, +therefore, went through about the same experience as Troop I, and +being on the extreme right of the line may have been more directly in +front of that foe which Fleming says was in his front and to the +right. Why did not the officer who directed or led B Troop in its +advance upon the enemy report the action of his troop as vividly and +generously as did Lieutenant Fleming the men of Troop I? With not the +slightest reflection upon the gallant officer, he himself has the +manliness to say he was so unfortunate as to lose the troop. The +troop, however, did not become demoralized, but went into action under +command of its First Sergeant, _John Buck,[17] and remained on +Lieutenant Fleming's right during the action_. It has been proven more +than once that should the commissioned officers of a company or troop +of colored regulars be killed or incapacitated, the non-commissioned +officers can carry on the fight. Speaking of this same regiment it is +equally true that at San Juan the officers of Troops D and G were all +shot and the commands of these troops fell to their First Sergeants, +the first to Sergeant William H. Given, the second to Sergeant Saint +Foster, and it is generally understood that these two men were +appointed Lieutenants of Volunteers because of their success in +handling their troops in battle. + +The entire attacking force at this end of the line, if we count only +those engaged in actual firing, consisted of two troops of the Tenth +Cavalry and two of the First Cavalry--four troops--while to the left +the entire eight troops were on the firing line. The action of the +troops of the First Cavalry was quite similar to that of the troops of +the Tenth Cavalry, and equally deserving of commendation. Of them all +General Young says: + + "The ground over which the right column advanced was a mass + of jungle growth, with wire fences, not to be seen until + encountered, and precipitous heights as the ridge was + approached. It was impossible for the troops to keep in + touch along the front, and they could only judge of the + enemy from the sound and direction of his fire. However, had + it not been for this dense jungle, the attack would not have + been made against an overwhelming force in such a position. + Headway was so difficult that advance and support became + merged and moved forward under a continuous volley firing, + supplemented by that of two rapid-fire guns. Return firing + by my force was only made as here and there a small clear + spot gave a sight of the enemy. The fire discipline of these + particular troops was almost perfect. The ammunition + expended by the two squadrons engaged in an incessant + advance for one hour and fifteen minutes averaged less than + ten rounds per man. The fine quality of these troops is also + shown by the fact that there was not a single straggler, and + in not one instance was an attempt made by any soldier to + fall out in the advance to assist the wounded or carry back + the dead. The fighting on the left flank was equally + creditable and was remarkable, and I believe unprecedented, + in volunter troops so quickly raised, armed and equipped." + +The five hundred men of Colonel Wood's regiment were stretched over a +space of 800 to 1,000 yards, and were entirely without support or +reserve, and appear to have advanced to a point where this very strong +force on the right swept a good part of their line both with rifle +fire and the fire of their two machine guns. Men and officers were +falling under both the front and flank fire of the enemy, and had not +the squadrons of the First and Tenth made their successful assault +upon that ridge, which, according to General Wood's report, was "very +strongly held," the situation of the Rough Riders would have been +extreme. Because this successful assault was participated in by the +Tenth Cavalry the story arose that the Rough Riders were rescued by +that regiment. The fair statement would be: That the Regular Cavalry, +consisting of a squadron of the First and a squadron of the Tenth, +made their advance on the right at the precise moment to deliver the +Rough Riders from a fire that threatened their annihilation. The +marksmanship and coolness of the men of the Tenth have been specially +commented upon and their fire was described as very effective, but the +same remarks could be made of the men of the First, who fought side by +side with them. It is probable that the volunteers advanced more +rapidly than did the regulars, using more ammunition, and manifesting +a very high degree of courage and enthusiasm as well as deliberation; +but the regulars reached their objective at the proper time to turn +the battle's tide. Each advancing column was worthy to be companion to +the other. + +General Wheeler said the fire was very hot for about an hour, and "at +8.30 sent a courier to General Lawton informing him that he was +engaged with a larger force of the enemy than was anticipated, and +asked that his force be sent forward on the Sevilla road as quickly as +possible." ("In Cuba With Shafter," p. 83.) General Lawton, however, +with the true instinct of a soldier had already sent orders to General +Chaffee to move forward with the First Brigade. The Second Brigade was +also in readiness to move and the men of the Twenty-fifth were +expecting to go forward to take a position on the right and if +possible a little to the rear of the Spanish entrenchments in order to +cut off their retreat. The rapid movements of the cavalry division, +however, rendered this unnecessary, and the routing of the foe gave to +the Americans an open country and cleared the field for the advance on +Santiago. The first battle had been fought, and the Americans had been +victorious, but not without cost. Sixteen men had been killed and +fifty-two wounded. In Colonel Wood's regiment eight had been killed +and thirty-four wounded; in the First Cavalry, seven killed and eight +wounded; in the Tenth Cavalry, one killed and ten wounded. The +percentage of losses to the whole strength of the several +organizations engaged was as follows: Rough Riders, over 8 per cent.; +First Cavalry, over 6 per cent.; Tenth Cavalry, 5 per cent. But if we +take those on the firing line as the base the rate per cent. of losses +among the regulars would be doubled, while that of the volunteers +would remain the same. + +The strength of the enemy in this battle is given in the Spanish +official reports, according to Lieutenant Miley, at about five +hundred, and their losses are put at nine killed and twenty-seven +wounded. At the time of the fight it was supposed to be much larger. +General Young's report places the estimates at 2,000, and adds "that +it has since been learned from Spanish sources to have been 2,500. The +Cuban military authorities claim the Spanish strength was 4,000." +These figures are doubtless too high. The force overtaken at Las +Guasimas was the same force that evacuated Siboney at the approach of +Lawton and the force with which the Cubans had fought on the morning +of the 23rd. It may have consisted solely of the garrison from +Siboney, although it is more probable that it included also those from +Daiquiri and Jutici, as it is quite certain that all these troops +proceeded toward Santiago over the same road. The force at Siboney had +been given by the Cubans at 600, at Daiquiri at 300, and at Jutici at +150. If these had concentrated and the figures were correct, the +Spanish force at Guasimas was upwards of 1,000. If, however, it was +the force from Siboney alone, it was about as the Spanish official +report gives it. On this latter basis, however, the losses are out of +proportion, for while the attacking party lost a little less than 7 +per cent. of its entire strength in killed and wounded, the losses of +the entrenched, defending party, were even a little greater, or over 7 +per cent. of its strength. It is, therefore, probable that the Spanish +force was greater than officially reported and included the troops +from the other posts as well as those from Siboney. The engagement was +classed by General Shafter as unimportant, although its effect upon +our army was inspiring. It did not cut off the retreat of the Spanish +force, and the men who faced our army at Guasimas met them again in +the trenches before Santiago. General Shafter desired to advance with +his whole force, and cautioned strongly against any further forward +movement until the troops were well in hand. The two battles between +the Cubans and Spaniards, fought on the 23rd, in which the Cubans had +sixteen men wounded and two killed, were engagements of some +consequence, although we have no reports of them. There is no evidence +that the Cubans took part in the battle of Guasimas, although they +arrived on the grounds immediately after the firing ceased. + +The story thus far told is, as the reader cannot fail to see, +directly from official records, and the conclusions arrived at are +those which result naturally from the facts as therein detailed. Not +one word is quoted from any but military men--actors in the affair. We +may now go briefly over the same ground, giving the views and +conclusions of able civilian correspondents who followed the army to +see what was done, and who were trained observers and skilled writers. +How have these able war journalists told the story of Las Guasimas? + +To quote from Stephen Bonsal in substance, not in words, is to +contradict what General Shafter says officially in one particular, but +in no such way as to discredit the General, or to weaken Bonsal. It is +not a case of bringing two universal, antagonistic propositions face +to face, but a case where two men of different training look upon an +action from different standpoints and through different field-glasses. +General Shafter says of the collision of the Rough Riders with the +Spanish force: "There was no ambush as reported." As a military man, +he says there was no more concealment on the part of the Spanish force +than what an attacking party should expect, no more than what is usual +in modern warfare, hence he does not regard it as an ambush, and does +not officially take notice of any surprise or unexpected encounter on +the part of his force. To do so would be to reflect, however slightly, +upon the professional skill of the commander of the left column. +General Shafter thus says officially in a manly way: "There was no +ambush." Beyond this his duty does not call him to go, and he halts +his expressions exactly at this line, maintaining in his attitude all +the attributes of the true soldier, placing himself beyond criticism +by thus securing from attack the character of his subordinate. + +Mr. Bonsal is a writer and author, accustomed to view actions in the +broader light of popular judgment, entirely free from professional +bias, and having no class-feeling or obligations to serve. His pen is +not official; his statements are not from the military standpoint; not +influenced in any way by considerations of personal weal or woe with +respect to others or himself. He says that one troop of the Rough +Riders, Troop L, commanded by Captain Capron, was leading the advance +of the regiment, and was in solid formation and within twenty-five +yards of its scouting line when it received the enemy's fire. This +troop was so far in the advance that it took the other troops of the +regiment more than a half hour to get up to it. The writer speaks of +the advance of that troop as having been made "in the fool-hardy +formation of a solid column along a narrow trail, which brought them, +in the way I have described, within point-blank range of the Spanish +rifles, and within the unobstructed sweep of their machine guns." He +sums up as follows: "And if it is to be ambushed when you receive the +enemy's fire perhaps a quarter of an hour before it was expected, and +when the troop was in a formation, and the only one in which, in view +of the nature of the ground it was possible to advance quickly, then +most certainly L Troop of the Rough Riders was ambushed by the +Spaniards on the morning of June 24th." + +Mr. Bonsal also brings into clear view the part taken in this battle +by Lawton's Infantry. He shows by means of a simple map the trail by +which Miles' brigade, in which was the Twenty-fifth Infantry, moved in +order to flank the Spanish position, while Chaffee's brigade was +hurrying forward on the Royal Road to reinforce the line in front. A +letter from a soldier of the Twenty-fifth written soon after these +events fully confirms Mr. Bonsal in what he says concerning the +movement of Miles' brigade. The soldier says: "On the morning of the +24th the Rough Riders, Tenth and First Cavalry were to make an attack +on a little place where the Spanish were fortified. The Second Brigade +was to come on the right flank of these troops and a little in rear of +the fortifications; but by some misunderstanding, the former troops, +led by the Rough Riders, made an attack before we got our position, +and the result was a great many lives lost in the First Cavalry and +Rough Riders--only one in Tenth Cavalry, but many wounded. They +captured the fortification." This letter by a humble soldier, written +with no thought of its importance, shows how gallantly Lawton had +sprung to the rescue of Wheeler's division. According to Bonsal, who +says he obtained his information from Spanish officers who were +present in this fight, it was the information of the approach of this +brigade and of Chaffee's up the main road that caused the Spaniards to +withdraw rapidly from the position. The whole force was in imminent +danger of being captured. Another soldier of the Twenty-fifth wrote: +"The report came that the Twenty-fifth Infantry was to cut off the +Spanish retreat from a stronghold, toward Santiago." These glimpses +from soldiers' letters illustrate how clearly they comprehended the +work upon which they were sent, and show also how hearty and cordial +was the support which the infantry at that time was hurrying forward +to the advancing cavalry. + +The official reports show that the strength of the Spanish position +was before the right of our line. Mr. Bonsal says: "Directly in front +of the Tenth Cavalry rose undoubtedly the strongest point in the +Spanish position--two lines of shallow trenches, strengthened by heavy +stone parapets." We must remember that so far as we can get the +disposition of these troops from official records, Troop A connected +the Rough Riders with the First Cavalry, and Troops I and B were on +the right of the First Cavalry. Troop A did not fire a shot; the +fighting, therefore, was done by Troops I and B on the extreme right +of the line, and it was on their front that "undoubtedly the strongest +point in the Spanish position" lay--nor should the reader forget that +at this very important moment Troop B was commanded by its First +Sergeant, Buck, Lieutenant Williard having by his own report been +"unfortunate enough to lose the troop." This is said with no +disparagement to Lieutenant Williard. It was merely one of the +accidents of battle. + +Says Mr. Bonsal: "The moment the advance was ordered the black +troopers of the Tenth Cavalry forged ahead. They were no braver +certainly than any other men in the line, but their better training +enabled them to render more valuable services than the other troops +engaged. They had with them and ready for action their machine guns, +and shoved them right up to the front on the firing line, from where +they poured very effective fire into the Spanish trenches, which not +only did considerable execution, but was particularly effective in +keeping down the return fire of the Spaniards. The machine guns of the +Rough Riders were mislaid, or the mules upon which they had been +loaded could not be found at this juncture. It was said they had +bolted. It is certain, however, that the guns were not brought into +action, and consequently the Spaniards suffered less, and the Rough +Riders more, in the gallant charge they made up the hill in front of +them, after the Tenth Cavalry had advanced and driven the Spaniards +from their position on the right." + +Corporal W.F. Johnson, B Troop, was the non-commissioned officer in +charge of the machine guns during the brief fight at Las Guasimas, and +his action was such as to call forth from the troop commander special +mention "for his efficiency and perfect coolness under fire." Here I +may be pardoned for calling attention to a notion too prevalent +concerning the Negro soldier in time of battle. He is too often +represented as going into action singing like a zany or yelling like a +demon, rather than as a man calculating the chances for life and +victory. The official reports from the Black Regulars in Cuba ought to +correct this notion. Every troop and company commander, who has +reported upon colored soldiers in that war, speaks of the coolness of +the men of his command. Captain Beck, of Troop A, Tenth Cavalry, in +the Guasimas fight, says: "I will add that the enlisted men of Troop +A, Tenth Cavalry, behaved well, silently and alertly obeying orders, +and without becoming excited when the fire of the enemy reached them." +The yell, in the charge of the regulars, is a part of the action, and +is no more peculiar to Negro troops than to the whites, only as they +may differ in the general timbre of voice. Black American soldiers +when not on duty may sing more than white troops, but in quite a long +experience among them I have not found the difference so very +noticeable. In all garrisons one will find some men more musically +inclined than others; some who love to sing and some who do not; some +who have voices adapted to the production of musical tones, and some +who have not, and it is doubtless owing to these constitutional +differences that we find differences in habits and expressions. + +Lieutenant Miley, of General Shafter's staff, in his description of +the departure of General Shatter from General Garcia's tent, gives us +a glimpse of the character of the men that composed the Cuban army in +that vicinity. + + "While the interview was going on, the troops were being + assembled to do honor to the General on his departure. + Several companies were drawn up in front of the tent to + present arms as he came out, and a regiment escorted him to + the beach down the winding path, which was now lined on both + sides by Cuban soldiers standing about a yard apart and + presenting arms. The scene made a strong impression on all + in the party, there seemed to be such an earnestness and + fixedness of purpose displayed that all felt these soldiers + to be a power. About fifty per cent. were blacks, and the + rest mulattoes, with a small number of whites. They were + very poorly clad, many without shirts or shoes, but every + man had his gun and a belt full of ammunition." + + +B. + +EXTRACT FROM A LETTER FROM A SOLDIER OF THE 10TH CAVALRY, TROOP B, +CONCERNING THE BATTLE OF LAS GUASIMAS: + + "... The platoon which escaped this ditch got on the right + of the 1st Cavalry on the firing line, and pushed steadily + forward under First Sergeant Buck, being then in two + squads--one under Sergeant Thompson. On account of the + nature of the ground and other natural obstacles, there were + men not connected with any squads, but who advanced with the + line. + + Both squads fired by volley and at will, at the command of + the sergeants named; and their shots reached the enemy and + were effective, as it is generally believed. + + Private W.M. Bunn, of Sergeant Thompson's squad, is reported + to have shot a sharpshooter from a tree just in front of the + enemy's work. Private Wheeler was shot twice in the advance. + Sergeant Thompson's squad was once stopped from firing by + General Wheeler's adjutant-general for fear of hitting the + Rough Riders. + + It seems that two distinct battles were fought that day. + Colonel Wood's command struck the enemy at about the tame + time, or probably a Little before, ours did, and all unknown + to the men in our ranks; and got themselves into a pretty + tight squeeze. About the same time our force engaged the + enemy and drew part of the attention they were giving the + Rough Riders. This, the latter claimed, enabled them to + continue the movement on the enemy's works. + + But as our command had an equal number of 1st and 10th + Cavalrymen, I am of the opinion that the story of our saving + the Rough Riders arose from the fact that as soon as the + fight was over, the 1st Regular Cavalry was opening its arms + to us, declaring that we, especially B Troop, had saved + them; for the 1st Regular Cavalry was first in the attack in + General Young's command; and when the enemy began to make it + pretty warm, he ordered B and I Troops of the 10th forward + on the right. Troop B was in the lead; and the alacrity + with which these two troops moved to the front has always + been praised by the 1st Cavalry; and they declare that that + movement helped them wonderfully. In making this movement my + troop had three or four men wounded; and later, when + Sergeant Thompson's squad was fighting far to the front, it + had in it several members of the 1st Cavalry, who are always + glad to praise him. + + So, I think that by the Rough Riders first attributing their + success, or their rescue from inevitable defeat, to the + attack made by our command; and by the 1st Regular Cavalry's + very generously, in the heat of success, bestowing upon us + the honors of the day, it finally became a settled thing + that we saved the whole battle. + + That evening, after the battle, I was met by Lieutenant + Shipp, later killed at San Juan Hill, who, on inquiring and + being told that I belonged to Troop B, congratulated me on + its conduct, and said it had made a name for the regiment. + Lieutenant Shipp was not in that fight, but had come up + after it was over and had heard of us through the 1st + Cavalry." + + +C. + + Sergeant John Buck was born September 10th, 1861, at Chapel + Hill, Texas; enlisted in 10th Cavalry, November 6, 1880, and + passed over ten years in active Indian service. He is a man + of strong character, an experienced horseman and packer, and + so commanded a portion of the firing line in the battle of + June 24 as to elicit remarks of praise from officers of + other troops "for his gallantry, coolness and good judgment + under fire." Sergeant Thompson's good conduct in the same + battle was noticeable also. Sergeant Buck was made second + lieutenant in the 7th U.S. Volunteer Infantry and + subsequently captain in the 48th United States Volunteers. + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[15] See Note A at the end of this chapter. + +[16] THE TWENTY-FIFTH AT EL-CANEY. + +American valor never shone with greater luster than when the +Twenty-fifth Infantry swept up the sizzling hill of El-Caney to the +rescue of the rough riders. Two other regiments came into view of the +rough riders. But the bullets were flying like driving hail; the enemy +were in trees and ambushes with smokeless powder, and the rough riders +were biting the dust and were threatened with annihilation. + +A rough rider described the feelings of his brigade when they saw the +other regiments appear and retreat. Finally this rough rider, a +Southerner, heard a well-known yell. And out of the distance moved a +regiment as if on dress parade, faces set like steel, keeping step +like a machine, their comrades falling here, there, everywhere, moving +into the storm of invisible death without one faltering step, passing +the rough riders, conquering up the hill, and never stopping until +with the rough riders El-Caney was won. This was the Twenty-fifth +Regiment (colored), United States Infantry, now quartered at Fort +Logan, Denver. We have asked the chaplain, T.G. Steward, to recite the +events at El-Caney. His modesty confines him to the barest recital of +"semi-official" records. But the charge of the Twenty-fifth is +deserving of comparison with that of "the Light Brigade" in the +Crimean War, or of Custer at the massacre of the Big Horn. + +(Editorial in religious paper.) + +[17] See Note C at the end of this chapter. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +THE BATTLE OF EL CANEY. + + The Capture of the Stone Fort by the Twenty-fifth Infantry. + + +While the battle of Guasimas was going on, in which the Tenth Cavalry +took so conspicuous a part, the Twenty-fourth Infantry still remained +on board the City of Washington awaiting orders to land. During the +night of the 24th such orders were received by the authorities of the +transport, and they were directed to land their troops, but the +General Commanding, Brigadier-General Kent, did not hear of the matter +until some time the next morning. He relates the following +circumstances in his official report of the debarkation: + +"At 9 a.m. of the 25th Lieutenant Cardin, of the Revenue Marine, came +aboard with orders for me to proceed to and disembark at Altares +(Siboney). This officer also handed me a letter from the corps +commander expressing his astonishment that I had remained away three +days." + +General Kent also states in his report that his travel rations had +been exhausted seven days before and that but one meal of field +rations remained, and that the ship's supply both of water and +provisions was running low, and that in consequence of these facts as +well as for higher considerations he was very anxious to get on shore. +The debarkation followed as rapidly as possible, and that afternoon +General Kent reported in person to Major-General Wheeler, the troops +bivouacking for the night near the landing. The next day Colonel +Pearson, who commanded the Second Brigade of Kent's division, took +the Second Infantry and reconnoitred along the railroad toward the +Morro, going a distance of about six miles and returning in the +evening, having found no enemy in that vicinity, although evidences +were found that a force had recently retreated from a blockhouse +situated on the railroad about two miles from Aguadores. + +On the day following, June 27th, the entire division moved out on the +road toward Santiago and encamped on the same ground that Lawton had +occupied the night previous. The Second Brigade took its place near +Savilla, while the Third Brigade, which included the Twenty-fourth +Infantry, went into camp at Las Guasimas, where the affair of the 24th +had occurred. The order of march had now partially fallen back to the +original plan: Lawton in advance, with whom was the Twenty-Fifth +Infantry; Wheeler next, with whom was the Ninth and Tenth Cavalry, and +Kent in the rear, who had, as we have just related, the Twenty-fourth +Infantry in his Third Brigade. In this order the army moved, so far as +it moved at all, until the morning of the 30th, when dispositions for +the general attack began. + +The story of the great battle, or as it turned out, of the two great +battles, begins on this day, and the careers of the four colored +regiments are to be followed through the divisions of Lawton, Kent and +Wheeler. Let us begin, however, with General Shafter's official report +and his "Story of Santiago," as told in the "Century" of February, +1899. + +From these sources it is learned that on June 30th General Shafter +reconnoitered the country about Santiago and determined upon a plan of +attack. Ascending a hill from which he could obtain a good view of the +city, and could also see San Juan Hill and the country about El Caney, +he observed afresh what had impressed itself upon all immediately +upon landing, to wit: That in all this country there were no good +roads along which to move troops or transport supplies. The General +says: "I had never seen a good road in a Spanish country, and Santiago +did not disappoint my expectations." The roads as he saw them from the +summit of the hill on June 30th were very poor, and indeed, little +better than bridle paths, except between El Caney and San Juan River +and the city. Within this region, a distance of from four to four and +a half miles, the roads were passable. El Caney lay about four miles +northeast of Santiago, and was strongly fortified, and, as events +proved, strongly garrisoned. This position was of great importance to +the enemy, because from it a force might come to attack the right +flank and rear of the American Army as it should make its attempt on +San Juan Hill. El Caney held the road from Guantanamo, at which point +an important Spanish force was posted. While General Shafter was +surveying the country from the hill at El Pozo and making what special +examination he could of the country toward San Juan Hills, Generals +Lawton and Chaffee were making a reconnoisance around El Caney. From +General Lawton's report it would appear that the work of +reconnoitering around El Caney was done chiefly by General Chaffee. He +says: "To General Adna R. Chaffee I am indebted for a thorough and +intelligent reconnoissance of the town of El Caney and vicinity prior +to the battle and the submission of a plan of attack which was +adopted. I consider General Chaffee one of the best practical soldiers +in the army and recommend him for special distinction for successfully +charging the stone fort mentioned in this report, the capture of which +practically closed the battle." + +The general plan of attack as explained by General Shafter himself in +his "Century" article was "to put a brigade on the road between +Santiago and El Caney, to keep the Spaniards at the latter place from +retreating on the city, and then with the rest of Lawton's division +and the divisions of Wheeler and Kent, and Bates' brigade to attack +the Spanish position in front of Santiago." Before that he had said +that he wished to put a division in on the right of El Caney and +assault the town on that road. To Admiral Sampson on June 26th he +said: "I shall, if I can, put a large force in Caney, and one perhaps +still farther west, near the pipe-line conveying water to the city, +making my main attack from the northeast and east." His desire at this +time was to "get the enemy in my front and the city at my back." On +June 30th he had modified this plan so as to decide to place one +brigade on the road between El Caney and Santiago, with a view merely +to keeping the El Caney garrison from retreating into Santiago. + +As he was explaining his plan to the division officers and others on +the afternoon of the 30th at his own headquarters, Lawton and Chaffee +were of the opinion that they could dispose of the Spaniards at El +Caney in two hours time. "Therefore," says the General, "I modified my +plan, assigning Lawton's whole division for the attack of El Caney and +directed Bates' independent brigade to his support." This last +modification of General Shafter's plan was made in deference to the +opinion of subordinates, and was based upon observations made +especially by General Chaffee. + +The force assigned for the reduction of El Caney was to begin its work +early in the morning, and by ten or eleven o'clock at the outside it +was expected that the task would be accomplished and Lawton would join +Kent and Sumner in the assault upon San Juan. Early on the morning of +July 1st Capron's battery was got into position on a line running +directly north from Marianage on a hill about five hundred yards east +of Las Guasimas Creek. Lawton's division began its move on the +afternoon of the 30th, as did in fact the whole army, and bivouacked +that night near El Pozo. The Twenty-fifth Infantry, which belonged to +the Second Brigade, commanded by Colonel Miles, a former Major of the +Twenty-fifth, left El Pozo at daylight by way of the road leading +almost due north, and marched about one mile to the little town of +Marianage. Here a halt was made for an hour, from 6.30 to 7.30, during +which time reconnoitering parties were sent out to examine the ground +toward the Ducoureau House, which lay about one mile to the northward +of Marianage, and which had been designated by General Lawton as a +general rendezvous after the engagement should terminate. +Reconnoissance was made also to the front for the purpose of +discovering the enemy, and to ascertain the left of Ludlow's brigade. +This was the first brigade of Lawton's division and consisted of the +Eighth and Twenty-second Infantry and the Second Massachusetts, the +last named regiment being on the right. The Second Brigade was to +connect with this on its right and succeeded in finding the position +of the Second Massachusetts during this halt. At 11.30 Miles' brigade +was ordered to take position on the right of Ludlow's brigade, which +it did in the following order: The Fourth Infantry on the left, +joining with the Second Massachusetts on Ludlow's right; the +Twenty-fifth on the right, with its left joining on the Fourth +Infantry. + +We must now review the progress of the battle so far as it is possible +to do so, from the firing of the first shot by Capron's battery up to +11.30, an hour long after the time at which it had been supposed that +El Caney would fall. Capron's reports are very brief. He says: "July +1--Fired shell and shrappnel into El Caney (ranged 2,400) 6.15 a.m. to +11.30 a.m." In another report he says: "Opened fire July 1, with shell +and shrappnel at 6.15 on Caney; range, 2,400 yards; continued until +11.30 a.m." He says that the battery "continued its fire against +specified objectives intermittently throughout the day under the +personal direction of the division commander." The forces we have so +far considered, consisting of Ludlow's and Miles' brigades, and of +Capron's battery, lay to the south of Caney, between it and Santiago, +Ludlow's brigade having been placed there to "cut off the retreat of +the garrison should it attempt to escape." Up to 11.30 there had been +no call for employing it for that purpose. The garrison had made no +attempt to escape. We must now go around to the east and north of +Caney. Here the Third Brigade, consisting of the Seventh, Twelfth and +Seventeenth Infantry, was posted, and early in the morning joined in +the attack, the brigade getting under fire before eight o'clock. +Colonel Carpenter, of the Seventh Regiment, says that one company of +his regiment, by General Chaffee's direction, was detached and sent +forward to reduce a blockhouse, well up on the hill, which commanded +the approach of his regiment to the field of action. After several +ineffectual attempts by the company, the Captain (Van Orsdale) was +directed to abandon the undertaking and rejoin the regiment, which +then took up a position on the crest of a hill running nearly parallel +with the Spanish lines. From this position the men crawled forward +about fifty yards and opened a deliberate fire upon the enemy, keeping +it up for about an hour, but as the losses of the regiment at this +time were considerable and the fire seemed to be without material +effect, the command was withdrawn to its position on the hill where +it found protection in a sunken road. In this condition this regiment +lay when Capron's battery made its lull at 11.30. The fearful fire +this regiment met can be estimated by the losses it sustained, which +during the day were as follows: Killed, 1 officer and 33 enlisted men; +wounded, 4 officers and 95 enlisted men; missing, 3 enlisted men. The +Seventeenth Regiment went into action on the right of the Seventh, +doing but little firing, as their orders were not to open fire unless +they could make the fire effective. Companies C and G fired a few +volleys; the remainder of the regiment did not fire at all. Four +enlisted men were killed and two officers severely wounded, one, +Lieutenant Dickinson, dying from his wounds within a few hours. +Several enlisted men were also wounded. At 11.30 this regiment was +lying on the right of the Seventh. The Twelfth Regiment began firing +between 6 and 7 in the morning and advanced to take its position on +the left of the Seventh Infantry. This regiment early reached a +position within 350 yards of the enemy, in which it found shelter in +the sunken road, "free from the enemy's fire." The regiment remained +in this position until about 4 o'clock in the afternoon, and, hence, +was there at 11.30 a.m. The losses of this regiment during the day +were, killed, 7 enlisted men; wounded, 2 officers and 31 enlisted men. +From these brief sketches the reader will now be able to grasp the +position of Lawton's entire division. Beginning on the south, from the +west, with Ludlow's brigade, consisting of the Twenty-second, Eighth +and Second Massachusetts, the line was continued by Miles' brigade of +the Fourth and Twenty-fifth Infantry; then passing over a considerable +space, we strike Chaffee's brigade, posted as has just been described. +General Bates' brigade probably arrived upon the field about noon. +This brigade consisted of the Third and Twentieth Infantry, and is +known as "Bates' Independent Brigade." The brigade is reported as +going into action about 1 o'clock and continuing in action until 4 +o'clock. It took a position on the right, partially filling up the gap +between Miles and Chaffee. The first battalion of the Twentieth +Infantry went into action on the left of the Twenty-fifth Infantry's +firing line, and one company, A, took part in the latter part of the +charge by which the stone house was taken. Between 11.30, when +Capron's firing stopped, and when Miles' brigade was moved forward to +join the right of Ludlow's, and 12.20, when the battery recommenced, +the troops, including Bates' brigade, were either in the positions +described above or were moving to them. Noon had arrived and El Caney +is not taken; the garrison has not attempted to escape, but is sending +out upon its assailants a continuous and deadly fire. "Throughout the +heaviest din of our fire," says Colonel Carpenter, "could be heard the +peculiar high-keyed ring of the defiant enemy's shots." + +Twelve o'clock on July 1st, 1898, was a most anxious hour for our army +in Cuba. The battle at El Caney was at a standstill and the divisions +of Kent and Sumner were in a most perilous situation. Bonsal's +description of the state of the battle at that time is pathetic. +Speaking of the artillery at El Caney--Capron's battery--he says it +was now apparent that this artillery, firing from its position of +twenty-four hundred yards, could do very little damage to the great +stone fort and earthworks north of the village. The shots were too few +and the metal used too light to be effectual. Three hours of the +morning had worn away and the advance of our men had been slowly made +and at great cost; all the approaches were commanded by Spanish +entrenchments and the fighting was very unequal. A soldier of the +Twenty-fifth says that when he came in sight of the battle at El +Caney, "the Americans were gaining no ground, and the flashes of the +Spanish mausers told us that the forces engaged were unequally +matched, the difference of position favoring the Spaniards." This view +was had about noon, or soon after. At that time "a succession of aides +and staff officers came galloping from headquarters with messages +which plainly showed that confusion, if not disaster, had befallen the +two divisions which, by the heavy firing, we had learned to our great +surprise, had become warmly engaged in the centre. The orders to +General Lawton from headquarters were at first peremptory in +character--he was to pull out of his fight and to move his division to +the support of the centre" (Bonsal). This call for Lawton arose from +the fact that about noon General Shafter received several dispatches +from Sumner, of the Cavalry Division, requiring assistance. General +Sumner felt the need of the assistance of every available man in the +centre of the line where he was carrying on his fight with the +Spaniards on Blue House Hill. This situation so impressed the General, +Shafter, that he finally wrote to Lawton, "You must proceed with the +remainder of your force and join on immediately upon Sumner's right. +If you do not the battle is lost." Shafter's idea then was to fall +back to his original plan of just leaving enough troops at El Caney to +prevent the garrison from going to the assistance of any other part of +the line. Shafter himself says: "As the fight progressed I was +impressed with the fact that we were meeting with a very stubborn +resistance at El Caney and I began to fear that I had made a mistake +in making two fights in one day, and sent Major Noble with orders to +Lawton to hasten with his troops along the Caney road, placing himself +on the right of Wheeler" (Sumner). Lawton now made a general advance, +and it is important to see just what troops did advance. The Seventh +Infantry did not move, for Lieutenant-Colonel Carpenter says that +after withdrawing "to the partial cover furnished by the road, the +regiment occupied this position from 8 o'clock a.m. until about 4.30 +p.m." The Seventeenth did not move, for Captain O'Brien, commanding, +says the regiment took a position joining "its left with the right of +the Seventh Infantry" and that the regiment "remained in this position +until the battle was over." The Twelfth Infantry remained in its +shelter within 350 yards of the stone fort until about 4 p.m. Then we +have Chaffee's brigade on the north of the fort remaining stationary +and by their own reports doing but little firing. The Seventeenth +fired "for about fifty minutes" about noon, with remarkable precision, +but "it seemingly had no effect upon reducing the Spanish fire +delivered in our (their) front." The Seventh did not fire to any +extent. The Twelfth Infantry lay in its refuge "free from the enemy's +fire" and may have kept up an irregular fire. + +About this time Bates' brigade entered the field and one battalion of +the Twentieth Infantry is reported to have joined the left of the +firing line of the Twenty-fifth. General Ludlow says there was a lull +from 12 to 1 p.m., "when the action again became violent, and at 3 +p.m. the Third Brigade captured the stone fort with a rush and hoisted +the American flag." From Ludlow's brigade, Captain Van Horne, +commanding the Twenty-second Infantry, after the wounding of +Lieutenant-Colonel Patterson, says that the First Battalion of his +regiment took a position about 800 yards from the town and kept up +firing until the place surrendered. He does not say positively that +the firing was upon the town, but he had said just before that the +Second Battalion slowly moved forward, firing into the town from the +left, so that we may readily conclude from the context as well as from +the position that the First Battalion fired into the town also. Hence +it seems fair to exclude from the fort all of Ludlow's brigade, and it +is observable that Ludlow himself claims no part in the capture of +that stronghold. + +General Bates says his brigade took position to the right of Colonel +Miles' brigade and pushed rapidly to the front. He then says that +after remaining sometime in the crossroad to the right of Miles' +brigade, under a heavy fire from the enemy, the brigade moved farther +"to the right to the assault of a small hill, occupied upon the top by +a stone fort and well protected by rifle pits. General Chaffee's +brigade charged them from the right, and the two brigades joining upon +the crest, opened fire from this point of vantage, lately occupied by +the Spanish, upon the village of El Caney." General Chaffee says it +was in consequence of the fire of General Bates' troops upon the fort +that the assault by the Twelfth Infantry was postponed. + +In General Chaffee's report this statement occurs: "The action lasted +nearly throughout the day, terminating at about 4.30 p.m., at which +time the stone blockhouse was assaulted by Captain Haskell's battalion +of the Twelfth Infantry, under the personal direction of +Lieutenant-Colonel Comba, commanding the regiment. The resistance at +this point had been greatly affected by the fire of Capron's battery. +A few moments after the seizure of this point--the key to the +situation--my left was joined by General Bates with a portion of his +command." It is to be noted in connection with all of the above +statements that Major McCaskey, who commanded the Twentieth Infantry +(Bates brigade), says: "The First Battalion was moved to the right and +put into action on the left of the Twenty-fifth Infantry's firing +line, and one company, A, took part in the latter part of the charge +by which the stone house was taken." The two points to be noted here +are (1) that this battalion was on the left of the Twenty-fifth's +firing line, and (2) that one company took part in the charge upon the +stone house. When Chaffee's brigade charged the stone house from the +right some of Bates' troops, at least this Company A, from the +battalion near the firing line of the Twenty-fifth Infantry, took part +in the latter part of the charge. The two brigades, Bates' and +Chaffee's, joined immediately after the capture of the stone fort and +opened fire upon the town. + +We have now traced the actions and the fortunes of the three following +brigades: Ludlow's Chaffee's and Bates'. But what has become of Miles' +brigade? Unfortunately, the Second Brigade has not been so well +reported as were the others engaged in the action at El Caney. We have +seen that it was ordered to take position on the right of Ludlow's +brigade at 11.30, when Capron's battery ceased its firing for the +fifty minutes. "We were detained in reaching our position by troops in +our front blocking the road," says the brigade commander. "We came +into action directly in front of the stone blockhouse at 12.30, and +from that hour until about 4.30, when the command 'cease firing' was +given, the blockhouse having been captured, my command was +continuously under fire." The reader will note in this report that the +brigade went into action at 12.30, several hours before the charge was +ordered by General Chaffee, and at least an hour and a half before, +according to the report of the commander of the Third Brigade, "this +fort was practically in the possession of the Twelfth Infantry." Major +Baker, who commanded the Fourth Infantry, says: "About 12 m. we +received orders directing us to take our place in the line of battle, +and arriving at the proper point the regiment was placed in line in +the following order: The First Battalion in the fighting line; the +Second Battalion in support and regimental reserve. In this order the +First Battalion, under my command, took up the advance toward the +blockhouse, to our right, south east of Caney." This battalion +advanced until it reached a position about 200 yards from the village, +where it remained, assisted by the Second Battalion until the capture +of the fort. Two companies of this First Battalion "fired into the +town and also into the blockhouse until its fall." A good part of the +fire of this regiment was directed upon the fort. + +Colonel Miles says: "The brigade advanced steadily, with such scanty +cover as the ground afforded, maintaining a heavy fire on the stone +fort from the time the fight began until it ended." The reader is +asked to note particularly that this fire was continuous throughout +the fight; that it was characterized by the brigade commander as +"heavy," and that it was "on the stone fort". He says: "As the brigade +advanced across a plowed field in front of the enemy's position the +latter's sharpshooters in the houses in Caney enfiladed the left of +our line with a murderous fire. To silence it Major Baker, Fourth +Infantry, in command of the battalion of that regiment on the left of +our line of battle, directed it to turn its fire upon the town. In so +doing this battalion lost heavily, but its steady front and accurate +volleys greatly assisted the advance of the remainder of the brigade +upon the stone fort." + +We have now these facts clearly brought out or suggested: That the +brigade took its place in line of battle soon after 12 o'clock; that +the Fourth Infantry was on the left; that the advance of the First +Battalion of the Fourth Infantry was "toward the blockhouse;" that +aside from the companies of the Fourth Infantry that fired into town, +"the remainder of the brigade advanced upon the stone fort." The +Fourth Infantry, holding the left of the line, however, reached a +position from which it could not advance, its commander having +"quickly perceived that an advance meant annihilation, as it would +involve not only a frontal, but also a flank fire from the town." Here +the Fourth Infantry remained, but continued to maintain a fire upon +both the blockhouse and the town. + +There is but one more regiment in all of Lawton's division to be +accounted for, and that is the Twenty-fifth Infantry, holding the +right of Miles' brigade in this advance. This regiment was in place +in the line under its gallant and experienced commander, +Lieutenant-Colonel A.S. Daggett, and contributed its full share of +that "heavy fire on the stone fort from the time the fight began until +it ended." Major McCaskey says the First Battalion of his regiment +took a position on the left of the Twenty-fifth's firing line. The +statement seems erroneous, and one is inclined to believe that it was +originally written "on the right," instead of "on the left"; but it is +enough for our purpose now, that the firing line of the Twenty-fifth +is recognized well in advance. Major Baker, who commanded on the left +of the brigade line, and whose advance was stopped by the flank fire +from the village and a frontal fire from the fort, says: "as a matter +of fact the village of El Caney was not charged by any troops. Those +of Bates' brigade and the Twenty-fifth Infantry, after having carried +the stone fort (on a hill some 75 feet higher, and to the east of the +town,) fired into the village, and the Fourth Infantry continued its +fire. Nor was it charged by any of the troops to our left. Such a +charge would necessarily have been seen by us." Major Baker, who was +on the field and had the blockhouse in clear view, declares that some +of Bates' brigade and the Twenty-fifth Infantry carried the stone +fort. Major McCaskey says that one battalion of the Twentieth Infantry +(Bates' brigade) was on the left of the Twenty-fifth's firing line, +and that one company (A) took part in the latter part of the charge by +which the fort was taken. This battalion may be referred to by Major +Baker when he says: "Those of Bates' brigade and the Twenty-fifth +Infantry, after having carried, etc." + +As there are some matters of dispute concerning the events which I am +now going to relate, I will present a soldier's statement before I go +to the official records. The soldier in writing to me after the battle +says: "I was left-guide of Company G (25th Infantry), and I received +orders from Lieutenant McCorkle to guide on Fourth Infantry, which +held the left flank. 'Forward, march! Guide left. Don't fire until you +see somebody; then fire to hit!' came the orders. Tramp! tramp! Crash! +crash! On we walked and stopped. We fired into the underbrush for +safety; then in another moment we were under Spanish fire. Balls flew +like bees, humming as they went. Soon we found ourselves up against a +network of Spanish trickery. Barbed-wire fences, ditches and creeks, +too numerous to think of. The only thing left was to go ahead or die; +or else retreat like cowards. We preferred to go ahead. At this first +fence Lieutenant McCorkle was taken to earth by a Spanish bullet. +Lieutenant Moss spoke out, 'Come ahead! Let's get at these Spaniards!' +A few moments more and he, too, was almost dead with exertion, loud +speaking, running and jumping, as onward we swept toward the Spanish +stronghold. The sun was exceedingly hot, as on the slope of a little +mound we rested for a few moments. We lay here about five minutes, +looking into the Spanish fort or blockhouse; we measured the distance +by our eyesight, then with our rifles; we began to cheer and storm, +and in a moment more, up the hill like a bevy of blue birds did the +Twenty-fifth fly. G and H Companies were the first to reach the summit +and to make the Spaniards fly into the city of El Caney, which lay +just behind the hill. When we reached the summit others soon began to +_mount our ladder_. We fired down into the city until nearly dusk." + +The brigade made its advance under fire almost from the beginning. The +commander says it was continuously under fire from 12.30 to 4.30 p.m. +"The attack was begun by two companies in each regiment on the firing +line, strengthened by supports and reserves from the remaining +companies until the brigade had but two companies in reserve. At one +time in this hotly engaged contest the commanding officer of the +Twenty-Fifth Infantry sent me word that he needed troops on his right. +I then sent forward 40 Cubans, under command of Captains Jose' Varges +and Avelens Bravo, with Lieutenants Nicholas Franco and Tomas Repelao, +to form on the right of the Twenty-fifth, which was also the right of +the brigade. With these Cubans I ordered Private Henry Downey, Company +H, First Infantry, on duty as interpreter at the headquarters. These +men advanced on the stone fort with our line, fighting gallantly, +during which Lieutenant Nicholas Franco was mortally wounded and died +soon afterwards." (Col. Miles' report.) + +From the soldier's story, as well as from the official report of the +brigade commander, it is conclusive that the real objective of the +Second Brigade was the stone fort, and that the Twenty-fifth Infantry, +which occupied the right of the line, had no other objective +whatever.* [Transcriber's Note: No footnote text present for this +footnote anchor.] It also appears that Bates' brigade, although +somewhere on the right, was not so near but that the commanding +officer of the Twenty-fifth could see the need of troops at his right; +and to meet this need the brigade commander "sent forward 40 Cubans, +who advanced on the stone fort with our lines." The fire from this +fort continued severe during the whole of the advance, and until the +last halt made by the Twenty-fifth. At the first fence met by the +Twenty-fifth Lieutenant McCorkle was killed; and, to use the words of +a soldier, "as the regiment swept toward the Spanish stronghold" to +reach the slope of a little mound for cover, many more fell. Behind +this little mound, after resting about five minutes, they began their +last fire upon the enemy. This must have been as late as 3 o'clock, +and perhaps considerably later, and the fire from the stone fort was +vigorous up until their last halt, as their casualties prove. The +battery had begun to fire on the fort again at 12.30 and continued +from the same position until 2.10, the range being as has been already +stated, 2,400 yards. Hence the artillery firing at long range had +ceased, and it is generally conceded that this long range firing had +been ineffective. Captain Capron says he moved his battery at 2.10 +p.m. to 1,000 yards from Caney and opened fire on two blockhouses. He +does not say at what hour he opened fire on these two blockhouses, or +how long he continued to fire, or what was the effect of his fire upon +the two block houses. Lieutenant-Colonel Bisbee, who was acting as +support of Capron's battery, says of himself that he "moved with the +battery at 3.30 p.m. by the Dubroix (Ducureaux) road." General Lawton +says the battery was moved to a new position about 2.30, "about 1,000 +yards from certain blockhouses in the town, where a few shots, all +taking effect, were fired." From these reports it would appear that +after moving to the second station the battery fired upon two +blockhouses in the town, and not upon the stone fort. General Ludlow, +speaking of the battle, says: "In the present case, the artillery fire +was too distant to reduce the blockhouses or destroy the +entrenchments, so that the attack was practically by infantry alone." +On the other hand, General Chaffee says: "The resistance at this +point," meaning the stone fort at the time of assault, "had been +greatly affected by the fire of Capron's battery." Colonel Comba, of +the Twelfth Infantry, says: "The artillery made the breach through +which our men entered the stone work." Bonsal says that Captain +Capron, "under the concentrated fire of his four guns at a point blank +range of a thousand yards, had converted the fort into a shapeless +ruin," when the infantry charged it. + +It is probable that in this case, as in most cases of similar nature, +the truth divides equally between the apparently opposing views. Of +General Ludlow, who is the authority for this statement, that the +stone fort at El Caney was taken by infantry alone, General Lawton +says: "General Ludlow's professional accomplishments are well known +and his assignment to command a brigade in my division I consider a +high compliment to myself." "The fighting was all done with small +arms" were the words written me by an infantryman soon after the +battle. The question, whether Capron fired upon the stone fort after +taking his new position, or fired on two blockhouses, entirely +distinct from the fort, remains undetermined. The author of this work +inclines to the conclusion that the fire of Capron after moving to his +new position was directed for a brief period, at least, upon the stone +fort. + +Inasmuch as we are now to trace the career of the Twenty-fifth +Infantry through an unfortunate dispute, on both sides of which are +officers of high rank and unimpeachable honor, it is important to +note, first, to what extent the several statements, both unofficial +and official, can be harmonized and made to corroborate one another. +Major Baker says: "Those of Bates' brigade and the Twenty-fifth +Infantry, after having carried the stone fort," which he explains was +some 75 feet higher than the town, then fired _down_ into the village. +The soldier who acted as left-guide of Company G, Twenty-fifth +Infantry, says, after getting up on the hill, "we fired _down_ into +the city until near dusk." The experience of the soldier agrees +exactly with the report of the officer. The fact that the Twenty-fifth +went up the hill cannot be questioned, and that up to their last halt, +they went under fire, no one will deny. Bonsal, in speaking of +Chaffee's brigade, which was "more immediately charged with the +reduction of Caney" (Ludlow's report), says: "And it was nearly five +o'clock when his most advanced regiment, the gallant Twelfth Infantry, +deployed into the valley and charged up the steep hillside, which was +lined with Spanish trenches, rising in irregular tiers and crowned +with a great stone fort." The stone fort at this time, however, was, +as he says, "a shapeless ruin." Where was the Twenty-fifth Infantry at +this time? Mr. Bonsal continues: "Almost at the same moment the +Twenty-fifth Colored Infantry, the leading regiment of Miles' brigade, +which had been advancing in the centre, started up the hill also." +General Lawton says that after moving the battery to its new position, +1,000 yards from certain blockhouses in the town, Capron fired a few +shots, all of which took effect, and he adds: "This firing terminated +the action, as the Spanish garrison were attempting to escape." +Colonel Comba says there was a breach in the stonework large enough +for his men to enter, and that this had been made by the artillery; +General Chaffee says resistance had been greatly affected by the +artillery, and Bonsal adds, the garrison resisted the last advance +made by the infantry but for a moment. + +General Chaffee declares: "The troops arriving at the fort were there +in the following order: Twelfth Infantry, which took the place; the +command of General Bates some moments later; the Twenty-fifth +Infantry." + +The facts therefore stand, that the Twenty-fifth Infantry was on the +ground with the first troops that reached the fort and that there was +a captain of that regiment who then and there claimed the capture of +the place, even against the claims of a Major-General. He was told +that his proposition was absurd, and so it may have been from one +standpoint; and yet there may be a ground upon which the captain's +claim was fair and just. + +That the Twelfth Infantry arrived on the ground first is not disputed; +but it is questioned whether the fort was belligerent at that time. +General Chaffee says the resistance had been greatly reduced by the +artillery; General Lawton says the action had been finished by +Capron's shots and the garrison was trying to escape; a soldier from +the Twenty-fifth says the Spaniards flew out of the fort to the town; +Bonsal says, they stoutly resisted "for a moment and then fled +precipitately down the ravine and up the other side, and into the +town." If first occupancy is the only ground upon which the capture of +a place can be claimed, then the title to the honor of capturing the +stone fort lies, according to official report as so far presented, +with the Twelfth Infantry. But even upon this ground it will be shown +that the Twenty-fifth's action will relieve the claim of its captain +from absurdity. We are now prepared to read the official report of the +commanding officer of the Twenty-fifth Regiment, Lieutenant-Colonel +Daggett, who was with the regiment all through the fight, and who bore +himself so well that the division commander said: "Lieutenant-Colonel +Daggett deserves special mention for skillful handling of his +regiment, and would have received it before had the fact been reported +by his brigade commander." + + July 5, 1898. + + Intrenchments Twenty-fifth United States Infantry, + Adjutant-General, Second Brigade, Second Division, Fifth + Corps. + + Sir:--I have the honor to submit the following report of the + part taken by the Twenty-fifth Infantry in the battle of the + 1st instant. The regiment formed firing line on the right of + the Fourth Infantry, facing a Spanish fort or blockhouse + about half a mile distant. On moving forward, the battalion, + composed of Companies C, D, E, G and H, and commanded by + Capt. W.S. Scott, received the fire of the enemy, and after + advancing about 400 yards was subjected to a galling fire on + their left. Finding cover, the battalion prepared for an + advance up the hill to the fort. This advance was made + rapidly and conducted with great skill by company officers. + + "On arriving within a short distance of the fort the white + flag was waved to our companies, but a cross fire prevented + the enemy from advancing with it or our officers from + receiving it. About twenty minutes later a battalion of some + other regiment advanced to the rear of the fort, completely + covered from fire, and received the flag; but the men of the + Twenty-fifth Infantry entered the fort at the same time. All + officers and men behaved gallantly. One officer was killed + and three wounded; eight men were killed and twenty wounded. + + "About 200 men and ten officers were in the firing line. I + attribute the comparatively small losses to the skill and + bravery of the company officers, viz.: First Lieutenant + Caldwell and Second Lieutenants Moss and Hunt. Second + Lieutenant French, adjutant of the battalion, was among + those who gallantly entered the fort. + + "The battle lasted about two hours and was a hotly contested + combat. Very respectfully, + + "A.S. DAGGETT, + "Lieutenant-Colonel, Twenty-fifth Infantry, Commanding." + +Here it is shown by the testimony of the regimental commander, that a +battalion of the Twenty-fifth ascended the hill and arrived at a short +distance from the fort about twenty minutes before any other troops +are mentioned as coming in sight; and that a white flag was waved to +the companies of the Twenty-fifth. It was doubtless upon this ground +that a captain of the Twenty-fifth had the temerity to claim the +capture of the place, even from a Major-General. I do not know who the +captain was, but it is evident that he had what he believed ample +grounds for his claim. Colonel Daggett says, also, that when the men +of the other regiment advanced to this fort after it had waved the +white flag to the companies of the Twenty-fifth, the men of the +Twenty-fifth advanced and entered the fort at the same time. Bonsal +says: "Almost at the same moment that the Twelfth started up the hill +the Twenty-fifth started up the hill also;" while according to Colonel +Daggett's testimony the Twenty-fifth was well up the hill already and +the fort had waved to it the white flag. + +Colonel Daggett makes this further report: + + Headquarters Twenty-fifth Infantry, + Near Santiago, Cuba, July 16, 1898. + + The Adjutant-General, Second Division, Fifth Corps, near Santiago, + Cuba. + + Sir:--Feeling that the Twenty-fifth Infantry has not + received credit for the part it took in the battle of El + Caney on the first instant, I have the honor to submit the + following facts: + + I was ordered by the brigade commander to put two companies + (H, Lieutenant Caldwell, and G, Lieutenant McCorkle) on the + firing line in extended order. The right being uncovered and + exposed to the enemy, I ordered D Company (Captain Edwards) + to deploy as flankers. The battalion was commanded by Capt. + W.S. Scott. The battalion advanced about 300 yards under + fire, the Fourth Infantry on its left, where the line found + cover, halted, and opened fire on the blockhouse and + intrenchments in front of it. After the line had been + steadied and had delivered an effective fire, I ordered a + further advance, which was promptly made. As the Fourth + Infantry did not advance, my left was exposed to a very + severe fire from the village on the left. I immediately + ordered Company C (Lieutenant Murdock), which was in + support, to the front, and E. Company (Lieutenant Kinnison) + from regimental reserve to take its place. Thus + strengthened, the four companies moved up the hill rapidly, + being skilfully handled by company officers. On arriving + near the fort the white flag was waved toward our men, but + the fire from the village on our left was so severe that + neither our officers nor Spanish could pass over the + intervening ground. After about twenty minutes some of the + Twelfth Infantry arrived in rear of the fort, completely + sheltered from the fire from the village, and received the + white flag; but Privates J.H. Jones, of Company D, and T.C. + Butler, H. Company, Twenty-fifth Infantry, entered the fort + at the same time and took possession of the Spanish flag. + They were ordered to give it up by an officer of the Twelfth + United States Infantry, but before doing so they each tore a + piece from it, which they now have. So much for the facts. + + I attribute the success attained by our line largely to the + bravery and skill of the company officers who conducted the + line to the fort. These officers are: First Lieutenants V.A. + Caldwell and J.A. Moss, and Second Lieutenant J.E. Hunt. It + is my opinion that the two companies first deployed could + not have reached the fort alone, and that it was the two + companies I ordered to their support that gave them the + power to reach it. I further believe that had we failed to + move beyond the Fourth Infantry the fort would not have been + taken that night. + + The Twenty-fifth Infantry lost one officer killed[18] and + three wounded, and seven men killed and twenty-eight + wounded. + + Second Lieutenant H.W. French, adjutant of Captain Scott's + battalion, arrived at the fort near the same time as the + other officers. + + I request that this report be forwarded to corps + headquarters. + + Very respectfully, + + A.S. DAGGETT, + Lieutenant-Colonel, Twenty-fifth Infantry, Commanding. + +General Chaffee's statement is not to be questioned for a moment. +There is not the least doubt that the troops, as organizations arrived +at the fort in the order he describes. General Lawton says: "General +Chaffee's brigade was especially charged with the duty of assaulting +the stone fort, and successfully executed that duty, after which a +portion of the Twenty-fifth, and a portion of Bates' brigade, assisted +in the work, all of which is commendable." He says also, that the +"Twenty-fifth Infantry did excellent service, as reported, though +not better than the others engaged.' This seems to confirm +Lieutenant-Colonel Daggett's report, for he says he is sure the +regiment did excellent work, "as reported;" and at that time he is +commenting on Lieutenant-Colonel Daggett's report, the report printed +above. The broad statements of General Lawton do not touch the exact +question at issue between the reports of the subordinate commanders; +nor do they throw any light on the circumstances of the final charge. +Miles' brigade had been advancing on the stone fort for some hours, +and the Twenty-fifth was so near when the charge of the Twelfth was +made that portions of it were on the hill and near the fort at the +same time. The commander of the Third Brigade saw the fight from one +side and reported events as he learned them. His official statement +requires no support. The commanding officer of the Twenty-fifth +Infantry saw the fight from another standpoint, and his official +reports are entitled to equal respect. Both the General's and the +Lieutenant-Colonel's must be accepted as recitals of facts, made with +all the accuracy that high personal integrity armed with thorough +military training can command. Happily the statements, which at first +appear so widely at variance, are entirely reconcilable. The following +supplementary report of the regimental commander, when taken in +connection with the final complimentary orders published in the +regiment before leaving Cuba, will place the whole subject before the +reader and put the question at rest, and at the same time leave +undisturbed all the reports of superior officers. + + Headquarters Twenty-fifth Infantry, + Montauk Point, Long Island, August 22, 1898. + + The Adjutant-General, U.S. Army, Washington, D.C. + + Sir:--I have the honor to submit a supplementary report to + the original one made on the 19th (16th) of July, 1898, of + the battle of El Caney de Cuba, so far as relates to the + part taken therein by the Twenty-fifth Infantry: + + 1. I stated in the original report that the Twenty-fifth + Infantry, in advancing, broke away from and left the Fourth + Infantry behind. This may inferentially reflect on the + latter regiment. It was not so intended, and a subsequent + visit to the battle-field convinces me that it would have + been impossible for the regiment to advance to the fort, + and, although it might have advanced a short distance + farther, it would have resulted in a useless slaughter, and + that the battalion commander exercised excellent judgment in + remaining where he did and by his fire aiding the + Twenty-fifth Infantry in its advance. + + 2. Colonel Miles, the then brigade commander, informed me + that his first report of the battle would be brief and that + a later and full report would be made. In his former report + I think he failed to give credit to myself and regiment. As + he was soon after relieved of the command of the brigade I + assume that no further report will be made. + + I have reported what the regiment did, but said nothing + about my own action. I must, therefore, report it myself or + let it go unrecorded. Distasteful as it is to me, I deem it + duty to my children to state the facts and my claims based + thereon, as follows: + + 1. I was ordered to put two companies in the firing line. + Before this line advanced the brigade commander informed me, + and personal examination verified, that my right was in the + air and exposed. On my own judgment I ordered a company, as + flankers, to that part of the line. + + 2. As soon as the line had rested and become steadied at its + first halt I ordered it to advance, and it continued to + advance, although it broke away from the rest of the + brigade. + + 3. As this exposed the left to a galling and dangerous fire, + I ordered, on my own judgment, a company to re-enforce that + part of the line and a company from the regimental reserve + also to the fighting line. + + These are the facts, and as my orders were to keep my left + joined to the right of the Fourth Infantry, and received no + further orders, my claims are as follows: + + 1. That it was necessary to place a company on the right as + flankers. + + 2. That the conditions offered an opportunity to advance + after the first halt, and I took advantage of it. + + 3. That the left being exposed by this advance of the line + beyond the rest of the brigade, it was proper and necessary + to re-enforce it by two companies. + + 4. That the two companies first deployed could not have + reached the stone fort. + + 5. That the three companies added to the firing line gave it + the power to reach the fort. + + 6. That the advance beyond the rest of the brigade was a + bold and, without support, dangerous movement, but that the + result justified the act. Had it failed I would have been + held responsible. + + 7. That I saw at each stage of the battle what ought to be + done, and did it. Results show that it was done at the right + moment. + + 8. That the Twenty-fifth Infantry caused the surrender of + the stone fort. + + I desire to repeat that it is with great reluctance that I + make so much of this report as relates to myself, and + nothing but a sense of duty would impel me to do it. + + Very respectfully, + + A.S. DAGGETT, + Lieutenant-Colonel, Twenty-fifth Infantry, Commanding. + + +LOSSES OF THE TWENTY-FIFTH INFANTRY. + + Killed.--Lieutenant H.L. McCorkle, Company G; Private Albert + Strother, H; Private John W. Steele, D; Corporal Benj. + Cousins, H; Private John B. Phelps, D; Private French Payne, + B; Private Aaron Leftwich, G; Private Tom Howe, D. + + Wounded.--Company A: Private William H. Clarke, Sergeant + Stephen A. Browne. Company B: Private Tom Brown. Company C: + Lieutenant John S. Murdock, Private Joseph L. Johnson, + Private Samuel W. Harley, Private John A. Boyd. Company D; + Captain Eaton A. Edwards, Sergeant Hayden Richards, Private + Robert Goodwin. Company E: Lieutenant H.L. Kinnison, Private + James Howard, Private John Saddler, Private David C. Gillam, + Private Hugh Swann. Company F: First Sergeant Frank Coleman. + Company G: Corporal James O. Hunter, Private Henry + Brightwell, Private David Buckner, Private Alvin Daniels, + Private Boney Douglas, Private George P. Cooper, Private + John Thomas, Corporal Gov. Staton, Private Eugene Jones. + Company H: Private James Bevill, Private Henry Gilbert. + + Wounded July 2.--Private Elwood A. Forman, H; Private Smith, + D; Private William Lafayette, F. + +COMPLIMENTARY ORDER. + + Headquarters 25th Infantry, + + Near Santiago de Cuba, August 11, 1898. + General Orders No. 19. + + The regimental commander congratulates the regiment on the + prospect of its speedy return to the United States. + + Gathered from three different stations, many of you + strangers to each other, you assembled as a regiment for the + first time in more than twenty-eight years on May 7, 1898, + at Tampa, Florida. There you endeavored to solidify and + prepare yourselves, as far as the oppressive weather would + permit, for the work that appeared to be before you; but, + who could have fortold the severity of that work? + + You endured the severe hardships of a long sea voyage, which + no one who has not experienced it can appreciate. You then + disembarked, amidst dangerous surroundings; and on landing + were for the first time on hostile ground. You marched, + under a tropical sun, carrying blanket-roll, three days' + rations, and one hundred rounds of ammunition, through rain + and mud, part of the time at night, sleeping on the wet + ground without shelter, living part of the time on scant + rations, even, of bacon, hard bread and coffee, until on + July 1 you arrived at El Caney. Here you took the battle + formation and advanced to the stone fort, more like veterans + than troops who had never been under fire. You again + marched, day and night, halting only to dig four lines of + intrenchments, the last being the nearest point to the enemy + reached by any organization, when, still holding your + rifles, within these intrenchments, notice was received that + Santiago and the Spanish army had surrendered. + + But commendable as the record cited may be, the brightest + hours of your lives were on the afternoon of July 1. Formed + in battle array, you advanced to the stone fort against + volleys therefrom, and rifle-pits in front, and against a + galling fire from blockhouses, the church tower and the + village on your left. You continued to advance, skilfully + and bravely directed by the officers in immediate command, + halting and delivering such a cool and well-directed fire + that the enemy was compelled to wave the white flag in token + of surrender. + + Seldom have troops been called upon to face a severer fire, + and never have they acquitted themselves better. + + The regimental reserve was called upon to try its nerve, by + lying quiet under a galling fire, without the privilege of + returning it, where men were killed and wounded. This is a + test of nerve which the firing line cannot realize, and + requires the highest qualities of bravery and endurance. + + You may well return to the United States proud of your + accomplishments; and if any one asks you what you have done, + point him to El Caney. + + But in the midst of the joy of going home, we mourn the loss + of those we leave behind. The genial, generous-hearted + McCorkle fell at his post of duty, bravely directing his men + in the advance on the stone fort. He died as the soldier + dies, and received a soldier's burial. He was beloved by all + who knew him, and his name will always be fondly remembered + by his regiment--especially by those who participated in the + Santiago campaign. The officers of the regiment will wear + the prescribed badge of mourning for Lieutenant McCorkle for + thirty days. And Corporal Benjamin Cousins, Privates Payne, + Lewis, Strother, Taliaferro, Phelps, Howell, Steel and + Leftwitch, sacrificed their lives on their country's altar. + Being of a race which only thirty-five years ago emerged + through a long and bloody war, from a condition of + servitude, they in turn engaged in a war which was + officially announced to be in the interest of humanity and + gave all they had--their lives--that the oppressed might be + free, and enjoy the blessings of liberty guaranteed by a + stable government. They also died like true soldiers and + received a soldier's burial. + + By order of Lieutenant-Colonel Daggett. + + M.D. CRONIN, + First Lieutenant and Adjutant, 25th Infantry. + + +MAJOR GENERAL AARON S. DAGGETT. + +General Aaron S. Daggett is a native of Maine, born at Greene Corner, +in that State, June 14, 1837. He is descended from a paternal ancestry +which can be traced, with an honorable record, as far back as 1100 +A.D. His mother was Dorcas C., daughter of Simon Dearborn, a +collateral descendant of General Henry Dearborn. His more immediate +ancestors came from Old to New England about 1630, and both his +grandparents served in the Continental Army during the Revolutionary +War. He was educated in his native town, at Monmouth Academy, Maine +Wesleyan Seminary and Bates College. At the outbreak of the Civil War +he enlisted as a private, April 27th, 1861, in the 5th Maine Infantry; +was appointed second lieutenant May 1, and promoted first lieutenant +May 24, 1861. He commanded his company at the first Bull Run battle, +and was promoted captain August 14, 1861. + +[Illustration: Lieutenant-Colonel A.S. Daggett] + +From the first engagement of the regiment to the end of its three +years' memorable service, Captain Daggett proved a faithful and +gallant soldier. He was promoted major, January 8th, 1863; on January +18th, 1865, was commissioned lieutenant-colonel of the 5th Regiment, +United States Veteran Volunteers, Hancock Corps, and was brevetted +colonel and brigadier-general of volunteers, March 13, 1865, for +"gallant and meritorious services during the war." He also received +the brevets of major in the United States Army for "gallant and +meritorious services at the battle of Rappahannock Station, Va.," +November 7, 1863, and lieutenant-colonel for "gallant and meritorious +services in the battle of the Wilderness, Va." Immediately after the +battle of Rappahannock Station, the captured trophies, flags, cannons, +etc., were escorted, by those who had been most conspicuous in the +action, to General Meade's headquarters, Colonel Daggett being in +command of the battalion of his brigade. General Upton to whom he owed +this distinction, wrote of him as follows: + + "In the assault at Rappahannock Station, Colonel Daggett's + regiment captured over five hundred prisoners. In the + assault at Spottsylvania Court House, May 10, his regiment + lost six out of seven captains, the seventh being killed on + the 12th of May, at the "angle," or the point where the tree + was shot down by musketry, on which ground the regiment + fought from 9.30 A.M. to 5.30 P.M., when it was relieved. On + all these occasions Colonel Daggett was under my immediate + command, and fought with distinguished bravery. + + "Throughout his military career in the Army of the Potomac, + he maintained the character of a good soldier and an upright + man, and his promotion would be commended by all those who + desire to see courage rewarded." + +General Upton also wrote to the Governor of Maine as follows: + + "I would respectfully recommend to Your Excellency, Major + A.S. Daggett, formerly 5th Maine Volunteers, as an officer + highly qualified to command a regiment. Major Daggett served + his full term in this brigade with honor both to himself and + State, and won for himself the reputation of being a brave, + reliable and efficient officer. His promotion to a colonelcy + would be a great benefit to the service, while the honor of + his State could scarcely be entrusted to safer hands." + +He was subsequently recommended for promotion by Generals Meade, +Hancock, Wright and D.A. Russell. He was in every battle and campaign +in which the Sixth Corps, Army of the Potomac, was engaged, from the +first Bull Run to Petersburg, and was twice slightly wounded. On July +28, 1866, without his knowledge or solicitation, he was appointed a +captain in the U.S. Regular Army, on recommendation of General Grant, +and has since been promoted colonel in this service. During his +subsequent career he has won the reputation of being a fine tactician +and of being thoroughly versed in military law, as is indicated by +Major Hancock's commendatory words in 1878: + + "I look upon him as by far the best tactician in the + regiment, and as for a thorough, clear knowledge of tactics + his superior is not in the army. As regards military and + civil law, I know of no one so well informed." + +His ability and soldierly qualities have also been highly commended by +General Crook, Colonel Hughes--Inspector-General in 1891--and Colonel +----, Inspector-General in 1892. + +Not only as a soldier, but in many other ways, has General Daggett +distinguished himself. As a public speaker the following was said of +him by the Rev. S.S. Cummings, of Boston: + + "It was my privilege and pleasure to listen to an address + delivered by General A.S. Daggett on Memorial Day of 1891. I + had anticipated something able and instructive, but it far + exceeded my fondest expectations. The address was dignified, + yet affable, delivered in choice language without + manuscript, instructive and impressive, and highly + appreciated by an intelligent audience." + +General Daggett is noted for his courteous and genial manner, and his +sterling integrity of character. He is a member of the Presbyterian +church. + + War Department, Inspector-General's Office, + Washington, Jan. 6th, 1899. + + To the Adjutant-General, U.S.A., Washington, D.C. + + Sir:--I desire to recommend to your favorable consideration + and for advancement in case of the reorganization of the + Regular Army, Lieutenant-Colonel A.S. Daggett, 25th U.S. + Infantry. + + I have known Colonel Daggett for a long time; he served in + the War of the Rebellion with the 5th Maine Volunteers and + acquitted himself with much honor; he served in Cuba in the + war with Spain, commanding the 25th U.S. Infantry, and was + conspicuous for gallantry at the battle of El Caney. He is + an officer of the highest character, intelligent, courageous + and energetic. + + I sincerely trust that he may receive all the consideration + he deserves. + + Very respectfully, + + (Sd) H.W. LAWTON, + Major-General, U.S.V. + + A true copy: + + + M.D. CRONIN, + First Lieutenant and Adjutant 25th Infantry. + Headquarters Department of the East, + Governor's Island, New York City, + December 29, 1898. + + Honorable R.A. Alger, Secretary of War, Washington, D.C. + + Sir:--I recommend to the favorable consideration of the + Secretary of War for promotion to Brigadier-General, Colonel + A.S. Daggett, 25th Infantry. This officer has an excellent + war record; his service has been faithful since then, and in + the recent Spanish-American war he distinguished himself by + his good judgment and faithful attention to duty, as well as + for gallant service in action. An appointment of this + character will be very highly appreciated throughout the + army as a recognition of faithful, meritorious and gallant + service. From my observation of Colonel Daggett he is well + qualified for the position. + + Very respectfully, + + (Sd) WM. R. SHAFTER, + Major-General, U.S. Volunteers. + + M.D. CRONIN, + + A true copy: + + First Lieutenant and Adjutant 25th Infantry. + +To this very brilliant official record it is necessary to add but a +word personal. Colonel Daggett is a typical New Englander; tall, +well-formed, nervous and sinewy, a centre of energy, making himself +felt wherever he may be. Precise and forceful of speech, correct and +sincere in manners, a safe counsellor and a loyal friend, his +character approaches the ideal. Stern and commanding as an officer he +is nevertheless tender and sympathetic. His very sensitiveness +concerning the feelings of others embarrasses him in giving expression +to his own feelings on seeing suffering, unless it should be urgent, +but those who know him best know him to be just, humane and tender. No +man could have taken more care than he did for his regiment in Cuba. +Hating oppression and wrong with a vehemency suited to his intense +nature, he nevertheless deplores war and bloodshed. The President of +the United States never did a more worthy act than when he gave to +Lieutenant-Colonel A.S. Daggett of the Twenty-fifth Infantry his +commission as Brigadier-General of Volunteers in recognition of his +valor and skill at El Caney and of his general efficiency as an +officer in our army. + +TESTIMONIES CONCERNING THE WORK OF THE TWENTY-FIFTH INFANTRY BEFORE EL +CANEY. + + + Headquarters First District, Southern Luzon, + El Deposito, P.I., April 20, 1900. + + My Dear General Daggett:--Some time ago I received a letter + from you asking me to make an official statement as to where + and at what objective the energies and fire of the 25th + Infantry were directed during the battle of El Caney, Cuba, + July 1, 1898. + + In reply I have the honor to officially state that about + noon July 1, 1898, the regiment moved from the mango grove, + near the Ducro House, toward a stone fort located on a hill, + near the town of El Caney. + + It arrived at about one of the afternoon at a point about + eight hundred yards to the south and east of the fort; + immediately deployed, and the First Battalion, under command + of Captain Walter S. Scott, and of which I was adjutant, + designated as the attacking line. Presently, after advancing + a few yards, we were subjected to a galling fire from the + stone fort, the trenches in its front and from a blockhouse + on its right. The line steadily moved forward, directing its + fire at the stone fort and the trenches surrounding it. When + within about one hundred and fifty yards from the fort the + line was halted, and several sharpshooters, directed by + their company officers to fire at the loopholes. Finally, + when the men had regained their wind, a rush was made, part + of the line going through a cornfield. At the foot the line + was again halted, and after a few moments' rest charged up + the hill, and the fort surrendered. + + I went to the fort and found a Spanish lieutenant and seven + enlisted men whom I passed out and were taken charge of by + an officer of the 12th Infantry. This was about 3.50 P.M. + + * * * * * + + Note.--Since the above was written, General Daggett + served with great distinction in the Philippines and in + China, and was retired as a brigadier-general--a hero + of four wars. A bill is now before Congress to make him + a major-general, an honor to which he is most justly + entitled. + + * * * * * + + As soon as the line reached the top of the hill it was + fired on from the town, which had before been masked by the + hill; the fire was of course returned, and this was the + first fire from the battalion directed at the town. About + five o'clock firing had ceased, the battalion was assembled + and marched away. + + (Sd) H.W. FRENCH, + First Lieutenant, 17th Infantry (late Second Lieutenant 25th + Infantry). + + A true copy: + + H.G. LEARNARD, + Capt. and Adj. 14th Infantry. + Manila, P.I., March 30, 1900. + + I certify that in the action of El Caney, Cuba, July 1, + 1898, the company I commanded, i.e., H, 25th Infantry, + directed its fire almost exclusively on the stone fort and + the trench a few yards from its base. That very little of + this company's fire was directed on the town and none before + the fort was carried. + + (Sd) VERNON A. CALDWELL, + First Lieutenant, 25th Infantry. + + A true copy: + + H.G. LEARNARD, + Capt. and Adj. 14th Infantry. + Tayug, Luzon, Philippine Islands, + April 17th, 1900. + + To Those in Military Authority. + + Regarding the battle of El Caney, Cuba, July 1, 1898, I + hereby certify: + + 1. From about 1.20 o'clock P.M. to the time of the capture + of the town of El Caney, I was in command of two + companies--C and G--forming part of the 25th U.S. Infantry + firing line. + + 2. From about 2.55 o'clock P.M. to the time of the capture + of the town, very nearly the entire 25th Infantry firing + line was under my observation. + + 3. From about 2.55 o'clock P. M. to about 3.20, the time of + the surrender of the stone fort to the east of the town, the + fire of the entire 25th Infantry firing line within my sight + was directed against the fort. + + 4. During this period of the battle the 25th Infantry firing + line was about 150 yards from the stone fort. + + 5. From the time the firing line began firing--about 1 + o'clock P.M.--to the time of the surrender of the stone + fort--about 3.20 P.M.--the companies under my command and + all others under my observation concentrated their fire on + the fort. + + 6. About 3.20 P.M., I was standing about 150 yards from the + stone fort, and I plainly and distinctly saw a Spaniard + appear in the door of the fort, and, for two or three + seconds, wave a white flag at the 25th Infantry firing line, + and upon being shot down, another Spaniard picked up the + flag and likewise waved it at the 25th Infantry firing line. + + 7. After the white flag had twice been presented to the 25th + Infantry firing line, and after all fire from the stone fort + had ceased, the firing line rushed forward, took up a + position facing to their left--that is, facing the town--and + began a vigorous fire on a small blockhouse and on the town. + + Respectfully, + + JAMES A. MOSS, + First Lieutenant, 24th U.S. Infantry. + + + +RECOLLECTIONS OF THE SANTIAGO CAMPAIGN, BY CAPTAIN R.H.R. +LOUGHBOROUGH, 25TH U.S. INFANTRY. + + The 25th U.S. Infantry left its stations in Montana on the + 10th of April, 1898; six companies (B, C, D, E, F and H) + went in camp at Chickamauga National Park; the other two + companies (A and G) went to Key West, Fla. + + On May 6th the six companies at the Chickamauga National + Park moved by rail to Tampa, Fla., arriving the night of the + 7th, where they were joined by the two companies from Key + West. With the exception of three days in 1870, the regiment + had never been together since its organization in 1869. It + necessarily followed that many of the officers, as well as + men, were strangers to each other. + + Our camp at Tampa was fair; the ground is sandy and flat, + but as the rainy season had not set in, it was dry and the + health was good. Drills and parades were held daily (Sundays + excepted), but on account of the intense heat the hours for + it were limited to the early mornings and after sunset. The + clothing of the men was the same they had worn in Montana, + and did not add to their comfort. Supplies of all kinds + (except rations) came by piecemeal, and we finally sailed + for the tropics with the same clothing used in the + Northwest. + + At 6 o'clock P.M. June 6th the regiment received orders to + strike tents and be ready to move within an hour; the order + was immediately complied with, though the necessary + transportation to move the baggage did not report until the + forenoon of the following day; it was not far from noon when + the last of it left the camp for the railroad station, en + route to Port Tampa, where we were to embark on transports + for the seat of war. + + As soon as the camp equipage was started, the regiment was + formed and marched to West Tampa (about three miles), where + we took a train for Port Tampa, distant nine miles. On + arrival, the regiment boarded the steamer "Concho," one of + the vessels to carry the expedition to its destination. The + 4th U.S. Infantry had preceded us, and the next day a + battalion of the 2d Massachusetts Volunteers was put on, but + owing to the crowded condition of the ship, a few days later + they were transferred to another vessel. + + The "Concho" is a large ship, but without the comforts I + have seen since then on the U.S. Army transports plying + between San Francisco and Manila. The ships used were + hastily fitted up for the occasion, and it could not be + expected that they would be all that was required, but some + of the appointments could and should have been better. After + a tedious wait until June 14th, we sailed down Tampa Bay and + out on the Gulf of Mexico, still in ignorance of our + destination. The evening of the 15th the light at Dry + Tortugas was seen to our right. June 16th, 17th and 18th our + course was a little south of east, and part of the time the + north coast of Cuba was visible. The weather (except the + intense heat) was fine. On Sunday morning, June 18th, we + entered the Windward Passage, and it seemed certain, from + our course, that Santiago was our objective. Early the next + morning the high mountains of Santiago de Cuba were in plain + sight to our north. June 20th and 21st, remained off the + coast; the sea was rough and the vessel rolled considerably, + adding to the discomfort of every one, especially those + subject to seasickness. During the evening of the 21st, + orders were received to be ready to disembark the following + morning. About 8 A.M. on the 22d our warships began shelling + the coast, and two hours later the troops started in small + boats from the transports to the shore. By evening most of + the Second Division and part of the Cavalry Division were on + Cuban soil. There was no opposition to our landing; I + believe that a small force well handled could have made it + very difficult, if, indeed, it could not have prevented it. + + As soon as the regiment had landed it was marched out about + four miles and bivouacked for the night. The country is + rugged and covered with a dense tropical vegetation. A few + "Cuban Patriots" had joined us and formed the extreme + advance, saving us some disagreeable outpost duty. This was + the only service that I know of them doing throughout the + campaign, though they were always on hand ration day. Later + developments showed that the service rendered was not so + important, as any Spanish force had retired to a safe place, + something our friends looked out for whenever there was any + danger. + + June 23d, the regiment started shortly after daylight + towards the city of Santiago. About 9 o'clock there was a + report that the enemy were in our front. The regiment was + immediately formed for battle, and reconnoitering parties + sent forward; after about thirty minutes' delay the supposed + enemy proved to be the large leaves of some tropical trees + being moved by the wind, giving them the appearance of + persons in motion. Our route was over a narrow trail, + through a dense wilderness; water was scarce and the heat + was intense. About noon we arrived at Siboney, where we + bivouacked for the night. Before daylight next morning the + troops in our rear were heard passing on the trail by our + camp. Shortly after daylight Captain Capron's battery of + four guns passed, and the men lined up along the road and + cheered lustily. About an hour later, musketry fire and the + occasional discharge of a Hotchkiss gun could be plainly + heard towards Santiago. About three-quarters of an hour + later we received orders to march. By mistake, the wrong + trail was taken, and after marching fourteen hours we + returned to our camp of the previous night, all fagged out. + A great many men of the brigade were overcome with heat + during this long, tiresome and fruitless ramble. I cannot + say how many of these were of the 25th Infantry, but in my + own company (B) there was not a man out of the ranks when + the camp was reached. (I have called the above-mentioned + place "Siboney." There is probably some other name for it, + as the Cubans have one for every hamlet. It is not far from + Siboney, and not knowing the name, have called it Siboney.) + + On the morning of the 25th we got rations from the transport + and all enjoyed a hearty breakfast. At 1 P.M. we broke camp + and marched to Sevilla, about six miles. Here we remained + until the morning of the 27th, part of the regiment being + out on picket duty. June 27th, the regiment marched three + miles towards Santiago and bivouacked on the banks of a + small creek. Bathing was forbidden, as the creek was the + only water supply for the army. The troops remained at this + place until the afternoon of June 30th. The camp was in the + valley of the creek, the ground is low and flat, and with + the heavy rainfall every one was uncomfortable. Rations had + to be brought from Siboney over a trail and did not arrive + regularly. + + About 1 o'clock in the afternoon on the 30th, the officers + of the regiment were assembled at headquarters and were + notified that there would be an attack on the Spanish + position the next morning. About 4 o'clock the regiment + started for its position, arriving after 10 o'clock, having + covered a distance of less than three miles. The route was + over an excuse for a road, but was crowded with some of the + troops of almost every organization of the army, causing + numberless halts, but worse than all, breaking the + much-needed rest of the troops. On one part of this route I + heard men asking, "What regiment is this?" and heard various + responses, as follows: "The W.W.W.'s, the 1st Cavalry, the + 4th Infantry, the 10th Cavalry," etc. Some one asked, "What + are the W.W.W.'s?" and some one replied, "Wood's Weary + Walkers." I do not know who is responsible for that + condition of affairs. Had we had an enterprising enemy in + our front, disaster certainly would have followed. Here were + a number of organizations scattered along a narrow, muddy + trail, at the mercy of an active foe. All this was only + three or four miles from the Spanish works. The men were + cheerful, and few if any realized that there might be + danger. + + Most of the men were up and moving about before daylight the + next morning. Shortly after, the regiment started in the + direction of El Caney. At 9 A.M. we halted in a mango grove + near the Ducureau mansion. Shortly before noon a mounted + orderly appeared with a message for the brigade commander. A + few minutes later the march towards El Caney was taken up. + Heavy musketry fire had been heard in that direction since + shortly before 7 o'clock. A march of little more than a mile + and the regiment was formed for battle, Companies G and H in + the firing line, C and D in support, the remaining four + companies in reserve. + + For two hours or perhaps more the firing was very heavy, + especially during the second hour. Attention is called to + report of Colonel A.S. Daggett, pages 387 and 388, "Report + of the War Department, 1898, Vol. I," and endorsement on + same by Major-General A.R. Chaffee. He says: "This stone + fort was practically in the possession of the 12th Infantry + at about 2 P.M. July 1." I cannot reconcile this statement + with the fact that between the hours named some of the + heaviest firing was going on, which does not indicate that + its defenders were ready to give up. Lord Wellington once + said, "At the end of every campaign truth lies at the bottom + of a deep well, and it often takes twenty years to get her + out." This may not be an exception. About half-past 4 + o'clock the firing ceased and El Caney was ours. + + The dead were collected near a hedge and the regiment was + formed in column of masses to pay a silent tribute of + respect to our departed comrades. + + The regiment then started for the mango grove where we had + left our blanket rolls and haversacks. Just as we were + starting, some men with canteens started for water (about a + mile away), when orders were received to be ready to march + in twenty minutes. A few rods took us back to the road + leading to Santiago. We moved down the road about + three-quarters of a mile and halted. Two hours later, the + pack train arrived with ammunition and then another with + rations. Before the latter were issued orders were issued to + move at once to the rear. The regiment marched over the + trail it had come on the day before, arriving at El Poso + about 8 o'clock A.M. Here we took the road leading to + Santiago. About 9 A.M. we passed under San Juan Hill and + moved to our right. Our forces held the crest of the hill. + In passing along the hill we were sheltered from the fire + except a short space, where one or two men were slightly + wounded. Arriving at the La Cruz house near the road leading + from El Caney to Santiago about 3.30 P.M. and bivouacked for + the night. About 10 o'clock the troops on our left were + attacked by the Spanish. The firing was very heavy for an + hour, when it suddenly ceased, and we retired for the night. + During this time we were under the hill and protected from + the fire. + + Next morning (Sunday, July 3d) desultory firing began at + daylight. About 7 A.M. the regiment left the La Cruz house + and moved across the Caney-Santiago road and formed line to + the left and moved forward to a ridge overlooking the city. + A number of shots fell about us, but no one was struck. + Shortly after, we were in possession of the ridge and began + intrenching. The firing was kept up and two men were + wounded. About noon we were informed that a truce had been + established and all work was stopped. This gave all a + much-needed rest, though it proved to be of short duration, + caused by a false alarm by Major Webb, the inspector of the + division staff. + + During the afternoon the regiment was moved to the foot of + the ridge, leaving only the pickets on the crest. About 8.30 + P.M. we were ordered to the picket line and began + intrenching. The tall grass was wet from a drenching rain a + few hours before. The ground, though wet, was hard, and slow + progress was made, having only their bayonets for picks and + their bare hands for shovels. All night this work went on. + The men were tired, and hungry (as rations had not come up + that day), but worked faithfully. During this, and I will + add, throughout the campaign, I never heard a murmur nor a + complaint; even when almost all the men of the regiment were + down with fever and bowel trouble they were cheerful and + ready to do any duty they were called on for. + + The morning of July 3d Cervera's fleet sailed down the bay. + An officer rode by our part of the line about half-past 9 + and informed us of it. A few minutes later we heard the roar + of the big guns, though at the time I little thought of what + was going on. In the afternoon we heard cheering on our line + way to the left, and as the good news came along it was + taken up, and soon the whole line was shouting. + + On the morning of July 5th the non-combatants left Santiago + by two roads, one passing through our line. It was a pitiful + sight. During the forenoon of the 5th we moved about a mile + to the right and began intrenching. This position was very + near the Spanish line, and quite elaborate works were + constructed. We remained in this position until the morning + of the 11th, when the regiment was ordered to the right of + the line, about three miles. Here we intrenched. About 1 + P.M. a truce was announced. + + At 9.15 P.M. a staff officer came to the regimental + commander's tent and informed him that the regiment was to + be on the line at 12 o'clock midnight, and as soon as the + moon rose to advance through the jungle until fired on, when + the line was to halt and intrench. The night was stormy and + any moon there might have been was obscured by the clouds. + We were up, however, standing until daylight in a drenching + rain, for it was so dark that any movement was impossible. + Our rest was broken, without accomplishing anything that I + know or heard of. + + However, the rain and storm were providential, for I will + always believe if the movement had been started we should + have met with disaster. The ground was broken, deep ravines + and underbrush with wire fences running through it. I have + never learned who was "the father" of this order, and + possibly never will. He must be ashamed of it. + + The afternoon of the 12th the regiment advanced several + hundred yards to the front and dug more intrenchments. They + were still on this work the afternoon of the 14th when it + was announced that the Spanish army had agreed to surrender. + This came none too soon, for our men were coming down with + malarial fever. A few days later nearly half the regiment + were on the sick list, and the balance could not have done + much. + + The regiment was moved the same afternoon to higher ground + in rear of the trenches. Strong guards were kept to look out + for our prisoners and to prevent "our allies," the Cubans, + from going into the city. + + On the morning of the 17th the formal surrender of the city + and Spanish army took place. We were some distance away and + did not see anything of the ceremony. + + On July 25th the regiment was moved about a mile further + back in the hills and made camp, our tents, etc., having + been brought up from the transport. Medicines appeared very + scarce, resulting in much suffering. The food supplied was + totally unfit for our new surroundings, and I believe not a + little of the sickness can be traced to this. Our last camp + was as good as any to be found in that vicinity. + + The regiment remained in camp until August 13th, when it + embarked on the transport "Camanche" for Montauk Point, + arriving on the 18th, and landed on the 23d. + + B.H.R. LOUGHBOROUGH, + Captain, 25th Infantry. + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[18] First Lieutenant McCorkle killed; Captain Edwards and First +Lieutenants Kinnison and Murdock wounded. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +SAN JUAN. + + Cavalry Division: The Ninth and Tenth Regiments. + + +When Lawton's division swung off to the right to engage the enemy at +El Caney, with the results described in the preceeding chapter, the +divisions of Wheeler and Kent were ordered to proceed directly along +the Santiago road toward San Juan. Within a mile from El Pozo, the +point where they had bivouacked for the night of the 30th, the troops +arrived at the Aguadores River, which crosses the road here within +less than a mile from San Juan Heights. Wheeler's division headed the +column, although that general was not commanding. He had been relieved +on the afternoon of the 30th and did not resume command until about 4 +o'clock on July 1,[19] long after the heights had been carried, +although he was on the field shortly after 1 o'clock of that day. + +The Dismounted Cavalry Division on the morning of July 1 presented +2,663 fighting men, including officers. The First Brigade, commanded +by Colonel Carrol, had 50 officers and 1,054 men, in regiments as +follows: Third Cavalry, 22 officers, 420 men; Sixth Cavalry, 16 +officers, 427 men; Ninth Cavalry, 12 officers, 207 men, the Ninth +having hardly one-half the strength of either of the other regiments +of the brigade. The Second Brigade, commanded by General Wood, +contained 1,559 persons, distributed as follows: Brigade staff, 9 +officers, 14 men; First Cavalry, 21 officers, 501 men: Tenth Cavalry, +22 officers, 507 men; First Volunteer Cavalry (Rough Riders), 25 +officers, 517 men. + +Before the troops left El Poso, Grimes' battery had been put in +position and had fired a few shots at a blockhouse on San Juan Hill, +distance 2,600 yards. Using black powder, which created a cloud of +smoke with every shot, the battery was readily located by the foe, and +the shrapnel from their guns was soon bursting among our forces. The +second shot from the Spaniards wounded four of the Rough Riders and +two or three of the regulars, while a third killed and wounded several +Cubans. As a matter of course there was a rapid movements of the +troops from that immediate vicinity. The firing soon ceased, and the +troops took up that general advance movement already noted. + +It is no easy task to follow the movements of the Cavalry Division +from the time it left El Poso that July morning until it finally +entrenched itself for the night on San Juan Hills. As heretofore we +will take the official reports first, and from them make up the +itinerary and the movements of the battle that followed, as far as +they will enable us to do so. General Sumner says the division +proceeded toward Santiago, and when about three-fourths of a mile from +El Poso was halted in a narrow road to await orders and remained there +for nearly an hour, subject to the effects of heavy artillery fire +from the enemy's battery. Major Wessells, of the Third Cavalry, says, +while following the road toward Santiago that morn, "much delay ensued +from some reason unknown to the undersigned," and that the First +Brigade of the division arrived at San Juan ford about 10 o'clock. +This creek was about five hundred yards farther toward Santiago than +Aguadores River, and ran about parallel with San Juan Heights, from +which it was about three-fourths of a mile distant. + +The orders for which General Sumner had waited nearly an hour under +fire had come and were "verbal instructions to move to the San Juan +Creek and hold it." Reaching this creek his advance guard was met by +the Spaniards who fired one volley and retreated to a position on a +hill on Sumner's right front, about 1,200 yards distant. Crossing this +creek with sufficient strength to hold it, Sumner was now ordered to +move by the right flank and connect with Lawton's left. While his +troops were in this massed condition prior to deploying to the right +through a thick jungle, the balloon that was in use for purposes of +reconnoitering, came up the road and exposed itself to the full view +of the Spaniards upon the heights. They needed no further invitation +to direct toward our forces their artillery, for which the balloon +became a flying target. Many officers and men were wounded here by +exploding shells and small arms' fire of the enemy (Sumner). Under +this fire, however, the troops were deployed as ordered. + +Colonel Wood, who had charge of the Second Brigade, of which the Rough +Riders were the leading regiment, says this "regiment was directed to +change direction to the right, and by moving up the creek to effect a +junction with General Lawton's division, which was engaged at Caney, +about one and a-half miles toward the right, but was supposed to be +working toward our right flank. After proceeding in this direction +about half a mile the effort to connect with General Lawton was given +up." This movement to the right took place between ten and eleven +o'clock, at which time Lawton's forces had made no impression upon El +Caney, and he was far from making any movement which might be +described as working toward the right flank of the Cavalry Division. +Lawton was not found by that half-hour's search to the right; and it +was evident that something must be done by these troops in front, and +done quickly. The whole division was under fire, and the battle on the +Spanish side was in actual progress. True our men were hidden away in +the jungle that bordered the creek, but their position was known to +the Spaniards, and leaves and boughs are no cover from shot and shell. +They were receiving the fire of the enemy and making no reply +whatever, save by the few ineffective shots from the far away battery +on El Poso Hill. + +Directly in front of the cavalry division was a little hill occupied +by a Spanish force. This hill is called in General Wood's report East +Hill, but in the literature of the battle it is usually mentioned as +Kettle Hill. The fire in part was coming from here. Colonel Wood gives +another report of the morning's experience in which he says: "The +brigade moved down the road toward Santiago in rear of the First +Brigade, with instructions to deploy to the right after crossing the +San Juan, and continue to extend to the right, reaching out toward +General Lawton's left and holding ourselves in rear of the First +Brigade as a support. On reaching the stream the First Volunteer +Cavalry, which was in the lead, crossed the stream with comparatively +slight loss and deployed to the right in good order, but at this time +a captive balloon was led down the road in which the troops were +massed, and finally anchored at the crossing of the stream. The +approach and anchoring of this balloon served to indicate the line of +approach of the troops and to locate the ford, and the result was a +terrific converging of artillery and rifle fire on the ford, which +resulted in severe loss of men. Under this fire the First United +States Cavalry and the Tenth United States Cavalry crossed the stream +and deployed to the right where they were placed in position in rear +of the First Brigade. Two regiments of the Second Brigade, to wit., +the First and the Tenth Regular Cavalry, were located in the rear of +the First Brigade. The First Regular Cavalry had begun its day's work +as support of Grimes' battery, but had later come forward and taken +its place in the brigade time enough to join in the action that +followed. + +"After completing the deployment," says Sumner, "the command was so +much committed to battle that it became necessary either to advance or +else retreat under fire." The troops were already in battle, but were +not fighting, and could not do so in their present position, simply +because they could not see the enemy. "Lieutenant Miley, representing +General Shafter, authorized an advance, which was ordered, Carroll's +brigade taking the advance, reinforced on the right by Roosevelt's +regiment, and supported by the First and Tenth Cavalry." (Sumner.) +Colonel Wood says: "After remaining in this position for about an hour +(meaning the position held by his brigade previous to the coming of +the order to advance) the order to advance was given, and the brigade +advanced in good order as possible, but more or less broken up by the +masses of brush and heavy grass and cactus; passing through the line +of the First Brigade, mingling with them and charging the hill in +conjunction with these troops, as well as some few infantry who had +extended to the right." It must be remembered that the First Brigade +consisted wholly of regulars, the Third, Sixth and Ninth Cavalry, +while the Second Brigade had that remarkable regiment, the Rough +Riders. This fact may account for their breaking through the lines of +the First Brigade. Major Wessells, who commanded the Third Cavalry in +that fight, and was himself wounded at the close of the first charge, +says his regiment became entangled with other regiments, but, +nevertheless, was to the crest as soon as any. Of the advance of the +whole division, General Sumner says: "The advance was made under heavy +infantry fire, through open flat ground, cut up by wire fences, to the +creek, distant about 600 yards. The advance was made in good order, +the enemy's fire being returned only under favorable opportunities. In +crossing the flat one officer and several men were killed and several +officers and men wounded. Both sides of the creek were heavily wooded +for about 200 yards. The creek was swollen, and the crossing through +this space and the creek was made with great difficulty. + +"After passing through the thick woods the ground was entirely open +and fenced by wire. From this line it was necessary to storm the hill, +upon the top of which is a house, loop-holed for defense. The slope of +the hill is very difficult, but the assault was made with great +gallantry and with much loss to the enemy. In this assault Colonel +Hamilton, Lieutenants Smith and Shipp were killed; Colonel Carroll, +Lieutenants Thayer and Myer were wounded. A number of casualties +occurred among the enlisted men." The heights were carried by the +whole division. + +Lieutenant-Colonel Baldwin's account of the part his regiment took in +the assault upon San Juan is told about as follows: After the search +for Lawton had been given up, the First and Tenth Cavalry were formed +for attack on East Hill. "I was directed," he says, "to take a +position to the right, behind the river bank, for protection. While +moving to this position, and while there, the regiment suffered +considerable loss. After an interval of twenty or thirty minutes I was +directed to form line of battle in a partially open field facing +toward the blockhouses and strong intrenchments to the north occupied +by the enemy. Much difficulty was found on account of the dense +undergrowth, crossed in several directions by wire fences. As a part +of the cavalry division under General Sumner, the regiment was formed +in two lines, the First Squadron under Major S.T. Norvell, consisting +of Troops A, B, E and I, leading; the second line, under Major T.J. +Wint, consisting of Troops C, F and G. Troop D having crossed farther +down the river, attached itself to a command of infantry and moved +with that command on the second blockhouse. The regiment advanced in +this formation in a heavy converging fire from the enemy's position, +proceeding but a short distance when the two lines were united into +one. The advance was rapidly continued in an irregular line toward the +blockhouses and intrenchments to the right front. During this advance +the line passed some troops of the First Cavalry, which I think had +previously been formed on our right. Several losses occurred before +reaching the top of the hill, First Lieutenant William H. Smith being +killed as he arrived on its crest. The enemy having retreated toward +the northwest to the second and third blockhouses, new lines were +formed and a rapid advance was made upon these new positions. The +regiment assisted in capturing these works from the enemy, and with +the exception of Troops C and I, which in the meantime had joined the +First Volunteer Cavalry, then took up a position to the north of the +second blockhouse, remaining there all night." + +Major Norvell, who commanded the First Squadron of the Tenth Cavalry, +which consisted of Troops A, B, E and I, gives the following account +of the experiences of July 1st: + +"The regiment took position in a wood, and here suffered considerable +loss, due to the fact that the whole of the enemy's fire appeared to +be directed to this point. In a short time we moved out of the wood by +the right flank and then deployed to the left, being then directly in +front of the enemy and one mile distant from his works, marked by +three houses about half a mile from one another. The enemy was +strongly entrenched in front of these houses. The line, consisting of +the cavalry division, under direction of Brigadier-General Sumner, +moved forward in double time, under a terrific fire of the enemy. We +had a very heavy jungle to march through, beside the river (San Juan) +to cross, and during our progress many men were killed and wounded. +The troops became separated from one another, though the general line +was pretty well preserved. The works of the enemy were carried in +succession by the troops; and the Spaniards were steadily driven back +toward the town to their last ditches. We now found ourselves about +half a mile from the city, but the troops being by this time nearly +exhausted, here intrenched themselves for the night under a heavy +fire. By dark this line was occupied by all the troops engaged during +the day." + +The official reports of the troop commanders of the Tenth Cavalry +bring out a few more particulars which serve to give us a more vivid +conception of this moving line. The entire cavalry division advanced +together, and notwithstanding the roughness of the ground, Major +Norvell assures us the line was pretty well preserved. Troops A, B, E +and I were in the First Squadron, which was in the lead; Troops C, F +and G were in the second line; Troop D made its advance with the +infantry off to the left. We have now a fair knowledge of the general +movement of the whole regiment. Let us follow the fortunes of some of +the Troops, and by that means get nearer to the work done by the +individual soldier. + +Troop A was on the right of the leading squadron as the regiment took +its place in line on the left of the First Cavalry and moved against +the Spanish blockhouses in the face of a heavy fire, making a rush +forward without intermission. A portion of the right platoon, under +Lieutenant Livermore, became separated in one of the thickets, and +under instructions received personally from the brigade commander, who +seems to have been everywhere where he was needed, continued up the +slope toward his right and toward the first blockhouse. The remainder +of the troop, commanded by Captain Beck and Lieutenant McCoy, moved in +the same direction at first, but observing that on account of the +shorter distance to the slope from that end of the line, a large +number of troops were arriving there, Captain Beck swung his troop to +the left and reached the summit of the hill between the second and +third blockhouses, and on arriving received a message by an aid of the +brigade commander to hold the ridge. Just then Lieut. Livermore +arrived, having come by way of Blockhouse No. 1. The troop now being +together, held the crest for an hour. At times the fire of the enemy +was so severe and Captain Beck's force so small that there was great +danger that he would be compelled to abandon the position, but +fortunately at the most critical juncture Lieutenant Lyon of the +Twenty-fourth Infantry came up with a few reinforcements, and +Lieutenant Hughes of the Tenth Cavalry with a Hotchkiss gun. +Lieutenant Lyon formed his troops to the left of the gun, Troop A of +the Tenth Cavalry being on the right. With this force the position was +held until other troops arrived. Soon after, the squadron was reformed +and the men entrenched themselves under fire. Troop B was next to +Troop A and advanced as skirmishers by rushes and double time, but +soon found its front blocked by other troops. Troop I advanced in two +sections, the left being commanded by Lieutenant Miller, joined in the +attack on the right of the enemy's position; the right commanded by +Lieutenant Fleming, advanced on trenches between two blockhouses, and +in so doing caught up with the rest of the troop. The first half of +the troop, after attacking the blockhouse on right of the enemy's +position then crossed the valley and attacked the blockhouse on the +left of enemy's position, and then moved forward with the First +Regular Cavalry and First Volunteer Cavalry, until the troop assembled +as a whole. When it reached the place of intrenchment there were +altogether about one hundred men at that point of the ridge, +consisting of men from the Tenth Cavalry and of the Rough Riders. It +is claimed by Lieutenant Anderson, who commanded Troop C, and who made +his way to the front on the right of the line, that after coming up on +the second hill and joining his troop to the left of Troop I, Colonel +Roosevelt and part of his regiment joined on the right of the Tenth, +and that he reported to him, placing C Troop in his command. Before +this time Lieutenant Anderson had reported to Captain Jones, of Troop +F, while they were on Kettle Hill, and the Two troops, F and C, had +been formed in skirmish line and moved against the second blockhouse. +In this movement Troop C got separated from Captain Jones, and +Anderson, with 18 men of his own troop and several from other +organizations, moved forward until he connected with Troop I, as +previously narrated. These troops, C and I, were reported by their +Colonel as having joined the First Volunteer Cavalry. All of the troop +commanders who were immediately with the men bear hearty testimony to +their good conduct. Captain Jones, commanding Troop F, says: "I could +only do justice to the troop by mentioning by name all who were +engaged, not only for their bravery, but for their splendid discipline +under the most demoralizing fire." Lieutenant Fleming, commanding +Troop I, says: "The entire troop behaved with great gallantry. Private +Elsie Jones particularly distinguished himself." Captain Beck, +commanding Troop A, says: "The behaviour of the enlisted men was +magnificent, paying studious attention to orders while on the firing +line, and generally exhibiting an intrepidity which marks the +first-class soldier." Lieutenant Hughes, who commanded the Hotchkiss +gun detachment, mentions four men for conspicuous bravery and commends +his entire detachment for "spirit, enterprise and good behavior." + +The official story is that the entire cavalry division advanced under +orders from General Sumner and that the heft of its first blow fell +upon Kettle Hill, which was soon captured, and on the crest of this +hill the troops which had ascended it made a temporary halt, reformed +their lines somewhat and immediately advanced upon the second hill to +the help of that part of the cavalry division which had swung to the +left in the advance, and also to the help of the infantry who were +coming against Fort San Juan at the same time. Meanwhile there was +left upon Kettle Hill a sufficient garrison or force to prevent its +being recaptured by the enemy. In the assault on Kettle Hill the +brigade commander, Colonel Carroll, had been wounded, and +Lieutenant-Colonel Hamilton of the Ninth Cavalry killed. Many troop +officers also had been either killed or wounded and also in the rush +forward through the jungle and high grass some troops had been +separated from their officers, and yet it is remarkable that all were +ready to move forward to the next assault. + +The words of praise to the whole cavalry division contained in the +following order, published at Camp Wikoff immediately after the +arrival there of the troops, are claimed by both black and white +cavalrymen alike: + + Headquarters, Cavalry Division, + Camp Wikoff, L.I., September 7th, 1898. + + To the Officers and Soldiers of the Cavalry Division, Army + of Santiago. + + The duties for which the troops comprising the Cavalry + Division were brought together have been accomplished. + + On June 14th we sailed from Tampa, Fla., to encounter in the + sickly season the diseases of the tropical island of Cuba, + and to face and attack the historic legions of Spain in + positions chosen by them and which for years they had been + strengthening by every contrivance and art known to the + skillful military engineers of Europe. + + On the 23d, one squadron each of the 1st and 10th Regular + Cavalry and two squadrons of the 1st Volunteer Cavalry, in + all 964 officers and men, landed on Cuban soil. These troops + marched on foot fourteen miles, and, early on the morning of + the 24th, attacked and defeated double their number of + regular Spanish soldiers under the command of + Lieutenant-General Linares. Eagerly and cheerfully you + pushed onward, and on July 1st forded San Juan River and + gallantly swept over San Juan Hill, driving the enemy from + its crest. Without a moment's halt you formed, aligning the + division upon the 1st Infantry Division under General Kent, + and, together with these troops, you bravely charged and + carried the formidable intrenchments of Fort San Juan. The + entire force which fought and won this great victory was + less than seven thousand men. + + The astonished enemy, though still protected by the strong + works to which he had made his retreat, was so stunned by + your determined valor that his only thought was to devise + the quickest means of saving himself from further battle. + The great Spanish fleet hastily sought escape from the + harbor and was destroyed by our matchless navy. + + After seizing the fortifications of San Juan Ridge, you, in + the darkness of night, strongly intrenched the position + your valor had won. Reinforced by Bates' Brigade on your + left and Lawton's Division on your right, you continued the + combat until the Spanish army of Santiago Province succumbed + to the superb prowess and courage of American arms. Peace + promptly followed, and you return to receive the plaudits of + seventy millions of people. + + The valor displayed by you was not without sacrifice. + Eighteen per cent., or nearly one in five, of the Cavalry + Division fell on the field either killed or wounded. We + mourn the loss of these heroic dead, and a grateful country + will always revere their memory. + + Whatever may be my fate, wherever my steps may lead, my + heart will always burn with increasing admiration for your + courage in action, your fortitude under privation and your + constant devotion to duty in its highest sense, whether in + battle, in bivouac or upon the march. + + JOSEPH WHEELER, + Major-General U.S.V., Commanding. + +Aside from that part of the Tenth Cavalry who fought under General +Wheeler and who are consequently included among those congratulated by +the General Order just quoted, Troop M of that regiment, under command +of Lieutenant C.P. Johnson, performed an important part in the war. +The troop consisted of 50 men and left Port Tampa June 21 on board the +steamship Florida, the steamship Fanita also making a part of the +expedition. The troop was mounted and was accompanied by a pack train +of 65 animals. Both ships were heavily loaded with clothing, +ammunition and provision, and had on board besides Lieutenant +Johnson's command, General Nunez and staff and 375 armed Cubans. The +expedition sailed around the west end of the island and attempted a +landing at a point chosen by General Nunez on June 29, but failed +owing to the fact that the place chosen was well guarded by Spaniards, +who fired upon the landing party. The expedition had with it a small +gunboat, the Peoria, commanded by Captain Ryan, and on the afternoon +of June 30th an attack was made upon a blockhouse on the shore by the +gunboat, and a small force of Cuban and American volunteers landed, +but were repulsed with the loss of one killed, General Nunez's +brother, and seven wounded. Two days later Lieutenant Johnson was able +to land and immediately made connection with General Gomez, unloading +his stores for the Cuban Army. + +Lieutenant G.P. Ahearn, of the Twenty-fifth Infantry, who went on this +expedition as a volunteer, rendered important service on the night +after the attack on the blockhouse at Tayabacoa. As the attacking +party met with repulse and escaped to the ship in the darkness, +several of their wounded were left on shore. Several boats sent out to +recover them had returned without the men, their crews fearing to go +on shore after them. Lieutenant Ahearn volunteered to attempt the +rescue of the men, and taking a water-logged boat, approached the +shore noiselessly and succeeded in his undertaking. The crew +accompanying Lieutenant Ahearn was made up of men from Troop M, Tenth +Cavalry, and behaved so well that the four were given Medals of Honor +for their marked gallantry. The action of Lieutenant Ahearn in this +case was in keeping with his whole military career. He has ever +manifested a fondness for exceptional service, and has never failed +when opportunity occurred to display a noble gallantry on the side of +humanity. Nothing appeals to him so commandingly as an individual +needing rescue, and in such a cause he immediately rises to the hero's +plane. The noble colored soldiers who won medals on that occasion were +all privates and became heroes for humanity's sake. Their names +deserve a place in this history outside the mere official table. They +were Dennis Bell, George H. Wanton, Fitz Lee and William H. Tompkins, +and were the only colored soldiers who, at the time of this writing, +have won Medals of Honor in the Spanish War. Others, however, may yet +be given, as doubtless others are deserved. The heroic service +performed by whole regiments, as in the case of the Twenty-fourth +Infantry, should entitle every man in it to a medal of some form as a +souvenir for his posterity. + +Losses of the Ninth Cavalry in the battles of San Juan: + +OFFICERS--Killed, Lieutenant-Colonel John M. Hamilton. + +MEN--Killed, Trumpeter Lewis Fort, Private James Johnson. + +OFFICERS--Wounded, Adjutant Winthrop S. Wood, Captain Charles +W. Taylor. + +MEN--Wounded. First Sergeant Charles W. Jefferson, Sergeant +Adam Moore, Sergeant Henry F. Wall, Sergeant Thomas B. Craig, Corporal +James W. Ervine, Corporal Horace T. Henry, Corporal John Mason, +Burwell Bullock, Elijah Crippen, Edward Davis, Hoyle Ervin, James +Gandy, Edward D. Nelson, Noah Prince, Thomas Sinclair, James R. Spear, +Jr., Jacob Tull, William H. Turner, George Warren, Alfred Wilson. + +Losses of the Tenth Cavalry during the battle of San Juan: + +OFFICERS--Killed, First Lieutenant W.E. Shipp, First +Lieutenant W.H. Smith. + +MEN--Killed, John H. Smoot, Corporal W.F. Johnson, John H. +Dodson, George Stroal, William H. Slaughter. + +OFFICERS--Wounded, Major T.J. Wint Captain John Bigelow, Jr., +Adjutant and First Lieutenant M.H. Barnum, First Lieutenant R.L. +Livermore, First Lieutenant E.D. Anderson, Second Lieutenant F.R. +McCoy, Second Lieutenant H.C. Whitehead, Second Lieutenant T.A. +Roberts, Second Lieutenant H.O. Willard. + +MEN--Wounded, First Sergeant A. Houston, First Sergeant +Robert Milbrown, Q.M. Sergeant William Payne, Sergeant Smith Johnson, +Sergeant Ed. Lane, Sergeant Walker Johnson, Sergeant George Dyers, +Sergeant Willis Hatcher, Sergeant John L. Taylor, Sergeant Amos +Elliston, Sergeant Frank Rankin, Sergeant E.S. Washington, Sergeant +U.G. Gunter, Corporal J.G. Mitchell, Corporal Allen Jones, Corporal +Marcellus Wright, Privates Lewis L. Anderson, John Arnold, Charles +Arthur, John Brown, Frank D. Bennett, Wade Bledsoe, Hillary Brown, +Thornton Burkley, John Brooks, W.H. Brown, Wm. A. Cooper, John Chinn, +J.H. Campbell, Henry Fearn, Benjamin Franklin, Gilmore Givens, B.F. +Gaskins, William Gregory, Luther D. Gould, Wiley, Hipsher, Thomas +Hardy, Charles Hopkins, Richard James, Wesley Jones, Robert E. Lee, +Sprague Lewis, Henry McCormack, Samuel T. Minor, Lewis Marshall, +William Matthews, Houston Riddill, Charles Robinson, Frank Ridgeley, +Fred. Shackley, Harry D. Sturgis, Peter Saunderson, John T. Taylor, +William Tyler, Isom Taylor, John Watson, Benjamin West, Joseph +Williams, Allen E. White, Nathan Wyatt. + + * * * * * + + Note.--"While we talked, and the soldiers filled their + canteens and drank deep and long, like camels who, after + days of travel through the land of 'thirst and emptiness,' + have reached the green oasis and the desert spring, a black + corporal of the 24th Infantry walked wearily up to the + 'water hole.' He was muddy and bedraggled. He carried no cup + or canteen, and stretched himself out over the + stepping-stones in the stream, sipping up the water and the + mud together out of the shallow pool. A white cavalryman ran + toward him shouting, 'Hold on, bunkie; here's my cup!' The + negro looked dazed a moment, and not a few of the spectators + showed amazement, for such a thing had rarely if ever + happened in the army before. 'Thank you,' said the black + corporal. 'Well, we are all fighting under the same flag + now.' And so he drank out of the white man's cup. I was glad + to see that I was not the only man who had come to recognize + the justice of certain Constitutional amendments, in the + light of the gallant behaviour of the colored troops + throughout the battle, and, indeed, the campaign. The + fortune of war had, of course, something to do with it in + presenting to the colored troops the opportunities for + distinguished service, of which they invariably availed + themselves to the fullest extent; but the confidence of the + general officers in their superb gallantry, which the event + proved to be not misplaced, added still more, and it is a + fact that the services of no four white regiments can be + compared with those rendered by the four colored + regiments--the 9th and 10th Cavalry, and the 24th and 25th + Infantry. They were to the front at La Guasima, at Caney, + and at San Juan, and what was the severest test of all, that + came later, in the yellow-fever hospitals."--Bonsal. + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[19] Official Report of General Sumner. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +SAN JUAN (Continued). + + Kent's Division: The Twenty-fourth Infantry; Forming Under + Fire--A Gallant Charge. + + +Turning now to the centre and left of the American line we follow the +advance of that division of infantry commanded by General Kent, and +which met the brunt of Spanish resistance at San Juan. This division, +known as the First Division, Fifth Army Corps, consisted of three +brigades, composed as follows: + +First Brigade, Brigadier-General Hawkins commanding, made up of the +Sixth Infantry, the Sixteenth Infantry, and the Seventy-first New York +Volunteers. + +The Second Brigade, Colonel Pearson commanding, made up of the Second +Infantry, the Tenth Infantry and the Twenty-first Infantry. + +The Third Brigade, commanded by Colonel Wikoff, in which were the +Ninth Infantry, the Thirteenth Infantry and the Twenty-fourth +Infantry; in all 262 officers and 5,095 men. Thus, in the whole +division there were eight regiments of regular infantry and one +volunteer regiment, the Seventy-first New York. + +Although our present purpose is to bring into view the special work of +the Twenty-fourth Infantry, it will be necessary to embrace in our +scope the work of the entire division, in order to lay before the +reader the field upon which that particular regiment won such lasting +credit. General Kent, who commanded the division, a most accomplished +soldier, gives a lucid account of the whole assault as seen from his +position, and of the work performed by his division, in his report, +dated July 8, 1898. + +When General Kent's division arrived in the neighborhood of the San +Juan ford and found itself under fire and the trail so blocked by +troops of the cavalry division, which had not yet deployed to the +right, that direct progress toward the front was next to impossible, +the welcome information was given by the balloon managers that a trail +branched off to the left from the main trail, only a short distance +back from the ford. This trail led to a ford some distance lower down +the stream and nearly facing the works on the enemy's right. General +Kent on learning of this outlet immediately hastened back to the forks +and meeting the Seventy-first New York Regiment, the rear regiment of +the First Brigade, he directed that regiment into this trail toward +the ford. The regiment was to lead the way through this new trail and +would consequently arrive at the front first on the left; but meeting +the fire of the enemy, the First Battalion of the regiment apparently +became panic stricken and recoiled upon the rest of the regiment; the +regiment then lay down on the sides of the trail and in the bushes, +thoroughly demoralized. + +Wikoff's brigade was now coming up and it was directed upon the same +trail. This brigade consisted of the Ninth, Thirteenth and +Twenty-fourth. Colonel Wikoff was directed by General Kent to move his +brigade across the creek by the trail (the left fork) and when +reaching the opposite side, of the creek to put the brigade in line on +the left of the trail and begin the attack at once. In executing this +order the entire brigade stumbled through and over hundreds of men of +the Seventy-first New York Regiment. When a volunteer regiment broke +through the lines of the Ninth Cavalry from the rear, that regiment +was in its place on the field in line of battle, with its morale +perfect. It was under discipline and delivering its fire with +regularity. It had an absolute right to its place. The Seventy-first +was in no such attitude, and General Kent directed the advance through +it in these words: "Tell the brigade to pay no attention to this sort +of thing; it is highly irregular." The Ninth Cavalry's position was +exactly _regular_; the position of the Seventh-first was to the eyes +of General Kent "highly irregular." + +The three regiments of this brigade were to take their positions on +the left of the ford after crossing the stream, in the following +order: On the extreme left the Twenty-fourth, next to it in the centre +of the brigade, the Ninth, and on the right of the brigade the +Thirteenth. In approaching the ford the Ninth and Twenty-fourth became +mixed and crossed in the following order: First one battalion of the +Ninth; then a battalion of the Twenty-fourth; then the second +battalion of the Ninth, followed by the second battalion of the +Twenty-fourth. The line was formed under fire, and while +superintending its formation the brigade commander, Colonel Wikoff, +came under observation and was killed; Lieutenant-Colonel Worth, who +succeeded him, was seriously wounded within five minutes after having +taking command, and Lieutenant-Colonel Liscum, who next assumed charge +of the brigade, had hardly learned that he was in command before he, +too, was disabled by a Spanish shot By this time, however, the +formation was about complete and the brigade ready to begin the +advance. + +Leaving Wikoff's brigade in line ready to begin the advance we must +now return in our narrative to the main ford, where the major portions +of Hawkins' and Pearson's brigades are massed and follow the various +regiments as they come to their places in the battle line preparing +for the onslaught. After crossing the ford with the Sixth Infantry, +pursuant to the orders given by Lieutenant Miley in the name of +General Shafter, General Hawkins attempted to flank the enemy by a +movement to the left, the Sixth Infantry leading and the Sixteenth +intending to pass beyond it in its rear and join to its left. The +Sixth in passing to its intended position passed to the left of the +Sixth Cavalry, which held the left of the line of the cavalry +division, which had crossed the ford and deployed to the right, +reaching beyond the Spanish lines in that direction, or at least it +was able to reach the extreme right of the enemy. The Sixth Infantry +continued this line southward and it was to be farther extended by the +Sixteenth. Before this disposition could be effected the fire of the +enemy became so severe that an advance movement was started and the +Sixth lined up facing the fort on the hill, with only one company and +a half of the Sixteenth on its left. + +While Hawkins' and Wikoff's brigades were preparing for the advance +upon the enemy's works, Pearson's brigade was approaching the ford, +hurrying to the support. The Twenty-first Regiment of this brigade was +detached from the brigade and sent directly forward on the main trail +with orders to re-enforce the firing line. This regiment crossed the +San Juan River to the left of the main ford and rushed forward to +support Hawkins' left. In the meantime the two other regiments of the +brigade, the Second and Tenth, which had preceded the Twenty-first in +their march from El Poso, had been deflected to the left by order of +the division commander and were passing to the front over the trail +previously taken by Wikoff's brigade, crossing the San Juan at the +lower ford. The Tenth crossed in advance and formed in close order on +the opposite side of the stream, its line facing northwest. It was +soon after, however, put in battle formation and moved to the right +until it connected with the Twenty-first. The Second Regiment crossed +the ford in the rear of the Tenth, having been delayed considerably by +the Seventh-first New York Volunteers, who still blocked the way +between the forks and the lower ford. After crossing the ford the +Second put itself in line on the left of the Tenth, the whole brigade +being now in position to support the First and Third Brigades in their +charge. + +This movement of Colonel Pearson's brigade had not been made without +hardship and loss. All of the regiments came under the enemy's fire +before reaching the San Juan River and many men were killed or wounded +while the regiments were gaining their positions. The movement was so +well executed as to call forth from the division commander the +following enconium: "I observed this movement from the Fort San Juan +Hill. Colonel E.P. Pearson, Tenth Infantry, commanding the Second +Brigade, and the officers and troops under his command deserve great +credit for the soldierly manner in which this movement was executed." + +Although we left Wikoff's brigade standing in line on the left of the +lower ford, we must not imagine that it remained in that position +until the above movement on the part of the Second Brigade had been +accomplished. There was no standing still in the fierce fire to which +the men of that brigade were at that time subjected--a fire which had +already cut down in rapid succession three brigade commanders. The +formation was no sooner completed than the rapid advance began. The +Thirteenth Infantry holding the right of the brigade moved to the +right and front, while the Ninth and Twenty-fourth moved almost +directly to the front at first, thus partially gaining the flank of +the enemy's position. The whole line moved with great rapidity across +the open field and up the hill, so that when the Second and Tenth +Infantry came to their position as support, the heroic Third Brigade +was well up the heights. To the right of the Third Brigade the First +Brigade, containing the gallant Sixth, under Colonel Egbert, and the +Sixteenth, was advancing also, and the two brigades arrived at the +fort almost simultaneously; so that the division commander in speaking +of the capture says: "Credit is almost equally due the Sixth, Ninth, +Thirteenth, Sixteenth and Twenty-fourth Regiments of Infantry." To the +Third Brigade he gives the credit of turning the enemy's right. + +Let us now examine more closely that sweep of the Third Brigade from +the left of the lower ford to San Juan Hill, in order to trace more +distinctly the pathway of honor made for itself by the Twenty-fourth. +This regiment formed left front into line under fire and advanced over +the flat in good order, and then reformed under shelter of the hill +preparatory to the final charge upon the enemy's intrenchments. The +experience of the companies in crossing the flat is told by the +company commanders. One company under the orders of its captain formed +line of skirmishers and advanced in good order at rapid gait, reaching +the foot of the hill almost exhausted. This was about the experience +of all, but this company is mentioned because it was the first company +of the regiment to reach the top of the hill. In crossing the flat +there was necessarily some mixing of companies and in some instances +men were separated from their officers, but those who escaped the +enemy's bullets made their way across that plain of fire and were +ready to join in the charge up the hill where only brave men could go. + +There was but a moment's pause for breath at the foot of the hill and +the general charge all along the line began, the Sixth Infantry +probably taking the initiative, although the gallant Colonel Egbert, +of that regiment (since killed in the Philippines), makes no such +claim. In his farewell official report of the Sixth he thus describes +the final act: + + "We were now unexpectedly re-enforced. Lieutenant Parker, + made aware by the heavy fire from the hill that a conflict + was going on in his front, opened fire with his Gatlings + most effectively on the intrenchments, while from far down + on my left I heard cheering and shouts, and saw coming up + the slope towards us a multitude of skirmishers. As they + drew nearer we distinguished the tall figure of General + Hawkins, with his aide, Lieutenant Ord, Sixth Infantry, + charging at the head of the skirmishers and waving their + hats. When the charge came up nearly abreast of where the + Sixth stood in the road I ordered the companies out through + the gaps in the wire fence to join it, and they complied + with the same alacrity and enthusiasm that they had + displayed in entering this bloody field. The Gatlings + redoubled their fierce grinding of bullets on the Spanish, + despite which there still came a savage fire from the + blockhouse and trenches. Here the gallant Captain Wetherell, + Sixth Infantry, fell, shot through the forehead, at the head + of his company, and I received a Mauser bullet through the + left lung, which disabled me. But the blood of the troops + was now up, and no loss of officers or men could stop them. + They charged up the incline until, coming to a steep ridge + near the top, they were brought to a stand by the hail of + bullets from the Gatlings against the summit. As soon as + this could be stopped by a signal, the mingled troops of the + Sixth, Sixteenth, Thirteenth and Twenty-fourth swept up and + over the hill and it was won." + +From testimony gathered on the evening of the fight it was concluded +that there were more men of the Twenty-fourth Infantry on the ridge in +this first occupation than of any other regiment, but all of the +regiments of the division had done admirably and the brave blacks of +the Twenty-fourth won on that day a standing in arms with the bravest +of the brave. + +The Spaniards although driven from their first line, by no means gave +up the fight; but retreating to a line of intrenchments about eight +hundred yards in the rear they opened upon the new-comers a fire +almost as hot as before, and the troops found it difficult to hold +what they had gained. The supporting regiments were coming up and +strengthening the line, the men meanwhile entrenching themselves under +fire as rapidly as possible. The Thirteenth Infantry was immediately +ordered off to the right to assist the cavalry division, especially +the Rough Riders, who were said to be in danger of having their flank +turned. Here it remained under fire all night. + +The advance and charge of the Twenty-fourth made up only a part of the +advance and charge of the Third Brigade; and this in turn was part of +the attack and assault made by the whole infantry division; a movement +also participated in at the same hour by the cavalry division; so that +regarded as a whole, it was a mighty blow delivered on the enemy's +right and centre by two-thirds of the American Army, and its effect +was stunning, although its full weight had not been realized by the +foe. The part sustained in the assault by each regiment may be +estimated by the losses experienced by each in killed and wounded. +Judged by this standard the brunt fell upon the Sixth, Sixteenth, +Thirteenth, and Twenty-fourth, all of which regiments lost heavily, +considering the short time of the action. + +The movement by which the Twenty-fourth reached its position on that +memorable 1st of July has called forth especial mention by the +regimental commander and by the acting Assistant Adjutant-General of +the brigade; it was also noted immediately after the battle by all the +newspaper writers as one of the striking occurrences of the day. The +regiment on coming under fire marched about one mile by the left +flank, and then formed left front into line on its leading company, +Company G, commanded by Captain Brereton. The first man of the +regiment to take position in the line was the First Sergeant of G +Company, R.G. Woods. This company when reaching its position formed on +left into line, under a severe fire in front and a fire in the rear; +the other companies forming in the same manner, with more or less +regularity, to its left. As soon as the line was formed the order was +given to charge. The advance was made across an open meadow, during +which several officers were wounded, among them the officers of +Company F, the command of that company devolving upon its First +Sergeant, William Rainey, who conducted the company successfully to +the crest of the hill. + +The description of the movement of Company D as given by Lieutenant +Kerwin, who was placed in command of that company after its officers +had been shot, is a very interesting document. Lieutenant Kerwin +claims to have made his report from "close inquiries and from personal +observation." According to this report the company was led across the +San Juan Creek by its Captain (Ducat), the Second Lieutenant of the +company (Gurney) following it, and keeping the men well closed up. +While crossing, the company encountered a terrific fire, and after +advancing about ten yards beyond the stream went through a wire fence +to the right, and advanced to an embankment about twenty yards from +the right bank of the stream. Here Captain Ducat gave the order to +advance to the attack and the whole company opened out in good order +in line of skirmishers and moved rapidly across the open plain to the +foot of San Juan Hill. In making this movement across the plain the +line was under fire and the brave Lieutenant Gurney was killed, and +First Sergeant Ellis, Corporal Keys and Privates Robinson and Johnson +wounded. It was a race with death, but the company arrived at the base +of the hill in good form, though well-nigh exhausted. After breathing +a moment the men were ready to follow their intrepid commander, +Captain Ducat, up the hill, and at twelve o'clock they gained the +summit, being the first company of the regiment to reach the top of +the hill. Just as they reached the crest the brave Ducat fell, shot +through the hip, probably by a Spanish sharpshooter, thus depriving +the company of its last commissioned officer, and leaving its first +sergeant also disabled. + +The commander of the regiment speaks of its doings in a very modest +manner, but in a tone to give the reader confidence in what he says. +He became temporarily separated from the regiment, but made his way to +the crest of the hill in company with the Adjutant and there found a +part of his command. He says a creditable number of the men of his +regiment reached the top of the hill among the first to arrive there. +The commander of the Second Battalion, Captain Wygant, crossed the +meadow, or flat, some distance ahead of the battalion, but as the men +subsequently charged up the hill, he was unable to keep up with them, +so rapid was their gait It was from this battalion that Captain +Ducat's company broke away and charged on the right of the battalion, +arriving, as has been said, first on the top of the hill. As the +regiment arrived Captain Wygant, finding himself the ranking officer +on the ground, assembled it and assigned each company its place. +Captain Dodge, who commanded Company C in this assault, and who +subsequently died in the yellow fever hospital at Siboney, mentions +the fact that Captain Wygant led the advance in person, and says that +in the charge across the open field the three companies, C, B and H, +became so intermixed that it was impossible for the company commanders +to distinguish their own men from those of the other companies, yet he +says he had the names of twenty men of his own company who reached the +trenches at Fort San Juan in that perilous rush on that fiery mid-day. +The testimony of all the officers of the regiment is to the effect +that the men behaved splendidly, and eight of them have been given +Certificates of Merit for gallantry in the action of July 1. + +The losses of the regiment in that advance were numerous, the killed, +wounded and missing amounted to 96, which number was swelled to 104 +during the next two days. So many men falling in so short a time while +advancing in open order tells how severe was the fire they were facing +and serves to modify the opinion which was so often expressed about +the time the war broke out, to the effect that the Spanish soldiers +were wanting both in skill and bravery. They contradicted this both at +El Caney and at San Juan. In the latter conflict they held their +ground until the last moment and inflicted a loss upon their +assailants equal to the number engaged in the defence of the heights. +Since July 1, 1898, expatiation on the cowardice and lack of skill of +the Spanish soldier has ceased to be a profitable literary occupation. +Too many journalists and correspondents were permitted to witness the +work of Spanish sharpshooters, and to see their obstinate resistance +to the advance of our troops, to allow comments upon the inefficiency +of the Spanish Army to pass unnoticed. Our army from the beginning was +well impressed with the character of the foe and nerved itself +accordingly. The bravery of our own soldiers was fully recognized by +the men who surrendered to our army and who were capable of +appreciating it, because they themselves were not wanting in the same +qualities. + + [Transcriber's Note: This footnote appeared in the text + without a footnote anchor: + + "The intrenchments of San Juan were defended by two + companies of Spanish infantry, numbering about two hundred + and fifty to three hundred men. At about 11 o'clock in the + morning reinforcements were sent to them, bringing the + number up to about seven hundred and fifty men. There were + two pieces of mountain artillery on these hills, the rest of + the artillery fire against our troops on that day being from + batteries close to the city."--In Cuba with Shafter (Miley), + page 117.] + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +THE SURRENDER, AND AFTERWARDS. + + In the Trenches--The Twenty-fourth in the Fever Camp--Are + Negro Soldiers Immune?--Camp Wikoff. + + +After the battle of El Caney the Twenty-fifth Infantry started for the +mango grove, where the blanket rolls and haversacks had been left in +the morning, and on its way passed the Second Massachusetts Volunteers +standing by the roadside. This regiment had seen the charge of the +Twenty-fifth up the hillside, and they now manifested their +appreciation of the gallantry of the black regulars in an ovation of +applause and cheers. This was the foundation for Sergeant Harris' +reply when on another occasion seeing the manifest kind feelings of +this regiment to the Twenty-fifth, I remarked: "Those men think you +are soldiers." "They know we are soldiers," replied the sergeant. The +regiment bivouacked in the main road leading from El Caney to +Santiago, but sleep was out of the question. What with the passing of +packtrains and artillery, and the issuing of rations and ammunition, +the first half of the night gave no time for rest; and shortly after +12 o'clock, apprehensions of a Spanish attack put every one on the +alert. At 3.30 the march to the rear was commenced and the entire +division passed around by El Poso and advanced to the front by the +Aguadores road, finally reaching a position on Wheeler's right about +noon, July 2. + +Subsequently the line of investment was extended to the right, the +Cuban forces under General Garcia holding the extreme right +connecting with the water front on that side of the city. Next to them +came Ludlow's McKibben's and Chaffee's forces. In McKibben's brigade +was the Twenty-fifth, which dug its last trench on Cuban soil on July +14th, on the railroad running out from Santiago to the northwest. This +intrenchment was the nearest to the city made by any American +organization, and in this the regiment remained until the surrender. + +The Twenty-fourth remained entrenched over to the left, in General +Kent's division, lying to the right of the 21st. This regiment (24th) +had won great credit in its advance upon the enemy, but it was to win +still greater in the field of humanity. Capt. Leavel, who commanded +Company A, said: "It would be hard to particularize in reporting upon +the men of the company. All--non-commissioned officers, privates, even +newly joined recruits--showed a desire to do their duty, yea, more +than their duty, which would have done credit to seasoned veterans. +Too much cannot be said of their courage, willingness and endurance." +Captain Wygant, who commanded the Second Battalion of the regiment, +says: "The gallantry and bearing shown by the officers and soldiers of +the regiment under this trying ordeal was such that it has every +reason to be proud of its record. The losses of the regiment, which +are shown by the official records, show the fire they were subjected +to. The casualties were greater among the officers than the men, which +is accounted for by the fact that the enemy had posted in the trees +sharpshooters, whose principal business was to pick them off." There +is no countenance given in official literature to the absurd notion +maintained by some, that it was necessary for the officers of black +troops to expose themselves unusually in order to lead their troops, +and that this fact accounts for excessive losses among them. The fact +is that the regular officer's code is such that he is compelled to +occupy the place in battle assigned him in the tactics, and no matter +how great his cowardice of heart may be, he must go forward until +ordered to halt. The penalty of cowardice is something to be dreaded +above wounds or even death by some natures. "Colored troops are brave +men when led by white officers."(?) As a matter of fact there is very +little leading of any sort by officers in battle. The officer's place +is in the rear of the firing line, directing, not leading, and it is +his right and duty to save his own life if possible, and that of every +man in his command, even while seeking to destroy the enemy, in +obedience to orders. The record of the Twenty-fourth for bravery was +established beyond question when it swept across that open flat and up +San Juan Hill on that hot mid-day of July 1st, 1898. + +After lying in the trenches until July 15th, the news reached the camp +of the Twenty-fourth that yellow fever had broken out in the army, and +that a large hospital and pest-house had been established at Siboney. +About 4 o'clock that day an order came to the commanding officer of +the regiment directing him to proceed with his regiment to Siboney and +report to the medical officer there. The regiment started on its march +at 5.30, numbering at that time 8 companies, containing 15 officers +and 456 men. Marching on in the night, going through thickets and +across streams, the men were heard singing a fine old hymn: + + When through the deep waters I call thee to go, + The rivers of woe shall not thee o'erflow; + For I will be with thee, thy troubles to bless, + And sanctify to thee they deepest distress. + +In view of what was before them, the words were very appropriate. They +arrived on the hill at Siboney at 3.30 on the morning of July 16th. + +Without discussing the graphic story told by correspondents of the +highest respectability describing the regiment as volunteering, to a +man, to nurse the sick and dying at Siboney, we will rather follow the +official records of their doings in that fever-stricken place. On +arriving at Siboney on the morning of July 16, Sunday, Major Markely, +then in command of the regiment, met Colonel Greenleaf of the Medical +Department, and informed him that the Twenty-fourth Infantry was on +the ground. Colonel Greenleaf was just leaving the post, but Major La +Garde, his successor, manifested his great pleasure in seeing this +form of assistance arrive. Such a scene of misery presented itself to +Major Markely's eyes that he, soldier as he was, was greatly affected, +and assured Major La Garde that he was prepared personally to sink +every other consideration and devote himself to giving what assistance +he could in caring for the sick, and that he believed his whole +regiment would feel as he did when they came to see the situation. In +this he was not mistaken. The officers and men of the Twenty-fourth +Infantry did give themselves up to the care of the sick and dying, +furnishing all help in their power until their own health and strength +gave way, in some instances laying down even their lives in this noble +work. + +On the day of arrival seventy men were called for to nurse yellow +fever patients and do other work about the hospital. More than this +number immediately volunteered to enter upon a service which they +could well believe meant death to some of them. The camp was so +crowded and filthy that the work of cleaning it was begun at once by +the men of the Twenty-fourth, and day by day they labored as their +strength would permit, in policing the camp, cooking the food for +themselves and for the hospital, unloading supplies, taking down and +removing tents, and numberless other details of necessary labor. +Despite all the care that could be taken under such conditions as were +found at Siboney, the yellow fever soon overran the entire camp, and +of the 16 officers of the regiment, 1 had died, 2 more were expected +to die; 3 were dangerously ill, and 5 more or less so. Out of the +whole sixteen there were but three really fit for duty, and often out +of the whole regiment it would be impossible to get 12 men who could +go on fatigue duty. Out of the 456 men who marched to Siboney only 24 +escaped sickness, and on one day 241 were down. Those who would +recover remained weak and unfit for labor. Silently, without +murmuring, did these noble heroes, officers and men, stand at their +post ministering to the necessities of their fellowman until the +welcome news came that the regiment would be sent north and the +hospital closed as soon as possible. On August 8 Major La Garde, more +entitled to the honor of being classed among the heroes of Santiago +than some whose opportunities of brilliant display were vastly +superior, succumbed to the disease. The fact should be borne in mind +that all of these men, officers, soldiers and surgeons, went upon this +pest-house duty after the severe labors of assault of July 1-2, and +the two weeks of terrible strain and exposure in the trenches before +Santiago, and with the sick and wounded consequent upon these battles +and labors--none were strong. + +On July 16th, the day after the Twenty-fourth left the trenches, the +surrender was made and on the next morning the final ceremonies of +turning over Santiago to the American forces took place, and the +soldiers were allowed to come out of their ditches and enter into +more comfortable camps. The hardships of the period after the +surrender were not much less than those experienced while in the +lines. + +On the 26th of August the Twenty-fourth Infantry, having obtained an +honorable release from its perilous duty, marched out of Siboney with +band playing and colors flying to go on board the transport for +Montauk; but of the 456 men who marched into Siboney, only 198 were +able to march out, directed by 9 out of the 15 officers that marched +in with them. Altogether there were 11 officers and 289 men who went +on board the transport, but all except the number first given were +unable to take their places in the ranks. They went on board the +steamer Nueces, and coming from an infected camp, no doubt great care +was taken that the transport should arrive at its destination in a +good condition. Although there was sickness on board, there were no +deaths on the passage, and the Nueces arrived in port "one of the +cleanest ships that came to that place." The official report states +that the Nueces arrived at Montauk Point September 2, with 385 troops +on board; 28 sick, no deaths on the voyage, and not infected. Worn out +by the hard service the regiment remained a short time at Montauk and +then returned to its former station, Fort Douglass, Utah, leaving its +camp at Montauk in such a thoroughly creditable condition as to elicit +official remark. + +While the Twenty-fourth Infantry had without doubt the hardest +service, after the surrender, of any of the colored regiments, the +others were not slumbering at ease. Lying in the trenches almost +constantly for two weeks, drenched with rains, scorched by the burning +sun at times, and chilled by cool nights, subsisting on food not of +the best and poorly cooked, cut off from news and kept in suspense, +when the surrender finally came it found our army generally very +greatly reduced in vital force. During the period following, from July +16th to about the same date in August the re-action fell with all its +weight upon the troops, rendering them an easy prey to the climatic +influences by which they were surrounded.[20] Pernicious malarial +fever, bowel troubles and yellow fever were appearing in all the +regiments; and the colored troops appeared as susceptible as their +white comrades. The theory had been advanced that they were less +susceptible to malarial fever, and in a certain sense this appears to +be true; but the experience of our army in Cuba, as well as army +statistics published before the Cuban War, do not bear out the popular +view of the theory. The best that can be said from the experience of +Cuba is to the effect that the blacks may be less liable to yellow +fever and may more quickly rally from the effects of malarial fever. +These conclusions are, however, by no means well established. The +Twenty-fourth suffered excessively from fevers of both kinds, and in +the judgment of the commanding officer of the regiment "effectually +showed that colored soldiers were not more immune from Cuban fever +than white," but we must remember that the service of the +Twenty-fourth was exceptional. The Twenty-fifth Infantry lost but one +man during the whole campaign from climatic disease, John A. Lewis, +and it is believed that could he have received proper medical care his +life would have been saved. Yet this regiment suffered severely from +fever as did also the Ninth and Tenth Cavalry. + +Arriving at Montauk[21] early the author had the opportunity to see +the whole of the Fifth Army Corps disembark on its return from Cuba, +and was so impressed with its forlorn appearance that he then wrote of +it as coming home on stretchers. Pale, emaciated, weak and halting, +they came, with 3,252 sick, and reporting 87 deaths on the voyage. +But, as General Wheeler said in his report, "the great bulk of the +troops that were at Santiago were by no means well." Never before had +the people seen an army of stalwart men so suddenly transformed into +an army of invalids. And yet while all the regiments arriving showed +the effects of the hardships they had endured, the black regulars, +excepting the Twenty-fourth Infantry, appeared to have slightly the +advantage. The arrival of the Tenth Cavalry in "good condition" was an +early cheering item in the stream of suffering and debility landing +from the transports. Seeing all of the troops land and remaining at +Camp Wikoff until its days were nearly numbered, the writer feels sure +that the colored troops arrived from the front in as good condition as +the best, and that they recuperated with marked comparative rapidity. + +The chaplain of the Twenty-fifth Infantry, while en route to join his +regiment at Montauk, thinking seriously over the condition of the men +returning from such a hard experience, concluded that nothing would be +more grateful to them than a reasonable supply of ripe fruit, fresh +from the orchards and fields. He therefore sent a dispatch to the +Daily Evening News, published in Bridgeton, N.J., asking the citizens +of that community to contribute a carload of melons and fruits for the +men of the Twenty-fifth, or for the whole camp, if they so wished. +Subsequently mentioning the fact to the commanding officer of the +regiment, Lieutenant-Colonel Daggett, he heartily commended the idea, +believing that the fruit would be very beneficial. The good people of +Bridgeton took hold of the matter heartily, and in a short time +forwarded to the regiment more than four hundred of Jersey's finest +watermelons, fresh from the vines. These were distributed judiciously +and the health of the men began to improve forthwith. Soon five +hundred more arrived, sent by a patriotic citizen of Philadelphia. +These were also distributed. Ladies of Brooklyn forwarded peaches and +vegetables, and supplies of all sorts now were coming in abundance. +Our men improved so rapidly as to be the occasion of remark by +correspondents of the press. They were spoken of as being apparently +in good condition. While engaged in the work of supplying their +physical wants the chaplain was taken to task by a correspondent of +Leslie's for being too much concerned in getting a carload of +watermelons for his regiment, to go over to a graveyard and pray over +the dead. The next day the chaplain made haste to go over to that +particular graveyard to relieve the country from the crying shame that +the correspondent had pointed out, only to find two men already there +armed with prayer-books and one of them especially so fearful that he +would not get a chance to read a prayer over a dead soldier, that the +chaplain found it necessary to assure him that the opportunity to pray +should not be taken from him; and thus another popular horror was +found to be without reality. + +The colored ladies of Brooklyn organized a Soldiers' Aid Society, and +besides contributing in a general way, as already mentioned, also made +and presented to the soldiers about four hundred home-made pies, which +were most highly appreciated. They also prepared a tasty souvenir +commemorative of the heroic work performed by the troops in Cuba, and +expressive of high appreciation of the gallantry of the colored +regiments. A beautiful stand of colors was also procured for the +Twenty-fourth Infantry, which were subsequently presented to the +regiment with appropriate ceremonies. + +At the camp were three colored chaplains and one colored surgeon, +serving with the Regular Army, and their presence was of great value +in the way of accustoming the people at large to beholding colored men +as commissioned officers. To none were more attention shown than to +these colored men, and there was apparently no desire to infringe upon +their rights. Occasionally a very petty social movement might be made +by an insignificant, with a view of humiliating a Negro chaplain, but +such efforts usually died without harm to those aimed at and +apparently without special comfort to those who engineered them. + +The following paragraphs, written while in camp at the time indicated +in them, may serve a good purpose by their insertion here, showing as +they do the reflections of the writer as well as in outlining the more +important facts associated with that remarkable encampment: + + * * * * * + +CAMP WIKOFF AND ITS LESSONS. + +Now that the days of this camp are drawing to a close it is profitable +to recall its unique history and gather up some of the lessons it has +taught us. Despite all the sensationalism, investigations, testings, +experimentation, and general condemnation, the camp at Montauk +accomplished what was intended, and was itself a humane and patriotic +establishment. It is not for me to say whether a better site might not +have been selected, or whether the camp might not have been better +managed. I will take it for granted that improvement might have been +made in both respects, but our concern is rather with what was, than +with what "might have been." + +To appreciate Camp Wikoff we must consider two things specially; +first, its purpose, and secondly, the short time allowed to prepare +it; and then go over the whole subject and properly estimate its +extent and the amount of labor involved. + +The intention of the camp was to afford a place where our troops, +returning from Cuba, prostrated with climatic fever, and probably +infected with yellow fever, might receive proper medical treatment and +care, until the diseases were subdued. The site was selected with this +in view, and the conditions were admirably suited to such a purpose. +Completely isolated, on dry soil, with dry pure air, cool climate, +away from mosquitoes, the camp seemed all that was desired for a great +field hospital. + +Here the sick could come and receive the best that nature had to +bestow in the way of respite from the heat, and pure ocean breezes, +and, taken altogether, the experiences of August and a good part of +September, have justified the selection of Montauk. While prostrations +were occurring elsewhere, the camp was cool and delightful most of the +time. + +As to the preparations, it must be remembered that the recall of the +whole Army of Invasion from Cuba was made in response to a popular +demand, and as a measure of humanity. Bring the army home! was the +call, and, Bring it at once! + +[Illustration] + +Such urgency naturally leaps ahead of minor preparations. The soldiers +wanted to come; the people wanted them to come; hence the crowding of +transports and the lack of comforts on the voyages; hence the lack of +hospital accommodations when the troops began to arrive. Haste almost +always brings about such things; but sometimes haste is imperative. +This was the case in getting the army out of Cuba and into Camp at +Montauk in August, '98. Haste was pushed to that point when omissions +had to occur, and inconvenience and suffering resulted. + +We must also remember the condition of the men who came to Montauk. +About 4,000 were reported as sick before they left Cuba; but, roughly +speaking, there were 10,000 sick men landing in Montauk. Those who +were classed as well were, with rare exceptions, both mentally and +physically incapable of high effort. It was an invalid army, with +nearly one-half of its number seriously sick and suffering. + +Ten thousand sick soldiers were never on our hands before, and the +mighty problem was not realized until the transports began to emit +their streams of weakness and walking death at Montauk. The +preparation was altogether inadequate for such a mass of misery, and +for a time all appeared confusion. + +Then came severe, cruel, merciless criticisms; deserved in some cases +no doubt, but certainly not everywhere. The faults, gaps, failures, +were everywhere to be seen, and it was easy to see and to say what +ought to have been done. But the situation at Camp Wikoff from August +15th to Sep. 15th needed more than censure; it needed help. The men +who were working for the Government in both the medical and commissary +departments needed assistance; the former in the way of nurses, and +the latter in the way of appropriate food. The censure and exposure +indulged in by the press may have contributed to direct the attention +of the benevolently disposed to the conditions in the camp. + +Then came the era of ample help; from Massachusetts; from New York, in +a word, from all over the country. The Merchants' Relief Association +poured in its thousands of dollars worth of supplies, bringing them to +the camp and distributing them generously and wisely. The Women's +Patriotic Relief, the Women's War Relief, the International +Brotherhood League, and the powerful Red Cross Society, all poured in +food and comforts for the sick thousands. Besides these great +organizations there were also the spontaneous offerings of the people, +many of them generously distributed by the Brooklyn Daily Eagle's +active representatives. The tent of that journal was an excellent +way-mark and a veritable house of the good shepherd for many a lost +wanderer, as well as a place of comfort, cheer and rest. The work done +was very valuable and highly appreciated. + +To the medical department came the trained hand of the female nurse. +No one who saw these calm-faced, white-hooded sisters, or the cheery +cheeked, white capped nurses from the schools, could fail to see that +they were in the right place. The sick soldier's lot was brightened +greatly when the gentle female nurse came to his cot. Woman can never +be robbed of her right to nurse. This is one of the lessons taught by +the Hispano-American War. + +This vast army has been handled. No yellow fever has been spread. The +general health has been restored. The disabled are mostly housed in +hospitals, and many of them are on the road to recovery. Some have +died; some are on furlough, and many have gone to their homes. + +The regulars are repairing to their stations quite invigorated, and +greatly helped in many ways by the kind treatment they have received. +Camp Wikoff was not a failure; but a great and successful object +lesson, as well as a great summer school in nationalism. Here black, +white and Indian soldiers fraternized; here Northerners and +Southerners served under the same orders. Ten thousand soldiers and as +many civilians daily attended the best school of its kind ever held in +this country, striving to take home to their hearts the lessons that +God is teaching the nations. + +The Rev. Sylvester Malone thus sums up the message of the war to us in +his letter to the committee to welcome Brooklyn's soldiers: + + "This short war has done so much for America at home and + abroad that we must take every soldier to our warmest + affection and send him back to peaceful pursuits on the + conviction that there is nothing higher in our American life + than to have the privilege to cheer and gladden the marine + and the soldier that have left to America her brightest and + best page of a great history. This past war must kindle in + our souls a love of all the brethren, black as well as + white, Catholic as well as Protestant, having but one + language, one nationality, and it is to be hoped, yet one + religion." + +These are true words, as full of patriotism as they are of fraternity, +and these are the two special lessons taught at Montauk--a broad, +earnest, practical fraternity, and a love of country before which the +petty prejudices of race and section were compelled to yield ground. + + +THE YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION IN CAMP WIKOFF. + +The Young Men's Christian Association has done an excellent work in +Camp Wikoff. Their tents have afforded facilities for profitable +amusements, in the way of quiet games, thus bringing out the use of +these games distinct from their abuse--gambling. + +Their reading tables have also been well supplied with papers and +magazines, religious and secular, generally very acceptable to the +soldiers, as attested by the numbers that read them. But perhaps best +of all, has been the provision made for the soldiers to write. Tables, +pens, ink, paper and envelopes have been supplied in abundance. These +were of great advantage to soldiers living in tents, and the work of +the Association in this respect cannot be too highly commended. + +The specially religious work of the Association as I have seen it, +consists of three divisions: First, the meetings in their tents, held +nightly and on Sundays. These have been vigorously carried on and well +attended, the chaplains of the camp often rendering assistance. +Secondly, I have noticed the Y.M.C.A. men visiting the sick in the +hospitals and camps, giving the word of exhortation and help to the +sick. Perhaps, however, in their work of private conversation with the +well men, they have done as much real service for God as in either of +the other two fields. They have made the acquaintance of many men and +have won the respect of the camp. This I have numbered as the third +division of their work--personal contact with the soldiers of the +camp, at the same time keeping themselves "unspotted from the world." + +B. + + The 24th Infantry was ordered down to Siboney to do guard + duty. When the regiment reached the yellow-fever hospital it + was found to be in a deplorable condition. Men were dying + there every hour for the lack of proper nursing. Major + Markley, who had commanded the regiment since July 1st, when + Colonel Liscum was wounded, drew his regiment up in line, + and Dr. La Garde, in charge of the hospital, explained the + needs of the suffering, at the same time clearly setting + forth the danger to men who were not immune, of nursing and + attending yellow-fever patients. Major Markley then said + that any man who wished to volunteer to nurse in the + yellow-fever hospital could step forward. The whole regiment + stepped forward. Sixty men were selected from the volunteers + to nurse, and within forty-eight hours forty-two of these + brave fellows were down seriously ill with yellow or + pernicious malarial fever. Again the regiment was drawn up + in line, and again Major Markley said that nurses were + needed, and that any man who wished to do so could + volunteer. After the object lesson which the men had + received in the last few days of the danger from contagion + to which they would be exposed, it was now unnecessary for + Dr. La Garde to again warn the brave blacks of the terrible + contagion. When the request for volunteers to replace those + who had already fallen in the performance of their dangerous + and perfectly optional duty was made again, the regiment + stepped forward as one man. When sent down from the trenches + the regiment consisted of eight companies, averaging about + forty men each. Of the officers and men who remained on duty + the forty days spent in Siboney, only twenty-four escaped + without serious illness, and of this handful not a few + succumbed to fevers on the voyage home and after their + arrival at Montauk. + + As a result, thirty-six died and about forty were discharged + from the regiment owing to disabilities resulting from + sickness which began in the yellow-fever hospital.--Bonsal's + Fight for Santiago. + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[20] "After the surrender, dear Chaplain, the real trouble and +difficulties began. Such a period, from July 14, 1898 to August 14, +1898, was never before known to human beings, I hope. The starving +time was nothing to the fever time, where scores died per day. We were +not permitted to starve; but had fever, and had it bad; semi-decayed +beef, both from refrigerators and from cans. We had plenty of fever, +but no clothing until very late; no medicine save a little quinine +which was forced into you all the time, intermittent only with bad +meat."--Extract from a soldier's letter. + +[21] While the Twenty-fifth Infantry was in camp at Chickamauga Park I +was ordered to Xenia, Ohio, on recruiting duty, and on July 5. on +seeing the reports of the wounded I asked officially to be ordered to +my regiment. An order to that effect came about a month later, +directing me to join my regiment by way of Tampa, Florida. Arriving in +Tampa, my destination was changed by telegraph to Montauk Point, N.Y., +whither I arrived a few days before the regiment did. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +REVIEW AND REFLECTIONS. + + Gallantry of the Black Regulars--Diary of Sergeant-Major + E.L. Baker, Tenth Cavalry. + + +It is time now to sum up the work of the four regiments whose careers +we have thus far followed, and to examine the grounds upon which the +golden opinions they won in battle and siege are based. We have seen +that in the first fight, that of Las Guasimas, on June 24th, the Tenth +Cavalry, especially Troops I and B, both with their small arms and +with the machine guns belonging to Troop B, did most effective work +against the Spanish right, joining with the First Cavalry in +overcoming that force which was rapidly destroying Roosevelt's Rough +Riders. Nor should it be forgotten that in this first fight, Troop B, +which did its full share, was commanded on the firing line by +Sergeants John Buck and James Thompson. In the squad commanded by +Sergeant Thompson several men of the First Regular Cavalry fought and +it is claimed were highly pleased with him as squad commander. + +While this was the first fight of the men of the Tenth Cavalry with +the Spaniards, it was by no means their first experience under fire. +From the time of the organization of the regiment in 1866 up to within +a year of the war, the men had been engaged frequently in conflicts +with Indians and marauders, often having men killed and wounded in +their ranks. The fights were participated in by small numbers, and the +casualties were not numerous, but there were opportunities for the +acquirement of skill and the display of gallantry. Altogether the men +of the regiment during their experience on the plains engaged in +sixty-two battles and skirmishes. This training had transformed the +older men of the regiment into veterans and enabled them to be cool +and efficient in their first fight in Cuba. + +Sergeant Buck, upon whom the command of Troop B chiefly fell after +becoming separated from his Lieutenant in the battle at Guasimas, +joined the regiment in 1880, and had already passed through eighteen +years of the kind of service above described. He was at the time of +the Cuban War in the prime of life, a magnificent horseman, an +experienced scout, and a skilled packer. In 1880, when he joined the +regiment, the troops were almost constantly in motion, marching that +one year nearly seventy-seven thousand miles, his own troop covering +twelve hundred and forty-two miles in one month. This troop with four +others made a ride of sixty-five miles in less than twenty-one hours, +arriving at their destination without the loss of a single horse. In +1893 he was mentioned by the commanding officer of Fort Missoula, +Montana, for highly meritorious service, skill and energy displayed +while in charge of pack train of an expedition across the Bitter Root +Mountains, Idaho, during the most inclement weather, in quest of a +party of gentlemen lost. (Letter of commanding officer, Fort Missoula, +Montana, February 12, 1894.) Sergeant Buck has also won the silver +medal for revolver shooting. + +Sergeant James Thompson joined the regiment in 1888, and has passed +the ten years in the one troop, and proved himself at Las Guasimas a +soldier worthy his regiment. + +The first battle gave the Tenth a reputation in a new field, +corresponding to that which it had gained in the West, and this was +not allowed to fade during its stay in Cuba. The fame of this first +action spread rapidly through the army and inspired the other +regiments of colored men with a desire to distinguish themselves on +this new field of honor, and their readiness to be to the front and to +take prominent part in all service was so marked that opportunity +could not be withheld from them. As the army advanced toward Santiago +these regiments became more and more the mark of observation by +foreign military men who were present, and by the great throng of +correspondents who were the eyes for the people of the civilized +world. And hence, when the lines of assault were finally determined +and the infantry and cavalry of our army deployed for its perilous +attack upon the Spanish fortifications the black regiments were in +their places, conspicuous by their vigor and enthusiasm. In them were +enlisted men whose time of service had expired a few days before, but +who had promptly re-enlisted. In at least two cases were men who +served their full thirty years and could have retired with honor at +the breaking out of the war. They preferred to share the fortunes of +their comrades in arms, and it is a comfort to be able to record that +the two spoken of came home from the fight without a wound and with +health unimpaired. How many others there were in the same case in the +army is not reported, but the supposition is that there were several +such in both the white and colored regiments. + +Recalling the scenes of that memorable first of July, 1898, we can see +the Twenty-fifth Infantry advancing steadily on the stone fort at El +Caney at one time entirely alone, meeting the fire of the fort even up +to their last rush forward. Captain Loughborough, who commanded +Company B, of that regiment, and although his company was in the +reserve, was nevertheless under fire, says: "The hardest fighting of +the Twenty-fifth was between two and four o'clock," at which time all +the other troops of the attacking force, except Bates' brigade, were +under cover and remaining stationary, the Twenty-fifth being the only +organization that was advancing. The official reports give the +positions of General Chaffee's brigade during the two hours between +two o'clock and four of that afternoon as follows: + +The Seventh was under partial cover and remained in its position +"until about 4.30 p.m." The Seventeenth remained with its left joined +to the right of the Seventh "until the battle was over." The Twelfth +Infantry was in its shelter within 350 yards of the fort "until about +4 p.m." Ludlow's brigade was engaged with the town, hence only Miles' +brigade, consisting of the Fourth and Twenty-fifth Infantry, was +advancing upon the fort. The Fourth Infantry was soon checked in its +advance, as General Daggett especially notes in his report, and the +Twenty-fifth was thus thrust forward alone, excepting Bates' brigade, +which was making its way up the right. + +This conspicuous advance of the Twenty-fifth brought that regiment +into the view of the world, and established for it a brilliant +reputation for skill and courage. Arriving in the very jaws of the +fort the sharpshooters and marksmen of that regiment poured such a +deadly fire into the loopholes of the fort that they actually silenced +it with their rifles. These men with the sternness of iron and the +skill acquired by long and careful training, impressed their +characteristics on the minds of all their beholders. Of the four +hundred men who went on the field that morning very few were recruits, +and many had passed over ten years in the service. When they "took the +battle formation and advanced to the stone fort more like veterans +than troops who had never been under fire," as their commander +reports, they gave to the world a striking exhibition of the effect of +military training. In each breast a spirit of bravery had been +developed and their skill in the use of their arms did not for a +moment forsake them. They advanced against volleys from the fort and +rifle pits in front, and a galling fire from blockhouses, the church +tower and the village on their left. Before a less severe fire than +this, on that very day, a regiment of white volunteers had succumbed +and was lying utterly demoralized by the roadside; before this same +fire the Second Massachusetts Volunteers were forced to retire--in the +face of it the Twenty-fifth advanced steadily to its goal. + +Lieutenant Moss, who commanded Company H on the firing line on that +day, has published an account in which he says: "The town was +protected on the north by three blockhouses and the church; on the +west by three blockhouses (and partially by the church); on the east +by the stone fort, one blockhouse, the church, and three rifle pits; +on the south and southeast by the stone fort, three blockhouses, one +loop-holed house, the church and eight rifle pits. However, the Second +Brigade was sent forward against the southeast of the town, thus being +exposed to fire from fourteen sources, nearly all of which were in +different planes, forming so many tiers of fire. The cover on the +south and southeast of the town was no better than, if as good, as +that on the other sides." + +The cavalry regiments were no less conspicuous in their gallantry at +San Juan than was the Twenty-fifth Infantry at El Caney. The +brilliancy of that remarkable regiment, the Rough Riders, commanded on +July 1st by Colonel Roosevelt, was so dazzling that it drew attention +away from the ordinary regulars, yet the five regiments of regular +cavalry did their duty as thoroughly on that day as did the regiment +of volunteers.[22] In this body of cavalry troops, where courage was +elevated to a degree infringing upon the romantic, the two black +regiments took their places, and were fit to be associated in valor +with that highly representative regiment. The Inspector-General turns +aside from mere routine in his report long enough to say "the courage +and conduct of the colored troops and First United States Volunteers +seemed always up to the best." That these black troopers held no +second place in valor is proven by their deeds, and from the testimony +of all who observed their conduct, and that they with the other +regulars were decidedly superior in skill was recognized by the +volunteer Colonel himself. The Ninth Cavalry, although suffering +considerably in that advance on East Hill, involved as it was, more or +less, with Roosevelt's regiment, did not receive so large a share of +public notice as its sister regiment. The strength of the Ninth was +but little over one-half that of the Tenth, and its movements were so +involved with those of the volunteers as to be somewhat obscured by +them; the loss also of its commander just as the first position of the +enemy fell into our hands, was a great misfortune to the regiment. The +Ninth, however, was with the first that mounted the heights, and +whatever praise is to be bestowed upon the Rough Riders in that +assault is to be distributed in equal degree to the men of that +regiment. Being in the leading brigade of the division this regiment +had been firing steadily upon the Spanish works before the charge was +ordered, and when the movement began the men of the Ninth advanced so +rapidly that they were among the first to reach the crest. + +The Tenth Regiment, with its Hotchkiss guns, and its trained men, took +its place in the line that morning to add if possible further lustre +to the distinction already won. In crossing the flat, in climbing the +heights, and in holding the ridge these brave men did all that could +be expected of them. Roosevelt said: "The colored troops did as well +as any soldiers could possibly do," meaning the colored men of the +Ninth and Tenth Cavalry. To their officers he bestows a meed of praise +well deserved, but not on the peculiar ground which he brings forward. +He would have the reader believe that it has required special ability +and effort to bring these colored men up to the condition of good +soldiers and to induce them to do so well in battle; while the +testimony of the officers themselves and the experience of more than a +quarter of a century with colored professional troops give no +countenance to any such theory. The voice of experience is that the +colored man is specially apt as a soldier, and General Merritt +declares him always brave in battle. The officers commanding colored +troops at Santiago honored themselves in their reports of the battles +by giving full credit to the men in the ranks, who by their resolute +advance and their cool and accurate firing dislodged an intrenched foe +and planted the flag of our Union where had floated the ensign of +Spain. + +That rushing line of dismounted cavalry, so ably directed by Sumner, +did not get to its goal without loss. As it swept across the open to +reach the heights, it faced a well-directed fire from the Spanish +works, and men dropped from the ranks, wounded and dying. Of the +officers directing that advance 35 fell either killed or wounded and +328 men. These numbers appear small when hastily scanned or when +brought into comparison with the losses in battle during the Civil +War, but if we take time to imagine 35 officers lying on the ground +either killed or wounded and 328 men in the same condition, the +carnage will not appear insignificant. Woe enough followed even that +one short conflict. It must be observed also that the whole strength +of this division was less than 3000 men, so that about one out of +every eight had been struck by shot or shell. + +Several enlisted men among the colored cavalry displayed high +soldierly qualities in this assault, evidencing a willingness to +assume the responsibility of command and the ability to lead. +Color-Sergeant George Berry became conspicuous at once by his +brilliant achievement of carrying the colors of two regiments, those +of his own and of the Third Cavalry. The Color-Sergeant of the latter +regiment had fallen and Berry seized the colors and bore them up the +hill with his own. The illustrated press gave some attention to this +exploit at the time, but no proper recognition of it has as yet been +made. Sergeant Berry's character as a soldier had been formed long +before this event, and his reputation for daring was already well +established. He entered the service in 1867 and when he carried that +flag up San Juan was filling out his thirty-first year in the service. +All this time he had passed in the cavalry and had engaged in many +conflicts with hostile Indians and ruffians on our frontiers. + +Perhaps the most important parts taken by any enlisted men in the +cavalry division were those taken by Sergeants Foster and Givens. The +former was First Sergeant of Troop G and as the troop was making its +way to the hill by some means the Spaniards were able not only to +discover them but also the direction in which they were moving and to +determine their exact range. Sergeant Foster ventured to tell the +Lieutenant in charge that the course of advance should be changed as +they were marching directly into the enemy's guns. + +"Silence," shouted the Lieutenant. "Come on, men; follow me." "All +right, sir," said the Sergeant; "we'll go as far as you will." The +next instant the Lieutenant was shot through the head, leaving +Sergeant Foster in command. Immediately the troop was deployed out of +the dangerous range and the Sergeant by the exercise of good judgment +brought his men to the crest of the hill without losing one from his +ranks. At the time of this action Sergeant Foster was a man who would +readily command attention. Born in Texas and a soldier almost +continuously since 1875, part of which time had been passed in an +infantry regiment, he had acquired valuable experience. In 1888, while +serving in the cavalry, he had been complimented in General Orders for +skill in trailing raiding parties in Arizona. He was a resolute and +stalwart soldier, an excellent horseman and possessed of superior +judgment, and with a reputation for valor which none who knew him +would question. The return of Troop G, Tenth Cavalry, for July, 1898, +contains the following note: "Lieutenant Roberts was wounded early in +the engagement; Lieutenant Smith was killed about 10.30 a.m. while +gallantly leading the troop in the advance line. After Lieutenant +Smith fell the command of the troop devolved upon First Sergeant Saint +Foster, who displayed remarkable intelligence and ability in handling +the troop during the remainder of the day. Sergeant Foster's conduct +was such as cannot be excelled for valor during the operations around +Santiago. He commanded the troop up the hills of San Juan." + +Sergeant William H. Givens, of Troop D, Tenth Cavalry, also commanded +in the action against San Juan. His Captain, who was wounded three +times in the fight, being finally disabled before reaching the hill, +makes the following report: "Sergeant William H. Givens was with the +platoon which I commanded; whenever I observed him he was at his post +exercising a steadying or encouraging influence on the men, and +conducting himself like the thorough soldier that I have long known +him to be. I understand to my great satisfaction that he has been +rewarded by an appointment to a lieutenancy in an immune regiment." + +The Descriptive list of Sergeant Givens, made on August 4th, 1898, +contains these remarks: + + "Commanded his troop with excellent judgment after his + captain fell at the battle of San Juan, July 1, 1898, + leading it up the hill to the attack of the blockhouse. + + "Character: A most excellent soldier."[23] + +Sergeant Givens may also be called an "old-timer." He had enlisted in +'69, and had passed all that time in hard frontier service. The troop +in which he enlisted during the years 1876-78 was almost constantly +engaged with hostile Indians along the Mexican border, and Sergeant +Givens was called upon to take part in numerous scouts in which there +were many striking adventures. He was also in that memorable campaign +against Victoria, conducted by General Grierson. Sergeant Givens was +an ideal soldier and worthy the commendations bestowed upon him by his +troop commander and others. Captain Bigelow received his disabling +wound about seventy-five yards from the blockhouse and was taken to +the rear under heavy fire by two soldiers of the troop by the name of +Henderson and Boardman. + +Lieutenant Kennington, reporting the work of the troop on that morning +says that Corporal J. Walker was probably the first soldier to reach +the top of the hill and is believed to have shot the Spaniard who +killed Lieutenant Ord. The report containing the above statement is +dated July 5, 1898. Since that time the matter has been fully +investigated by Captain Bigelow and the fact ascertained that Corporal +Walker did arrive first on the hill and did shoot the Spaniard +referred to and he has been recommended for a Medal of Honor in +consequence. + +The Sergeant-Major of the Tenth Cavalry, Mr. E.L. Baker, who served +with great credit during the Santiago campaign, is a soldier with an +excellent record. He was born of French and American parentage in +Wyoming and enlisted in the Ninth Cavalry as trumpeter in 1882, +serving five years in that regiment. He then enlisted in the Tenth +Cavalry, and in 1892 became Sergeant-Major. Being desirous of +perfecting himself in the cavalry service he applied for an extended +furlough with permission to leave the country, intending to enter a +cavalry school in France. In this desire he was heartily endorsed by +the officers of his regiment, and was specially commended by General +Miles, who knew him as a soldier and who highly appreciated him as +such. The breaking out of the Spanish war soon after he had made +application prevented a full consideration of his case. In 1897 +Sergeant-Major Baker published a specially valuable "Roster of the +Non-Commissioned Officers of the Tenth U.S. Cavalry, with Some +Regimental Reminiscences, etc.," which has been of marked service in +the preparation of the sketches of the enlisted men of his regiment. +He contributes the interesting sketch of his experiences in Cuba with +his regiment, which follows this chapter, and which will prove to many +perhaps the most interesting portion of my book. + +The Twenty-fourth Infantry advanced in that line of attack on the +extreme left and reached the crest of the San Juan Hills in such +numbers as to lead the press correspondents and others to conclude +that there were more men of this regiment promptly on the ground than +of any other one regiment. It is certain they made a record for +heroism in that assault as bright as any won on the field that day; +and this record they raised to a magnificent climax by their +subsequent work in the fever hospital at Siboney. For their +distinguished service both in the field and in the hospital, the +colored ladies of New York honored themselves in presenting the +regiment the beautiful stand of colors already mentioned. As these +fever-worn veterans arrived at Montauk they presented a spectacle well +fitted to move strong men to tears. In solemn silence they marched +from on board the transport Nueces, which had brought them from Cuba, +and noiselessly they dragged their weary forms over the sandy roads +and up the hill to the distant "detention camp." Twenty-eight of their +number were reported sick, but the whole regiment was in ill-health. + +These were the men who had risked their lives and wrecked their health +in service for others. Forty days they had stood face to face with +death. In their soiled, worn and faded clothing, with arms uncleaned, +emaciated, and with scarce strength enough to make the march before +them, as they moved on that hot 2nd of September from the transport to +the camp, they appeared more like a funeral procession than heroes +returning from the war; and to the credit of our common humanity it +may be recorded that they were greeted, not with plaudits and cheers, +but with expressions of real sympathy. Many handkerchiefs were brought +into view, not to wave joyous welcome, but to wipe away the tears that +came from overflowing hearts. At no time did human nature at Montauk +appear to better advantage than in its silent, sympathetic reception +of the Twenty-fourth Infantry. + +Of these shattered heroes General Miles had but recently spoken in +words well worthy his lofty position and noble manhood as "a regiment +of colored troops, who, having shared equally in the heroism, as well +as the sacrifices, is now voluntarily engaged in nursing yellow fever +patients and burying the dead." These men came up to Montauk from +great tribulations which should have washed their robes to a +resplendent whiteness in the eyes of the whole people. Great +Twenty-fourth, we thank thee for the glory thou hast given to American +soldiery, and to the character of the American Negro! + +Thus these four colored regiments took their place on the march, in +camp, in assault and in siege with the flower of the American Army, +the choice and pick of the American nation, and came off acknowledged +as having shared equally in heroism and sacrifices with the other +regular regiments so engaged, and deserving of special mention for the +exhibition of regard for the welfare of their fellow man. The query +is now pertinent as to the return which has been made to these brave +men. The question of Ahasuerus when told of the valuable services of +the Jew, Mordecai, is the question which the better nature of the +whole American people should ask on hearing the general report of the +valuable services of the Negro Regular in the Spanish War. When +Ahasuerus asked: "What honor and dignity hath been done to Mordecai +for this?" his servants that ministered unto him were compelled to +answer: "There is nothing done for him." Looking over these four +regiments at the time of this writing an answer somewhat similar in +force must be returned. That the colored soldier is entitled to honor +and dignity must be admitted by all who admire brave deeds, or regard +the welfare of the state. The colored soldier, however, was compelled +to stand by and see a hundred lieutenancies filled in the Regular +Army, many in his own regiments, only to find himself overlooked and +to be forced to feel that his services however valuable, could not +outweigh the demerit of his complexion. + +The sum total of permanent advantage secured to the colored regular as +such, in that bloody ordeal where brave men gave up their lives for +their country's honor, consists of a few certificates of merit +entitling the holders to two dollars per month additional pay as long +as they remain in the service. Nor is this all, or even the worst of +the matter. Men who served in the war as First Sergeants, and who +distinguished themselves in that capacity, have been allowed to go +back to their old companies to serve in inferior positions. Notably is +this the case with Sergeant William H. Givens, whose history has been +detailed as commanding Troop D, Tenth Cavalry, after Captain Bigelow +fell, and who heroically led the troop up the hill. He is now serving +in his old troop as Corporal, his distinction having actually worked +his reduction rather than substantial promotion. + +It must not be inferred from the foregoing, however, that nothing +whatever was done in recognition of the gallantry of the colored +regulars. Something was done. Cases of individual heroism were so +marked, and so numerous, that they could not be ignored. The men who +had so distinguished themselves could not be disposed of by special +mention and compliments in orders. Something more substantial was +required. Fortunately for such purpose four regiments of colored +United States Volunteer Infantry were then in course of organization, +in which the policy had been established that colored men should be +accepted as officers below the grade of captain. Into these regiments +the colored men who had won distinction at Santiago were placed, many +as Second Lieutenants, although some were given First Lieutenancies. +This action of the Government was hailed with great delight on the +part of the colored Americans generally, and the honors were accepted +very gratefully by the soldiers who had won them on the field. +Fortunately as this opening seemed, it turned out very disappointing. +It soon became evident that these regiments would be mustered out of +the service, as they had proven themselves no more immune, so far as +it could be determined from the facts, than other troops. The +Lieutenants who had been most fortunate in getting their commissions +early got about six or seven months' service, and then the dream of +their glory departed and they fell back to the ranks to stand +"attention" to any white man who could muster political influence +sufficient to secure a commission. Their day was short, and when they +were discharged from the volunteer service, there appeared no future +for them as commissioned officers. Their occupation was indeed gone. +It was for them a most disappointing and exasperating promotion, +resulting in some cases in loss of standing and in financial injury. +Their honors were too short-lived, and too circumscribed, to be much +more than a lively tantalization, to be remembered with disgust by +those who had worn them. Cruel, indeed, was the prejudice that could +dictate such a policy to the brave black men of San Juan. The black +heroes, however, were not without sympathy in their misfortune. The +good people of the country had still a warm place in their hearts for +the colored soldier, despite the sayings of his maligners. + +The people of Washington, D.C., had an opportunity to testify their +appreciation of the Tenth Cavalry as that regiment passed through +their city on its way to its station in Alabama, and later a portion +of it was called to Philadelphia to take part in the Peace Jubilee, +and no troops received more generous attention. To express in some +lasting form their regard for the regiment and its officers, some +patriotic citizens of Philadelphia presented a handsome saber to +Captain Charles G. Ayres, who had charge of the detachment which took +part in the Peace Jubilee, "as a token of their appreciation of the +splendid conduct of the regiment in the campaign of Santiago, and of +its superb soldierly appearance and good conduct during its attendance +at the Jubilee Parade in Philadelphia." + +Likewise when the Twenty-fifth Infantry arrived at its station at Fort +Logan, Colorado, the people of Denver gave to both officers and men a +most cordial reception, and invited them at once to take part in their +fall carnival. All over the country there was at that time an unusual +degree of good feeling toward the colored soldier who had fought so +well, and no one seemed to begrudge him the rest which came to him or +the honors bestowed upon him. + +This state of feeling did not last. Before the year closed assiduous +efforts were made to poison the public mind toward the black soldier, +and history can but record that these efforts were too successful. The +three hundred colored officers became an object at which both +prejudice and jealousy could strike; but to reach them the reputation +of the entire colored contingent must be assailed. This was done with +such vehemence and persistency that by the opening of 1899 the good +name of the black regular was hidden under the rubbish of reports of +misconduct. So much had been said and done, even in Denver, which had +poured out its welcome words to the heroes of El Caney, that the +Ministerial Alliance of that city, on February 6, 1899, found it +necessary to take up the subject, and that body expressed itself in +the unanimous adoption of the following resolutions: + + RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED UNANIMOUSLY BY THE MINISTERIAL ALLIANCE + OF DENVER, FEBRUARY 6, 1899. + + _Resolved_, By the Ministerial Alliance of the City of + Denver, that the attempt made in certain quarters to have + the Twenty-fifth Regiment, United States Infantry, removed + from Fort Logan, appears to this body to rest on no just + grounds, to be animated on the contrary by motives unworthy + and discreditable to Denver and the State, and that + especially in view of the heroic record of the Twenty-fifth + Regiment, its presence here is an honor to Denver and + Colorado, which this Alliance would regret to have + withdrawn.[24] + +The mustering out of the volunteers about the time this opposition was +approaching what appeared to be a climax, causing the removal from the +service of the colored officers, appeased the wrath of the demon, and +the waves of the storm gradually sank to a peace, gratifying, indeed, +to those who shuddered to see a black man with shoulder-straps. As the +last Negro officer descended from the platform and honorably laid +aside his sword to take his place as a citizen of the Republic, or a +private in her armies, that class of our citizenship breathed a sigh +of relief. What mattered it to them whether justice were done; whether +the army were weakened; whether individuals were wronged; they were +relieved from seeing Negroes in officers' uniforms, and that to them +is a most gracious portion. The discharge of the volunteers was to +them the triumph of their prejudices, and in it they took great +comfort, although as a matter of fact it was a plain national movement +coming about as a logical sequence, entirely independent of their +whims or wishes. The injustice to the Negro officer does not lie in +his being mustered out of the volunteer service, but in the failure to +provide for a recognition of his valor in the nation's permanent +military establishment. + +The departure of the colored man from the volunteer service was the +consequent disappearance of the colored military officer, with the +single exception of Lieutenant Charles Young of the Regular Cavalry, +had a very depressing effect upon the colored people at large, and +called forth from their press and their associations most earnest +protests. With a few exceptions, these protests were encouched in +respectful language toward the President and his advisers, but the +grounds upon which they were based were so fair and just, that +right-thinking men could not avoid their force. The following +resolution, passed by the National Afro-American Council, may be taken +as representative of the best form of such remonstrance: + + "_Resolved_, That we are heartily grieved that the President + of the United States and those in authority have not from + time to time used their high station to voice the best + conscience of the nation in regard to mob violence and fair + treatment of justly deserving men. It is not right that + American citizens should be despoiled of life and liberty + while the nation looks silently on; or that soldiers who, + with conspicuous bravery, offer their lives for the country, + should have their promotion result in practical dismissal + from the army." + +The nation graciously heeded the call of justice and in the +re-organization of the volunteer army provided for two colored +regiments, of which all the company officers should be colored men. +Under this arrangement many of the black heroes of Santiago were +recalled from the ranks and again restored to the positions they had +won. Thus did the nation in part remedy the evil which came in +consequence of the discharge of the volunteers, and prove its +willingness to do right. Triumphantly did the Administration vindicate +itself in the eyes of good people, and again did it place its +withering disapproval upon the conduct of those who were ready to +shout their applause over the worthy black officer's accidental +humiliation. The Negro officer disappeared from the United States' +Regiments as a Lieutenant only; but he returns to the same, or rather, +to a higher grade of the same form of regiments, both as Lieutenant +and Captain. How rapid and pronounced has been the evolution! It is +true the Negro officer is still a volunteer, but his standing is +measurably improved, both because of the fact of his recall, and also +because the regiments which he is now entering have some prospect of +being incorporated into the Regular Army. It does not seem probable +that the nation can much longer postpone the increase of the standing +army, and in this increase it is to be hoped the American Negro, both +as soldier and officer, will receive that full measure of justice of +which the formation of the present two colored regiments is so +conspicuous a part. + + * * * * * + +DIARY OF E.L. BAKER. SERGEANT-MAJOR TENTH U.S. CAVALRY. + + Appointed First Lieutenant Ninth U.S. Volunteer Infantry, + and later Captain of the Forty-ninth Volunteer Infantry--Now + Lieutenant in Philippine Scouts. + +A TRIP FROM MONTANA TO CUBA WITH THE TENTH U.S. CAVALRY. + +April 16, 1898, at 10.45 p.m., telegram was received from Department +Headquarters, St. Paul, Minnesota, ordering the regiment to the +Department of the Gulf. + +As every click of the telegraph instrument was expected to announce a +rupture in the diplomatic relations between the United States and the +Kingdom of Spain, all knew that the mobilization of the army South +meant preparing it for the serious work for which it is maintained. + +On April 19 we were off for Chickamauga Park. En route we were +heartily greeted. Patriotism was at its height. Every little hamlet, +even, had its offerings. To compare the journey with Cæsar's march of +triumph would be putting it mildly. + +We arrived at the historic point April 25. Every moment of our stay +there was assiduously devoted to organizing, refitting and otherwise +preparing for the inevitable. Officers were sent to many parts of the +country to secure recruits. Many also gave up details and relinquished +their leaves of absence to take part in the impending crisis. + +May 14. We were moved a little nearer the probable theatre of +operations. On account of some deficiency in water for troops at +Tampa, the regiment was stopped at Lakeland, 30 miles this side, where +many recruits were received; Troops increased to war strength, and new +Troops established. Drills and instructions were also constantly +followed up. + +June 6. Orders were received to prepare headquarters, band and eight +Troops dismounted, with trained men only, for service in Cuba. +Recruits to be left in camp with horses and property. + +June 7. We were off for Port Tampa, where the regiment embarked on the +steamship Leona that afternoon. + +June 8. She steamed from the dock. When the expedition seemed to be +forming, news was received that the dreaded Spanish fleet was being +sighted, evidently lying in wait for army transports. So we steamed +back to the pier. Many of the men appeared disappointed at the move, +probably not realizing that there was too much water in the Atlantic +Ocean for the 5th Army Corps to drink. + +To my mind, the Divine Providence surely directed the move, as the +delay enabled the force to be swelled several thousand, every one of +whom was needed before Santiago. + +June 14. We steamed out of Tampa Bay, amid cheers and music from the +thirty odd transports, heavily escorted by naval vessels. Among them +were the much talked-of dynamiter, Vesuvius, and the beautiful little +cruiser, Helena. Off Dry Tortugas that formidable warship, Indiana, +joined the fleet. + +Splendid weather; nothing unusual transpiring, though our transport, +which also contained the First U.S. Cavalry, had a seemingly close +call from being sent to the bottom of the sea, or else being taken in +as a prisoner, which the enemy could have done with impunity. + +Whilst going down the Saint Nicholas Chanel, in Cuban waters, the +vessel was deliberately stopped about midnight, June 16, and left to +roll in the trough of the sea until the morning of the 17th, in +consequence of which we were put 20 hours behind the fleet and without +escort, almost in sight of the Cuban shores. + +Men were indignant at having been placed in such a helpless position, +and would have thrown the captain of the ship, whom they accused of +being a Spanish sympathizer and otherwise disloyal, overboard without +ceremony, but for the strong arm of military discipline. We were +picked up by the U.S. Cruiser Bancroft, late in the afternoon, she +having been sent in quest of the Jonah of the fleet. Upon approach of +the ship there were prolonged cheers from all of Uncle Sam's +defenders. The only explanation that I have ever heard for this +unpardonable blunder on the part of the ship's crew was that they +mistook a signal of a leading vessel. + +June 20. Land was sighted. + +June 21. Dispatch boats active; transports circling; Morro Castle +pointed out; three days' rations issued to each man; no extra +impedimenta to be taken ashore; crew preparing for landing. + +June 22. As we neared Daiquiri, the designated place for disembarking, +flames could be seen reaching almost to the heavens, the town having +been fired by the fleeing Spaniards upon the approach of war vessels +of Sampson's fleet, who were assembling to bombard the shore and cover +our landing. After a fierce fire from these ships, the landing was +effected with loss of two men of our regiment, who were doubtless +crushed to death between the lighters. They were buried near the place +of recovery the next morning. + +The few half-clothed and hungry-looking natives on shore seemed +pleased to see us. Daiquiri, a shipping point of the Spanish-American +Iron Company, was mostly deserted. The board houses seemed to have +been spared, while the sun-burned huts thatched with palm were still +smoking, also the roundhouse in which there were two railroad +locomotives, warped and twisted from the heat. The Spanish evidently +fired everything they could before evacuating. + +June 23. At 6.00 p.m. Troops A, B, E and I, left with four Troops of +the First U.S. Cavalry and Rough Riders (First U.S. Volunteer Cavalry) +as advance guard of the Army of Invasion on the main road to Santiago +de Cuba; about 800 men all told, three Hotchkiss guns, manned by ten +cavalrymen, accompanied also by the Brigadier Commander, General +S.M.B. Young and staff. + +NOTE.--These troops marched about 13 miles through a +drenching rain from 7 to 10 p.m.; bivouacked one hour later. Oh the +24th, after breakfast, took the trail about 5.15 a.m. The vapor from +wet clothing rose with the sun, so that you could scarcely recognize a +man ten feet away. About three and one-half miles above Siboney the +command was halted; the first U.S. Volunteer Cavalry (Rough Riders) +sent to the left; proceeding farther about one mile, the main column +was split, First U.S. Cavalry going to the right, the Tenth Cavalry +remaining in the center. General Wheeler joined at this point, +accompanied by his orderly, Private Queene, Troop A, Tenth Cavalry. +Disposition of the troops was explained by General Young, who had +located his headquarters with the Tenth U.S. Cavalry; General Wheeler +made his the same. Hotchkiss guns were ordered closed up; magazines +filled. The column had proceeded but a short way when the engagement +opened in all its fury; troops were deployed and advanced in the +direction from which the bullets were coming the thickest, as rapidly +as the formation of the ground would permit, the left of the line +touching the right of the Rough Riders. + +June 24. Headquarters, band and the remainder of the First and Tenth +U.S. Cavalry were off at 6 A.M. The road was alive with troops (C, D, +F, G,) colonels and privates alike lugging their rations and bedding +beneath that ever watchful tropical sun, feeling as though they would +wilt at every step, the undergrowth being so thick and tall that +scarcely any breeze could get to you. + +On emerging from this thicket, through which we had been marching for +several hours, the Sampson fleet could be heard firing on the Spanish +batteries on shore. Marines and other troops could be seen crossing +the mountains above Altares; this revived the men very much. As we +approached Verni Jarabo (Altares?), we were met by General Lawton, who +informed our Colonel that the advance guard was engaged with the +Spanish at La Guasima, and that it was hard pressed. Our pace was +quickened; the news appeared to lighten our heavy packs as we toiled +to the front to assist our comrades. The roar of the artillery became +plainer; wounded men along the road as well as those played-out from +the intense heat. Women and children were fleeing to places of safety. +Our forces were repairing a railroad engine and track; also tearing up +a piece leading to a Spanish blockhouse. In fact, everything seemed to +have on an exceedingly warlike tint, but our advance continued as +swifty as our weary feet would allow, which soon brought us to a +number of our own comrades conveyed on litters from La Guasima, where +our advance guard was tussling hard with the Dons for the honors of +the day. + +Upon arrival of reinforcements, victory had been wrested from the Dons +fairly by the advance guard without assistance. Every one greeted each +other, as though it had been a year instead of a few hours since +parting. The First U.S. Cavalry and Rough Riders were unstinted in +extolling the fighting qualities of their brothers in arms, the Tenth +U.S. Cavalry. + +The enemy was struck early June 24, entrenched on the heights of La +Guasima, near Sevilla, on the main road from Daiquiri to the city of +Santiago de Cuba. The advance guard was soon hotly engaged with them; +after a very desperate fight of over one hour, the enemy was driven in +confusion from their intrenchments. Our men were too exhausted to +follow them. The Tenth Cavalry lost 13 killed and wounded. For a while +it was a terrific fight, as the enemy was strongly intrenched on the +heights and our men had to climb them subjected to their fire, which +was very accurate, and much of it doubtless from machine guns in hands +of experienced men. Our men had also to contend with the thickest +underbrush, wire fences (the famous military trochas) and Spanish +daggers jabbing them in side at every step. For a while the situation +was serious. The decisive blow of the attack seems to have been struck +at an opportune moment, and the enemy withdrew in confusion. + +It has been estimated that about 4,000 Spanish were engaged. +Everything indicated that they lost heavily; a Santiago paper put it +at 240. The writer and the Sergeant-Major of the First U.S. Cavalry +superintended the digging of one large grave where all the dead of the +two regiments were interred according to the Episcopal service. The +Rough Riders, being farther to our left, buried their own. If +advantage of position goes for anything, the Spanish should have +annihilated the Americans as they approached the stronghold. + +The command remained on the battlefield until June 26, when it +proceeded to Sevilla, an old coffee and sugar plantation, to await the +assembling of the army and placing of the artillery. + +Our camp at Sevilla was an interesting one in many ways. It was +pitched between the main road and a stream of excellent water. From +the hill beyond, the Spanish works could be viewed. From the roadside +many acquaintances were seen, also generals, foreign military +attaches, troops, artillery and pack trains. Wheeled transportation +seemed entirely out of its place in Cuba; one piece of artillery was +noticed with 24 horses tugging away at it. + +The Cuban Army, cavalry and infantry, passed us at this point, which +seemed to consist of every male capable of swelling the crowd. Those +unable to carry or secure guns had an old knife or machete strapped to +them. + +On June 30, about 4 P.M., shortly after our daily shower, which was a +little more severe and much longer than usual, the regiment was put in +motion for the front. We had marched about 1600 yards when the war +balloon was seen ascending some distance to our right. As the balloon +question was new, every one almost was stumbling on the man's heels in +front, trying to get a peep at this wonderful war machine. + +After much vexatious delay, narrow road crowded with troops, a pack +train came along and added its mite to the congestion, as some of the +mules turned their heels on the advancing column when pushed too much. + +We finally merged into a beautiful lawn, site of the Division +Hospital, where all were as busy as beavers in placing this +indispensable adjunct in order. Here the work of July 1 was clearly +suggested. Proceeding, wading and rewading streams, we bivouacked +beyond the artillery on the heights of El Poso, an old sugar +plantation, about four miles off, in plain view of the city of +Santiago. The lights of the city showed so brightly, the enemy +offering no resistance to our advance, I could not help feeling +apprehensive of being in a trap. I thought so seriously over the +matter that I did not unroll my pack, so as to be ready at an instant. +Simply released my slicker, put it on, and lay down where I halted. + +Early July 1 all the brigade was up, getting breakfast and making as +much noise as if on a practice march. The Tenth Cavalry did not make +any fire until orders were received to that effect. I remarked to my +bunky that we were not going to fight evidently, as the smoke would +surely disclose our presence and enable the enemy's artillery to get +our range. The whole of Santiago seemed to be decorated with hospital +flags. + +At 6.30 a shell from Capron's battery, U.S. Artillery, directed at a +blockhouse in El Caney, announced that the battle was on. Then the +musketry became general. All stood and watched the doomed village +quite a while as the battle progressed. Soon Grices' battery of the +U.S. Artillery, which was in support, belched forth destruction at the +Spanish works of the city, using black powder. The fire was almost +immediately returned by the enemy's batteries, who had smokeless. +They were shortly located when a fierce duel took place. The Dons were +silenced, but not until we had suffered loss. During this fire +an aide--Lieut. Wm. E. Shipp, Tenth Cavalry, Brigade +Quartermaster--brought orders for us to take position on the left of +the First U.S. Cavalry. The line extended nearly north and south on a +ridge some three or four miles from the city, where the regiment was +exposed to much of the return fire from the enemy's batteries. The men +exhibited no special concern and watched the flight of the death +messenger as eagerly as if at a horse race. Adjutant Barnum here +divided the band and turned it over to the surgeons to assist in +caring for the wounded, and directed Saddler Sergeant Smith and myself +to accompany the Colonel in advance. When Lieut. Shipp delivered his +orders, some of the officers remarked, "You are having a good time +riding around here." He replied that it was no picnic riding among +bullets, and that he would prefer being with his troops. + +After the artillery had ceased firing, the regiment moved to the +right, passed El Poso, where there were additional signs of the +enemy's havoc among our troops, proceeded down the road leading to +Santiago. The movement of the regiment was delayed as it approached +the San Juan River, by an infantry brigade which had halted. + +The regiment came within range of musket fire about three-quarters or +one-half mile from the crossing. Upon reaching the ford the Colonel +(Baldwin) rode nearly across the stream (closely followed by his +regiment) when we were greeted by the Dons with a terrific volley of +musketry, soon followed by artillery, which caused us to realize more +fully than ever, that "things were coming our way." Orders were given +to throw off packs and get cover. In removing his, Sergeant Smith, +on, my immediate left, was assisted by a Spanish bullet, and an +infantry soldier fell as my pack was thrown off to the right. In +seeking cover men simply dropped to the right and left of the road in +a prone position. + +The regiment was here subjected to a terrific converging fire from the +blockhouse and intrenchments in front and the works further to the +left and nearer the city. The atmosphere seemed perfectly alive with +flying missiles from bursting shells over head, and rifle bullets +which seemed to have an explosive effect. Much fire was probably drawn +by the war balloon, which preceded the regiment to a point on the edge +of the river, near the ford, where it was held. This balloon +undoubtedly rendered excellent service in locating positions of the +Spanish works and developing an ambush which had been laid for us, but +the poor, ill-fated balloon certainly received many uncomplimentary +remarks during our stay in its vicinity. + +It seemed as though the Spanish regarded the balloon as an evil agent +of some kind, and as though every gun, both great and small, was +playing on it. I made several trips under it following the Colonel, +who repeatedly rode up and down the stream, and I would have been +fully satisfied to have allowed my mind even to wander back to the +gaily lighted ball rooms and festivals left behind only a few months +before. + +While on the last trip under the balloon a large naval shell exploded, +knocking the Colonel's hat off, crippling his horse, and injuring the +rider slightly in the arm and side, all of course, in addition to a +good sand bath. I then joined the regiment, some rods beyond, then +under cover. In crouching down behind a clump of brush, heard some one +groan; on looking around, saw Private Marshall struggling in the river +wounded. Immediately rushing to his assistance another of those +troublesome shells passed so close as to cause me to feel the heat. It +did not stop the effort, however, and the wounded man was placed in +safety. + +The regiment remained in the road only a few moments when it was +ordered to take position behind the river bank some yards above the +balloon for protection; while moving to that position, and while +there, suffered much loss. Why we did not lose heavier may be +attributed to the fact that the enemy's musket fire was a trifle high, +and their shells timed from one-half to one second too long, caused +them to explode beyond, instead of in front, where the shells would +have certainly secured the Dons' maximum results, as, after the +balloon was cut down, you could scarcely hold your hand up without +getting it hit. During the battle, one trooper fell upon a good-sized +snake and crushed it to death, and another trooper allowed one of +these poisonous reptiles to crawl over him while dodging a volley from +the Spanish Mausers. + +The shrapnel and canister shells, with their exceedingly mournful and +groaning sound, seemed to have a more terrifying effect than the swift +Mauser bullet, which always rendered the same salutation, "Bi-Yi." The +midern shrapnel shell is better known as the man-killing projectile, +and may be regarded as the most dangerous of all projectiles designed +for taking human life. It is a shell filled with 200 or 300 bullets, +and having a bursting charge, which is ignited by a time fuse, only +sufficient to break the base and release the bullets, which then move +forward with the velocity it had the time of bursting. Each piece is +capable of dealing death to any living thing in its path. In practice +firing, it is known where, by one shot, 152 hits were made by a single +shrapnel. In another, 215 hits are recorded. Imagine then, the havoc +of a well-directed shrapnel upon a group of men such as is here +represented. Capron's battery at El Caney cut down 16 cavalrymen with +one shell. + +After a delay of about 30 minutes, during part of the time, the +writer, assisted by Sergeant Smith and Mr. T.A. Baldwin, cut all the +wire fences possible. Mr. Baldwin was dangerously wounded while so +engaged just before the general advance. + +The regiment merged into open space in plain view of and under the +fire of the enemy; and formed line of battle facing toward the +blockhouses and strong intrenchments to the north, occupied by the +Spanish, and advanced rapidly in this formation, under a galling, +converging fire from the enemy's artillery and infantry, on the +blockhouses and heavy intrenchments to the right front. Many losses +occurred before reaching the top of the hill, Lieut. W.H. Smith being +killed while gallantly conducting his troop as it arrived on the +crest. Lieut. W.E. Shipp was killed about the same instant, shortly +after leaving Lieutenant Smith, further to the left and near the pond +on the sunken road leading to Santiago. Lieutenant Smith was struck in +the head and perished with a single groan. Lieutenant Shipp was hit +near the heart; death must have been almost instantaneous, though it +appears he made an effort to make use of his first aid package. Thus +the careers of two gallant and efficient officers whose lives had been +so closely associated were ended. + +Private Slaughter, who was left in charge of Lieutenant Smith's body, +was picked off by the Spanish sharpshooters, and Private Jackson, +Lieutenant Shipp's orderly, was left as deaf as a post from a bursting +shell. + +The enemy having been driven back, northwest, to the second and third +blockhouses, new lines were formed and a rapid advance made upon them +to the new positions. The regiment assisted in capturing these works +from the enemy, and planted two sets of colors on them, then took up a +position to the north of the second blockhouse. With some changes in +position of troops, this line, one of the most advanced, about three +hundred yards of the enemy, was held and intrenchments dug under a +very heavy and continuous fire from the Spanish intrenchments in +front, July 2 and 3. + +In their retreat from the ridge, the enemy stood not on the order of +their going, but fled in disorder like so many sheep from the scene, +abandoning a quantity of ammunition, which was fired at them +subsequently from our rapid-fire guns. Our men were too exhausted to +pursue them, footwear and clothing being soaked by wading rivers, they +had become drenched with rain, and when they reached the crest they +were about played-out; having fought about 12 hours, most of which was +under that ever-relentless tropical sun. + +Throughout the night, work on the intrenchments was pushed, details +buried the dead, improvised litters, and conveyed the wounded to +hospitals, all of which was prosecuted with that vim for which the +regular soldier is characterized, notwithstanding their water-logged +condition. + +The regiment acted with extraordinary coolness and bravery. It held +its position at the ford and moved forward unflinchingly after +deployment, through the dense underbrush, crossed and recrossed by +barbed wire, under heavy and almost plunging fire from the Spanish +works, while attacking with small arms an enemy strongly posted in +intrenchments and blockhouses, supported by artillery, and who +stubbornly contested every inch of ground gained by the American +troops. + +Officers were exceedingly active and tireless in their efforts to +inspire and encourage the men. You could hear them call out, "Move +right along; the Spaniards can't shoot; they are using blanks." One +officer deliberately stopped and lit his pipe amid a shower of +bullets, and then moved on as unconcerned as if on target practice. + +The rifle pits occupied by the enemy were intrenchments in reality, +dug almost shoulder deep, and faced with stone, being constructed +without approaches, leaving the only avenue for escape over the +parapet, which was equivalent to committing suicide, in face of the +unerring marksmanship of the United States troops. + +We were afterward told by a Spanish soldier how they were held in +these trenches by an officer stationed at each end with a club; also +how they depended on their officers for everything. This may account +for the large percentage of our officers picked off by the Dons. I +observed during the battle that when spotted by the enemy, delivering +orders or busying about such duties as usually indicated some one in +authority, the Spanish would fire whole volleys at an individual, this +evidently with a view to demoralizing the rank and file by knocking +off the officers. + +The Spanish also tried an old Indian trick to draw our fire, or induce +the men to expose themselves, by raising their hats on sticks or +rifles, or placing them upon parapets, so when we went to fire they +would aim to catch us as we rose with a terrific volley. The Dons +were, however, soon convinced of their folly in this respect, as we +always had a volley for the hats and a much stouter one for the enemy +as he raised to reply to the volley at the hats. The Tenth Cavalry had +fought Indians too long in the West to be foiled in that manner. + +We were annoyed much by the Spanish sharpshooters stationed in tops of +the beautiful palms and other trees of dense foliage. A number of +these guerillas were found provided with seats, water and other +necessaries, and I am told some of them had evidently robbed our dead +to secure themselves an American uniform, that they might still carry +on their nefarious work undetected. + +Many of the disabled received their second and some their mortal +wound, while being conveyed from the field by litter-bearers. + +Though it was the tendency for a time to give the sharpshooter story +little or no credence, but to lay the matter to "spent bullets"; it +seemed almost out of the question that "spent bullets" should annoy +our Division Hospital, some four or five miles from the Spanish works. +It would also seem equally as absurd that a bullet could be trained to +turn angles, as several of our men were hit while assembled for +transfer to general hospital and receiving temporary treatment at the +dressing station located in an elbow of the San Juan River. + +The Division Hospital was so harassed that it was necessary to order +four Troops of the 9th U.S. Cavalry there for guard. While en route to +the hospital on the morning of July 2 with wounded, I saw a squad of +the 2nd U.S. Cavalry after one of these annoying angels, not 20 feet +from the road. On arrival at the hospital I was told by a comrade that +several had been knocked from their stage of action. On July 1, our +Color-Sergeant was shot from a tree after our line had passed beneath +the tree where he was located. July 3, three more fell in response to +a volley through tree tops, and on July 14, while waiting the hand to +reach the hour for the bombardment of the city, one of the scoundrels +deliberately ascended a tree in plain view of, and within two hundred +yards of, our line. It was a good thing that the white flag for +surrender appeared before the hour to commence firing, otherwise Spain +would have had at least one less to haggle with on account of back +pay. + +To locate a sharpshooter using smokeless powder among the dense +tropical growth may be compared with "looking for a needle in a +haystack." + +The killed and wounded in battle present a scene well calculated to +move the most callous. Men shot and lacerated in every conceivable +manner; some are expressionless; some just as they appeared in life; +while others are pinched and drawn and otherwise distorted, portraying +agony in her most distressful state. Of the wounded, in their anguish, +some are perfectly quiet; others are heard praying; some are calling +for their mothers, while others are giving out patriotic utterances, +urging their comrades on to victory, or bidding them farewell as they +pass on to the front. July 1, in passing a wounded comrade, he told me +that he could whip the cowardly Spaniard who shot him, in a fair fist +fight. + +During the first day's battle many interesting sights were witnessed. +The new calibre 30 Gatling guns were in action. These cruel machines +were peppering away several hundred shots each per minute and sweeping +their front from right to left, cutting down shrubbery and Spaniards +like grain before the reaper. I observed the excellent service of the +Hotchkiss Mountain gun; they certainly do their work to perfection and +well did the Dons know it. Many shots fired into the "blind ditches +and blockhouses" of the enemy caused them to scatter like rats. These +guns use a percussion shell nearly two inches, and can be packed on +mules. They were designed for light service with cavalry on the +frontier. Four of these little beauties were manned by men of the +Tenth Cavalry. The Spanish made it so hot for the boys that they would +have to roll the gun under cover to load, and then steal it back to +fire. + +I saw one of our light batteries of artillery go in position under +fire at the foot of San Juan Hill. The movement was swiftly and +skillfully executed. A most interesting feature of this was to see the +Caissons, drawn by six magnificent horses, off for ammunition. Three +drivers to each outfit, one to each pair of horses; all plying the +whip at every jump, would remind you of a Roman chariot race coming +around on their last heat. + +Wheeled vehicles of war suffer more than other troops, on account of +their stationary positions. It is here that the dreaded sharpshooter +comes in for glory, by picking off the gunners and other individuals. + +Pack trains were seen dashing along the line with that always +absolutely essential--ammunition--thereby gladdening the hearts of the +boys who were doing their utmost to expend every round in their belts +to gain another foot of Spanish territory. + +During all these stirring events the stomachs of the real heroes were +not neglected, and most certainly not along our part of the line. Pack +mules were brought right up to the line under a hot fire, loaded with +sugar, coffee, bacon and hardtack, all of which was in plenty. Some of +the mules were killed and wounded, but this did not retard the advance +of the train. When near the firing line some one called, "Whose +rations?" A prompt reply, "Hungry soldiers." + +The daring horseman was all that was needed to make the situation +complete. Without participation of cavalry, the ideal warrior +disappears from the scene, and the battle and-picture of war is robbed +of its most attractive feature. + +Late in the afternoon, July 1, I was directed to take Saddler Sergeant +Smith and bring to the firing line all the men I could find of the +regiment. Going to the dressing station, collected those who had +brought or assisted wounded there, thence across a portion of the +field passed over a few hours previous. Men were found almost +exhausted, soaking wet, or a solid mass of mud, resting as comfortably +as if in the finest of beds; many of them had been on picket duty all +night before, to which was added the hard day's work not then +completed. After locating all I could, we went to the crest of the San +Juan Hill, to the left of the sunken road, where the First U.S. +Cavalry was reforming, and there picked up a few more who had joined +that regiment. + +The Tenth Cavalry having in the meantime taken another position, I set +out to find it, going in front, telling Smith to bring up the rear. We +were detained a short time near Sunken Roads by shells from Cervera's +fleet, which were falling in it at a lively rate. Barbed wire +prevented us from "running the gauntlet." Shortly after crossing the +road an officer passed us, his horse pushed to his utmost, telling us +to take all the ammunition that we possibly could on the firing line. +About that instant, the pack train came thundering by, which we +relieved of a few thousand rounds in short order. I was much amused at +one of the men who innocently asked, "Where are we to get axes to +burst these strong boxes?" The job was speedily accomplished before +the boxes were on the ground good, and most certainly in less time +than it would have taken to explain matters to the inexperienced. We +were soon off again, tramping all over the country, through darkness, +running into wire entanglements, outposts and pickets, and within +fifty yards of the enemy (subsequently ascertained). + +About 11.00 P.M. found Colonel Roosevelt a few hundred yards from the +Spanish lines with some of my regiment, the First Cavalry, and Rough +Riders, at work on trenches, where we reported. All seemed glad to +have my little reinforcement, about 65 men, and ammunition. I never +felt so relieved at anything as I did to get that herculean task off +my hands, a job as hard as working a problem in the third book of +Euclid. The men were so tired that they would lie down at every stop +to find the right road or the way out of the wire entanglements +constantly encountered. I have never seen in a book anything to equal +the Spanish wire entanglements. Barbed wire was stretched in every +nook and corner, through streams, grass, and from two inches to six +feet in height, and from a corkscrew to a cable in design. It takes +the nerve of a circus man to get men along when they are so exhausted +that every place feels alike to them, and that they would gladly give +away Mr. Jim Hill's fortune if they possessed it, for a few hours' +sleep. + +On arrival at the front, lunch was about over or just ready. +Lieutenant E.D. Anderson (10th Cavalry) gave me two and one-half +hardtacks from his supply, which he carried in his bosom. I was soon +down for a little rest; all desultory firing had ceased; the pick and +the shovel were the only things to disturb the quietude of that +anxious night. Had been down but a short time when aroused by one of +the Rough Riders, who had some rice and meat in an ammunition box +which he brought from the captured blockhouse. The meat was +undoubtedly mule, as the longer I chewed it the larger and more spongy +it got, and were it not for the fact that I had had some experience +in the same line many years before in Mexico while in pursuit of +hostile Indians, I would certainly have accused our best friends +(Rough Riders) of feeding us rubber. I made another effort for a +little sleep, and was again aroused by some one passing around +hardtack, raw bacon, etc., with instructions as to where to go to cook +it. I thanked him and carefully laid it aside to resume my nap. At +2.40 A.M. the pickets were having such a lively set to, that I thought +the general engagement was on. It was at this time I discovered that I +was shivering cold, and that my teeth were rattling equal to a +telegraph sounder; so under the circumstances, I concluded not to try +for any more sleep. The dew was falling thick and heavy; no coat, no +blanket, top shirt torn in strips from the brush, and undershirt wet +and in my pack, thrown off on coming into battle. + +Early July 22nd the artillery took position on our left. Pickets kept +up firing from 2.40 A.M. until 5.25, when the engagement became +general. Shortly after 6.00 A.M. our artillery opened on the Spanish +works, who promptly returned the compliment. During the firing the +Dons exploded a shell in the muzzle of one of our pieces. Adjutant +Barnum fell at 6.30 A.M.; his wound was promptly dressed, when I +started to the Division Hospital with him. Though seriously hurt, I +have never seen a better natured man. While en route, we laid him down +to eat a can of salmon _found in the road_. In response to his query, +"What's up, Sergeant?" the salmon was passed him; he helped himself, +no further questions were asked, and the journey was resumed. On +arrival at the hospital he was quickly examined and placed on a +comfortable cot. Many of the attendants were completely played-out +from overwork. + +A visit to a field hospital will have a lasting place in your memory. +Every way you turn, amid the cries and groans, you get a beck or call +to ease this, or hand me that, and one feels badly because of his +inability to extend them material aid in their sufferings. + +On returning to the front, I found the regiment as hotly engaged as +when I left it some hours before. As the fighting was from trenches, +many of our men were wounded by shells. Sharpshooters were on hand as +usual. I was sent to the Captain of Troop E, under the crest of the +hill, with orders to dig an approach to one of the enemy's trenches, +evacuated the day before; also to bury some of their dead. While +delivering the order, it being necessary to get very close on account +of the noise, one of those ever vigilant sharpshooters put a bullet +between our faces. The Captain asked me to cut the wire fence so his +troops could get through more rapidly; while telling me, another +bullet passed so close as to disturb the Captain's mustache. He took +it good-naturedly, only remarking as he smiled, "Pretty close, +Sergeant-Major!" + +Firing ceased about 8 P.M. After all had had supper we changed +position further to the right, where work on trenches was resumed. +About 10.30 P.M. the Spaniards made an attack upon our lines, and I +have never before or since seen such terrific firing; the whole +American line, which almost encircled the city, was a solid flame of +fire. The enemy's artillery replied, also their much-praised +"Mausers," but to no avail; they had opened the ball, but Uncle Sam's +boys did not feel like yielding one inch of the territory so dearly +bought. + +About midnight all hands were aroused by the dynamite cruiser Vesuvius +"coughing" for the Dons. The roar was so great that it seemed to shake +the whole island. To the uninitiated it would appear that some one +had taken a few mountains several miles up in a balloon and thrown +them down. + +July 3. Firing by pickets commenced very early, and quite heavy, at +5.40 A.M. Terrific cannonading to the seaward was heard between 9 and +10 A.M. As there was some talk of the enemy making a sortie, all eyes +were open. Dirt began falling in the pits from the jar, bells could be +heard tolling in the city, and steam whistles in the harbor. There was +much speculation as to what was in progress. I'll say that there were +many glad hearts when the news reached us that _Sampson's fleet was +King of the Seas_. At 12 M. all firing was ordered off, for flag of +truce to enter the Spanish lines. When the order for cease firing was +given, one of the troopers laid his gun upon the parapet and remarked +that he "would not take $2000 for his experience, but did not want a +cent's worth more." Work on bomb-proofs and breast works was continued +incessantly until news of the surrender reached us. + +July 4. Flag of truce all day; national and regimental colors placed +on parapets. At noon the regiment paraded, and all hearts cheered by +the patriotic telegram of the Commander-in-Chief--His Excellency, +President McKinley. Refugees, in droves, could be seen leaving for +several days, notice of bombardment having been served on the city. + +July 5. There was much excitement when Lieutenant Hobson and party +crossed our lines. + +During truce, the monotony was broken occasionally by the presence of +Spanish soldiers in quest of something to eat or desiring to +surrender. + +Truce was off July 10 at 4 P.M. Bombardment of the city commenced by +the army and navy combined, which continued until 2 P.M. 11th. +Gatling, dynamite, rapid-firing and Hotchkiss guns were so well +trained that the Dons scarcely dared to raise their heads, and their +firing was soon silenced. During the attack our part of the line +suffered no loss. While occupying these works, it was discovered that +the gun of the enemy that _annoyed us most was quite near a large +building covered with Red Cross flags_. + +During the truce all of our dead were located and buried. It was sad, +indeed, to see the vultures swarming like flies, when we knew so well +their prey. + +Though prepared to, several times, no shots were exchanged after July +11, and all was quiet until date of capitulation. The hardest rain +ever witnessed, accompanied by terrific thunder and lightning, was on +the last day of the engagement. Trenches were flooded and everything +appeared as a sea. + +July 17, at 9 A.M., the regiment, with the remainder of the army, was +assembled over the trenches to witness the formal surrender of General +Toral, with the Spanish forces. Owing to the dense tropical growth, +and its similarity in color to their clothing, little or nothing could +be seen, beyond the straw hats of the Dons, as they marched through +the jungles. At 12 M., we were again placed in the same position, to +salute "Old Glory" as she ascended over the Governor's palace in the +city, which was told by Capron's battery U.S. Artillery. At the first +shot, every individual tested his lungs to their fullest capacity, +bands of music playing national airs. + +Spanish soldiers were soon over our lines, trading off swords, wine, +cigarettes and trinkets for hard tack and bacon. This soon ended, as +there were positive orders against our fraternizing. The Spaniards +were a fine looking lot of young men; though generally small in +stature, and were very neat and clean, considering. The officers were +an intelligent and dignified looking set. The Dons were away ahead on +ammunition, and away behind on eatables. A few musty, hard tack, +thrown in our trenches, were devoured like so much fresh beef, by so +many hungry wolves. + +Campaigning in the tropics entails many hardships, though unavoidable +and only to be expected, in war. War is horrible in any aspect in +which it may be viewed. Even those features of it intended to be +merciful, are full of harshness and rigor; and after all, fighting is +the easiest part. + +As the capitulation was complete, and Santiago was our's, we were +ordered to change camp to a more healthful locality, with a view to +allowing the men to recuperate. While en route many refugees were met +returning to the city, men and women, with the scantiest clothing +imaginable; large children even worse--in a nude state--all were +making signs for something to eat. + +In passing through El Caney, filth of all descriptions was piled up in +the streets; stock was seen standing inside dwellings with occupants; +young and old were emaciated--walking skeletons; children with +stomachs bloated to thrice their natural size--due to the unsanitary +condition of the huts, so I was informed. + +The bare facts are, that "half has never been told" regarding the true +condition of the Cubans, and it is truly a Godsend that "Uncle Sam" +was not delayed another day in letting the Don's breathe a little of +nature's sweetest fragrance of the nineteenth century--Civilization. + +The portion of the island I saw appears to be a beautiful park +deserted and laid waste by the lavish application of the torch for +many years. Magnificent mansions, or dwellings, in ruins; habitation +scant, except near towns. + +There were no domestic animals, except a few for saddle purposes, nor +were there crops to be seen. No use whatever appears to be made of the +luxuriant pasturage and rich fields. Sugar houses and sheds on +plantations are in a state of decay, and the huge kettles for boiling +deeply coated with rust. + +The climate of Cuba offers all the essentials, heat, moisture and +organic matter, for the development of germ life in its most active +form. + +The great heat and moisture, so excellent for the development of +infected wounds, and for the rapid decomposing of the heavy +undergrowth cannot, I believe, be exceeded anywhere. + +The frequent tropical showers, invariably followed by a hot steam, +along with which germs seem to float; the consequent exposure of the +men to that glaring heat and moisture, lowered the general tone of the +system so that they were especially liable to attacks of miasmatic +diseases (malarial and typhoid fevers and dysentery.) + +Owing to the dense humidity, clothing does not dry so long as it +remains on the person, but must be removed, a condition that was +absolutely impossible for many days on the field before Santiago. To +this alone, much of our sickness may be attributed. + +Our new camp, pitched on the eminence of El Caney, about one and +one-half miles from the village, overlooking the city and bay of +Santiago, with its excellent water, shade, grass, and increased +comforts, which were daily shipped from our transports, presented a +scene far more conciliatory than had been witnessed about the Tenth +Horse for many days. + + +MEDALS OF HONOR AND CERTIFICATES OF MERIT GRANTED TO COLORED SOLDIERS +FOR DISTINGUISHED SERVICES IN THE CUBAN CAMPAIGN. + +OFFICIAL. + + MEDALS OF HONOR. +----------------------------------------------------------------------- + Name. | Rank | Regiment. | Troop or Co.| Remarks. +----------------------------------------------------------------------- +Bell, Dennis | Pvt. | 10th Cav. | Troop H. |For gallantry +Lee, Fitz | Pvt. | 10th Cav. | Troop M. |in action at +Tompkins, Wm. H. | Pvt. | 10th Cav. | Troop M. |Tayabacoa, Cuba, +Wanton, Geo. H. | Pvt. | 10th Cav. | Troop M. |June 30, 1898. +----------------------------------------------------------------------- + CERTIFICATES OF MERIT. +----------------------------------------------------------------------- + Name. |Rank. | Regiment. | Troop or Co.| Remarks. +----------------------------------------------------------------------- +Bates, James |Pvt. | 9th Cav. | Troop H. | +Crosby, Scott |Pvt. | 24th Inf. | Comp. A. | +Davis, Edward |Pvt. | 9th Cav. | Troop H. | +Elliott, J. |Sergt. | 10th Cav. | Troop D. | +Fasit, Benjamin |Sergt. | 10th Cav. | Troop E. | +Gaither, O. |Q.M.Sergt | 10th Cav. | Troop B. | +Goff, G.W. |Sergt. | 9th Cav. | Troop B. | +Graham, J. |Sergt. | 10th Cav. | Troop E. | +Hagen, Abram |Corp. | 24th Inf. | Comp. G. | +Herbert, H.T. |Corp. | 10th Cav. | Troop E. | +Houston, Adam |1st Sergt.| 10th Cav. | Troop C. | +Jackson, J. |1st Sergt.| 9th Cav. | Troop C. | +Jackson, Elisha |Sergt. | 9th Cav. | Troop H. | +Jackson, Peter |Corp. | 24th Inf. | Comp. G. | +Jefferson, C.W. |1st Sergt.| 9th Cav. | Troop B. | +McCoun, P. |1st Sergt.| 10th Cav. | Troop E. | +Moore, Loney |Pvt. | 24th Inf. | Comp. A. | +Oden, Oscar |Musician | 10th Cav. | ........ | +Payne, William |Sergt. | 10th Cav. | Troop E. | +Pumphrey, Geo. W |Corp. | 9th Cav. | Troop H. | +Satchell, James |Sergt. | 24th Inf. | Comp. A. | +Smith, L. |Pvt. | 10th Cav. | Troop D. | +Thornton, William|Corp. | 24th Inf. | Comp. G. | +Walker, J. |Corp. | 10th Cav. | Troop D. | +Williams, John T.|Sergt. | 24th Inf. | Comp. G. | +Williams, R. |Corp. | 24th Inf. | Comp. B. | +----------------------------------------------------------------------- + +Besides the Certificates of Merit and Medals of Honor, mentioned +above, and the promotions to commissions in the volunteer services, +there were some instances of promotion to non-commissioned officers' +positions of men in the ranks or junior grade for conspicuous +gallantry. Notably among such were Benjamin F. Sayre, of the +Twenty-fourth, promoted to Sergeant-Major for gallantry at San Juan, +and Private James W. Peniston, of the Tenth Cavalry, promoted to +Squadron Sergeant-Major for conspicuous bravery at Las Guasimas. +Others there may be whose names are not available at this time. + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[22] "The Ninth and Tenth Cavalry regiments fought one on either side +of mine at Santiago, and I wish no better men beside me in battle than +these colored troops showed themselves to be. Later on, when I come to +write of the campaign, I shall have much to say about them."--T. +Roosevelt. + +[23] The major commanding the squadron in which Sergeant Givens' +troops served, writes to the sergeant the following letter: + + Sergeant William H. Givens, Troop D, 10th Cavalry, Fort + Clark, Texas. + + Sergeant:--When making my report as commander of the Second + Squadron, 10th U. S. Cavalry, for action of July 1, 1898, at + San Juan Hills, I did not mention any enlisted men by name, + as I was absent from the regiment at the time of making the + report and without access to records, so that I could not + positively identify and name certain men who were + conspicuous during the fight; but I recollect finding a + detachment of Troop D under your command on the firing line + during the afternoon of July 1st. Your service and that of + your men at that time was most creditable, and you deserve + special credit for having brought your detachment promptly + to the firing line when left without a commissioned officer. + + THEO. J. WINT, + Lieutenant-Colonel, 6th U.S. Cavalry. + Second Lieutenant, 10th Cavalry. + + True copy: + +[24] Extract from _The Statesman_, Denver, after the departure of the +25th Infantry, and the arrival of the 34th: + + Two policemen killed, the murderer at large and his comrades + of the 34th Regiment busy boasting of their sympathy for + him, and extolling his deed to the skies, yet not a single + petition has been prepared to have the regiment removed. The + 25th Infantry, with its honor undimmed by any such wanton + crime, with a record unexcelled by any regiment in the + service, was the target for all sorts of criticism and + persecution as soon as it arrived. The one is a white + regiment, composed of the scum of the earth, the other a + black regiment composed of men who have yet to do one thing + of which they should be ashamed. Yet Denver welcomes the one + with open arms and salutes with marked favor, while she + barely suffered the other to remain. + + Had it been a negro soldier who committed the dastardly deed + of Saturday night the War Department would have been deluged + with complaints and requests for removal, but not a word has + been said against the 34th. Prejudice and hatred blacker + than the wings of night has so envenomed the breasts of the + people that fairness is out of the question. Be he black, no + matter how noble and good, a man must be despised. Be he + white, he may commit the foulest of crimes and yet have his + crimes condoned. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +The Colored Volunteers. + + The Ninth Ohio Battalion--Eighth Illinois--Twenty-third + Kansas-Third North Carolina--Sixth Virginia--Third + Alabama--The Immunes. + + +The return of the army and the repatriation of the Spanish army from +Cuba, brought before the country for immediate solution the problem of +garrisoning that island; and in a very short time the question of +similar nature regarding Porto Rico. Ten regiments of immunes had been +organized in the volunteer service partly in anticipation of such a +situation. Four of these regiments were composed of colored enlisted +men. The regiments were classed as United States Volunteer Infantry, +and were numbered from one to ten, the Seventh, Eighth, Ninth and +Tenth being colored. + +Of these four colored regiments the officers above first lieutenants +were white men, except the chaplains, and in some cases the surgeons. +Very little care had been taken in enlisting the men, as it was +important to get the regiments in the field as soon as possible; yet +of them as a whole General Breckinridge, Inspector-General, speaks as +follows: "The colored regiments of immunes, so called, raised for this +war, have turned out, so far as can be judged from their camp life (as +none of them have been in any actual campaign), very satisfactory. The +regular colored regiments won golden opinions in battle. The +experiment of having so many colored officers has not yet shown its +full results. Certainly we should have the best obtainable officers +for our volunteers, and therefore some such men as Colonel Young, who +is a graduate of the Military Academy at West Point, whether white or +black, must be sought for." + +Besides these four colored regiments of immunes, so-called, there were +other State organizations composed entirely of colored men, mustered +into the United States service, as for example the Ninth Battalion of +the Ohio National Guard. This organization was composed of four +companies, with colored captains and lieutenants, the staff officers +also being colored, the commanding officer of the battalion being +Major Young, who was a first lieutenant in the Regular Army, a +graduate from the Military Academy, and an officer of experience. He +is the person referred to as _Colonel_ Young by General Breckinridge, +cited just above. This battalion, although not permitted to do any +active campaigning, maintained itself well in that most trying of all +duties for raw troops--camp duty--winning a good record in the South +as well as in the North, having been stationed in Virginia, +Pennsylvania and lastly in South Carolina; from which latter place it +was mustered out, and the men proceeded to their homes in an orderly +manner, reflecting credit upon themselves and the officers under whom +they had served. This organization is mentioned first, because it was +the only one of its kind commanded by a Regular Army officer, and a +man who had received scientific military training.[25] + +Two of these volunteer regiments, the Eighth Illinois and the +Twenty-third Kansas, reached Cuba and made history there, in garrison +service, coming in direct contact with the Ninth Immunes, and in no +sense suffering in comparison thereto. The Eighth Illinois being the +first to go to the front, in a sense deserves to be noticed here +first. This remarkable regiment was developed out of the Ninth +Battalion, Illinois National Guard, and owes its origin to the +persistent efforts of Messrs. John R. Marshall, Robert R. Jackson, +Franklin Dennison, E.H. Wright, Rev. R.C. Ransom, Rev. J.W. Thomas, +S.B. Turner and doubtless many others whose names do not appear. These +gentlemen named called upon the Governor of their State the next day +after the President had issued his call for 175,000 volunteers, and +received from that official the assurance that if another call should +be made they should have the opportunity to recruit their battalion to +a regiment, and that he would "call that regiment first into the +service," and "that every officer in that regiment will be a colored +man." + +After receiving this encouragement, the leaders began at once the work +of organizing and recruiting, and when the second call came, May 25th, +the regiment was well under way, and soon ready to go into camp to +prepare for service. On June 30th it assembled in Springfield from the +following places: Seven hundred men from Chicago; one hundred and +twenty from Cairo; a full company from Quincy, and smaller numbers +from Mound City, Metropolis and Litchfield, and nearly a company from +Springfield. The regiment was sworn in during the latter half of July, +the muster roll showing 1,195 men and 46 officers, every one of whom +was of African descent except one private in a Chicago company. + +Of these forty-six officers, ten had received college education, six +were lawyers, and the others were educated in the public schools, or +had served in the Regular Army as non-commissioned officers. Many of +them were directly from Illinois, that is in the sense of having been +born and reared in the State, and were fully accustomed to the full +exercise of their rights as men and citizens. In character and +intelligence the official element of the Eighth was about up to the +standard of the volunteer army, as events subsequently proved. + +Going into camp with the Ninth, white, this latter regiment, early in +August, received an order to move to a Southern camp en route for +Cuba, leaving the Eighth behind, greatly to the chagrin of both +officers and men. Governor Tanner was evidently disturbed by this +move, and expressed himself in the following language: "Even from the +very doors of the White House have I received letters asking and +advising me not to officer this regiment with colored men, but I +promised to do so, and I have done it. I shall never rest until I see +this regiment--my regiment--on the soil of Cuba, battling for the +right and for its kinsmen." + +Later the misfortunes of the First Illinois proved the opportunity of +the Eighth. This regiment was in Cuba, suffering terribly with the +fever, the men going down under its effects so rapidly that the +Colonel in command implored Governor Tanner "to use all influence at +Washington to secure the immediate recall of the First Illinois." When +the Governor received this message he sent for Colonel Marshall, of +the Eighth, and asked him to ascertain the sentiments of the officers +and men of his regiment in regard to being sent to relieve the First. +On the 4th day of August Colonel Marshall was able to send to +Washington the following dispatch: + + "H. C. Corbin, Adjutant-General:-- + + "I called the officers of the Eighth Illinois, colored, in + conference and they are unanimously and enthusiastically in + favor of being sent to relieve the First Illinois at + Santiago." + +To this hearty dispatch came the following reply: + + "The Secretary of War appreciates very much the offer of the + Eighth Illinois Volunteer Infantry for duty in Santiago, + and has directed that the regiment be sent there by steamer + Yale, leaving New York next Tuesday. The main trouble with + our troops now in Cuba is that they are suffering from + exhaustion and exposure incident to one of the most trying + campaigns to which soldiers have ever been subjected." + + "H.C. Corbin, + "_Adjutant-General_." + +This action on the part of the regiment is said to have so pleased the +President that on hearing it he declared it was the proudest moment of +his life. + +On the 9th of August the regiment left Springfield, and in passing +through Illinois and Ohio was greeted with the most generous +enthusiasm, the people supplying the men with free lunches at every +station. This was the period when the sympathy of the whole country +was turned toward the colored soldier in consequence of the reports of +valor and heroism that had been circulated concerning the black +regulars. On the afternoon of the 11th the Yale cast off her lines, +and with the first American Negro regiment that the world has ever +seen, steamed out of New York harbor amid the ringing of bells and +shrieks of steam whistles, and four days later, August 15, landed in +Cuba. The regiment remained in Cuba until March 10, performing +garrison duty so well that General Breckenridge said it was "as fine a +volunteer regiment as was ever mustered into the service," and that it +was "a shame to muster out of service such an excellent regiment." + +The Twenty-third Kansas, made up in that State and officered as was +the Eighth Illinois, by men of the same race, with the enlisted men, +arrived in Cuba August 30, and in company with the Eighth Illinois +Regiment, was stationed in the country about San Luis, with +headquarters at that place, Colonel Marshall, of the Illinois +Regiment, serving as commander of the post, and also as Governor of +the Province of San Luis. A detachment of the Illinois Regiment, +under command of Major Jackson, was sent to Palma Soriana, and did +excellent work there in the preservation of order between the Cubans +and Spaniards, who were living together in that place in outward peace +but in secret resentful hostility. Major Jackson managed affairs so +well that both parties came to admire him, and when he was called away +expressed their regret. Captain Roots, who commanded the post after +the departure of Major Jackson, was equally fortunate, especially with +the Cubans, and when it was thought his command was to be removed, the +citizens generally united in a petition to the General commanding, +asking that both the Captain and his command might remain in the city. +The fact is also noted by the chroniclers of the regiment that several +marriages took place in Palma Soriana between soldiers of the Eighth +Illinois and Cuban maidens. + +The Eighth Regiment was finally settled in San Luis, occupying the old +Spanish barracks and arsenal, and under Colonel Marshall's supervision +the city was put in fine sanitary condition, streets and yards being +carefully policed; meanwhile under the reign of order and peace which +the Colonel's just methods established, confidence prevailed, business +revived and the stagnation which had so long hung like a fog over the +little city, departed, and in its stead came an era of bustling +activity. + +All was peaceful and prosperous, both with the citizens and the +garrison, until the Ninth United States Volunteers came in the +vicinity. Then a difficulty sprang up in which both regiments became +involved, although it was in no sense serious, but it afforded a +pretext for the removal of the Eighth Illinois from the city. The +event turned out all the better for the Eighth, as it enabled them to +establish Camp Marshall, about three miles from the city, in a healthy +neighborhood, where they remained until ordered home to be mustered +out. The regiment came back to Chicago in fine condition and was +tendered an enthusiastic welcome by that great city. Thus two entire +regiments represented the country abroad in this, its first, foreign +war with a European power. + +It should also be recorded that although the Ninth United States +Volunteers was composed of persons who were classed as immune, and had +come chiefly from Louisiana, and notwithstanding that the officers of +the regiment above lieutenants were white men, and the colonel an +officer of the Regular Army of long experience, and was specially +praised by so good a sanitarian as General Wood for having been, +constant and untiring in his efforts to look after the welfare of his +men, and that the surgeons of the regiment were white men, that deaths +among the colored men numbered one officer and seventy-three enlisted +men. In striking contrast with this record of the immune regiment is +that of the Eighth Illinois, which was made up entirely of residents +of that State and officered throughout by colored men. Its medical +officers were men of high character, and its losses by death were just +twenty, or but little over one-fourth the number that occurred in the +immune regiment. An efficient auxiliary society to this regiment was +formed of colored ladies of Chicago who forwarded to the sick in Cuba +more than six hundred dollars worth of well chosen supplies, which did +much for the comfort of those in the hospital; but this would not +account for the great difference in the death rate of the two +regiments. Though not immune, the Eighth Illinois fared very much +better than the so-called immune regiment, although the latter had +the benefit of white officers. The experience of the Twenty-third +Kansas did not differ in any important respect from that of the Eighth +Illinois. Both regiments returned to their homes in March, 1899, and +were mustered out of the service, leaving behind them good records for +efficiency. + +The Sixth Virginia Regiment consisted of eight companies and was under +command of Lieutenant-Colonel Richard C. Croxton, of the Regular Army, +white, with Majors J.B. Johnson and W.H. Johnson, colored. It was +mustered into service during the latter part of the summer and went +into camp near Knoxville, Tennessee. Here an order came from Corps +Headquarters, at Lexington, Kentucky, directing that nine of the +officers, including one major, should appear before a board of +examiners in order to give evidence of their fitness to command. The +officers named, regarding this as uncalled for, immediately tendered +their resignations. The vacancies thus created were filled by the +Governor of the State, the appointees being white men. These white +officers on arriving at the camp and finding themselves unwelcome, +immediately followed in the wake of their colored predecessors, and +tendered their resignations. + +The difficulties arising from this friction were somehow adjusted, but +in what manner the reports available at this time do not show. Moving +to Macon, Georgia, the regiment remained in the service until some +time in the winter, when it was mustered out. Much was said by the +local papers to the detriment of the men composing this regiment, but +viewing their action from the standpoint of the civilian and citizen, +it does not appear reprehensible. They had volunteered with the +understanding that their own officers, officers with whom they were +well acquainted, and in whose friendship they held a place, should +command them, and when they saw these officers displaced and white +strangers put in their stead, they felt a pardonable indignation, and +took their own way of expressing it. As soldiers, their conduct in +resisting authority, cannot be commended. + +The Third North Carolina Volunteer Infantry was organized as were the +regiments of Illinois and Kansas, above described. The officers of the +North Carolina Regiment were all colored men of that State and were +men of character and note. Its commanding officer, Colonel Young, had +held responsible positions under both State and National Governments, +had been editor of a paper and member of the State Legislature and +Major in the State militia. In character, he was above reproach, being +a strict teetotaler and not even using tobacco. The regiment made a +good record, but did not see any active service. + +A peculiar regiment was organized in Alabama, known as the Third +Alabama Volunteer Infantry, in which the enlisted men were all colored +and the officers all white. The regiment saw no service and attracted +no attention outside of its immediate locality. + +Two companies of colored men with colored captains were also mustered +into the United States service from Indiana, and finally attached to +Colonel Huggins' command, although not becoming a part of his +regiment, the Eighth Immunes. They were stationed at Fort Thomas, Ky., +and at Chickamauga, and were mustered out early. Their officers were +men of intelligence who had acquired experience by several years' +service in the militia, and the companies were exceptionally well +drilled. They were designated Companies A and B and were commanded by +Captains Porter and Buckner, with Lieutenant Thomas as Quartermaster. + +The organization of the four immune regiments, already mentioned, gave +opportunity for ninety-six colored men to obtain commissions as +lieutenants. A few of these positions were seized upon by influential +young white men, who held them, but with no intention of ever serving +in the regiments, as they found staff positions much more congenial to +their tastes. The colored men who were appointed lieutenants in these +regiments were generally either young men of ability and influence who +had assisted in getting up their companies, and who in many cases had +received some elementary military instruction as cadets, in school, or +men who had distinguished themselves by efficiency or gallantry in the +Regular Army. Some exceptions there were, of course, and a few +received commissions in consequence of personal friendship and +political considerations. Before these regiments were mustered out of +the service about one-half of the lieutenants were men from the +Regular Army. + +I am sure the reader will be pleased to learn that Sergeants Foster, +Buck and Givens, whose deeds in Cuba have already been related, were +rewarded with commissions, and that the gallant Thomas C. Butler, who +rushed forward from his company's line and seized the Spanish standard +at El Caney, was afterward permitted to serve in Cuba with the rank of +a commissioned officer. Besides those named above, there were others +also of marked ability and very respectable attainments who received +commissions on general merit, as well as for gallantry. Chief among +the class promoted for efficiency was First Lieutenant James R. +Gillespie, formerly Post Quartermaster-Sergeant. Gillespie had served +several years in the Tenth Cavalry and had proved himself an excellent +soldier. Both in horsemanship and as marksman he was up to the +standard, while his character and business qualifications were such +as to secure for him a staff position of responsibility. As +Quartermaster-Sergeant he held positions of important posts and filled +them with great satisfaction. Because of his efficiency as a soldier +he was given a commission as First Lieutenant and executed the duties +of his office with the same ability that had marked his career as an +enlisted man. From the Tenth Cavalry also came First Lieutenant Baker, +whose commission was a tribute to his fidelity and efficiency. A +soldier of high type he bore his commission and its honors as worthily +as any son of our Republic. In the same category must be placed First +Lieutenant Wm. McBryer, formerly Sergeant in the Twenty-fifth +Infantry. McBryer had served in the Tenth Cavalry and had won a Medal +of Honor in conflict with the Indians. He was a soldier distinguished +by strength of character, prompt executiveness, quick decision and +courage. He was also possessed of considerable literary skill, was a +good speaker and attractive writer, and a man of fine parts. He was a +valuable acquisition to the volunteer service and would have made a +fine captain. + +Of the colored sergeants from the Regular Army who were given +commissions in the volunteer service it would not be extravagant to +say that all were men of worth, well-tried in the service, and there +was scarcely one of them but could have successfully commanded a +company. Lieutenant A.J. Smith, formerly First Sergeant in the +Twenty-fifth Infantry, was so well informed in the paper work of the +army and in company administration particularly that he was regarded +as an authority, and he was so well experienced in the whole life of a +soldier, in camp, field, garrison and in battle, that it would have +been difficult to find his superior in the army. To the credit of all +of the enlisted men of the Regular Army referred to, who received +commissions in the volunteer service, all served honorably and were +mustered out without bringing any scandal of any sort upon the +service. + +The colored volunteers in the service acquitted themselves as well as +the average volunteer, and when mustered out proceeded to their homes +about as others did. The treatment accorded them in some of the +Southern cities, especially in Nashville, Tennessee, did not speak +well for the loyalty of that section, nor was it such as might +reasonably be expected from a people who had fared so well in the +offices and honors of the short war. From the best sources available, +it seems incumbent to say that the many charges alleged against the +colored volunteers for excessive rioting and disorder were without +proper foundation, and the assaults made upon them unjustifiable and +cruel. The spirit of the assailants is best seen from a description of +the attack made upon the unarmed discharged soldiers of the Eighth +Immuners in Nashville, already alluded to. This description was made +by the sheriff who participated in the brutality. An officer who was +on the train, and who was asleep at the time, when aroused went into +the car where the men were and found that they had been beaten and +robbed, and in some instances their discharges taken from them and +torn up, and their weapons and money taken from them by citizens. It +was about one o'clock A.M. and the men were generally asleep when +attacked. The sheriff gloats over it in language which ought not be +allowed to disappear: + + "It was the best piece of work I ever witnessed. The police + went to the depot, not armed with the regulation 'billy,' + but carrying stout hickory clubs about two and one-half feet + long. + +Their idea was that a mahogany or lignum vitae billy was too costly a +weapon to be broken over a Negro's head. The police were on board the +train before it stopped even, and the way they went for the Negroes +was inspiring. The police tolerated no impudence, much less rowdyism, +from the Negroes, and if a darky even looked mad, it was enough for +some policeman to bend his club double over his head. In fact after +the police finished with them they were the meekest, mildest, most +polite set of colored men I ever saw." This language is respectfully +dedicated to the memory of the proud city of Nashville, and presents +to the readers the portrait of her police. + +Despite this vile treatment, the colored soldier went on to his home, +ready again to respond to his country's call, and to rally to the +defence of his country's flag, and, incidentally, to the preservation +of the lives and homes of the misguided, heartless beings who can +delight in his sufferings. The hickory club belongs to one sort of +warrior; the rifle to quite another. The club and rifle represent +different grades of civilization. The Negro has left the club; the +language from Nashville does honor to the club. Billy and bully are +the theme of this officer of the law, and for a "darkey even to look +mad" is ample justification for "some policeman to bend his club +double over his head." Were these policemen rioters? Or were they +conservaters of the peace? Judge ye! + + +OUTLINE HISTORY OF THE NINTH (SEPARATE) BATTALION, OHIO VOLUNTEER +INFANTRY. + +_By the Battalion Adjutant, Lieutenant Wilson Ballard._ + +The Ninth Battalion, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, the only colored +organization from Ohio in the Volunteer Army during the war with +Spain, was, previous to the date of its muster into the United States +service, known as the Ninth Battalion, Ohio National Guard. April +25th, 1898, the battalion, consisting of three companies, A from +Springfield, under Captain R.R. Rudd; B from Columbus, under Captain +James Hopkins, and C from Xenia, under Captain Harry H. Robinson, was +ordered into camp at Columbus, Ohio. The battalion was under the +command of Major Charles Fillmore. + +May 14, 1898, the battalion was mustered into the volunteer service by +Captain Rockefeller, U.S.A. Lieutenant Charles Young, U.S.A., then on +duty at Wilberforce University, Wilberforce, Ohio, as professor of +military science and tactics, was commissioned by Governor Bushnell as +Major commanding the Ninth Battalion, O.V.I., relieving Major +Fillmore. In order to enable Lieutenant Young to accept his volunteer +commission, he was granted an indefinite leave of absence by the War +Department. + +May 19, 1898, the command having been ordered to join the Second Army +Corps at Camp Russell A. Alger, near Falls Church, Va., left Camp +Bushnell and arrived at Camp Alger May 21, 1898. + +When Major-General Graham assumed command of the Second Army Corps and +organized it into divisions, the battalion was placed in the +provisional division. In June (exact date not remembered) the +battalion was placed in the Second Brigade, Second Division, being +brigaded with the Twelfth Pennsylvania and Seventh Illinois Regiments. +The battalion was relieved from the Second Brigade, Second Division +and placed in the Second Brigade, First Division, being brigaded with +the Eighth Ohio and Sixth Massachusetts. + +A New Jersey regiment was relieved from duty as corps headquarters' +guard late in June and the Ninth Battalion assigned to that duty. The +battalion performed this duty until it was ordered South from Camp +Meade, Penn., when it became separated from corps headquarters. +Important outposts, such as the entrance to Falls Church and the +guarding of the citizens' gardens and property, were under the charge +of the command. + +When General Garretson's brigade (Second Brigade, First Division, +consisting of the Eighth Ohio, Ninth Battalion and Sixth +Massachusetts) was ordered to Cuba, General Graham, thinking that his +entire Army Corps would soon be ordered to active service, requested +the War Department, as the battalion was his headquarters guard, to +let the battalion remain with him. (See telegrams Gen. Graham's report +to the Secretary of War.) General Graham's request being honored by +the department, the battalion was deprived of this chance of seeing +active service in foreign fields. The battalion was then attached to +the Second Brigade, Second Division, under Brigadier-General Plummer, +being brigaded with the First New Jersey, Sixty-fifth New York and +Seventh Ohio. + +In July the battalion was relieved from this brigade and attached +directly to corps headquarters. When the Second Army Corps was ordered +to Camp Meade, Penna., the battalion was one of the first to break +camp, going with corps headquarters. The battalion left Camp R.A. +Alger August 15, 1898, and arrived in camp at Camp George G. Meade, +near Middletown, Penna., August 16, 1898. In camp the battalion +occupied a position with the signal and engineer corps and hospital, +near corps headquarters. + +When the Peace Jubilee was held in Philadelphia, the battalion was one +of the representative commands from the Second Army Corps, being given +the place of honor in the corps in the parade, following immediately +General Graham and staff. When the corps was ordered South the +battalion was assigned to the Second Brigade under Brigadier-General +Ames. The battalion left Camp Meade November 17. Up to this time it +had done the guard duty of corps headquarters and was complimented for +its efficient work by the commanding general. The battalion arrived +in Summerville, S.C., November 21, 1898. It was brigaded with the +Fourteenth Pennsylvania and Third Connecticut. + +When the battalion arrived in the South the white citizens were not at +all favorably disposed toward colored soldiers, and it must be said +that the reception was not cordial. But by their orderly conduct and +soldierly behavior the men soon won the respect of all, and the +battalion was well treated before it left. November 28-29 Major Philip +Reade, Inspector General First Division, Second Army Corps, inspected +the Ninth Battalion, beginning his duties in that brigade with this +inspection. He complimented the battalion for its work both from a +practical and theoretical standpoint. Coming to the Fourteenth +Pennsylvania he required them to go through certain movements in the +extended order drill which not being done entirely to his +satisfaction, he sent his orderly to the commanding officer of the +Ninth Battalion, requesting him to have his command on the drill +ground at once. The battalion fell in and marched to the ground and +when presented to the Inspector orders were given for it to go through +with certain movements in the extended order drill in the presence of +the Pennsylvania regiment. This done, the Inspector dismissed the +battalion, highly complimenting Major Young on the efficiency of his +command. Just after the visit of the Inspector General, General S.B.M. +Young, commanding the Second Army Corps, visited Camp Marion. Orders +were sent to Major Young one morning to have his battalion fall in at +once, as the General desired to have them drill. By his command the +battalion went through the setting-up exercises and battalion drill in +close and extended order. The General was so well pleased with the +drill that the battalion was exempted from all work during the +remainder of the day. + +The battalion was ordered to be mustered out January 29, 1899. +Lieutenant Geo. W. Van Deusen, First Artillery, who was detailed to +muster out the command, hardly spent fifteen minutes in the camp. +Major Young had been detailed Assistant Commissary of Musters and +signed all discharges for the Ninth Battalion, except for the field +and staff, which were signed by Lieutenant Van Deusen. The companies +left for their respective cities the same night they were paid. Major +Bullis was the paymaster. + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[25] See "Outline History of the Ninth (Separate) Battalion Ohio +Volunteer Infantry," by the Battalion Adjutant, Lieutenant Nelson +Ballard, following the close of this chapter. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +COLORED OFFICERS. + + By Captain Frank R. Steward, A.B., LL.B., Harvard, + Forty-ninth U.S. Volunteer Infantry--Appendix. + + +Of all the avenues open to American citizenship the commissioned ranks +of the army and navy have been the stubbornest to yield to the newly +enfranchised. Colored men have filled almost every kind of public +office or trust save the Chief Magistracy. They have been members of +both Houses of Congress, and are employed in all the executive +branches of the Government, but no Negro has as yet succeeded in +invading the commissioned force of the navy, and his advance in the +army has been exceedingly slight. Since the war, as has been related, +but three Negroes have been graduated from the National Military +Academy at West Point; of these one was speedily crowded out of the +service; another reached the grade of First Lieutenant and died +untimely; the third, First Lieutenant Charles Young, late Major of the +9th Ohio Battalion, U.S. Volunteers, together with four colored +Chaplains, constitute the sole colored commissioned force of our +Regular Army. + +Although Negroes fought in large numbers in both the Revolution and +the War of 1812, there is no instance of any Negro attaining or +exercising the rank of commissioned officer. It is a curious bit of +history, however, that in the Civil War those who were fighting to +keep colored men enslaved were the first to commission colored +officers. In Louisiana but a few days after the outbreak of the war, +the free colored population of New Orleans organized a military +organization, called the "Native Guard," which was accepted into the +service of the State and its officers were duly commissioned by the +Governor.[26] + +These Negro soldiers were the first to welcome General Butler when he +entered New Orleans, and the fact of the organization of the "Native +Guard" by the Confederates was used by General Butler as the basis for +the organization of three colored regiments of "Native Guards," all +the line officers of which were colored men. Governor Pinchback, who +was a captain in one of these regiments, tells the fate of these early +colored officers. + +"There were," he writes, "in New Orleans some colored soldiers known +as 'Native Guards' before the arrival of the Federal soldiers, but I +do not know much about them. It was a knowledge of this fact that +induced General Butler, then in command of the Department of the Gulf, +to organize three regiments of colored soldiers, viz: The First, +Second and Third Regiments of Native Guards. + +"The First Regiment of Louisiana Native Guards, Colonel Stafford +commanding, with all the field officers white, and a full complement +of line officers (30) colored, was mustered into service at New +Orleans September 27, 1862, for three years. Soon after General Banks +took command of the department and changed the designation of the +regiment to First Infantry, Corps d'Afrique. April 4th, 1864, it was +changed again to Seventy-third United States Colored Infantry. + + [Transcriber's Note: This footnote appeared in the text + without a footnote anchor: + + "On the 23d of November, 1861, there was a grand review of + the Confederate troops stationed at New Orleans. An + Associated Press despatch announced that the line was seven + miles long. The feature of the review, however, was one + regiment of fourteen hundred free colored men. Another grand + review followed the next spring, and on the appearance of + rebel negroes a local paper made the following comment: + + "'We must also pay a deserved compliment to the companies of + free colored men, all very well drilled and comfortably + uniformed. Most of these companies, quite unaided by the + administration, have supplied themselves with arms without + regard to cost or trouble. On the same day one of these + negro companies was presented with a flag, and every + evidence of public approbation was manifest.'" + + (Williams's Negro Troops in the Rebellion, pp. 83-4)] + +"The Second Louisiana Native Guards, with Colonel N.W. Daniels and +Lieutenant-Colonel Hall, white, and Major Francis E. Dumas, colored, +and all the line officers colored except one Second Lieutenant, was +mustered into service for three years, October 12, 1862. General Banks +changed its designation to Second Infantry Corps d'Afrique, June 6, +1863, and April 6, 1864, it was changed to Second United States +Colored Troops. Finally it was consolidated with the Ninety-first as +the Seventy-fourth Colored Infantry, and mustered out October 11, +1865. + +"The Third Regiment of Louisiana Native Guards, with Colonel Nelson +and all field officers white, and all line officers (30) colored, was +mustered into service at New Orleans for three years, November 24, +1862. Its designation went through the same changes as the others at +the same dates, and it was mustered out November 25, 1865, as the +Seventy-fifth Colored Infantry. + +"Soon after the organization of the Third Regiment, trouble for the +colored officers began, and the department began a systematic effort +to get rid of them. A board of examiners was appointed and all COLORED +officers of the Third Regiment were ordered before it. They refused to +obey the order and tendered their resignations in a body. The +resignations were accepted and that was the beginning of the end. Like +action with the same results followed in the First and Second +Regiments, and colored officers were soon seen no more. All were +driven out of the service except three or four who were never ordered +to appear before the examining board. Among these was your humble +servant. I was then Captain of Company A, Second Regiment, but I soon +tired of my isolation and resigned." + +Later on in the war, with the general enlistment of colored soldiers, +a number of colored chaplains and some surgeons were commissioned. +Towards the close of the war several colored line officers and a field +officer or two were appointed. The State of Massachusetts was foremost +in according this recognition to colored soldiers. But these later +appointments came, in most cases, after the fighting was all over, and +gave few opportunities to command. At the close of the war, with the +muster out of troops the colored officers disappeared and upon the +reorganization of the army, despite the brilliant record of the +colored soldiers, no Negro was given a commission of any sort. + +The outbreak of the Spanish War brought the question of colored +officers prominently to the front. The colored people began at once to +demand that officers of their own race be commissioned to command +colored volunteers. They were not to be deluded by any extravagant +praise of their past heroic services, which veiled a determination to +ignore their just claims. So firmly did they adhere to their demands +that but one volunteer regiment of colored troops, the Third Alabama, +could be induced to enter the service with none of its officers +colored. But the concessions obtained were always at the expense of +continuous and persistent effort, and in the teeth of a very active +and at times extremely violent opposition. We know already the kind of +opposition the Eighth Illinois, the Twenty-third Kansas, and the Third +North Carolina Regiments, officered entirely by colored men, +encountered. It was this opposition, as we have seen, which confined +colored officers to positions below the grade of captain in the four +immune regiments. From a like cause, we know also, distinguished +non-commissioned officers of the four regular regiments of colored +troops were allowed promotion only to Lieutenantcies in the immune +regiments, and upon the muster out of those organizations, were +compelled, if they desired to continue soldiering, to resume their +places as enlisted men. + +There is some explanation for this opposition in the nature of the +distinction which military rank confers. Military rank and naval rank +constitute the only real distinction among us. Our officers of the +army and navy, and of the army more than of the navy, because the +former officers are more constantly within the country, make up the +sole separate class of our population. We have no established +nobility. Wealth confers no privilege which men are bound to observe. +The respect paid to men who attain eminence in science and learning +goes only as far as they are known. The titles of the professions are +matters of courtesy and customs only. Our judges and legislators, our +governors and mayors, are still our "fellow citizens," and the dignity +they enjoy is but an honorary one. The highest office within our gift +offers no exception. At the close of his term, even an ex-President, +"that melancholy product of our system," must resume his place among +his fellow citizens, to sink, not infrequently, into obscurity. But +fifty thousand soldiers must stand attention to the merest second +lieutenant! His rank is a _fact_. The life tenure, the necessities of +military discipline and administration, weld army officers into a +distinct class and make our military system the sole but necessary +relic of personal government. Any class with special privileges is +necessarily conservative. + +The intimate association of "officer" and "gentleman," a legacy of +feudal days, is not without significance. An officer must also be a +gentleman, and "conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman" is +erected into an offence punishable by dismissal from the service. The +word "gentleman" has got far away from the strict significance of its +French parent. De Tocqueville has made us see the process of this +development. Passing over to England, with the changing conditions, +"gentleman" was used to describe persons lower and lower in the social +scale, until, when it crossed to this country, its significance became +lost in an indiscriminate application to all citizens[27]. A flavor of +its caste significance still remains in the traditional "high sense of +honor" characteristic of our military service. It was a distant step +for a slave and freedman to become an officer and gentleman. + +While the above reflections may be some explanations _in fact_ for the +opposition to the commissioning of Negroes, there was no one with +hardihood enough to bring them forward. Such notions might form the +groundwork of a prejudice, but they could not become the reason of a +policy. It is an instinctive tribute to the good sense of the American +people that the opponents of colored officers were compelled to find +reasons of another kind for their antagonism. + +The one formula heard always in the campaign against colored officers +was: Negroes cannot command. This formula was sent forth with every +kind of variation, from the fierce fulminations of the hostile +Southern press, to the more apologetic and philosophical discussions +of our Northern secular and religious journals. To be sure, every now +and then, there were exhibitions of impatience against the doctrine. +Not a few newspapers had little tolerance for the nonsense. Some +former commanders of Negro soldiers in the Civil War, notably, General +T.J. Morgan, spoke out in their behalf. The brilliant career of the +black regulars in Cuba broke the spell for a time, but the re-action +speedily set in. In short it became fastened pretty completely in the +popular mind as a bit of demonstrated truth that Negroes could not +make officers; that colored soldiers would neither follow nor obey +officers of their own race. + +This formula had of course to ignore an entire epoch of history. It +could take no account of that lurid program wrought in the Antilles a +century ago--a rising mob of rebel slaves, transformed into an +invincible army of tumultuous blacks, under the guidance of the +immortal Toussaint, overcoming the trained armies of three Continental +powers, Spain, England and France, and audaciously projecting a black +republic into the family of nations, a program at once a marvel and a +terror to the civilized world. + +Not alone in Hayti, but throughout the States of Central and South +America have Negroes exercised military command, both in the struggles +of these states for independence, and in their national armies +established after independence. At least one soldier of Negro blood, +General Dumas, father of the great novelist, arose to the rank of +General of Division in the French Army and served under Napoleon. In +our day we have seen General Dodds, another soldier of Negro blood, +returning from a successful campaign in Africa, acclaimed throughout +France, his immense popularity threatening Paris with a renewal of the +hysterical days of Boulanger. Finally, we need not be told that at the +very head and front of the Cuban Rebellion were Negroes of every hue, +exercising every kind of command up to the very highest. We need but +recall the lamented Maceo, the Negro chieftain, whose tragic end +brought sorrow and dismay to all of Cuba. With an army thronging with +blacks and mulattoes, these Cuban chieftains, black, mulatto and +white, prolonged such an harassing warfare as to compel the +intervention of the United States. At the end of this recital, which +could well have been extended with greater particularity, if it were +thought needful, we are bound to conclude that the arbitrary formula +relied upon by the opponents of colored officers was never constructed +to fit such an obstinate set of facts. + +The prolonged struggle which culminated in permitting the Negro's +general enlistment in our Civil War had only to be repeated to secure +for him the full pay of a soldier, the right to be treated as a +prisoner of war, and to relieve him of the monopoly of fatigue and +garrison duty. He was too overjoyed with the boon of fighting for the +liberation of his race to make much contention about who was to lead +him. With meagre exception, his exclusive business in that war was to +carry a gun. Yet repeatedly Negro soldiers evinced high capacity for +command. Colonel Thomas Wentworth Higginson draws a glowing portrait +of Sergeant Prince Rivers, Color-Sergeant of the First South Carolina +Volunteers, a regiment of slaves, organized late in 1862. The +Color-Sergeant was provost-Sergeant also, and had entire charge of the +prisoners and of the daily policing of the camp. + +"He is a man of distinguished appearance and in old times was the +crack coachman of Beaufort. * * * They tell me that he was once +allowed to present a petition to the Governor of South Carolina in +behalf of slaves, for the redress of certain grievances, and that a +placard, offering two thousand dollars for his re-capture is still to +be seen by the wayside between here and Charleston. He was a sergeant +in the old 'Hunter Regiment,' and was taken by General Hunter to New +York last spring, where the chevrons on his arm brought a mob upon him +in Broadway, whom he kept off till the police interfered. There is not +a white officer in this regiment who has more administrative ability, +or more absolute authority over the men; they do not love him, but his +mere presence has controlling power over them. He writes well enough +to prepare for me a daily report of his duties in the camp; if his +education reached a higher point I see no reason why he should not +command the Army of the Potomac. He is jet-black, or rather, I should +say, wine-black, his complexion, like that of others of my darkest +men, having a sort of rich, clear depth, without a trace of sootiness, +and to my eye very handsome. His features are tolerably regular, and +full of command, and his figure superior to that of any of our white +officers, being six feet high, perfectly proportioned, and of +apparently inexhaustable strength and activity. His gait is like a +panther's; I never saw such a tread. No anti-slavery novel has +described a man of such marked ability. He makes Toussaint perfectly +intelligible, and if there should ever be a black monarchy in South +Carolina he will be its king."[28] + +Excepting the Louisiana Native Guards, the First South Carolina +Volunteers was the first regiment of colored troops to be mustered +into the service in the Civil War. The regiment was made up entirely +of slaves, with scarcely a mulatto among them. The first day of +freedom for these men was passed in uniform and with a gun. Among +these Negroes, just wrested from slavery, their scholarly commander, +Colonel Higginson, could find many whom he judged well fitted by +nature to command. + +"Afterwards I had excellent battalion drills," he writes, "without a +single white officer, by way of experiment, putting each company under +a sergeant, and going through the most difficult movements, such as +division columns and oblique squares. And as to actual discipline, it +is doing no injustice to the line-officers of the regiment to say that +none of them received from the men more implicit obedience than +Color-Sergeant Rivers. * * * It always seemed to me an insult to those +brave men to have novices put over their heads, on the ground of color +alone, and the men felt it the more keenly as they remained longer in +the service. There were more than seven hundred enlisted men in the +regiment, when mustered out after more than three years' service. The +ranks had been kept full by enlistment, but there were only fourteen +line-officers instead of the full thirty. The men who should have +filled these vacancies were doing duty as sergeants in the ranks."[29] + +Numerous expeditions were constantly on foot in the Department of the +South, having for their object the liberation of slaves still held to +service in neighborhoods remote from the Union camps, or to capture +supplies and munitions of war. Frequently these expeditions came in +conflict with armed bodies of rebels and hot engagements would ensue, +resulting in considerable loss of life. Colored soldiers were +particularly serviceable for this work because of their intimate +knowledge of the country and their zeal for the rescue of their +enslaved brethren. + +One of these expeditions, composed of thirty colored soldiers and +scouts, commanded by Sergeant-Major Henry James, Third United States +Colored Troops, left Jacksonville, Florida, early in March, 1865, to +penetrate into the interior through Marion county. They destroyed +considerable property in the use of the rebel government, burned the +bridge across the Oclawaha River, and started on their return with +ninety-one Negroes whom they had rescued from slavery, four white +prisoners, some wagons and a large number of horses and mules. They +were attacked by a rebel band of more than fifty cavalry. The colored +soldiers commanded by one of their own number, defeated and drove off +the rebels, inflicting upon them the heavy loss of thirty men. After a +long and rapid march they arrived at St. Augustine, Florida, with a +loss of but two killed and four wounded, the expedition covering in +all five days. These colored soldiers and their colored commander were +thanked in orders by Major-General Q.A. Gilmore, commanding the +department, who was moved to declare that "this expedition, planned +and executed by colored men, under the command of a colored +non-commissioned officer, reflects credit upon the brave participants +and their leader," and "he holds up their conduct to their comrades in +arms as an example worthy of emulation."[30] + +It was no uncommon occurrence throughout the Civil War for colored +non-commissioned officers to be thrown into command of their companies +by the killing or wounding of their superior officers. On many a field +of battle this happened and these colored non-commissioned officers +showed the same ability to take the initiative and accept the +responsibility, and conducted their commands just as bravely and +unfalteringly as did their successors on the firing line at La Guasima +and El Caney, or in the charge up San Juan Hill. + +In the battle of New Market Heights, fought on the 29th of September, +1864, as part of a comprehensive effort to turn Lee's left flank, the +great heroism of the black soldiers, and the terrible slaughter among +them, impressed their commander, the late Major-General Butler, to his +dying day, and made him the stout champion of their rights for the +rest of his life. In that battle, to quote from the orders putting on +record the "gallant deeds of the officers and soldiers of the Army of +the James":-- + + "Milton M. Holland, Sergeant-Major Fifth United States + Colored Troops, commanding Company C; James H. Bronson, + First Sergeant, commanding Company D; Robert Pinn, First + Sergeant, commanding Company I, wounded; Powhatan Beaty, + First Sergeant, commanding Company G, Fifth United States + Colored Troops--all these gallant colored soldiers were left + in command, all their company officers being killed or + wounded, and led them gallantly and meritoriously through + the day. For these services they have most honorable + mention, and the commanding general will cause a special + medal to be struck in honor of these gallant soldiers." + + "First Sergeant Edward Ratcliff, Company C, Thirty-eighth + United States Colored Troops, thrown into command of his + company by the death of the officer commanding, was the + first enlisted man in the enemy's works, leading his company + with great gallantry for which he has a medal." + + "Sergeant Samuel Gilchrist, Company K, Thirty-sixth United + States Colored Troops, showed great bravery and gallantry in + commanding his company after his officers were killed. He + has a medal for gallantry."[31] + +"Honorable mention" and "medals" were the sole reward open to the +brave Negro soldiers of that day. + +Not alone in camp and garrison, in charge of expeditions, or as +non-commissioned officers thrown into command of their companies on +the field of battle have Negro soldiers displayed unquestioned +capacity for command, but as commissioned officers they commanded in +camp and in battle, showing marked efficiency and conspicuous +gallantry. The colored officers of the First and Second Regiments of +Louisiana Native Guards, whose history has been detailed earlier in +this chapter,[32] were retained in the service long enough to command +their troops in bloody combat with the enemy. It will be remembered +that of the Second Regiment of Louisiana Native Guards only the +Colonel and Lieutenant-Colonel were white, the Major, F.E. Dumas, and +all the line officers, as in the case of the First Regiment of +Louisiana Native Guards, being colored. On April 9, 1863, Colonel N.U. +Daniels, who commanded the Second Regiment of Louisiana Native Guards, +with a detachment of two hundred men of his regiment, under their +colored officers, engaged and repulsed a considerable body of rebel +infantry and cavalry at Pascagoula, Mississippi. The engagement lasted +from 10 A.M. until 2 P.M. and was remarkable for the steadiness, +tenacity and bravery of these black troops in this, their first +battle, where they succeeded in defeating and beating off an enemy +five times their number. The official report by the Colonel commanding +declared: "Great credit is due to the troops engaged for their +unflinching bravery and steadiness under this, their first fire, +exchanging volley after volley with the coolness of veterans, and for +their determined tenacity in maintaining their position, and taking +advantage of every success that their courage and valor gave them; and +also to their officers, who were cool and determined throughout the +action, fighting their commands against five times their number, and +confident throughout of success. * * * + +"I would particularly call the attention of the department to Major +F.E. Dumas, Capt. Villeverd and Lieuts. Jones and Martin, who were +constantly in the thickest of the fight, and by their unflinching +bravery and admirable handling of their commands, contributed to the +success of the attack, and reflected great honor upon the flag for +which they so nobly struggled."[33] + +The battle which settled for all time the bravery of black troops, and +ought as well to silence all question about the capacity of colored +officers, was the storming of Port Hudson, May 27, 1863. For months +the Confederates had had uninterrupted opportunity to strengthen their +works at Port Hudson at a time when an abundance of slave labor was at +their disposal. They had constructed defenses of remarkable strength. +On a bluff, eighty feet above the river, was a series of batteries +mounting in all twenty siege guns. For land defenses they had a +continuous line of parapet of strong profile, beginning at a point on +the river a mile from Port Hudson and extending in a semi-circle for +three or four miles over a country for the most part rough and broken, +and ending again at the river, a half mile north of Port Hudson. At +appropriate positions along this line four bastion works were +constructed and thirty pieces of field artillery were posted. The +average thickness of the parapet was twenty feet, and the depth of the +ditch below the top of the parapet was fifteen feet. The ground behind +the parapet was well adapted for the prompt movement of troops.[34] + +On the 24th of May General Banks reached the immediate vicinity of +Port Hudson, and proceeded at once to invest the place. + +On the 27th the assault was ordered. Two colored regiments of +Louisiana Native Guards, the First Regiment with all line officers +colored, and the Third with white officers throughout, were put under +command of Colonel John A. Nelson, of the Third Regiment, and assigned +to position on the right of the line, where the assault was begun. The +right began the assault in the morning; for some reason the left did +not assault until late in the afternoon. Six companies of the First +Louisiana and nine companies of the Third, in all 1080 men, were +formed in column of attack. Even now, one cannot contemplate unmoved +the desperate valor of these black troops and the terrible slaughter +among them as they were sent to their impossible task that day in May. +Moving forward in double quick time the column emerged from the woods, +and passing over the plain strewn with felled trees and entangled +brushwood, plunged into a fury of shot and shell as they charged for +the batteries on the rebel left. Again and again that unsupported +column of black troops held to their hopeless mission by the +unrelenting order of the brigade commander, hurled itself literally +into the jaws of death, many meeting horrible destruction actually at +the cannon's mouth. + +It was a day prodigal with deeds of fanatical bravery. The colors of +the First Louisiana, torn and shivered in that fearful hail of fire, +were still borne forward in front of the works by the color-sergeant, +until a shell from the enemy cut the flag in two and gave the sergeant +his mortal wound. He fell spattering the flag with blood and brains +and hugged it to his bosom as he lay in the grasp of death. Two +corporals sprang forward to seize the colors, contending in generous +rivalry until a rebel sharpshooter felled one of them across the +sergeant's lifeless body. The other dashed proudly forward with the +flag. Sixteen men fell that day defending the colors. + +Black officers and white officers commanded side by side, moving among +the men to prompt their valor by word and example, revealing no +difference in their equal contempt of death. Captain Quinn, of the +Third Regiment, with forty reckless followers, bearing their rifles +and cartridge boxes above their heads, swam the ditch and leaped among +the guns, when they were ordered back to escape a regiment of rebels +hastening for their rear. Six of them re-crossed alive, and of these +only two were unhurt, the brave Quinn and a Lieutenant. The gallant +Captain Andre Cailloux, who commanded the color company of the First +Louisiana, a man black as night, but a leader by birth and education, +moved in eager zeal among his men, cheering them on by words and his +own noble example, with his left arm already shattered, proudly +refusing to leave the field. In a last effort of heroism, he sprang to +the front of his company, commanded his men to follow him, and in the +face of that murderous fire, gallantly led them forward until a shell +smote him to death but fifty yards from the works. + +Cailloux, a pure Negro in blood, was born a freeman and numbered +generations of freemen among his ancestry. He had fine presence, was a +man of culture and possessed wealth. He had raised his company by his +own efforts, and attached them to him, not only by his ardent pride of +race, which made him boast his blackness, but also by his undoubted +talents for command. His heroic death was mourned by thousands of his +race who had known him. His body, recovered after the surrender, was +given a soldier's burial in his own native city of New Orleans. + +When the day was spent, the bleeding and shattered column was at +length recalled. The black troops did not take the guns, but the day's +work had won for them a fame that cannot die. The nation, which had +received them into the service half-heartedly, and out of necessity, +was that day made to witness a monotony of gallantry and heroism that +compelled everywhere awe and admiration. Black soldiers, and led by +black officers as well as white, assigned a task hopeless and +impossible at the start, had plunged into that withering storm of shot +and shell, poured fourth by artillery and infantry, charging over a +field strewn with obstacles, and in madness of bravery had more than +once thrown the thin head of their column to the very edge of the +guns. They recoiled only to reform their broken lines and to start +again their desperate work. When the day was gone, and they were +called back, the shattered remnant of the column which had gone forth +in the morning still burned with passion. With that day's work of +black soldiers under black officers, a part forever of the military +glory of the Republic, there are those who yet dare to declare that +Negroes cannot command. + +The assault on Port Hudson had been unsuccessful all along the line. A +second assault was ordered June 13. It, too, was unsuccessful. The +fall of Vicksburg brought the garrison to terms. The surrender took +place July 9, 1863. In the report of the general commanding, the +colored soldiers were given unstinted praise. General Banks declared +that "no troops could be more determined or more daring."[35] The +Northern press described glowingly their part in the fight. The +prowess of the black soldiers had conquered military prejudice, and +won for them a place in the army of the Union. And the brave black +officers who led these black soldiers, they were, all of them, ordered +forthwith before an examining board with the purpose of driving them +from the service, and every one of them in self-respect was made to +resign. In such manner was their bravery rewarded. + +In the four regiments of colored troops made a part of the Regular +Army since the Civil War, colored soldiers, to say nothing of the +three colored graduates from West Point, referred to earlier in this +chapter, have repeatedly given evidence of their capacity to command. +An earlier chapter has already set forth the gallant manner in which +colored non-commissioned officers, left in command by the killing or +wounding of their officers, commanded their companies at La Guasima, +El Caney and in the charge at San Juan. On numerous occasions, with +none of the heroic setting of the Santiago campaign, have colored +soldiers time and again command detachments and companies on dangerous +scouting expeditions, and in skirmishes and fights with hostile +Indians and marauders. The entire Western country is a witness of +their prowess. This meritorious work, done in remote regions, has +seldom come to public notice; the medal which the soldier wears, and +the official entry in company and regimental record are in most cases +the sole chronicle. A typical instance is furnished in the career of +Sergeant Richard Anderson, late of the Ninth Cavalry. The sergeant has +long ago completed his thirty years of service. He passed through all +non-commissioned grades in his troop and regiment, and was retired as +Post Commissary-Sergeant. The story of the engagements in which he +commanded give ample proof of his ability and bravery. It would be no +service to the sergeant to disturb his own frank and formal narrative. + +The Sergeant's story:-- + + "While in sub-camp at Fort Cumming, New Mexico, awaiting + orders for campaign duty against hostile Indians (old + Naney's band), on the evening of June 5, 1880, my troop + commander being absent at Fort Bayard, which left me in + command of my troop, there being no other commissioned + officer available, a report having come in to the commanding + officer about 1 o'clock that a band of Apache Indians were + marching toward Cook's Canon, Troops B and L, under general + command of Captain Francis, 9th Cavalry, and myself + commanding Troop B, were ordered out. + + We came upon the Indians in Cook's Canon and had an + engagement which lasted two or three hours. Three or four + Indians were killed and several wounded. We had no men + killed, but a few wounded in both L and B Troops. We + followed the Indians many miles that evening, but having no + rations, returned to Fort Cumming late that evening, and + went into camp until the following morning, when the two + troops took the trail and followed it many days, but being + unable to overtake the Indians, returned to Fort Cumming. + + In August, 1881, while my troop was in camp at Fort Cumming, + New Mexico, awaiting orders for another campaign against + these same Apache Indians, my troop commander having been + ordered to Fort Bayard, New Mexico, on general court-martial + duty, and during his absence having no commissioned officer + available, I was in command of my troop subject to the + orders of the post commander. At 12 o'clock at night, August + 17, 1881, while in my tent asleep, the commanding officer's + orderly knocked on my tent and informed me that the + commanding officer wanted me to report to him at once. I + asked the orderly what was up. He informed me that he + supposed a scout was going out, as the commanding officer + had sent for Lieutenant Smith, then in command of Troop H, + 9th Cavalry. + + I dressed myself promptly and reported, and found Lieutenant + Smith and the commanding officer at the office on my + arrival. + + The commanding officer asked me about how many men I could + mount for thirty days' detached duty, leaving so many men + to take care of property and horses. I told him about how + many. He ordered me to make a ration return for that number + of men, and send a sergeant to draw rations for thirty days' + scout; and for me to hurry up, and when ready to report to + Lieutenant Smith. By 12.45 my troop was ready and mounted, + and reported as ordered, and at 1 o'clock Troop's B and H + pulled out from Fort Cumming for Lake Valley, New Mexico; + and when the sun showed himself over the tops of the + mountains we marched down the mountains into Lake Valley, + thirty-five miles from Fort Cumming. We went into camp + hoping to spend a few hours and take a rest, and feed our + horses and men. + + About 9 o'clock a small boy came running through camp crying + as if to break his heart, saying that the Indians had killed + his mother and their baby. Some of the men said the boy must + be crazy; but many of them made for their horses without + orders. Soon Lieutenant Smith ordered "Saddle up." In less + than five minutes all the command was saddled up and ready + to mount. We mounted and pulled out at a gallop, and + continued at that gait until we came to a high mountain, + when we came down to a walk. And when over the mountain we + took up the gallop, and from that time on, nothing but a + gallop and a trot, when the country was favorable for such. + When we had marched about two miles from Lake Valley we met + the father of the boy, with his leg bleeding where the + Indians had shot him. We marched about half a mile farther, + when we could see the Indians leaving this man's ranch. We + had a running fight with them from that time until about 5 + o'clock that evening, August 18th, 1881. Having no rations, + we returned to Lake Valley with the intention of resting + that night and taking the trail the next morning; but about + 9 o'clock that night a ranchman came into camp and reported + that the Indians had marched into a milk ranch and burned up + the ranch, and had gone into camp near by. + + Lieutenant Smith ordered me to have the command in readiness + to march at 12 o'clock sharp, and said we could surprise + those Indians and capture many of them and kill a few also. + I went and made my detail as ordered, with five days' + rations in haversacks, and at 12 o'clock reported as + ordered. + + About half-past 12 o'clock the command pulled out and + marched within about a mile and a half of the milk ranch and + went into camp; and at daylight in the morning saddled up + and marched to the ranch. The Indians had pulled out a few + minutes before our arrival. We took their trail and came up + with them about 10 o'clock, finding the Indians in ambush. + Lieutenant Smith was the first man killed, and when I heard + his last command, which was "Dismount," then the whole + command fell upon your humble servant. We fell back, up a + canon and on a hill, and held them until 4 o'clock, when a + reinforcement came up of about twenty men from Lake Valey + and the Indians pulled off over the mountains. The + following-named men were killed in the engagement: + + Lieutenant G.W. Smith; Mr. Daily, a miner; Saddler Thomas + Golding; Privates James Brown and Monroe Overstreet. + Wounded--Privates Wesley Harris, John W. Williams and + William A. Hallins. + + After the Indians ceased firing and fell back over the + mountains I cared for the wounded and sent Lieutenant + Smith's body to Fort Bayard, New Mexico, where his wife was, + which was about sixty miles from the battle-ground, and Mr. + Daily's body to Lake Valley, all under a strong detachment + of men under a non-commissioned officer; when I marched with + the remainder of the command with the dead and wounded for + Rodman Mill, where I arrived about 5 o'clock on the morning + of August 20 and buried the dead and sent the wounded to + Fort Bayard. + + One thing that attracted my attention more than anything + else was the suffering of Private John W. Williams, Troop H, + who was shot through the kneecap and had to ride all that + night from the battle-ground to Brookman's Mill. Poor + fellow! + + I buried all my dead, and then marched for Fort Cumming, + where we arrived about sunset and reported to General Edward + Hatch, then commanding the regiment and also the district of + New Mexico, giving him all the details pertaining to the + engagement. + + General Hatch asked me about how many men I could mount the + next morning, the 21st. I informed him about how many. He + ordered me to have my troop in readiness by daylight and + report to Lieutenant Demmick, then commanding Troop L, and + follow that Indian trail. + + My troop was ready as ordered, and marched. We followed + those Indians to the line of Old Mexico, but were unable to + overtake them. Such was my last engagement with hostile + Indians." + +The formula that Negroes cannot command, with the further assertion +that colored soldiers will neither follow nor obey officers of their +own race, we have now taken out of the heads of its upholders, and +away from its secure setting of type on the printed page, and applied +it to the facts. Negro soldiers have shown their ability to command by +commanding, not always with shoulder-straps, to be sure, but +nevertheless commanding. With wearying succession, instance after +instance, where Negroes have exercised all manner of military command +and always creditably, have extended for us a recital to the border of +monotony, and made formidable test of our patience. In France and the +West Indies, in Central and South America, Negroes have commanded +armies, in one instance fighting under Napoleon, at other times to +free themselves from slavery and their countries from the yoke of +oppression. In our own country, from the days of the Revolution, when +fourteen American officers declared in a memorial to the Congress, +that a "Negro man called Salem Poor, of Colonel Frye's regiment, +Captain Ames' company, in the late battle at Charlestown, behaved like +an _experienced officer_, as well as an excellent soldier;"[36] from +the first war of the nation down to its last, Negro soldiers have been +evincing their capacity to command. In the Civil War, where thousands +of colored soldiers fought for the Union, their ability to command has +been evidenced in a hundred ways, on scouts and expeditions, in camp +and in battle; on two notable occasions, Negro officers gallantly +fought their commands side by side with white officers, and added +lustre to the military glory of the nation. Upon the re-organization +of the Regular Army at the close of the war the theatre shifted to +our Western frontier, where the Negro soldier continued to display his +ability to command. Finally, in the Spanish War, just closed, the +Negro soldier made the nation again bear witness not alone to his +undaunted bravery, but also to his conspicuous capacity to command. +Out of this abundant and conclusive array of incontestable facts, +frankly, is there anything left to the arbitrary formula that Negroes +cannot command, but a string of ipse dixits hung on a very old, but +still decidedly robust prejudice? There is no escape from the +conclusion that as a matter of fact, with opportunity, Negroes differ +in no wise from other men in capacity to exercise military command. + +Undoubtedly substantial progress has been made respecting colored +officers since 1863, when colored soldiers were first admitted in +considerable numbers into the army of the Union. At the period of the +Civil War colored officers for colored soldiers was little more than +thought of; the sole instance comprised the short-lived colored +officers of the three regiments of Louisiana Native Guards, and the +sporadic appointments made near the close of the war, when the +fighting was over. + +More than three hundred colored officers served in the volunteer army +in the war with Spain. Two Northern States, Illinois and Kansas, and +one Southern State, North Carolina, put each in the field as part of +its quota a regiment of colored troops officered throughout by colored +men. Ohio and Indiana contributed each a separate battalion of colored +soldiers entirely under colored officers. + +In 1863 a regiment of colored troops with colored officers was +practically impossible. In 1898 a regiment of colored volunteers +without some colored officers was almost equally impossible. In 1863 +a regiment of colored soldiers commanded by colored officers would +have been a violation of the sentiment of the period and an outrage +upon popular feelings, the appearance of which in almost any Northern +city would hardly fail to provoke an angry and resentful mob. At that +period, even black recruits in uniforms were frequently assaulted in +the streets of Northern cities. We have seen already how Sergeant +Rivers, of the First South Carolina Volunteers, had to beat off a mob +on Broadway in New York city. In 1898 regiments and battalions of +colored troops, with colored colonels and majors in command, came out +of States where the most stringent black laws were formerly in force, +and were greeted with applause as they passed on their way to their +camps or to embark for Cuba. + +In Baltimore, in 1863, the appearance of a Negro in the uniform of an +army surgeon started a riot, and the irate mob was not appeased until +it had stripped the patriotic colored doctor of his shoulder-straps. +In 1898, when the Sixth Regiment of Massachusetts Volunteers passed +through the same city, the colored officers of Company L of that +regiment were welcomed with the same courtesies as their white +colleagues--courtesies extended as a memorial of the fateful progress +of the regiment through the city of Baltimore in 1861. One State which +went to war in 1861 to keep the Negro a slave, put in the field a +regiment of colored soldiers, officered by colored men from the +colonel down. To this extent has prejudice been made to yield either +to political necessity, or a generous change in sentiment. Thus were +found States both North and South willing to give the Negro the full +military recognition to which he is entitled. + +With this wider recognition of colored officers the general +government has not kept pace. In the four regiments of colored +volunteers recruited by the general government for service in the war +with Spain, only the lieutenants were colored. Through the extreme +conservatism of the War Department, in these regiments no colored +officers, no matter how meritorious, could be appointed or advanced to +the grade of captain. Such was the announced policy of the department, +and it was strictly carried out. The commissioning of this large +number of colored men even to lieutenancies was, without doubt, a +distinct step in advance; it was an entering wedge. But it was also an +advance singularly inadequate and embarrassing. In one of these +colored volunteer, commonly called "immune" regiments, of the twelve +captains, but five had previous military training, while of the +twenty-four colored lieutenants, eighteen had previous military +experience, and three of the remaining six were promoted from the +ranks, so that at the time of their appointment twenty-one lieutenants +had previous military training. Of the five captains with previous +military experience, one, years ago, had been a lieutenant in the +Regular Army; another was promoted from Post Quartermaster-Sergeant; a +third at one time had been First Sergeant of Artillery; the remaining +two had more or less experience in the militia. Of the eighteen +lieutenants with previous military experience, twelve had served in +the Regular Army; eight of these, not one with a service less than +fifteen years, were promoted directly from the ranks of the regulars +for efficiency and gallantry. At the time of their promotion two were +Sergeants, five First Sergeants and one a Post Quartermaster-Sergeant. +The four others from the Regular Army had served five years each. Of +the six remaining Lieutenants with previous military experience, four +had received military training in high schools, three of whom were +subsequently officers in the militia; fifth graduated from a state +college with a military department; the sixth had been for years an +officer in the militia. With this advantage at the start, it is no +extravagance to say that the colored officers practically made the +companies. To them was due the greater part of the credit for whatever +efficiency the companies showed. Moreover, these colored officers were +not behind in intelligence. Among them were four graduates of +universities and colleges, two lawyers, two teachers, one journalist, +five graduates of high schools and academies, and the men from the +Regular Army, as their previous non-commissioned rank indicates, were +of good average intelligence. There is no reason to believe that this +one of the four colored volunteer regiments was in any degree +exceptional. + +These are the officers for whom the War Department had erected their +arbitrary bar at captaincy, and declared that no show of efficiency +could secure for them the titular rank which they more than once +actually exercised. For they were repeatedly in command of their +companies through sickness or absence of their captains. They served +as officers without the incentive which comes from hope of promotion. +They were forced to see the credit of their labors go to others, and +to share more than once in discredit for which they were not +responsible. They were, and in this lay their chief embarrassment, +without the security and protection which higher rank would have +accorded them. In case of trial by court-martial, captains and other +higher officers filled the court to the exclusion of almost all +others. These were white men. It is gratifying to record that the War +Department recognized this special injustice to colored officers, and +in the two regiments of colored volunteers recruited for service in +the Philippines all the line-officers are colored men, the field +officers being white, and appointed from the Regular Army in pursuance +of a general policy. Thus far has the general government advanced in +recognition of the military capacity of the Negro. In the swing of the +pendulum the nation is now at the place where the hardy General Butler +was thirty-seven years ago, when he organized the three regiments of +Louisiana Native Guards with all line-officers colored. + +The way in which modern armies are organized and perfected leaves +little necessity for an equipment of exceptional personal gifts in +order to exercise ordinary military command. The whole thing is +subordinate, and the field for personal initiative is contracted to +the minimum. In our own army the President is Commander-in-Chief, and +the command descends through a multitude of subordinate grades down to +the lowest commissioned officer in the service. We have "Articles of +War" and "Regulations," and the entire discipline and government of +the army is committed to writing. There is no chance to enshroud in +mystery the ability to command. For ordinary military command, with +intelligence the chief requisite, little is required beyond courage, +firmness and good judgment. These qualities are in no respect natural +barriers for colored men. + +This last story of the Negro soldier's efficiency and gallantry, told +in the pages of this book, teaches its own very simple conclusion. The +Cuban campaign has forced the nation to recognize the completion of +the Negro's evolution as a soldier in the Army of the United States. +The colored American soldier, by his own prowess, has won an +acknowledged place by the side of the best trained fighters with arms. +In the fullness of his manhood he has no rejoicing in the patronizing +paean, "the colored troops fought nobly," nor does he glow at all +when told of his "faithfulness" and "devotion" to his white officers, +qualities accentuated to the point where they might well fit an +affectionate dog. He lays claim to no prerogative other than that of a +plain citizen of the Republic, trained to the profession of arms. The +measure of his demand--and it is the demand of ten millions of his +fellow-citizens allied to him by race--is that the full manhood +privileges of a soldier be accorded him. On his record in arms, not +excluding his manifest capacity to command, the colored soldier, +speaking for the entire body of colored citizens in this country, only +demands that the door of the nation's military training school be +freely open to the capable of his race, and the avenue of promotion +from the ranks be accessible to his tried efficiency; that no +hindrance prevent competent colored men from taking their places as +officers as well as soldiers in the nation's permanent military +establishment. + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[26] Headquarters Department of the Gulf, + New Orleans, August 22, 1862. + General Orders No. 63. + + "Whereas, on the 23d day of April, in the year eighteen + hundred and sixty-one, at a public meeting of the free + colored population of the city of New Orleans, a military + organization, known as the 'Native Guards' (colored), had + its existence, which military organization was duly and + legally enrolled as a part of the militia of the State, its + officers being commissioned by Thomas O. Moore, Governor and + Commander-in-Chief of the militia of the State of Louisiana, + in the form following, that is to say: + + The State of Louisiana. + (Seal of the State.) + + By Thomas Overton Moore, Governor of the State of Louisiana, + and commander-in-chief of the militia thereof. + + "'In the name and by the authority of the State of + Louisiana: Know ye that ---- ----, having been duly and + legally elected captain of the "Native Guards" (colored), + first division of the Militia of Louisiana, to serve for the + term of the war, + + "'I do hereby appoint and commission him captain as + aforesaid, to take rank as such, from the 2d day of May, + eighteen hundred and sixty-one. + + "'He is, therefore, carefully and diligently to discharge + the duties of his office by doing and performing all manner + of things thereto belonging. And I do strictly charge and + require all officers, non-commissioned officers and privates + under his command to be obedient to his orders as captain; + and he is to observe and follow such orders and directions, + from time to time, as he shall receive from me, or the + future Governor of the State of Louisiana, or other superior + officers, according to the Rules and Articles of War, and in + conformity to law. + + "'In testimony whereof, I have caused these letters to be + made patent, and the seal of the State to be hereunto + annexed. + + "'Given under my hand, at the city of Baton Rouge, on the + second day of May, in the year of our Lord one thousand + eight hundred and sixty-one. + + (L.S.) (Signed) THOS. O. MOORE. + "'By the Governor: + (Signed) P.D. HARDY, + Secretary of State. + + (Wilson: Black Phalanx, p. 194.) + +[27] De Tocqueville: L'Ancien Régime et La Revolution, p. 125-6. + +[28] Thomas Westworth Higginson: Army Life in a Black Regiment, pp. +57-8. + +[29] Thomas Wentworth Higginson: Army Life in a Black Regiment, p. +261. + +[30] Williams's Negro Troops in the Rebellion, pp. 339-40, quoting the +order. + +[31] Williams's Negro Troops in the Rebellion, pp. 334-6, original +order quoted. + +[32] See pp. 351-6 MS. + +[33] Wilson: Black Phalanx, p. 211, original order quoted. + +[34] Campaigns of the Civil War. F.V. Greene. The Mississippi, p. 226 +et seq. + +[35] Williams's Negro Troops in the Rebellion, p. 221, original order +quoted. + +[36] MS. Archives of Massachusetts, Vol. 180, p. 241, quoted in +Williams's Negro Troops in the Rebellion, p. 13. + + + + +APPENDIX. + + +The correspondence following shows the progress of the negotiations +for the surrender of the city of Santiago and the Spanish Army, from +the morning of July 3d until the final convention was signed on the +sixteenth of the same month. This surrender virtually closed the war, +but did not restore the contending nations to a status of peace. +Twenty-three thousand Spanish soldiers had laid down their arms and +had been transformed from enemies to friends. On the tenth of August +following, a protocol was submitted by the President of the United +States, which was accepted by the Spanish cabinet on the eleventh, and +on the twelfth the President announced the cessation of hostilities, +thus closing a war which had lasted one hundred and ten days. On the +tenth of December a Treaty of Peace between the United States and +Spain was signed at Paris, which was subsequently ratified by both +nations, and diplomatic relations fully restored. The war, though +short, had been costly. One hundred and fifty million dollars had been +spent in its prosecution, and there were left on our hands the +unsolved problem of Cuba and the Philippines, which promised much +future trouble. + +Within a month from the signing of the convention, the Army of +Invasion, known as the Fifth Army Corps, was on its homeward voyage, +and by the latter part of August the whole command was well out of +Cuba. Well did the soldiers themselves, as well as their friends, +realize, as the former returned from that campaign of a hundred days, +that war in the tropics was neither a pastime nor a practice march. +The campaign had tested the powers of endurance of the men to its +utmost limit. The horrors of war were brought directly to the face of +the people, as the ten thousand invalids dragged their debilitated +forms from the transports to their detention camps, or to the +hospitals, some too helpless to walk, and many to die soon after +greeting their native shores. Those who had been so enthusiastic for +the war were now quiet, and were eagerly laying the blame for the +sorrow and suffering before them upon the shoulders of those who had +conducted the war. Few stopped to think that a good part of this woe +might be justly charged to those who had constantly resisted the +establishment of an adequate standing army, and who, with inconsistent +vehemence, had urged the nation into a war, regardless of its military +equipment. The emaciated veterans arriving at Montauk were spoken of +as the evidences of "military incompetency;" they were also evidence +of that narrow statesmanship which ignores the constant suggestions of +military experience. + + * * * * * + + Headquarters United States Forces, + Near San Juan River, July 3, 1898--8.30 A.M. + + To the Commanding General of the Spanish Forces, Santiago de Cuba. + + Sir:--I shall be obliged, unless you surrender, to shell + Santiago de Cuba. Please inform the citizens of foreign + countries, and all the women and children, that they should + leave the city before 10 o'clock to-morrow morning. + + Very respectfully, your obedient servant, + + WILLIAM R. SHAFTER, + Major-General U.S.V. + +Reply. + + Santiago de Cuba, July 3, 1898. + + His Excellency the General Commanding Forces of United States, + near San Juan River. + + Sir:--I have the honor to reply to your communication of + to-day, written at 8.30 A.M., and received at 1 P.M., + demanding the surrender of this city, or, in contrary case, + announcing to me that you will bombard this city, and that I + advise the foreigners, women and children that they must + leave the city before 10 o'clock to-morrow morning. It is my + duty to say to you that this city will not surrender, and + that I will inform the foreign consuls and inhabitants of + the contents of your message. + + Very respectfully, + + JOSE TORAL, + Commander-in-Chief, Fourth Corps, + + + Headquarters Fifth Army Corps, + Camp near San Juan River, Cuba, July 4, 1898. + + The Commanding General, Spanish Forces, Santiago de Cuba, Cuba. + + Sir:--I was officially informed last night that Admiral + Cervera is now a captive on board the U.S.S. Gloucester, and + is unharmed. He was then in the harbor of Siboney. I regret + also to have to announce to you the death of General Vara + del Rey at El Caney, who, with two of his sons, was killed + in the battle of July 1st. His body will be buried this + morning with military honors. His brother, + Lieutenant-Colonel Vara del Rey, is wounded and a prisoner + in my hands, together with the following officers: Captain + Don Antonio Vara del Rey, Captain Isidor Arias, Captain + Antonio Mansas, and Captain Manuel Romero, who, though + severely wounded, will all probably survive. + + I also have to announce to you that the Spanish fleet, with + the exception of one vessel, was destroyed, and this one is + being so vigorously pursued that it will be impossible for + it to escape. General Pando is opposed by forces sufficient + to hold him in check. + + In view of the above, I would suggest that, to save needless + effusion of blood and the distress of many people, you may + reconsider your determination of yesterday. Your men have + certainly shown the gallantry which was expected of them. + + I am, sir, with great respect, + + Your obedient servant, + + WILLIAM R. SHAFTER, + Major-General, Commanding United States Forces. + + + Headquarters Fifth Army Corps, + Camp near San Juan River, Cuba, July 4, 1898. + + To the Commanding General, Spanish Forces, Santiago de Cuba, Cuba. + + Sir:--The fortune of war has thrown into my hands quite a + number of officers and private soldiers, whom I am now + holding as prisoners of war, and I have the honor to propose + to you that a cartel of exchange be arranged to-day, by + which the prisoners taken by the forces of Spain from on + board the Merrimac, and any officers and men of the army who + may have fallen into our hands within the past few days, may + be returned to their respective governments on the terms + usual in such cases, of rank for rank. Trusting that this + will meet with your favorable consideration, I remain, + + Very respectfully, your obedient servant, + + WILLIAM R. SHAFTER, + Major-General, Commanding United States Forces. + + + Headquarters Fifth Army Corps, + Camp near San Juan River, Cuba, July 4, 1898. + + To the Commanding Officer, Spanish Forces, Santiago. + + Sir:--It will give me great pleasure to return to the city + of Santiago at an early hour to-morrow morning all the + wounded Spanish officers now at El Caney who are able to be + carried and who will give their parole not to serve against + the United States until regularly exchanged. I make this + proposition, as I am not so situated as to give these + officers the care and attention that they can receive at the + hands of their military associates and from their own + surgeons; though I shall, of course, give them every kind + treatment that it is possible to do under such adverse + circumstances. Trusting that this will meet with your + approbation, and that you will permit me to return to you + these persons, I am, + + Your very obedient servant, + + WILLIAM R. SHAFTER, + Major-General, Commanding United States Forces. + + + Army of the Island of Cuba, + Fifth Corps, General Staff. + + To His Excellency the Commander-in-Chief of the American Forces. + + Excellency:--I have the honor to reply to the three + communications of your Excellency, dated to-day, and I am + very grateful for the news you give in regard to the + generals, chiefs, officers and troops that are your + prisoners, and of the good care that you give to the wounded + in your possession. With respect to the wounded, I have no + objection to receiving in this place those that your + Excellency may willingly deliver me, but I am not authorized + by the General-in-Chief to make any exchange, as he has + reserved to himself that authority. Yet I have given him + notice of the proposition of your Excellency. + + It is useless for me to tell you how grateful I am for the + interest that your Excellency has shown for the prisoners + and corpse of General Vara del Rey, giving you many thanks + for the chivalrous treatment. + + The same reasons that I explained to you yesterday, I have + to give again to-day--that this place will not be + surrendered. + + I am, yours with great respect and consideration, + + (Signed) JOSE TORAL. + + In Santiago de Cuba, July 4, 1898. + + + Headquarters Fifth Army Corps, + Camp near San Juan River, Cuba, July 6, 1898. + + To the Commander-in-Chief, Spanish Forces, Santiago de Cuba. + + Sir:--In view of the events of the 3d instant, I have the + honor to lay before your Excellency certain propositions to + which, I trust, your Excellency, will give the consideration + which, in my judgment, they deserve. + + I inclose a bulletin of the engagement of Sunday morning + which resulted in the complete destruction of Admiral + Cervera's fleet, the loss of six hundred of his officers and + men, and the capture of the remainder. The Admiral, General + Paredes and all others who escaped alive are now prisoners + on board the Harvard and St. Louis, and the latter ship, in + which are the Admiral, General Paredes and the surviving + captains (all except the captain of the Almirante Oquendo, + who was slain) has already sailed for the United States. If + desired by you, this may be confirmed by your Excellency + sending an officer under a flag of truce to Admiral Sampson, + and he can arrange to visit the Harvard, which will not sail + until to-morrow, and obtain the details from Spanish + officers and men on board that ship. + + Our fleet is now perfectly free to act, and I have the honor + to state that unless a surrender be arranged by noon of the + 9th instant, a bombardment will be begun and continued by + the heavy guns of our ships. The city is within easy range + of these guns, the eight-inch being capable of firing 9,500 + yards, the thirteen-inch, of course, much farther. The ships + can so lie that with a range of 8,000 yards they can reach + the centre of the city. + + I make this suggestion of a surrender purely in a + humanitarian spirit. I do not wish to cause the slaughter of + any more men, either of your Excellency's forces or my own, + the final result, under circumstances so disadvantageous to + your Excellency being a foregone conclusion. + + As your Excellency may wish to make reference of so + momentous a question to your Excellency's home government, + it is for this purpose that I have placed the time of the + resumption of hostilities sufficiently far in the future to + allow a reply being received. + + I beg an early answer from your Excellency. + + I have the honor to be, + + Very respectfully, your obedient servant, + + W. R. SHAFTER, + Major-General, Commanding. + + + Headquarters Fifth Army Corps, + Camp near Santiago, July 9, 1898. + + Hon. Secretary of War, Washington, D. C. + + I forwarded General Toral's proposition to evacuate the town + this morning without consulting any one. Since then I have + seen the general officers commanding divisions, who agree + with me in that it should be accepted. + + 1st. It releases at once the harbor. + + 2d. It permits the return of thousands of women, children + and old men, who have left the town, fearing bombardment, + and are now suffering fearfully where they are, though I am + doing my best to supply them with food. + + 3d. It saves the great destruction of property which a + bombardment would entail, most of which belongs to Cubans + and foreign residents. + + 4th. It at once releases this command while it is in good + health for operations elsewhere. There are now three cases + of yellow fever at Siboney in a Michigan regiment, and if it + gets started, no one knows where it will stop. + + We lose by this, simply some prisoners we do not want and + the arms they carry. I believe many of them will desert and + return to our lines. I was told by a sentinel who deserted + last night that two hundred men wanted to come, but were + afraid our men would fire upon them. + + W.R. SHAFTER, + Major-General, United States Volunteers. + +Reply. + + Washington, D.C., July 9, 1898. + + Major-General Shafter, Playa, Cuba. + + In reply to your telegram recommending terms of evacuation + as proposed by the Spanish commander, after careful + consideration by the President and Secretary of War, I am + directed to say that you have repeatedly been advised that + you would not be expected to make an assault upon the enemy + at Santiago until you were prepared to do the work + thoroughly. When you are ready this will be done. Your + telegram of this morning said your position was impregnable + and that you believed the enemy would yet surrender + unconditionally. You have also assured us that you could + force their surrender by cutting off their supplies. Under + these circumstances, your message recommending that Spanish + troops be permitted to evacuate and proceed without + molestation to Holguin is a great surprise and is not + approved. The responsibility for the destruction and + distress to the inhabitants rests entirely with the Spanish + commander. The Secretary of War orders that when you are + strong enough to destroy the enemy and take Santiago, you do + it. If you have not force enough, it will be despatched to + you at the earliest moment possible. Reinforcements are on + the way of which you have already been apprised. In the + meantime, nothing is lost by holding the position you now + have, and which you regard as impregnable. + + Acknowledge receipt. By order of the Secretary of War. + (Signed) H.C. CORBIN, Adjutant-General. + + + Headquarters United States Forces, + Camp near San Juan River, Cuba, July 11, 1898. + + To His Excellency, the Commander-in-Chief of the Spanish Forces, + Santiago de Cuba. + + Sir:--With the largely increased forces which have come to + me, and the fact that I have your line of retreat securely + within my hands, the time seems fitting that I should again + demand of your Excellency the surrender of Santiago and your + Excellency's army. I am authorized to state that should your + Excellency so desire, the Government of the United States + will transport your entire command to Spain. I have the + honor to be, + + Very respectfully, your obedient servant, + + WILLIAM R. SHAFTER, + Major-General, Commanding. + +Reply. + + Army of the Island of Cuba, Fourth Corps, + July 11, 1898. + + To His Excellency, the Commander-in-Chief of the Forces of + the United States, in the Camp of the San Juan. + + Esteemed Sir:--I have the honor to advise your Eminence that + your communication of this date is received, and in reply + desire to confirm that which I said in my former + communication, and also to advise you that I have + communicated your proposition to the General-in-Chief. + Reiterating my sentiments, I am, + + Very respectfully, your obedient servant, + + (Signed) JOSE TORAL, + Commander-in-Chief of the Fourth Corps and Military Governor + of Santiago. + + + Headquarters Fifth Army Corps, + Camp near Santiago de Cuba, July 12, 1898. + + To His Excellency, Commander-in-Chief of Spanish Forces, + Santiago de Cuba. + + Sir:--I have the honor to inform your Excellency that I have + already ordered a suspension of hostilities, and I will + repeat that order, granting in this manner a reasonable + time within which you may receive an answer to the message + sent to the Government of Spain, which time will end + to-morrow at 12 o'clock noon. + + I think it my duty to inform your Excellency that during + this armistice I will not move any of my troops that occupy + the advanced line, but the forces that arrived to-day and + which are debarking at Siboney require moving to this camp. + + I wish that your Excellency would honor me with a personal + interview to-morrow morning at 9 o'clock. I will come + accompanied by the Commanding General of the American army, + and by an interpreter, which will permit you to be + accompanied by two or three persons of your staff who speak + English. Hoping for a favorable answer, I have the honor to + be, + + Very respectfully, your obedient servant, + + WILLIAM R. SHAFTER, + Major-General, Commanding. + + + Army of the Island of Cuba, Fourth Corps, + Santiago de cuba, July 12, 1898--9 P. M. + + To His Excellency, the General of the American Troops. + + Esteemed Sir:--I have the honor to answer your favor of this + date, inform your Excellency that in deference to your + desires I will be much honored by a conference with his + Excellency, the Commanding General of your army, and your + Excellency, to-morrow morning at the hour you have seen fit + to appoint. + + Very respectfully, your obedient servant, + + (Signed) JOSE TORAL, + Commander-in-Chief of the Fourth Army Corps. + + Preliminary agreement for the capitulation of the Spanish + forces which constitute the division of Santiago de Cuba, + occupying the territory herein set forth, said capitulation + authorized by the Commander-in-Chief of the Island of Cuba, + agreed to by General Toral and awaiting the approbation of + the Government at Madrid, and subject to the following + conditions: + + Submitted by the undersigned Commissioners-- + + Brigadier-General Don Frederick Escario, Lieutenant-Colonel + of Staff Don Ventura Fontan and Mr. Robert Mason, of the + city of Santiago de Cuba, representing General Toral, + commanding Spanish forces, to Major-General Joseph Wheeler, + U.S.V., Major-General H.W. Lawton, U.S.V., and First + Lieutenant J.D. Miley, Second Artillery, A.D.C, representing + General Shafter, commanding American forces, for the + capitulation of the Spanish forces comprised in that portion + of the Island of Cuba east of a line passing through + Aserradero, Dos Palmas, Palma Soriano, Cauto Abajo, + Escondida, Tanamo and Aguilera, said territory being known + as the Eastern District of Santiago, commanded by General + Jose Toral. + + 1. That pending arrangements for capitulation all + hostilities between American and Spanish forces in this + district shall absolutely and unequivocally cease. + + 2. That this capitulation includes all the forces and war + material in said territory. + + 3. That after the signing of the final capitulation the + United States agrees, with as little delay as possible, to + transport all the Spanish troops in said district to the + Kingdom of Spain, the troops, as near as possible, to embark + at the port nearest the garrison they now occupy. + + 4. That the officers of the Spanish Army be permitted to + retain their side arms, and both officers and enlisted men + their personal property. + + 5. That after final capitulation the Spanish authorities + agree without delay to remove, or assist the American Navy + in removing, all mines or other obstructions to navigation + now in the harbor of Santiago and its mouth. + + 6. That after final capitulation the commander of the + Spanish forces deliver without delay a complete inventory of + all arms and munitions of war of the Spanish forces and a + roster of the said forces now in the above-described + district, to the commander of the American forces. + + 7. That the commander of the Spanish forces, in leaving said + district, is authorized to carry with him all military + archives and records pertaining to the Spanish Army now in + said district. + + 8. That all of that portion of the Spanish forces known as + Volunteers, Movilizados and Guerillas, who wish to remain in + the Island of Cuba are permitted to do so under parole not + to take up arms against the United States during the + continuance of the war between Spain and the United States, + delivering up their arms. + + 9. That the Spanish forces will march out of Santiago de + Cuba with honors of war, depositing their arms thereafter at + a point mutually agreed upon, to await their disposition by + the United States Government, it being understood that the + United States Commissioners will recommend that the Spanish + soldier return to Spain with the arms he so bravely + defended. + + Entered into this fifteenth day of July, eighteen hundred + and ninety-eight, by the undersigned Commissioners, acting + under instructions from their respecting commanding + generals. + + (Signed) + JOSEPH WHEELER, + _Major-General U.S. Vols._; + + H.W. LAWTON, + _Major-General U.S. Vols._; + + J.D. MILEY, + _1st Lieut. 2d Art., A.D.C. to General Shafter._ + + FREDERICO ESCARIO, + VENTURA FONTAN, + ROBERT MASON. + + + Army of the Island of Cuba, Fourth Corps, + Santiago de Cuba, July 12, 1898--9 P.M. + + To His Excellency, the General-in-Chief of the American Forces, + + Esteemed Sir:--As I am now authorized by my Government to + capitulate, I have the honor to so advise you, requesting + you to designate the hour and place where my representatives + should appear, to concur with those of your Excellency to + edit the articles of capitulation on the basis of what has + been agreed upon to this date. + + In due time I wish to manifest to your Excellency my desire + to know the resolution of the United States Government + respecting the return of the arms, so as to note it in the + capitulation; also for their great courtesy and gentlemanly + deportment I wish to thank your Grace's representatives, and + in return for their generous and noble efforts for the + Spanish soldiers, I hope your Government will allow them to + return to the Peninsula with the arms that the American army + do them the honor to acknowledge as having dutifully + defended. + + Reiterating my former sentiments, I remain, + + Very respectfully, your obedient servant, + + JOSE TORAL, + Commander-in-Chief of the Fourth Army Corps. + + + At Neutral Camp, near Santiago, Under a Flag of Truce, + July 14, 1898. + + Recognizing the chivalry, courage and gallantry of Generals + Linares and Toral, and of the soldiers of Spain who were + engaged in the battles recently fought in the vicinity of + Santiago de Cuba, as displayed in said battles, we, the + undersigned officers of the United States army, who had the + honor to be engaged in said battle, and are now a duly + organized commission, treating with a like commission of + officers of the Spanish army, for the capitulation of + Santiago de Cuba, unanimously join in earnestly soliciting + the proper authority to accord to these brave and chivalrous + soldiers the privilege of returning to their country bearing + the arms they have so bravely defended. + + JOSEPH WHEELER, + Major-General, U.S. Vols. + + H. W. LAWTON, + Major-General, U.S. Vols. + + First Lieut., 2d Art., A.D.C. + J. D. MILEY. + + + Army of the Island of Cuba, Fourth Corps, + Santiago de Cuba, July 16, 1898. + + To His Excellency, the Commander-in-Chief of the Forces of + the United States. + + Esteemed Sir:--At half-past 11 I received your communication + of this date, and I am sorry to advise you that it is + impossible for my representatives to come to the appointed + place at midday, as you wish, as I must meet them and give + them their instructions. + + If agreeable to you, will you defer the visit until 4 P.M. + to-day or until 7 to-morrow morning, and in the meanwhile + the obstacles to the entrance of the Red Cross will be + removed from the harbor. + + I beg your Honor will make clear what force you wish me to + retire from the railroad, as, if it is that in Aguadores, I + would authorize the repair of the bridge at once by your + engineers; and if it is that on the heights to the left of + your lines, I beg you will specify with more precision. + + I have ordered those in charge of the aqueduct to proceed at + once to repair it with the means at their command. + + Awaiting your reply, I remain, + + Very respectfully, your obedient servant, + + JOSE TORAL, + Commander-in-Chief of the Fourth Army Corps. + + + Headquarters Fifth Army Corps, + Camp, July 16, 1898. + + To His Excellency, General Jose Toral, Commanding Spanish Forces + in Eastern Cuba. + + Sir:--I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your + Excellency's letter of this date, notifying me that the + Government at Madrid approves your action, and requesting + that I designate officers to arrange for and receive the + surrender of the forces of your Excellency. This I do, + nominating Major-General Wheeler, Major-General Lawton, and + my aide, Lieutenant Miley. I have to request that your + Excellency at once withdraw your troops from along the + railway to Aguadores, and from the bluff in rear of my left; + also that you at once direct the removal of the obstructions + at the entrance to the harbor or assist the navy in doing + so, as it is of the utmost importance that I at once get + vessels loaded with food into the harbor. + + The repair of the railroad will, I am told, require a week's + time. I shall, as I have said to your Excellency, urge my + Government that the gallant men your Excellency has so ably + commanded have returned to Spain with them the arms they + have wielded. With great respect, I remain, + + Your obedient servant and friend, + + WILLIAM R. SHAFTER, + General, Commanding. + + Terms of the Military Convention for the capitulation of the + Spanish forces occupying the territory which constitutes the + Division of Santiago de Cuba and described as follows: All + that portion of the Island of Cuba east of a line passing + through Aserradero, Dos Palmas, Cauto Abajo, Escondida, + Tanamo and Aguilara, said troops being in command of General + Jose Toral; agreed upon by the undersigned Commissioners: + Brigadier-General Don Federico Escario, Lieutenant-Colonel + of Staff Don Ventura Fontan, and as Interpreter, Mr. Robert + Mason, of the city of Santiago de Cuba, appointed by General + Toral, commanding the Spanish forces, on behalf of the + Kingdom of Spain, and Major-General Joseph Wheeler, U.S.V., + Major-General H.W. Lawton, U.S.V., and First Lieutenant J.D. + Miley, Second Artillery, A.D.C., appointed by General + Shafter, commanding the American forces on behalf of the + United States: + + 1. That all hostilities between the American and Spanish + forces in this district absolutely and unequivocally cease. + + 2. That this capitulation includes all the forces and war + material in said territory. + + 3. That the United States agrees, with as little delay as + possible, to transport all the Spanish troops in said + district to the Kingdom of Spain, the troops being embarked, + as far as possible at the port nearest the garrison they now + occupy. + + 4. That the officers of the Spanish Army be permitted to + retain their side arms, and both officers and private + soldiers their personal property. + + 5. That the Spanish authorities agree to remove, or assist + the American Navy in removing, all mines or other + obstructions to navigation now in the harbor of Santiago and + its mouth. + + 6. That the commander of the Spanish forces deliver without + delay a complete inventory of all arms and munitions of war + of the Spanish forces in above described district to the + commander of the American forces; also a roster of said + forces now in said district. + + 7. That the commander of the Spanish forces, in leaving said + district, is authorized to carry with him all military + archives and records pertaining to the Spanish Army now in + said district. + + 8. That all that portion of the Spanish forces known as + Volunteers, Movilizados and Guerillas, who wish to remain in + the Island of Cuba, are permitted to do so upon the + condition of delivering up their arms and taking a parole + not to bear arms against the United States during the + continuance of the present war between Spain and the United + States. + + 9. That the Spanish forces will march out of Santiago de + Cuba with the honors of war, depositing their arms + thereafter at a point mutually agreed upon, to await their + disposition by the United States Government, it being + understood that the United States Commissioners will + recommend that the Spanish soldier return to Spain with the + arms he so bravely defended. + + 10. That the provisions of the foregoing instrument become + operative immediately upon its being signed. + + Entered into this sixteenth day of July, eighteen hundred + and ninety-eight, by the undersigned Commissioners, acting + under instructions from their respective commanding generals + and with the approbation of their respective governments. + + (Signed) + JOSEPH WHEELER, + _Major-General U.S. Vols._; + + H.W. LAWTON, + _Major-General U.S. Vols._; + + J.D. MILEY, + _1st Lieut. 2d Art., A.D.C. to General Shafter._ + + FREDERICO ESCARIO, + VENTURA FONTAN, + ROBERT MASON. + +The following dispatch, sent by General Linares, will show how +desperate were the straits into which he had been driven and how +earnestly he desired to be granted authority to avoid further fighting +by the surrender of his forces at Santiago: + + Santiago de Cuba, July 12, 1898. + + The General-in-Chief to the Secretary of War. + + Although prostrated in bed from weakness and pain, my mind + is troubled by the situation of our suffering troops, and + therefore I think it my duty to address myself to you, Mr. + Secretary, and describe the true situation. + + The enemy's forces very near city; ours extended fourteen + kilometres (14,000 yards). Our troops exhausted and sickly + in an alarming proportion. Cannot be brought to the + hospital--needing them in trenches. Cattle without fodder or + hay. Fearful storm of rain, which has been pouring + continuously for past twenty-four hours. Soldiers without + permanent shelter. Their only food rice, and not much of + that. They have no way of changing or drying their clothing. + Our losses were very heavy--many chiefs and officers among + the dead, wounded and sick. Their absence deprives the + forces of their leaders in this very critical moment. Under + these conditions it is impossible to open a breach on the + enemy, because it would take a third of our men who cannot + go out, and whom the enemy would decimate. The result would + be a terrible disaster, without obtaining, as you desire, + the salvation of eleven maimed battalions. To make a sortie + protected by the division at Holguin, it is necessary to + attack the enemy's lines simultaneously, and the forces of + Holguin cannot come here except after many long days' + marching. Impossible for them to transport rations. + Unfortunately, the situation is desperate. The surrender is + imminent, otherwise we will only gain time to prolong our + agony. The sacrifice would be sterile, and the men + understand this. With his lines so near us, the enemy will + annihilate us without exposing his own, as he did yesterday, + bombarding by land elevations without our being able to + discover their batteries, and by sea the fleet has a perfect + knowledge of the place, and bombards with a mathematical + accuracy. Santiago is no Gerona, a walled city, part of the + mother country, and defended inch by inch by her own people + without distinction--old men and women who helped with their + lives, moved by the holy idea of freedom, and with the hope + of help, which they received. Here I am alone. All the + people have fled, even those holding public offices, almost + without exception. Only the priests remain, and they wish to + leave the city to-day, headed by their archbishop. These + defenders do not start now a campaign full of enthusiasm and + energy, but for three years they have been fighting the + climate, privations and fatigue, and now they have to + confront this critical situation when they have no + enthusiasm or physical strength. They have no ideals, + because they defend the property of people who have deserted + them and those who are the allies of the American forces. + + The honor of arms has its limit, and I appeal to the + judgment of the Government and of the entire nation whether + these patient troops have not repeatedly saved it since May + 18th--date of first bombardment. If it is necessary that I + sacrifice them for reasons unknown to me, or if it is + necessary for some one to take responsibility for the issue + foreseen and announced by me in several telegrams, I + willingly offer myself as a sacrifice to my country, and I + will take charge of the command for the act of surrender, as + my modest reputation is of small value when the reputation + of the nation is at stake. + + (Signed) LINARES. + +Thus surrendered to our forces about 23,500 Spanish troops, of whom +about 11,000 had been in the garrison of Santiago, the others having +been stationed in garrisons outside of the city, but belonging to the +Division of Santiago. With them were also surrendered 100 cannon, 18 +machine guns and over 25,000 rifles. The troops were all sent back to +Spain in vessels of their own nation and flying their own flag. We had +lost in battles with them before the surrender 23 officers killed and +237 men; and 100 officers and 1,332 men wounded. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Colored Regulars in the United +States Army, by T. G. Steward + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE COLORED REGULARS *** + +***** This file should be named 16750-8.txt or 16750-8.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/6/7/5/16750/ + +Produced by Suzanne Shell, Richard J. Shiffer, and the PG +Online Distributed Proofreading Team. + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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Steward, D.D. + </title> + <style type="text/css"> + /*<![CDATA[ XML blockout */ + + <!-- + body {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%;} + p {margin-top: 1em; + margin-bottom: 0em; + text-align: justify;} + /* Author ----------------------------------------------- */ + p.author, p.author-up {text-align: right; + margin-right: 10%;} + p.author-up {margin-top: -0.0em;} + /* Letter ----------------------------------------------- */ + p.letterDate {text-align: right; + margin-right: 10%; + margin-bottom: -0.0em;} + p.letterClose1 {text-indent: 6em;} + p.letterClose2 {text-indent: 10em; margin-top: -1.0em;} + p.letterClose3 {text-indent: 12em;} + p.letterClose4 {text-indent: 2em; margin-top: -1.0em;} + p.letterClose5 {text-indent: 2em; margin-top: -0.0em;} + p.letterClose6 {text-indent: 24em;} + /* Text Blocks ------------------------------------------ */ + blockquote {text-align: justify; font-size: 0.9em;} + .blockquot {margin-left: 5%; margin-right: 10%;} + pre {font-size: 0.8em;} + pre.note {font-size: 1.0em;} + .note, .noteBox {margin-left: 10%; 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top: auto; left: 4%;} + /* Figures ---------------------------------------------- */ + .figure, .figcenter, .figright, .figleft , .figletter + {padding: 1em; + margin: 0; + text-align: center; + font-size: 0.9em;} + .figure img, .figcenter img, .figright img, .figleft img, .figletter img + {border: none;} + .figure p, .figcenter p, .figright p, .figleft p + {margin: 0; + text-indent: 1em;} + .figcenter {margin: auto; + clear: both;} + .figright {float: right;} + .figleft {float: left;} + .figletter {float: left; + margin-top: -.1in; + margin-bottom: -.1in;} + /* Tables ----------------------------------------------- */ + + table { /* style all < table> elements */ + margin-top: 1em; /* space above the table */ + caption-side: top; /* or bottom! */ + empty-cells: show; /* usual default is hide */ + border-spacing: 2.0em 0.0em; + margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto} + + thead td, tfoot td { + text-align: center; + font-weight: bold; + } + table .shade { + background-color: #ddd; + } + td, td > p { + margin-top: 1.0em; + line-height: 1.0em; + text-align: left; + } + td.right {text-align: right;} + /* Links ------------------------------------------------ */ + a:link {color: blue; text-decoration: none} + link {color: blue; text-decoration: none} + a:visited {color: blue; text-decoration: none} + a:hover {color: red} + --> + /* XML end ]]>*/ + </style> +</head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Colored Regulars in the United States +Army, by T. G. Steward + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Colored Regulars in the United States Army + +Author: T. G. Steward + +Release Date: September 25, 2005 [EBook #16750] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE COLORED REGULARS *** + + + + +Produced by Suzanne Shell, Richard J. Shiffer, and the PG +Online Distributed Proofreading Team. + + + + + + +</pre> + + +<h1>The Colored Regulars</h1> +<h2>In the United States Army</h2> +<p class="center sc">with a</p> +<p class="center"> +Sketch of the History of the Colored American, and an Account of<br /> +His Services in the Wars of the Country, from the<br /> +Period of the Revolutionary War to 1899.</p> +<br /> +<h4 class="sc">introductory letter from</h4> +<h2>Lieutenant-General Nelson A. Miles</h2> +<h4>Commanding the Army of the United States.</h4> +<hr class="tiny" /> +<h3>BY CHAPLAIN T.G. STEWARD, D.D.,</h3> +<h4>Twenty-fifth U.S. Infantry.</h4> +<br /> +<p class="center">Philadelphia<br /> +A.M.E. Book Concern,<br /> +631 Pine Street.<br /> +<br /> +1904<br /> +</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 371px;"> +<img src="images/image01.png" width="371" height="442" alt="Chaplain T.G. Steward, D.D." title="" /> +<span class="caption">Chaplain T.G. Steward, D.D.</span> +</div> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<h2><a name="Contents" id="Contents"></a>TABLE OF CONTENTS.</h2> + +<hr class="short" /> + +<p class="center"><a href="#INTRODUCTORY">INTRODUCTORY.</a></p> + +<p class="center"><a href="#CHAPTER_I">CHAPTER I.—SKETCH OF SOCIAL HISTORY.</a></p> +<p class="toc">The Importation of the Africans. Character of the Colored Population +in 1860. Colored Population in British West Indian Possessions. Free +Colored People of the South. Free Colored People of the North. Notes.</p> +<p class="tocpage"><a href="#page21" id="toc21">21</a></p> + +<p class="center"><a href="#CHAPTER_II">CHAPTER II.—THE AMERICAN NEGRO AND THE MILITARY SPIRIT.</a></p> +<p class="toc">Early Literature of Negro Soldiers. Negro Soldiers in the War of the +Revolution. The War of 1812. Negro Insurrections. Negro Troops in the +Civil War. Notes.</p> +<p class="tocpage"><a href="#page57" id="toc57">57</a></p> + +<p class="center"><a href="#CHAPTER_III">CHAPTER III.—THE BLACK REGULARS OF THE ARMY OF INVASION IN THE +SPANISH WAR.</a></p> +<p class="toc">Organization of Negro Regiments in the Regular Army. First Movement in +the War. Chickamauga and Tampa. Notes.</p> +<p class="tocpage"><a href="#page84" id="toc84">84</a></p> + +<p class="center"><a href="#CHAPTER_IV">CHAPTER IV.—BRIEF SKETCH OF SPANISH HISTORY.</a></p> +<p class="tocpage"><a href="#page107" id="toc107">107</a></p> + +<p class="center"><a href="#CHAPTER_V">CHAPTER V.—PASSAGE, LANDING, AND FIRST BATTLE IN CUBA.</a></p> +<p class="toc">The Tenth Cavalry at Guasimas. The "Rescue of the Rough Riders." Was +there an Ambush? Notes.</p> +<p class="tocpage"><a href="#page116" id="toc116">116</a></p> + +<p class="center"><a href="#CHAPTER_VI">CHAPTER VI.—THE BATTLE OF EL CANEY.</a></p> +<p class="toc">The Capture of the Stone Fort by the Twenty-fifth Infantry.</p> +<p class="tocpage"><a href="#page150" id="toc150">150</a></p> + +<p class="center"><a href="#CHAPTER_VII">CHAPTER VII.—SAN JUAN.</a></p> +<p class="toc">Cavalry Division: The Ninth and Tenth Regiments. Kent's Division: The +Twenty-fourth Infantry. Forming under fire. A Gallant Charge.</p> +<p class="tocpage"><a href="#page191" id="toc191">191</a></p> + +<p class="center"><a href="#CHAPTER_VIII">CHAPTER VIII.—SAN JUAN (Continued).</a></p> +<p class="toc">Kent's Division. The Twenty-fourth Infantry. Forming Under Fire. A +Gallant Charge.</p> +<p class="tocpage"><a href="#page208" id="toc208">208</a></p> + +<p class="center"><a href="#CHAPTER_IX">CHAPTER IX.—THE SURRENDER AND AFTERWARDS.</a></p> +<p class="toc">In the Trenches. The Twenty-fourth in the Fever Camp. Are Negro +Soldiers Immune? Camp Wikoff.</p> +<p class="tocpage"><a href="#page220" id="toc220">220</a></p> + +<p class="center"><a href="#CHAPTER_X">CHAPTER X.—REVIEW AND REFLECTIONS.</a></p> +<p class="toc">Gallantry of the Black Regulars. Diary of Sergeant Major E.L. Baker, +Tenth Cavalry.</p> +<p class="tocpage"><a href="#page236" id="toc236">236</a></p> + +<p class="center"><a href="#CHAPTER_XI">CHAPTER XI.—THE COLORED VOLUNTEERS.</a></p> +<p class="toc">The Ninth Ohio Battalion. Eighth Illinois. Twenty-third Kansas. Third +North Carolina. Sixth Virginia. Third Alabama. The Immunes.</p> +<p class="tocpage"><a href="#page282" id="toc282">282</a></p> + +<p class="center"><a href="#CHAPTER_XII">CHAPTER XII.—COLORED OFFICERS.</a></p> +<p class="toc">By Captain Frank R. Steward, A.B., LL.B., Harvard, 49th U. S. +Volunteer Infantry.</p> +<p class="tocpage"><a href="#page299" id="toc299">299</a></p> + +<p class="center"><a href="#APPENDIX">APPENDIX.</a></p> +<p class="tocpage"><a href="#page328" id="toc328">328</a></p> + +<hr /> + +<h2><a name="PREFACE" id="PREFACE"></a>PREFACE.</h2> + +<p class="returnTOC"><a href="#Contents">Return to Table of + Contents</a></p> + +<p>The material out of which the story of the COLORED REGULARS has been +constructed has been collected with great pains, and upon it has been +expended a serious amount of labor and care. All the movements of the +Cuban campaign, and particularly of the battles, have been carefully +studied by the aid of official reports, and conversations and +correspondence with those who participated in them. The work has been +performed with an earnest desire to obtain and present the truth, +hoping that the reader will be inspired by it to a more profound +respect for the brave and skilled black men who passed through that +severe baptism of fire and suffering, contributing their full share to +their country's honor.</p> + +<p>It is also becoming in this place to mention with gratitude the +encouragement given by the War Department both in granting me the time +in which to do the work, and also in supplying me with documents and +furnishing other facilities. By this enlightened course on the part of +the Department great aid has been given to historical science, and, +incidentally, very important service rendered to the cause of freedom +and humanity. A struggling people has been helped and further glory +reflected upon the Government. The President, himself, has manifested +a kindly interest in the work, and has wished that the story of the +black soldiers should be told to the world. The interest of the +Commanding General of the Army is shown in his letter.</p> + +<p>Thus encouraged from official sources and receiving the most hearty +words of cheer from friends, of whom none has been more potent or more +earnest than Bishop B.W. Arnett, D.D., of the African M.E. Church, I +have, after five months of severe labor, about completed my task, so +far as I find it in my power to complete it; and trusting that the +majesty and interest of the story itself will atone for any defects in +the style of the narration, the volume is now offered to a sympathetic +public, affectionately dedicated to the men whose heroic services have +furnished the theme for my pen.</p> + +<p class="author">T.G. STEWARD.</p> +<p class="letterClose5">Wilberforce, Ohio, September, 1899.</p> + +<hr /> +<h2><a name="LETTER_FROM_GENERAL_MILES" id="LETTER_FROM_GENERAL_MILES"></a>LETTER FROM GENERAL MILES.</h2> + +<p class="letterDate"> +Headquarters of the Army, Washington,<br /> +August 5, 1899.</p> +<p>Rev. T.G. Steward, Chaplain 25th Infantry,<br /> +Wilberforce, Ohio.<br /> +</p> + +<p>Dear Sir:—Your letter of the 20th ultimo was duly received, but my +time has been so much engrossed with official duties, requiring my +presence part of the time out of the city, that it has not been +practicable to comply with your request earlier; and even now I can +only reply very briefly.</p> + +<p>You will remember that my acquaintance with negro character commenced +during the Civil War. The colored race then presented itself to me in +the character of numerous contrabands of war, and as a people who, +individually, yearned for the light and life of liberty. Ages of +slavery had reduced them to the lowest ebb of manhood. From that +degree of degradation I have been an interested spectator of the +marvelously rapid evolution of the down-trodden race. From the +commencement of this evolution to the present time I have been more or +less in a position to closely observe their progress. At the close of +the war I was in command of one of the very important military +districts of the South, and my concern for the welfare of all the +people of that district, not excluding the people of color, you will +find evidenced in the measures taken by me, more especially in regard +to educational matters, at that time. The first regiment which I +commanded on entering the Regular Army of the United States at the +close of the war was made up of colored troops. That regiment—the +40th Infantry—achieved a reputation for military conduct which forms +a record that may be favorably compared with the best regiments in the +service. Then, again, refer to my General Order No. 1, issued after +the fall of Santiago, and you will see that recognition is not +grudgingly given to the troops who heroically fought there, whether of +American, of African, or of Latin descent. If so early in the second +generation of the existence of the race in the glorious light of +liberty it produces such orators as Douglas, such educators as Booker +T. Washington, such divines as the Afro-American Bishops, what may we +not expect of the race when it shall have experienced as many +generations of growth and development as the Anglo-Saxons who now +dominate the thought, the inventive genius, the military prowess, and +the commercial enterprise of the world! Very truly yours,</p> + +<p class="author">NELSON A. MILES.</p> + + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/image02.png" alt="Chapter End Graphic" title="" /> +</div> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 299px;"> +<img src="images/image03.png" width="299" height="450" alt="Lieutenant-General Nelson A. Miles." title="" /> +<span class="caption">Lieutenant-General Nelson A. Miles.</span> +</div> + +<hr /> +<p class="letterDate">Headquarters of the Army,<br /> +Siboney, Cuba, July 16, 1898.</p> + +<p>General Field Orders No. 1.</p> + +<p>The gratifying success of the American arms at Santiago de Cuba and +some features of a professional character both important and +instructive, are hereby announced to the army.</p> + +<p>The declaration of war found our country with a small army scattered +over a vast territory. The troops composing this army were speedily +mobilized at Tampa, Fla. Before it was possible to properly equip a +volunteer force, strong appeals for aid came from the navy, which had +inclosed in the harbor of Santiago de Cuba an important part of the +Spanish fleet. At that time the only efficient fighting force +available was the United States Army, and in order to organize a +command of sufficient strength, the cavalry had to be sent dismounted +to Santiago de Cuba with the infantry and artillery.</p> + +<p>The expedition thus formed was placed under command of Major-General +Shafter. Notwithstanding the limited time to equip and organize an +expedition of this character, there was never displayed a nobler +spirit of patriotism and fortitude on the part of officers and men +going forth to mantain the honor of their country. After encountering +the vicissitudes of an ocean voyage, they were obliged to disembark on +a foreign shore and immediately engage in an aggressive campaign. +Under drenching storms, intense and prostrating heat, within a +fever-afflicted district, with little comfort or rest, either by day +or night, they pursued their purpose of finding and conquering the +enemy. Many of them, trained in the severe experience of the great +war, and in frequent campaigns on the Western plains, officers and men +alike exhibited a great skill, fortitude, and tenacity, with results +which have added a new chapter of glory to their country's history. +Even when their own generals in several cases were temporarily +disabled, the troops fought on with the same heroic spirit until +success was finally achieved. In many instances the officers placed +themselves in front of their commands, and under their direct and +skillful leadership the trained troops of a brave army were driven +from the thickets and jungles of an almost inaccessible country. In +the open field the troops stormed intrenched infantry, and carried and +captured fortified works with an unsurpassed daring and disregard of +death. By gaining commanding ground they made the harbor of Santiago +untenable for the Spanish fleet, and practically drove it out to a +speedy destruction by the American Navy.</p> + +<p>While enduring the hardships and privations of such campaign, the +troops generously shared their scanty food with the 5,000 Cuban +patriots in arms, and the suffering people who had fled from the +besieged city. With the twenty-four regiments and four batteries, the +flower of the United States Army, were also three volunteer regiments. +These though unskilled in warfare, yet, inspired with the same spirit, +contributed to the victory, suffered hardships, and made sacrifices +with the rest. Where all did so well, it is impossible, by special +mention, to do justice to those who bore conspicuous part. But of +certain unusual features mention cannot be omitted, namely, the +cavalry dismounted, fighting and storming works as infantry, and a +regiment of colored troops, who, having shared equally in the heroism +as well as the sacrifices, is now voluntarily engaged in nursing +yellow-fever patients and burying the dead. The gallantry, patriotism +and sacrifices of the American Army, as illustrated in this brief +campaign, will be fully appreciated by a grateful country, and the +heroic deeds of those who have fought and fallen in the cause of +freedom will ever be cherished in sacred memory and be an inspiration +to the living.</p> + +<p>By command of Major-General Miles:</p> + +<p class="author"> +J.C. GILMORE,<br /> +Brigadier-General, United States Volunteers.</p> + +<hr /> +<p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page11" id="page11"></a>[pg 11]</span> +</p> + +<h2><a name="INTRODUCTORY" id="INTRODUCTORY"></a>INTRODUCTORY.</h2> + +<p class="returnTOC"><a href="#Contents">Return to Table of + Contents</a></p> + +<p>To write the history of the Negro race within that part of the western +world known as the United States of America would be a task to which +one might devote a life time and still fail in its satisfactory +accomplishment. The difficulties lying in the way of collecting and +unifying the material are very great; and that of detecting the inner +life of the people much greater. Facts and dates are to history what +color and proportion are to the painting. Employed by genius, color +and form combine in a language that speaks to the soul, giving +pleasure and instruction to the beholder; so the facts and dates +occurring along the pathway of a people, when gathered and arranged by +labor and care, assume a voice and a power which they have not +otherwise. As these facts express the thoughts and feelings, and the +growth, of a people, they become the language in which that people +writes its history, and the work of the historian is to read and +interpret this history for the benefit of his fellow men.</p> + +<p>Borrowing a second illustration from the work of the artist, it may be +said, that as nature reveals her secrets only to him whose soul is in +deepest sympathy with her moods and movements, so a people's history +can be discovered only by one whose heart throbs in unison with those +who have made the history. To write the history of any people +successfully one must read it by the heart; and the best part of +history, like the best part of the picture, must ever remain +unexpressed. The artist sees more, and feels more than he is able to +transfer to his canvas, however entrancing his presentation; and the +historian +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page12" id="page12"></a>[pg 12]</span> +sees and feels more than his brightest pages convey to his +readers. Nothing less than a profound respect and love for humankind +and a special attraction toward a particular people and age, can fit +one to engage in so sublime a task as that of translating the history +of a people into the language of common men.</p> + +<p>The history of the American Negro differs very widely from that of any +people whose life-story has been told; and when it shall come to be +known and studied will open an entirely new view of experience. In it +we shall be able to see what has never before been discovered in +history; to wit: the absolute beginning of a people. Brought to these +shores by the ship-load as freight, and sold as merchandise; entirely +broken away from the tribes, races, or nations of their native land; +recognized only, as African slaves, and forbidden all movement looking +toward organic life; deprived of even the right of family or of +marriage, and corrupted in the most shameless manner by their powerful +and licentious oppressors—it is from this heterogeneous protoplasm +that the American Negro has been developed. The foundation from which +he sprang had been laid by piecemeal as the slave ships made their +annual deposits of cargoes brought from different points on the West +Coast, and basely corrupted as is only too well known; yet out of it +has grown, within less than three hundred years, an organic people. +Grandfathers, and great-grandfathers are among them; and personal +acquaintance is exceedingly wide. In the face of slavery and against +its teaching and its power, overcoming the seduction of the master +class, and the coarse and brutal corruptions of the baser overseer +class, the African slave persistently strove to clothe himself with +the habiliments of civilization, and so prepared himself for social +organization that as soon +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page13" id="page13"></a>[pg 13]</span> +as the hindrances were removed, this vast +people almost immediately set themselves in families; and for over +thirty years they have been busily engaged hunting up the lost roots +of their family trees. We know the pit whence the Afro-American race +was dug, the rock whence he was hewn; he was born here on this soil, +from a people who in the classic language of the Hebrew prophet, could +be described as, No People.</p> + +<p>That there has been a majestic evolution quietly but rapidly going on +in this mass, growing as it was both by natural development and by +accretion, is plainly evident. Heterogeneous as were the fragments, by +the aid of a common language and a common lot, and cruel yet partially +civilizing control, the whole people were forced into a common outward +form, and to a remarkable extent, into the same ways of thinking. The +affinities within were really aided by the repulsions without, and +when finally freed from slavery, for an ignorant and inexperienced +people, they presented an astonishing spectacle of unity. Socially, +politically and religiously, their power to work together showed +itself little less than marvellous. The Afro-American, developing from +this slave base, now directs great organizations of a religious +character, and in comprehensive sweep invites to his co-operation the +inhabitants of the isles of the sea and of far-off Africa. He is +joining with the primitive, strong, hopeful and expanding races of +Southern Africa, and is evidently preparing for a day that has not yet +come.</p> + +<p>The progress made thus far by the people is somewhat like that made by +the young, man who hires himself to a farmer and takes his pay in +farming stock and utensils. He is thus acquiring the means to stock a +farm, and the skill and experience necessary to its successful +management at the same time. His career will not appear important, +however, until the day +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page14" id="page14"></a>[pg 14]</span> +shall arrive when he will set up for himself. +The time spent on the farm of another was passed in comparative +obscurity; but without it the more conspicuous period could never have +followed. So, now, the American colored people are making history, but +it is not of that kind that gains the attention of writers. Having no +political organizations, governments or armies they are not performing +those deeds of splendor in statesmanship and war over which the pen of +the historian usually delights to linger. The people, living, growing, +reading, thinking, working, suffering, advancing and dying—these are +all common-place occurrences, neither warming the heart of the +observer, nor capable of brightening the page of the chronicler. This, +however, is, with the insignificant exception of Liberia, all that is +yet to be found in the brief history of the Afro-American race.</p> + +<p>The period for him to set up for himself has not yet come, and he is +still acquiring means and training within a realm controlled in all +respects by a people who maintain toward him an attitude of absolute +social exclusion. His is the history of a people marching from nowhere +to somewhere, but with no well-defined Canaan before them and no Moses +to lead. It is indeed, on their part, a walk by faith, for as yet the +wisest among the race cannot tell even the direction of the journey. +Before us lie surely three possible destinies, if not four; yet it is +not clear toward which one of these we are marching. Are we destined +to see the African element of America's population blend with the +Euro-American element and be lost in a common people? Will the colored +American leave this home in which as a race he has been born and +reared to manhood, and find his stage of action somewhere else on +God's earth? Will he remain here as a separate and subordinate people +perpetuating the conditions of to-day only that they may become +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page15" id="page15"></a>[pg 15]</span> +more +humiliating and exasperating? Or is there to arise a war of races in +which the blacks are to be exterminated? Who knows? Fortunately the +historian is not called upon to perform the duties of prophet. His +work is to tell what has been; and if others, building upon his +presentation of facts can deduce what is to be, it is no small tribute +to the correctness of his interpretations; for all events are parts of +one vast system ever moving toward some great end. One remark only +need be made. It is reasonable to presume that this new Afro-American +will somehow and somewhere be given an opportunity to express that +particular modification of material life which his spiritual nature +will demand. Whether that expression will be made here or elsewhere; +whether it will be higher or lower than what now surrounds us, are +questions which we may well leave to the future.</p> + +<p>No people can win and hold a place, either as a nation among other +nations, or as an elementary component of a nation, merely by its own +goodness or by the goodness of others. The struggle for national +existence is a familiar one, and is always initiated by a display of +physical force. Those who have the power seize territory and +government, and those who CAN, keep possession and control. It is in +some instances the backing up of right by might, and in others the +substituting of right by might. Too often the greatest of all national +crimes is to be weak. When the struggle is a quiet one, going on +within a nation, and is that of an element seeking a place in the +common social life of the country, much the same principles are +involved. It is still a question to be settled by force, no matter how +highly the claim of the weaker may be favored by reason and justice.</p> + +<p>The powers by which a special people may emerge from an unhappy +condition and secure improved social relations, using +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page16" id="page16"></a>[pg 16]</span> +the word social +in its broadest sense, are physical, intellectual and material. There +must be developed manly strength and courage and a power of intellect +which will manifest itself in organization and attractiveness, and in +the aptitude of employing appropriate methods for ends in view. To +these must be added the power that comes through wealth; and thus, +with the real advancement of condition and character will come, +tardily and grudgingly perhaps, but nevertheless surely, improved +social standing. Once filled with the common national spirit, +partaking of its thoughts, entering heartily into the common +movements, having the same dress, language and manners as others, and +being as able and as willing to help as to be helped, and withal being +in fact the most intensely American element on the continent because +constructed on this soil, we may hope that the Afro-American will +ultimately win and hold his proper place.</p> + +<p>The history made by the American Negro has been so filled with +suffering that we have overlooked the active side. The world has heard +so much of the horrors of the "Middle Passage"; the awful sufferings +of the slave; the barbarous outrages that have been perpetrated upon +ex-slaves; the inhuman and senseless prejudices that meet colored +Americans almost everywhere on their native soil; that it has come to +look upon this recital as the whole of the story. It needs to be told +that these records constitute the dark side of the picture, dark and +horrible enough, to be sure, but this is by no means the whole +picture. If there are scenes whose representations would serve to +ornament the infernal regions, pictures over which fiends might gloat, +there are also others which angels might delight to gaze upon. There +has been much of worthy action among the colored people of this +country, wherever the bonds of oppression have been slackened enough +to allow of free movement. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page17" id="page17"></a>[pg 17]</span> + There have been resistance to wrong by way +of remonstrance and petition, sometimes even by force; laudable +efforts toward self-education; benevolent and philanthropic movements; +reform organizations, and commendable business enterprise both in +individuals and associations. These show a toughness of fibre and +steadiness of purpose sufficient to make the backbone of a real +history.</p> + +<p>The present work deals with these elements of character as they are +exhibited in the garb of the soldier. When men are willing to fight +and die for what they hold dear, they have become a moving force, +capable of disturbing the currents of history and of making a channel +for the stream of their own actions. The American Negro has evolved an +active, aggressive element in the scientific fighting men he has +produced. Individual pugilists of that race have entered all classes, +from featherweight to heavyweight, and have remained there; receiving +blows and dealing blows; showing a sturdy, positive force; mastering +and employing all the methods of attack and defence allowed in such +encounters, and supporting themselves with that fortitude and courage +so necessary to the ring. Such combats are not to be commended, as +they are usually mere tests of skill and endurance, entered into on +the principles of the gambler, and they are introduced here for the +sole purpose of showing the colored man as a positive force, yielding +only to a superior degree of force of the same kind. The soldier +stands for something far higher than the pugilist represents, although +he has need of the same qualities of physical hardihood—contempt for +suffering and coolness in the presence of danger, united with skill in +the use of his weapons. The pugilist is his own general and never +learns the high lessons of obedience; the soldier learns to +subordinate himself to his commander, and to fight bravely and +effectively under the direction of another.</p><p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page18" id="page18"></a>[pg 18]</span> +</p> + +<p>The evolution of the Afro-American soldier was the work of a short +period and suffered many interruptions. When the War of the Revolution +broke out the colored man was a slave, knowing nothing of the spirit +or the training of the soldier; before it closed several thousand +colored men had entered the army and some had won distinction for +gallantry. Less than forty years later, in the war of 1812, the black +man again appeared to take his stand under the flag of independence. +The War of Secession again witnessed the coming forth of the black +soldier, this time in important numbers and performing heroic services +on a grand scale, and under most discouraging circumstances, but with +such success that he won a place in arms for all time. When the Civil +War closed, the American black man had secured his standing as a +soldier—the evolution was complete. Henceforth he was to be found an +integral part of the Army of the United States.</p> + +<p>The black man passed through the trying baptism of fire in the Sixties +and came out of it a full-fledged soldier. His was worse than an +impartial trial; it was a trial before a jury strongly biased against +him; in the service of a government willing to allow him but half pay; +and in the face of a foe denying him the rights belonging to civilized +warfare. Yet against these odds, denied the dearest right of a +soldier—the hope of promotion—scorned by his companions in arms, the +Negro on more than two hundred and fifty battle-fields, demonstrated +his courage and skill, and wrung from the American nation the right to +bear arms. The barons were no more successful in their struggle with +King John when they obtained Magna Charta than were the American +Negroes with Prejudice, when they secured the national recognition of +their right and fitness to hold a place in the Standing Army of the +United States. The Afro-American soldier now takes his rank with +America's best, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page19" id="page19"></a>[pg 19]</span> +and in appearance, skill, physique, manners, conduct +and courage proves himself worthy of the position he holds. Combining +in his person the harvested influences of three great continents, +Europe, Africa and America, he stands up as the typical soldier of the +Western World, the latest comer in the field of arms, but yielding his +place in the line to none, and ever ready to defend his country and +his flag against any and all foes.</p> + +<p>The mission of this book is to make clear this evolution, giving the +historical facts with as much detail as possible, and setting forth +finally the portrait of this new soldier. That this is a prodigious +task is too evident to need assertion—a task worthy the most lofty +talents; and in essaying it I humbly confess to a sense of unfitness; +yet the work lies before me and duty orders me to enter upon it. A +Major General writes: "I wish you every success in producing a work +important both historically and for the credit of a race far more +deserving than the world has acknowledged." A Brigadier General who +commanded a colored regiment in Cuba says to me most encouragingly: +"You must allow me—for our intimate associations justify it—to write +frankly. Your education, habits of thought, fairness of judgment and +comprehension of the work you are to undertake, better fit you for +writing such a history than any person within my acquaintance. Those +noble men made the history at El Caney and San Juan; I believe you are +the man to record it. May God help you to so set forth the deeds of +that memorable first of July in front of Santiago that the world may +see in its true light what those brave, intelligent colored men did."</p> + +<p>Both these men fought through the Civil War and won distinction on +fields of blood. To the devout prayer offered by one of them I +heartily echo an Amen, and can only wish that +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page20" id="page20"></a>[pg 20]</span> +in it all my friends +might join, and that God would answer it in granting me power to do +the work in such a way as to bring great good to the race and reflect +some glory to Himself, in whose name the work is undertaken.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/image02.png" alt="Chapter End Graphic" title="" /> +</div> + +<hr /> +<p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page21" id="page21"></a>[pg 21]</span> +</p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_I" id="CHAPTER_I"></a>CHAPTER I.</h2> + +<h3>SKETCH OF SOCIAL HISTORY.</h3> + +<p class="hang">The Importation of the Africans—Character of the Colored +Population in 1860—Colored Population in British West +Indian Possessions—Free Colored People of the South—Free +Colored People of the North—Notes.</p> + +<p class="returnTOC"><a href="#Contents">Return to Table of + Contents</a></p> + +<p>Professor DuBois, in his exhaustive work upon the "Suppression of the +African Slave-Trade," has brought within comparatively narrow limits +the great mass of facts bearing upon his subject, and in synopses and +indices has presented all of the more important literature it has +induced. In his Monograph, published as Volume II of the Harvard +Historical Series, he has traced the rise of this nefarious traffic, +especially with reference to the American colonies, exhibited the +proportions to which it expanded, and the tenacity with which it held +on to its purpose until it met its death in the fate of the +ill-starred Southern Confederacy. Every step in his narrative is +supported by references to unimpeachable authorities; and the +scholarly Monograph bears high testimony to the author's earnest +labor, painstaking research and unswerving fidelity. Should the +present work stimulate inquiry beyond the scope herein set before the +reader, he is most confidently referred to Professor Du Bois' book as +containing a complete exposition of the development and overthrow of +that awful crime.</p> + +<p>It is from this work, however, that we shall obtain a nearer and +clearer view of the African planted upon our shores. Negro slavery +began at an early day in the North American Colonies; but up until the +Revolution of 1688 the demand for +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page22" id="page22"></a>[pg 22]</span> +slaves was mainly supplied from +England, the slaves being white.<a name="FNanchor_1_1" id="FNanchor_1_1"></a><a href="#Footnote_1_1" class="fnanchor">[1]</a> "It is probable," says Professor +DuBois, "that about 25,000 slaves were brought to America each year +between 1698 and 1707, and after 1713 it rose to perhaps 30,000 +annually. "Before the Revolution the total exportation to America is +variously estimated as between 40,000 and 100,000 each year." +Something of the horrors of the "Middle Passage" may be shown by the +records that out of 60,783 slaves shipped from Africa during the years +1680-88, 14,387, or nearly one-fourth of the entire number, perished +at sea. In 1790 there were in the country nearly seven hundred +thousand Africans, these having been introduced by installments from +various heathen tribes. The importation of slaves continued with more +or less success up until 1858, when the "Wanderer" landed her cargo of +500 in Georgia.</p> + +<p>During the period from 1790 to the breaking out of the Civil War, +shortly after the landing of the last cargo of slaves, the colored +population, both slave and free, had arisen to about four million, and +had undergone great modifications. The cargo of the "Wanderer" found +themselves among strangers, even when trying to associate with those +who in color and hair were like themselves. The slaves of 1860 +differed greatly from the slaves of a hundred years earlier. They had +lost the relics of that stern warlike spirit which prompted the Stono +insurrection, the Denmark Vesey insurrection, and the Nat Turner +insurrection, and had accepted their lot as slaves, hoping that +through God, freedom would come to them some time in the happy future. +Large numbers of them had become Christians through the teaching of +godly white women, and at length through the evangelistic efforts of +men and women of their +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page23" id="page23"></a>[pg 23]</span> +own race. Independent religious organizations +had been formed in the North, and large local churches with Negro +pastors were in existence in the South when the "Wanderer" landed her +cargo. There had been a steady increase in numbers, indicating that +the physical well-being of the slave was not overlooked, and the +slaves had greatly improved in character. Sales made in South Carolina +between 1850 and 1860 show "boys," from 16 to 25 years of age, +bringing from $900 to $1000; and "large sales" are reported showing an +"average of $620 each," "Negro men bringing from $800 to $1000," and a +"blacksmith" bringing $1425. The averages generally obtained were +above $600. A sale of 109 Negroes in families is reported in the +"Charleston Courier" in which the writer says: "Two or three families +averaged from $1000 to $1100 for each individual." The same item +states also that "C.G. Whitney sold two likely female house servants, +one for $1000, the other for $1190." These cases are presented to +illustrate the financial value of the American slave, and +inferentially the progress he had made in acquiring the arts of modern +civilization. Slaves had become blacksmiths, wheelwrights, +carriage-makers, carpenters, bricklayers, tailors, bootmakers, +founders and moulders, not to mention all the common labor performed +by them. Slave women had become dressmakers, hairdressers, nurses and +the best cooks to be found in the world. The slave-holders regarded +themselves as the favored of mankind because of the competence and +faithfulness of their slaves. The African spirit and character had +disappeared, and in their place were coming into being the elements of +a new character, existing in 1860 purely in a negative form. The slave +had become an American. He was now a civilized slave, and had received +his civilization from his masters. He had separated himself very far +from his +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page24" id="page24"></a>[pg 24]</span> +brother slave in St. Domingo. The Haytian Negro fought and +won his freedom before he had been civilized in slavery, and hence has +never passed over the same ground that his American fellow-servant has +been compelled to traverse.</p> + +<p>Beside the slaves in the South, there were also several thousand "free +persons of color," as they were called, dwelling in such cities as +Richmond, Va., Charleston, S.C., and New Orleans, La. Some of these +had become quite wealthy and well-educated, forming a distinct class +of the population. They were called Creoles in Louisiana, and were +accorded certain privileges, although laws were carefully enacted to +keep alive the distinction between them and the whites. In Charleston +the so-called colored people set themselves up as a class, prided +themselves much upon their color and hair and in their sympathies +joined almost wholly with the master class. Representatives of their +class became slave-holders and were in full accord with the social +policy of the country. Nevertheless their presence was an +encouragement to the slave, and consequently was objected to by the +slave-holder. The free colored man became more and more disliked in +the South as the slave became more civilized. He was supposed by his +example to contribute to the discontent of the slave, and laws were +passed restricting his priveleges so as to induce him to leave. +Between 1850 and 1860 this question reached a crisis and free colored +people from the South were to be seen taking up their homes in the +Northern States and in Canada. (Many of the people, especially from +Charleston, carried with them all their belittling prejudices, and +after years of sojourn under the sway of enlightened and liberal +ideas, proved themselves still incapable of learning the new way or +forgetting the old.)</p> + +<p>There were, then, three very distinct classes of colored people in the +country, to wit: The slave in the South, the free colored +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page25" id="page25"></a>[pg 25]</span> +people of +the South, and the free colored people of the North. These were also +sub-divided into several smaller classes. Slaves were divided into +field hands, house servants and city slaves. The free colored people +of the South had their classes based usually on color; the free +colored people of the North had their divisions caused by differences +in religion, differences as to place of birth, and numerous family +conceits. So that surveyed as a whole, it is extremely difficult to +get anything like a complete social map of these four millions as they +existed at the outbreak of the Civil War.</p> + +<p>For a quarter of a century there had been a steady concentration of +the slave population within the cotton and cane-growing region, the +grain-growing States of Delaware, Maryland and Virginia having become +to a considerable extent breeding farms. Particularly was this the +case with the more intelligent and higher developed individual slaves +who appeared near the border line. The master felt that such persons +would soon make their escape by way of the "Underground Railroad" or +otherwise, and hence in order to prevent a total loss, would follow +the dictates of business prudence and sell his bright slave man to +Georgia. The Maryland or Virginia slave who showed suspicious +aspirations was usually checked by the threat, "I'll sell you to +Georgia;" and if the threat did not produce the desired reformation it +was not long before the ambitious slave found himself in the gang of +that most despised and most despicable of all creatures, the Georgia +slave-trader. Georgia and Canada were the two extremes of the slave's +anticipation during the last decade of his experience. These stood as +his earthly Heaven and Hell, the "Underground Railroad," with its +agents, conducting to one, and the odious slave-trader, driving men, +women and children, to the other. No Netherlander ever hated and +feared the devil more thoroughly +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page26" id="page26"></a>[pg 26]</span> +than did the slaves of the border +States hate and fear these outrages on mankind, the kidnapping +slave-traders of the cotton and cane regions. I say kidnapping, for I +have myself seen persons in Georgia who had been kidnapped in +Maryland. If the devil was ever incarnate, I think it safe to look for +him among those who engaged in the slave-trade, whether in a foreign +or domestic form.</p> + +<p>Nothing is more striking in connection with the history of American +Slavery than the conduct of Great Britain on the same subject. So +inconsistent has this conduct been that it can be explained only by +regarding England as a conglomerate of two elements nearly equal in +strength, of directly opposite character, ruling alternately the +affairs of the nation. As a slave-trader and slave-holder England was +perhaps even worse than the United States. Under her rule the slave +decreased in numbers, and remained a savage. In Jamaica, in St. +Vincent, in British Guiana, in Barbadoes, in Trinidad and in Grenada, +British slavery was far worse than American slavery. In these colonies +"the slave was generally a barbarian, speaking an unknown tongue, and +working with men like himself, in gangs with scarcely a chance for +improvement." An economist says, had the slaves of the British +colonies been as well fed, clothed, lodged, and otherwise cared for as +were those of the United States, their number at emancipation would +have reached from seventeen to twenty millions, whereas the actual +number emancipated was only 660,000. Had the blacks of the United +States experienced the same treatment as did those of the British +colonies, 1860 would have found among us less than 150,000 colored +persons. In the United States were found ten colored persons for every +slave imported, while in the British colonies only one was found for +every three imported. Hence the claim that the American Negro is a new +race, built up on this soil, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page27" id="page27"></a>[pg 27]</span> +rests upon an ample supply of facts. The +American slave was born in our civilization, fed upon good American +food, housed and clothed on a civilized plan, taught the arts and +language of civilization, acquired necessarily ideas of law and +liberty, and by 1860 was well on the road toward fitness for freedom. +No lessons therefore drawn from the emancipation of British slaves in +the West Indies are of any direct value to us, inasmuch as British +slavery was not like American slavery, the British freedman was in no +sense the equal of the American freedman, and the circumstances +surrounding the emancipation of the British slave had nothing of the +inspiring and ennobling character with those connected with the +breaking of the American Negro's chains. Yet, superior as the American +Negro was as a slave, he was very far below the standard of American +citizenship as subsequent events conclusively proved. The best form of +slavery, even though it may lead toward fitness for freedom, can never +be regarded as a fit school in which to graduate citizens of so +magnificent an empire as the United States.</p> + +<p>The slave of 1860 was perhaps, all things considered, the best slave +the world had ever seen, if we except those who served the Hebrews +under the Mosaic statutes. While there was no such thing among them as +legal marriage or legitimate childhood, yet slave "families" were +recognized even on the auction block, and after emancipation legal +family life was erected generally upon relationships which had been +formed in slavery. Bishop Gaines, himself born a slave of slave +parents, says: "The Negro had no civil rights under the codes of the +Southern States. It was often the case, it is true, that the marriage +ceremony was performed, and thousands of couples regarded it, and +observed it as of binding force, and were as true to each other as if +they had been lawfully married." * * * +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page28" id="page28"></a>[pg 28]</span> + "The colored people +generally," he says, "held their marriage (if such unauthorized union +may be called marriage) sacred, even while they were slaves. Many +instances will be recalled by the older people of the life-long +fidelity which existed between the slave and his concubine" (Wife, +T.G.S.)" ... the mother of his children. My own father and mother +lived together over sixty years. I am the fourteenth child of that +union, and I can truthfully affirm that no marriage, however made +sacred by the sanction of law, was ever more congenial and beautiful. +Thousands of like instances might be cited to the same effect. It will +always be to the credit of the colored people that almost without +exception, they adhered to their relations, illegal though they had +been, and accepted gladly the new law which put the stamp of +legitimacy upon their union and removed the brand of bastardy from the +brows of their children."</p> + +<p>Let us now sum up the qualifications that these people possessed in +large degree, in order to determine their fitness for freedom, then so +near at hand. They had acquired the English language, and the +Christian religion, including the Christian idea of marriage, so +entirely different in spirit and form from the African marriage. They +had acquired the civilized methods of cooking their food, making and +wearing clothes, sleeping in beds, and observing Sunday. They had +acquired many of the useful arts and trades of civilization and had +imbibed the tastes and feelings, to some extent, at least, of the +country in which they lived. Becoming keen observers, shut out from +books and newspapers, they listened attentively, learned more of law +and politics than was generally supposed. They knew what the election +of 1860 meant and were on tiptoe with expectation. Although the days +of insurrection had passed and the slave of '59 was not ready to rise +with the immortal John +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page29" id="page29"></a>[pg 29]</span> + Brown, he had not lost his desire for freedom. +The steady march of escaping slaves guided by the North star, with the +refrain:</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"I'm on my way to Canada,<br /></span> +<span class="i2">That cold but happy land;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">The dire effects of slavery<br /></span> +<span class="i2">I can no longer stand,"<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>proved that the desire to be free was becoming more extensive and +absorbing as the slave advanced in intelligence.</p> + +<p>It is necessary again to emphasize the fact that the American slaves +were well formed and well developed physically, capable of enduring +hard labor and of subsisting upon the plainest food. Their diet for +years had been of the simplest sort, and they had been subjected to a +system of regulations very much like those which are employed in the +management of armies. They had an hour to go to bed and an hour to +rise; left their homes only upon written "passes," and when abroad at +night were often halted by the wandering patrol. "Run, nigger, run, +the patrol get you," was a song of the slave children of South +Carolina.</p> + +<p>Strangers who saw for the first time these people as they came out of +slavery in 1865 were usually impressed with their robust appearance, +and a conference of ex-slaves, assembled soon after the war, +introduced a resolution with the following declaration: "Whereas, +Slavery has left us in possession of strong and healthy bodies." It is +probable that at least a half-million of men of proper age could then +have been found among the newly liberated capable of bearing arms. +They were inured to the plain ration, to labor and fatigue, and to +subordination, and had long been accustomed to working together under +the immediate direction of foremen.</p> + +<p>Two questions of importance naturally arose at this period: First, did +the American slave understand the issue that had +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page30" id="page30"></a>[pg 30]</span> +been before the +country for more than a half-century and that was now dividing the +nation in twain and marshalling for deadly strife these two opposing +armies? Second, had he the courage necessary to take part in the +struggle and help save the Union? It would be a strange thing to say, +but nevertheless a thing entirely true, that many of the Negro slaves +had a clearer perception of the real question at issue than did some +of our most far-seeing statesmen, and a clearer vision of what would +be the outcome of the war. While the great men of the North were +striving to establish the doctrine that the coming war was merely to +settle the question of Secession, the slave knew better. God had hid +certain things from the wise and prudent and had revealed them unto +babes. Lincoln, the wisest of all, was slow to see that the issue he +himself had predicted was really at hand. As President, he declared +for the preservation of the Union, with or without slavery, or even +upon the terms which he had previously declared irreconcilable, "half +slave and half free." The Negro slave saw in the outbreak of the war +the death struggle of slavery. He knew that the real issue was +slavery.</p> + +<p>The masters were careful to keep from the knowledge of the slave the +events as well as the causes of the war, but in spite of these efforts +the slave's keen perception enabled him to read defeat in the dejected +mien of his master, and victory in his exultation. To prevent the +master's knowing what was going on in their thoughts, the slaves +constructed curious codes among themselves. In one neighborhood +freedom was always spoken of as "New Rice"; and many a poor slave +woman sighed for the coming of New Rice in the hearing of those who +imagined they knew the inmost thoughts of their bondwomen. Gleefully +at times they would talk of the jollification they would make when the +New Rice came. It was this clear vision, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page31" id="page31"></a>[pg 31]</span> +this strong hope, that +sustained them during the trying days of the war and kept them back +from insurrection. Bishop Gaines says: "Their prayers ascended for +their deliverance, and their hearts yearned for the success of their +friends. They fondly hoped for the hour of victory, when the night of +slavery would end and the dawn of freedom appear. They often talked to +each other of the progress of the war and conferred in secret as to +what they might do to aid in the struggle. Worn out with long bondage, +yearning for the boon of freedom, longing for the sun of liberty to +rise, they kept their peace and left the result to God." Mr. Douglass, +whom this same Bishop Gaines speaks of very inappropriately as a +"half-breed," seemed able to grasp the feelings both of the slave and +the freeman and said: "From the first, I for one, saw in this war the +end of slavery, and truth requires me to say that my interest in the +success of the North was largely due to this belief." Mr. Seward, the +wise Secretary of State, had thought that the war would come and go +without producing any change in the relation of master and slave; but +the humble slave on the Georgia cotton plantation, or in the Carolina +rice fields, knew that the booming of the guns of rebellion in +Charleston was the opening note of the death knell of slavery. The +slave undoubtedly understood the issue, and knew on which side liberty +dwelt. Although thoroughly bred to slavery, and as contented and happy +as he could be in his lot, he acted according to the injunction of the +Apostle: "Art thou called being a servant, care not for it; but if +thou mayest be made free, use it rather." The slaves tried to be +contented, but they preferred freedom and knew which side to take when +the time came for them to act.</p> + +<p>Enough has been said to show that out of the African slave had been +developed a thoroughly American slave, so well imbued +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page32" id="page32"></a>[pg 32]</span> +with modern +civilization and so well versed in American politics, as to be +partially ready for citizenship. He had become law-abiding and +order-loving, and possessed of an intelligent desire to be free. +Whether he had within him the necessary moral elements to become a +soldier the pages following will attempt to make known. He had the +numbers, the physical strength and the intelligence. He could enter +the strife with a sufficient comprehension of the issues involved to +enable him to give to his own heart a reason for his action. Fitness +for the soldier does not necessarily involve fitness for citizenship, +but the actual discharge of the duties of the soldier in defence of +the nation, entitles one to all common rights, to the nation's +gratitude, and to the highest honors for which he is qualified.</p> + +<p>In concluding this chapter I shall briefly return to the free colored +people of the South that the reader may be able to properly estimate +their importance as a separate element. Their influence upon the slave +population was very slight, inasmuch as law and custom forbade the +intercourse of these two classes.</p> + +<p>According to the Census of 1860 there were in the slave-holding States +altogether 261,918 free colored persons, 106,770 being mulattoes. In +Charleston there were 887 free blacks and 2,554 mulattoes; in Mobile, +98 free blacks and 617 mulattoes; in New Orleans, 1,727 blacks and +7,357 mulattoes. As will be seen, nearly one-half of the entire number +of free colored persons were mulattoes, while in the leading Southern +cities seventy-five per cent. of the free colored people were put in +this class. The percentage of mulatto slaves to the total slave +population at that time was 10.41, and in the same cities which showed +seventy-five per cent, of all the free colored persons mulattoes, the +percentage of mulatto slaves was but 16.84. Mulatto in this +classification includes all colored persons who are not put down as +black.</p><p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page33" id="page33"></a>[pg 33]</span> +</p> + +<p>In New Orleans the free mulattoes were generally French, having come +into the Union with the Louisiana purchase, and among them were to be +found wealthy slave-holders. They much resembled the class of +mulattoes which obtained in St. Domingo at the beginning of the +century, and had but little sympathy with the blacks, although they +were the first to acquiesce in emancipation, some of them actually +leading their own slaves into the army of liberation. It is possible, +however, that they had not fully realized the trend of the war, +inasmuch as New Orleans was excepted from the effects of the +Proclamation. It is certain that the free colored people of that city +made a tender of support to the Confederacy, although they were among +the first to welcome the conquering "Yankees," and afterward fought +with marked gallantry in the Union cause. The free mulattoes, or +<i>browns</i>, as they called themselves, of Charleston, followed much the +same course as their fellow classmen of New Orleans. Here, too, they +had been exclusive and to some extent slave-holders, had tendered +their services to the Confederacy, and had hastily come forward to +welcome the conquerors. They were foremost among the colored people in +wealth and intelligence, but their field of social operations had been +so circumscribed that they had exerted but little influence in the +work of Americanizing the slave. Separated from the slave by law and +custom they did all in their power to separate themselves from him in +thought and feeling. They drew the line against all blacks as +mercilessly and senselessly as the most prejudiced of the whites and +were duplicates of the whites placed on an intermediate plane. It was +not unusual to find a Charleston brown filled with more prejudice +toward the blacks than were the whites.</p> + +<blockquote><p>[Transcriber's Note: This footnote text appeared without a +footnote anchor: "Census of 1860."]</p></blockquote> + +<p>The colored people of the North in 1860 numbered 237,283, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page34" id="page34"></a>[pg 34]</span> + +Pennsylvania having the largest number, 56,849; then came New York +with 49,005; Ohio, 36,673; New Jersey, 25,318; Indiana, 11,428; +Massachusetts, 9,602; Connecticut, 8,627; Illinois, 7,628; Michigan, +6,799; Rhode Island, 3,952; Maine, 1,327; Wisconsin, 1,171; Iowa, +1,069; Vermont, 709; Kansas, 625; New Hampshire, 494; Minnesota, 259; +Oregon, 128.</p> + +<p>Considerably more than one-half of this population was located within +the States along the Atlantic Coast, viz.; Maine, New Hampshire, +Massachusetts, Vermont, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, +Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Here were to be found 154,883 free +colored people. Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey took the lead in +this population, with Massachusetts and Connecticut coming next, while +Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont had but few. The cities, Boston, New +York and Philadelphia, were the largest cities of free colored people +then in the North. In Boston there were 2,261; New York City, 12,574, +while in Philadelphia there were 22,185</p> + +<p>As early as 1787 the free colored people of Philadelphia, through two +distinguished representatives, Absalom Jones and Richard Allen, "two +men of the African race," as the chroniclers say, "saw the irreligious +and uncivilized state" of the "people of their complexion," and +finally concluded "that a society should be formed without regard to +religious tenets, provided the persons lived an orderly and sober +life," the purpose of the society being "to support one another in +sickness and for the benefit of their widows and fatherless children." +Accordingly a society was established, known as the Free African +Society of Philadelphia, and on the 17th, 5th-mo., 1787, articles were +published, including the following, which is inserted to show the +breadth of the society's purpose:</p> + +<p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page35" id="page35"></a>[pg 35]</span> +"And we apprehend it to be necessary that the children of our +deceased members be under the care of the Society, so far as to pay +for the education of their children, if they cannot attend free +school; also to put them out apprentices to suitable trades or places, +if required."<a name="FNanchor_2_2" id="FNanchor_2_2"></a><a href="#Footnote_2_2" class="fnanchor">[2]</a></p> + +<p>Shortly after this we read of "the African School for the free +instruction of the black people," and in 1796, "The Evening Free +School, held at the African Methodist Meeting House in Philadelphia" +was reported as being "kept very orderly, the scholars behaving in a +becoming manner, and their improvement beyond the teachers' +expectations, their intellects appearing in every branch of learning +to be equal to those of the fairest complexion." The name African, as +the reader will notice, is used with reference to school, church, and +individuals; although not to the complete exclusion of "colored +people" and "people of color." These phrases seem to have been coined +in the West Indies, and were there applied only to persons of mixed +European and African descent. In the United States they never obtained +such restricted use except in a very few localities. The practice of +using African as a descriptive title of the free colored people of the +North became very extensive and so continued up to the middle of the +century. There were African societies, churches and schools in all the +prominent centres of this population.</p> + +<p>In 1843 one, Mr. P. Loveridge, Agent for Colored Schools of New York, +wrote the editor of the African Methodist Magazine as follows:<a name="FNanchor_3_3" id="FNanchor_3_3"></a><a href="#Footnote_3_3" class="fnanchor">[3]</a> "As +to the name of your periodical, act as we did with the name of our +schools—away with Africa. There are no Africans in your connection. +Substitute colored for African +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page36" id="page36"></a>[pg 36]</span> +and it will be, in my opinion, as it +should be." The earnestness of the writer shows that the matter of +parting with African was then a live question. The cool reply of the +editor indicates how strong was the conservative element among the +African people of '43. He says: "We are unable to see the +reasonableness of the remarks. It is true we are not Africans, or +natives born upon the soil of Africa, yet, as the descendants of that +race, how can we better manifest that respect due to our fathers who +begat us, than by the adoption of the term in our institutions, and +inscribing it upon our public places of resort?" To this Mr. Loveridge +rejoins in the following explanatory paragraph: "We who are engaged in +the Public Schools in this city found upon examination of about 1500 +children who attend our schools from year to year, not one African +child among them. A suggestion was made that we petition the Public +School Society to change the name African to Colored Schools. The +gentlemen of that honorable body, perceiving our petition to be a +logical one, acquiesced with us. Hence the adjective African (which +does not apply to us) was blotted out and Colored substituted in its +place. It is 'Public Schools for Colored Children.' We are Americans +and expect American sympathies."</p> + +<p>In 1816 the colored Methodists conceived the idea of organizing and +evangelizing their race, and to this end a convention was called and +assembled in Philadelphia of that year, composed of sixteen delegates, +coming from Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland and New Jersey. The +convention adopted a resolution that the people of Philadelphia, +Baltimore and all other places who should unite with them, should +become one body under the name and style of the African Methodist +Episcopal Church. Similar action was taken by two other bodies of + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page37" id="page37"></a>[pg 37]</span> +colored Methodists, one in New York, the other in Wilmington, +Delaware, about the same time. The people were coming together and +beginning to understand the value of organization. This was manifested +in their religious, beneficial and educational associations that were +springing up among them. In 1841 the African Methodist Magazine +appeared, the first organ of religious communication and thought +issued by the American colored people. It was published in Brooklyn, +N.Y., Rev. George Hogarth being its editor.</p> + +<p>There were papers published by the colored people prior to the +appearance of the African Methodist Magazine, but these were +individual enterprises. They were, however, indices of the thought of +the race, and looking back upon them now, we may regard them as +mile-stones set up along the line of march over which the people have +come. New York, city and State, appears to have been the home of these +early harbingers, and it was there that the earliest literary centre +was established, corresponding to that centre of religious life and +thought which had been earlier founded in Philadelphia. In 1827 the +first newspaper published on this continent by colored men issued from +its office in New York. It was called "Freedom's Journal," and had for +its motto "Righteousness exalteth a nation." Its editors and +proprietors were Messrs. Cornish & Russwurm. Its name was subsequently +changed to the "Rights of All," Mr. Cornish probably retiring, and in +1830 it suspended, Mr. Russwurm going to Africa. Then followed "The +Weekly Advocate," "The American," "The Colored American," "The +Elevator," "The National Watchman," "The Clarion," "The Ram's Horn," +"The North Star," "Frederick Douglass' Paper," and finally that +crowning literary work of the race, "The Anglo-African."</p><p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page38" id="page38"></a>[pg 38]</span> +</p> + +<p>"The Anglo-African" appeared in 1859, under the management of the +strongest and most brilliant purely literary families the American +Negro up to that time had produced. It was edited and published by +Thomas Hamilton, and like all the important literary ventures of the +race in those days, had its birth in New York. It came out in 1859 and +continued through the war, and in 1865 went out of existence +honorably, having its work well done. Its first volume, that of 1859, +contains the ablest papers ever given to the public by the American +Negro; and taken as a whole this volume is the proudest literary +monument the race has as yet erected.</p> + +<p>Reviewing the progress of the race in the North, we may say, the +period of organized benevolence and united religious effort began +before the close of the past century, Philadelphia being its place of +origin; that the religious movement reached much broader and clearer +standing about 1816, and in consequence there sprang up organizations +comprehending the people of the whole country; that the religious +movement advanced to a more intellectual stage when in 1841 the +African Methodist Magazine appeared, since which time the organized +religion of the American Negro has never been for any considerable +time without its organs of communication. The journalistic period +began in 1827, its centre being New York and the work of the journals +almost wholly directed to two ends: the abolition of slavery, and the +enfranchisement and political elevation of the free blacks. This work +had reached its highest form in the Anglo-African, as that epoch of +our national history came to its close in the slave-holders' war.</p> + +<p>The titles of the newspapers indicate the opening and continuance of a +period of anti-slavery agitation. Their columns were filled with +arguments and appeals furnished by men who +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page39" id="page39"></a>[pg 39]</span> +gave their whole souls to +the work. It was a period of great mental activity on the part of the +free colored people. They were discussing all probable methods of +bettering their condition. It was the period that produced both +writers and orators. In 1830 the first convention called by colored +men to consider the general condition of the race and devise means to +improve that condition, met in the city of Philadelphia. The history +of this convention is so important that I append a full account of it +as published in the Anglo-African nearly thirty years after the +convention met. It was called through the efforts of Hezekiah Grice, +of Baltimore, who afterwards emigrated to Hayti, and for many years +followed there the occupation of carver and gilder and finally became +Director of Public Works of the city of Port-au-Prince. While visiting +that city years ago, I met a descendant of Mr. Grice, a lady of great +personal beauty, charming manners, accomplished in the French +language, but incapable of conversing at all in English.</p> + +<p>The conventions, begun in 1830, continued to be held annually for a +brief period, and then dropped into occasional and special gatherings. +They did much good in the way of giving prominence to the colored +orators and in stemming the tide of hostile sentiment by appealing to +the country at large in language that reached many hearts.</p> + +<p>The physical condition, so far as the health and strength of the free +colored people were concerned, was good. Their mean age was the +greatest of any element of our population, and their increase was +about normal, or 1.50 per cent. annually. In the twenty years from +1840 to 1860 it had kept up this rate with hardly the slightest +variation, while the increase of the free colored people of the South +during the same period had been 1 per cent, annually.<a name="FNanchor_4_4" id="FNanchor_4_4"></a><a href="#Footnote_4_4" class="fnanchor">[4]</a> The increase +of persons of +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page40" id="page40"></a>[pg 40]</span> +mixed blood in the North did not necessarily imply +laxity of morals, as the census compilers always delighted to say, but +could be easily accounted for by the marriages occurring between +persons of this class. I have seen more than fifty persons, all of +mixed blood, descend from one couple, and these with the persons +joined to them by marriages as they have come to marriageable age, +amounted to over seventy souls—all in about a half century. That the +slaves had, despite their fearful death rate, the manumissions and the +escapes, increased twice as fast as the free colored people of the +North, three times as fast as the free colored people of the South, +and faster than the white people with all the immigration of that +period, can be accounted for only by the enormous birth rate of that +people consequent upon their sad condition. Their increase was +abnormal, and when properly viewed, proves too much.</p> + +<p>There is no way of determining the general wealth of the colored +people of the North at the period we are describing; but some light +may be thrown upon their material condition from the consideration +that they were supporting a few publications and building and +supporting churches, and were holders of considerable real estate. In +New York city, the thirteen thousand colored people paid taxes on +nearly a million and a half in real estate, and had over a quarter +million of dollars in the savings banks. It is probable that the +twenty-five thousand in Philadelphia owned more in proportion than +their brethren in New York, for they were then well represented in +business in that city. There were the Fortens, Bowers, Casseys, +Gordons, and later Stephen Smith, William Whipper and Videl, all of +whom were men of wealth and business. There were nineteen churches +owned and supported by colored +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page41" id="page41"></a>[pg 41]</span> +people of Philadelphia, with a seating +capacity of about 10,000 and valued at about $250,000.</p> + +<p><a name="FNanchor_5_5" id="FNanchor_5_5"></a><a href="#Footnote_5_5" class="fnanchor">[5]</a>The schools set apart for colored children were very inferior and +were often kept alive by great sacrifices on the part of the colored +people themselves. Prior to the war and in many cases for some time +afterward, the colored public schools were a disgrace to the country. +A correspondent writing from Hollidaysburg, Pa., says, speaking of the +school there: "The result of my inquiries here is that here, as in the +majority of other places, the interest manifested for the colored man +is more for political effect, and that those who prate the loudest +about the moral elevation and political advancement of the colored man +are the first to turn against him when he wants a friend." The +correspondent then goes on to say that the school directors persist in +employing teachers "totally incompetent." What the schools were in New +York the report made by the New York Society for the promotion of +Education among Colored Children to the Honorable Commissioners for +examining into the condition of Common Schools in the City and County +of New York, will show. Reverend Charles B. Ray, who was President of +this Society, and Philip A. White, its Secretary, both continued to +labor in the interest of education unto the close of their lives, Mr. +White dying as a member of the School Board of the city of Brooklyn, +and Mr. Ray bequeathing his library to Wilberforce University at his +death.</p> + +<p>In summing up the conditions which they have detailed in +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page42" id="page42"></a>[pg 42]</span> +their report +they say: "From a comparison of the school houses occupied by the +colored children with the splendid, almost palatial edifices, with +manifold comforts, conveniences and elegancies which make up the +school houses for white children in the city of New York, it is +clearly evident that the colored children are painfully neglected and +positively degraded. Pent up in filthy neighborhoods, in old +dilapidated buildings, they are held down to low associations and +gloomy surroundings. * * * The undersigned enter their solemn protest +against this unjust treatment of colored children. They believe with +the experience of Massachusetts, and especially the recent experience +of Boston before them, there is no sound reason why colored children +shall be excluded from any of the common schools supported by taxes +levied alike on whites and blacks, and governed by officers elected by +the vote of colored as well as white voters."</p> + +<p>This petition and remonstrance had its effect, for mainly through its +influence within two years very great improvements were made in the +condition of the New York colored schools.</p> + +<p>For the especial benefit of those who erroneously think that the +purpose of giving industrial education is a new thing in our land, as +well as for general historical purposes, I call attention to the +establishment of the Institute for Colored Youth in Philadelphia in +1842. This Institute was founded by the Society of Friends, and was +supported in its early days and presumably still "by bequests and +donations made by members of that Society." The objects of the +Institute as set forth by its founders, fifty-seven years ago, are: +"The education and improvement of colored youth of both sexes, to +qualify them to act as teachers and instructors to their own people, +either in +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page43" id="page43"></a>[pg 43]</span> +the various branches of school learning or the mechanic +arts and agriculture." Two years later the African Methodists +purchased one hundred and eighty acres of land in eastern Ohio and +established what was called the Union Seminary, on the manual labor +plan. It did not succeed, but it lingered along, keeping alive the +idea, until it was eclipsed by Wilberforce University, into which it +was finally merged.</p> + +<p>The anti-slavery fight carried on in the North, into which the colored +men entered and became powerful leaders, aroused the race to a deep +study of the whole subject of liberty and brought them in sympathy +with all people who had either gained or were struggling for their +liberties, and prompted them to investigate all countries offering to +them freedom. No country was so well studied by them as Hayti, and +from 1824 to 1860 there had been considerable emigration thither. +Liberia, Central and South America and Canada were all considered +under the thought of emigration. Thousands went to Hayti and to +Canada, but the bulk preferred to remain here. They liked America, and +had become so thoroughly in love with the doctrines of the Republic, +so imbued with the pride of the nation's history, so inspired with +hope in the nation's future, that they resolved to live and die on her +soil. When the troublous times of 1860 came and white men were fleeing +to Canada, colored men remained at their posts. They were ready to +stand by the old flag and to take up arms for the Union, trusting that +before the close of the strife the flag might have to them a new +meaning. An impassioned colored orator had said of the flag: "Its +stars were for the white man, and its stripes for the Negro, and it +was very appropriate that the stripes should be red." The free Negro +of the North was prepared in 1861 to support Abraham Lincoln with +40,000 as good American-born champions for universal liberty as the +country could present.</p><p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page44" id="page44"></a>[pg 44]</span> +</p> + +<div class="footnotes"><h3>FOOTNOTES:</h3> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_1_1" id="Footnote_1_1"></a><a href="#FNanchor_1_1"><span class="label">[1]</span></a> Slave Trade—Carey.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_2_2" id="Footnote_2_2"></a><a href="#FNanchor_2_2"><span class="label">[2]</span></a> Outlines—Tanner.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_3_3" id="Footnote_3_3"></a><a href="#FNanchor_3_3"><span class="label">[3]</span></a> A.M.E. Magazine, 1843.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_4_4" id="Footnote_4_4"></a><a href="#FNanchor_4_4"><span class="label">[4]</span></a> It is to be noted that in Maryland and Virginia an +important number of white serving women married Negro slave men in the +early days of these colonies.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_5_5" id="Footnote_5_5"></a><a href="#FNanchor_5_5"><span class="label">[5]</span></a> In 1835 there were six high schools, or schools for +higher education, in the United States that admitted colored students +on equal footing with others. These were: Oneida Institute, New York; +Mount Pleasant, Amherst, Mass.; Canaan, N.H.; Western Reserve, Ohio; +Gettysburg, Pa.; and "one in the city of Philadelphia of which Miss +Buffam" was "principal." There was also one manual labor school in +Madison County, N.Y., capable of accommodating eighteen students. It +was founded by Gerrit Smith.</p></div></div> + + +<p class="heading">NOTES.</p> + +<p><b>A.</b></p> + +<p class="heading">THE FIRST COLORED CONVENTION.</p> + + +<p>On the fifteenth day of September, 1830, there was held at Bethel +Church, in the city of Philadelphia, the first convention of the +colored people of these United States. It was an event of historical +importance; and, whether we regard the times or the men of whom this +assemblage was composed, we find matter for interesting and profitable +consideration.</p> + +<p>Emancipation had just taken place in New York, and had just been +arrested in Virginia by the Nat Turner rebellion and Walker's +pamphlet. Secret sessions of the legislatures of the several Southern +States had been held to deliberate upon the production of a colored +man who had coolly recommended to his fellow blacks the only solution +to the slave question, which, after twenty-five years of arduous labor +of the most hopeful and noble-hearted of the abolitionists, seems the +forlorn hope of freedom to-day—insurrection and bloodshed. Great +Britain was in the midst of that bloodless revolution which, two years +afterwards, culminated in the passage of the Reform Bill, and thus +prepared the joyous and generous state of the British heart which +dictated the West India Emancipation Act. France was rejoicing in the +not bloodless <i>trois jours de Juliet</i>. Indeed, the whole world seemed +stirred up with a universal excitement, which, when contrasted with +the universal panics of 1837 and 1857, leads one to regard as more +than a philosophical speculation the doctrine of those who hold the +life of mankind from the creation as but one life, beating with one +heart, animated with one soul, tending to one destiny, although made +up of millions upon millions of molecular lives, gifted with their +infinite variety of attractions and repulsions, which regulate or +crystallize them into evanescent substructures or organizations, which +we call nationalities and empires and peoples and tribes, whose minute +actions and reactions on each other are the histories which absorb our +attention, whilst the grand universal life moves on beyond +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page45" id="page45"></a>[pg 45]</span> +our ken, +or only guessed at, as the astronomers shadow out movements of our +solar system around or towards some distant unknown centre of +attraction.</p> + +<p>If the times of 1830 were eventful, there were among our people, as +well as among other peoples, men equal to the occasion. We had giants +in those days! There were Bishop Allen, the founder of the great +Bethel connection of Methodists, combining in his person the fiery +zeal of St. Francis Xavier with the skill and power of organizing of a +Richelieu; the meek but equally efficient Rush (who yet remains with +us in fulfilment of the Scripture), the father of the Zion Methodists; +Paul, whose splendid presence and stately eloquence in the pulpit, and +whose grand baptisms in the waters of Boston harbor are a living +tradition in all New England; the saintly and sainted Peter Williams, +whose views of the best means of our elevation are in triumphant +activity to-day; William Hamilton, the thinker and actor, whose sparse +specimens of eloquence we will one day place in gilded frames as rare +and beautiful specimens of Etruscan art—William Hamilton, who, four +years afterwards, during the New York riots, when met in the street, +loaded down with iron missiles, and asked where he was going, replied, +"To die on my threshold"; Watkins, of Baltimore; Frederick Hinton, +with his polished eloquence; James Forten, the merchant prince; +William Whipper, just essaying his youthful powers; Lewis Woodson and +John Peck, of Pittsburg; Austin Steward, then of Rochester; Samuel E. +Cornish, who had the distinguished honor of reasoning Gerrit Smith out +of colonization, and of telling Henry Clay that he would never be +president of anything higher than the American Colonization Society; +Philip A. Bell, the born sabreur, who never feared the face of clay, +and a hundred others, were the worthily leading spirits among the +colored people.</p> + +<p>And yet the idea of the first colored convention did not originate +with any of these distinguished men; it came from a young man of +Baltimore; then, and still, unknown to fame. Born in that city in +1801, he was in 1817 apprenticed to a man some two hundred miles off +in the Southeast. Arriving at his field of labor, he worked hard +nearly a week and received poor fare in return. One day, while at work +near the house, the mistress came out and gave him a furious scolding, +so furious, indeed, that her husband mildly interfered; she drove the +latter away, and threatened to take the Baltimore out of the lad with + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page46" id="page46"></a>[pg 46]</span> +cowhide, etc., etc. At this moment, to use his own expression, the +lad became converted, that is, he determined to be his own master as +long as he lived. Early nightfall found him on his way to Baltimore +which he reached after a severe journey which tested his energy and +ingenuity to the utmost. At the age of twenty-three he was engaged in +the summer time in supplying Baltimore with ice from his cart, and in +winter in cutting up pork for Ellicotts' establishment. He must have +been strong and swift with knife and cleaver, for in one day he cut up +and dressed some four hundred and fifteen porkers.</p> + +<p>In 1824 our young friend fell in with Benjamin Lundy, and in 1828-9, +with William Lloyd Garrison, editors and publishers of the "Genius of +Universal Emancipation," a radical anti-slavery paper, whose boldness +would put the "National Era" to shame, printed and published in the +slave State of Maryland. In 1829-30 the colored people of the free +States were much excited on the subject of emigration; there had been +an emigration to Hayti, and also to Canada, and some had been driven +to Liberia by the severe laws and brutal conduct of the fermenters of +colonization in Virginia and Maryland. In some districts of these +States the disguised whites would enter the houses of free colored men +at night, and take them out and give them from thirty to fifty lashes, +to get them to consent to go to Liberia.</p> + +<p>It was in the spring of 1830 that the young man we have sketched, +Hezekiah Grice, conceived the plan of calling together a meeting or +convention of colored men in some place north of the Potomac, for the +purpose of comparing views and of adopting a harmonious movement +either of emigration or of determination to remain in the United +States; convinced of the hopelessness of contending against the +oppressions in the United States, living in the very depth of that +oppression and wrong, his own views looked to Canada; but he held them +subject to the decision of the majority of the convention which might +assemble.</p> + +<p>On the 2d of April, 1830, he addressed a written circular to prominent +colored men in the free States, requesting their opinions on the +necessity and propriety of holding such convention, and stated that if +the opinions of a sufficient number warranted it, he would give time +and place at which duly elected delegates might assemble. Four months +passed away, and his spirit almost died within him, for he had not +received a line from any +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page47" id="page47"></a>[pg 47]</span> +one in reply. When he visited Mr. Garrison +in his office, and stated his project, Mr. Garrison took up a copy of +Walker's Appeal, and said, although it might be right, yet it was too +early to have published such a book.</p> + +<p>On the 11th of August, however, he received a sudden and peremptory +order from Bishop Allen to come instantly to Philadelphia, about the +emigration matter. He went, and found a meeting assembled to consider +the conflicting reports on Canada of Messrs. Lewis and Dutton; at a +subsequent meeting, held the next night, and near the adjournment, the +Bishop called Mr. Grice aside and gave to him to read a printed +circular, issued from New York City, strongly approving of Mr. Grice's +plan of a convention, and signed by Peter Williams, Peter Vogelsang +and Thomas L. Jinnings. The Bishop added, "My dear child, we must take +some action immediately, or else these New Yorkers will get ahead of +us." The Bishop left the meeting to attend a lecture on chemistry by +Dr. Wells, of Baltimore. Mr. Grice introduced the subject of the +convention; and a committee consisting of Bishop Allen, Benjamin +Pascal, Cyrus Black, James Cornish and Junius C. Morel, were appointed +to lay the matter before the colored people of Philadelphia. This +committee, led, doubtless, by Bishop Allen, at once issued a call for +a convention of the colored men of the United States, to be held in +the city of Philadelphia on the 15th of September, 1830.</p> + +<p>Mr. Grice returned to Baltimore rejoicing at the success of his +project; but, in the same boat which bore him down the Chesapeake, he +was accosted by Mr. Zollickoffer, a member of the Society of Friends, +a Philadelphian, and a warm and tried friend of the blacks. Mr. +Zollickoffer used arguments, and even entreaties, to dissuade Mr. +Grice from holding the convention, pointing out the dangers and +difficulties of the same should it succeed, and the deep injury it +would do the cause in case of failure. Of course, it was reason and +entreaty thrown away.</p> + +<p>On the fifteenth of September, Mr. Grice again landed in Philadelphia, +and in the fulness of his expectation asked every colored man he met +about the convention; no one knew anything about it; the first man did +not know the meaning of the word, and another man said, "Who ever +heard of colored people holding a convention—convention, indeed!" +Finally, reaching the place of meeting, he found, in solemn conclave, +the five +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page48" id="page48"></a>[pg 48]</span> +gentlemen who had constituted themselves delegates: with a +warm welcome from Bishop Allen, Mr. Grice, who came with credentials +from the people of Baltimore, was admitted as delegate. A little while +after, Dr. Burton, of Philadelphia, dropped in, and demanded by what +right the six gentlemen held their seats as members of the convention. +On a hint from Bishop Allen, Mr. Pascal moved that Dr. Burton be +elected an honorary member of the convention, which softened the +Doctor. In half an hour, five or six grave, stern-looking men, members +of the Zion Methodist body in Philadelphia, entered, and demanded to +know by what right the members present held their seats and undertook +to represent the colored people. Another hint from the Bishop, and it +was moved that these gentlemen be elected honorary members. But the +gentlemen would submit to no such thing, and would accept nothing +short of full membership, which was granted them.</p> + +<p>Among the delegates were Abraham Shadd, of Delaware; J.W.C. +Pennington, of Brooklyn; Austin Steward, of Rochester; Horace Easton, +of Boston, and —— Adams, of Utica.</p> + +<p>The main subject of discussion was emigration to Canada; Junius C. +Morel, chairman of a committee on that subject presented a report, on +which there was a two days' discussion; the point discussed was that +the report stated that "the lands in Canada were synonymous with those +of the Northern States." The word synonymous was objected to, and the +word similar proposed in its stead. Mr. Morel, with great vigor and +ingenuity, defended the report, but was finally voted down, and the +word similar adopted. The convention recommended emigration to Canada, +passed strong resolutions against the American Colonization Society, +and at its adjournment appointed the next annual convention of the +people of color to be held in Philadelphia, on the first Monday in +June, 1831.</p> + +<p>At the present day, when colored conventions are almost as frequent as +church meetings, it is difficult to estimate the bold and daring +spirit which inaugurated the Colored Convention of 1830. It was the +right move, originating in the right quarter and at the right time. +Glorious old Maryland, or, as one speaking in the view that climate +grows the men, would say,—Maryland-Virginia region,—which has +produced Benjamin Banneker, Nat. Turner, Frederick Douglass, the +parents of Ira Aldridge, Henry Highland Garnett and Sam. Ringold Ward, + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page49" id="page49"></a>[pg 49]</span> +also produced the founder of colored conventions, Hezekiah Grice! At +that time, in the prime of his young manhood, he must have presented +the front of one equal to any fortune, able to achieve any +undertaking. Standing six feet high, well-proportioned, of a dark +bronze complexion, broad brow, and that stamp of features out of which +the Greek sculptor would have delighted to mould the face of +Vulcan—he was, to the fullest extent, a working man of such sort and +magnetism as would lead his fellows where he listed.</p> + +<p>In looking to the important results that grew out of this convention, +the independence of thought and self-assertion of the black man are +the most remarkable. Then, the union of purpose and union of strength +which grew out of the acquaintanceship and mutual pledges of colored +men from different States. Then, the subsequent conventions, where the +great men we have already named, and others, appeared and took part in +the discussions with manifestations of zeal, talent and ability, which +attracted Garrison, the Tappans, Jocelyn and others of that noble +host, who, drawing no small portion of their inspiration from their +black brethren in bonds, did manfully fight in the days of +anti-slavery which tried men's souls, and when, to be an abolitionist, +was, to a large extent, to be a martyr.</p> + +<p>We cannot help adding the thought that had these conventions of the +colored people of the United States continued their annual sittings +from 1830 until the present time, the result would doubtless have been +greater general progress among our people themselves, a more united +front to meet past and coming exigencies, and a profounder hold upon +the public attention, and a deeper respect on the part of our enemies, +than we now can boast of. Looking at public opinion as it is, the +living law of the land, and yet a malleable, ductile entity, which can +be moulded, or at least affected, by the thoughts of any masses +vigorously expressed, we should have become a power on earth, of +greater strength and influence than in our present scattered and +dwindled state we dare even dream of. The very announcement, +"Thirtieth Annual Convention of the Colored People of the United +States," would bear a majestic front. Our great gathering at Rochester +in 1853, commanded not only public attention, but respect and +admiration. Should we have such a gathering even now, once a year, not +encumbered with elaborate plans of action, with too many wheels within +wheels, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page50" id="page50"></a>[pg 50]</span> +we can yet regain much of the ground lost. The partial +gathering at Boston, the other day, has already assumed its place in +the public mind, and won its way into the calculations of the +politicians.</p> + +<p>Our readers will doubtless be glad to learn the subsequent history of +Mr. Grice. He did not attend the second convention, but in the +interval between the second and third he formed, in the city of +Baltimore, a "Legal Rights Association," for the purpose of +ascertaining the legal status of the colored man in the United States. +It was entirely composed of colored men, among whom were Mr. Watkins +(the colored Baltimorean), Mr. Deaver, and others. Mr. Grice called on +William Wirt, and asked him "what he charged for his opinion on a +given subject." "Fifty dollars." "Then, sir, I will give you fifty +dollars if you will give me your opinion on the legal condition of a +free colored man in these United States."</p> + +<p>Mr. Wirt required the questions to be written out in proper form +before he could answer them. Mr. Grice employed Tyson, who drew up a +series of questions, based upon the Constitution of the United States, +and relating to the rights and citizenship of the free black. He +carried the questions to Mr. Wirt, who, glancing over them, said, +"Really, sir, my position as an officer under the government renders +it a delicate matter for me to answer these questions as they should +be answered, but I'll tell you what to do: they should be answered, +and by the best legal talent in the land; do you go to Philadelphia, +and present my name to Horace Binney, and he will give you an answer +satisfactory to you, and which will command the greatest respect +throughout the land." Mr. Grice went to Philadelphia, and presented +the questions and request to Horace Binney. This gentleman pleaded age +and poor eyesight, but told Mr. Grice that if he would call on John +Sargent he would get answers of requisite character and weight. He +called on John Sargent, who promptly agreed to answer the questions if +Mr. Binney would allow his name to be associated as an authority in +the replies. Mr. Binney again declined, and so the matter fell +through. This is what Mr. Grice terms his "Dred Scott case" and so it +was.</p> + +<p>He attended the convention of 1832, but by some informality, or a want +of credentials, was not permitted to sit as full member!—Saul ejected +from among the prophets!—Yet he was +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page51" id="page51"></a>[pg 51]</span> +heard on the subject of rights, +and the doctrine of "our rights," as well as the first colored +convention, are due to the same man.</p> + +<p>In 1832, chagrined at the colored people of the United States, he +migrated to Hayti, where, until 1843, he pursued the business of +carver and gilder. In the latter year he was appointed Director of +Public Works in Port-au-Prince, which office he held until two years +ago. He is also engaged in, and has wide knowledge of machinery and +engineering. Every two or three years he visits New York, and is +welcomed to the arcana of such men as James J. Mapes, the Bensons, +Dunhams, and at the various works where steam and iron obey human +ingenuity in our city. He is at present in this city, lodging at the +house of the widow of his old friend and coadjutor, Thomas L. +Jinnings, 133 Reade street. We have availed ourselves of his presence +among us to glean from him the statements which we have imperfectly +put together in this article.</p> + +<p>We cannot dismiss this subject without the remark, of peculiar +pertinence at this moment, that it would have been better for our +people had Mr. Grice never left these United States. The twenty-seven +years he has passed in Hayti, although not without their mark on the +fortunes of that island, are yet with out such mark as he would have +made in the land and upon the institutions among which he was born. So +early as his thirty-second year, before he had reached his +intellectual prime, he had inaugurated two of the leading ideas on +which our people have since acted, conventions to consider and +alleviate their grievances, and the struggle for legal rights. If he +did such things in early youth, what might he not have done with the +full force and bent of his matured intellect? And where, in the wide +world, in what region, or under what sun, could he so effectually have +labored to elevate the black man as on this soil and under American +institutions?</p> + +<p>So profoundly are we opposed to the favorite doctrine of the Puritans +and their co-workers, the colonizationists—Ubi Libertas, ibi +Patria—that we could almost beseech Divine Providence to reverse some +past events and to fling back into the heart of Virginia and Maryland +their Sam Wards, Highland Garnets, J.W. Penningtons, Frederick +Douglasses, and the twenty thousand who now shout hosannas in +Canada—and we would soon see some stirring in the direction of Ubi +Patria, ibi Libertas.—Anglo-African Magazine, October, 1859.</p><p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page52" id="page52"></a>[pg 52]</span> +</p> + + +<p><b>B.</b></p> + +<p class="heading">COMMUNICATION FROM THE NEW YORK SOCIETY FOR THE PROMOTION OF EDUCATION +AMONG COLORED CHILDREN.</p> + + +<p>To the Honorable the Commissioners for examining into the condition of +Common Schools in the City and County of New York.</p> + +<p>The following statement in relation to the colored schools in said +city and county is respectfully presented by the New York Society for +the Promotion of Education among Colored Children:</p> + +<blockquote> +<table summary="Promotion of Education among Colored Children" + style="border-spacing: 0 0"> +<tr> +<td> +1. The number of colored children in the city and county of +New York (estimated in 1855, from the census of 1850), between +the ages of 4 and 17 years</td> +<td></td> +<td class="right">3,000</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td>a. Average attendance of colored children at public +schools in 1855</td> +<td class="right">913</td> +<td></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td>Average attendance of colored children in +corporate schools supported by school funds +(Colored Orphan Asylum)</td> +<td class="right">240</td> +<td></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td></td><td class="right">----</td> +<td class="right">1,153</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> +b. Proportion of average attendance in public +schools of colored children to whole number +of same is as 1 to 2.60.</td> +</tr> +<tr><td> </td></tr> +<tr> +<td>2. The number of white children in the city of New +York in 1855 (estimated as above), between the ages of +4 and 17 years</td> +<td></td> +<td class="right">159,000</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td>a. Average attendance of white children in public +schools in 1855</td> +<td class="right">43,858</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td>Average attendance of white children in +corporate schools supported by public +funds</td> +<td class="right">2,826</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td></td><td class="right">-----</td> +<td class="right">46,684</td> +</tr> +</table> + +<p> +b. Proportion of average attendance of white children +in public schools to whole number of same +is as 1 to 3.40.</p> + +<p> +3. From these facts it appears that colored children attend +the public schools (and schools supported by public funds in +the city of New York) in the proportion of 1 to 2.60, and that +the white children attend similar schools in said city in the +proportion of 1 to 3.40; that is to say, nearly 25 per cent. more of +colored children than of white children attend the public schools, +and schools supported by public funds in the city of New York. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page53" id="page53"></a>[pg 53]</span></p> + +<p>4. The number of colored children attending private schools +in the city of New York, 125.</p> + +<p>a. The number of white children attending private +schools in 1850, census gave 10,560, which number has since +been increased by the establishment of Catholic parochial +schools, estimated in 1856, 17,560.</p> + +<p>b. The proportion of colored children attending private +schools to white children attending same, is as 1 to 140.</p> + +<p>c. But the average attendance of colored children in all +schools is about the same as that of the white in proportion, +that is to say, as many colored children attend the +public schools as do whites attend both public and private +schools, in proportion to the whole number of each class +of children.</p> + +<p>Locality, capability, etc., of colored schools.</p> + +<p>1. The Board of Education, since its organization, has +expended in sites and buildings for white schools $1,600,000.</p> + +<p>b. The Board of Education has expended for sites and +buildings for colored schools (addition to building leased +19 Thomas), $1,000.</p> + +<p>c. The two schoolhouses in possession of the Board +now used for colored children were assigned to same by +the Old Public School Society.</p> + +<p>2. The proportion of colored children to white children +attending public schools is as 1 to 40.</p> + +<p>a. The sum expended on school buildings and sites of +colored and white schools by the Board of Education is as +1 to 1,600.</p> + +<p>3. a. Schoolhouse No. 1, for colored children, is an old +building, erected in 1820 by the New York Manumission Society +as a school for colored children, in Mulberry street, in a poor +but decent locality. It has two departments, one male and one +female; it consists of two stories only, and has two small +recitation rooms on each floor, but as primary as well as grammar +children attend each department, much difficulty and confusion +arises from the want of class room for the respective studies. +The building covers only part of the lot, and as it is, the best +attended and among the best taught of the colored schools, a +new and ample school building, erected in this place, would +prove a great attraction, and could be amply filled by children. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page54" id="page54"></a>[pg 54]</span></p> + +<p>b. Schoolhouse No. 2, erected in Laurens street more +than twenty years ago for colored children by the Public +School Society, is in one of the lowest and filthiest +neighborhoods, and hence, although it has competent teachers +in the male and female departments, and a separate primary +department, the attendance has always been slender, +and will be until the school is removed to a neighborhood +where children may be sent without danger to their morals.</p> + +<p>c. School No. 3, for colored children, in Yorkville, is +an old building, is well attended, and deserves, in connection +with Schoolhouse No. 4, in Harlem, a new building midway +between the present localities.</p> + +<p>d. Schoolhouse No. 5, for colored children, is an old +building, leased at No. 19 Thomas street, a most degraded +neighborhood, full of filth and vice; yet the attendance on +this school, and the excellence of its teachers, earn for it the +need of a new site and new building.</p> + +<p>e. Schoolhouse No. 6, for colored children, is in Broadway, +near 37th street, in a dwelling house leased and fitted +up for a school, in which there is always four feet of water +in the cellar. The attendance good. Some of the school +officers have repeatedly promised a new building.</p> + +<p>f. Primary school for colored children, No. 1, is in the +basement of a church on 15th street, near 7th avenue, +in a good location, but premises too small for the attendance; +no recitation rooms, and is perforce both primary +and grammar school, to the injury of the progress of all.</p> + +<p>g. Primary schools for colored children, No. 2 and 3, +are in the rear of church, in 2d street, near 6th avenue; the +rooms are dark and cheerless, and without the needful +facilities of sufficient recitation rooms, etc.</p> +</blockquote> + +<p>From a comparison of the schoolhouses with the splendid, almost +palatial edifices, with manifold comforts, conveniences and elegancies +which make up the schoolhouses for white children in the city of New +York, it is evident that the colored children are painfully neglected +and positively degraded. Pent up in filthy neighborhoods, in old and +dilapidated buildings, they are held down to low associations and +gloomy surroundings.</p> + +<p>Yet Mr. Superintendent Kiddle, at a general examination of colored +schools held in July last (for silver medals awarded by +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page55" id="page55"></a>[pg 55]</span> +the society +now addressing your honorable body) declared the reading and spelling +equal to that of any schools in the city.</p> + +<p>The undersigned enter their solemn protest against this unjust +treatment of colored children. They believe with the experience of +Massachusetts, and especially the recent experience of Boston before +them, there is no sound reason why colored children shall be excluded +from any of the common schools supported by taxes levied alike on +whites and blacks, and governed by officers elected by the vote of +colored as well as white voters.</p> + +<p>But if in the judgment of your honorable body common schools are not +thus common to all, then we earnestly pray you to recommend to the +Legislature such action as shall cause the Board of Education of this +city to erect at least two well-appointed modern grammar schools for +colored children on suitable sites, in respectable localities, so that +the attendance of colored children may be increased and their minds be +elevated in like manner as the happy experience of the honorable Board +of Education has been in the matter of white children.</p> + +<p>In addition to the excellent impulse to colored youth which these new +grammar schools would give, they will have the additional argument of +actual economy; the children will be taught with far less expense in +two such schoolhouses than in the half dozen hovels into which they +are now driven. It is a costly piece of injustice which educates the +white scholar in a palace at $10 per year and the colored pupil in a +hovel at $17 or $18 per annum.</p> + +<p>Taxes, etc., of colored population of the city.</p> + +<p>No proposition can be more reasonable than that they who pay taxes for +schools and schoolhouses should be provided with schools and +schoolhouses. The colored population of this city, in proportion to +their numbers, pay their full share of the general and therefore of +the school taxes. There are about nine thousand adults of both sexes; +of these over three thousand are householders, rent-payers, and +therefore tax-payers, in that sense of the word in which owners make +tax-payers of their poor tenants. The colored laboring man, with an +income of $200 a year, who pays $72 per year for a room and bedroom, +is really in proportion to his means a larger tax-payer than the +millionaire whose tax rate is thousands of dollars. But directly, +also, do the colored people pay taxes. From examinations carefully +made, the undersigned affirm that there +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page56" id="page56"></a>[pg 56]</span> +are in the city at least +1,000 colored persons who own and pay taxes on real estate.</p> + +<blockquote> +<table summary="Real Estate Tax"> +<tr> +<td>Taxed real estate in the city of New York owned by colored persons</td> +<td class="right">$1,400,000</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td>Untaxed by colored persons (churches)</td> +<td class="right">250,000</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td>Personal estate</td> +<td class="right">710,000</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td>Money in savings banks</td> +<td class="right">1,121,000</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td></td> +<td class="right">------------</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td></td> +<td class="right">$3,481,000</td> +</tr> +</table> +</blockquote> + +<p>These figures indicate that in proportion to their numbers, the +colored population of this city pay a fair share of the school taxes, +and that they have been most unjustly dealt with. Their money has been +used to purchase sites and erect and fit up schoolhouses for white +children, whilst their own children are driven into miserable edifices +in disgraceful localities. Surely, the white population of the city +are too able, too generous, too just, any longer to suffer this +miserable robbing of their colored fellow-citizens for the benefit of +white children.</p> + +<p>Praying that your honorable commission will take due notice of these +facts, and recommend such remedy as shall seem to you best,</p> + +<p>We have the honor to be, in behalf of the New York Society for the +Promotion of Education among Colored Citizens,</p> + +<p class="letterClose3 close">Most respectfully yours,</p> + +<p class="author-up">CHARLES B. RAY, President.</p> +<p>PHILIP A. WHITE, Secretary.</p> +<p class="letterClose5">New York City, December 28, 1857</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/image04.png" alt="Chapter End Graphic" title="" /> +</div> + +<hr /> +<p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page57" id="page57"></a>[pg 57]</span> +</p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_II" id="CHAPTER_II"></a>CHAPTER II.</h2> + +<h3>AMERICAN NEGRO AND THE MILITARY SPIRIT.</h3> + +<p class="hang">Early Literature of Negro Soldiers—Negro Soldiers in the +War of the Revolution—The War of 1812—Negro +Insurrections—Negro Troops in the Civil War—Notes.</p> + +<p class="returnTOC"><a href="#Contents">Return to Table of + Contents</a></p> + +<p>"Do you think I'll make a soldier?" is the opening line of one of +those delightful spirituals, originating among the slaves in the far +South. I first heard it sung in the Saint James Methodist Church, +corner of Spring and Coming Streets, Charleston, South Carolina, +immediately after the close of the war. It was sung by a vast +congregation to a gentle, swinging air, with nothing of the martial +about it, and was accompanied by a swaying of the body to the time of +the music. Occasionally there would be the "curtesys" peculiar to the +South Carolina slave of the low country, which consists in a stooping +of the body by bending the knees only, the head remaining erect, a +movement which takes the place of the bow among equals. The older +ladies, with heads adorned with the ever-present Madras kerchief, +often tied in the most becoming and tasteful manner, and faces aglow +with an enthusiasm that bespoke a life within sustained by visions of +spiritual things, would often be seen to shake hands and add a word of +greeting and hope which would impart a charm and meaning to the +singing far above what the humble words of the song without these +accessories could convey. As the rich chorus of matchless voices +poured out in perfect time and tune, "Rise, shine, and give God the +glory," the thoughts of earthly freedom, of freedom +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page58" id="page58"></a>[pg 58]</span> +from sin, and +finally of freedom from the toils, cares and sorrows of earth to be +baptized into the joys of heaven, all seemed to blend into the many +colored but harmonious strain. The singing of the simple hearted +trustful, emancipated slave! Shall we ever hear the like again on +earth? Alas, that the high hopes and glowing prophecies of that +auspicious hour have been so deferred that the hearts of millions have +been made sick!</p> + +<p>Of the songs that came out of slavery with these long suffering +people, Colonel Higginson, who perhaps got nearer to them in sentiment +than any other literary man not really, of them, says: "Almost all +their songs were thoroughly religious in their tone, however quaint +their expression, and were in a minor key both as to words and music. +The attitude is always the same, and, as a commentary on the life of +the race, is infinitely pathetic. Nothing but patience for this +life—nothing but triumph in the next. Sometimes the present +predominates, sometimes the future; but the combination is always +implied."</p> + +<p>I do not know when this "soldier" song had its birth, but it may have +sprung out of the perplexity of the slave's mind as he contemplated +the raging conflict and saw himself drawn nearer and nearer to the +field of strife. Whether in this song the "present predominates," and +the query, therefore, has a strong primary reference to carnal weapons +and to garments dyed in blood; whether the singer invites an opinion +as to his fitness to engage in the war for Freedom—it may not be +possible to determine. The "year of Jubilee," coming in the same song +in connection with the purpose for which the singer is to be made a +soldier, gives clearer illustration of that combination of the present +and future which Mr. Higginson says was always present in the +spirituals of that period, if it shows no +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page59" id="page59"></a>[pg 59]</span> +more. When it is remembered +that at that time Charleston was literally trodden under foot by black +soldiers in bright uniforms, whose coming seemed to the colored people +of that city like a dream too good to be true, it is not hard to +believe that this song had much of the present in it, and owed its +birth to the circumstances of war.</p> + +<p>Singularly enough the song makes the Negro ask the exact question +which had been asked about him from the earliest days of our history +as a nation, a question which in some form confronts him still. The +question, as the song has it, is not one of fact, but one of opinion. +It is not: Will I make a soldier? but: Do you think I will make a +soldier? It is one thing to "make a soldier," another thing to have +men think so. The question of fact was settled a century ago; the +question of opinion is still unsettled. The Negro soldier, hero of +five hundred battlefields, with medals and honors resting upon his +breast, with the endorsement of the highest military authority of the +nation, with Port Hudson, El Caney and San Juan behind him, is still +expected by too many to stand and await the verdict of thought, from +persons who never did "think" he would make a soldier, and who never +will think so. As well expect the excited animal of the ring to +<i>think</i> in the presence of the red rag of the toreador as to expect +<i>them</i> to think on the subject of the Negro soldier. They can curse, +and rant, when they see the stalwart Negro in uniform, but it is too +much to ask them to think. To them the Negro can be a fiend, a brute, +but never a soldier.</p> + +<p>To John G. Whittier and to William C. Nell are we indebted for the +earliest recital of the heroic deeds of the colored American in the +Wars of the Revolution and 1812. Whittier contributed an article on +this subject to the "National Era" in 1847, and five or six years +later Nell published his +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page60" id="page60"></a>[pg 60]</span> +pamphlet on "Colored Patriots," a booklet +recently reprinted by the African Methodist Episcopal Church. It is a +useful contribution, showing as it does the rising and spreading +abroad of that spirit which appreciates military effort and valor; and +while recognizing the glory that came to American arms in the period +described, honestly seeks to place some of that glory upon the +deserving brow of a race then enslaved and despised. The book is +unpretentious and aims to relate the facts in a straight-forward way, +unaccompanied by any of the charms of tasteful presentation. Its +author, however, is deserving our thanks, and the book marks an +important stage in the development of the colored American. His mind +was turning toward the creation of the soldier—the formation of +armies.</p> + +<p>There are other evidences that the mind of the colored man was at this +time turning towards arms. In 1852 Doctor Pennington, one of the most +learned colored men of his times, having received his Degree in +Divinity from Heidelberg, delivered an address before a mass +convention of colored citizens of Ohio, held in Cleveland, in which he +spoke principally of the colored soldier. During the convention the +"Cleveland Light Artillery" fired a salute, and on the platform were +seated several veteran colored men, some of them, particularly Mr. +John Julius, of Pittsburg, Pa., taking part in the speech-making. Mr. +Nell says: "Within recent period several companies of colored men in +New York city have enrolled themselves a la militaire," and quotes +from the New York Tribune of August, 1852, as follows:</p> + +<blockquote><p>"COLORED SOLDIERS.—Among the many parades within a few days +we noticed yesterday a soldierly-looking company of colored +men, on their way homeward from a target or parade drill. +They looked like men, handled their arms like men, and +should occasion demand, we presume they would fight like +men."</p></blockquote><p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page61" id="page61"></a>[pg 61]</span> +</p> + +<p>In Boston, New Haven, New Bedford and other places efforts were made +during the decade from 1850 to 1860 to manifest this rising military +spirit by appropriate organization, but the efforts were not always +successful. In some cases the prejudices of the whites put every +possible obstacle in the way of the colored young men who attempted to +array themselves as soldiers.</p> + +<p>The martial spirit is not foreign to the Negro character, as has been +abundantly proved in both ancient and modern times. Williams, in his +admirable history of the Negro as well as in his "Negro Troops in the +Rebellion," has shown at considerable length that the Negro has been a +soldier from earliest times, serving in large numbers in the Egyptian +army long before the beginning of the Christian era. We know that +without any great modification in character, runaway slaves developed +excellent fighting qualities as Maroons, in Trinidad, British Guiana, +St. Domingo and in Florida. But it was in Hayti that the unmixed Negro +rose to the full dignity of a modern soldier, creating and leading +armies, conducting and carrying on war, treating with enemies and +receiving surrenders, complying fully with the rules of civilized +warfare, and evolving finally a Toussaint, whose military genius his +most bitter enemies were compelled to recognize—Toussaint, who to the +high qualities of the soldier added also the higher qualities of +statesmanship. With Napoleon, Cromwell and Washington, the three great +commanders of modern times who have joined to high military talent +eminent ability in the art of civil government, we must also class +Toussaint L'Ouverteur, the black soldier of the Antilles. Thiers, the +prejudiced attorney of Napoleon, declares nevertheless that Toussaint +possessed wonderful talent for government, and the fact ever remains +that under his benign rule all classes were pacified and +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page62" id="page62"></a>[pg 62]</span> + San Domingo +was made to blossom as the rose. In the armies of Menelek, in the +armies of France, in the armies of England, as well as in the +organization of the Zulu and Kaffir tribes the Negro has shown himself +a soldier. If the Afro-American should fail in this particular it will +not be because of any lack of the military element in the African side +of his character, or for any lack of "remorseless military audacity" +in the original Negro, as the historian, Williams, expresses it.</p> + +<p>In our own Revolutionary War, the Negro, then but partially civilized, +and classed with "vagabonds," held everywhere as a slave, and +everywhere distrusted, against protest and enactment, made his way +into the patriot army, fighting side by side with his white +compatriots from Lexington to Yorktown. On the morning of April 19th, +1775, when the British re-enforcements were preparing to leave Boston +for Lexington, a Negro soldier who had served in the French war, +commanded a small body of West Cambridge "exempts" and captured Lord +Percy's supply train with its military escort and the officer in +command. As a rule the Negro soldiers were distributed among the +regiments, thirty or forty to a regiment, and did not serve in +separate organizations. Bishop J.P. Campbell, of the African Methodist +Church, was accustomed to say "both of my grandfathers served in the +Revolutionary War." In Varnum's Brigade, however, there was a Negro +regiment and of it Scribner's history, 1897, says, speaking of the +battle of Rhode Island: "None behaved better than Greene's colored +regiment, which three times repulsed the furious charges of veteran +Hessians." Williams says: "The black regiment was one of three that +prevented the enemy from turning the flank of the American army. These +black troops were doubtless regarded as the weak spot of the line, but +they were not."</p><p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page63" id="page63"></a>[pg 63]</span> +</p> + +<p>The colony of Massachusetts alone furnished 67,907 men for the +Revolutionary War, while all the colonies together south of +Pennsylvania furnished but 50,493, hence the sentiment prevailing in +Massachusetts would naturally be very powerful in determining any +question pertaining to the army. When the country sprang to arms in +response to that shot fired at Lexington, the echoes of which, +poetically speaking, were heard around the world, the free Negroes of +every Northern colony rallied with their white neighbors. They were in +the fight at Lexington and at Bunker Hill, but when Washington came to +take command of the army he soon gave orders that no Negroes should be +enlisted. He was sustained in this position by a council of war and by +a committee of conference in which were representatives from Rhode +Island, Connecticut and Massachusetts, and it was agreed that Negroes +be rejected altogether. The American Negro's persistency in pressing +himself where he is not <i>wanted</i> but where he is <i>eminently needed</i> +began right there. Within six weeks so many colored men applied for +enlistment, and those that had been put out of the army raised such a +clamor that Washington changed his policy, and the Negro, who of all +America's population contended for the privilege of shouldering a gun +to fight for American liberty, was allowed a place in the Continental +Army, the first national army organized on this soil, ante-dating the +national flag. The Negro soldier helped to evolve the national +standard and was in the ranks of the fighting men over whom it first +unfolded its broad stripes and glittering stars.</p> + +<blockquote><p>[Transcriber's Note: This footnote appeared in the text +without a footnote anchor:</p> + +<p>"To the Honorable General Court of the Massachusetts Bay:</p> + +<p>"The subscribers beg leave to report to your Honorable +House, which we do in justice to the character of so brave a +man, that, under our own observation, we declare that a +Negro man called Salem Poor, of Col. Frye's regiment, Capt. +Ames' company, in the late battle at Charlestown, behaved +like an experienced officer, as well as an excellent +soldier. We would only beg leave to say, in the person of +this said Negro centres a brave and gallant soldier. The +reward due to so great and distinguished a character we +submit to the Congress.</p> + +<p>"Cambridge, Dec. 5, 1775."</p> + +<p>These black soldiers, fresh from heathen lands, not out of +slavery, proved themselves as worthy as the best. In the +battle of Bunker Hill, where all were brave, two Negro +soldiers so distinguished themselves that their names have +come down to us garlanded with the tributes of their +contemporaries. Peter Salem, until then a slave, a private +in Colonel Nixon's regiment of Continentals, without orders +fired deliberately upon Major Pitcairn as he was leading the +assault of the British to what appeared certain victory. +Everet in speaking "of Prescott, Putnam and Warren, the +chiefs of the day," mentions in immediate connection "the +colored man, Salem, who is reported to have shot the gallant +Pitcairn as he mounted the parapet." What Salem Poor did is +not set forth, but the following is the wreath of praise +that surrounds his name:</p> + +<div class="center"> +<table summary="Signers"> +<tr> +<td>Jona. Brewer, Col.</td> +<td>Eliphalet Bodwell, Sgt.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td>Thomas Nixon, Lt.-Col.</td> +<td>Josiah Foster, Lieut.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td>Wm. Precott, Col.</td> +<td>Ebenr. Varnum, 2d Lieut.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td>Ephm. Corey, Lieut.</td> +<td>Wm. Hudson Ballard, Capt.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td>Joseph Baker, Lieut.</td> +<td>William Smith, Capt.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td>Joshua Row, Lieut.</td> +<td>John Morton, Sergt. (?)</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td>Jonas Richardson, Capt.</td> +<td>Richard Welsh, Lieut.]</td> +</tr> +</table> +</div> +</blockquote> + +<p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page64" id="page64"></a>[pg 64]</span> +</p> +<p>It is in place here to mention a legion of free mulattoes and blacks +from the Island of St. Domingo, a full account of whose services is +appended to this section, who fought under D'Estaing with great +distinction in the siege of Savannah, their bravery at that time +saving the patriot army from annihilation.</p> + +<p>When the Revolutionary War had closed the brave black soldier who had +fought to give to the world a new flag whose every star should be a +star of hope to the oppressed, and whose trinity of colors should +symbolize Liberty, +<ins class="correction" title="Transcriber's Note: The original text reads 'Equalty'">Equality</ins> and Fraternity, found his race, and in +some instances himself personally, encased in a cruel and stubborn +slavery. For the soldier himself special provision had been made in +both Northern and Southern colonies, but it was not always hearty or +effective. In October, 1783, the Virginia Legislature passed an act +for the relief of certain slaves who had served in the army +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page65" id="page65"></a>[pg 65]</span> +whose +"former owners were trying to force to return to a state of servitude, +contrary to the principles of justice and their solemn promise." The +act provided that each and every slave who had enlisted "by the +appointment and direction of his owner" and had "been received as a +substitute for any free person whose duty or lot it was to serve" and +who had served faithfully during the term of such enlistment, unless +lawfully discharged earlier, should be fully and completely +emancipated and should be held and deemed free in as full and ample +manner as if each and every one of them were specially named in the +act. The act, though apparently so fair on its face, and interlarded +as it is with patriotic and moral phrases, is nevertheless very narrow +and technical, liberating only those who enlisted by the appointment +and direction of their owners, and who were accepted as substitutes, +and who came out of the army with good discharges. It is not hard to +see that even under this act many an ex-soldier might end his days in +slavery. The Negro had joined in the fight for freedom and when +victory is won finds himself a slave. He was both a slave and a +soldier, too often, during the war; and now at its close may be both a +veteran and a slave.</p> + +<p>The second war with Great Britain broke out with an incident in which +the Negro in the navy was especially conspicuous. The Chesapeake, an +American war vessel was hailed, fired upon and forced to strike her +colors, by the British. She was then boarded and searched and four +persons taken from her decks, claimed as deserters from the English +navy. Three of these were Negroes and one white. The Negroes were +finally dismissed with a reprimand and the white man hanged. Five +years later hostilities began on land and no opposition was manifested +toward the employment of Negro soldiers. Laws were passed, especially +in New York, authorizing the formation of +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page66" id="page66"></a>[pg 66]</span> +regiments of blacks with +white officers. It is remarkable that although the successful +insurrection of St. Domingo was so recent, and many refugees from that +country at that time were in the United States, and our country had +also but lately come into possession of a large French element by the +Louisiana purchase, there was no fear of a servile insurrection in +this country. The free colored men of New Orleans, under the +proclamation of the narrow-minded Jackson, rallied to the defence of +that city and bore themselves with commendable valor in that useless +battle. The war closed, however, and the glory of the Negro soldier +who fought in it soon expired in the dismal gloom of a race-slavery +becoming daily more wide-spread and hopeless.</p> + +<p>John Brown's movement was military in character and contemplated the +creation of an army of liberated slaves; but its early suppression +prevented any display of Negro valor or genius. Its leader must ever +receive the homage due those who are so moved by the woes of others as +to overlook all considerations of policy and personal risk. As a plot +for the destruction of life it fell far short of the Nat Turner +insurrection which swept off fifty-seven persons within a few hours. +In purpose the two episodes agree. They both aim at the liberation of +the slave; both were led by fanatics, the reflex production of the +cruelty of slavery, and both ended in the melancholy death of their +heroic leaders. Turner's was the insurrection of the slave and was not +free from the mad violence of revenge; Brown's was the insurrection of +the friend of the slave, and was governed by the high and noble +purpose of freedom. The insurrections of Denmark Vesey in South +Carolina, in 1822, and of Nat Turner, in Virginia, in 1831, show +conclusively that the Negro slave possessed the courage, the cunning, +the secretiveness and the intelligence to fight for his freedom. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page67" id="page67"></a>[pg 67]</span> + +These two attempts were sufficiently broad and intelligent, when taken +into consideration with the enforced ignorance of the slave, to prove +the Negro even in his forlorn condition capable of daring great +things. Of the probable thousands who were engaged in the Denmark +Vesey insurrection, only fifteen were convicted, and these died +heroically without revealing anything connected with the plot. +Forty-three years later I met the son of Denmark Vesey, who rejoiced +in the efforts of his noble father, and regarded his death on the +gallows as a holy sacrifice to the cause of freedom. Turner describes +his fight as follows: "The white men, eighteen in number, approached +us to about one hundred yards, when one of them fired, and I +discovered about half of them retreating. I then ordered my men to +fire and rush on them. The few remaining stood their ground until we +approached within fifty yards, when they fired and retreated. We +pursued and overtook some of them whom we thought we left dead. After +pursuing them about two hundred yards, and rising a little hill, I +discovered they were met by another party, and had halted and were +reloading their guns. Thinking that those who retreated first and the +party who fired on us at fifty or sixty yards distant had all only +fallen back to meet others with ammunition, as I saw them reloading +their guns, and more coming up than I saw at first, and several of my +bravest men being wounded, the others became panic struck and +scattered over the field. The white men pursued and fired on us +several times. Hark had his horse shot under him, and I caught another +for him that was running by me; five or six of my men were wounded, +but none left on the field. Finding myself defeated here, I instantly +determined to go through a private way and cross the Nottoway River at +Cypress Bridge, three miles below Jerusalem, and attack that place in +the rear, as I expected +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page68" id="page68"></a>[pg 68]</span> +they would look for me on the other road, and +I had a great desire to get there to procure arms and ammunition. +After going a short distance in this private way, accompanied by about +twenty men, I overtook two or three who told me the others were +dispersed in every direction. After trying in vain to collect a +sufficient force to proceed to Jerusalem, I determined to return, as I +was sure they would make back to their old neighborhood, where they +would rejoin me, make new recruits, and come down again. On my way +back I called on Mrs. Thomas', Mrs. Spencer's and several other +places. We stopped at Major Ridley's quarters for the night, and being +joined by four of his men, with the recruits made since my defeat, we +mustered now about forty strong.</p> + +<p>After placing out sentinels, I lay down to sleep, but was quickly +aroused by a great racket. Starting up I found some mounted and others +in great confusion, one of the sentinels having given the alarm that +we were about to be attacked. I ordered some to ride around and +reconnoitre, and on their return the others being more alarmed, not +knowing who they were, fled in different ways, so that I was reduced +to about twenty again. With this I determined to attempt to recruit, +and proceed on to rally in the neighborhood I had left."<a name="FNanchor_6_6" id="FNanchor_6_6"></a><a href="#Footnote_6_6" class="fnanchor">[6]</a></p> + +<p>No one can read this account, which is thoroughly supported by +contemporary testimony, without seeing in this poor misguided slave +the elements of a vigorous captain. Failing in his efforts he made his +escape and remained for two months in hiding in the vicinity of his +pursuers. One concerned in his prosecution says: "It has been said +that he was ignorant and cowardly and that his object was to murder +and rob for the purpose of obtaining money to make his escape. It is +notorious +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page69" id="page69"></a>[pg 69]</span> +that he was never known to have a dollar in his life, to +swear an oath, or drink a drop of spirits. As to his ignorance, he +certainly never had the advantages of education, but he can read and +write (it was taught him by his parents) and for natural intelligence +and quickness of apprehension, is surpassed by few men I have ever +seen. As to his being a coward, his reason as given for not resisting +Mr. Phipps shows the decision of his character."<a name="FNanchor_7_7" id="FNanchor_7_7"></a><a href="#Footnote_7_7" class="fnanchor">[7]</a></p> + +<p>The War of the Rebellion, now called the Civil War, effected the last +and tremendous step in the transition of the American Negro from the +position of a slave under the Republic to that of a soldier in its +armies. Both under officers of his own race at Port Hudson and under +white officers on a hundred battlefields, the Negro in arms proved +himself a worthy foeman against the bravest and sternest enemies that +ever assailed our nation's flag, and a worthy comrade of the Union's +best defenders. Thirty-six thousand eight hundred and forty-seven of +them gave their lives in that awful conflict. The entire race on this +continent and those of allied blood throughout the world are indebted +to the soldier-historian, Honorable George W. Williams, for the +eloquent story of their service in the Union Army, and for the +presentation of the high testimonials to the valor and worthiness of +the colored soldier as given by the highest military authority of the +century. From Chapter XVI of his book, "Negro Troops in the +Rebellion," the paragraphs appended at the close of this chapter are +quoted.</p><p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page70" id="page70"></a>[pg 70]</span> +</p> + + +<p><b>A.</b></p> + +<p class="heading">HOW THE BLACK ST. DOMINGO LEGION SAVED THE PATRIOT ARMY IN THE SIEGE +OF SAVANNAH, 1779.</p> + +<p>The siege and attempted reduction of Savannah by the combined French +and American forces is one of the events of our revolutionary war, +upon which our historians care little to dwell. Because it reflects +but little glory upon the American arms, and resulted so disastrously +to the American cause, its important historic character and +connections have been allowed to fade from general sight; and it +stands in the ordinary school text-books, much as an affair of shame. +The following, quoted from Barnes' History, is a fair sample of the +way in which it is treated:</p> + +<p>"French-American Attack on Savannah.—In September, D'Estaing joined +Lincoln in besieging that city. After a severe bombardment, an +unsuccessful assault was made, in which a thousand lives were lost. +Count Pulaski was mortally wounded. The simple-hearted Sergeant Jasper +died grasping the banner presented to his regiment at Fort Moultrie. +D'Estaing refused to give further aid; thus again deserting the +Americans when help was most needed."</p> + +<p>From this brief sketch the reader is at liberty to infer that the +attack was unwise if not fool-hardy; that the battle was unimportant; +and that the conduct of Count D'Estaing immediately after the battle +was unkind, if not unjust, to the Americans. While the paragraph does +not pretend to tell the whole truth, what it does tell ought to be the +truth; and this ought to be told in such a way as to give correct +impressions. The attack upon Savannah was well-planned and thoroughly +well considered; and it failed only because the works were so ably +defended, chiefly by British regulars, under brave and skillful +officers. In a remote way, which it is the purpose of this paper to +trace, that sanguinary struggle had a wider bearing upon the progress +of liberty in the Western World than any other one battle fought +during the Revolution.</p> + +<p>But first let us listen to the story of the battle itself. Colonel +Campbell with a force of three thousand men, captured Savannah in +December, 1778; and in the January following, General Prevost arrived, +and by March had established a sort of civil government in Georgia, +Savannah being the capital. In +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page71" id="page71"></a>[pg 71]</span> + April, the American general, Lincoln, +feeble in more senses than one, perhaps, began a movement against +Savannah by way of Augusta; but Prevost, aware of his purpose, crossed +into South Carolina and attempted an attack upon Charleston. Finding +the city too well defended, he contented himself with ravaging the +plantations over a wide extent of adjacent country, and returned to +Savannah laden with rich spoils, among which were included three +thousand slaves, of whose labor he made good use later.</p> + +<p>The patriots of the South now awaited in hope the coming of the French +fleet; and on the first of September, Count D'Estaing appeared +suddenly on the coast of Georgia with thirty-three sail, surprised and +captured four British warships, and announced to the government of +South Carolina his readiness to assist in the recapture of Savannah. +He urged as a condition, however, that his ships should not be +detained long off so dangerous a coast, as is was now the hurricane +season, and there was neither harbor, road, nor offing for their +protection.</p> + +<p>By means of small vessels sent from Charleston he effected a landing +in ten days, and four days thereafter, on the 16th, he summoned the +garrison to surrender to the arms of France. Although this demand was +made in the name of France for the plain reason that the American army +was not yet upon the spot, the loyalists did not fail to make it a +pretext for the accusation that the French were desirous of making +conquests in the war on their own account. In the meantime Lincoln +with the regular troops, was hurrying toward Savannah, and had issued +orders for the militia to rendezvous at the same place; and the +militia full of hope of a speedy, if not of a bloodless conquest, were +entering upon this campaign with more than ordinary enthusiasm.</p> + +<p>During the time that the fleet had been off the coast, and especially +since the landing, the British had been very busy in putting the city +in a high state of defence, and in making efforts to strengthen the +garrison. Lieutenant-colonel Cruger, who had a small force at Sunbury, +the last place in Georgia that had been captured by the British, and +Lieutenant-colonel Maitland who was commanding a considerable force at +Beaufort, were ordered to report in haste with their commands at +Savannah. On the 16th, when the summons to surrender was +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page72" id="page72"></a>[pg 72]</span> +received by +Prevost, Maitland had not arrived, but was hourly expected. Prevost +asked for a delay of twenty-four hours to consider the proposal, which +delay was granted; and on that very evening, Maitland with his force +arrived at Dawfuskie. Finding the river in the possession of the +French, his course for a time seemed effectually cut off. By the +merest chance he fell in with some Negro fishermen who informed him of +a passage known as Wall's cut, through Scull's creek, navigable for +small boats. A favoring tide and a dense fog enabled him to conduct +his command unperceived by the French, through this route, and thus +arrive in Savannah on the afternoon of the 17th, before the expiration +of the twenty-four hours. General Prevost had gained his point; and +now believing himself able to resist an assault, declined the summons +to surrender. Two armed ships and four transports were sunk in the +channel of the river below the city, and a boom in the same place laid +entirely across the river; while several small boats were sunk above +the town, thus rendering it impossible for the city to be approached +by water.</p> + +<p>On the day of the summons to surrender, although the works were +otherwise well advanced, there were not ten cannon mounted in the +lines of Savannah; but from that time until the day of assault, the +men of the garrison, with the slaves they had captured, worked day and +night to get the defences of the city in the highest state of +excellence. Major Moncrief, chief of the engineers, is credited with +placing in position more than eighty cannons in a short time after the +call to surrender had been received.</p> + +<p>The city itself at this time was but a mere village of frame buildings +and unpaved streets. Viewed as facing its assailants, it was protected +in its rear, or upon its north side, by the Savannah river; and on its +west side by a thick swamp or morass, which communicated with the +river above the city. The exposed sides were those of the east and +south. These faced an open country which for several miles was +entirely clear of woods. This exposed portion of the city was well +protected by an unbroken line of defences extending from the river +back to the swamp, the right and left extremes of the line consisting +of strong redoubts, while the centre was made up of seamen's batteries +in front, with impalements and traverses thrown up to protect the +troops from the fire of the besiegers. The whole extent of the works +was faced with an ample abattis.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 450px;"> +<img src="images/image07.png" width="450" height="253" alt="Savannah River." title="" /> +<span class="caption">Savannah River.</span> +</div><p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page73" id="page73"></a>[pg 73]</span> +</p> + +<p>To be still more particular: there were three redoubts on the right of +the line, and on the right of them quite near the swamp, was a +sailor's battery of nine pounders, covered by a company of the British +legion. The left redoubt of these three, was known as the Springhill +redoubt; and proved to be the objective of the final assault. Between +it and the centre, was another sailor's battery behind which were +posted the grenadiers of the 60th regiment, with the marines which had +been landed from the warships. On the left of the line near the river +were two redoubts, strongly constructed, with a massy frame of green +spongy wood, filled in with sand, and mounted with heavy cannon. The +centre, or space between these groups of redoubts, was composed, as +has been said, of lighter but nevertheless very effective works, and +was strongly garrisoned.</p> + +<p>Having thus scanned the works, let us now take a glance at the men who +are to defend them. As all of the assaulting forces are not made up of +Americans, so all of the defenders are not foreigners. The centre +redoubt of the triplet on the right, was garrisoned by two companies +of militia, with the North Carolina regiment to support them; Captains +Roworth and Wylie, with the provincial corps of King's Rangers, were +posted in the redoubt on the right; and Captain Tawse with his corps +of provincial dragons, dismounted, in the left or Springhill redoubt, +supported by the South Caroline regiment. The whole of this force on +the right of the line, was under the command of the gallant +Lieutenant-colonel Maitland; and it was this force that made the +charge that barely failed of annihilating the American army. On the +left of the line, the Georgia loyalists garrisoned one of those massy +wooden sand-filled redoubts; while in the centre, cheek by jowl so to +speak, with two battalions of the seventy-first regiment, and two +regiments of Hessians, stood the New York Volunteers. All of these +corps were ready to act as circumstances should require and to support +any part of the line that might be attacked. The Negroes who worked on +these defences were under the direction of Major Moncrief.</p> + +<p>The French troops had landed below the city and were formed facing the +British lines, with the river on their right. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page74" id="page74"></a>[pg 74]</span> + On their left, later, +assembled the American troops. The final dispositions were concluded +by September 22nd, and were as follows: The American troops under +Lincoln formed the left of the line, their left resting upon the swamp +and the entire division facing the Springhill redoubt and her two +sister defences; then came the division of M. de Noailles, composed of +nine hundred men. D'Estaing's division of one thousand men beside the +artillery, came next, and formed the centre of the French army. On +D'Estaing's right was Count Dillon's division of nine hundred men; on +the right of Dillon were the powder magazine, cattle depot, and a +small field hospital; on the right of the depot and a little in +advance, were Dejean's dragoons, numbering fifty men; upon the same +alignment and to the right of the dragoons were Rouvrais' Volunteer +Chasseurs, numbering seven hundred and fifty men; still further on to +the right and two hundred yards in advance of Rouvrais, was Framais, +comanding the Grenadier Volunteers, and two hundred men besides, his +right resting upon the swampy wood that bordered the river, thus +completely closing in the city on the land side. The frigate, La +Truite, and two galleys, lay within cannon shot of the town, and with +the aid of the armed store ship, La Bricole, and the frigate, La +Chimere, effectually cut off all communication by water.</p> + +<p>On the 23rd, both the French and the Americans opened their trenches; +and on the 24th, a small detachment of the besieged made a sortie +against the French. The attack was easily repulsed, but the French +pursuing, approached so near the entrenchments of the enemy that they +were fired upon and several were killed. On the night of the 27th +another sortie was made which threw the besiegers into some confusion +and caused the French and Americans to fire upon each other. +Cannonading continued with but little result until October 8th.</p> + +<p>The engineers were now of the opinion that a speedy reduction of the +city could not be accomplished by regular approaches; and the naval +officers were very anxious about the fleet, both because of the +dangers to which it was exposed from the sea, and also because with so +many men ashore it was in especial danger of being attacked and +captured by British men-of-war. These representations agreeing +altogether with D'Estaing's previously expressed wishes to leave the + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page75" id="page75"></a>[pg 75]</span> +coast as soon as possible, induced that officer and General Lincoln +to decide upon an attempt to storm the British works at once. It is +quite probable that this had been the purpose as a last resort from +the first. The preservation of the fleet was, however, the powerful +factor in determining the time and character of the assault upon +Savannah.</p> + +<p>On the night of the eighth, Major L'Enfant, with a detachment +attempted to set fire to the abattis in order to clear the way for the +assault, but failed to through the dampness of the wood. The plan of +the assault may be quite accurately obtained from the orders given to +the American troops on the evening of the 8th by General Lincoln and +from the inferences to be drawn from the events of the morning of the +9th as they are recorded in history. At least two of the historians +who have left us accounts of the seige, Ramsey and McCall, were +present at the time, and their accounts may be regarded as original +authority. General Lincoln's orders were as follows:</p> + +<blockquote> +<p> +"Evening Orders. By General Lincoln.<br /> +Watchword—Lewis.<br /> +</p> + +<p>"The soldiers will be immediately supplied with 40 rounds of +cartridges, a spare flint, and have their arms in good +order. The infantry destined for the attack of Savannah will +be divided into two bodies; first composed of the light +troops under the command of Colonel Laurens; the second, of +the continental battalions and the first battalion of the +Charleston militia, except the grenadiers, who are to join +the light troops. The whole will parade at 1 o'clock, near +the left of the line, and march by platoons. The guards of +the camp will be formed of the invalids, and be charged to +keep the fires as usual in camp.</p> + +<p>"The cavalry under the command of Count Pulaski, will parade +at the same time with the infantry and follow the left +column of the French troops, precede the column of the +American light troops; they will endeavor to penetrate the +enemy's lines between the battery on the left of Springhill +redoubt, and the next towards the river; having effected +this, will pass to the left towards Yamacraw and secure such +parties of the enemy as may be lodged in that quarter.</p> + +<p>"The artillery will parade at the same time, follow the +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page76" id="page76"></a>[pg 76]</span> + +French artillery, and remain with the corps de reserve until +they receive further orders.</p> + +<p>"The whole will be ready by the time appointed, with the +utmost silence and punctuality; and be ready to march the +instant Count Dillon and General Lincoln shall order.</p> + +<p>"The light troops who are to follow the cavalry, will +attempt to enter the redoubt on the left of the Springhill, +by escalade if possible; if not by entrance into it, they +are to be supported if necessary by the first South Carolina +regiment; in the meantime the column will proceed with the +lines to the left of the Springhill battery.</p> + +<p>"The light troops having succeeded against the redoubt will +proceed to the left and attempt the several works between +that and the river.</p> + +<p>"The column will move to the left of the French troops, +taking care not to interfere with them.</p> + +<p>"The light troops having carried the work towards the river +will form on the left of the column.</p> + +<p>"It is especially forbidden to fire a single gun before the +redoubts are carried; or for any soldier to quit his rank to +plunder without an order for that purpose; any who shall +presume to transgress in either of these respects shall be +reputed a disobeyer of military orders which is punishable +with death.</p> + +<p>"The militia of the first and second brigades, General +Williamson's and the second battalion of the Charleston +militia will parade immediately under the command of General +Huger; after draughting five hundred of them the remander of +them will go into the trenches and put themselves under the +commanding officer there; with the 500 he will march to the +left of the enemy's line, remain as near them as he possibly +can without being seen, until four o'clock in the morning, +at which time the troops in the trenches will begin an +attack upon the enemy; he will then advance and make his +attack as near the river as possible; though this is only +meant as a feint, yet should a favorable opportunity offer, +he will improve it and push into the town.</p> + +<p>"In case of a repulse after taking Springhill redoubt, the +troops will retreat and rally in the rear of redoubt; if it +cannot be effected that way, it must be attempted by the +same route at which they entered.</p><p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page77" id="page77"></a>[pg 77]</span> +</p> + +<p>"The second place of rallying (or the first if the redoubt +should not be carried) will be at the Jews' burying-ground, +where the reserve will be placed; if these two halts should +not be effected, they will retire towards camp.</p> + +<p>"The troops will carry in their hats a piece of white paper +by which they will be distinguished."</p></blockquote> + +<p>General Huger with his five hundred militia, covered by the river +swamp, crept quite close to the enemy's lines and delivered his attack +as directed. Its purpose was to draw attention to that quarter and if +possible cause a weakening of the strength in the left centre of the +line. What its real effect was, there is now no means of knowing.</p> + +<p>Count Dillon, who during the siege had been on D'Estaing's right, and +who appears to have been second in command in the French army, in this +assault was placed in command of a second attacking column. His +purpose was to move to the right of General Huger, and keeping in the +edge of the swamps along the river, steal past the enemy's batteries +on the left, and attack him in the rear. Bancroft describes the +results of his efforts as follows: "The column under Count Dillon, +which was to have attacked the rear of the British lines, became +entangled in a swamp of which it should only have skirted the edge was +helplessly exposed to the British batteries and could not even be +formed." Here were the two strong sand-filled redoubts, mounted with +heavy cannon, and these may have been the batteries that stopped +Dillon's column.</p> + +<p>Count Pulaski with his two hundred brave cavalrymen, undertook his +part in the deadly drama with ardor, and began that perilous ride +which had for its object: "to penetrate the enemy's lines, between the +battery on the left of the Springhill redoubt, and the next towards +the river." Balch describes it as an attempt to "penetrate into the +city by galloping between the redoubts." It was the anticipation of +the Crimean "Charge of the Light Brigade;" only in this case, no one +blundered; it was simply a desperate chance. Cannon were to the right, +left, and front, and the heroic charge proved in vain; the noble Pole +fell, banner<a name="FNanchor_8_8" id="FNanchor_8_8"></a><a href="#Footnote_8_8" class="fnanchor">[8]</a> in hand, pierced with a +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page78" id="page78"></a>[pg 78]</span> +mortal wound—another foreign +martyr to our dearly bought freedom.</p> + +<p>The cavalry dash having failed, that much of the general plan was +blotted out. The feints may have been understood; it is said a +sergeant of the Charleston Grenadiers deserted during the night of the +8th and gave the whole plan of the attack to General Prevost, so that +he knew just where to strengthen his lines. The feints were +effectually checked by the garrison on the left, twenty-eight of the +Americans being killed: while Dillon's column was stopped by the +batteries near the river. This state of affairs allowed the whole of +Maitland's force to protect the Springhill redoubt and that part of +the line which was most threatened. The Springhill redoubt, as has +been stated, was occupied by the South Carolina regiment and a corps +of dragoons. This circumstance may account for the fact, that while +the three hundred and fifty Charleston militia occupied a most exposed +position in the attacking column, only one man among them was killed +and but six wounded. The battery on the left of this redoubt was +garrisoned by grenadiers and marines.</p> + +<p>The attacking column now advanced boldly, under the command +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page79" id="page79"></a>[pg 79]</span> +of +D'Estaing and Lincoln, the Americans consisting of six hundred +continental troops and three hundred and fifty Charleston militia, +being on the left, while the centre and right were made up of the +French forces. They were met with so severe and steady a fire that the +head of the column was soon thrown into confusion. They endured this +fire for fifty-five minutes, returning it as best they could, although +many of the men had no opportunity to fire at all. Two American +standards and one French standard, were placed on the British works, +but their bearers were instantly killed. It being found impossible to +carry any part of the works, a general retreat was ordered. Of the six +hundred continental troops, more than one-third had fallen, and about +one-fifth of the French. The Charleston militia had not suffered, +although they had bravely borne their part in the assault, and it had +certainly been no fault of theirs if their brethren behind the +embankments had not fired upon them. Count D'Estaing had received two +wounds, one in the thigh, and being unable to move, was saved by the +young naval lieutenant Truguet. Ramsey gives the losses of the battle +as follows: French soldiers 760; officers 61; Americans 312; total +1133.</p> + +<p>As the army began its retreat, Lieutenant-colonel Maitland with the +grenadiers and marines, who were incorporated with the grenadiers, +charged its rear with the purpose of accomplishing its annihilation. +It was then that there occurred the most brilliant feat of the day, +and one of the bravest ever performed by foreign troops in the +American cause. In the army of D'Estaing was a legion of black and +mulatto freedmen, known as Fontages Legion, commanded by Vicount de +Fontages, a brave and experienced officer. The strength of this legion +is given variously from six hundred to over eight hundred men. This +legion met the fierce charge of Maitland and saved the retreating +army.</p> + +<p>In an official record prepared in Paris, now before me, are these +words: "This legion saved the army at Savannah by bravely covering its +retreat. Among the blacks who rendered signal services at that time +were: Andre, Beauvais, Rigaud, Villatte, Beauregard, Lambert, who +latterly became generals under the convention, including Henri +Christophe, the future king of Haiti." This quotation is taken from a +paper secured by the Honorable Richard Rush, our minister to +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page80" id="page80"></a>[pg 80]</span> +Paris in +1849, and is preserved in the Pennsylvania Historical Society. Henri +Christophe received a dangerous gunshot wound in Savannah. Balch says +in speaking of Fontages at Savannah: "He commanded there a legion of +mulattoes, according to my manuscript, of more than eight hundred men, +and saved the army after the useless assault on the fortifications, by +bravely covering the retreat."</p> + +<p>It was this legion that formed the connecting link between the siege +of Savannah and the wide development of republican liberty on the +Western continent, which followed early in the present century. In +order to show this connection and the sequences, it will be necessary +to sketch in brief the +<ins class="correction" title="Transcriber's Note: The original text reads 'histor'">history</ins> +of this remarkable body of men, +especially that of the prominent individuals who distinguished +themselves at Savannah.</p> + +<p>In 1779 the French colony of Saint Domingo was in a state of peace, +the population then consisting of white slave-holders, mulatto and +black freedmen (affranchis), and slaves. Count D'Estaing received +orders to recruit men from Saint Domingo for the auxiliary army; and +there being no question of color raised, received into the service a +legion of colored freedmen. There had been for years a colored militia +in Saint Domingo, and as early as 1716, the Marquis de Chateau Morant, +then governor of the colony, made one Vincent the Captain-general of +all the colored militia in the vicinity of the Cape. This Captain +Vincent died in 1780 at the reputed age of 120 years. He was certainly +of great age, for he had been in the siege of Carthegenia in 1697, was +taken prisoner, afterwards liberated by exchange and presented to +Louis XIV, and fought in the German war under Villars. Moreau de St. +Mery, in his description of Vincent, incidentally mentions the +Savannah expedition. He says: "I saw him (Vincent) the year preceding +his death, recalling his ancient prowess to the men of color who were +enrolling themselves for the expedition to Savannah; and showing in +his descendants who were among the first to offer themselves, that he +had transmitted his valor. Vincent, the good Captain Vincent, had a +most pleasing countenance; and the contrast of his black skin with his +white hair produced an effect that always commanded respect."</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 450px;"> +<img src="images/image08.png" width="450" height="337" alt="Hutchinson Island." title="" /> +<span class="caption">Hutchinson Island.</span> +</div> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="page81" id="page81"></a>[pg 81]</span></p> + +<p>The Haytian historian, Enclus Robin, says when the call for volunteers +reached Saint Domingo: "eight hundred young freedmen, blacks and +mulattoes, offered themselves to take part in the expedition;" that +they went and "fought valiantly; and returned to Saint Domingo covered +with glory." Madiou, another Haytian historian of the highest +respectability says: "A crowd of young men, black and colored, +enlisted with the French troops and left for the continent. They +covered themselves with glory in the siege of Savannah, under the +orders of Count D'Estaing."</p> + +<p>What effect this experience had upon these volunteers may be inferred +from their subsequent history. Robin says: "These men who contributed +their mite toward American independence, had still their mothers and +sisters in slavery; and they themselves were subject to humiliating +discriminations. Should not France have expected from that very +moment, that they would soon use in their own cause, those very arms +which they had learned so well to use in the interests of others?" +Madiou says: "On their return to Saint Domingo they demanded for their +brothers the enjoyment of political rights." Beauvais went to Europe +and served in the army of France; but returned to fight for liberty in +Hayti, and was Captain-general in 1791; Rigaud, Lambert and Christophe +wrote their names—not in the sand. These are the men who dared to +stir Saint Domingo, under whose +<ins class="correction" title="Transcriber's Note: The original text reads 'infleunce'">influence</ins> +Hayti became the first +country of the New World, after the United States, to throw off +European rule. The connection between the siege of Savannah and the +independence of Hayti is traced, both as to its spirit, and +physically, through the black legion that on that occasion saved the +American army. How this connection is traced to the republics of South +America, I will allow a Haytian statesman and man of letters, honored +both at home and abroad, to relate. I translate from a work published +in Paris in 1885:</p> + +<p>"The illustrious Bolivar, liberator and founder of five republics in +South America, undertook in 1811 his great work of shaking off the +yoke of Spain, and of securing the independence of those immense +countries which swelled the pride of the catholic crown—but failed. +Stripped of all resources he took flight and repaired to Jamaica, +where he implored in vain of the governor of that island, the help of +England. Almost in despair, and without means, he resolved to visit +Hayti, and +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page82" id="page82"></a>[pg 82]</span> +appeal to the generosity of the black Republic for the +help necessary to again undertake that work of liberation which had +gone to pieces in his hands. Never was there a more solemn hour for +any man—and that man the representative of the destiny of South +America! Could he hope for success? After the English, who had every +interest in the destruction of Spanish colonial power, had treated him +with so much indifference, could he hope that a new-born nation, weak, +with microscopic territory, and still guarding anxiously its own +ill-recognized independence, would risk itself in an enterprise +hazardous as the one he represented? Full of doubt he came; but Petion +gave him a most cordial welcome.</p> + +<p>"Taking the precautions that a legitimate sentiment of prudence +dictated at that delicate moment of our national existence, the +government of Port-au-Prince put to the disposition of the hero of +Boyaca and Carabobo, all the elements of which he had need—and +Bolivar needed everything. Men, arms and money were generously given +him. Petion did not wish to act openly for fear of compromising +himself with the Spanish government; it was arranged that the men +should embark secretly as volunteers; and that no mention of Hayti +should ever be made in any official act of Venezuela."</p> + +<p>Bolivar's first expedition with his Haytian volunteers was a failure; +returning to the island he procured reinforcements and made a second +descent which was brilliantly successful. Haytian arms, money and men +turned Bolivar's disasters to victory; and the spirit of Western +liberty marched on to the redemption of South America. The liberation +of Mexico and all Central America, followed as a matter of course; and +the ground was thus cleared for the practical application of that +Continentalism enunciated in the Monroe doctrine.</p> + +<p>The black men of the Antilles who fought in the siege of Savannah, +enjoy unquestionably the proud historical distinction of being the +physical conductors that bore away from our altars the sacred fire of +liberty to rekindle it in their own land; and also of becoming the +humble but important link that served to unite the Two Americas in the +bond of enlightened independence.</p> + +<p class="author">T.G. STEWARD, U.S.A.</p> + +<p>Note:—In the preparation of the above paper I have been greatly +assisted by the Honorable L.J. Janvier, Charge d'affairs +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page83" id="page83"></a>[pg 83]</span> +d' Haiti, in +London; by Right Reverend James Theodore Holly, bishop of Hayti, and +by Messrs. Charles and Frank Rudolph Steward of Harvard University. To +all of these gentlemen my thanks are here expressed. T.G.S.</p> + +<p>Paper read at the session of the Negro Academy, Washington, D.C., +1898.</p> + + +<p><b>B.</b></p> + +<p class="heading">EXTRACTS FROM CHAPTER XVI "NEGRO TROOPS IN THE REBELLION"—WILLIAMS.</p> + +<p>Adjutant-General Thomas in a letter to Senator Wilson, May 30, 1864, +says: "Experience proves that they manage heavy guns very well. Their +fighting qualities have also been fully tested a number of times, and +I am yet to hear of the first case where they did not fully stand up +to their work."</p> + +<p>Major-General James G. Blunt writing of the battle of Honey Springs, +Arkansas, said of Negro troops: "The Negroes (First Colored Regiment) +were too much for the enemy, and let me here say that I never saw such +fighting as was done by that Negro regiment. They fought like +veterans, with a coolness and valor that is unsurpassed. They +preserved their line perfect throughout the whole engagement, and +although in the hottest of the fight, they never once faltered. Too +much praise cannot be awarded them for their gallantry. The question +that Negroes will fight is settled; besides, they make better soldiers +in every respect than any troops I have ever had under my command."</p> + +<p>General Thomas J. Morgan, speaking of the courage of Negro troops in +the battle of Nashville, and its effect upon Major-General George H. +Thomas, says: "Those who fell nearest the enemy's works were colored. +General Thomas spoke very feelingly of the sight which met his eye as +he rode over the field, and he confessed that the Negro had fully +vindicated his bravery, and wiped from his mind the last vestige of +prejudice and doubt."</p> + +<div class="footnotes"><h3>FOOTNOTES:</h3> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_6_6" id="Footnote_6_6"></a><a href="#FNanchor_6_6"><span class="label">[6]</span></a> Confession of Nat Turner, Anglo-African Magazine, Vol. 1, +p. 338, 1859.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_7_7" id="Footnote_7_7"></a><a href="#FNanchor_7_7"><span class="label">[7]</span></a> Ibid.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_8_8" id="Footnote_8_8"></a><a href="#FNanchor_8_8"><span class="label">[8]</span></a> The presentation of this banner by the Moravian Nuns of +Bethlehem forms the text of the poem by Longfellow beginning— +</p> +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">When the dying flame of day<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Through the chancel shot its ray,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Far the glimmering tapers shed<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Faint light on the cowled head;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And the censer burning swung<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Where, before the altar, hung<br /></span> +<span class="i0">The crimson banner, that with prayer<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Had been consecrated there.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And the nuns' sweet hymn was heard the while,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Sung low in the dint, mysterious aisle,<br /></span> +<span class="i2">"Take thy banner! may it wave<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Proudly o'er the good and brave;<br /></span> +<span class="i2">When the battle's distant wail<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Breaks the Sabbath of our vale,<br /></span> +<span class="i2">When the cannon's music thrills<br /></span> +<span class="i2">To the hearts of those lone hills.<br /></span> +<span class="i2">When the spear in conflict shakes,<br /></span> +<span class="i2">And the strong lance shivering breaks.<br /></span> +<hr style='width: 45%;' /><br /> +<span class="i2">"Take thy banner! and if e'er<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Thou should'st press the soldier's bier<br /></span> +<span class="i2">And the muffled drum shall beat<br /></span> +<span class="i2">To the tread of mournful feet,<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Then the crimson flag shall be<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Martial cloak and shroud for thee."<br /></span> +<span class="i0">The warrior took that banner proud,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And it was his martial cloak and shroud.<br /></span> +</div></div> +</div> +</div> + + +<hr /> +<p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page84" id="page84"></a>[pg 84]</span> +</p> + +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_III" id="CHAPTER_III"></a>CHAPTER III.</h2> + +<h3>THE BLACK REGULARS OF THE ARMY OF INVASION IN THE SPANISH-AMERICAN +WAR.</h3> + +<p class="hang">Organization of Negro Regiments in the Regular Army—First +Move in the War—Chickamauga and Tampa—Note.</p> + +<p class="returnTOC"><a href="#Contents">Return to Table of + Contents</a></p> + +<p>Altogether the colored soldiers in the Civil War took part and +sustained casualties in two hundred and fifty-one different +engagements and came out of the prolonged conflict with their +character so well established that up to the present hour they have +been able to hold an important place in the Regular Army of the United +States. No regiment of colored troops in the service was more renowned +at the close of the war or has secured a more advantageous position in +the history of that period than the Fifty-fourth Massachusetts +Regiment of Infantry. Recruited among the free colored people of the +North, many of them coming from Ohio, it was remarkable for the +intelligence and character of its men, and for the high purpose and +noble bearing of its officers. Being granted but half the pay per +month given to white soldiers, the regiment to a man, for eighteen +months refused to receive one cent from the Government. This was a +spectacle that the country could not longer stand. One thousand +volunteers fighting the country's battles without any compensation +rather than submit to a discrimination fatal to their manhood, aroused +such a sentiment that Congress was compelled to put them on the +pay-roll on equal footing with all other soldiers. By them the +question of the black soldier's pay and rations was settled in the +Army of the United States +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page85" id="page85"></a>[pg 85]</span> +for all time. Every soldier, indeed every +man in the army, except the chaplain, now draws the pay of his grade +without regard to color, hair or race. By the time these lines reach +the public eye it is to be hoped that even the chaplain will be lifted +from his exceptional position and given the pay belonging to his rank +as captain.</p> + +<p>(February 2, 1901, the bill became a law giving chaplains the full pay +of their grade.)</p> + +<p>More than 185,000 blacks, all told, served in the army of the Union +during the War of the Rebellion, and the losses from their ranks of +men killed in battle were as heavy as from the white troops. Their +bravery was everywhere recognized, and in the short time in which they +were employed, several rose to commissions.</p> + +<p>Perhaps the most notable act performed by a colored American during +the war was the capture and delivery to the United States forces of +the rebel steamer Planter, by Robert Smalls, of Charleston. Smalls was +employed as pilot on the Planter, a rebel transport, and was entirely +familiar with the harbors and inlets, of which there are many, on the +South Atlantic coast. On May 13, 1862, the Planter came to her wharf +in Charleston, and at night all the white officers went ashore, +leaving a colored crew of eight men on board in charge of Smalls. +Smalls hastily got his wife and three children on board, and at 2 +o'clock on the morning of the 14th steamed out into the harbor, +passing the Confederate forts by giving the proper signals, and when +fairly out of reach, as daylight came, he ran up the Stars and Stripes +and headed his course directly toward the Union fleet, into whose +hands he soon surrendered himself and his ship. The act caused much +favorable comment and Robert Smalls became quite a hero. His +subsequent career has been in keeping with the high promise indicated +by this bold dash for +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page86" id="page86"></a>[pg 86]</span> +liberty, and his name has received additional +lustre from gallant services performed in the war after, and in +positions of distinguished honor and responsibility in civil life. The +Planter, after being accepted by the United States, became a despatch +boat, and Smalls demonstrating by skill and bravery his fitness for +the position, was finally, as an act of imperative justice, made her +commander.</p> + +<p>With the close of the Revolutionary War the prejudice against a +standing army was so great that the army was reduced to scarce six +hundred men, and the Negro as a soldier dropped out of existence. When +the War of 1812 closed sentiment with regard to the army had made but +little advancement, and consequently no place in the service was left +for Negro soldiers. In the navy the Negro still lingered, doing +service in the lower grades, and keeping up the succession from the +black heroes of '76 and 1812. When the War of the Rebellion closed the +country had advanced so far as to see both the necessity of a standing +army, and the fitness of the Negro to form a part of the army; and +from this position it has never receded, and if the lessons of the +Cuban campaign are rightly heeded, it is not likely to recede +therefrom. The value of the Regular Army and of the Black Regular were +both proven to an absolute demonstration in that thin line of blue +that compelled the surrender of Santiago.</p> + +<p>In July, 1866, Congress passed an act adding eight new regiments of +infantry and four of calvary to the nineteen regiments of infantry and +six of calvary of which those arms of the Regular Army were at that +time composed, thus making the permanent establishment to consist of +five regiments of artillery, twenty-seven of infantry, and ten of +cavalry. Of the eight new infantry regiments to be formed, four were +to be composed of colored men; and of the four proposed for the +calvary arm, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page87" id="page87"></a>[pg 87]</span> +two were to be of colored men. The President was +empowered by the act also to appoint a chaplain for each of the six +regiments of colored troops. Under this law the Ninth and Tenth +Cavalry Regiments were organized.</p> + +<p>In 1869 the infantry suffered further reduction, and the four colored +regiments organized under the law of 1866, numbered respectively the +38th, 39th, 40th and 41st, were consolidated into two regiments, and +numbered the 24th and 25th—the 38th and 41st becoming the former, and +the 39th and 40th the latter. Previous to this consolidation the +numbers between the old 19th and the 38th, which was the lowest number +borne by the new colored regiments, were filled in by dividing the old +three batallion regiments in the service, and making of the second and +third batallions of these regiments new regiments. The whole infantry +arm, by the law of 1869, was compressed into twenty-five regiments, +and in that condition the army remains to the present, to wit:<a name="FNanchor_9_9" id="FNanchor_9_9"></a><a href="#Footnote_9_9" class="fnanchor">[9]</a> Ten +regiments of cavalry, five of artillery and twenty-five of infantry.</p> + +<p>The number of men in a company and the number of companies in a +regiment have varied greatly within the past few months. Just previous +to the breaking out of the war a regiment of infantry consisted of +eight companies of about sixty men each, and two skeletonized +companies and the band—the whole organization carrying about five +hundred men; now a regiment of infantry consists of twelve companies +of 106 men each and with the non-commissioned staff numbers twelve +hundred and seventy-four men.</p> + +<p>Since 1869, or for a period of thirty years, the colored American has +been represented in the Regular Army by these four regiments and +during this time these regiments have borne +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page88" id="page88"></a>[pg 88]</span> +more than their +proportionate share in hard frontier service, including all sorts of +Indian campaigning and much severe guard and fatigue duty. The men +have conducted themselves so worthily as to receive from the highest +military authority the credit of being among our best troops. General +Miles and General Merritt,<a name="FNanchor_10_10" id="FNanchor_10_10"></a><a href="#Footnote_10_10" class="fnanchor">[10]</a> with others who were active leaders in +the Indian wars of the West, have been unstinting in their praise of +the valor and skill of colored soldiers. They proved themselves not +only good individual fighters, but in some instances non-commissioned +officers exhibited marked coolness and ability in command.<a name="FNanchor_11_11" id="FNanchor_11_11"></a><a href="#Footnote_11_11" class="fnanchor">[11]</a></p> + +<p>From 1869 to the beginning of the Hispano-American War there were in +the Regular Army at some time, as commissioned officers, the following +colored men, all from West Point, all serving with the cavalry, and +none rising higher than first-lieutenant, viz: John H. Alexander, H.O. +Flipper and Charles Young. H.O. Flipper was dismissed; Alexander died, +and Young became major in the volunteer service, and was placed in +command of the Ninth Battalion of Ohio Volunteers, discharging the +duties of his position in such a manner as to command general +satisfaction from his superior officers.<a name="FNanchor_12_12" id="FNanchor_12_12"></a><a href="#Footnote_12_12" class="fnanchor">[12]</a></p><p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page89" id="page89"></a>[pg 89]</span> +</p> + +<p>These colored men while cadets at West Point endured hardships +disgraceful to their country, and when entering the army were not +given that cordial welcome by their brother officers, becoming an +"officer and gentleman," both to give and to receive. Of course there +were some noble exceptions, and this class of officers seems to be +steadily increasing, so that now it is no longer necessary, even on +the ground of expediency, to strive to adhere to the rule of only +white men for army officers. Of Alexander and Young it can be said +they have acquitted themselves well, the former enjoying the +confidence and esteem of his associates up to the time of his early +death—an event which caused deep regret—and the latter so impressing +the Governor of his State and the President as to secure for himself +the responsible position which he, at the time of this writing, so +worthily fills. Besides these line officers, five colored chaplains +have been appointed, all of whom have served successfully, one, +however, being dismissed by court-martial after many years of really +meritorious service, an event to be regretted, but by no means without +parallel.</p> + +<p>Brief sketches of the history of these four colored regiments, as well +as of the others, have been recently made by members of them and +published in the Journal of the Military Service Institution and +subsequently in a large and beautiful volume edited by +Brigadier-General Theo. F. Rodenbough and Major William L. Haskin, +published by the Institution and designated "The Army of the United +States," a most valuable book of reference. From the sketches +contained therein the following summary is given.</p> + +<p>The Twenty-fourth Infantry was organized, as we have seen, from the +38th and 41st Regiments, these two regiments being at the time +distributed in New Mexico, Louisiana and Texas, and the regiment +remained in Texas from the time of its organization in 1869 until +1880. Its first Lieutenant-Colonel was +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page90" id="page90"></a>[pg 90]</span> + William R. Shafter. It was +from this regiment and the Tenth Cavalry that the escort of Paymaster +Wham was selected which made so brave a stand against a band of +robbers that attacked the paymaster that several of them were given +medals for distinguished gallantry, and others certificates of merit. +The Twenty-fifth Infantry was organized in New Orleans out of the +39th, that was brought from North Carolina for that purpose, and the +40th, that was then in Louisiana. It was organized during the month of +April, 1869, and early in 1870 moved to Texas, where it remained ten +years. In 1880 it moved to the Department of Dakota and remained in +the Northwest until it took the road for the Cuban war.</p> + +<p>The Ninth Cavalry was organized in New Orleans during the winter of +1866-67. Its first Colonel was Edward Hatch and its first +Lieutenant-Colonel Wesley Merritt. From 1867 to 1890 it was in almost +constant Indian warfare, distinguishing itself by daring and +hardihood. From 1890 to the opening of the Cuban war it remained in +Utah and Nebraska, engaging in but one important campaign, that +against hostile Sioux during the winter of 1890-91, in which, says the +historian: "The regiment was the first in the field, in November, and +the last to leave, late in the following March, after spending the +winter, the latter part of which was terrible in its severity, under +canvas."</p> + +<p>The Tenth Calvary was organized under the same law as was the Ninth, +and at the same time. Its place of rendezvous was Fort Leavenworth, +Kansas, and its first Colonel, Benjamin H. Grierson. This regiment was +the backbone of the Geronimo campaign force, and it finally succeeded +in the capture of that wily warrior. The regiment remained in the +Southwest until 1893, when it moved to Montana, and remained there +until ordered to Chickamauga for the war.</p><p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page91" id="page91"></a>[pg 91]</span> +</p> + +<p>These four regiments were finely officered, well drilled and well +experienced in camp and field, particularly the cavalry regiments, and +it was of them that General Merritt said: "I have always found them +brave in battle." With such training and experience they were well +fitted to take their place in that selected host of fighting men which +afterwards became the Fifth Army Corps, placed under command of +Major-General William R. Shafter, the first Lieutenant-Colonel of the +Twenty-fourth Infantry.</p> + +<p>When the news of the blowing up of our great battleship Maine, in the +harbor of Havana, with the almost total loss of her crew, flashed over +the country, carrying sadness to hundreds of homes, and arousing +feelings of deepest indignation whether justly or unjustly, it was +easy to predict that we should soon be involved in war with Spain. The +Cuban question, already chronic, had by speeches of Senators Thurston +and Proctor been brought to such a stage of aggravation that it needed +only an incident to set the war element in motion. That incident was +furnished by the destruction of the Maine. Thenceforth there was no +power in the land sufficient to curb the rapidly swelling tide of +popular hate, which manifested itself in the un-Christian but truly +significant mottoes: "Remember the Maine," "Avenge the Maine," and "To +hell with Spain." These were the outbreathings of popular fury, and +they represented a spirit quite like that of the mob, which was not to +be yielded to implicitly, but which could not be directly opposed.</p> + +<p>The President did all in his power to stay this element of our +population and to lead the country to a more befitting attitude. He +and his advisers argued that Spain was to be resisted, and fought if +necessary, not on account of the Maine, not in the spirit of revenge, +but in the interest of humanity, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page92" id="page92"></a>[pg 92]</span> +and upon principles sanctioned even +by our holy religion. On behalf of the starving reconcentrados, and in +aid of the noble Cuban patriot, we might justly arm and equip +ourselves for the purpose of driving Spanish rule from the Western +Hemisphere.</p> + +<p>This view appealed to all lovers of freedom, to all true patriots, and +to the Christian and philanthropist. It also afforded a superb +opportunity for the old leaders in the South, who were not entirely +relieved from the taint of secession, to come out and reconsecrate +themselves to the country and her flag. Hence, Southern statesmen, who +were utterly opposed to Negroes or colored men having any share in +ruling at home, became very enthusiastic over the aspirations of the +colored Cuban patriots and soldiers. The supporters, followers, and in +a sense, devotees of Maceo and Gomez, were worthy of our aid. The same +men, actuated by the same principles, in the Carolinas, in Louisiana +or in Mississippi, would have been pronounced by the same authorities +worthy of death.</p> + +<p>The nation was, however, led into war simply to liberate Cuba from the +iniquitous and cruel yoke of Spain, and to save thousands of +impoverished Cubans from death by starvation. Great care was taken not +to recognize the Cuban government in any form, and it seemed to be +understood that we were to do the fighting both with our navy and our +army, the Cubans being invited to co-operate with us, rather than that +we should co-operate with them. We were to be the liberators and +saviors of a people crushed to the very gates of death. Such was the +platform upon which our nation stood before the world when the first +orders went forth for the mobilization of its forces for war. It was a +position worthy our history and character and gave to our national +flag a prouder meaning than ever. Its character as the emblem of +freedom shone out with awe-inspiring brilliancy amid the concourse of +nations.</p><p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page93" id="page93"></a>[pg 93]</span> +</p> + +<p>While there was such a clamor for war in the newspapers and in the +public speeches of statesmen, both in and out of Congress, it is +remarkable that the utmost serenity prevailed in the army. Officers +and men were ready to fight if the stern necessity came, but they were +not so eager for the death-game as were the numerous editors' whose +papers were getting out extras every half-hour. It was argued by the +officers of rank that the Maine incident added nothing whatever to the +Cuban question; that it did not involve the Spanish Government; that +the whole subject might well be left to arbitration, and full respect +should be given to Spain's disclaimer. It was also held that to rush +into a war in order to prevent a few people from starving, might not +relieve them, and at the same time would certainly cost the lives of +many innocent men. Spain was revising her policy, and the benevolence +of the United States would soon bring bread to the door of every needy +Cuban. Such remarks and arguments as these were used by men who had +fought through one war and were ready to fight, through another if +they must; but who were willing to go to any reasonable length to +prevent it; and yet the men who used such arguments beforehand and +manifested such a shrinking from carnage, are among those to whom the +short Spanish War brought distinction and promotion. To their honor be +it said that the war which gave them fresh laurels was in no sense +brought about through their instigation.</p> + +<p>As chaplain of the Twenty-fifth Infantry, stationed with the +headquarters of the regiment at Fort Missoula, where we had been for +ten years, the call for the war met me in the midst of my preparations +for Easter service. One young man, then Private Thomas C. Butler, who +was practicing a difficult solo for the occasion, before the year +closed became a Second Lieutenant, having distinguished himself in +battle; the janitor, who +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page94" id="page94"></a>[pg 94]</span> +cared for my singing books, and who was my +chief school teacher, Private French Payne, always polite and +everywhere efficient, met his death from a Spanish bullet while on the +reserve before bloody El Caney.</p> + +<p>It was on a bright day during the latter part of March and near the +close of the day as I was looking out of the front window of my +quarters that I saw the trumpeter of the guard come out of the +Adjutant's office with a dispatch in his hand and start on a brisk run +toward the quarters of the Commanding Officer. I immediately divined +what was in the wind, but kept quiet. In a few minutes "officers' +call" was sounded, and all the officers of the post hastened to the +administration building to learn the news.</p> + +<p>When all were assembled the Commanding Officer desired to know of each +company officer how much time he would need to have his company ready +to move from the post to go to a +<ins class="correction" title="Transcriber's Note: The original text reads 'pemanet'">permanent</ins> +station elsewhere, and from +all officers how much time they would require to have their families +ready to quit the station. The answers generally were that all could +be ready within a week. It was finally agreed, however, to ask for ten +days.</p> + +<p>Immediately the work of preparation began, although none knew where +the regiment was to go. At this time the order, so far as it was +understood at the garrison, was, that two companies were to go to Key +West, Florida, and the other companies of the regiment to Dry +Tortugas. One officer, Lieutenant V.A. Caldell, early saw through the +haze and said: "It means that we will all eventually land in Cuba." +While we were packing, rumors flew through the garrison, as indeed +through the country, thick and fast, and our destination was changed +three or four times a day. One hour we would be going to Key West, the +next to St. Augustine, the next to Tortugas. In this confusion I asked +an old frontier officer where +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page95" id="page95"></a>[pg 95]</span> +he thought we would really go. +Regarding himself as an indicator and always capable of seeing the +amusing side of a subject, he replied: "I p'int toward Texas." Such +was the state of uncertainty as to destination, and yet all the time +the greatest activity prevailed in making ready for departure. Finally +definite orders came that we were to store our furniture in the large +gymnasium hall at the post and prepare to go in camp at Chickamauga +Park, Georgia.</p> + +<p>Our regiment was at the time stationed as follows: Headquarters, four +companies and the band at Fort Missoula; two companies at Fort +Harrison, near Helena, and two companies at Fort Assinniboine, all in +Montana. The arrangements contemplated moving the regiment in two +sections, one composed of the Missoula troops to go over the Northern +Pacific Railroad, the other of the Fort Harrison and Fort Assinniboine +troops to go over the Great Northern Railroad, all to arrive in St. +Paul about the same time.</p> + +<p>On the 10th of April, Easter Sunday, the battalion at Fort Missoula +marched out of post quite early in the morning, and at Bitter Root +Station took the cars for their long journey. Officers and men were +all furnished sleeping accommodations on the train. Arriving in the +city of Missoula, for the gratification of the citizens and perhaps to +avoid strain on the bridge crossing the Missoula River, the men were +disembarked from the train and marched through the principal streets +to the depot, the citizens generally turning out to see them off. Many +were the compliments paid officers and men by the good people of +Missoula, none perhaps more pleasing than that furnished by a written +testimonial to the regret experienced at the departure of the +regiment, signed by all the ministers of the city.</p> + +<p>As the Twenty-fifth was the first regiment to move in the +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page96" id="page96"></a>[pg 96]</span> +preparation +for war, its progress from Montana to Chickamauga was a marked event, +attracting the attention of both the daily and illustrated press. All +along the route they were greeted with enthusiastic crowds, who fully +believed the war with Spain had begun. In St. Paul, in Chicago, in +Terre Haute, in Nashville, and in Chattanooga the crowds assembled to +greet the black regulars who were first to bear forward the Starry +Banner of Union and Freedom against a foreign foe. What could be more +significant, or more fitting, than that these black soldiers, drilled +up to the highest standard of modern warfare, cool, brave and +confident, themselves a proof of American liberty, should be called +first to the front in a war against oppression? Their martial tread +and fearless bearing proclaimed what the better genius of our great +government meant for all men dwelling beneath the protection of its +honored flag.</p> + +<p>As the Twenty-fifth Infantry was the first regiment to leave its +station, so six companies of it were first to go into camp on the +historic grounds of Chickamauga. Two companies were separated from the +regiment at Chattanooga and forwarded to Key West where they took +station under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel A.S. Daggett. The +remaining six companies, under command of Colonel A.S. Burt, were +conducted by General Boynton to a choice spot on the grounds, where +they pitched camp, their tents being the first erected in that +mobilization of troops which preceded the Cuban invasion, and theirs +being really the first camp of the war.</p> + +<p>Soon came the Ninth Cavalry, the Tenth Cavalry and the Twenty-fourth +Infantry. While these were assembling there arrived on the ground also +many white regiments, cavalry, artillery and infantry, and it was +pleasing to see the fraternity that prevailed among black and white +regulars. This was especially +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page97" id="page97"></a>[pg 97]</span> +noticeable between the Twenty-fifth and +Twelfth. In brigading the regiments no attention whatever was paid to +the race or color of the men. The black infantry regiments were placed +in two brigades, and the black cavalry likewise, and they can be +followed through the fortunes of the war in the official records by +their regimental numbers. During their stay in Chickamauga, and at Key +West and Tampa, the Southern newspapers indulged in considerable +malicious abuse of colored soldiers, and some people of this section +made complaints of their conduct, but the previous good character of +the regiments and the violent tone of the accusations, taken together +with the well-known prejudices of the Southern people, prevented their +complaints from having very great weight. The black soldiers held +their place in the army chosen for the invasion of Cuba, and for that +purpose were soon ordered to assemble in Tampa.</p> + +<p>From the 10th of April, when the war movement began with the march of +the Twenty-fifth Infantry out of its Montana stations, until June +14th, when the Army of Invasion cleared Tampa for Cuba—not quite two +months—the whole energy of the War Department had been employed in +preparing the army for the work before it. The beginning of the war is +officially given as April 21st, from which time onward it was declared +a state of war existed between Spain and the United States, but +warlike movements on our side were begun fully ten days earlier, and +begun with a grim definiteness that presaged much more than a practice +march or spring manœuver.</p> + +<p>After arriving at Chickamauga all heavy baggage was shipped away for +storage, and all officers and men were required to reduce their field +equipage to the minimum; the object being to have the least possible +amount of luggage, in order that the greatest possible amount of +fighting material might be carried. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page98" id="page98"></a>[pg 98]</span> + Even with all this preparation +going on some officers were indulging the hope that the troops might +remain in camps, perfecting themselves in drill, until September, or +October, before they should be called upon to embark for Cuba. This, +however, was not to be, and it is perhaps well that it was not, as the +suffering and mortality in the home camps were almost equal to that +endured by the troops in Cuba. The suffering at home, also, seemed +more disheartening, because it appeared to be useless, and could not +be charged to any important changes in conditions or climate. It was +perhaps in the interest of humanity that this war, waged for +humanity's sake, should have been pushed forward from its first step +to its last, with the greatest possible dispatch, and that just enough +men on our side were sent to the front, and no more. It is still a +good saying that all is well that ends well.</p> + +<p>The Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park, the place +where our troops assembled on their march to Cuba, beautiful by +nature, especially in the full season of spring when the black +soldiers arrived there, and adorned also by art, has, next to +Gettysburg, the most prominent place among the historic battle-fields +of the Civil War. As a park it was established by an act of Congress +approved August 19, 1890, and contains seven thousand acres of rolling +land, partly cleared and partly covered with oak and pine timber. +Beautiful broad roads wind their way to all parts of the ground, along +which are placed large tablets recording the events of those dreadful +days in the autumn of 1863, when Americans faced Americans in bloody, +determined strife. Monuments, judiciously placed, speak with a mute +eloquence to the passer-by and tell of the valor displayed by some +regiment or battery, or point to the spot where some lofty hero gave +up his life. The whole park is a monument, however, and its definite +purpose is to preserve +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page99" id="page99"></a>[pg 99]</span> +and suitably mark "for historical and +professional military study the fields of some of the most remarkable +manœuvres and most brilliant fighting in the War of the Rebellion." +The battles commemorated by this great park are those of Chickamauga, +fought on September 19-20, and the battles around Chattanooga, +November 23-25, 1863. The battle of Chickamauga was fought by the Army +of the Cumberland, commanded by Major-General W.S. Rosecrans, on the +Union side, and the Army of Tennessee, commanded by General Braxton +Bragg, on the side of the Confederates. The total effective strength +of the Union forces in this battle was little less than 60,000 men, +that of the Confederates about 70,000. The total Union loss was 16,179 +men, a number about equal to the army led by Shatter against Santiago. +Of the number reported as lost, 1,656 were killed, or as many as were +lost in killed, wounded and missing in the Cuban campaign. The +Confederate losses were 17,804, 2,389 being killed, making on both +sides a total killed of 4,045, equivalent to the entire voting +population of a city of over twenty thousand inhabitants. General +Grant, who commanded the Union forces in the battles around +Chattanooga, thus sums up the results: "In this battle the Union army +numbered in round figures about 60,000 men; we lost 752 killed, 4,713 +wounded and 350 captured or missing. The rebel loss was much greater +in the aggregate, as we captured and sent North to be rationed there +over 6,100 prisoners. Forty pieces of artillery, over seven thousand +stand of small arms, many caissons, artillery wagons and baggage +wagons fell into our hands. The probabilities are that our loss in +killed was the heavier as we were the attacking party. The enemy +reported his loss in killed at 361, but as he reported his missing at +4,146, while we held over 6,000 of them as prisoners, and there must +have been hundreds, if not thousands, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page100" id="page100"></a>[pg 100]</span> +who deserted, but little +reliance can be placed upon this report."</p> + +<p>In the battle of Chickamauga, when "four-fifths of the Union Army had +crumbled into wild confusion," and Rosecrans was intent only on saving +the fragments, General Thomas, who had commanded the Federal left +during the two days' conflict, and had borne the brunt of the fight, +still held his position. To him General James A. Garfield reported. +General Gordon Granger, without orders, brought up the reserves, and +Thomas, replacing his lines, held the ground until nightfall, when he +was joined by Sheridan. Bragg won and held the field, but Thomas +effectually blocked his way to Chattanooga, securing to himself +immediately the title of the "Rock of Chickamauga." His wonderful +resolution stayed the tide of a victory dearly bought and actually +won, and prevented the victors from grasping the object for which they +had fought. In honor of this +<ins class="correction" title="Transcriber's Note: The original text reads 'stubbborn'">stubborn</ins> +valor, and in recognition of +this high expression of American tenacity, the camp established in +Chickamauga Park by the assembling army was called Camp George H. +Thomas.</p> + +<p>The stay of the colored regulars at Camp George H. Thomas was short, +but it was long enough for certain newspapers of Chattanooga to give +expression to their dislike to negro troops in general and to those in +their proximity especially. The Washington Post, also, ever faithful +to its unsavory trust, lent its influence to this work of defamation. +The leading papers, however, both of Chattanooga and the South +generally, spoke out in rather conciliatory and patronizing tones, and +"sought to restrain the people of their section from compromising +their brilliant display of patriotism by contemptuous flings at the +nation's true and tried soldiers.</p> + +<p>The 24th Infantry and the 9th Cavalry soon left for Tampa, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page101" id="page101"></a>[pg 101]</span> + Florida, +whither they were followed by the 10th Cavalry and the 25th Infantry, +thus bringing the entire colored element of the army together to +prepare for embarkation. The work done at Tampa is thus described +officially by Lieutenant-Colonel Daggett in general orders addressed +to the 25th Infantry, which he at that time commanded. On August 11th, +with headquarters near Santiago, after the great battles had been +fought and won, he thus reviewed the work of the regiment: "Gathered +from three different stations, many of you strangers to each other, +you assembled as a regiment for the first time in more than +twenty-eight years, on May 7, 1898, at Tampa, Florida. There you +endeavored to solidify and prepare yourselves, as far as the +oppressive weather would permit, for the work that appeared to be +before you." What is here said of the 25th might have been said with +equal propriety of all the regular troops assembled at Tampa.</p> + +<p>In the meantime events were ripening with great rapidity. The historic +"first gun" had been fired, and the United States made the first naval +capture of the war on April 22, the coast trader Buena Ventura having +surrendered to the American gunboat Nashville. On the same day the +blockade of Cuban ports was declared and on the day following a call +was issued for 125,000 volunteers. On May 20th the news that a Spanish +fleet under command of Admiral Cervera had arrived at Santiago was +officially confirmed, and a speedy movement to Cuba was determined +upon.</p> + +<p>Almost the entire Regular Army with several volunteer regiments were +organized into an Army of Invasion and placed under the command of +Major-General W.R. Shafter with orders to prepare immediately for +embarkation, and on the 7th and 10th of June this army went on board +the transports. For seven days the troops lay cooped up on the vessels +awaiting +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page102" id="page102"></a>[pg 102]</span> +orders to sail, a rumor having gained circulation that +certain Spanish gunboats were hovering around in Cuban waters awaiting +to swoop down upon the crowded transports. While the Army of Invasion +was sweltering in the ships lying at anchor off Port Tampa, a small +body of American marines made a landing at Guantanamo, and on June +12th fought the first battle between Americans and Spaniards on Cuban +soil. In this first battle four Americans were killed. The next day, +June 13th, General Shafter's army containing the four colored +regiments, excepting those left behind to guard property, sailed for +Cuba.<a name="FNanchor_13_13" id="FNanchor_13_13"></a><a href="#Footnote_13_13" class="fnanchor">[13]</a></p> + +<p>The whole number of men and officers in the expedition, including +those that came on transports from Mobile, amounted to about seventeen +thousand men, loaded on twenty-seven transports. The colored regiments +were assigned to brigades as follows: The Ninth Cavalry was joined +with the Third and Sixth Cavalry and placed under command of Colonel +Carrol; the Tenth Cavalry was joined with the Rough Riders and First +Regular Cavalry and fell under the command of General Young; the +Twenty-fourth Infantry was joined with the Ninth and Thirteenth +Infantry and the brigade placed under command of Colonel Worth and +assigned to the division commanded by General Kent, who, until his +promotion as Brigadier-General of Volunteers, had been Colonel of the +Twenty-fourth; the Twenty-fifth Infantry was joined with the First and +Fourth Infantry and the brigade placed under command of Colonel Evans +Miles, who had formerly been Major of the Twenty-fifth. All of the +colored regiments were thus happily placed so that they should be in +pleasant soldierly competition +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page103" id="page103"></a>[pg 103]</span> +with the very best troops the country +ever put in the field, and this arrangement at the start proves how +strongly the black regular had entrenched himself in the confidence of +our great commanders.</p> + +<p>Thus sailed from Port Tampa the major part of our little army of +trained and seasoned soldiers, representative of the skill and daring +of the nation.<a name="FNanchor_14_14" id="FNanchor_14_14"></a><a href="#Footnote_14_14" class="fnanchor">[14]</a> In physique, almost every man was an athlete, and +while but few had seen actual war beyond an occasional skirmish with +Indians, all excepting the few volunteers, had passed through a long +process of training in the various details of marching, camping and +fighting in their annual exercises in minor tactics. For the first +time in history the nation is going abroad, by its army, to occupy the +territory of a foreign foe, in a contest with a trans-Atlantic power. +The unsuccessful invasions of Canada during the Revolutionary War and +the War of 1812 can hardly be brought in comparison with this movement +over sea. The departure of Decatur with his nine ships of war to the +Barbary States had in view only the establishment of proper civil +relations between those petty, half-civilized countries and the United +States. The sailing of General Shafter's army was only one movement in +a comprehensive war against the Kingdom of Spain. More than a month +earlier Commodore Dewey, acting under orders, had destroyed a fleet of +eleven war ships in the Philippines. The purpose of the war was to +relieve the Cubans from an inhumane warfare with their mother country, +and to restore to that unhappy island a stable government in harmony +with the ideas of liberty and justice.</p> + +<p>Up to the breaking out of the Spanish War the American policy with +respect to Europe had been one of isolation. Some efforts had been +made to consolidate the sentiment of the Western +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page104" id="page104"></a>[pg 104]</span> +world, but it had +never been successful. The fraternity of the American Republics and +the attempted construction of a Pan-American policy had been thus far +unfulfilled dreams. Canada was much nearer to the United States, +geographically and socially, than even Mexico, although the latter is +a republic. England, in Europe, was nearer than Brazil. The day came +in 1898, when the United States could no longer remain in political +seclusion nor bury herself in an impossible federation. Washington's +advice against becoming involved in European affairs, as well as the +direct corrollary of the Monroe Doctrine, were to be laid aside and +the United States was to speak out to the world. The business of a +European nation had become our business; in the face of all the world +we resolved to invade her territory in the interest of humanity; to +face about upon our own traditions and dare the opinions and arms of +the trans-Atlantic world by openly launching upon the new policy of +armed intervention in another's quarrel.</p> + +<p>While the troops were mobilizing at Tampa preparatory to embarking for +Cuba the question came up as to why there were no colored men in the +artillery arm of the service, and the answer given by a Regular Army +officer was, that the Negro had not brains enough for the management +of heavy guns. It was a trifling assertion, of course, but at this +period of the Negro's history it must not be allowed to pass +unnoticed. We know that white men of all races and nationalities can +serve big guns, and if the Negro cannot, it must be because of some +marked difference between him and them. The officer said it was a +difference in "brains," i.e., a mental difference. Just how the +problem of aiming and firing a big gun differs from that of aiming and +firing small arms is not so easily explained. In both, the questions +of velocity, gravitation, wind and resistance are to be considered and +these are largely settled by mechanism, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page105" id="page105"></a>[pg 105]</span> +the adjustment of which is +readily learned; hence the assumption that a Negro cannot learn it is +purely gratuitous. Several of the best rifle shots known on this +continent are Negroes; and it was a Negro who summerized the whole +philosophy of rifle shooting in the statement that it all consists in +knowing <i>where</i> to aim, and <i>how</i> to pull—in knowing just what value +to assign to gravitation, drift of the bullet and force of the wind, +and then in being able to pull the trigger of the piece without +disturbing the aim thus judiciously determined. This includes all +there is in the final science and art of firing a rifle. If the Negro +can thus master the revolver, the carbine and the rifle, why may he +not master the field piece or siege gun?</p> + +<p>But an ounce of fact in such things is worth more than many volumes of +idle speculation, and it is remarkable that facts so recent, so +numerous, and so near at hand, should escape the notice of those who +question the Negro's ability to serve the artillery organizations. +Negro artillery, both light and heavy, fought in fifteen battles in +the Civil War with average effectiveness; and some of those who fought +against them must either admit the value of the Negro artilleryman or +acknowledge their own inefficiency. General Fitz-Hugh Lee failed to +capture a Negro battery after making most vigorous attempts to that +end. This attempt to raise a doubt as to the Negro's ability to serve +in the artillery arm is akin to, and less excusable, than that other +groundless assertion, that Negro officers cannot command troops, an +assertion which in this country amounts to saying that the United +States cannot command its army. Both of these assertions have been +emphatically answered in fact, the former as shown above, and the +latter as will be shown later in this volume. These assertions are +only temporary covers, behind which discomfitted and retreating + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page106" id="page106"></a>[pg 106]</span> +prejudice is able to make a brief stand, while the black hero of five +hundred battle-fields, marches proudly by, disdaining to lower his gun +to fire a shot on a foe so unworthy. When the Second Massachusetts +Volunteers sent up their hearty cheers of welcome to the gallant old +Twenty-fifth, as that solid column fresh from El Caney swung past its +camp, I remarked to Sergeant Harris, of the Twenty-fifth: "Those men +think you are soldiers." "They know we are soldiers," was his reply. +When the people of this country, like the members of that +Massachusetts regiment, come to know that its black men in uniform are +soldiers, plain soldiers, with the same interests and feelings as +other soldiers, of as much value to the government and entitled from +it to the same attention and rewards, then a great step toward the +solution of the prodigious problem now confronting us will have been +taken.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<blockquote><p>Note.—"I had often heard that the physique of the men of +our regular army was very remarkable, but the first time I +saw any large body of them, which was at Tampa, they +surpassed my highest expectations. It is not, however, to be +wondered at that, for every recruit who is accepted, on the +average thirty-four are rejected, and that, of course, the +men who present themselves to the recruiting officer already +represent a physical 'elite'; but it was very pleasant to +see and be assured, as I was at Tampa, by the evidences of +my own eyes and the tape measure, that there is not a guard +regiment of either the Russian, German or English army, of +whose remarkable physique we have heard so much, that can +compare physically, not with the best of our men, but simply +with the average of the men of our regular army."—Bonsal.</p></blockquote> + +<div class="footnotes"><h3>FOOTNOTES:</h3> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_9_9" id="Footnote_9_9"></a><a href="#FNanchor_9_9"><span class="label">[9]</span></a> The army has been reorganized since. See Register.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_10_10" id="Footnote_10_10"></a><a href="#FNanchor_10_10"><span class="label">[10]</span></a> "My experience in this direction since the war is beyond +that of any officer of my rank in the army. For ten years I had the +honor of being lieutenant-colonel of the Ninth Cavalry, and during +most of that service I commanded garrisons composed in part of the +Ninth Cavalry and other organizations of cavalry and infantry. I have +always found the colored race represented in the army obedient, +intelligent and zealous in the discharge of duty, brave in battle, +easily disciplined, and most efficient in the care of their horses, +arms and equipments. The non-commissioned officers have habitually +shown the qualities for control in their position which marked them as +faithful and sensible in the discharge of their duties. I take +pleasure in bearing witness as above in the interest of the race you +represent." WESLEY MERRITT.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_11_11" id="Footnote_11_11"></a><a href="#FNanchor_11_11"><span class="label">[11]</span></a> See chapter on Colored Officers.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_12_12" id="Footnote_12_12"></a><a href="#FNanchor_12_12"><span class="label">[12]</span></a> Young is now captain in the Ninth Cavalry.—T.G.S.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_13_13" id="Footnote_13_13"></a><a href="#FNanchor_13_13"><span class="label">[13]</span></a> The colored regulars were embarked on the following +named ships: The 9th Cavalry on the Miami, in company with the 6th +Infantry; the 10th Cavalry on the Leona, in company with the 1st +Cavalry; the 24th Infantry on the City of Washington, in company with +one battalion of the 21st Infantry; the 25th infantry on board the +Concho, in company with the 4th Infantry.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_14_14" id="Footnote_14_14"></a><a href="#FNanchor_14_14"><span class="label">[14]</span></a> See Note, at the close of this chapter.</p></div> +</div> + + +<hr /> +<p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page107" id="page107"></a>[pg 107]</span> +</p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_IV" id="CHAPTER_IV"></a>CHAPTER IV.</h2> + +<h3>BRIEF SKETCH OF SPANISH HISTORY.</h3> + +<p class="returnTOC"><a href="#Contents">Return to Table of + Contents</a></p> + +<p>The following brief sketch of Spain, its era of greatness, the causes +leading thereto, and the reasons for its rapid decline, will be of +interest to the reader at this point in the narrative, as it will +bring into view the other side of the impending conflict:</p> + +<p>Spain, the first in rank among the second-rate powers of Europe, by +reason of her possessions in the West Indies, especially Cuba, may be +regarded as quite a near neighbor, and because of her connection with +the discovery and settlement of the continent, as well as the +commanding part she at one time played in the world's politics, her +history cannot but awaken within the breasts of Americans a most +lively interest.</p> + +<p>As a geographical and political fact, Spain dates from the earliest +times, and the Spanish people gather within themselves the blood and +the traditions of the three great continents of the Old World—Europe, +Asia and Africa—united to produce the mighty Spaniard of the 15th and +16th centuries. It would be an interesting subject for the +anthropologist to trace the construction of that people who are so +often spoken of as possessing the pure blood of Castile, and as the +facts should be brought to view, another proud fiction would dissipate +in thin air, as we should see the Spaniard arising to take his place +among the most mixed of mankind.</p> + +<p>The Spain that we are considering now is the Spain that gradually +emerged from a chaos of conflicting elements into +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page108" id="page108"></a>[pg 108]</span> +the unity of a +Christian nation. The dismal war between creeds gave way to the +greater conflict between religions, when Cross and Crescent contended +for supremacy, and this too had passed. The four stalwart Christian +provinces of Leon, Castile, Aragon and Navarre had become the four +pillars of support to a national throne and Ferdinand and Isabella +were reigning. Spain has now apparently passed the narrows and is +crossing the bar with prow set toward the open sea. She ends her war +with the Moors at the same time that England ends her wars of the +Roses, and the battle of Bosworth's field may be classed with the +capitulation of Granada. Both nations confront a future of about equal +promise and may be rated as on equal footing, as this new era of the +world opens to view.</p> + +<p>What was this new era? Printing had been invented, commerce had +arisen, gunpowder had come into use, the feudal system was passing, +royal authority had become paramount, and Spain was giving to the +world its first lessons in what was early stigmatized as the "knavish +calling of diplomacy."</p> + +<p>Now began the halcyon days of Spain, and what a breed of men she +produced! Read the story of their conquests in Mexico and Peru, as +told with so much skill and taste by our own Prescott; or read of the +grandeur of her national character, and the wonderful valor of her +troops, and the almost marvelous skill of her Alexander of Parma, and +her Spinola, as described by our great Motley, and you will see +something of the moral and national glory of that Spain which under +Charles V and Philip II awed the world into respectful silence.</p> + +<p>Who but men of iron, under a commander of steel, could have conducted +to a successful issue the awful siege of Antwerp, and by a discipline +more dreadful than death, kept for so many years, armed control of the +country of the brave +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page109" id="page109"></a>[pg 109]</span> + Netherlanders? A Farnese was there, who could +support and command an army, carry Philip and his puerile +<ins class="correction" title="Transcriber's Note: The original text reads 'idosyncrasies'">idiosyncrasies</ins> +upon his back and meet the fury of an outraged people +who were fighting on their own soil for all that man holds dear. Never +was wretched cause so ably led, never were such splendid talents so +unworthily employed.</p> + +<p>Alexander of Parma, Cortez, the Pizarros, were representatives of that +form of human character that Spain especially developed. Skill and +daring were brought out in dazzling splendor, and success followed +their movements. Take a brief survey of the Empire under Charles V: +Himself Emperor of Germany; his son married to the Queen of England; +Turkey repulsed; France humbled, and all Europe practically within his +grasp. And what was Spain outside of Europe? In America she possessed +territory covering sixty degrees of latitude, owning Mexico, Central +America, Venezuela, New Granada, Peru and Chili, with vast parts of +North America, and the islands of Cuba, Jamaica and St. Domingo. In +Africa and Asia she had large possessions—in a word, the energies of +the world were at her feet. The silver and gold of America, the +manufactures and commerce of the Netherlands, combined to make her the +richest of nations.</p> + +<p>The limits of the present purpose do not permit an exhaustive +presentation of her material strength in detail, nor are the means at +hand for making such an exhibit. We must be content with a general +picture, quoted directly from Motley. He says:</p> + +<p>"Look at the broad magnificent Spanish Peninsula, stretching across +eight degrees of latitude and ten of longtitude, commanding the +Atlantic and the Mediterranean, with a genial climate, warmed in +winter by the vast furnace of Africa, and protected from the scorching +heats of summer by shady mountain +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page110" id="page110"></a>[pg 110]</span> +and forest, and temperate breezes +from either ocean. A generous southern territory, flowing with oil and +wine, and all the richest gifts of a bountiful nature—splendid +cities—the new and daily expanding Madrid, rich in the trophies of +the most artistic period of the modern world; Cadiz, as populous at +that day as London, seated by the straits where the ancient and modern +systems of traffic were blending like the mingling of the two oceans; +Granada, the ancient, wealthy seat of the fallen Moors; Toledo, +Valladolid, and Lisbon, chief city of the recently conquered kingdom +of Portugal, counting with its suburbs a larger population than any +city excepting Paris, in Europe, the mother of distant colonies, and +the capital of the rapidly-developing traffic with both the +Indies—these were some of the treasures of Spain herself. But she +possessed Sicily also, the better portion of Italy, and important +dependencies in Africa, while the famous maritime discoveries of the +age had all enured to her aggrandizement. The world seemed suddenly to +have expanded its wings from East to West, only to bear the fortunate +Spanish Empire to the most dizzy heights of wealth and power. The most +accomplished generals, the most disciplined and daring infantry the +world has ever known, the best equipped and most extensive navy, royal +and mercantile, of the age, were at the absolute command of the +sovereign. Such was Spain."</p> + +<p>Such is not Spain to-day. A quite recent writer, speaking of Spain +before the war, said, that although Spain in extent holds the sixth +place in the European states, "it really now subsists merely by the +sufferance of stronger nations." Thus has that nation, which three +centuries ago dominated the world, lost both its position and its +energy.</p> + +<p>Without attempting to sketch chronologically, either this rise or this +decline, let us rather direct our efforts to an inquiry +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page111" id="page111"></a>[pg 111]</span> +into the +causes of both the one and the other.</p> + +<p>In attempting to explain the greatness of Spain we must give first +place to the vigor of the Spanish race. The great Spaniard was a +mighty compound. He had the blood of Rome mingled with the awful +torrent that gave birth to the soulless Goths and Vandals. In him also +flowed the hot blood of the Moors. He was both sturdy and fiery; he +had the fervor of the South with the tenacity of the North; the pride +of the Roman with the passion of the Moor. The Spanish race was +emphatically a rich race.</p> + +<p>And then we must remember that this race had been forged in war. +Century after century, from the earliest times, they had lived with +their arms in their hands. First came the long war between the Arian +Vandals, and the Trinitarian natives; then the seven-hundred-year war +with the followers of Mahomed. The whole mission of life to them was +to fight.</p> + +<p>Naturally there was developed in the people at large the most complete +unification and subjection. Individualism gave place almost entirely +to the common weal, and the spectacle was presented of a nation with +no political questions. Maccaulay maintains that human nature is such +that aggregations of men will always show the two principles of +radicalism and conservatism, and that two parties will exist in +consequence, one composed of those who are ever looking to a brighter +future, the other of those who are ever seeking to restore a +delightful past; but no such phenomena appear in the ascending period +of Spain's history. The whole nation moved as an organized army, +steadily forward, until its zenith was reached. This solidity was a +marked element of its strength.</p> + +<p>Mr. Buckle recognizes this, and accounts for the harmonious movements +of the nation by the influence of two leading principles, which he is +pleased to call superstition and loyalty. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page112" id="page112"></a>[pg 112]</span> + The Arab invasion had +pressed upon the Christians with such force that it was only by the +strictest discipline that the latter had managed to survive. To secure +such discipline, and at the same time supply the people with the +steady enthusiasm necessary to support a war from century to century, +all the terrors and all the glories that could be derived from +religion were employed. The church and the state, the prince and the +priest, became as one, and loyalty and religion, devotion to the +standard and to the cross, were but different names for the same +principles and actions. Hence Spain emerged to greatness without the +least dream of liberty of either person, conscience or thought. Her +rallying cry was: For the Prince and the Church; not, For God and +Liberty. She went up to greatness the most loyal and the most +religious of nations; but Liberty, Justice and Truth were not upon her +banners.</p> + +<p>Look over the territory settled and conquered by her, and what do we +see? Columbus, sailing under Spain, names the first land he discovers +San Salvador; the first settlement made in this country is St. +Augustine; the second, Sante Fe. Look down over the southern half of +our continent and such names as Espirito Santo, Corpus Christi, San +Diego, San Juan, San Jose, San Domingo attest the religious zeal of +the conquerors. They were missionaries of the Cross, robbing the +people of their gold and paying them off with religion.</p> + +<p>Steadfast in the faith and sturdy in her loyalty, Spain resisted all +innovations with respect to her religious beliefs, and all +insurrections against her government. Her Alva and her Torquemada but +illustrated how strong was her conservatism, while her Isabella and +her Philip II show how grand and comprehensive and how persistent was +her aggressiveness, under the idea of spreading and upholding the true +faith. She not only meant to hold all she had of wealth and power, but +she aspired +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page113" id="page113"></a>[pg 113]</span> +to universal dominion; already chief, she desired to be +sole, and this in the interest and name of the Holy Church.</p> + +<p>The Reformation did not disturb Spain; it was crushed out within +twenty years. The spirit of liberty that had been growing in England +since Bosworth's Field, and that was manifesting itself in Germany and +the Netherlands, and that had begun to quiver even in France, did not +dare stir itself in Spain. Spain was united, or rather, was solidity +itself, and this solidity was both its strength and its death. England +was not so united, and England went steadily onward and upward; but +Spain's unity destroyed her, because it practically destroyed +individualism and presented the strange paradox of a strong nation of +weak men.</p> + +<p>As a machine Spain in the sixteenth century was a marvel of power; as +an aggregation of thinking men, it was even then contemptible. +Ferdinand, Charles V and Philip II were able and illustrious rulers, +and they appeared at a time when their several characters could tell +on the immediate fortunes of Spain. They were warriors, and the nation +was entirely warlike. During this period the Spaniard overran the +earth, not that he might till the soil, but that he might rob the man +who did. With one hand he was raking in the gold and silver of Mexico +and Peru; with the other confiscating the profits of the trade and +manufactures of the Low Countries—and all in the name of the Great +God and Saints!</p> + +<p>How was Spain overthrown? The answer is a short one. Spain, under +Philip II staked her all upon a religious war against the awakening +age. She met the Reformation within her own borders and extinguished +it; but thought had broken loose from its chains and was abroad in the +earth. England had turned Protestant, and Elizabeth was on the throne; +Denmark, Norway and Sweden, indeed all countries except Spain +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page114" id="page114"></a>[pg 114]</span> +and +Italy had heard the echoes from Luther's trumpet blast. Italy +furnished the religion, and Spain the powder, in this unequal fight +between the Old and the New. Spain was not merely the representative +of the old, she WAS the old, and she armed her whole strength in its +behalf.</p> + +<p>Here was a religion separated from all moral principle and devoid of +all softening sentiment—its most appropriate formula being, death to +all heretics. Death—not to tyrants, not to oppressors, not to robbers +and men-stealers—but death to <i>heretics</i>. It was this that equipped +her Armada.</p> + +<p>The people were too loyal and too pious to THINK, and so were hurled +in a solid mass against the armed thought of the coming age, and a +mighty nation crumbled as in a day. With the destruction of her Armada +her warlike ascendancy passed and she had nothing to put in its place. +She had not tillers of the soil, mechanics or skilled merchants. +Business was taking the place of war all over the world, but Spain +knew only religion and war, hence worsted in her only field, she was +doomed.</p> + +<p>From the days of Philip II her decline was rapid. Her territory +slipped from her as rapidly as it had been acquired. Her great domains +on our soil are now the seat of thriving communities of +English-speaking people. The whole continent of South America has +thrown off her yoke, though still retaining her language, and our +troops now embarked from Port Tampa are destined to wrest from her the +two only remaining colonies subject to her sway in the Western +World,—Cuba and Porto Rico. With all her losses hitherto, Spain has +not learned wisdom. Antagonistic to truth and liberty, she seems to +sit in the shadow of death, hugging the delusions that have betrayed +her, while all other people of earth are pressing onward toward light +and liberty.</p><p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page115" id="page115"></a>[pg 115]</span> +</p> + +<p>The struggle in Cuba had been going on for years, and in that colony +of less than two millions of inhabitants, many of whom were Spaniards, +there was now an army four times as large as the standing army of the +United States. Against this army and against the Government of Spain a +revolt had been carried on previous to the present outbreak for a +period of ten years, and which had been settled by concessions on the +part of the home government. The present revolt was of two years' +standing when our government decided to interfere. The Cubans had +maintained disorder, if they had not carried on war; and they had +declined to be pacified. In their army they experienced no color +difficulties. Gomez, Maceo and Quintin Banderas were generals honored +and loved, Maceo especially coming to be the hero and idol of the +insurgents of all classes. And it can truthfully be said that no man +in either the Cuban or Spanish army, in all the Cuban struggle +previous to our intervention, has earned a loftier fame as patriot, +soldier and man of noble mould than ANTONIO MACEO.</p> + +<p>Cuba, by far the most advanced of all the West Indian colonies; Cuba, +essentially Spanish, was destined to be the battle ground between our +troops and the veterans of Spain. The question to be settled was that +of Spain's sovereignty. Spain's right to rule over the colonies of +Cuba and Porto Rico was disputed by the United States, and this +question, and this alone, is to be settled by force of arms. Further +than this, the issue does not go. The dictum of America is: Spain +shall not rule. The questions of Annexation, Expansion and Imperialism +were not before us as we launched our forces to drive Spain out of the +West Indies. The Cuban flag was closely associated with our own +standard popularly, and "Cuba Libre" was a wide-spread sentiment in +June, 1898. "We are ready to help the Cubans gain their liberty" was +the honest expression of thousands who felt they were going forward in +a war for others.</p> + +<hr /> +<p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page116" id="page116"></a>[pg 116]</span> +</p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_V" id="CHAPTER_V"></a>CHAPTER V.</h2> + +<h3>PASSAGE, LANDING, AND FIRST BATTLE IN CUBA.</h3> + +<p class="hang center">The Tenth Cavalry at Guasimas—The "Rescue of the Rough +Riders"—Was There an Ambush?—Notes.</p> + +<p class="returnTOC"><a href="#Contents">Return to Table of + Contents</a></p> + +<p>"The passage to Santiago was generally smooth and uneventful," says +General Shafter in his official report. But when the fact is called to +mind that the men had been on board a week before sailing, and were a +week more on the passage, and that "the conveniences on many of the +transports in the nature of sleeping accommodations, space for +exercise, closet accommodations, etc., were not all that could have +been desired," and that the opinion was general throughout the army +that the travel ration was faulty, it cannot be doubted that the trip +was a sore trial to the enlisted men at least. The monotonous days +passed in the harbor at Port Tampa, while waiting for orders to sail, +were unusually trying to the men. They were relieved somewhat by +bathing, swimming, gaming and chatting on the coming events. A soldier +who was in one of the colored regiments describes the inside life of +one of the transports as follows: "After some miles of railroad travel +and much hustling we were put on board the transport. I say <i>on +board</i>, but it is simply because we cannot use the terms <i>under +board</i>. We were huddled together below two other regiments and under +the water line, in the dirtiest, closest, most sickening place +imaginable. For about fifteen days we were on the water in this dirty +hole, but being soldiers we were compelled to accept this without a +murmur. We ate corn beef and +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page117" id="page117"></a>[pg 117]</span> +canned tomatoes with our hard bread +until we were anything but half way pleased. In the fifth or sixth day +out to sea the water furnished us became muddy or dirty and well +flavored with salt, and remained so during the rest of the journey. +Then, the ship's cooks, knowing well our condition made it convenient +to themselves to sell us a glass of clean ice water and a small piece +of bread and tainted meat for the sum of seventy-five cents, or one +dollar, as the case might be."</p> + +<p>A passage from Port Tampa, around the eastern end of Cuba, through the +Windward Passage, even in June, is ordinarily pleasant. On the deck of +a clean steamer, protected from the sun's rays by a friendly awning, +it may be put down as nearly an ideal pleasure trip; but crowded into +freight ships as these men were, many of them clad in thick and +uncomfortable clothing, reduced to the uninviting travel ration, +compelled to spend most of the time below decks, occupied with +thoughts of home and friends, and beset with forebodings of coming +events, it was very far from being to them a pastime. Of the thousands +who are going to Cuba to magnify the American flag, not all will +return. Occasionally the gay music of the bands would relieve the dull +routine and cause the spirits to rise under the effects of some +enlivening waltz or stirring patriotic air; or entering a school of +flying fish the men would be entertained to see these broad-finned +creatures dart from the waves like arrows from the bow, and after a +graceful flight of perhaps near two hundred yards drop again into the +sea; but taken altogether it was a voyage that furnishes little for +the historian.</p> + +<p>The transports were so arranged as to present an interesting and +picturesque spectacle as they departed from our shores on their ocean +march. Forming in three columns, with a distance +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page118" id="page118"></a>[pg 118]</span> +of about 1,000 yards +between the columns, and the vessels in the columns being distanced +from one another about 400 yards, the fleet was convoyed from Port +Tampa by small naval vessels until it reached a point between the Dry +Tortugas and Key West. Here it was met by the noble battleship Indiana +and nine other war vessels, thus making a convoy altogether of fifteen +fighting craft. Transports and convoy now made an armada of more than +forty ships, armed and manned by the audacious modern republic whose +flag waved from every masthead. Thus spreading out over miles of +smooth sea, moving quietly along by steam, carrying in its arms the +flower of the American army, every man of which was an athlete, this +fleet announced to the world the grim purpose of a nation aroused.</p> + +<p>The weather from the time of leaving Port Tampa continued fine until +the fleet entered the passage between the western coast of Hayti and +the eastern end of Cuba, known as the Windward Passage, when the +breeze freshened and a rough sea began, continuing more or less up to +the time of landing. Rounding this eastern coast of Cuba the fleet +headed its course westerly and on the morning of the 20th was able to +determine its position as being off Guantanamo Bay, about fifty miles +east of Santiago. Here, eight days before, the first battle on Cuban +soil, in which four American marines were killed, had been fought. +About noon on the same day, the fleet came to a halt off Santiago +harbor, or a little to the west of the entrance to it, and Admiral +Sampson came on board. He and General Shafter soon after went ashore +to consult the Cuban General, Garcia, who was known to be in that +vicinity with about 4,000 well armed troops.</p> + +<p>The voyage over, and the men having been crowded together +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page119" id="page119"></a>[pg 119]</span> +on +shipboard for nearly two weeks, it was now expedient to get them on +shore as soon as possible. But it was necessary to find out beforehand +what defences were along the coast, and what forces of the enemy were +likely to be encountered in landing. The fleet lay off from the shore +about a mile, and it was no small undertaking to convey the 17,000 men +on board with all their arms and equipments to the shore in small +boats over a rough sea, especially should the landing be disputed. It +was to arrange for the landing and also to map out a general plan of +campaign that the three great leaders, Shafter, Sampson and Garcia met +at Aserradores on the afternoon of June 20th as the American fleet +stood guard over the harbor of Santiago.</p> + +<p>General Garcia was already aware of the coming of the fleet, having +received a message from Major-General Miles two weeks previous. The +letter of General Miles ran as follows:</p> + +<blockquote> +<p class="letterDate"> +Headquarters of the Army,<br /> +In the Field, Tampa, Fla., June 2, 1898.</p> + +<p>Dear General:—I am very glad to have received your +officers, General Enrique Collazo and Lieut.-Col. Carlos +Hernandez, the latter of whom returns to-night with our best +wishes for your success.</p> + +<p>It would be a very great assistance if you could have as +large a force as possible in the vicinity of the harbor of +Santiago de Cuba, and communicate any information by signals +which Colonel Hernandez will explain to you either to our +navy or to our army on its arrival, which we hope will be +before many days.</p> + +<p>It would also assist us very much if you could drive in and +harass any Spanish troops near or in Santiago de Cuba, +threatening or attacking them at all points, and preventing, +by every means, any possible re-enforcement coming to that +garrison. While this is being done, and before the arrival +of our army, if you can seize and hold any commanding +position to the east or west of Santiago de Cuba, or both, +that would be advantageous +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page120" id="page120"></a>[pg 120]</span> +for the use of our artillery, it +will be exceedingly gratifying to us."</p></blockquote> + +<p>To this General Garcia replied that he would "take measures at once to +carry out your (Miles') recommendation, but concentration of forces +will require some time. Roads bad and Cubans scattered. Will march +without delay." Admiral Sampson also cabled the Secretary of the Navy +that Garcia "regards his (Miles') wishes and suggestions as orders, +and immediately will take measures to concentrate forces at the points +indicated, but he is unable to do so as early as desired on account of +his expedition at Banes Port, Cuba, but will march without delay. All +of his subordinates are ordered to assist to disembark the United +States troops and to place themselves under orders." It was in +compliance with these requests that General Garcia had the five +thousand troops so near Santiago at the time he welcomed Shafter and +Sampson to his camp, as mentioned above, and there is every necessary +evidence that these Cuban troops took part in the fight about +Santiago. Says General Miles of Garcia: "He had troops in the rear as +well as on both sides of the garrison at Santiago before the arrival +of our troops."</p> + +<p>It was agreed that the force of five hundred men under General +Castillo, posted near Daiquiri, should be increased to 1,000, and +should be prepared to make an attack upon the rear of the Spanish +garrison at Daiquiri on the morning of the 22nd, at which time the +debarkation would begin. General Rabi with about 500 men was also to +attack Cabanas at the same time, in the same manner, the transports +and war vessels so manœuvring as to give the impression that a +landing was to be made at that place. While these attacks in the rear +were distracting the garrisons, the navy, by order of Admiral Sampson, +was to start up a vigorous bombardment of all the villages +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page121" id="page121"></a>[pg 121]</span> +along the +coast, thus clearing the shore for the landing of the army. Thus did +the conference unite the hands of Americans and Cubans in the fight +against Spain on Cuban soil, and each was pledged to the other by the +expressions of good will. Having accomplished its work the important +conference closed, Admiral Sampson and General Shafter to return to +their ships, and General Garcia to carry out the part of the work +assigned to him, which he did with fidelity and success.<a name="FNanchor_15_15" id="FNanchor_15_15"></a><a href="#Footnote_15_15" class="fnanchor">[15]</a></p> + +<p>According to orders published on the 20th, General Lawton's Division, +known as the Second Division, Fifth Army Corps, was to disembark +first. This Division contained the three following Brigades: The +First, General Ludlow's, composed of the Eighth and Twenty-second +Infantry (regulars) and the Second Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry; +the Second Brigade, General Miles', composed of the Fourth and +Twenty-fifth Infantry (regulars); the Third Brigade, General +Chaffee's, containing the Seventh, Twelfth and Seventeenth Infantry +(regulars). Next to follow was General Bates' Brigade, which was to +act as reserve to Lawton's Division. This Brigade consisted of the +Third and Twentieth Infantry (regulars) and one squadron of the Second +Cavalry, the only mounted troops in Shafter's army. The cavalry, +however, were not to disembark with the Brigade, but were to be the +last troops to leave the transports. After Bates' Brigade, was to +follow Wheeler's Dismounted Cavalry Division, containing the two +following Brigades: The First, composed of the Third, Sixth and Ninth +Cavalry (regulars); the Second, composed of the First and Tenth +Cavalry (regulars) and the First Volunteer Cavalry (Rough Riders). To +follow the Cavalry Division was to come the First Division, General +Kent's, containing the following troops: The First Brigade, General +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page122" id="page122"></a>[pg 122]</span> + +Hawkins', consisting of the Sixth and Sixteenth Infantry (regulars) +and the Seventy-first New York Volunteer Infantry; the Second Brigade, +General Pearson's, consisting of the Second, Tenth and Twenty-first +Infantry (regulars); the Third Brigade, Colonel Wikoffs, made up of +the Ninth, Thirteenth and Twenty-fourth Infantry (regulars). Then, +lastly, was to depart the squadron of mounted cavalry.</p> + +<p>Thus prepared, both on board the ships and on shore, the morning of +the 22nd dawned to witness the beginning of mighty operations. The war +vessels, drawn up in proper order, early began to hurl shot and shell +upon the towns, forts, blockhouses and clumps of trees that could be +discovered along the shore. The cannonading lasted between two and +three hours and was furious throughout. Meanwhile General Lawton's +Division began the work of going ashore. The sea was rough and the +passage to the shore was made in small boats furnished from the +transports and from the naval vessels, towed by steam launches +belonging to the navy. The larger of the boats were capable of +carrying ten or twelve men each, while the smaller ones could carry +but six or seven. During the passage to the shore several of the men +who had escaped thus far, were taken with seasickness, greatly to the +amusement of their more hardy companions. The landing was made at a +pier which had been used formerly as a railroad pier, but was now +abandoned and somewhat dilapidated. To get from the boats to the pier +in this rough sea was the most perilous part of the whole trip from +Tampa to Cuba. As the boats would rise on the waves almost level with +the landing place it was necessary to leap quickly from the boat to +the shore. In this way two cavalrymen of the Tenth lost their lives, +falling into the sea with their equipments on and sinking before help +could reach them. Some of the boats were rowed ashore and +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page123" id="page123"></a>[pg 123]</span> +made a +landing on the beach some distance from the pier. By this method some +men of the Twenty-fifth tried to be the first to land, but failed, +that regiment landing, however, in the first body of troops to go +ashore, and being the second in order, in the invasion of the island. +By night of the 22nd more than one-third of the troops were on shore, +and by the evening of the 24th the whole army was disembarked +according to the program announced at the beginning, the squadron of +cavalry coming in at the close of the march to the shore.</p> + +<p>The only national movement on our part deserving to be brought into +comparison with the expedition against the Spanish power in Cuba, is +that of fifty years earlier, when General Scott sailed at the head of +the army of invasion against Mexico. Some of the occurrences of that +expedition, especially connected with its landing, should be carefully +studied, and if the reports which have reached the public concerning +it are truthful, we would do well to consider how far the methods then +in use could be applied now. Scribner's recent history, published just +before the outbreak of the Spanish War, tells the story of that +expedition, so far as it tells it at all, in the following sentence: +"On the 7th of March, the fleet with Scott's army came to anchor a few +miles south of Vera Cruz, and two days later he landed his whole +force—nearly twelve thousand men—by means of surf-boats." A writer +in a recent number of <i>The Army and Navy Journal</i> says General Worth's +Division of 4,500 men were landed in one hour, and the whole force was +landed in six hours, without accident or confusion. In the prosecution +of that unholy war, which lasted about a year, nearly three thousand +men were lost in battle and about as many more by disease, peace being +finally made by the cession of territory on the part of Mexico, the +United States paying in return much more than the territory was + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page124" id="page124"></a>[pg 124]</span> +worth. The twenty millions paid to Texas probably in great part went +into the coffers of the patriots who occupied that region, some of +whom had not been known as desirable citizens in the parts from which +they came, and had manifested their patriotism by leaving their +country for their country's good. The fifteen millions handed over to +Mexico looks like a contribution to a conscience fund, and an +atonement offered for an assault without provocation. The country +gained Arizona, New Mexico, California and finally Texas, but it lost +six thousand good men, the cost of the war, and all told, in +negotiations, about thirty million dollars, besides. However, it is +not always profitable to look up the harvests of war. There are always +two—the harvest of gain, and the harvest of loss. Death and debt are +reapers, as well as are honor and extent of territory.</p> + +<p>The feelings of the six thousand American troops who landed on Cuban +soil on June 22nd, 1898, may well be imagined. Although they felt the +effects of the confinement to which they had been subjected while on +shipboard, there was very little sickness among them. Again possessed +of the free use of their limbs they swarmed the beach and open space +near the landing, making themselves at home, and confronting the +difficulties and perils that lay before them with a courage born of +national pride. Before them were the mountains with their almost +impassable roads, the jungles filled with poisonous plants and the +terrible prickly underbrush and pointed grass, in which skulked the +land crab and various reptiles whose bite or sting was dangerous; +twenty miles of this inhospitable country lay between them and +Santiago, their true objective. And somewhere on the road to that city +they knew they were destined to meet a well-trained foe, skilled in +all the arts of modern warfare, who would contest their advance. The +prospect, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page125" id="page125"></a>[pg 125]</span> +however, did not unnerve them, although they could well +conjecture that all who landed would not re-embark. Some in that six +thousand were destined never again to set foot on shipboard. Out of +the Twenty-fifth Infantry and the Tenth Cavalry men were to fall both +before Spanish bullets and disease ere these organizations should +assemble to return to their native shores. These thoughts did not +prevent the men from taking advantage of what nature had to offer +them.</p> + +<p>"We landed in rowboats, amid, and after the cessation of the +bombardment of the little hamlet and coast by the men-of-war and +battle-ships," writes a brave soldier of the Twenty-fifth Infantry, +and adds immediately: "We then helped ourselves to cocoanuts which we +found in abundance near the landing." Ordinarily this statement, so +trivial and apparently unimportant, would not merit repetition, but in +its connection here it is significant as showing the immediate +tendency of the men to resort to the fruits of the country, despite +all warnings to the contrary. The two weeks' experience on board the +transports had made the finding of cocoanuts an event to be noted, and +the dry pulp and strongly flavored milk of this tropical fruit became +extremely grateful to the palate, even if not altogether safe for the +stomach. If ripe, however, the cocoanut could scarcely be more +ungenial to many, than the raw, canned tomatoes upon which they had in +part subsisted during the voyage. It is to be added that this report +of the finding of the cocoanuts is not the report of an old soldier, +but of a young and intelligent, first enlistment man.</p> + +<p>Lawton's Division soon after landing, was ordered to move forward in +the direction of Santiago, on the road leading past Siboney. A staff +officer, writing of that movement, says: "General Lawton, with his +Division, in obedience to this order, pushed forward from Daiquiri +about five miles, when night +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page126" id="page126"></a>[pg 126]</span> +overtook him and he bivouacked on the +road." An old soldier of the Twenty-fifth, writing me from the +hospital in Tampa, Florida, July 22nd, says of the same event: "After +the regiment landed we marched about four and a half miles through the +mountains; then we made camp." The old soldier says nothing of +cocoanuts, but makes his statement with as much accuracy as possible, +and with no waste of words. The novice describing the same thing says: +"A short distance ahead (from the shore) we bivouacked for the night. +We were soon lying in dreamland, so far from friends and home, indeed, +on a distant, distant shore." These two extracts show at once the +difference between the soldier produced by years of trial and training +on our plains, and the soldier who but yesterday was a civilian. With +the one the march is a short distance; with the other it is about four +and a half miles; one reports that they "made camp," the other talks +of dreamland, friend, home and distant shore; one expresses his +feelings, the other shows control of feeling and reserve in +expression.</p> + +<p>That first night on Cuban soil, the night following June 22nd, was one +without events, but one of great concern to the commanders on shore +and on the fleet. The work of disembarking had gone on successfully, +and already about six thousand men were on shore. Nearly the whole of +Lawton's Division, with Bates' independent brigade, were bivouacked, +as we have seen, about five miles from Daiquiri, exactly where the +railroad crosses the wagon road leading to Siboney. General Wheeler's +troops—one brigade—were encamped on the open ground near the +landing, the remainder of his division being still on the transports. +The Twenty-fifth Infantry was with Lawton; the Tenth Cavalry was +ashore with Wheeler's troops. A detachment of the Twenty-fifth was put +on outpost duty on that night of their landing, and five miles within +Cuban territory +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page127" id="page127"></a>[pg 127]</span> +they tramped their solitary beats, establishing and +guarding the majestic authority of the United States.</p> + +<p>Lawton's orders were to seize and hold the town of Siboney at which +place Kent's Division, containing the Twenty-fourth, was to land. It +was then intended that the whole army should advance as rapidly as +would be consistent with supplying the men with rations toward +Santiago. Siboney was to be the base of supplies, and from this point +ammunition and food were to be conveyed to the front by wagons and +pack trains. General Shafter also intended that Lawton with his +division should lead the advance upon Santiago, but circumstances +beyond his control brought about a different result. On the morning of +the 23rd Lawton's division was in motion early, and before half-past +ten o'clock he was able to report that the Spaniards had evacuated +Siboney and were in full retreat, pursued by a body of Cubans under +direction of General Castillo; that the town was in his hands, and he +had also captured one locomotive and nearly one hundred cars loaded +with coal.</p> + +<p>General Young's brigade of General Wheeler's cavalry division, got on +shore on the afternoon of the 23rd and after landing received verbal +orders to move out with three days' rations "to a good camping place +between Juraguacito and Siboney, on the road leading to Santiago de +Cuba." In obedience to these orders, at 4.30 in the afternoon Young +with the Rough Riders and a squadron from each of the First and Tenth +Regular Cavalry moved from the bivouack near the landing and arrived +at Siboney at about 7 o'clock. When General Young arrived at Siboney +he had with him the Rough Riders, the other troops having been delayed +by the crowded condition of the trail and the difficulty of following +after nightfall. Although these troops are always spoken of as +cavalry, the +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page128" id="page128"></a>[pg 128]</span> +reader must not forget that they were dismounted and in +marching and fighting were the same as infantry.</p> + +<p>General Young on arriving at Siboney reported to General Wheeler, who +had preceded him to the same place. The statements of the several +commanders here appear somewhat conflicting, although not +inexplicable. General Lawton says: "Yesterday afternoon, late, General +Wheeler and staff arrived and established his headquarters within the +limits of my command. Saw him after dark. Late last night Colonel +Wood's regiment of dismounted cavalry (Rough Riders) passed through my +camp at Division Headquarters, and later General Young, with some of +the dismounted Cavalry, and early this morning others of the +dismounted cavalry." Wheeler says that "in obedience to instructions +from the Major-General Commanding," given to him in person, he +proceeded, on June 23rd, to Siboney, but does not say at what hour. He +says he "rode out to the front and found that the enemy had halted and +established themselves at a point about three miles from Siboney." He +then informs us that "at 8 o'clock on that evening of the 23rd General +Young reached Siboney with eight troops of Colonel Wood's regiment (A, +B, D, E, F, G, K and L), 500 strong; Troops A, B, G and K, of the +First Cavalry, in all 244, and Troops A, B, E and I, of the Tenth +Cavalry, in all 220 men, making a total force of 964 men, which +included nearly all of my command which had disembarked. These troops +had marched from Daiquiri, 11 miles. With the assistance of General +Castillo a rough map of the country was prepared and the position of +the enemy fully explained, and I determined to make an attack." +Lieutenant Miley says that the whole brigade of Wheeler's troops +arrived in Siboney about dark and were occupying the same ground as +General Lawton ("In Cuba With Shafter," p. 76.) General Young +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page129" id="page129"></a>[pg 129]</span> +says +that after reporting to General Wheeler he "asked and obtained from +General Wheeler authority to make a reconnoisance in force" for the +purpose of obtaining "positive information * * * as to the position +and movements of the enemy in front."</p> + +<p>The distance from Daiquiri to Siboney was but eleven miles, and as the +troops left the former place at 4.30 it is probable that they were all +bivouacked near Siboney before 9 o'clock, as they were all together, +according to General Wheeler's report, at 5.45 on the morning of the +24th. General Young having discovered that there were two roads or +trails leading from Siboney northward toward the town of Sevilla +determined to make his reconnoisance by both these trails. He directed +Colonel Wood to move by the western trail and to keep a careful +lookout and to attack any Spaniards he might encounter, being careful +to join his right in the event of an engagement, with the left of the +column advancing by the eastern trail. Colonel Wood's column was the +left column and was composed of the Rough Riders only. The column +marching by the eastern trail was composed of the First and Tenth +Cavalry (regulars) and was under the command of General Young. It was +the intention of General Young by this column to gain the enemy's +left, and thus attack in front and left. As early as 7.20 a.m. Captain +Mills discovered the enemy exactly as had been described by General +Castillo. When this was done word was sent to Colonel Wood, who was +making his way to the front over a more difficult route than the one +by which General Young's column had marched. A delay was therefore +made on the part of General Young in order that the attack should +begin on both flanks at the same time. During this delay General +Wheeler arrived and was informed of the plans and dispositions for the +attack, and after examining the +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page130" id="page130"></a>[pg 130]</span> +position gave his approval of what +had been done, whereupon General Young ordered the attack. General +Wheeler in speaking of the same event says: "General Young and myself +examined the position of the enemy. The lines were deployed and I +directed him to open fire with the +<ins class="correction" title="Transcriber's Note: The original text reads 'Hotckiss'">Hotchkiss</ins> +gun. The enemy replied +and the firing immediately became general." There can be no question +as to the planning of this fight nor as to the direction of the +American force in the fight so far as any general direction was +possible. Colonel Wood directed one column and General Young another, +while the plan of the attack undoubtedly originated with General +Young. General Wheeler conveys as much when he says: "General Young +deserves special commendation for his cool deliberate and skillful +management." General Young, if only the commander of the right column +consisting of two squadrons of regular cavalry, had not as large a +command, nor as difficult and important a one as had Colonel Wood, and +hence is not deserving of special commendation except upon the general +ground that he had supervision over the whole battle. This position is +taken by General Shafter in his report, who though admitting the +presence of the Division Commander, credits the battle to General +Young, the commander of the brigade. The reconnoissance in force for +which Young had obtained authority from General Wheeler on the night +of the 23rd had developed into a battle, and the plan had evolved +itself from the facts discovered. This plan General Wheeler approved, +but in no such way as to take the credit from its originator; and it +is doubtless with reference both to the plan and the execution that he +bestows on General Young the mead of praise. This statement of fact +does not in the least detract from either the importance or the +praiseworthiness of the part played by Colonel Wood. Both he and the +officers and men commanded by him +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page131" id="page131"></a>[pg 131]</span> +received both from General Young +and from the division commander the most generous praise. The advance +of Wood's column was made with great difficulty owing to the nature of +the ground, and according to General Young's belief, he was in the +rear when at 7.20 in the morning Captain Mills discovered the enemy, +and a Cuban guide was dispatched to warn Wood, and a delay made to +allow time for him to come up. Colonel Wood, on the other hand, claims +to have discovered the enemy at 7.10 and to have begun action almost +immediately, so that it turned out as Young had planned, and "the +attack of both wings was simultaneous." The Spaniards were posted on a +range of high hills in the form of a "V," the opening being toward +Siboney, from which direction the attack came.</p> + +<p>From Colonel Wood's report it appears that soon after the firing began +he found it necessary to deploy five troops to the right, and left, +leaving three troops in reserve. The enemy's lines being still beyond +his, both on the right and on the left, he hastily deployed two more +troops, which made the lines now about equal in length. The firing was +now "exceedingly heavy," and much of it at short range, but on account +of the thick underbrush it was not very effective; "comparatively few +of our men were injured." Captain Capron at this time received his +mortal wound and the firing became so terrific that the last remaining +troop of the reserve was absorbed by the firing line, and the whole +regiment ordered to advance very slowly. The Spanish line yielded and +the advance soon showed that in falling back the enemy had taken a new +position, about three hundred yards in front of the advancing +regiment. Their lines extended from 800 to 1,000 yards, and the firing +from their front was "exceedingly heavy" and effective. A "good many +men" were wounded, "and several officers," says Colonel +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page132" id="page132"></a>[pg 132]</span> + Wood's +report. Still the advance was kept up, and the Spanish line was +steadily forced back. "We now began," says Colonel Wood, "to get a +heavy fire from a ridge on our right, which enfiladed our line." The +reader can at once see that although the Rough Riders were advancing +heroically, they were now in a very serious situation, with an +exceedingly heavy and effective fire striking them in front, and a +heavy, enfilading fire raking them from the right. Their whole +strength was on the line, and these two fires must have reduced their +effectiveness with great rapidity had it kept up, the Spaniards having +their range and firing by well-directed volleys. It was for the +regiment a moment of the utmost peril. Had they been alone they must +have perished.</p> + +<p>It was from this perilous situation of Colonel Wood's command that one +of the most popular stories of the war originated, a story that +contained some truth, but which was often told in such a way as to +cause irritation, and in some instances it was so exaggerated or +mutilated in the telling as to be simply ridiculous. On the day after +the battle the story was told in Lawton's camp according to the +testimony of an intelligent soldier of the Twenty-fifth Infantry. His +words are: "The next day about noon we heard that the Tenth Cavalry +had met the enemy and that the Tenth Cavalry had rescued the Rough +Riders. We congratulated ourselves that although not of the same +branch of service, we were of the same color, and that to the eye of +the enemy we, troopers and footmen, all looked alike." According to +artists and cheap newspaper stories this rescuing occurred again and +again. A picture is extensively advertized as "an actual and +authoritative presentation of this regiment (the Tenth Cavalry) as it +participated in that great struggle, and their heroic rescue of the +Rough Riders on that memorable <i>July</i> day." This especial rescuing + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page133" id="page133"></a>[pg 133]</span> +took place on <i>San Juan Hill</i>. The editor of a religious paper +declares that it was the <i>Twenty-fifth Infantry</i> that rescued the +Rough Riders and that it was done at <i>El Caney</i>!<a name="FNanchor_16_16" id="FNanchor_16_16"></a><a href="#Footnote_16_16" class="fnanchor">[16]</a></p> + +<p>Before we go any farther let us see just what the Tenth Cavalry did do +in this fight. That their action was highly meritorious admits of no +doubt, and the laurels they won were never allowed to fade during the +whole campaign. General Wheeler speaks of them with the First Cavalry. +He says: "I was immediately with the troops of the First and Tenth +Regular Cavalry, dismounted, and personally noticed their brave and +good conduct." There were four troops of the Tenth engaged, composing +the First Squadron of that regiment, under command of Major Norval. +Troop A was commanded by Captain W.H. Beck, who was specially +commended by General Wheeler for good conduct. Second Lieutenant F.R. +McCoy was Captain Beck's assistant. This troop moved over to the left, +receiving the fire of the enemy, but making no response, the distance +being too great for effective carbine firing. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page134" id="page134"></a>[pg 134]</span> + This troop reached +Colonel Wood's right and made the line continuous so that there was +now a force in front of that ridge where the Spaniards were securely +entrenched and from which they were pouring their enfilading fire upon +Colonel Wood's line. Troop A, although coming into the line, did not +fire. Their presence, however, gave the Rough Riders the assurance +that their flank was saved. Troop E was commanded by Captain C.G. +Ayres with Second Lieutenant George Vidmar. This troop was placed by +General Young in support of Captain Watson's two Hotchkiss guns, and +also of the troops in their front. The troop was under fire one hour +and a quarter, during which they were in plain view of the Spaniards, +who also had their exact range. One man was killed and one wounded. +Their courage, coolness and discipline in this trying hour and a +quarter were of the very highest order. The troop commander says: +"Their coolness and fine discipline were superb." This troop did not +fire a shot. Thus one-half of the squadron moved to its positions and +held them without being able to do any damage to the enemy, as they +were carrying out to the letter their instructions, which were to fire +only when they could see the enemy. Troop B was commanded by Captain +J.W. Watson with H.O. Willard as Second Lieutenant. A detachment of +this troop was placed in charge of four Hotchkiss mountain guns. This +detachment opened fire upon the enemy, using the ammunition sparingly, +as they had but fifty rounds with them. Twenty-two shots were fired, +apparently with effect. The remainder of the troop under Lieutenant +Williard was ordered to move out to the extreme right, which would +place it beyond the line of the First Cavalry, thus bringing that +regiment between Troop A of the Tenth, which connected it with the +Rough Riders and Troop B, which was to be on its extreme right. +Lieutenant Williard's report of this movement is as follows:</p><p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page135" id="page135"></a>[pg 135]</span> +</p> + +<blockquote><p>"I ordered the troop forward at once, telling them to take +advantage of all cover available. In the meantime the +volleys from the Spanish were coming in quite frequently and +striking the ground on all sides near where we were. I found +it very difficult to move the men forward after having found +cover, and ran back to a portion of the troop near an old +brick wall, and ordered them forward at once. They then made +a dash forward, and in doing so three or four men were +wounded, Private Russell severely. Who the others were I do +not know. We encountered a severe fire directly after this +move forward; and Private Wheeler was wounded in the left +leg. There was a wire fence on our right, and such thick +underbrush that we were unable to get through right there, +so had to follow along the fence for some distance before +being able to penetrate. Finally, was able to get the +greater proportion of my men through, and about this time I +met Lieutenants Fleming and Miller, Tenth Cavalry, moving +through the thicket at my left. I there heard the order +passed on 'not to fire ahead,' as there was danger of firing +into our own forces. In the meantime there was shouting from +the First Cavalry in our front, 'Don't fire on us in rear.' +My troop had not fired a shot to my knowledge, nor the +knowledge of any non-commissioned officers in the troop. +About this time I found I was unable to keep the troop +deployed, as they would huddle up behind one rock or tree, +so I gave all sergeants orders to move out on the extreme +right and to keep in touch with those on their left. Then, +with a squad of about five men, I moved to the right front, +and was unfortunate enough to lose the troop, i.e., I could +see nothing of them except the men with me.</p> + +<p>"But as I had given explicit instructions to my sergeant, in +case I was lost from them, to continue to advance until +halted by some one in authority, I moved ahead myself, +hoping to find them later on. In making a rush forward three +men of my squad were lost from me in some way. I still had +two men with me, Privates Combs and Jackson, and in the next +advance made I picked up a First Cavalry sergeant who had +fallen out from exhaustion. After a terrific climb up the +ridge in front of me, and a very regular though ineffective +fire from the enemy kept up until we were about sixty yards +from the summit of hill, we reached the advance line of the +First United States Cavalry, under command of Captain +Wainwright. I then reported +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page136" id="page136"></a>[pg 136]</span> +to him for orders, and moved +forward when he next advanced. The firing had ceased, and no +more shots were fired, to my knowledge, after this time. +With the First Cavalry, Troop G, we followed along the right +of the ridge and came down to the right front, encountering +no opposition or fire from the enemy, but finding the +enemy's breastworks in confusion, ammunition and articles of +clothing scattered around; also one dead Spaniard and two +Mauser rifles. At the foot of the ridge we met some of the +First Volunteer Cavalry, and being utterly exhausted, I was +obliged to lie down. Soon after, Captain Mills, +adjutant-general of Second Brigade, Cavalry Division, came +up to where I was and placed me in command of Troop K, First +United States Cavalry, whose officers were wounded. I then +marched them forward on the road to where General Wheeler +was sitting, and received orders from Colonel Wood, First +Volunteer Cavalry, to remain until further orders and make +no further advance. Directly afterwards, learning the action +was over, I reported back to General Young, and received +orders to remain camped with the First Cavalry Squadron, +where the action had closed. In the meantime, I should have +stated that I found the principal part of my troop and +collected them and left them under the first sergeant, when +I went back to receive orders. So far as I know, and to the +best of my knowledge, the men of my troop acted with the +greatest bravery, advancing on an enemy who could not be +seen, and subjected to a severe and heavy fire at each step, +which was only rendered ineffective to a great degree by the +poor marksmanship of the enemy, as many times we were in +sight of them (I discovered this by observation after the +engagement) while we could see nothing. We were also +subjected to a severe reverse fire from the hills in our +right rear, several men being wounded by this fire. +Throughout the fight the men acted with exceptional +coolness, in my judgment. The casualties were: Privates +Russell, Braxton and Morris, severely wounded; Privates F.A. +Miller, Grice, Wheeler and Gaines, slightly wounded, i.e., +less severely. None killed.</p> + +<p class="letterClose3 close">Very respectfully,</p> + +<p class="author-up">HENRY O. WILLIARD.</p> +<p class="letterClose5">June 24, 1898.</p> +<p class="letterClose5">Troop B, Tenth Cavalry, during action near La Guasima,</p> +<p class="letterClose5">Second Lieutenant, Tenth United States Cavalry, Commanding.</p> +</blockquote><p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page137" id="page137"></a>[pg 137]</span> +</p> + +<p>Troop I of the Tenth Cavalry was commanded by First Lieutenant R.J. +Fleming with Second Lieutenant A.M. Miller. This troop moved to the +right and wedged in between B Troop and the right of the First +Cavalry. Lieutenant Fleming discovered the enemy posted on the high +ridge immediately in front of his troop, and also extending to his +right, in front of B Troop. Moving his troop a little to the right so +as to secure room to advance without coming in contact with the First +Cavalry, he then directed his course straight toward the hill on which +he had located the enemy. The advance was made with great caution, the +men seeking cover wherever possible, and dashing across the open +spaces at full run. Thus they moved until the base of the steep part +of the hill was reached. This was found very difficult of ascent, not +only because of the rugged steepness, but also on account of the +underbrush, and the sharp-leaved grass, the cacti and Spanish bayonet, +that grow on all these hillsides. Paths had to be cut through these +prickly obstructions with knives and sabres. Consequently the advance +up that hill, though free from peril, was very slow and trying. Twice +during the advance the men obtained a view of their enemies and were +permitted to fire. The instructions were rigidly adhered to: No firing +only at the visible foe. Lieutenant Fleming says: "Owing to the +underbrush it was impossible for me to see but a very few men at a +time, but as they all arrived on the crest about the time I did, or +shortly after, they certainly advanced steadily." He says: "The entire +troop behaved with great coolness and obeyed every order." Farrier +Sherman Harris, Wagoner John Boland and Private Elsie Jones especially +distinguished themselves for coolness and gallantry. The aggressive +work of the Tenth Cavalry, therefore, appears to have been done by +Troops B and I, a detachment of the former troop serving the Hotchkiss + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page138" id="page138"></a>[pg 138]</span> +gun battery. Troop I was commanded by Lieutenant Fleming and by him +conducted to the front, although he admits that in their advance up +the slope of the hill he could see but very few of the men at a time, +and declares that their advance was certainly steady, because all +arrived at the crest of the hill simultaneously or nearly so.</p> + +<p>Lieutenant Fleming does not show that his troop of excellent men were +in any sense <i>peculiarly</i> dependent upon their white officers as some +have asserted. They advanced steadily, just as the regulars always do, +advanced noiselessly and without any reckless firing, and reached the +crest of the hill in order, although he could not see them as they +were making their advance. They kept their line despite all the +obstructions. Lieutenant Fleming also says that in moving to his +position he passed Troop B, which then "inclined to the right, and +during the remainder of the action was on my right." Troop B, +therefore, went through about the same experience as Troop I, and +being on the extreme right of the line may have been more directly in +front of that foe which Fleming says was in his front and to the +right. Why did not the officer who directed or led B Troop in its +advance upon the enemy report the action of his troop as vividly and +generously as did Lieutenant Fleming the men of Troop I? With not the +slightest reflection upon the gallant officer, he himself has the +manliness to say he was so unfortunate as to lose the troop. The +troop, however, did not become demoralized, but went into action under +command of its First Sergeant, <i>John Buck,<a name="FNanchor_17_17" id="FNanchor_17_17"></a><a href="#Footnote_17_17" class="fnanchor">[17]</a> and remained on +Lieutenant Fleming's right during the action</i>. It has been proven more +than once that should the commissioned officers of a company or troop +of colored regulars be killed or incapacitated, the non-commissioned + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page139" id="page139"></a>[pg 139]</span> +officers can carry on the fight. Speaking of this same regiment it is +equally true that at San Juan the officers of Troops D and G were all +shot and the commands of these troops fell to their First Sergeants, +the first to Sergeant William H. Given, the second to Sergeant Saint +Foster, and it is generally understood that these two men were +appointed Lieutenants of Volunteers because of their success in +handling their troops in battle.</p> + +<p>The entire attacking force at this end of the line, if we count only +those engaged in actual firing, consisted of two troops of the Tenth +Cavalry and two of the First Cavalry—four troops—while to the left +the entire eight troops were on the firing line. The action of the +troops of the First Cavalry was quite similar to that of the troops of +the Tenth Cavalry, and equally deserving of commendation. Of them all +General Young says:</p> + +<blockquote><p>"The ground over which the right column advanced was a mass +of jungle growth, with wire fences, not to be seen until +encountered, and precipitous heights as the ridge was +approached. It was impossible for the troops to keep in +touch along the front, and they could only judge of the +enemy from the sound and direction of his fire. However, had +it not been for this dense jungle, the attack would not have +been made against an overwhelming force in such a position. +Headway was so difficult that advance and support became +merged and moved forward under a continuous volley firing, +supplemented by that of two rapid-fire guns. Return firing +by my force was only made as here and there a small clear +spot gave a sight of the enemy. The fire discipline of these +particular troops was almost perfect. The ammunition +expended by the two squadrons engaged in an incessant +advance for one hour and fifteen minutes averaged less than +ten rounds per man. The fine quality of these troops is also +shown by the fact that there was not a single straggler, and +in not one instance was an attempt made by any soldier to +fall out in the advance to assist the wounded or carry back +the dead. The fighting on the left flank was equally +creditable and was remarkable, and I believe unprecedented, +in volunter troops so quickly raised, armed and equipped."</p></blockquote><p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page140" id="page140"></a>[pg 140]</span> +</p> + +<p>The five hundred men of Colonel Wood's regiment were stretched over a +space of 800 to 1,000 yards, and were entirely without support or +reserve, and appear to have advanced to a point where this very strong +force on the right swept a good part of their line both with rifle +fire and the fire of their two machine guns. Men and officers were +falling under both the front and flank fire of the enemy, and had not +the squadrons of the First and Tenth made their successful assault +upon that ridge, which, according to General Wood's report, was "very +strongly held," the situation of the Rough Riders would have been +extreme. Because this successful assault was participated in by the +Tenth Cavalry the story arose that the Rough Riders were rescued by +that regiment. The fair statement would be: That the Regular Cavalry, +consisting of a squadron of the First and a squadron of the Tenth, +made their advance on the right at the precise moment to deliver the +Rough Riders from a fire that threatened their annihilation. The +marksmanship and coolness of the men of the Tenth have been specially +commented upon and their fire was described as very effective, but the +same remarks could be made of the men of the First, who fought side by +side with them. It is probable that the volunteers advanced more +rapidly than did the regulars, using more ammunition, and manifesting +a very high degree of courage and enthusiasm as well as deliberation; +but the regulars reached their objective at the proper time to turn +the battle's tide. Each advancing column was worthy to be companion to +the other.</p> + +<p>General Wheeler said the fire was very hot for about an hour, and "at +8.30 sent a courier to General Lawton informing him that he was +engaged with a larger force of the enemy than was anticipated, and +asked that his force be sent forward on the Sevilla road as quickly as +possible." ("In Cuba With +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page141" id="page141"></a>[pg 141]</span> + Shafter," p. 83.) General Lawton, however, +with the true instinct of a soldier had already sent orders to General +Chaffee to move forward with the First Brigade. The Second Brigade was +also in readiness to move and the men of the Twenty-fifth were +expecting to go forward to take a position on the right and if +possible a little to the rear of the Spanish entrenchments in order to +cut off their retreat. The rapid movements of the cavalry division, +however, rendered this unnecessary, and the routing of the foe gave to +the Americans an open country and cleared the field for the advance on +Santiago. The first battle had been fought, and the Americans had been +victorious, but not without cost. Sixteen men had been killed and +fifty-two wounded. In Colonel Wood's regiment eight had been killed +and thirty-four wounded; in the First Cavalry, seven killed and eight +wounded; in the Tenth Cavalry, one killed and ten wounded. The +percentage of losses to the whole strength of the several +organizations engaged was as follows: Rough Riders, over 8 per cent.; +First Cavalry, over 6 per cent.; Tenth Cavalry, 5 per cent. But if we +take those on the firing line as the base the rate per cent. of losses +among the regulars would be doubled, while that of the volunteers +would remain the same.</p> + +<p>The strength of the enemy in this battle is given in the Spanish +official reports, according to Lieutenant Miley, at about five +hundred, and their losses are put at nine killed and twenty-seven +wounded. At the time of the fight it was supposed to be much larger. +General Young's report places the estimates at 2,000, and adds "that +it has since been learned from Spanish sources to have been 2,500. The +Cuban military authorities claim the Spanish strength was 4,000." +These figures are doubtless too high. The force overtaken at Las +Guasimas was the same force that evacuated Siboney at the approach of +Lawton +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page142" id="page142"></a>[pg 142]</span> +and the force with which the Cubans had fought on the morning +of the 23rd. It may have consisted solely of the garrison from +Siboney, although it is more probable that it included also those from +Daiquiri and Jutici, as it is quite certain that all these troops +proceeded toward Santiago over the same road. The force at Siboney had +been given by the Cubans at 600, at Daiquiri at 300, and at Jutici at +150. If these had concentrated and the figures were correct, the +Spanish force at Guasimas was upwards of 1,000. If, however, it was +the force from Siboney alone, it was about as the Spanish official +report gives it. On this latter basis, however, the losses are out of +proportion, for while the attacking party lost a little less than 7 +per cent. of its entire strength in killed and wounded, the losses of +the entrenched, defending party, were even a little greater, or over 7 +per cent. of its strength. It is, therefore, probable that the Spanish +force was greater than officially reported and included the troops +from the other posts as well as those from Siboney. The engagement was +classed by General Shafter as unimportant, although its effect upon +our army was inspiring. It did not cut off the retreat of the Spanish +force, and the men who faced our army at Guasimas met them again in +the trenches before Santiago. General Shafter desired to advance with +his whole force, and cautioned strongly against any further forward +movement until the troops were well in hand. The two battles between +the Cubans and Spaniards, fought on the 23rd, in which the Cubans had +sixteen men wounded and two killed, were engagements of some +consequence, although we have no reports of them. There is no evidence +that the Cubans took part in the battle of Guasimas, although they +arrived on the grounds immediately after the firing ceased.</p> + +<p>The story thus far told is, as the reader cannot fail to see, + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page143" id="page143"></a>[pg 143]</span> +directly from official records, and the conclusions arrived at are +those which result naturally from the facts as therein detailed. Not +one word is quoted from any but military men—actors in the affair. We +may now go briefly over the same ground, giving the views and +conclusions of able civilian correspondents who followed the army to +see what was done, and who were trained observers and skilled writers. +How have these able war journalists told the story of Las Guasimas?</p> + +<p>To quote from Stephen Bonsal in substance, not in words, is to +contradict what General Shafter says officially in one particular, but +in no such way as to discredit the General, or to weaken Bonsal. It is +not a case of bringing two universal, antagonistic propositions face +to face, but a case where two men of different training look upon an +action from different standpoints and through different field-glasses. +General Shafter says of the collision of the Rough Riders with the +Spanish force: "There was no ambush as reported." As a military man, +he says there was no more concealment on the part of the Spanish force +than what an attacking party should expect, no more than what is usual +in modern warfare, hence he does not regard it as an ambush, and does +not officially take notice of any surprise or unexpected encounter on +the part of his force. To do so would be to reflect, however slightly, +upon the professional skill of the commander of the left column. +General Shafter thus says officially in a manly way: "There was no +ambush." Beyond this his duty does not call him to go, and he halts +his expressions exactly at this line, maintaining in his attitude all +the attributes of the true soldier, placing himself beyond criticism +by thus securing from attack the character of his subordinate.</p> + +<p>Mr. Bonsal is a writer and author, accustomed to view actions in the +broader light of popular judgment, entirely free +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page144" id="page144"></a>[pg 144]</span> +from professional +bias, and having no class-feeling or obligations to serve. His pen is +not official; his statements are not from the military standpoint; not +influenced in any way by considerations of personal weal or woe with +respect to others or himself. He says that one troop of the Rough +Riders, Troop L, commanded by Captain Capron, was leading the advance +of the regiment, and was in solid formation and within twenty-five +yards of its scouting line when it received the enemy's fire. This +troop was so far in the advance that it took the other troops of the +regiment more than a half hour to get up to it. The writer speaks of +the advance of that troop as having been made "in the fool-hardy +formation of a solid column along a narrow trail, which brought them, +in the way I have described, within point-blank range of the Spanish +rifles, and within the unobstructed sweep of their machine guns." He +sums up as follows: "And if it is to be ambushed when you receive the +enemy's fire perhaps a quarter of an hour before it was expected, and +when the troop was in a formation, and the only one in which, in view +of the nature of the ground it was possible to advance quickly, then +most certainly L Troop of the Rough Riders was ambushed by the +Spaniards on the morning of June 24th."</p> + +<p>Mr. Bonsal also brings into clear view the part taken in this battle +by Lawton's Infantry. He shows by means of a simple map the trail by +which Miles' brigade, in which was the Twenty-fifth Infantry, moved in +order to flank the Spanish position, while Chaffee's brigade was +hurrying forward on the Royal Road to reinforce the line in front. A +letter from a soldier of the Twenty-fifth written soon after these +events fully confirms Mr. Bonsal in what he says concerning the +movement of Miles' brigade. The soldier says: "On the morning of the +24th the Rough Riders, Tenth and First Cavalry were to make +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page145" id="page145"></a>[pg 145]</span> +an attack +on a little place where the Spanish were fortified. The Second Brigade +was to come on the right flank of these troops and a little in rear of +the fortifications; but by some misunderstanding, the former troops, +led by the Rough Riders, made an attack before we got our position, +and the result was a great many lives lost in the First Cavalry and +Rough Riders—only one in Tenth Cavalry, but many wounded. They +captured the fortification." This letter by a humble soldier, written +with no thought of its importance, shows how gallantly Lawton had +sprung to the rescue of Wheeler's division. According to Bonsal, who +says he obtained his information from Spanish officers who were +present in this fight, it was the information of the approach of this +brigade and of Chaffee's up the main road that caused the Spaniards to +withdraw rapidly from the position. The whole force was in imminent +danger of being captured. Another soldier of the Twenty-fifth wrote: +"The report came that the Twenty-fifth Infantry was to cut off the +Spanish retreat from a stronghold, toward Santiago." These glimpses +from soldiers' letters illustrate how clearly they comprehended the +work upon which they were sent, and show also how hearty and cordial +was the support which the infantry at that time was hurrying forward +to the advancing cavalry.</p> + +<p>The official reports show that the strength of the Spanish position +was before the right of our line. Mr. Bonsal says: "Directly in front +of the Tenth Cavalry rose undoubtedly the strongest point in the +Spanish position—two lines of shallow trenches, strengthened by heavy +stone parapets." We must remember that so far as we can get the +disposition of these troops from official records, Troop A connected +the Rough Riders with the First Cavalry, and Troops I and B were on +the right of the First Cavalry. Troop A did not fire a shot; the +fighting, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page146" id="page146"></a>[pg 146]</span> +therefore, was done by Troops I and B on the extreme right +of the line, and it was on their front that "undoubtedly the strongest +point in the Spanish position" lay—nor should the reader forget that +at this very important moment Troop B was commanded by its First +Sergeant, Buck, Lieutenant Williard having by his own report been +"unfortunate enough to lose the troop." This is said with no +disparagement to Lieutenant Williard. It was merely one of the +accidents of battle.</p> + +<p>Says Mr. Bonsal: "The moment the advance was ordered the black +troopers of the Tenth Cavalry forged ahead. They were no braver +certainly than any other men in the line, but their better training +enabled them to render more valuable services than the other troops +engaged. They had with them and ready for action their machine guns, +and shoved them right up to the front on the firing line, from where +they poured very effective fire into the Spanish trenches, which not +only did considerable execution, but was particularly effective in +keeping down the return fire of the Spaniards. The machine guns of the +Rough Riders were mislaid, or the mules upon which they had been +loaded could not be found at this juncture. It was said they had +bolted. It is certain, however, that the guns were not brought into +action, and consequently the Spaniards suffered less, and the Rough +Riders more, in the gallant charge they made up the hill in front of +them, after the Tenth Cavalry had advanced and driven the Spaniards +from their position on the right."</p> + +<p>Corporal W.F. Johnson, B Troop, was the non-commissioned officer in +charge of the machine guns during the brief fight at Las Guasimas, and +his action was such as to call forth from the troop commander special +mention "for his efficiency and perfect coolness under fire." Here I +may be pardoned +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page147" id="page147"></a>[pg 147]</span> +for calling attention to a notion too prevalent +concerning the Negro soldier in time of battle. He is too often +represented as going into action singing like a zany or yelling like a +demon, rather than as a man calculating the chances for life and +victory. The official reports from the Black Regulars in Cuba ought to +correct this notion. Every troop and company commander, who has +reported upon colored soldiers in that war, speaks of the coolness of +the men of his command. Captain Beck, of Troop A, Tenth Cavalry, in +the Guasimas fight, says: "I will add that the enlisted men of Troop +A, Tenth Cavalry, behaved well, silently and alertly obeying orders, +and without becoming excited when the fire of the enemy reached them." +The yell, in the charge of the regulars, is a part of the action, and +is no more peculiar to Negro troops than to the whites, only as they +may differ in the general timbre of voice. Black American soldiers +when not on duty may sing more than white troops, but in quite a long +experience among them I have not found the difference so very +noticeable. In all garrisons one will find some men more musically +inclined than others; some who love to sing and some who do not; some +who have voices adapted to the production of musical tones, and some +who have not, and it is doubtless owing to these constitutional +differences that we find differences in habits and expressions.</p> + +<p>Lieutenant Miley, of General Shafter's staff, in his description of +the departure of General Shatter from General Garcia's tent, gives us +a glimpse of the character of the men that composed the Cuban army in +that vicinity.</p> + +<blockquote><p>"While the interview was going on, the troops were being +assembled to do honor to the General on his departure. +Several companies were drawn up in front of the tent to +present arms as he came out, and a regiment escorted him to +the beach down the winding path, which was now lined on both +sides by Cuban soldiers standing about a yard apart and +presenting arms. The scene made a strong impression on all +in the party, there seemed to be such an earnestness and +fixedness of purpose +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page148" id="page148"></a>[pg 148]</span> +displayed that all felt these soldiers +to be a power. About fifty per cent. were blacks, and the +rest mulattoes, with a small number of whites. They were +very poorly clad, many without shirts or shoes, but every +man had his gun and a belt full of ammunition."</p></blockquote> + + +<p><b>B.</b></p> + +<p class="heading">EXTRACT FROM A LETTER FROM A SOLDIER OF THE 10TH CAVALRY, TROOP B, +CONCERNING THE BATTLE OF LAS GUASIMAS:</p> + +<blockquote><p>"... The platoon which escaped this ditch got on the right +of the 1st Cavalry on the firing line, and pushed steadily +forward under First Sergeant Buck, being then in two +squads—one under Sergeant Thompson. On account of the +nature of the ground and other natural obstacles, there were +men not connected with any squads, but who advanced with the +line.</p> + +<p>Both squads fired by volley and at will, at the command of +the sergeants named; and their shots reached the enemy and +were effective, as it is generally believed.</p> + +<p>Private W.M. Bunn, of Sergeant Thompson's squad, is reported +to have shot a sharpshooter from a tree just in front of the +enemy's work. Private Wheeler was shot twice in the advance. +Sergeant Thompson's squad was once stopped from firing by +General Wheeler's adjutant-general for fear of hitting the +Rough Riders.</p> + +<p>It seems that two distinct battles were fought that day. +Colonel Wood's command struck the enemy at about the tame +time, or probably a Little before, ours did, and all unknown +to the men in our ranks; and got themselves into a pretty +tight squeeze. About the same time our force engaged the +enemy and drew part of the attention they were giving the +Rough Riders. This, the latter claimed, enabled them to +continue the movement on the enemy's works.</p> + +<p>But as our command had an equal number of 1st and 10th +Cavalrymen, I am of the opinion that the story of our saving +the Rough Riders arose from the fact that as soon as the +fight was over, the 1st Regular Cavalry was opening its arms +to us, declaring that we, especially B Troop, had saved +them; for the 1st Regular Cavalry was first in the attack in +General Young's command; and when the enemy began to make it +pretty warm, he ordered B and I Troops of the 10th forward +on the right. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page149" id="page149"></a>[pg 149]</span> + Troop B was in the lead; and the alacrity +with which these two troops moved to the front has always +been praised by the 1st Cavalry; and they declare that that +movement helped them wonderfully. In making this movement my +troop had three or four men wounded; and later, when +Sergeant Thompson's squad was fighting far to the front, it +had in it several members of the 1st Cavalry, who are always +glad to praise him.</p> + +<p>So, I think that by the Rough Riders first attributing their +success, or their rescue from inevitable defeat, to the +attack made by our command; and by the 1st Regular Cavalry's +very generously, in the heat of success, bestowing upon us +the honors of the day, it finally became a settled thing +that we saved the whole battle.</p> + +<p>That evening, after the battle, I was met by Lieutenant +Shipp, later killed at San Juan Hill, who, on inquiring and +being told that I belonged to Troop B, congratulated me on +its conduct, and said it had made a name for the regiment. +Lieutenant Shipp was not in that fight, but had come up +after it was over and had heard of us through the 1st +Cavalry."</p></blockquote> + + +<p><b>C.</b></p> + +<blockquote><p>Sergeant John Buck was born September 10th, 1861, at Chapel +Hill, Texas; enlisted in 10th Cavalry, November 6, 1880, and +passed over ten years in active Indian service. He is a man +of strong character, an experienced horseman and packer, and +so commanded a portion of the firing line in the battle of +June 24 as to elicit remarks of praise from officers of +other troops "for his gallantry, coolness and good judgment +under fire." Sergeant Thompson's good conduct in the same +battle was noticeable also. Sergeant Buck was made second +lieutenant in the 7th U.S. Volunteer Infantry and +subsequently captain in the 48th United States Volunteers.</p></blockquote> + +<div class="footnotes"><h3>FOOTNOTES:</h3> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_15_15" id="Footnote_15_15"></a><a href="#FNanchor_15_15"><span class="label">[15]</span></a> See Note A at the end of this chapter.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_16_16" id="Footnote_16_16"></a><a href="#FNanchor_16_16"><span class="label">[16]</span></a></p> +<p class="center">THE TWENTY-FIFTH AT EL-CANEY.</p> +<p> +American valor never shone with greater luster than when the +Twenty-fifth Infantry swept up the sizzling hill of El-Caney to the +rescue of the rough riders. Two other regiments came into view of the +rough riders. But the bullets were flying like driving hail; the enemy +were in trees and ambushes with smokeless powder, and the rough riders +were biting the dust and were threatened with annihilation. +</p><p> +A rough rider described the feelings of his brigade when they saw the +other regiments appear and retreat. Finally this rough rider, a +Southerner, heard a well-known yell. And out of the distance moved a +regiment as if on dress parade, faces set like steel, keeping step +like a machine, their comrades falling here, there, everywhere, moving +into the storm of invisible death without one faltering step, passing +the rough riders, conquering up the hill, and never stopping until +with the rough riders El-Caney was won. This was the Twenty-fifth +Regiment (colored), United States Infantry, now quartered at Fort +Logan, Denver. We have asked the chaplain, T.G. Steward, to recite the +events at El-Caney. His modesty confines him to the barest recital of +"semi-official" records. But the charge of the Twenty-fifth is +deserving of comparison with that of "the Light Brigade" in the +Crimean War, or of Custer at the massacre of the Big Horn. +</p><p> +(Editorial in religious paper.)</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_17_17" id="Footnote_17_17"></a><a href="#FNanchor_17_17"><span class="label">[17]</span></a> See Note C at the end of this chapter.</p></div> +</div> + + +<hr /> +<p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page150" id="page150"></a>[pg 150]</span> +</p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VI" id="CHAPTER_VI"></a>CHAPTER VI.</h2> + +<h3>THE BATTLE OF EL CANEY.</h3> + +<p class="hang center">The Capture of the Stone Fort by the Twenty-fifth Infantry.</p> + +<p class="returnTOC"><a href="#Contents">Return to Table of + Contents</a></p> + +<p>While the battle of Guasimas was going on, in which the Tenth +<ins class="correction" title="Transcriber's Note: The original text reads 'Cavlary'">Cavalry</ins> +took so conspicuous a part, the Twenty-fourth Infantry still remained +on board the City of Washington awaiting orders to land. During the +night of the 24th such orders were received by the authorities of the +transport, and they were directed to land their troops, but the +General Commanding, Brigadier-General Kent, did not hear of the matter +until some time the next morning. He relates the following +circumstances in his official report of the debarkation:</p> + +<p>"At 9 a.m. of the 25th Lieutenant Cardin, of the Revenue Marine, came +aboard with orders for me to proceed to and disembark at Altares +(Siboney). This officer also handed me a letter from the corps +commander expressing his astonishment that I had remained away three +days."</p> + +<p>General Kent also states in his report that his travel rations had +been exhausted seven days before and that but one meal of field +rations remained, and that the ship's supply both of water and +provisions was running low, and that in consequence of these facts as +well as for higher considerations he was very anxious to get on shore. +The debarkation followed as rapidly as possible, and that afternoon +General Kent reported in person to Major-General Wheeler, the troops +bivouacking for the night near the landing. The next day Colonel +Pearson, who commanded the Second Brigade of Kent's division, took +the +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page151" id="page151"></a>[pg 151]</span> + Second Infantry and reconnoitred along the railroad toward the +Morro, going a distance of about six miles and returning in the +evening, having found no enemy in that vicinity, although evidences +were found that a force had recently retreated from a blockhouse +situated on the railroad about two miles from Aguadores.</p> + +<p>On the day following, June 27th, the entire division moved out on the +road toward Santiago and encamped on the same ground that Lawton had +occupied the night previous. The Second Brigade took its place near +Savilla, while the Third Brigade, which included the Twenty-fourth +Infantry, went into camp at Las Guasimas, where the affair of the 24th +had occurred. The order of march had now partially fallen back to the +original plan: Lawton in advance, with whom was the Twenty-Fifth +Infantry; Wheeler next, with whom was the Ninth and Tenth Cavalry, and +Kent in the rear, who had, as we have just related, the Twenty-fourth +Infantry in his Third Brigade. In this order the army moved, so far as +it moved at all, until the morning of the 30th, when dispositions for +the general attack began.</p> + +<p>The story of the great battle, or as it turned out, of the two great +battles, begins on this day, and the careers of the four colored +regiments are to be followed through the divisions of Lawton, Kent and +Wheeler. Let us begin, however, with General Shafter's official report +and his "Story of Santiago," as told in the "Century" of February, +1899.</p> + +<p>From these sources it is learned that on June 30th General Shafter +reconnoitered the country about Santiago and determined upon a plan of +attack. Ascending a hill from which he could obtain a good view of the +city, and could also see San Juan Hill and the country about El Caney, +he observed afresh +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page152" id="page152"></a>[pg 152]</span> +what had impressed itself upon all immediately +upon landing, to wit: That in all this country there were no good +roads along which to move troops or transport supplies. The General +says: "I had never seen a good road in a Spanish country, and Santiago +did not disappoint my expectations." The roads as he saw them from the +summit of the hill on June 30th were very poor, and indeed, little +better than bridle paths, except between El Caney and San Juan River +and the city. Within this region, a distance of from four to four and +a half miles, the roads were passable. El Caney lay about four miles +northeast of Santiago, and was strongly fortified, and, as events +proved, strongly garrisoned. This position was of great importance to +the enemy, because from it a force might come to attack the right +flank and rear of the American Army as it should make its attempt on +San Juan Hill. El Caney held the road from Guantanamo, at which point +an important Spanish force was posted. While General Shafter was +surveying the country from the hill at El Pozo and making what special +examination he could of the country toward San Juan Hills, Generals +Lawton and Chaffee were making a reconnoisance around El Caney. From +General Lawton's report it would appear that the work of +reconnoitering around El Caney was done chiefly by General Chaffee. He +says: "To General Adna R. Chaffee I am indebted for a thorough and +intelligent reconnoissance of the town of El Caney and vicinity prior +to the battle and the submission of a plan of attack which was +adopted. I consider General Chaffee one of the best practical soldiers +in the army and recommend him for special distinction for successfully +charging the stone fort mentioned in this report, the capture of which +practically closed the battle."</p> + +<p>The general plan of attack as explained by General Shafter +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page153" id="page153"></a>[pg 153]</span> +himself in +his "Century" article was "to put a brigade on the road between +Santiago and El Caney, to keep the Spaniards at the latter place from +retreating on the city, and then with the rest of Lawton's division +and the divisions of Wheeler and Kent, and Bates' brigade to attack +the Spanish position in front of Santiago." Before that he had said +that he wished to put a division in on the right of El Caney and +assault the town on that road. To Admiral Sampson on June 26th he +said: "I shall, if I can, put a large force in Caney, and one perhaps +still farther west, near the pipe-line conveying water to the city, +making my main attack from the northeast and east." His desire at this +time was to "get the enemy in my front and the city at my back." On +June 30th he had modified this plan so as to decide to place one +brigade on the road between El Caney and Santiago, with a view merely +to keeping the El Caney garrison from retreating into Santiago.</p> + +<p>As he was explaining his plan to the division officers and others on +the afternoon of the 30th at his own headquarters, Lawton and Chaffee +were of the opinion that they could dispose of the Spaniards at El +Caney in two hours time. "Therefore," says the General, "I modified my +plan, assigning Lawton's whole division for the attack of El Caney and +directed Bates' independent brigade to his support." This last +modification of General Shafter's plan was made in deference to the +opinion of subordinates, and was based upon observations made +especially by General Chaffee.</p> + +<p>The force assigned for the reduction of El Caney was to begin its work +early in the morning, and by ten or eleven o'clock at the outside it +was expected that the task would be accomplished and Lawton would join +Kent and Sumner in the assault upon San Juan. Early on the morning of +July 1st Capron's +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page154" id="page154"></a>[pg 154]</span> +battery was got into position on a line running +directly north from Marianage on a hill about five hundred yards east +of Las Guasimas Creek. Lawton's division began its move on the +afternoon of the 30th, as did in fact the whole army, and bivouacked +that night near El Pozo. The Twenty-fifth Infantry, which belonged to +the Second Brigade, commanded by Colonel Miles, a former Major of the +Twenty-fifth, left El Pozo at daylight by way of the road leading +almost due north, and marched about one mile to the little town of +Marianage. Here a halt was made for an hour, from 6.30 to 7.30, during +which time reconnoitering parties were sent out to examine the ground +toward the Ducoureau House, which lay about one mile to the northward +of Marianage, and which had been designated by General Lawton as a +general rendezvous after the engagement should terminate. +Reconnoissance was made also to the front for the purpose of +discovering the enemy, and to ascertain the left of Ludlow's brigade. +This was the first brigade of Lawton's division and consisted of the +Eighth and Twenty-second Infantry and the Second Massachusetts, the +last named regiment being on the right. The Second Brigade was to +connect with this on its right and succeeded in finding the position +of the Second Massachusetts during this halt. At 11.30 Miles' brigade +was ordered to take position on the right of Ludlow's brigade, which +it did in the following order: The Fourth Infantry on the left, +joining with the Second Massachusetts on Ludlow's right; the +Twenty-fifth on the right, with its left joining on the Fourth +Infantry.</p> + +<p>We must now review the progress of the battle so far as it is possible +to do so, from the firing of the first shot by Capron's battery up to +11.30, an hour long after the time at which it had been supposed that +El Caney would fall. Capron's +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page155" id="page155"></a>[pg 155]</span> +reports are very brief. He says: "July +1—Fired shell and shrappnel into El Caney (ranged 2,400) 6.15 a.m. to +11.30 a.m." In another report he says: "Opened fire July 1, with shell +and shrappnel at 6.15 on Caney; range, 2,400 yards; continued until +11.30 a.m." He says that the battery "continued its fire against +specified objectives intermittently throughout the day under the +personal direction of the division commander." The forces we have so +far considered, consisting of Ludlow's and Miles' brigades, and of +Capron's battery, lay to the south of Caney, between it and Santiago, +Ludlow's brigade having been placed there to "cut off the retreat of +the garrison should it attempt to escape." Up to 11.30 there had been +no call for employing it for that purpose. The garrison had made no +attempt to escape. We must now go around to the east and north of +Caney. Here the Third Brigade, consisting of the Seventh, Twelfth and +Seventeenth Infantry, was posted, and early in the morning joined in +the attack, the brigade getting under fire before eight o'clock. +Colonel Carpenter, of the Seventh Regiment, says that one company of +his regiment, by General Chaffee's direction, was detached and sent +forward to reduce a blockhouse, well up on the hill, which commanded +the approach of his regiment to the field of action. After several +ineffectual attempts by the company, the Captain (Van Orsdale) was +directed to abandon the undertaking and rejoin the regiment, which +then took up a position on the crest of a hill running nearly parallel +with the Spanish lines. From this position the men crawled forward +about fifty yards and opened a deliberate fire upon the enemy, keeping +it up for about an hour, but as the losses of the regiment at this +time were considerable and the fire seemed to be without material +effect, the command was withdrawn to its +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page156" id="page156"></a>[pg 156]</span> +position on the hill where +it found protection in a sunken road. In this condition this regiment +lay when Capron's battery made its lull at 11.30. The fearful fire +this regiment met can be estimated by the losses it sustained, which +during the day were as follows: Killed, 1 officer and 33 enlisted men; +wounded, 4 officers and 95 enlisted men; missing, 3 enlisted men. The +Seventeenth Regiment went into action on the right of the Seventh, +doing but little firing, as their orders were not to open fire unless +they could make the fire effective. Companies C and G fired a few +volleys; the remainder of the regiment did not fire at all. Four +enlisted men were killed and two officers severely wounded, one, +Lieutenant Dickinson, dying from his wounds within a few hours. +Several enlisted men were also wounded. At 11.30 this regiment was +lying on the right of the Seventh. The Twelfth Regiment began firing +between 6 and 7 in the morning and advanced to take its position on +the left of the Seventh Infantry. This regiment early reached a +position within 350 yards of the enemy, in which it found shelter in +the sunken road, "free from the enemy's fire." The regiment remained +in this position until about 4 o'clock in the afternoon, and, hence, +was there at 11.30 a.m. The losses of this regiment during the day +were, killed, 7 enlisted men; wounded, 2 officers and 31 enlisted men. +From these brief sketches the reader will now be able to grasp the +position of Lawton's entire division. Beginning on the south, from the +west, with Ludlow's brigade, consisting of the Twenty-second, Eighth +and Second Massachusetts, the line was continued by Miles' brigade of +the Fourth and Twenty-fifth Infantry; then passing over a considerable +space, we strike Chaffee's brigade, posted as has just been described. +General Bates' brigade probably arrived upon the field about noon. +This brigade consisted +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page157" id="page157"></a>[pg 157]</span> +of the Third and Twentieth Infantry, and is +known as "Bates' Independent Brigade." The brigade is reported as +going into action about 1 o'clock and continuing in action until 4 +o'clock. It took a position on the right, partially filling up the gap +between Miles and Chaffee. The first battalion of the Twentieth +Infantry went into action on the left of the Twenty-fifth Infantry's +firing line, and one company, A, took part in the latter part of the +charge by which the stone house was taken. Between 11.30, when +Capron's firing stopped, and when Miles' brigade was moved forward to +join the right of Ludlow's, and 12.20, when the battery recommenced, +the troops, including Bates' brigade, were either in the positions +described above or were moving to them. Noon had arrived and El Caney +is not taken; the garrison has not attempted to escape, but is sending +out upon its assailants a continuous and deadly fire. "Throughout the +heaviest din of our fire," says Colonel Carpenter, "could be heard the +peculiar high-keyed ring of the defiant enemy's shots."</p> + +<p>Twelve o'clock on July 1st, 1898, was a most anxious hour for our army +in Cuba. The battle at El Caney was at a standstill and the divisions +of Kent and Sumner were in a most perilous situation. Bonsal's +description of the state of the battle at that time is pathetic. +Speaking of the artillery at El Caney—Capron's battery—he says it +was now apparent that this artillery, firing from its position of +twenty-four hundred yards, could do very little damage to the great +stone fort and earthworks north of the village. The shots were too few +and the metal used too light to be effectual. Three hours of the +morning had worn away and the advance of our men had been slowly made +and at great cost; all the approaches were commanded by Spanish +entrenchments and the fighting was very +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page158" id="page158"></a>[pg 158]</span> +unequal. A soldier of the +Twenty-fifth says that when he came in sight of the battle at El +Caney, "the Americans were gaining no ground, and the flashes of the +Spanish mausers told us that the forces engaged were unequally +matched, the difference of position favoring the Spaniards." This view +was had about noon, or soon after. At that time "a succession of aides +and staff officers came galloping from headquarters with messages +which plainly showed that confusion, if not disaster, had befallen the +two divisions which, by the heavy firing, we had learned to our great +surprise, had become warmly engaged in the centre. The orders to +General Lawton from headquarters were at first peremptory in +character—he was to pull out of his fight and to move his division to +the support of the centre" (Bonsal). This call for Lawton arose from +the fact that about noon General Shafter received several dispatches +from Sumner, of the Cavalry Division, requiring assistance. General +Sumner felt the need of the assistance of every available man in the +centre of the line where he was carrying on his fight with the +Spaniards on Blue House Hill. This situation so impressed the General, +Shafter, that he finally wrote to Lawton, "You must proceed with the +remainder of your force and join on immediately upon Sumner's right. +If you do not the battle is lost." Shafter's idea then was to fall +back to his original plan of just leaving enough troops at El Caney to +prevent the garrison from going to the assistance of any other part of +the line. Shafter himself says: "As the fight progressed I was +impressed with the fact that we were meeting with a very stubborn +resistance at El Caney and I began to fear that I had made a mistake +in making two fights in one day, and sent Major Noble with orders to +Lawton to hasten with his troops along the Caney road, placing himself +on the right of Wheeler" +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page159" id="page159"></a>[pg 159]</span> + (Sumner). Lawton now made a general advance, +and it is important to see just what troops did advance. The Seventh +Infantry did not move, for Lieutenant-Colonel Carpenter says that +after withdrawing "to the partial cover furnished by the road, the +regiment occupied this position from 8 o'clock a.m. until about 4.30 +p.m." The Seventeenth did not move, for Captain O'Brien, commanding, +says the regiment took a position joining "its left with the right of +the Seventh Infantry" and that the regiment "remained in this position +until the battle was over." The Twelfth Infantry remained in its +shelter within 350 yards of the stone fort until about 4 p.m. Then we +have Chaffee's brigade on the north of the fort remaining stationary +and by their own reports doing but little firing. The Seventeenth +fired "for about fifty minutes" about noon, with remarkable precision, +but "it seemingly had no effect upon reducing the Spanish fire +delivered in our (their) front." The Seventh did not fire to any +extent. The Twelfth Infantry lay in its refuge "free from the enemy's +fire" and may have kept up an irregular fire.</p> + +<p>About this time Bates' brigade entered the field and one battalion of +the Twentieth Infantry is reported to have joined the left of the +firing line of the Twenty-fifth. General Ludlow says there was a lull +from 12 to 1 p.m., "when the action again became violent, and at 3 +p.m. the Third Brigade captured the stone fort with a rush and hoisted +the American flag." From Ludlow's brigade, Captain Van Horne, +commanding the Twenty-second Infantry, after the wounding of +Lieutenant-Colonel Patterson, says that the First Battalion of his +regiment took a position about 800 yards from the town and kept up +firing until the place surrendered. He does not say positively that +the firing was upon the town, but he had said just before +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page160" id="page160"></a>[pg 160]</span> +that the +Second Battalion slowly moved forward, firing into the town from the +left, so that we may readily conclude from the context as well as from +the position that the First Battalion fired into the town also. Hence +it seems fair to exclude from the fort all of Ludlow's brigade, and it +is observable that Ludlow himself claims no part in the capture of +that stronghold.</p> + +<p>General Bates says his brigade took position to the right of Colonel +Miles' brigade and pushed rapidly to the front. He then says that +after remaining sometime in the crossroad to the right of Miles' +brigade, under a heavy fire from the enemy, the brigade moved farther +"to the right to the assault of a small hill, occupied upon the top by +a stone fort and well protected by rifle pits. General Chaffee's +brigade charged them from the right, and the two brigades joining upon +the crest, opened fire from this point of vantage, lately occupied by +the Spanish, upon the village of El Caney." General Chaffee says it +was in consequence of the fire of General Bates' troops upon the fort +that the assault by the Twelfth Infantry was postponed.</p> + +<p>In General Chaffee's report this statement occurs: "The action lasted +nearly throughout the day, terminating at about 4.30 p.m., at which +time the stone blockhouse was assaulted by Captain Haskell's battalion +of the Twelfth Infantry, under the personal direction of +Lieutenant-Colonel Comba, commanding the regiment. The resistance at +this point had been greatly affected by the fire of Capron's battery. +A few moments after the seizure of this point—the key to the +situation—my left was joined by General Bates with a portion of his +command." It is to be noted in connection with all of the above +statements that Major McCaskey, who commanded the Twentieth Infantry +(Bates brigade), says: "The First Battalion was moved to the right and +put into action on the left of the +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page161" id="page161"></a>[pg 161]</span> + Twenty-fifth Infantry's firing +line, and one company, A, took part in the latter part of the charge +by which the stone house was taken." The two points to be noted here +are (1) that this battalion was on the left of the Twenty-fifth's +firing line, and (2) that one company took part in the charge upon the +stone house. When Chaffee's brigade charged the stone house from the +right some of Bates' troops, at least this Company A, from the +battalion near the firing line of the Twenty-fifth Infantry, took part +in the latter part of the charge. The two brigades, Bates' and +Chaffee's, joined immediately after the capture of the stone fort and +opened fire upon the town.</p> + +<p>We have now traced the actions and the fortunes of the three following +brigades: Ludlow's Chaffee's and Bates'. But what has become of Miles' +brigade? Unfortunately, the Second Brigade has not been so well +reported as were the others engaged in the action at El Caney. We have +seen that it was ordered to take position on the right of Ludlow's +brigade at 11.30, when Capron's battery ceased its firing for the +fifty minutes. "We were detained in reaching our position by troops in +our front blocking the road," says the brigade commander. "We came +into action directly in front of the stone blockhouse at 12.30, and +from that hour until about 4.30, when the command 'cease firing' was +given, the blockhouse having been captured, my command was +continuously under fire." The reader will note in this report that the +brigade went into action at 12.30, several hours before the charge was +ordered by General Chaffee, and at least an hour and a half before, +according to the report of the commander of the Third Brigade, "this +fort was practically in the possession of the Twelfth Infantry." Major +Baker, who commanded the Fourth Infantry, says: "About 12 m. we +received orders directing us to take our place +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page162" id="page162"></a>[pg 162]</span> +in the line of battle, +and arriving at the proper point the regiment was placed in line in +the following order: The First Battalion in the fighting line; the +Second Battalion in support and regimental reserve. In this order the +First Battalion, under my command, took up the advance toward the +blockhouse, to our right, south east of Caney." This battalion +advanced until it reached a position about 200 yards from the village, +where it remained, assisted by the Second Battalion until the capture +of the fort. Two companies of this First Battalion "fired into the +town and also into the blockhouse until its fall." A good part of the +fire of this regiment was directed upon the fort.</p> + +<p>Colonel Miles says: "The brigade advanced steadily, with such scanty +cover as the ground afforded, maintaining a heavy fire on the stone +fort from the time the fight began until it ended." The reader is +asked to note particularly that this fire was continuous throughout +the fight; that it was characterized by the brigade commander as +"heavy," and that it was "on the stone fort". He says: "As the brigade +advanced across a plowed field in front of the enemy's position the +latter's sharpshooters in the houses in Caney enfiladed the left of +our line with a murderous fire. To silence it Major Baker, Fourth +Infantry, in command of the battalion of that regiment on the left of +our line of battle, directed it to turn its fire upon the town. In so +doing this battalion lost heavily, but its steady front and accurate +volleys greatly assisted the advance of the remainder of the brigade +upon the stone fort."</p> + +<p>We have now these facts clearly brought out or suggested: That the +brigade took its place in line of battle soon after 12 o'clock; that +the Fourth Infantry was on the left; that the advance of the First +Battalion of the Fourth Infantry was "toward the blockhouse;" that +aside from the companies of the +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page163" id="page163"></a>[pg 163]</span> + Fourth Infantry that fired into town, +"the remainder of the brigade advanced upon the stone fort." The +Fourth Infantry, holding the left of the line, however, reached a +position from which it could not advance, its commander having +"quickly perceived that an advance meant annihilation, as it would +involve not only a frontal, but also a flank fire from the town." Here +the Fourth Infantry remained, but continued to maintain a fire upon +both the blockhouse and the town.</p> + +<p>There is but one more regiment in all of Lawton's division to be +accounted for, and that is the Twenty-fifth Infantry, holding the +right of Miles' brigade in this advance. This regiment was in place in +the line under its gallant and experienced commander, +Lieutenant-Colonel A.S. Daggett, and contributed its full share of +that "heavy fire on the stone fort from the time the fight began until +it ended." Major McCaskey says the First Battalion of his regiment +took a position on the left of the Twenty-fifth's firing line. The +statement seems erroneous, and one is inclined to believe that it was +originally written "on the right," instead of "on the left"; but it is +enough for our purpose now, that the firing line of the Twenty-fifth +is recognized well in advance. Major Baker, who commanded on the left +of the brigade line, and whose advance was stopped by the flank fire +from the village and a frontal fire from the fort, says: "as a matter +of fact the village of El Caney was not charged by any troops. Those +of Bates' brigade and the Twenty-fifth Infantry, after having carried +the stone fort (on a hill some 75 feet higher, and to the east of the +town,) fired into the village, and the Fourth Infantry continued its +fire. Nor was it charged by any of the troops to our left. Such a +charge would necessarily have been seen by us." Major Baker, who was +on the field and had the blockhouse in clear view, declares that +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page164" id="page164"></a>[pg 164]</span> +some +of Bates' brigade and the Twenty-fifth Infantry carried the stone +fort. Major McCaskey says that one battalion of the Twentieth Infantry +(Bates' brigade) was on the left of the Twenty-fifth's firing line, +and that one company (A) took part in the latter part of the charge by +which the fort was taken. This battalion may be referred to by Major +Baker when he says: "Those of Bates' brigade and the Twenty-fifth +Infantry, after having carried, etc."</p> + +<p>As there are some matters of dispute concerning the events which I am +now going to relate, I will present a soldier's statement before I go +to the official records. The soldier in writing to me after the battle +says: "I was left-guide of Company G (25th Infantry), and I received +orders from Lieutenant McCorkle to guide on Fourth Infantry, which +held the left flank. 'Forward, march! Guide left. Don't fire until you +see somebody; then fire to hit!' came the orders. Tramp! tramp! Crash! +crash! On we walked and stopped. We fired into the underbrush for +safety; then in another moment we were under Spanish fire. Balls flew +like bees, humming as they went. Soon we found ourselves up against a +network of Spanish trickery. Barbed-wire fences, ditches and creeks, +too numerous to think of. The only thing left was to go ahead or die; +or else retreat like cowards. We preferred to go ahead. At this first +fence Lieutenant McCorkle was taken to earth by a Spanish bullet. +Lieutenant Moss spoke out, 'Come ahead! Let's get at these Spaniards!' +A few moments more and he, too, was almost dead with exertion, loud +speaking, running and jumping, as onward we swept toward the Spanish +stronghold. The sun was exceedingly hot, as on the slope of a little +mound we rested for a few moments. We lay here about five minutes, +looking into the Spanish fort or blockhouse; we measured the +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page165" id="page165"></a>[pg 165]</span> +distance +by our eyesight, then with our rifles; we began to cheer and storm, +and in a moment more, up the hill like a bevy of blue birds did the +Twenty-fifth fly. G and H Companies were the first to reach the summit +and to make the Spaniards fly into the city of El Caney, which lay +just behind the hill. When we reached the summit others soon began to +<i>mount our ladder</i>. We fired down into the city until nearly dusk."</p> + +<p>The brigade made its advance under fire almost from the beginning. The +commander says it was continuously under fire from 12.30 to 4.30 p.m. +"The attack was begun by two companies in each regiment on the firing +line, strengthened by supports and reserves from the remaining +companies until the brigade had but two companies in reserve. At one +time in this hotly engaged contest the commanding officer of the +Twenty-Fifth Infantry sent me word that he needed troops on his right. +I then sent forward 40 Cubans, under command of Captains Jose' Varges +and Avelens Bravo, with Lieutenants Nicholas Franco and Tomas Repelao, +to form on the right of the Twenty-fifth, which was also the right of +the brigade. With these Cubans I ordered Private Henry Downey, Company +H, First Infantry, on duty as interpreter at the headquarters. These +men advanced on the stone fort with our line, fighting gallantly, +during which Lieutenant Nicholas Franco was mortally wounded and died +soon afterwards." (Col. Miles' report.)</p> + +<p>From the soldier's story, as well as from the official report of the +brigade commander, it is conclusive that the real objective of the +Second Brigade was the stone fort, and that the Twenty-fifth Infantry, +which occupied the right of the line, had no other objective +whatever.* [Transcriber's Note: No footnote text present for this +footnote anchor.] It also appears that Bates' brigade, although +somewhere on the right, was not so near +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page166" id="page166"></a>[pg 166]</span> + but that the commanding +officer of the Twenty-fifth could see the need of troops at his right; +and to meet this need the brigade commander "sent forward 40 Cubans, +who advanced on the stone fort with our lines." The fire from this +fort continued severe during the whole of the advance, and until the +last halt made by the Twenty-fifth. At the first fence met by the +Twenty-fifth Lieutenant McCorkle was killed; and, to use the words of +a soldier, "as the regiment swept toward the Spanish stronghold" to +reach the slope of a little mound for cover, many more fell. Behind +this little mound, after resting about five minutes, they began their +last fire upon the enemy. This must have been as late as 3 o'clock, +and perhaps considerably later, and the fire from the stone fort was +vigorous up until their last halt, as their casualties prove. The +battery had begun to fire on the fort again at 12.30 and continued +from the same position until 2.10, the range being as has been already +stated, 2,400 yards. Hence the artillery firing at long range had +ceased, and it is generally conceded that this long range firing had +been ineffective. Captain Capron says he moved his battery at 2.10 +p.m. to 1,000 yards from Caney and opened fire on two blockhouses. He +does not say at what hour he opened fire on these two blockhouses, or +how long he continued to fire, or what was the effect of his fire upon +the two block houses. Lieutenant-Colonel Bisbee, who was acting as +support of Capron's battery, says of himself that he "moved with the +battery at 3.30 p.m. by the Dubroix (Ducureaux) road." General Lawton +says the battery was moved to a new position about 2.30, "about 1,000 +yards from certain blockhouses in the town, where a few shots, all +taking effect, were fired." From these reports it would appear that +after moving to the second station the battery fired upon two +blockhouses +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page167" id="page167"></a>[pg 167]</span> +in the town, and not upon the stone fort. General Ludlow, +speaking of the battle, says: "In the present case, the artillery fire +was too distant to reduce the blockhouses or destroy the +entrenchments, so that the attack was practically by infantry alone." +On the other hand, General Chaffee says: "The resistance at this +point," meaning the stone fort at the time of assault, "had been +greatly affected by the fire of Capron's battery." Colonel Comba, of +the Twelfth Infantry, says: "The artillery made the breach through +which our men entered the stone work." Bonsal says that Captain +Capron, "under the concentrated fire of his four guns at a point blank +range of a thousand yards, had converted the fort into a shapeless +ruin," when the infantry charged it.</p> + +<p>It is probable that in this case, as in most cases of similar nature, +the truth divides equally between the apparently opposing views. Of +General Ludlow, who is the authority for this statement, that the +stone fort at El Caney was taken by infantry alone, General Lawton +says: "General Ludlow's professional accomplishments are well known +and his assignment to command a brigade in my division I consider a +high compliment to myself." "The fighting was all done with small +arms" were the words written me by an infantryman soon after the +battle. The question, whether Capron fired upon the stone fort after +taking his new position, or fired on two blockhouses, entirely +distinct from the fort, remains undetermined. The author of this work +inclines to the conclusion that the fire of Capron after moving to his +new position was directed for a brief period, at least, upon the stone +fort.</p> + +<p>Inasmuch as we are now to trace the career of the Twenty-fifth +Infantry through an unfortunate dispute, on both sides +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page168" id="page168"></a>[pg 168]</span> +of which are +officers of high rank and unimpeachable honor, it is important to +note, first, to what extent the several statements, both unofficial +and official, can be harmonized and made to corroborate one another. +Major Baker says: "Those of Bates' brigade and the Twenty-fifth +Infantry, after having carried the stone fort," which he explains was +some 75 feet higher than the town, then fired <i>down</i> into the village. +The soldier who acted as left-guide of Company G, Twenty-fifth +Infantry, says, after getting up on the hill, "we fired <i>down</i> into +the city until near dusk." The experience of the soldier agrees +exactly with the report of the officer. The fact that the Twenty-fifth +went up the hill cannot be questioned, and that up to their last halt, +they went under fire, no one will deny. Bonsal, in speaking of +Chaffee's brigade, which was "more immediately charged with the +reduction of Caney" (Ludlow's report), says: "And it was nearly five +o'clock when his most advanced regiment, the gallant Twelfth Infantry, +deployed into the valley and charged up the steep hillside, which was +lined with Spanish trenches, rising in irregular tiers and crowned +with a great stone fort." The stone fort at this time, however, was, +as he says, "a shapeless ruin." Where was the Twenty-fifth Infantry at +this time? Mr. Bonsal continues: "Almost at the same moment the +Twenty-fifth Colored Infantry, the leading regiment of Miles' brigade, +which had been advancing in the centre, started up the hill also." +General Lawton says that after moving the battery to its new position, +1,000 yards from certain blockhouses in the town, Capron fired a few +shots, all of which took effect, and he adds: "This firing terminated +the action, as the Spanish garrison were attempting to escape." +Colonel Comba says there was a breach in the stonework large enough +for his men to enter, and that this had been made by +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page169" id="page169"></a>[pg 169]</span> +the artillery; +General Chaffee says resistance had been greatly affected by the +artillery, and Bonsal adds, the garrison resisted the last advance +made by the infantry but for a moment.</p> + +<p>General Chaffee declares: "The troops arriving at the fort were there +in the following order: Twelfth Infantry, which took the place; the +command of General Bates some moments later; the Twenty-fifth +Infantry."</p> + +<p>The facts therefore stand, that the Twenty-fifth Infantry was on the +ground with the first troops that reached the fort and that there was +a captain of that regiment who then and there claimed the capture of +the place, even against the claims of a Major-General. He was told +that his proposition was absurd, and so it may have been from one +standpoint; and yet there may be a ground upon which the captain's +claim was fair and just.</p> + +<p>That the Twelfth Infantry arrived on the ground first is not disputed; +but it is questioned whether the fort was belligerent at that time. +General Chaffee says the resistance had been greatly reduced by the +artillery; General Lawton says the action had been finished by +Capron's shots and the garrison was trying to escape; a soldier from +the Twenty-fifth says the Spaniards flew out of the fort to the town; +Bonsal says, they stoutly resisted "for a moment and then fled +precipitately down the ravine and up the other side, and into the +town." If first occupancy is the only ground upon which the capture of +a place can be claimed, then the title to the honor of capturing the +stone fort lies, according to official report as so far presented, +with the Twelfth Infantry. But even upon this ground it will be shown +that the Twenty-fifth's action will relieve the claim of its captain +from absurdity. We are now prepared to read the official report of the +commanding officer of the Twenty-fifth +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page170" id="page170"></a>[pg 170]</span> + Regiment, Lieutenant-Colonel +Daggett, who was with the regiment all through the fight, and who bore +himself so well that the division commander said: "Lieutenant-Colonel +Daggett deserves special mention for skillful handling of his +regiment, and would have received it before had the fact been reported +by his brigade commander."</p> + +<blockquote> +<p class="letterDate">July 5, 1898.<br /> +Intrenchments Twenty-fifth United States Infantry,</p> +<p>Adjutant-General, Second Brigade, Second Division, Fifth +Corps.</p> + +<p>Sir:—I have the honor to submit the following report of the +part taken by the Twenty-fifth Infantry in the battle of the +1st instant. The regiment formed firing line on the right of +the Fourth Infantry, facing a Spanish fort or blockhouse +about half a mile distant. On moving forward, the battalion, +composed of Companies C, D, E, G and H, and commanded by +Capt. W.S. Scott, received the fire of the enemy, and after +advancing about 400 yards was subjected to a galling fire on +their left. Finding cover, the battalion prepared for an +advance up the hill to the fort. This advance was made +rapidly and conducted with great skill by company officers.</p> + +<p>"On arriving within a short distance of the fort the white +flag was waved to our companies, but a cross fire prevented +the enemy from advancing with it or our officers from +receiving it. About twenty minutes later a battalion of some +other regiment advanced to the rear of the fort, completely +covered from fire, and received the flag; but the men of the +Twenty-fifth Infantry entered the fort at the same time. All +officers and men behaved gallantly. One officer was killed +and three wounded; eight men were killed and twenty wounded.</p> + +<p>"About 200 men and ten officers were in the firing line. I +attribute the comparatively small losses to the skill and +bravery of the company officers, viz.: First Lieutenant +Caldwell and Second Lieutenants Moss and Hunt. Second +Lieutenant French, adjutant of the battalion, was among +those who gallantly entered the fort.</p> + +<p>"The battle lasted about two hours and was a hotly contested +combat.</p> +<p class="letterClose3 close">Very respectfully,</p> + +<p class="author-up">"A.S. DAGGETT,<br /> +"Lieutenant-Colonel, Twenty-fifth Infantry, Commanding."</p> +</blockquote><p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page171" id="page171"></a>[pg 171]</span> +</p> + +<p>Here it is shown by the testimony of the regimental commander, that a +battalion of the Twenty-fifth ascended the hill and arrived at a short +distance from the fort about twenty minutes before any other troops +are mentioned as coming in sight; and that a white flag was waved to +the companies of the Twenty-fifth. It was doubtless upon this ground +that a captain of the Twenty-fifth had the temerity to claim the +capture of the place, even from a Major-General. I do not know who the +captain was, but it is evident that he had what he believed ample +grounds for his claim. Colonel Daggett says, also, that when the men +of the other regiment advanced to this fort after it had waved the +white flag to the companies of the Twenty-fifth, the men of the +Twenty-fifth advanced and entered the fort at the same time. Bonsal +says: "Almost at the same moment that the Twelfth started up the hill +the Twenty-fifth started up the hill also;" while according to Colonel +Daggett's testimony the Twenty-fifth was well up the hill already and +the fort had waved to it the white flag.</p> + +<p>Colonel Daggett makes this further report:</p> + +<blockquote> +<p class="letterDate">Headquarters Twenty-fifth Infantry,<br /> +Near Santiago, Cuba, July 16, 1898.</p> +<p>The Adjutant-General, Second Division, Fifth Corps, near Santiago, Cuba. +</p> + +<p>Sir:—Feeling that the Twenty-fifth Infantry has not +received credit for the part it took in the battle of El +Caney on the first instant, I have the honor to submit the +following facts:</p> + +<p>I was ordered by the brigade commander to put two companies +(H, Lieutenant Caldwell, and G, Lieutenant McCorkle) on the +firing line in extended order. The right being uncovered and +exposed to the enemy, I ordered D Company (Captain Edwards) +to deploy as flankers. The battalion was commanded by Capt. +W.S. Scott. The battalion advanced about 300 yards under +fire, the Fourth Infantry on its left, where the line found +cover, halted, and opened fire on the blockhouse and +intrenchments +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page172" id="page172"></a>[pg 172]</span> +in front of it. After the line had been +steadied and had delivered an effective fire, I ordered a +further advance, which was promptly made. As the Fourth +Infantry did not advance, my left was exposed to a very +severe fire from the village on the left. I immediately +ordered Company C (Lieutenant Murdock), which was in +support, to the front, and E. Company (Lieutenant Kinnison) +from regimental reserve to take its place. Thus +strengthened, the four companies moved up the hill rapidly, +being skilfully handled by company officers. On arriving +near the fort the white flag was waved toward our men, but +the fire from the village on our left was so severe that +neither our officers nor Spanish could pass over the +intervening ground. After about twenty minutes some of the +Twelfth Infantry arrived in rear of the fort, completely +sheltered from the fire from the village, and received the +white flag; but Privates J.H. Jones, of Company D, and T.C. +Butler, H. Company, Twenty-fifth Infantry, entered the fort +at the same time and took possession of the Spanish flag. +They were ordered to give it up by an officer of the Twelfth +United States Infantry, but before doing so they each tore a +piece from it, which they now have. So much for the facts.</p> + +<p>I attribute the success attained by our line largely to the +bravery and skill of the company officers who conducted the +line to the fort. These officers are: First Lieutenants V.A. +Caldwell and J.A. Moss, and Second Lieutenant J.E. Hunt. It +is my opinion that the two companies first deployed could +not have reached the fort alone, and that it was the two +companies I ordered to their support that gave them the +power to reach it. I further believe that had we failed to +move beyond the Fourth Infantry the fort would not have been +taken that night.</p> + +<p>The Twenty-fifth Infantry lost one officer killed<a name="FNanchor_18_18" id="FNanchor_18_18"></a><a href="#Footnote_18_18" class="fnanchor">[18]</a> and +three wounded, and seven men killed and twenty-eight +wounded.</p> + +<p>Second Lieutenant H.W. French, adjutant of Captain Scott's +battalion, arrived at the fort near the same time as the +other officers.</p> + +<p>I request that this report be forwarded to corps +headquarters.</p> + +<p class="letterClose3">Very respectfully,</p> +<p class="author-up">A.S. DAGGETT,<br /> +Lieutenant-Colonel, Twenty-fifth Infantry, Commanding.</p> +</blockquote><p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page173" id="page173"></a>[pg 173]</span> +</p> + +<p>General Chaffee's statement is not to be questioned for a moment. +There is not the least doubt that the troops, as organizations arrived +at the fort in the order he describes. General Lawton says: "General +Chaffee's brigade was especially charged with the duty of assaulting +the stone fort, and successfully executed that duty, after which a +portion of the Twenty-fifth, and a portion of Bates' brigade, assisted +in the work, all of which is commendable." He says also, that the +"Twenty-fifth Infantry did excellent service, as reported, though not +better than the others engaged.' This seems to confirm +Lieutenant-Colonel Daggett's report, for he says he is sure the +regiment did excellent work, "as reported;" and at that time he is +commenting on Lieutenant-Colonel Daggett's report, the report printed +above. The broad statements of General Lawton do not touch the exact +question at issue between the reports of the subordinate commanders; +nor do they throw any light on the circumstances of the final charge. +Miles' brigade had been advancing on the stone fort for some hours, +and the Twenty-fifth was so near when the charge of the Twelfth was +made that portions of it were on the hill and near the fort at the +same time. The commander of the Third Brigade saw the fight from one +side and reported events as he learned them. His official statement +requires no support. The commanding officer of the Twenty-fifth +Infantry saw the fight from another standpoint, and his official +reports are entitled to equal respect. Both the General's and the +Lieutenant-Colonel's must be accepted as recitals of facts, made with +all the accuracy that high personal integrity armed with thorough +military training can command. Happily the statements, which at first +appear so widely at variance, are entirely reconcilable. The following +supplementary report of the regimental +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page174" id="page174"></a>[pg 174]</span> +commander, when taken in +connection with the final complimentary orders published in the +regiment before leaving Cuba, will place the whole subject before the +reader and put the question at rest, and at the same time leave +undisturbed all the reports of superior officers.</p> + +<blockquote> +<p class="letterDate"> +Headquarters Twenty-fifth Infantry,<br /> +Montauk Point, Long Island, August 22, 1898.<br /> +</p> +<p>The Adjutant-General, U.S. Army, Washington, D.C.</p> + +<p>Sir:—I have the honor to submit a supplementary report to +the original one made on the 19th (16th) of July, 1898, of +the battle of El Caney de Cuba, so far as relates to the +part taken therein by the Twenty-fifth Infantry:</p> + +<p>1. I stated in the original report that the Twenty-fifth +Infantry, in advancing, broke away from and left the Fourth +Infantry behind. This may inferentially reflect on the +latter regiment. It was not so intended, and a subsequent +visit to the battle-field convinces me that it would have +been impossible for the regiment to advance to the fort, +and, although it might have advanced a short distance +farther, it would have resulted in a useless slaughter, and +that the battalion commander exercised excellent judgment in +remaining where he did and by his fire aiding the +Twenty-fifth Infantry in its advance.</p> + +<p>2. Colonel Miles, the then brigade commander, informed me +that his first report of the battle would be brief and that +a later and full report would be made. In his former report +I think he failed to give credit to myself and regiment. As +he was soon after relieved of the command of the brigade I +assume that no further report will be made.</p> + +<p>I have reported what the regiment did, but said nothing +about my own action. I must, therefore, report it myself or +let it go unrecorded. Distasteful as it is to me, I deem it +duty to my children to state the facts and my claims based +thereon, as follows:</p> + +<p>1. I was ordered to put two companies in the firing line. +Before this line advanced the brigade commander informed me, +and personal examination verified, that my right was in the +air and exposed. On my own judgment I ordered a company, as +flankers, to that part of the line.</p><p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page175" id="page175"></a>[pg 175]</span> +</p> + +<p>2. As soon as the line had rested and become steadied at its +first halt I ordered it to advance, and it continued to +advance, although it broke away from the rest of the +brigade.</p> + +<p>3. As this exposed the left to a galling and dangerous fire, +I ordered, on my own judgment, a company to re-enforce that +part of the line and a company from the regimental reserve +also to the fighting line.</p> + +<p>These are the facts, and as my orders were to keep my left +joined to the right of the Fourth Infantry, and received no +further orders, my claims are as follows:</p> + +<p>1. That it was necessary to place a company on the right as +flankers.</p> + +<p>2. That the conditions offered an opportunity to advance +after the first halt, and I took advantage of it.</p> + +<p>3. That the left being exposed by this advance of the line +beyond the rest of the brigade, it was proper and necessary +to re-enforce it by two companies.</p> + +<p>4. That the two companies first deployed could not have +reached the stone fort.</p> + +<p>5. That the three companies added to the firing line gave it +the power to reach the fort.</p> + +<p>6. That the advance beyond the rest of the brigade was a +bold and, without support, dangerous movement, but that the +result justified the act. Had it failed I would have been +held responsible.</p> + +<p>7. That I saw at each stage of the battle what ought to be +done, and did it. Results show that it was done at the right +moment.</p> + +<p>8. That the Twenty-fifth Infantry caused the surrender of +the stone fort.</p> + +<p>I desire to repeat that it is with great reluctance that I +make so much of this report as relates to myself, and +nothing but a sense of duty would impel me to do it.</p> + +<p class="letterClose3">Very respectfully,</p> +<p class="author-up">A.S. DAGGETT,<br /> +Lieutenant-Colonel, Twenty-fifth Infantry, Commanding.</p> +</blockquote><p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page176" id="page176"></a>[pg 176]</span> +</p> + + +<p class="heading">LOSSES OF THE TWENTY-FIFTH INFANTRY.</p> + +<blockquote><p>Killed.—Lieutenant H.L. McCorkle, Company G; Private Albert +Strother, H; Private John W. Steele, D; Corporal Benj. +Cousins, H; Private John B. Phelps, D; Private French Payne, +B; Private Aaron Leftwich, G; Private Tom Howe, D.</p> + +<p>Wounded.—Company A: Private William H. Clarke, Sergeant +Stephen A. Browne. Company B: Private Tom Brown. Company C: +Lieutenant John S. Murdock, Private Joseph L. Johnson, +Private Samuel W. Harley, Private John A. Boyd. Company D; +Captain Eaton A. Edwards, Sergeant Hayden Richards, Private +Robert Goodwin. Company E: Lieutenant H.L. Kinnison, Private +James Howard, Private John Saddler, Private David C. Gillam, +Private Hugh Swann. Company F: First Sergeant Frank Coleman. +Company G: Corporal James O. Hunter, Private Henry +Brightwell, Private David Buckner, Private Alvin Daniels, +Private Boney Douglas, Private George P. Cooper, Private +John Thomas, Corporal Gov. Staton, Private Eugene Jones. +Company H: Private James Bevill, Private Henry Gilbert.</p> + +<p>Wounded July 2.—Private Elwood A. Forman, H; Private Smith, +D; Private William Lafayette, F.</p></blockquote> + +<p class="heading">COMPLIMENTARY ORDER.</p> + +<blockquote> +<p class="letterDate">Headquarters 25th Infantry,<br /> +Near Santiago de Cuba, August 11, 1898.</p> +<p>General Orders No. 19.</p> + +<p>The regimental commander congratulates the regiment on the +prospect of its speedy return to the United States.</p> + +<p>Gathered from three different stations, many of you +strangers to each other, you assembled as a regiment for the +first time in more than twenty-eight years on May 7, 1898, +at Tampa, Florida. There you endeavored to solidify and +prepare yourselves, as far as the oppressive weather would +permit, for the work that appeared to be before you; but, +who could have fortold the severity of that work?</p> + +<p>You endured the severe hardships of a long sea voyage, which +no one who has not experienced it can appreciate. You then +disembarked, amidst dangerous surroundings; and on landing +were for the first time on hostile ground. You marched, +under a tropical sun, carrying blanket-roll, three days' +rations, and one hundred rounds of ammunition, through rain +and mud, part of +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page177" id="page177"></a>[pg 177]</span> +the time at night, sleeping on the wet +ground without shelter, living part of the time on scant +rations, even, of bacon, hard bread and coffee, until on +July 1 you arrived at El Caney. Here you took the battle +formation and advanced to the stone fort, more like veterans +than troops who had never been under fire. You again +marched, day and night, halting only to dig four lines of +intrenchments, the last being the nearest point to the enemy +reached by any organization, when, still holding your +rifles, within these intrenchments, notice was received that +Santiago and the Spanish army had surrendered.</p> + +<p>But commendable as the record cited may be, the brightest +hours of your lives were on the afternoon of July 1. Formed +in battle array, you advanced to the stone fort against +volleys therefrom, and rifle-pits in front, and against a +galling fire from blockhouses, the church tower and the +village on your left. You continued to advance, skilfully +and bravely directed by the officers in immediate command, +halting and delivering such a cool and well-directed fire +that the enemy was compelled to wave the white flag in token +of surrender.</p> + +<p>Seldom have troops been called upon to face a severer fire, +and never have they acquitted themselves better.</p> + +<p>The regimental reserve was called upon to try its nerve, by +lying quiet under a galling fire, without the privilege of +returning it, where men were killed and wounded. This is a +test of nerve which the firing line cannot realize, and +requires the highest qualities of bravery and endurance.</p> + +<p>You may well return to the United States proud of your +accomplishments; and if any one asks you what you have done, +point him to El Caney.</p> + +<p>But in the midst of the joy of going home, we mourn the loss +of those we leave behind. The genial, generous-hearted +McCorkle fell at his post of duty, bravely directing his men +in the advance on the stone fort. He died as the soldier +dies, and received a soldier's burial. He was beloved by all +who knew him, and his name will always be fondly remembered +by his regiment—especially by those who participated in the +Santiago campaign. The officers of the regiment will wear +the prescribed badge of mourning for Lieutenant McCorkle for +thirty days. And Corporal Benjamin Cousins, Privates Payne, +Lewis, Strother, Taliaferro, Phelps, Howell, Steel and +Leftwitch, sacrificed their lives on their country's altar. +Being of a race which +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page178" id="page178"></a>[pg 178]</span> +only thirty-five years ago emerged +through a long and bloody war, from a condition of +servitude, they in turn engaged in a war which was +officially announced to be in the interest of humanity and +gave all they had—their lives—that the oppressed might be +free, and enjoy the blessings of liberty guaranteed by a +stable government. They also died like true soldiers and +received a soldier's burial.</p> + +<p>By order of Lieutenant-Colonel Daggett.</p> + +<p class="author-up">M.D. CRONIN,<br /> +First Lieutenant and Adjutant, 25th Infantry.</p> +</blockquote> + +<p class="heading">MAJOR GENERAL AARON S. DAGGETT.</p> + +<p>General Aaron S. Daggett is a native of Maine, born at Greene Corner, +in that State, June 14, 1837. He is descended from a paternal ancestry +which can be traced, with an honorable record, as far back as 1100 +A.D. His mother was Dorcas C., daughter of Simon Dearborn, a +collateral descendant of General Henry Dearborn. His more immediate +ancestors came from Old to New England about 1630, and both his +grandparents served in the Continental Army during the Revolutionary +War. He was educated in his native town, at Monmouth Academy, Maine +Wesleyan Seminary and Bates College. At the outbreak of the Civil War +he enlisted as a private, April 27th, 1861, in the 5th Maine Infantry; +was appointed second lieutenant May 1, and promoted first lieutenant +May 24, 1861. He commanded his company at the first Bull Run battle, +and was promoted captain August 14, 1861.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 365px;"> +<img src="images/image05.png" width="365" height="450" alt="Lieutenant-Colonel A.S. Daggett" title="" /> +<span class="caption">Lieutenant-Colonel A.S. Daggett.</span> +</div> + +<p>From the first engagement of the regiment to the end of its three +years' memorable service, Captain Daggett proved a faithful and +gallant soldier. He was promoted major, January 8th, 1863; on January +18th, 1865, was commissioned lieutenant-colonel of the 5th Regiment, +United States Veteran Volunteers, Hancock Corps, and was brevetted +colonel and brigadier-general of volunteers, March 13, 1865, for +"gallant and meritorious services during the war." He also received +the brevets of major in the United States Army for "gallant and +meritorious services at the battle of Rappahannock Station, Va.," +November 7, 1863, and lieutenant-colonel for "gallant and meritorious +services in the battle of the Wilderness, Va." Immediately after the +battle of Rappahannock Station, the captured trophies, flags, cannons, +etc., were escorted, by those who had been most conspicuous +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page179" id="page179"></a>[pg 179]</span> +in the action, to General Meade's headquarters, Colonel Daggett being in +command of the battalion of his brigade. General Upton to whom he owed +this distinction, wrote of him as follows:</p> + +<blockquote><p>"In the assault at Rappahannock Station, Colonel Daggett's +regiment captured over five hundred prisoners. In the +assault at Spottsylvania Court House, May 10, his regiment +lost six out of seven captains, the seventh being killed on +the 12th of May, at the "angle," or the point where the tree +was shot down by musketry, on which ground the regiment +fought from 9.30 A.M. to 5.30 P.M., when it was relieved. On +all these occasions Colonel Daggett was under my immediate +command, and fought with distinguished bravery.</p> + +<p>"Throughout his military career in the Army of the Potomac, +he maintained the character of a good soldier and an upright +man, and his promotion would be commended by all those who +desire to see courage rewarded."</p></blockquote> + +<p>General Upton also wrote to the Governor of Maine as follows:</p> + +<blockquote><p>"I would respectfully recommend to Your Excellency, Major +A.S. Daggett, formerly 5th Maine Volunteers, as an officer +highly qualified to command a regiment. Major Daggett served +his full term in this brigade with honor both to himself and +State, and won for himself the reputation of being a brave, +reliable and efficient officer. His promotion to a colonelcy +would be a great benefit to the service, while the honor of +his State could scarcely be entrusted to safer hands."</p></blockquote> + +<p>He was subsequently recommended for promotion by Generals Meade, +Hancock, Wright and D.A. Russell. He was in every battle and campaign +in which the Sixth Corps, Army of the Potomac, was engaged, from the +first Bull Run to Petersburg, and was twice slightly wounded. On July +28, 1866, without his knowledge or solicitation, he was appointed a +captain in the U.S. Regular Army, on recommendation of General Grant, +and has since been promoted colonel in this service. During his +subsequent career he has won the reputation of being a fine tactician +and of being thoroughly versed in military law, as is indicated by +Major Hancock's commendatory words in 1878:</p> + +<blockquote><p>"I look upon him as by far the best tactician in the +regiment, and as for a thorough, clear knowledge of tactics +his superior is not in the army. As regards military and +civil law, I know of no one so well informed."</p></blockquote><p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page180" id="page180"></a>[pg 180]</span> +</p> + +<p>His ability and soldierly qualities have also been highly commended by +General Crook, Colonel Hughes—Inspector-General in 1891—and Colonel +----, Inspector-General in 1892.</p> + +<p>Not only as a soldier, but in many other ways, has General Daggett +distinguished himself. As a public speaker the following was said of +him by the Rev. S.S. Cummings, of Boston:</p> + +<blockquote><p>"It was my privilege and pleasure to listen to an address +delivered by General A.S. Daggett on Memorial Day of 1891. I +had anticipated something able and instructive, but it far +exceeded my fondest expectations. The address was dignified, +yet affable, delivered in choice language without +manuscript, instructive and impressive, and highly +appreciated by an intelligent audience."</p></blockquote> + +<p>General Daggett is noted for his courteous and genial manner, and his +sterling integrity of character. He is a member of the Presbyterian +church.</p> + +<blockquote> +<p class="letterDate">War Department, Inspector-General's Office,<br /> +Washington, Jan. 6th, 1899.</p> +<p>To the Adjutant-General, U.S.A., Washington, D.C. +</p> + +<p>Sir:—I desire to recommend to your favorable consideration +and for advancement in case of the reorganization of the +Regular Army, Lieutenant-Colonel A.S. Daggett, 25th U.S. +Infantry.</p> + +<p>I have known Colonel Daggett for a long time; he served in +the War of the Rebellion with the 5th Maine Volunteers and +acquitted himself with much honor; he served in Cuba in the +war with Spain, commanding the 25th U.S. Infantry, and was +conspicuous for gallantry at the battle of El Caney. He is +an officer of the highest character, intelligent, courageous +and energetic.</p> + +<p>I sincerely trust that he may receive all the consideration +he deserves.</p> + +<p class="letterClose3">Very respectfully,</p> +<p class="author-up"> +(Sd) H.W. LAWTON,<br /> +Major-General, U.S.V.<br /> +</p> +</blockquote><p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page181" id="page181"></a>[pg 181]</span> +</p> + +<blockquote> +<p> +A true copy:<br /> +<br /> +M.D. CRONIN,<br /> +First Lieutenant and Adjutant 25th Infantry.<br /> +Headquarters Department of the East,<br /> +Governor's Island, New York City,</p> +<p class="letterDate up">December 29, 1898.</p> +<p>Honorable R.A. Alger, Secretary of War, Washington, D.C.</p> + +<p>Sir:—I recommend to the favorable consideration of the +Secretary of War for promotion to Brigadier-General, Colonel +A.S. Daggett, 25th Infantry. This officer has an excellent +war record; his service has been faithful since then, and in +the recent Spanish-American war he distinguished himself by +his good judgment and faithful attention to duty, as well as +for gallant service in action. An appointment of this +character will be very highly appreciated throughout the +army as a recognition of faithful, meritorious and gallant +service. From my observation of Colonel Daggett he is well +qualified for the position.</p> + +<p class="letterClose3">Very respectfully,</p> +<p class="author-up">(Sd) WM. R. SHAFTER,<br /> +Major-General, U.S. Volunteers.<br /> +</p> + +<p>M.D. CRONIN,</p> + +<p>A true copy:</p> + +<p>First Lieutenant and Adjutant 25th Infantry.</p></blockquote> + +To this very brilliant official record it is necessary to +add but a word personal. Colonel Daggett is a typical New +Englander; tall, well-formed, nervous and sinewy, a centre +of energy, making himself felt wherever he may be. Precise +and forceful of speech, correct and sincere in manners, a +safe counsellor and a loyal friend, his character approaches +the ideal. Stern and commanding as an officer he is +nevertheless tender and sympathetic. His very sensitiveness +concerning the feelings of others embarrasses him in giving +expression to his own feelings on seeing suffering, unless +it should be urgent, but those who know him best know him to +be just, humane and tender. No man could have taken more +care than he did for his regiment in Cuba. Hating oppression +and wrong with a vehemency suited to his intense nature, he +nevertheless deplores war and bloodshed. The President of +the United States never did a more worthy act than when he +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page182" id="page182"></a>[pg 182]</span> +gave to Lieutenant-Colonel A.S. Daggett of the Twenty-fifth +Infantry his commission as Brigadier-General of Volunteers +in recognition of his valor and skill at El Caney and of his +general efficiency as an officer in our army. + + +<p class="heading">TESTIMONIES CONCERNING THE WORK OF THE TWENTY-FIFTH INFANTRY BEFORE EL +CANEY.</p> + +<blockquote> +<p class="letterDate"> +Headquarters First District, Southern Luzon,<br /> +El Deposito, P.I., April 20, 1900.<br /> +</p> + +<p>My Dear General Daggett:—Some time ago I received a letter +from you asking me to make an official statement as to where +and at what objective the energies and fire of the 25th +Infantry were directed during the battle of El Caney, Cuba, +July 1, 1898.</p> + +<p>In reply I have the honor to officially state that about +noon July 1, 1898, the regiment moved from the mango grove, +near the Ducro House, toward a stone fort located on a hill, +near the town of El Caney.</p> + +<p>It arrived at about one of the afternoon at a point about +eight hundred yards to the south and east of the fort; +immediately deployed, and the First Battalion, under command +of Captain Walter S. Scott, and of which I was adjutant, +designated as the attacking line. Presently, after advancing +a few yards, we were subjected to a galling fire from the +stone fort, the trenches in its front and from a blockhouse +on its right. The line steadily moved forward, directing its +fire at the stone fort and the trenches surrounding it. When +within about one hundred and fifty yards from the fort the +line was halted, and several sharpshooters, directed by +their company officers to fire at the loopholes. Finally, +when the men had regained their wind, a rush was made, part +of the line going through a cornfield. At the foot the line +was again halted, and after a few moments' rest charged up +the hill, and the fort surrendered.</p> + +<p>I went to the fort and found a Spanish lieutenant and seven +enlisted men whom I passed out and were taken charge of by +an officer of the 12th Infantry. This was about 3.50 P.M.</p> + +<p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page183" id="page183"></a>[pg 183]</span> +</p> +<p>As soon as the line reached the top of the hill it was +fired on from the town, which had before been masked by the +hill; the fire was of course returned, and this was the +first fire from the battalion directed at the town. About +five o'clock firing had ceased, the battalion was assembled +and marched away.</p> + +<p class="author-up"> +(Sd) H.W. FRENCH,<br /> +First Lieutenant, 17th Infantry (late Second Lieutenant 25th Infantry).<br /> +</p> + +<blockquote> +<p>Note.—Since the above was written, General Daggett served +with great distinction in the Philippines and in China, and +was retired as a brigadier-general—a hero of four wars. A +bill is now before Congress to make him a major-general, an +honor to which he is most justly entitled.</p> +</blockquote> + +<p><br /> +A true copy:<br /> +<br /> +H.G. LEARNARD,<br /> +Capt. and Adj. 14th Infantry.</p> +<p class="letterDate up">Manila, P.I., March 30, 1900. +</p> + +<p>I certify that in the action of El Caney, Cuba, July 1, +1898, the company I commanded, i.e., H, 25th Infantry, +directed its fire almost exclusively on the stone fort and +the trench a few yards from its base. That very little of +this company's fire was directed on the town and none before +the fort was carried.</p> + +<p class="author-up"> +(Sd) VERNON A. CALDWELL,<br /> +First Lieutenant, 25th Infantry. +</p> + +<p> +A true copy:<br /> +<br /> +H.G. LEARNARD,<br /> +Capt. and Adj. 14th Infantry.<br /> +Tayug, Luzon, Philippine Islands,</p> +<p class="letterDate up">April 17th, 1900.</p> + +<p>To Those in Military Authority.</p> + +<p>Regarding the battle of El Caney, Cuba, July 1, 1898, I +hereby certify:</p> + +<p>1. From about 1.20 o'clock P.M. to the time of the capture +of the town of El Caney, I was in command of two +companies—C and G—forming part of the 25th U.S. Infantry +firing line.</p> + +<p>2. From about 2.55 o'clock P.M. to the time of the capture +of the town, very nearly the entire 25th Infantry firing +line was under my observation.</p> + +<p>3. From about 2.55 o'clock P. M. to about 3.20, the time of +the surrender of the stone fort to the east of the town, the +fire of the entire 25th Infantry firing line within my sight +was directed against the fort.</p> + +<p>4. During this period of the battle the 25th Infantry firing +line was about 150 yards from the stone fort.</p> + +<p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page184" id="page184"></a>[pg 184]</span> +5. From the time the firing line began firing—about 1 +o'clock P.M.—to the time of the surrender of the stone +fort—about 3.20 P.M.—the companies under my command and +all others under my observation concentrated their fire on +the fort.</p> + +<p>6. About 3.20 P.M., I was standing about 150 yards from the +stone fort, and I plainly and distinctly saw a Spaniard +appear in the door of the fort, and, for two or three +seconds, wave a white flag at the 25th Infantry firing line, +and upon being shot down, another Spaniard picked up the +flag and likewise waved it at the 25th Infantry firing line.</p> + +<p>7. After the white flag had twice been presented to the 25th +Infantry firing line, and after all fire from the stone fort +had ceased, the firing line rushed forward, took up a +position facing to their left—that is, facing the town—and +began a vigorous fire on a small blockhouse and on the town.</p> + +<p class="letterClose3 close">Respectfully,</p> +<p class="author-up">JAMES A. MOSS,</p> +<p class="author-up">First Lieutenant, 24th U.S. Infantry.</p> +</blockquote> + +<p class="heading">RECOLLECTIONS OF THE SANTIAGO CAMPAIGN, BY CAPTAIN R.H.R. +LOUGHBOROUGH, 25TH U.S. INFANTRY.</p> + +<blockquote><p>The 25th U.S. Infantry left its stations in Montana on the +10th of April, 1898; six companies (B, C, D, E, F and H) +went in camp at Chickamauga National Park; the other two +companies (A and G) went to Key West, Fla.</p> + +<p>On May 6th the six companies at the Chickamauga National +Park moved by rail to Tampa, Fla., arriving the night of the +7th, where they were joined by the two companies from Key +West. With the exception of three days in 1870, the regiment +had never been together since its organization in 1869. It +necessarily followed that many of the officers, as well as +men, were strangers to each other.</p> + +<p>Our camp at Tampa was fair; the ground is sandy and flat, +but as the rainy season had not set in, it was dry and the +health was good. Drills and parades were held daily (Sundays +excepted), but on account of the intense heat the hours for +it were limited to the early mornings and after sunset. The +clothing of the men was the same they had worn in Montana, +and did not add to their comfort. Supplies of all kinds +(except rations) came by piecemeal, and we finally sailed +for the tropics with the same clothing used in the +Northwest.</p> + +<p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page185" id="page185"></a>[pg 185]</span> +At 6 o'clock P.M. June 6th the regiment received orders to +strike tents and be ready to move within an hour; the order +was immediately complied with, though the necessary +transportation to move the baggage did not report until the +forenoon of the following day; it was not far from noon when +the last of it left the camp for the railroad station, en +route to Port Tampa, where we were to embark on transports +for the seat of war.</p> + +<p>As soon as the camp equipage was started, the regiment was +formed and marched to West Tampa (about three miles), where +we took a train for Port Tampa, distant nine miles. On +arrival, the regiment boarded the steamer "Concho," one of +the vessels to carry the expedition to its destination. The +4th U.S. Infantry had preceded us, and the next day a +battalion of the 2d Massachusetts Volunteers was put on, but +owing to the crowded condition of the ship, a few days later +they were transferred to another vessel.</p> + +<p>The "Concho" is a large ship, but without the comforts I +have seen since then on the U.S. Army transports plying +between San Francisco and Manila. The ships used were +hastily fitted up for the occasion, and it could not be +expected that they would be all that was required, but some +of the appointments could and should have been better. After +a tedious wait until June 14th, we sailed down Tampa Bay and +out on the Gulf of Mexico, still in ignorance of our +destination. The evening of the 15th the light at Dry +Tortugas was seen to our right. June 16th, 17th and 18th our +course was a little south of east, and part of the time the +north coast of Cuba was visible. The weather (except the +intense heat) was fine. On Sunday morning, June 18th, we +entered the Windward Passage, and it seemed certain, from +our course, that Santiago was our objective. Early the next +morning the high mountains of Santiago de Cuba were in plain +sight to our north. June 20th and 21st, remained off the +coast; the sea was rough and the vessel rolled considerably, +adding to the discomfort of every one, especially those +subject to seasickness. During the evening of the 21st, +orders were received to be ready to disembark the following +morning. About 8 A.M. on the 22d our warships began shelling +the coast, and two hours later the troops started in small +boats from the transports to the shore. By evening most of +the Second Division and part of the Cavalry Division were on +Cuban soil. There was no opposition to our landing; I +believe that a small force well handled could have made it +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page186" id="page186"></a>[pg 186]</span> + +very difficult, if, indeed, it could not have prevented it.</p> + +<p>As soon as the regiment had landed it was marched out about +four miles and bivouacked for the night. The country is +rugged and covered with a dense tropical vegetation. A few +"Cuban Patriots" had joined us and formed the extreme +advance, saving us some disagreeable outpost duty. This was +the only service that I know of them doing throughout the +campaign, though they were always on hand ration day. Later +developments showed that the service rendered was not so +important, as any Spanish force had retired to a safe place, +something our friends looked out for whenever there was any +danger.</p> + +<p>June 23d, the regiment started shortly after daylight +towards the city of Santiago. About 9 o'clock there was a +report that the enemy were in our front. The regiment was +immediately formed for battle, and reconnoitering parties +sent forward; after about thirty minutes' delay the supposed +enemy proved to be the large leaves of some tropical trees +being moved by the wind, giving them the appearance of +persons in motion. Our route was over a narrow trail, +through a dense wilderness; water was scarce and the heat +was intense. About noon we arrived at Siboney, where we +bivouacked for the night. Before daylight next morning the +troops in our rear were heard passing on the trail by our +camp. Shortly after daylight Captain Capron's battery of +four guns passed, and the men lined up along the road and +cheered lustily. About an hour later, musketry fire and the +occasional discharge of a Hotchkiss gun could be plainly +heard towards Santiago. About three-quarters of an hour +later we received orders to march. By mistake, the wrong +trail was taken, and after marching fourteen hours we +returned to our camp of the previous night, all fagged out. +A great many men of the brigade were overcome with heat +during this long, tiresome and fruitless ramble. I cannot +say how many of these were of the 25th Infantry, but in my +own company (B) there was not a man out of the ranks when +the camp was reached. (I have called the above-mentioned +place "Siboney." There is probably some other name for it, +as the Cubans have one for every hamlet. It is not far from +Siboney, and not knowing the name, have called it Siboney.)</p> + +<p>On the morning of the 25th we got rations from the transport +and all enjoyed a hearty breakfast. At 1 P.M. we broke camp +and marched to Sevilla, about six miles. Here we remained +until the morning of the 27th, part of the regiment being +out on +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page187" id="page187"></a>[pg 187]</span> + picket duty. June 27th, the regiment marched three +miles towards Santiago and bivouacked on the banks of a +small creek. Bathing was forbidden, as the creek was the +only water supply for the army. The troops remained at this +place until the afternoon of June 30th. The camp was in the +valley of the creek, the ground is low and flat, and with +the heavy rainfall every one was uncomfortable. Rations had +to be brought from Siboney over a trail and did not arrive +regularly.</p> + +<p>About 1 o'clock in the afternoon on the 30th, the officers +of the regiment were assembled at headquarters and were +notified that there would be an attack on the Spanish +position the next morning. About 4 o'clock the regiment +started for its position, arriving after 10 o'clock, having +covered a distance of less than three miles. The route was +over an excuse for a road, but was crowded with some of the +troops of almost every organization of the army, causing +numberless halts, but worse than all, breaking the +much-needed rest of the troops. On one part of this route I +heard men asking, "What regiment is this?" and heard various +responses, as follows: "The W.W.W.'s, the 1st Cavalry, the +4th Infantry, the 10th Cavalry," etc. Some one asked, "What +are the W.W.W.'s?" and some one replied, "Wood's Weary +Walkers." I do not know who is responsible for that +condition of affairs. Had we had an enterprising enemy in +our front, disaster certainly would have followed. Here were +a number of organizations scattered along a narrow, muddy +trail, at the mercy of an active foe. All this was only +three or four miles from the Spanish works. The men were +cheerful, and few if any realized that there might be +danger.</p> + +<p>Most of the men were up and moving about before daylight the +next morning. Shortly after, the regiment started in the +direction of El Caney. At 9 A.M. we halted in a mango grove +near the Ducureau mansion. Shortly before noon a mounted +orderly appeared with a message for the brigade commander. A +few minutes later the march towards El Caney was taken up. +Heavy musketry fire had been heard in that direction since +shortly before 7 o'clock. A march of little more than a mile +and the regiment was formed for battle, Companies G and H in +the firing line, C and D in support, the remaining four +companies in reserve.</p> + +<p>For two hours or perhaps more the firing was very heavy, +especially during the second hour. Attention is called to +report of Colonel A.S. Daggett, pages 387 and 388, "Report +of the +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page188" id="page188"></a>[pg 188]</span> +War Department, 1898, Vol. I," and endorsement on +same by Major-General A.R. Chaffee. He says: "This stone +fort was practically in the possession of the 12th Infantry +at about 2 P.M. July 1." I cannot reconcile this statement +with the fact that between the hours named some of the +heaviest firing was going on, which does not indicate that +its defenders were ready to give up. Lord Wellington once +said, "At the end of every campaign truth lies at the bottom +of a deep well, and it often takes twenty years to get her +out." This may not be an exception. About half-past 4 +o'clock the firing ceased and El Caney was ours.</p> + +<p>The dead were collected near a hedge and the regiment was +formed in column of masses to pay a silent tribute of +respect to our departed comrades.</p> + +<p>The regiment then started for the mango grove where we had +left our blanket rolls and haversacks. Just as we were +starting, some men with canteens started for water (about a +mile away), when orders were received to be ready to march +in twenty minutes. A few rods took us back to the road +leading to Santiago. We moved down the road about +three-quarters of a mile and halted. Two hours later, the +pack train arrived with ammunition and then another with +rations. Before the latter were issued orders were issued to +move at once to the rear. The regiment marched over the +trail it had come on the day before, arriving at El Poso +about 8 o'clock A.M. Here we took the road leading to +Santiago. About 9 A.M. we passed under San Juan Hill and +moved to our right. Our forces held the crest of the hill. +In passing along the hill we were sheltered from the fire +except a short space, where one or two men were slightly +wounded. Arriving at the La Cruz house near the road leading +from El Caney to Santiago about 3.30 P.M. and bivouacked for +the night. About 10 o'clock the troops on our left were +attacked by the Spanish. The firing was very heavy for an +hour, when it suddenly ceased, and we retired for the night. +During this time we were under the hill and protected from +the fire.</p> + +<p>Next morning (Sunday, July 3d) desultory firing began at +daylight. About 7 A.M. the regiment left the La Cruz house +and moved across the Caney-Santiago road and formed line to +the left and moved forward to a ridge overlooking the city. +A number of shots fell about us, but no one was struck. +Shortly after, we were in possession of the ridge and began +intrenching. The firing was kept up and two men were +wounded. About n +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page189" id="page189"></a>[pg 189]</span> +oon we were informed that a truce had been +established and all work was stopped. This gave all a +much-needed rest, though it proved to be of short duration, +caused by a false alarm by Major Webb, the inspector of the +division staff.</p> + +<p>During the afternoon the regiment was moved to the foot of +the ridge, leaving only the pickets on the crest. About 8.30 +P.M. we were ordered to the picket line and began +intrenching. The tall grass was wet from a drenching rain a +few hours before. The ground, though wet, was hard, and slow +progress was made, having only their bayonets for picks and +their bare hands for shovels. All night this work went on. +The men were tired, and hungry (as rations had not come up +that day), but worked faithfully. During this, and I will +add, throughout the campaign, I never heard a murmur nor a +complaint; even when almost all the men of the regiment were +down with fever and bowel trouble they were cheerful and +ready to do any duty they were called on for.</p> + +<p>The morning of July 3d Cervera's fleet sailed down the bay. +An officer rode by our part of the line about half-past 9 +and informed us of it. A few minutes later we heard the roar +of the big guns, though at the time I little thought of what +was going on. In the afternoon we heard cheering on our line +way to the left, and as the good news came along it was +taken up, and soon the whole line was shouting.</p> + +<p>On the morning of July 5th the non-combatants left Santiago +by two roads, one passing through our line. It was a pitiful +sight. During the forenoon of the 5th we moved about a mile +to the right and began intrenching. This position was very +near the Spanish line, and quite elaborate works were +constructed. We remained in this position until the morning +of the 11th, when the regiment was ordered to the right of +the line, about three miles. Here we intrenched. About 1 +P.M. a truce was announced.</p> + +<p>At 9.15 P.M. a staff officer came to the regimental +commander's tent and informed him that the regiment was to +be on the line at 12 o'clock midnight, and as soon as the +moon rose to advance through the jungle until fired on, when +the line was to halt and intrench. The night was stormy and +any moon there might have been was obscured by the clouds. +We were up, however, standing until daylight in a drenching +rain, for it was so dark that any movement was impossible. +Our rest was brok +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page190" id="page190"></a>[pg 190]</span> +en, without accomplishing anything that I +know or heard of.</p> + +<p>However, the rain and storm were providential, for I will +always believe if the movement had been started we should +have met with disaster. The ground was broken, deep ravines +and underbrush with wire fences running through it. I have +never learned who was "the father" of this order, and +possibly never will. He must be ashamed of it.</p> + +<p>The afternoon of the 12th the regiment advanced several +hundred yards to the front and dug more intrenchments. They +were still on this work the afternoon of the 14th when it +was announced that the Spanish army had agreed to surrender. +This came none too soon, for our men were coming down with +malarial fever. A few days later nearly half the regiment +were on the sick list, and the balance could not have done +much.</p> + +<p>The regiment was moved the same afternoon to higher ground +in rear of the trenches. Strong guards were kept to look out +for our prisoners and to prevent "our allies," the Cubans, +from going into the city.</p> + +<p>On the morning of the 17th the formal surrender of the city +and Spanish army took place. We were some distance away and +did not see anything of the ceremony.</p> + +<p>On July 25th the regiment was moved about a mile further +back in the hills and made camp, our tents, etc., having +been brought up from the transport. Medicines appeared very +scarce, resulting in much suffering. The food supplied was +totally unfit for our new surroundings, and I believe not a +little of the sickness can be traced to this. Our last camp +was as good as any to be found in that vicinity.</p> + +<p>The regiment remained in camp until August 13th, when it +embarked on the transport "Camanche" for Montauk Point, +arriving on the 18th, and landed on the 23d.</p> + +<p class="author"> +B.H.R. LOUGHBOROUGH,<br /> +Captain, 25th Infantry.<br /> +</p> + +</blockquote> + +<div class="footnotes"><h3>FOOTNOTES:</h3> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_18_18" id="Footnote_18_18"></a><a href="#FNanchor_18_18"><span class="label">[18]</span></a> First Lieutenant McCorkle killed; +Captain Edwards and +First Lieutenants Kinnison and Murdock wounded.</p></div> +</div> + + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/image02.png" alt="Chapter End Graphic" title="" /> +</div> + +<hr /> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page191" id="page191"></a>[pg 191]</span> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VII" id="CHAPTER_VII"></a>CHAPTER VII.</h2> + +<h3>SAN JUAN.</h3> + +<p class="hang center">Cavalry Division: The Ninth and Tenth Regiments.</p> + +<p class="returnTOC"><a href="#Contents">Return to Table of + Contents</a></p> + +<p>When Lawton's division swung off to the right to engage the enemy at +El Caney, with the results described in the preceeding chapter, the +divisions of Wheeler and Kent were ordered to proceed directly along +the Santiago road toward San Juan. Within a mile from El Pozo, the +point where they had bivouacked for the night of the 30th, the troops +arrived at the Aguadores River, which crosses the road here within +less than a mile from San Juan Heights. Wheeler's division headed the +column, although that general was not commanding. He had been relieved +on the afternoon of the 30th and did not resume command until about 4 +o'clock on July 1,<a name="FNanchor_19_19" id="FNanchor_19_19"></a><a href="#Footnote_19_19" class="fnanchor">[19]</a> long after the heights had been carried, +although he was on the field shortly after 1 o'clock of that day.</p> + +<p>The Dismounted Cavalry Division on the morning of July 1 presented +2,663 fighting men, including officers. The First Brigade, commanded +by Colonel Carrol, had 50 officers and 1,054 men, in regiments as +follows: Third Cavalry, 22 officers, 420 men; Sixth Cavalry, 16 +officers, 427 men; Ninth Cavalry, 12 officers, 207 men, the Ninth +having hardly one-half the strength of either of the other regiments +of the brigade. The Second Brigade, commanded by General Wood, +contained 1,559 persons, distributed as follows: Brigade sta +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page192" id="page192"></a>[pg 192]</span> +ff, 9 +officers, 14 men; First Cavalry, 21 officers, 501 men: Tenth Cavalry, +22 officers, 507 men; First Volunteer Cavalry (Rough Riders), 25 +officers, 517 men.</p> + +<p>Before the troops left El Poso, Grimes' battery had been put in +position and had fired a few shots at a blockhouse on San Juan Hill, +distance 2,600 yards. Using black powder, which created a cloud of +smoke with every shot, the battery was readily located by the foe, and +the shrapnel from their guns was soon bursting among our forces. The +second shot from the Spaniards wounded four of the Rough Riders and +two or three of the regulars, while a third killed and wounded several +Cubans. As a matter of course there was a rapid movements of the +troops from that immediate vicinity. The firing soon ceased, and the +troops took up that general advance movement already noted.</p> + +<p>It is no easy task to follow the movements of the Cavalry Division +from the time it left El Poso that July morning until it finally +entrenched itself for the night on San Juan Hills. As heretofore we +will take the official reports first, and from them make up the +itinerary and the movements of the battle that followed, as far as +they will enable us to do so. General Sumner says the division +proceeded toward Santiago, and when about three-fourths of a mile from +El Poso was halted in a narrow road to await orders and remained there +for nearly an hour, subject to the effects of heavy artillery fire +from the enemy's battery. Major Wessells, of the Third Cavalry, says, +while following the road toward Santiago that morn, "much delay ensued +from some reason unknown to the undersigned," and that the First +Brigade of the division arrived at San Juan ford about 10 o'clock. +This creek was about five hundred yards farther toward Santiago than +Aguadores River, and ran about parallel with San Ju +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page193" id="page193"></a>[pg 193]</span> +an Heights, from +which it was about three-fourths of a mile distant.</p> + +<p>The orders for which General Sumner had waited nearly an hour under +fire had come and were "verbal instructions to move to the San Juan +Creek and hold it." Reaching this creek his advance guard was met by +the Spaniards who fired one volley and retreated to a position on a +hill on Sumner's right front, about 1,200 yards distant. Crossing this +creek with sufficient strength to hold it, Sumner was now ordered to +move by the right flank and connect with Lawton's left. While his +troops were in this massed condition prior to deploying to the right +through a thick jungle, the balloon that was in use for purposes of +reconnoitering, came up the road and exposed itself to the full view +of the Spaniards upon the heights. They needed no further invitation +to direct toward our forces their artillery, for which the balloon +became a flying target. Many officers and men were wounded here by +exploding shells and small arms' fire of the enemy (Sumner). Under +this fire, however, the troops were deployed as ordered.</p> + +<p>Colonel Wood, who had charge of the Second Brigade, of which the Rough +Riders were the leading regiment, says this "regiment was directed to +change direction to the right, and by moving up the creek to effect a +junction with General Lawton's division, which was engaged at Caney, +about one and a-half miles toward the right, but was supposed to be +working toward our right flank. After proceeding in this direction +about half a mile the effort to connect with General Lawton was given +up." This movement to the right took place between ten and eleven +o'clock, at which time Lawton's forces had made no impression upon El +Caney, and he was far from making any movement which might be +described as working toward the right flank of the Cavalry Divisio +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page194" id="page194"></a>[pg 194]</span> +n. +Lawton was not found by that half-hour's search to the right; and it +was evident that something must be done by these troops in front, and +done quickly. The whole division was under fire, and the battle on the +Spanish side was in actual progress. True our men were hidden away in +the jungle that bordered the creek, but their position was known to +the Spaniards, and leaves and boughs are no cover from shot and shell. +They were receiving the fire of the enemy and making no reply +whatever, save by the few ineffective shots from the far away battery +on El Poso Hill.</p> + +<p>Directly in front of the cavalry division was a little hill occupied +by a Spanish force. This hill is called in General Wood's report East +Hill, but in the literature of the battle it is usually mentioned as +Kettle Hill. The fire in part was coming from here. Colonel Wood gives +another report of the morning's experience in which he says: "The +brigade moved down the road toward Santiago in rear of the First +Brigade, with instructions to deploy to the right after crossing the +San Juan, and continue to extend to the right, reaching out toward +General Lawton's left and holding ourselves in rear of the First +Brigade as a support. On reaching the stream the First Volunteer +Cavalry, which was in the lead, crossed the stream with comparatively +slight loss and deployed to the right in good order, but at this time +a captive balloon was led down the road in which the troops were +massed, and finally anchored at the crossing of the stream. The +approach and anchoring of this balloon served to indicate the line of +approach of the troops and to locate the ford, and the result was a +terrific converging of artillery and rifle fire on the ford, which +resulted in severe loss of men. Under this fire the First United +States Cavalry and the Ten +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page195" id="page195"></a>[pg 195]</span> +th United States Cavalry crossed the stream +and deployed to the right where they were placed in position in rear +of the First Brigade. Two regiments of the Second Brigade, to wit., +the First and the Tenth Regular Cavalry, were located in the rear of +the First Brigade. The First Regular Cavalry had begun its day's work +as support of Grimes' battery, but had later come forward and taken +its place in the brigade time enough to join in the action that +followed.</p> + +<p>"After completing the deployment," says Sumner, "the command was so +much committed to battle that it became necessary either to advance or +else retreat under fire." The troops were already in battle, but were +not fighting, and could not do so in their present position, simply +because they could not see the enemy. "Lieutenant Miley, representing +General Shafter, authorized an advance, which was ordered, Carroll's +brigade taking the advance, reinforced on the right by Roosevelt's +regiment, and supported by the First and Tenth Cavalry." (Sumner.) +Colonel Wood says: "After remaining in this position for about an hour +(meaning the position held by his brigade previous to the coming of +the order to advance) the order to advance was given, and the brigade +advanced in good order as possible, but more or less broken up by the +masses of brush and heavy grass and cactus; passing through the line +of the First Brigade, mingling with them and charging the hill in +conjunction with these troops, as well as some few infantry who had +extended to the right." It must be remembered that the First Brigade +consisted wholly of regulars, the Third, Sixth and Ninth Cavalry, +while the Second Brigade had that remarkable regiment, the Rough +Riders. This fact may account for their breaking through the lines of +the First Brigade. Major Wes +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page196" id="page196"></a>[pg 196]</span> +sells, who commanded the Third Cavalry in +that fight, and was himself wounded at the close of the first charge, +says his regiment became entangled with other regiments, but, +nevertheless, was to the crest as soon as any. Of the advance of the +whole division, General Sumner says: "The advance was made under heavy +infantry fire, through open flat ground, cut up by wire fences, to the +creek, distant about 600 yards. The advance was made in good order, +the enemy's fire being returned only under favorable opportunities. In +crossing the flat one officer and several men were killed and several +officers and men wounded. Both sides of the creek were heavily wooded +for about 200 yards. The creek was swollen, and the crossing through +this space and the creek was made with great difficulty.</p> + +<p>"After passing through the thick woods the ground was entirely open +and fenced by wire. From this line it was necessary to storm the hill, +upon the top of which is a house, loop-holed for defense. The slope of +the hill is very difficult, but the assault was made with great +gallantry and with much loss to the enemy. In this assault Colonel +Hamilton, Lieutenants Smith and Shipp were killed; Colonel Carroll, +Lieutenants Thayer and Myer were wounded. A number of casualties +occurred among the enlisted men." The heights were carried by the +whole division.</p> + +<p>Lieutenant-Colonel Baldwin's account of the part his regiment took in +the assault upon San Juan is told about as follows: After the search +for Lawton had been given up, the First and Tenth Cavalry were formed +for attack on East Hill. "I was directed," he says, "to take a +position to the right, behind the river bank, for protection. While +moving to this position, and while there, the regiment suffered +considera +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page197" id="page197"></a>[pg 197]</span> +ble loss. After an interval of twenty or thirty minutes I was +directed to form line of battle in a partially open field facing +toward the blockhouses and strong intrenchments to the north occupied +by the enemy. Much difficulty was found on account of the dense +undergrowth, crossed in several directions by wire fences. As a part +of the cavalry division under General Sumner, the regiment was formed +in two lines, the First Squadron under Major S.T. Norvell, consisting +of Troops A, B, E and I, leading; the second line, under Major T.J. +Wint, consisting of Troops C, F and G. Troop D having crossed farther +down the river, attached itself to a command of infantry and moved +with that command on the second blockhouse. The regiment advanced in +this formation in a heavy converging fire from the enemy's position, +proceeding but a short distance when the two lines were united into +one. The advance was rapidly continued in an irregular line toward the +blockhouses and intrenchments to the right front. During this advance +the line passed some troops of the First Cavalry, which I think had +previously been formed on our right. Several losses occurred before +reaching the top of the hill, First Lieutenant William H. Smith being +killed as he arrived on its crest. The enemy having retreated toward +the northwest to the second and third blockhouses, new lines were +formed and a rapid advance was made upon these new positions. The +regiment assisted in capturing these works from the enemy, and with +the exception of Troops C and I, which in the meantime had joined the +First Volunteer Cavalry, then took up a position to the north of the +second blockhouse, remaining there all night."</p> + +<p>Major Norvell, who commanded the First Squadron of the Tenth +<ins class="correction" title="Transcriber's Note: The original text reads 'Cavelry'">Cavalry,</ins> +which consisted of Troops A, B, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page198" id="page198"></a>[pg 198]</span> + E and I, gives the following account +of the experiences of July 1st:</p> + +<p>"The regiment took position in a wood, and here suffered considerable +loss, due to the fact that the whole of the enemy's fire appeared to +be directed to this point. In a short time we moved out of the wood by +the right flank and then deployed to the left, being then directly in +front of the enemy and one mile distant from his works, marked by +three houses about half a mile from one another. The enemy was +strongly entrenched in front of these houses. The line, consisting of +the cavalry division, under direction of Brigadier-General Sumner, +moved forward in double time, under a terrific fire of the enemy. We +had a very heavy jungle to march through, beside the river (San Juan) +to cross, and during our progress many men were killed and wounded. +The troops became separated from one another, though the general line +was pretty well preserved. The works of the enemy were carried in +succession by the troops; and the Spaniards were steadily driven back +toward the town to their last ditches. We now found ourselves about +half a mile from the city, but the troops being by this time nearly +exhausted, here intrenched themselves for the night under a heavy +fire. By dark this line was occupied by all the troops engaged during +the day."</p> + +<p>The official reports of the troop commanders of the Tenth Cavalry +bring out a few more particulars which serve to give us a more vivid +conception of this moving line. The entire cavalry division advanced +together, and notwithstanding the roughness of the ground, Major +Norvell assures us the line was pretty well preserved. Troops A, B, E +and I were in the First Squadron, which was in the lead; Troops C, F +and G were in the second line; Troop D made its advance with the +infantry off to the left. We have now a fair k +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page199" id="page199"></a>[pg 199]</span> +nowledge of the general +movement of the whole regiment. Let us follow the fortunes of some of +the Troops, and by that means get nearer to the work done by the +individual soldier.</p> + +<p>Troop A was on the right of the leading squadron as the regiment took +its place in line on the left of the First Cavalry and moved against +the Spanish blockhouses in the face of a heavy fire, making a rush +forward without intermission. A portion of the right platoon, under +Lieutenant Livermore, became separated in one of the thickets, and +under instructions received personally from the brigade commander, who +seems to have been everywhere where he was needed, continued up the +slope toward his right and toward the first blockhouse. The remainder +of the troop, commanded by Captain Beck and Lieutenant McCoy, moved in +the same direction at first, but observing that on account of the +shorter distance to the slope from that end of the line, a large +number of troops were arriving there, Captain Beck swung his troop to +the left and reached the summit of the hill between the second and +third blockhouses, and on arriving received a message by an aid of the +brigade commander to hold the ridge. Just then Lieut. Livermore +arrived, having come by way of Blockhouse No. 1. The troop now being +together, held the crest for an hour. At times the fire of the enemy +was so severe and Captain Beck's force so small that there was great +danger that he would be compelled to abandon the position, but +fortunately at the most critical juncture Lieutenant Lyon of the +Twenty-fourth Infantry came up with a few reinforcements, and +Lieutenant Hughes of the Tenth Cavalry with a Hotchkiss gun. +Lieutenant Lyon formed his troops to the left of the gun, Troop A of +the Tenth Cavalry being on the right. With this force the position was +held until other troops arrived. S +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page200" id="page200"></a>[pg 200]</span> +oon after, the squadron was reformed +and the men entrenched themselves under fire. Troop B was next to +Troop A and advanced as skirmishers by rushes and double time, but +soon found its front blocked by other troops. Troop I advanced in two +sections, the left being commanded by Lieutenant Miller, joined in the +attack on the right of the enemy's position; the right commanded by +Lieutenant Fleming, advanced on trenches between two blockhouses, and +in so doing caught up with the rest of the troop. The first half of +the troop, after attacking the blockhouse on right of the enemy's +position then crossed the valley and attacked the blockhouse on the +left of enemy's position, and then moved forward with the First +Regular Cavalry and First Volunteer Cavalry, until the troop assembled +as a whole. When it reached the place of intrenchment there were +altogether about one hundred men at that point of the ridge, +consisting of men from the Tenth Cavalry and of the Rough Riders. It +is claimed by Lieutenant Anderson, who commanded Troop C, and who made +his way to the front on the right of the line, that after coming up on +the second hill and joining his troop to the left of Troop I, Colonel +Roosevelt and part of his regiment joined on the right of the Tenth, +and that he reported to him, placing C Troop in his command. Before +this time Lieutenant Anderson had reported to Captain Jones, of Troop +F, while they were on Kettle Hill, and the Two troops, F and C, had +been formed in skirmish line and moved against the second blockhouse. +In this movement Troop C got separated from Captain Jones, and +Anderson, with 18 men of his own troop and several from other +organizations, moved forward until he connected with Troop I, as +previously narrated. These troops, C and I, were reported by their +Colonel as having joined the Fir +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page201" id="page201"></a>[pg 201]</span> +st Volunteer Cavalry. All of the troop +commanders who were immediately with the men bear hearty testimony to +their good conduct. Captain Jones, commanding Troop F, says: "I could +only do justice to the troop by mentioning by name all who were +engaged, not only for their bravery, but for their splendid discipline +under the most demoralizing fire." Lieutenant Fleming, commanding +Troop I, says: "The entire troop behaved with great gallantry. Private +Elsie Jones particularly distinguished himself." Captain Beck, +commanding Troop A, says: "The behaviour of the enlisted men was +magnificent, paying studious attention to orders while on the firing +line, and generally exhibiting an intrepidity which marks the +first-class soldier." Lieutenant Hughes, who commanded the Hotchkiss +gun detachment, mentions four men for conspicuous bravery and commends +his entire detachment for "spirit, enterprise and good behavior."</p> + +<p>The official story is that the entire cavalry division advanced under +orders from General Sumner and that the heft of its first blow fell +upon Kettle Hill, which was soon captured, and on the crest of this +hill the troops which had ascended it made a temporary halt, reformed +their lines somewhat and immediately advanced upon the second hill to +the help of that part of the cavalry division which had swung to the +left in the advance, and also to the help of the infantry who were +coming against Fort San Juan at the same time. Meanwhile there was +left upon Kettle Hill a sufficient garrison or force to prevent its +being recaptured by the enemy. In the assault on Kettle Hill the +brigade commander, Colonel Carroll, had been wounded, and +Lieutenant-Colonel Hamilton of the Ninth Cavalry killed. Many troop +officers also had been either killed or wounded and also in the rush +forward through +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page202" id="page202"></a>[pg 202]</span> + the jungle and high grass some troops had been +separated from their officers, and yet it is remarkable that all were +ready to move forward to the next assault.</p> + +<p>The words of praise to the whole cavalry division contained in the +following order, published at Camp Wikoff immediately after the +arrival there of the troops, are claimed by both black and white +cavalrymen alike:</p> + +<blockquote> +<p class="letterDate"> +Headquarters, Cavalry Division,<br /> +Camp Wikoff, L.I., September 7th, 1898.<br /> +</p> + +<p>To the Officers and Soldiers of the Cavalry Division, Army +of Santiago.</p> + +<p>The duties for which the troops comprising the Cavalry +Division were brought together have been accomplished.</p> + +<p>On June 14th we sailed from Tampa, Fla., to encounter in the +sickly season the diseases of the tropical island of Cuba, +and to face and attack the historic legions of Spain in +positions chosen by them and which for years they had been +strengthening by every contrivance and art known to the +skillful military engineers of Europe.</p> + +<p>On the 23d, one squadron each of the 1st and 10th Regular +Cavalry and two squadrons of the 1st Volunteer Cavalry, in +all 964 officers and men, landed on Cuban soil. These troops +marched on foot fourteen miles, and, early on the morning of +the 24th, attacked and defeated double their number of +regular Spanish soldiers under the command of +Lieutenant-General Linares. Eagerly and cheerfully you +pushed onward, and on July 1st forded San Juan River and +gallantly swept over San Juan Hill, driving the enemy from +its crest. Without a moment's halt you formed, aligning the +division upon the 1st Infantry Division under General Kent, +and, together with these troops, you bravely charged and +carried the formidable intrenchments of Fort San Juan. The +entire force which fought and won this great victory was +less than seven thousand men.</p> + +<p>The astonished enemy, though still protected by the strong +works to which he had made his retreat, was so stunned by +your determined valor that his only thought was to devise +the quickest means of saving himself from further battle. +The great Spanish fleet hastily sought escape from the +harbor and was destroyed by our matchless navy.</p> + +<p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page203" id="page203"></a>[pg 203]</span> +After seizing the fortifications of San Juan Ridge, you, in +the darkness of night, strongly intrenched the position +your valor had won. Reinforced by Bates' Brigade on your +left and Lawton's Division on your right, you continued the +combat until the Spanish army of Santiago Province succumbed +to the superb prowess and courage of American arms. Peace +promptly followed, and you return to receive the plaudits of +seventy millions of people.</p> + +<p>The valor displayed by you was not without sacrifice. +Eighteen per cent., or nearly one in five, of the Cavalry +Division fell on the field either killed or wounded. We +mourn the loss of these heroic dead, and a grateful country +will always revere their memory.</p> + +<p>Whatever may be my fate, wherever my steps may lead, my +heart will always burn with increasing admiration for your +courage in action, your fortitude under privation and your +constant devotion to duty in its highest sense, whether in +battle, in bivouac or upon the march.</p> + +<p class="author-up"> +JOSEPH WHEELER,<br /> +Major-General U.S.V., Commanding.<br /> +</p> +</blockquote> + +<p>Aside from that part of the Tenth Cavalry who fought under General +Wheeler and who are consequently included among those congratulated by +the General Order just quoted, Troop M of that regiment, under command +of Lieutenant C.P. Johnson, performed an important part in the war. +The troop consisted of 50 men and left Port Tampa June 21 on board the +steamship Florida, the steamship Fanita also making a part of the +expedition. The troop was mounted and was accompanied by a pack train +of 65 animals. Both ships were heavily loaded with clothing, +ammunition and provision, and had on board besides Lieutenant +Johnson's command, General Nunez and staff and 375 armed Cubans. The +expedition sailed around the west end of the island and attempted a +landing at a point chosen by General Nunez on June 29, but failed +owing to the fact that the place chosen was well guarded by Spaniards, +who fired upon the landing party. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page204" id="page204"></a>[pg 204]</span> + The expedition had with it a small +gunboat, the Peoria, commanded by Captain Ryan, and on the afternoon +of June 30th an attack was made upon a blockhouse on the shore by the +gunboat, and a small force of Cuban and American volunteers landed, +but were repulsed with the loss of one killed, General Nunez's +brother, and seven wounded. Two days later Lieutenant Johnson was able +to land and immediately made connection with General Gomez, unloading +his stores for the Cuban Army.</p> + +<p>Lieutenant G.P. Ahearn, of the Twenty-fifth Infantry, who went on this +expedition as a volunteer, rendered important service on the night +after the attack on the blockhouse at Tayabacoa. As the attacking +party met with repulse and escaped to the ship in the darkness, +several of their wounded were left on shore. Several boats sent out to +recover them had returned without the men, their crews fearing to go +on shore after them. Lieutenant Ahearn volunteered to attempt the +rescue of the men, and taking a water-logged boat, approached the +shore noiselessly and succeeded in his undertaking. The crew +accompanying Lieutenant Ahearn was made up of men from Troop M, Tenth +Cavalry, and behaved so well that the four were given Medals of Honor +for their marked gallantry. The action of Lieutenant Ahearn in this +case was in keeping with his whole military career. He has ever +manifested a fondness for exceptional service, and has never failed +when opportunity occurred to display a noble gallantry on the side of +humanity. Nothing appeals to him so commandingly as an individual +needing rescue, and in such a cause he immediately rises to the hero's +plane. The noble colored soldiers who won medals on that occasion were +all privates and became heroes for humanity's sake. Their names +dese +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page205" id="page205"></a>[pg 205]</span> +rve a place in this history outside the mere official table. They +were Dennis Bell, George H. Wanton, Fitz Lee and William H. Tompkins, +and were the only colored soldiers who, at the time of this writing, +have won Medals of Honor in the Spanish War. Others, however, may yet +be given, as doubtless others are deserved. The heroic service +performed by whole regiments, as in the case of the Twenty-fourth +Infantry, should entitle every man in it to a medal of some form as a +souvenir for his posterity.</p> + +<p>Losses of the Ninth Cavalry in the battles of San Juan:</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Officers</span>—Killed, Lieutenant-Colonel John M. Hamilton.</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Men</span>—Killed, Trumpeter Lewis Fort, Private James Johnson.</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Officers</span>—Wounded, Adjutant Winthrop S. Wood, Captain Charles +W. Taylor.</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Men</span>—Wounded. First Sergeant Charles W. Jefferson, Sergeant +Adam Moore, Sergeant Henry F. Wall, Sergeant Thomas B. Craig, Corporal +James W. Ervine, Corporal Horace T. Henry, Corporal John Mason, +Burwell Bullock, Elijah Crippen, Edward Davis, Hoyle Ervin, James +Gandy, Edward D. Nelson, Noah Prince, Thomas Sinclair, James R. Spear, +Jr., Jacob Tull, William H. Turner, George Warren, Alfred Wilson.</p> + +<p>Losses of the Tenth Cavalry during the battle of San Juan:</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Officers</span>—Killed, First Lieutenant W.E. Shipp, First +Lieutenant W.H. Smith.</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Men</span>—Killed, John H. Smoot, Corporal W.F. Johnson, John H. +Dodson, George Stroal, William H. Slaughter.</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Officers</span>—Wounded, Major T.J. Wint Captain John Bigelow, Jr., +Adjutant and First Lieutenant M.H. Barnum, First Lieutenant R.L. +Livermore, First Lieuten +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page206" id="page206"></a>[pg 206]</span> +ant E.D. Anderson, Second Lieutenant F.R. +McCoy, Second Lieutenant H.C. Whitehead, Second Lieutenant T.A. +Roberts, Second Lieutenant H.O. Willard.</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Men</span>—Wounded, First Sergeant A. Houston, First Sergeant +Robert Milbrown, Q.M. Sergeant William Payne, Sergeant Smith Johnson, +Sergeant Ed. Lane, Sergeant Walker Johnson, Sergeant George Dyers, +Sergeant Willis Hatcher, Sergeant John L. Taylor, Sergeant Amos +Elliston, Sergeant Frank Rankin, Sergeant E.S. Washington, Sergeant +U.G. Gunter, Corporal J.G. Mitchell, Corporal Allen Jones, Corporal +Marcellus Wright, Privates Lewis L. Anderson, John Arnold, Charles +Arthur, John Brown, Frank D. Bennett, Wade Bledsoe, Hillary Brown, +Thornton Burkley, John Brooks, W.H. Brown, Wm. A. Cooper, John Chinn, +J.H. Campbell, Henry Fearn, Benjamin Franklin, Gilmore Givens, B.F. +Gaskins, William Gregory, Luther D. Gould, Wiley, Hipsher, Thomas +Hardy, Charles Hopkins, Richard James, Wesley Jones, Robert E. Lee, +Sprague Lewis, Henry McCormack, Samuel T. Minor, Lewis Marshall, +William Matthews, Houston Riddill, Charles Robinson, Frank Ridgeley, +Fred. Shackley, Harry D. Sturgis, Peter Saunderson, John T. Taylor, +William Tyler, Isom Taylor, John Watson, Benjamin West, Joseph +Williams, Allen E. White, Nathan Wyatt.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<blockquote><p>Note.—"While we talked, and the soldiers filled their +canteens and drank deep and long, like camels who, after +days of travel through the land of 'thirst and emptiness,' +have reached the green oasis and the desert spring, a black +corporal of the 24th Infantry walked wearily up to the +'water hole.' He was muddy and bedraggled. He carried no cup +or canteen, and stretched himself out over the +stepping-stones in the stream, sipping up the water and the +mud together out of the shallow pool. A white cavalryman ran +toward him shouting, 'Hold on, bunkie; here's my cup!' The +negro looked dazed a moment +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page207" id="page207"></a>[pg 207]</span> +, and not a few of the spectators +showed amazement, for such a thing had rarely if ever +happened in the army before. 'Thank you,' said the black +corporal. 'Well, we are all fighting under the same flag +now.' And so he drank out of the white man's cup. I was glad +to see that I was not the only man who had come to recognize +the justice of certain Constitutional amendments, in the +light of the gallant behaviour of the colored troops +throughout the battle, and, indeed, the campaign. The +fortune of war had, of course, something to do with it in +presenting to the colored troops the +<ins class="correction" title="Transcriber's Note: The original text reads 'oportunities'">opportunities</ins> +for distinguished service, of which they invariably availed +themselves to the fullest extent; but the confidence of the +general officers in their superb gallantry, which the event +proved to be not misplaced, added still more, and it is a +fact that the services of no four white regiments can be +compared with those rendered by the four colored +regiments—the 9th and <ins class="correction" title="Transcriber's Note: The original text reads '1toh'">10th</ins> Cavalry, and the 24th and 25th +Infantry. They were to the front at La Guasima, at Caney, +and at San Juan, and what was the severest test of all, that +came later, in the yellow-fever hospitals."—Bonsal.</p></blockquote> + +<div class="footnotes"><h3>FOOTNOTES:</h3> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_19_19" id="Footnote_19_19"></a><a href="#FNanchor_19_19"><span class="label">[19]</span></a> Official Report of General Sumner.</p></div> +</div> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/image06.png" alt="Chapter End Graphic" title="" /> +</div> + +<hr /> +<p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page208" id="page208"></a>[pg 208]</span> +</p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VIII" id="CHAPTER_VIII"></a>CHAPTER VIII.</h2> + +<h3>SAN JUAN (Continued).</h3> + +<p class="hang center">Kent's Division: The Twenty-fourth Infantry; Forming Under +Fire—A Gallant Charge.</p> + +<p class="returnTOC"><a href="#Contents">Return to Table of + Contents</a></p> + +<p>Turning now to the centre and left of the American line we follow the +advance of that division of infantry commanded by General Kent, and +which met the brunt of Spanish resistance at San Juan. This division, +known as the First Division, Fifth Army Corps, consisted of three +brigades, composed as follows:</p> + +<p>First Brigade, Brigadier-General Hawkins commanding, made up of the +Sixth Infantry, the Sixteenth Infantry, and the Seventy-first New York +Volunteers.</p> + +<p>The Second Brigade, Colonel Pearson commanding, made up of the Second +Infantry, the Tenth Infantry and the Twenty-first Infantry.</p> + +<p>The Third Brigade, commanded by Colonel Wikoff, in which were the +Ninth Infantry, the Thirteenth Infantry and the Twenty-fourth +Infantry; in all 262 officers and 5,095 men. Thus, in the whole +division there were eight regiments of regular infantry and one +volunteer regiment, the Seventy-first New York.</p> + +<p>Although our present purpose is to bring into view the special work of +the Twenty-fourth Infantry, it will be necessary to embrace in our +scope the work of the entire division, in order to lay before the +reader the field upon whic +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page209" id="page209"></a>[pg 209]</span> +h that particular regiment won such lasting +credit. General Kent, who commanded the division, a most accomplished +soldier, gives a lucid account of the whole assault as seen from his +position, and of the work performed by his division, in his report, +dated July 8, 1898.</p> + +<p>When General Kent's division arrived in the neighborhood of the San +Juan ford and found itself under fire and the trail so blocked by +troops of the cavalry division, which had not yet deployed to the +right, that direct progress toward the front was next to impossible, +the welcome information was given by the balloon managers that a trail +branched off to the left from the main trail, only a short distance +back from the ford. This trail led to a ford some distance lower down +the stream and nearly facing the works on the enemy's right. General +Kent on learning of this outlet immediately hastened back to the forks +and meeting the Seventy-first New York Regiment, the rear regiment of +the First Brigade, he directed that regiment into this trail toward +the ford. The regiment was to lead the way through this new trail and +would consequently arrive at the front first on the left; but meeting +the fire of the enemy, the First Battalion of the regiment apparently +became panic stricken and recoiled upon the rest of the regiment; the +regiment then lay down on the sides of the trail and in the bushes, +thoroughly demoralized.</p> + +<p>Wikoff's brigade was now coming up and it was directed upon the same +trail. This brigade consisted of the Ninth, Thirteenth and +Twenty-fourth. Colonel Wikoff was directed by General Kent to move his +brigade across the creek by the trail (the left fork) and when +reaching the opposite side, of the creek to put the brigade in line on +the left of the trail and begin the attack at once. In executing this +ord +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page210" id="page210"></a>[pg 210]</span> +er the entire brigade stumbled through and over hundreds of men of +the Seventy-first New York Regiment. When a volunteer regiment broke +through the lines of the Ninth Cavalry from the rear, that regiment +was in its place on the field in line of battle, with its morale +perfect. It was under discipline and delivering its fire with +regularity. It had an absolute right to its place. The Seventy-first +was in no such attitude, and General Kent directed the advance through +it in these words: "Tell the brigade to pay no attention to this sort +of thing; it is highly irregular." The Ninth Cavalry's position was +exactly <i>regular</i>; the position of the Seventh-first was to the eyes +of General Kent "highly irregular."</p> + +<p>The three regiments of this brigade were to take their positions on +the left of the ford after crossing the stream, in the following +order: On the extreme left the Twenty-fourth, next to it in the centre +of the brigade, the Ninth, and on the right of the brigade the +Thirteenth. In approaching the ford the Ninth and Twenty-fourth became +mixed and crossed in the following order: First one battalion of the +Ninth; then a battalion of the Twenty-fourth; then the second +battalion of the Ninth, followed by the second battalion of the +Twenty-fourth. The line was formed under fire, and while +superintending its formation the brigade commander, Colonel Wikoff, +came under observation and was killed; Lieutenant-Colonel Worth, who +succeeded him, was seriously wounded within five minutes after having +taking command, and Lieutenant-Colonel Liscum, who next assumed charge +of the brigade, had hardly learned that he was in command before he, +too, was disabled by a Spanish shot By this time, however, the +formation was about complete and the brigade ready to begin the +advance.</p> +<p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page211" id="page211"></a>[pg 211]</span> +</p> +<p>Leaving Wikoff's brigade in line ready to begin the advance we must +now return in our narrative to the main ford, where the major portions +of Hawkins' and Pearson's brigades are massed and follow the various +regiments as they come to their places in the battle line preparing +for the onslaught. After crossing the ford with the Sixth Infantry, +pursuant to the orders given by Lieutenant Miley in the name of +General Shafter, General Hawkins attempted to flank the enemy by a +movement to the left, the Sixth Infantry leading and the Sixteenth +intending to pass beyond it in its rear and join to its left. The +Sixth in passing to its intended position passed to the left of the +Sixth Cavalry, which held the left of the line of the cavalry +division, which had crossed the ford and deployed to the right, +reaching beyond the Spanish lines in that direction, or at least it +was able to reach the extreme right of the enemy. The Sixth Infantry +continued this line southward and it was to be farther extended by the +Sixteenth. Before this disposition could be effected the fire of the +enemy became so severe that an advance movement was started and the +Sixth lined up facing the fort on the hill, with only one company and +a half of the Sixteenth on its left.</p> + +<p>While Hawkins' and Wikoff's brigades were preparing for the advance +upon the enemy's works, Pearson's brigade was approaching the ford, +hurrying to the support. The Twenty-first Regiment of this brigade was +detached from the brigade and sent directly forward on the main trail +with orders to re-enforce the firing line. This regiment crossed the +San Juan River to the left of the main ford and rushed forward to +support Hawkins' left. In the meantime the two other regiments of the +brigade, the Second and Tenth, which had preceded the Twenty-first in +their march from El Poso, had been defle +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page212" id="page212"></a>[pg 212]</span> +cted to the left by order of +the division commander and were passing to the front over the trail +previously taken by Wikoff's brigade, crossing the San Juan at the +lower ford. The Tenth crossed in advance and formed in close order on +the opposite side of the stream, its line facing northwest. It was +soon after, however, put in battle formation and moved to the right +until it connected with the Twenty-first. The Second Regiment crossed +the ford in the rear of the Tenth, having been delayed considerably by +the Seventh-first New York Volunteers, who still blocked the way +between the forks and the lower ford. After crossing the ford the +Second put itself in line on the left of the Tenth, the whole brigade +being now in position to support the First and Third Brigades in their +charge.</p> + +<p>This movement of Colonel Pearson's brigade had not been made without +hardship and loss. All of the regiments came under the enemy's fire +before reaching the San Juan River and many men were killed or wounded +while the regiments were gaining their positions. The movement was so +well executed as to call forth from the division commander the +following enconium: "I observed this movement from the Fort San Juan +Hill. Colonel E.P. Pearson, Tenth Infantry, commanding the Second +Brigade, and the officers and troops under his command deserve great +credit for the soldierly manner in which this movement was executed."</p> + +<p>Although we left Wikoff's brigade standing in line on the left of the +lower ford, we must not imagine that it remained in that position +until the above movement on the part of the Second Brigade had been +accomplished. There was no standing still in the fierce fire to which +the men of that brigade were at that time subjected—a fire which had +already cu +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page213" id="page213"></a>[pg 213]</span> +t down in rapid succession three brigade commanders. The +formation was no sooner completed than the rapid advance began. The +Thirteenth Infantry holding the right of the brigade moved to the +right and front, while the Ninth and Twenty-fourth moved almost +directly to the front at first, thus partially gaining the flank of +the enemy's position. The whole line moved with great rapidity across +the open field and up the hill, so that when the Second and Tenth +Infantry came to their position as support, the heroic Third Brigade +was well up the heights. To the right of the Third Brigade the First +Brigade, containing the gallant Sixth, under Colonel Egbert, and the +Sixteenth, was advancing also, and the two brigades arrived at the +fort almost simultaneously; so that the division commander in speaking +of the capture says: "Credit is almost equally due the Sixth, Ninth, +Thirteenth, Sixteenth and Twenty-fourth Regiments of Infantry." To the +Third Brigade he gives the credit of turning the enemy's right.</p> + +<p>Let us now examine more closely that sweep of the Third Brigade from +the left of the lower ford to San Juan Hill, in order to trace more +distinctly the pathway of honor made for itself by the Twenty-fourth. +This regiment formed left front into line under fire and advanced over +the flat in good order, and then reformed under shelter of the hill +preparatory to the final charge upon the enemy's intrenchments. The +experience of the companies in crossing the flat is told by the +company commanders. One company under the orders of its captain formed +line of skirmishers and advanced in good order at rapid gait, reaching +the foot of the hill almost exhausted. This was about the experience +of all, but this company is mentioned because it was the first company +of the regiment to reach the top of the hill. In crossing the flat +ther +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page214" id="page214"></a>[pg 214]</span> +e was necessarily some mixing of companies and in some instances +men were separated from their officers, but those who escaped the +enemy's bullets made their way across that plain of fire and were +ready to join in the charge up the hill where only brave men could go.</p> + +<p>There was but a moment's pause for breath at the foot of the hill and +the general charge all along the line began, the Sixth Infantry +probably taking the initiative, although the gallant Colonel Egbert, +of that regiment (since killed in the Philippines), makes no such +claim. In his farewell official report of the Sixth he thus describes +the final act:</p> + +<blockquote><p>"We were now unexpectedly re-enforced. Lieutenant Parker, +made aware by the heavy fire from the hill that a conflict +was going on in his front, opened fire with his Gatlings +most effectively on the intrenchments, while from far down +on my left I heard cheering and shouts, and saw coming up +the slope towards us a multitude of skirmishers. As they +drew nearer we distinguished the tall figure of General +Hawkins, with his aide, Lieutenant Ord, Sixth Infantry, +charging at the head of the skirmishers and waving their +hats. When the charge came up nearly abreast of where the +Sixth stood in the road I ordered the companies out through +the gaps in the wire fence to join it, and they complied +with the same alacrity and enthusiasm that they had +displayed in entering this bloody field. The Gatlings +redoubled their fierce grinding of bullets on the Spanish, +despite which there still came a savage fire from the +blockhouse and trenches. Here the gallant Captain Wetherell, +Sixth Infantry, fell, shot through the forehead, at the head +of his company, and I received a Mauser bullet through the +left lung, which disabled me. But the blood of the troops +was now up, and no loss of officers or men coul +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page215" id="page215"></a>[pg 215]</span> +d stop them. +They charged up the incline until, coming to a steep ridge +near the top, they were brought to a stand by the hail of +bullets from the Gatlings against the summit. As soon as +this could be stopped by a signal, the mingled troops of the +Sixth, Sixteenth, Thirteenth and Twenty-fourth swept up and +over the hill and it was won."</p></blockquote> + +<p>From testimony gathered on the evening of the fight it was concluded +that there were more men of the Twenty-fourth Infantry on the ridge in +this first occupation than of any other regiment, but all of the +regiments of the division had done admirably and the brave blacks of +the Twenty-fourth won on that day a standing in arms with the bravest +of the brave.</p> + +<p>The Spaniards although driven from their first line, by no means gave +up the fight; but retreating to a line of intrenchments about eight +hundred yards in the rear they opened upon the new-comers a fire +almost as hot as before, and the troops found it difficult to hold +what they had gained. The supporting regiments were coming up and +strengthening the line, the men meanwhile entrenching themselves under +fire as rapidly as possible. The Thirteenth Infantry was immediately +ordered off to the right to assist the cavalry division, especially +the Rough Riders, who were said to be in danger of having their flank +turned. Here it remained under fire all night.</p> + +<p>The advance and charge of the Twenty-fourth made up only a part of the +advance and charge of the Third Brigade; and this in turn was part of +the attack and assault made by the whole infantry division; a movement +also participated in at the same hour by the cavalry division; so that +regarded as a whole, it was a mighty blow delivered on the enemy's +right and centre by two-thirds of the American Army, and its effect +was stunning, although its full weight had not been real +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page216" id="page216"></a>[pg 216]</span> +ized by the +foe. The part sustained in the assault by each regiment may be +estimated by the losses experienced by each in killed and wounded. +Judged by this standard the brunt fell upon the Sixth, Sixteenth, +Thirteenth, and Twenty-fourth, all of which regiments lost heavily, +considering the short time of the action.</p> + +<p>The movement by which the Twenty-fourth reached its position on that +memorable 1st of July has called forth especial mention by the +regimental commander and by the acting Assistant Adjutant-General of +the brigade; it was also noted immediately after the battle by all the +newspaper writers as one of the striking occurrences of the day. The +regiment on coming under fire marched about one mile by the left +flank, and then formed left front into line on its leading company, +Company G, commanded by Captain Brereton. The first man of the +regiment to take position in the line was the First Sergeant of G +Company, R.G. Woods. This company when reaching its position formed on +left into line, under a severe fire in front and a fire in the rear; +the other companies forming in the same manner, with more or less +regularity, to its left. As soon as the line was formed the order was +given to charge. The advance was made across an open meadow, during +which several officers were wounded, among them the officers of +Company F, the command of that company devolving upon its First +Sergeant, William Rainey, who conducted the company successfully to +the crest of the hill.</p> + +<p>The description of the movement of Company D as given by Lieutenant +Kerwin, who was placed in command of that company after its officers +had been shot, is a very interesting document. Lieutenant Kerwin +claims to have made his report from "close inquiries and from personal +obs +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page217" id="page217"></a>[pg 217]</span> +ervation." According to this report the company was led across the +San Juan Creek by its Captain (Ducat), the Second Lieutenant of the +company (Gurney) following it, and keeping the men well closed up. +While crossing, the company encountered a terrific fire, and after +advancing about ten yards beyond the stream went through a wire fence +to the right, and advanced to an embankment about twenty yards from +the right bank of the stream. Here Captain Ducat gave the order to +advance to the attack and the whole company opened out in good order +in line of skirmishers and moved rapidly across the open plain to the +foot of San Juan Hill. In making this movement across the plain the +line was under fire and the brave Lieutenant Gurney was killed, and +First Sergeant Ellis, Corporal Keys and Privates Robinson and Johnson +wounded. It was a race with death, but the company arrived at the base +of the hill in good form, though well-nigh exhausted. After breathing +a moment the men were ready to follow their intrepid commander, +Captain Ducat, up the hill, and at twelve o'clock they gained the +summit, being the first company of the regiment to reach the top of +the hill. Just as they reached the crest the brave Ducat fell, shot +through the hip, probably by a Spanish sharpshooter, thus depriving +the company of its last commissioned officer, and leaving its first +sergeant also disabled.</p> + +<p>The commander of the regiment speaks of its doings in a very modest +manner, but in a tone to give the reader confidence in what he says. +He became temporarily separated from the regiment, but made his way to +the crest of the hill in company with the Adjutant and there found a +part of his command. He says a creditable number of the men of his +regiment reached the top of the hill among the first to arrive there. +The commander of the Second Battalion, Captain Wygant, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page218" id="page218"></a>[pg 218]</span> +crossed the +meadow, or flat, some distance ahead of the battalion, but as the men +subsequently charged up the hill, he was unable to keep up with them, +so rapid was their gait It was from this battalion that Captain +Ducat's company broke away and charged on the right of the battalion, +arriving, as has been said, first on the top of the hill. As the +regiment arrived Captain Wygant, finding himself the ranking officer +on the ground, assembled it and assigned each company its place. +Captain Dodge, who commanded Company C in this assault, and who +subsequently died in the yellow fever hospital at Siboney, mentions +the fact that Captain Wygant led the advance in person, and says that +in the charge across the open field the three companies, C, B and H, +became so intermixed that it was impossible for the company commanders +to distinguish their own men from those of the other companies, yet he +says he had the names of twenty men of his own company who reached the +trenches at Fort San Juan in that perilous rush on that fiery mid-day. +The testimony of all the officers of the regiment is to the effect +that the men behaved splendidly, and eight of them have been given +Certificates of Merit for gallantry in the action of July 1.</p> + +<p>The losses of the regiment in that advance were numerous, the killed, +wounded and missing amounted to 96, which number was swelled to 104 +during the next two days. So many men falling in so short a time while +advancing in open order tells how severe was the fire they were facing +and serves to modify the opinion which was so often expressed about +the time the war broke out, to the effect that the Spanish soldiers +were wanting both in skill and bravery. They contradicted this both at +El Caney and at San Juan. In the latter conflict they held their +ground until the last moment and inflic +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page219" id="page219"></a>[pg 219]</span> +ted a loss upon their +assailants equal to the number engaged in the defence of the heights. +Since July 1, 1898, expatiation on the cowardice and lack of skill of +the Spanish soldier has ceased to be a profitable literary occupation. +Too many journalists and correspondents were permitted to witness the +work of Spanish sharpshooters, and to see their obstinate resistance +to the advance of our troops, to allow comments upon the inefficiency +of the Spanish Army to pass unnoticed. Our army from the beginning was +well impressed with the character of the foe and nerved itself +accordingly. The bravery of our own soldiers was fully recognized by +the men who surrendered to our army and who were capable of +appreciating it, because they themselves were not wanting in the same +qualities.</p> + +<blockquote><p>[Transcriber's Note: This footnote appeared in the text +without a footnote anchor:</p> + +<p>"The intrenchments of San Juan were defended by two +companies of Spanish infantry, numbering about two hundred +and fifty to three hundred men. At about 11 o'clock in the +morning reinforcements were sent to them, bringing the +number up to about seven hundred and fifty men. There were +two pieces of mountain artillery on these hills, the rest of +the artillery fire against our troops on that day being from +batteries close to the city."—In Cuba with Shafter (Miley), +page 117.]</p></blockquote> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/image02.png" alt="Chapter End Graphic" title="" /> +</div> + + +<hr /> +<p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page220" id="page220"></a>[pg 220]</span> +</p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_IX" id="CHAPTER_IX"></a>CHAPTER IX.</h2> + +<h3>THE SURRENDER, AND AFTERWARDS.</h3> + +<p class="hang">In the Trenches—The Twenty-fourth in the Fever Camp—Are +Negro Soldiers Immune?—Camp Wikoff.</p> + +<p class="returnTOC"><a href="#Contents">Return to Table of + Contents</a></p> + +<p>After the battle of El Caney the Twenty-fifth Infantry started for the +mango grove, where the blanket rolls and haversacks had been left in +the morning, and on its way passed the Second Massachusetts Volunteers +standing by the roadside. This regiment had seen the charge of the +Twenty-fifth up the hillside, and they now manifested their +appreciation of the gallantry of the black regulars in an ovation of +applause and cheers. This was the foundation for Sergeant Harris' +reply when on another occasion seeing the manifest kind feelings of +this regiment to the Twenty-fifth, I remarked: "Those men think you +are soldiers." "They know we are soldiers," replied the sergeant. The +regiment bivouacked in the main road leading from El Caney to +Santiago, but sleep was out of the question. What with the passing of +packtrains and artillery, and the issuing of rations and ammunition, +the first half of the night gave no time for rest; and shortly after +12 o'clock, apprehensions of a Spanish attack put every one on the +alert. At 3.30 the march to the rear was commenced and the entire +division passed around by El Poso and advanced to the front by the +Aguadores road, finally reaching a position on Wheeler's right about +noon, July 2.</p> + +<p>Subsequently the line of investment was extended to th +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page221" id="page221"></a>[pg 221]</span> +e right, the +Cuban forces under General Garcia holding the extreme right +connecting with the water front on that side of the city. Next to them +came Ludlow's McKibben's and Chaffee's forces. In McKibben's brigade +was the Twenty-fifth, which dug its last trench on Cuban soil on July +14th, on the railroad running out from Santiago to the northwest. This +intrenchment was the nearest to the city made by any American +organization, and in this the regiment remained until the surrender.</p> + +<p>The Twenty-fourth remained entrenched over to the left, in General +Kent's division, lying to the right of the 21st. This regiment (24th) +had won great credit in its advance upon the enemy, but it was to win +still greater in the field of humanity. Capt. Leavel, who commanded +Company A, said: "It would be hard to particularize in reporting upon +the men of the company. All—non-commissioned officers, privates, even +newly joined recruits—showed a desire to do their duty, yea, more +than their duty, which would have done credit to seasoned veterans. +Too much cannot be said of their courage, willingness and endurance." +Captain Wygant, who commanded the Second Battalion of the regiment, +says: "The gallantry and bearing shown by the officers and soldiers of +the regiment under this trying ordeal was such that it has every +reason to be proud of its record. The losses of the regiment, which +are shown by the official records, show the fire they were subjected +to. The casualties were greater among the officers than the men, which +is accounted for by the fact that the enemy had posted in the trees +sharpshooters, whose principal business was to pick them off." There +is no countenance given in official literature to the absurd notion +maintained by some, that it was necessary for the officers of black +troops to expose themselves +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page222" id="page222"></a>[pg 222]</span> +unusually in order to lead their troops, +and that this fact accounts for excessive losses among them. The fact +is that the regular officer's code is such that he is compelled to +occupy the place in battle assigned him in the tactics, and no matter +how great his cowardice of heart may be, he must go forward until +ordered to halt. The penalty of cowardice is something to be dreaded +above wounds or even death by some natures. "Colored troops are brave +men when led by white officers."(?) As a matter of fact there is very +little leading of any sort by officers in battle. The officer's place +is in the rear of the firing line, directing, not leading, and it is +his right and duty to save his own life if possible, and that of every +man in his command, even while seeking to destroy the enemy, in +obedience to orders. The record of the Twenty-fourth for bravery was +established beyond question when it swept across that open flat and up +San Juan Hill on that hot mid-day of July 1st, 1898.</p> + +<p>After lying in the trenches until July 15th, the news reached the camp +of the Twenty-fourth that yellow fever had broken out in the army, and +that a large hospital and pest-house had been established at Siboney. +About 4 o'clock that day an order came to the commanding officer of +the regiment directing him to proceed with his regiment to Siboney and +report to the medical officer there. The regiment started on its march +at 5.30, numbering at that time 8 companies, containing 15 officers +and 456 men. Marching on in the night, going through thickets and +across streams, the men were heard singing a fine old hymn:</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">When through the deep waters I call thee to go,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">The rivers of woe shall not thee o'erflow;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">For I will be with thee, thy troubles to bless,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And sanctify to thee they deepest distress.<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="page223" id="page223"></a>[pg 223]</span></p> + +<p>In view of what was before them, the words were very appropriate. They +arrived on the hill at Siboney at 3.30 on the morning of July 16th.</p> + +<p>Without discussing the graphic story told by correspondents of the +highest respectability describing the regiment as volunteering, to a +man, to nurse the sick and dying at Siboney, we will rather follow the +official records of their doings in that fever-stricken place. On +arriving at Siboney on the morning of July 16, Sunday, Major Markely, +then in command of the regiment, met Colonel Greenleaf of the Medical +Department, and informed him that the Twenty-fourth Infantry was on +the ground. Colonel Greenleaf was just leaving the post, but Major La +Garde, his successor, manifested his great pleasure in seeing this +form of assistance arrive. Such a scene of misery presented itself to +Major Markely's eyes that he, soldier as he was, was greatly affected, +and assured Major La Garde that he was prepared personally to sink +every other consideration and devote himself to giving what assistance +he could in caring for the sick, and that he believed his whole +regiment would feel as he did when they came to see the situation. In +this he was not mistaken. The officers and men of the Twenty-fourth +Infantry did give themselves up to the care of the sick and dying, +furnishing all help in their power until their own health and strength +gave way, in some instances laying down even their lives in this noble +work.</p> + +<p>On the day of arrival seventy men were called for to nurse yellow +fever patients and do other work about the hospital. More than this +number immediately volunteered to enter upon a service which they +could well believe meant death to some of them. The camp was so +crowded and filthy that the wo +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page224" id="page224"></a>[pg 224]</span> +rk of cleaning it was begun at once by +the men of the Twenty-fourth, and day by day they labored as their +strength would permit, in policing the camp, cooking the food for +themselves and for the hospital, unloading supplies, taking down and +removing tents, and numberless other details of necessary labor. +Despite all the care that could be taken under such conditions as were +found at Siboney, the yellow fever soon overran the entire camp, and +of the 16 officers of the regiment, 1 had died, 2 more were expected +to die; 3 were dangerously ill, and 5 more or less so. Out of the +whole sixteen there were but three really fit for duty, and often out +of the whole regiment it would be impossible to get 12 men who could +go on fatigue duty. Out of the 456 men who marched to Siboney only 24 +escaped sickness, and on one day 241 were down. Those who would +recover remained weak and unfit for labor. Silently, without +murmuring, did these noble heroes, officers and men, stand at their +post ministering to the necessities of their fellowman until the +welcome news came that the regiment would be sent north and the +hospital closed as soon as possible. On August 8 Major La Garde, more +entitled to the honor of being classed among the heroes of Santiago +than some whose opportunities of brilliant display were vastly +superior, succumbed to the disease. The fact should be borne in mind +that all of these men, officers, soldiers and surgeons, went upon this +pest-house duty after the severe labors of assault of July 1-2, and +the two weeks of terrible strain and exposure in the trenches before +Santiago, and with the sick and wounded consequent upon these battles +and labors—none were strong.</p> + +<p>On July 16th, the day after the Twenty-fourth left the trenches, the +surrender was made and on the next morning the final ceremonies of +turning over Santiago to the Ameri +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page225" id="page225"></a>[pg 225]</span> +can forces took place, and the +soldiers were allowed to come out of their ditches and enter into +more comfortable camps. The hardships of the period after the +surrender were not much less than those experienced while in the +lines.</p> + +<p>On the 26th of August the Twenty-fourth Infantry, having obtained an +honorable release from its perilous duty, marched out of Siboney with +band playing and colors flying to go on board the transport for +Montauk; but of the 456 men who marched into Siboney, only 198 were +able to march out, directed by 9 out of the 15 officers that marched +in with them. Altogether there were 11 officers and 289 men who went +on board the transport, but all except the number first given were +unable to take their places in the ranks. They went on board the +steamer Nueces, and coming from an infected camp, no doubt great care +was taken that the transport should arrive at its destination in a +good condition. Although there was sickness on board, there were no +deaths on the passage, and the Nueces arrived in port "one of the +cleanest ships that came to that place." The official report states +that the Nueces arrived at Montauk Point September 2, with 385 troops +on board; 28 sick, no deaths on the voyage, and not infected. Worn out +by the hard service the regiment remained a short time at Montauk and +then returned to its former station, Fort Douglass, Utah, leaving its +camp at Montauk in such a thoroughly creditable condition as to elicit +official remark.</p> + +<p>While the Twenty-fourth Infantry had without doubt the hardest +service, after the surrender, of any of the colored regiments, the +others were not slumbering at ease. Lying in the trenches almost +constantly for two weeks, drenched with rains, scorched by the burning +sun at times, and chilled by cool nights, subsisting on food not of +the best and poorly +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page226" id="page226"></a>[pg 226]</span> + cooked, cut off from news and kept in suspense, +when the surrender finally came it found our army generally very +greatly reduced in vital force. During the period following, from July +16th to about the same date in August the re-action fell with all its +weight upon the troops, rendering them an easy prey to the climatic +influences by which they were surrounded.<a name="FNanchor_20_20" id="FNanchor_20_20"></a><a href="#Footnote_20_20" class="fnanchor">[20]</a> Pernicious malarial +fever, bowel troubles and yellow fever were appearing in all the +regiments; and the colored troops appeared as susceptible as their +white comrades. The theory had been advanced that they were less +susceptible to malarial fever, and in a certain sense this appears to +be true; but the experience of our army in Cuba, as well as army +statistics published before the Cuban War, do not bear out the popular +view of the theory. The best that can be said from the experience of +Cuba is to the effect that the blacks may be less liable to yellow +fever and may more quickly rally from the effects of malarial fever. +These conclusions are, however, by no means well established. The +Twenty-fourth suffered excessively from fevers of both kinds, and in +the judgment of the commanding officer of the regiment "effectually +showed that colored soldiers were not more immune from Cuban fever +than white," but we must remember that the service of the +Twenty-fourth was exceptional. The Twenty-fifth Infantry lost but one +man during the whole campaign from climatic disease, John A. Lewis, +and it is believed that could he have received proper medical care his +life would have been saved. Yet this regiment suffered severely from +fever as did also the Ninth and Tenth Cavalry.</p> + +<p>Arriving at Montauk<a name="FNanchor_21_21" id="FNanchor_21_21"></a><a href="#Footnote_21_21" class="fnanchor">[21]</a> early the author had the op +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page227" id="page227"></a>[pg 227]</span> +portunity to see +the whole of the Fifth Army Corps disembark on its return from Cuba, +and was so impressed with its forlorn appearance that he then wrote of +it as coming home on stretchers. Pale, emaciated, weak and halting, +they came, with 3,252 sick, and reporting 87 deaths on the voyage. +But, as General Wheeler said in his report, "the great bulk of the +troops that were at Santiago were by no means well." Never before had +the people seen an army of stalwart men so suddenly transformed into +an army of invalids. And yet while all the regiments arriving showed +the effects of the hardships they had endured, the black regulars, +excepting the Twenty-fourth Infantry, appeared to have slightly the +advantage. The arrival of the Tenth Cavalry in "good condition" was an +early cheering item in the stream of suffering and debility landing +from the transports. Seeing all of the troops land and remaining at +Camp Wikoff until its days were nearly numbered, the writer feels sure +that the colored troops arrived from the front in as good condition as +the best, and that they recuperated with marked comparative rapidity.</p> + +<p>The chaplain of the Twenty-fifth Infantry, while en route to join his +regiment at Montauk, thinking seriously over the condition of the men +returning from such a hard experience, concluded that nothing would be +more grateful to them +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page228" id="page228"></a>[pg 228]</span> +than a reasonable supply of ripe fruit, fresh +from the orchards and fields. He therefore sent a dispatch to the +Daily Evening News, published in Bridgeton, N.J., asking the citizens +of that community to contribute a carload of melons and fruits for the +men of the Twenty-fifth, or for the whole camp, if they so wished. +Subsequently mentioning the fact to the commanding officer of the +regiment, Lieutenant-Colonel Daggett, he heartily commended the idea, +believing that the fruit would be very beneficial. The good people of +Bridgeton took hold of the matter heartily, and in a short time +forwarded to the regiment more than four hundred of Jersey's finest +watermelons, fresh from the vines. These were distributed judiciously +and the health of the men began to improve forthwith. Soon five +hundred more arrived, sent by a patriotic citizen of Philadelphia. +These were also distributed. Ladies of Brooklyn forwarded peaches and +vegetables, and supplies of all sorts now were coming in abundance. +Our men improved so rapidly as to be the occasion of remark by +correspondents of the press. They were spoken of as being apparently +in good condition. While engaged in the work of supplying their +<ins class="correction" title="Transcriber's Note: The original text reads 'physicial'">physical</ins> +wants the chaplain was taken to task by a correspondent of +Leslie's for being too much concerned in getting a carload of +watermelons for his regiment, to go over to a graveyard and pray over +the dead. The next day the chaplain made haste to go over to that +particular graveyard to relieve the country from the crying shame that +the correspondent had pointed out, only to find two men already there +armed with prayer-books and one of them especially so fearful that he +would not get a chance to read a prayer over a dead soldier, that the +chaplain found it necessary to assure him that the opportunity to pray +should not be taken from him +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page229" id="page229"></a>[pg 229]</span> +; and thus another popular horror was +found to be without reality.</p> + +<p>The colored ladies of Brooklyn organized a Soldiers' Aid Society, and +besides contributing in a general way, as already mentioned, also made +and presented to the soldiers about four hundred home-made pies, which +were most highly appreciated. They also prepared a tasty souvenir +commemorative of the heroic work performed by the troops in Cuba, and +expressive of high appreciation of the gallantry of the colored +regiments. A beautiful stand of colors was also procured for the +Twenty-fourth Infantry, which were subsequently presented to the +regiment with appropriate ceremonies.</p> + +<p>At the camp were three colored chaplains and one colored surgeon, +serving with the Regular Army, and their presence was of great value +in the way of accustoming the people at large to beholding colored men +as commissioned officers. To none were more attention shown than to +these colored men, and there was apparently no desire to infringe upon +their rights. Occasionally a very petty social movement might be made +by an insignificant, with a view of humiliating a Negro chaplain, but +such efforts usually died without harm to those aimed at and +apparently without special comfort to those who engineered them.</p> + +<p>The following paragraphs, written while in camp at the time indicated +in them, may serve a good purpose by their insertion here, showing as +they do the reflections of the writer as well as in outlining the more +important facts associated with that remarkable encampment:</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p class="heading">CAMP WIKOFF AND ITS LESSONS.</p> + +<p>Now that the days of this camp are drawing to a close it is profitable +to recall its unique history and gather up +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page230" id="page230"></a>[pg 230]</span> +some of the lessons it has +taught us. Despite all the sensationalism, investigations, testings, +experimentation, and general condemnation, the camp at Montauk +accomplished what was intended, and was itself a humane and patriotic +establishment. It is not for me to say whether a better site might not +have been selected, or whether the camp might not have been better +managed. I will take it for granted that improvement might have been +made in both respects, but our concern is rather with what was, than +with what "might have been."</p> + +<p>To appreciate Camp Wikoff we must consider two things specially; +first, its purpose, and secondly, the short time allowed to prepare +it; and then go over the whole subject and properly estimate its +extent and the amount of labor involved.</p> + +<p>The intention of the camp was to afford a place where our troops, +returning from Cuba, prostrated with climatic fever, and probably +infected with yellow fever, might receive proper medical treatment and +care, until the diseases were subdued. The site was selected with this +in view, and the conditions were admirably suited to such a purpose. +Completely isolated, on dry soil, with dry pure air, cool climate, +away from mosquitoes, the camp seemed all that was desired for a great +field hospital.</p> + +<p>Here the sick could come and receive the best that nature had to +bestow in the way of respite from the heat, and pure ocean breezes, +and, taken altogether, the experiences of August and a good part of +September, have justified the selection of Montauk. While prostrations +were occurring elsewhere, the camp was cool and delightful most of the +time.</p> + +<p>As to the preparations, it must be remembered that the recall of the +whole Army of Invasion from Cuba was made in response to a popular +demand, and as a measure of humanity. Bring the army home! was the +call, and, Bring it at once!</p> +<p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page231" id="page231"></a>[pg 231]</span> +</p> +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/image09.png" width="450" height="282" alt="Compliments of the Patriotic Colored Women of Brooklyn, N.Y." title="" /> +<p class="right"><a href="images/image09-lg.png">Enlarge</a></p> +</div> + +<p>Such urgency naturally leaps ahead of minor preparations. The soldiers +wanted to come; the people wanted them to come; hence the crowding of +transports and the lack of comforts on the voyages; hence the lack of +hospital accommodations when the troops began to arrive. Haste almost +always brings about such things; but sometimes haste is imperative. +This was the case in getting the army out of Cuba and into Camp at +Montauk in August, '98. Haste was pushed to that point when omissions +had to occur, and inconvenience and suffering resulted.</p> + +<p>We must also remember the condition of the men who came to Montauk. +About 4,000 were reported as sick before they left Cuba; but, roughly +speaking, there were 10,000 sick men landing in Montauk. Those who +were classed as well were, with rare exceptions, both mentally and +physically incapable of high effort. It was an invalid army, with +nearly one-half of its number seriously sick and suffering.</p> + +<p>Ten thousand sick soldiers were never on our hands before, and the +mighty problem was not realized until the transports began to emit +their streams of weakness and walking death at Montauk. The +preparation was altogether inadequate for such a mass of misery, and +for a time all appeared confusion.</p> + +<p>Then came severe, cruel, merciless criticisms; deserved in some cases +no doubt, but certainly not everywhere. The faults, gaps, failures, +were everywhere to be seen, and it was easy to see and to say what +ought to have been done. But the situation at Camp Wikoff from August +15th to Sep. 15th needed more than censure; it needed help. The men +who were working for the Government in both the medical and commissary +departments needed assistance; the former in th +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page232" id="page232"></a>[pg 232]</span> +e way of nurses, and +the latter in the way of appropriate food. The censure and exposure +indulged in by the press may have contributed to direct the attention +of the benevolently disposed to the conditions in the camp.</p> + +<p>Then came the era of ample help; from Massachusetts; from New York, in +a word, from all over the country. The Merchants' Relief Association +poured in its thousands of dollars worth of supplies, bringing them to +the camp and distributing them generously and wisely. The Women's +Patriotic Relief, the Women's War Relief, the International +Brotherhood League, and the powerful Red Cross Society, all poured in +food and comforts for the sick thousands. Besides these great +organizations there were also the spontaneous offerings of the people, +many of them generously distributed by the Brooklyn Daily Eagle's +active representatives. The tent of that journal was an excellent +way-mark and a veritable house of the good shepherd for many a lost +wanderer, as well as a place of comfort, cheer and rest. The work done +was very valuable and highly appreciated.</p> + +<p>To the medical department came the trained hand of the female nurse. +No one who saw these calm-faced, white-hooded sisters, or the cheery +cheeked, white capped nurses from the schools, could fail to see that +they were in the right place. The sick soldier's lot was brightened +greatly when the gentle female nurse came to his cot. Woman can never +be robbed of her right to nurse. This is one of the lessons taught by +the Hispano-American War.</p> + +<p>This vast army has been handled. No yellow fever has been spread. The +general health has been restored. The disabled are mostly housed in +hospitals, and many of them are on the road to recovery. Some +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page233" id="page233"></a>[pg 233]</span> +have +died; some are on furlough, and many have gone to their homes.</p> + +<p>The regulars are repairing to their stations quite invigorated, and +greatly helped in many ways by the kind treatment they have received. +Camp Wikoff was not a failure; but a great and successful object +lesson, as well as a great summer school in nationalism. Here black, +white and Indian soldiers fraternized; here Northerners and +Southerners served under the same orders. Ten thousand soldiers and as +many civilians daily attended the best school of its kind ever held in +this country, striving to take home to their hearts the lessons that +God is teaching the nations.</p> + +<p>The Rev. Sylvester Malone thus sums up the message of the war to us in +his letter to the committee to welcome Brooklyn's soldiers:</p> + +<blockquote><p>"This short war has done so much for America at home and +abroad that we must take every soldier to our warmest +affection and send him back to peaceful pursuits on the +conviction that there is nothing higher in our American life +than to have the privilege to cheer and gladden the marine +and the soldier that have left to America her brightest and +best page of a great history. This past war must kindle in +our souls a love of all the brethren, black as well as +white, Catholic as well as Protestant, having but one +language, one nationality, and it is to be hoped, yet one +religion."</p></blockquote> + +<p>These are true words, as full of patriotism as they are of fraternity, +and these are the two special lessons taught at Montauk—a broad, +earnest, practical fraternity, and a love of country before which the +petty prejudices of race and section were compelled to yield ground.</p> + +<p class="heading">THE YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION IN CAMP WIKOFF.</p> + +<p>The Young Men's Christian Association has done an excellent work in +Camp Wikoff. Their tents have afforded +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page234" id="page234"></a>[pg 234]</span> +facilities for profitable +amusements, in the way of quiet games, thus bringing out the use of +these games distinct from their abuse—gambling.</p> + +<p>Their reading tables have also been well supplied with papers and +magazines, religious and secular, generally very acceptable to the +soldiers, as attested by the numbers that read them. But perhaps best +of all, has been the provision made for the soldiers to write. Tables, +pens, ink, paper and envelopes have been supplied in abundance. These +were of great advantage to soldiers living in tents, and the work of +the Association in this respect cannot be too highly commended.</p> + +<p>The specially religious work of the Association as I have seen it, +consists of three divisions: First, the meetings in their tents, held +nightly and on Sundays. These have been vigorously carried on and well +attended, the chaplains of the camp often rendering assistance. +Secondly, I have noticed the Y.M.C.A. men visiting the sick in the +hospitals and camps, giving the word of exhortation and help to the +sick. Perhaps, however, in their work of private conversation with the +well men, they have done as much real service for God as in either of +the other two fields. They have made the acquaintance of many men and +have won the respect of the camp. This I have numbered as the third +division of their work—personal contact with the soldiers of the +camp, at the same time keeping themselves "unspotted from the world."</p> + +<p><b>B.</b></p> + +<blockquote><p>The 24th Infantry was ordered down to Siboney to do guard +duty. When the regiment reached the yellow-fever hospital it +was found to be in a deplorable condition. Men were dying +there every hour for the lack of proper nursing. Major +Markley, who had commanded the regiment since July 1st, when +Colonel Liscum was wounded, drew his regiment up in line, +and Dr +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page235" id="page235"></a>[pg 235]</span> +. La Garde, in charge of the hospital, explained the +needs of the suffering, at the same time clearly setting +forth the danger to men who were not immune, of nursing and +attending yellow-fever patients. Major Markley then said +that any man who wished to volunteer to nurse in the +yellow-fever hospital could step forward. The whole regiment +stepped forward. Sixty men were selected from the volunteers +to nurse, and within forty-eight hours forty-two of these +brave fellows were down seriously ill with yellow or +pernicious malarial fever. Again the regiment was drawn up +in line, and again Major Markley said that nurses were +needed, and that any man who wished to do so could +volunteer. After the object lesson which the men had +received in the last few days of the danger from contagion +to which they would be exposed, it was now unnecessary for +Dr. La Garde to again warn the brave blacks of the terrible +contagion. When the request for volunteers to replace those +who had already fallen in the performance of their dangerous +and perfectly optional duty was made again, the regiment +stepped forward as one man. When sent down from the trenches +the regiment consisted of eight companies, averaging about +forty men each. Of the officers and men who remained on duty +the forty days spent in Siboney, only twenty-four escaped +without serious illness, and of this handful not a few +succumbed to fevers on the voyage home and after their +arrival at Montauk.</p> + +<p>As a result, thirty-six died and about forty were discharged +from the regiment owing to disabilities resulting from +sickness which began in the yellow-fever hospital.—Bonsal's +Fight for Santiago.</p></blockquote> + +<div class="footnotes"><h3>FOOTNOTES:</h3> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_20_20" id="Footnote_20_20"></a><a href="#FNanchor_20_20"><span class="label">[20]</span></a> "After the surrender, dear Chaplain, the real trouble +and difficulties began. Such a period, from July 14, 1898 to August +14, 1898, was never before known to human beings, I hope. The starving +time was nothing to the fever time, where scores died per day. We were +not permitted to starve; but had fever, and had it bad; semi-decayed +beef, both from refrigerators and from cans. We had plenty of fever, +but no clothing until very late; no medicine save a little quinine +which was forced into you all the time, intermittent only with bad +meat."—Extract from a soldier's letter.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_21_21" id="Footnote_21_21"></a><a href="#FNanchor_21_21"><span class="label">[21]</span></a> While the Twenty-fifth Infantry was in camp at +Chickamauga Park I was ordered to Xenia, Ohio, on recruiting duty, and +on July 5. on seeing the reports of the wounded I asked officially to +be ordered to my regiment. An order to that effect came about a month +later, directing me to join my regiment by way of Tampa, Florida. +Arriving in Tampa, my destination was changed by telegraph to Montauk +Point, N.Y., whither I arrived a few days before the regiment did.</p></div> +</div> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/image04.png" alt="Chapter End Graphic" title="" /> +</div> + +<hr /> +<p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page236" id="page236"></a>[pg 236]</span> +</p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_X" id="CHAPTER_X"></a>CHAPTER X.</h2> + +<h3>REVIEW AND REFLECTIONS.</h3> + +<p class="hang center">Gallantry of the Black Regulars—Diary of Sergeant-Major +E.L. Baker, Tenth Cavalry.</p> + +<p class="returnTOC"><a href="#Contents">Return to Table of + Contents</a></p> + +<p>It is time now to sum up the work of the four regiments whose careers +we have thus far followed, and to examine the grounds upon which the +golden opinions they won in battle and siege are based. We have seen +that in the first fight, that of Las Guasimas, on June 24th, the Tenth +Cavalry, especially Troops I and B, both with their small arms and +with the machine guns belonging to Troop B, did most effective work +against the Spanish right, joining with the First Cavalry in +overcoming that force which was rapidly destroying Roosevelt's Rough +Riders. Nor should it be forgotten that in this first fight, Troop B, +which did its full share, was commanded on the firing line by +Sergeants John Buck and James Thompson. In the squad commanded by +Sergeant Thompson several men of the First Regular Cavalry fought and +it is claimed were highly pleased with him as squad commander.</p> + +<p>While this was the first fight of the men of the Tenth Cavalry with +the Spaniards, it was by no means their first experience under fire. +From the time of the organization of the regiment in 1866 up to within +a year of the war, the men had been engaged frequently in conflicts +with Indians and marauders, often having men killed and wounded in +their ranks. The fights were participated in by small numbers, and the + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page237" id="page237"></a>[pg 237]</span> +casualties were not numerous, but there were opportunities for the +acquirement of skill and the display of gallantry. Altogether the men +of the regiment during their experience on the plains engaged in +sixty-two battles and skirmishes. This training had transformed the +older men of the regiment into veterans and enabled them to be cool +and efficient in their first fight in Cuba.</p> + +<p>Sergeant Buck, upon whom the command of Troop B chiefly fell after +becoming separated from his Lieutenant in the battle at Guasimas, +joined the regiment in 1880, and had already passed through eighteen +years of the kind of service above described. He was at the time of +the Cuban War in the prime of life, a magnificent horseman, an +experienced scout, and a skilled packer. In 1880, when he joined the +regiment, the troops were almost constantly in motion, marching that +one year nearly seventy-seven thousand miles, his own troop covering +twelve hundred and forty-two miles in one month. This troop with four +others made a ride of sixty-five miles in less than twenty-one hours, +arriving at their destination without the loss of a single horse. In +1893 he was mentioned by the commanding officer of Fort Missoula, +Montana, for highly meritorious service, skill and energy displayed +while in charge of pack train of an expedition across the Bitter Root +Mountains, Idaho, during the most inclement weather, in quest of a +party of gentlemen lost. (Letter of commanding officer, Fort Missoula, +Montana, February 12, 1894.) Sergeant Buck has also won the silver +medal for revolver shooting.</p> + +<p>Sergeant James Thompson joined the regiment in 1888, and has passed +the ten years in the one troop, and proved himself at Las Guasimas a +soldier worthy his regiment.</p> + +<p>The first battle gave the Tenth a reputation in a new field +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page238" id="page238"></a>[pg 238]</span> +, +corresponding to that which it had gained in the West, and this was +not allowed to fade during its stay in Cuba. The fame of this first +action spread rapidly through the army and inspired the other +regiments of colored men with a desire to distinguish themselves on +this new field of honor, and their readiness to be to the front and to +take prominent part in all service was so marked that opportunity +could not be withheld from them. As the army advanced toward Santiago +these regiments became more and more the mark of observation by +foreign military men who were present, and by the great throng of +correspondents who were the eyes for the people of the civilized +world. And hence, when the lines of assault were finally determined +and the infantry and cavalry of our army deployed for its perilous +attack upon the Spanish fortifications the black regiments were in +their places, conspicuous by their vigor and enthusiasm. In them were +enlisted men whose time of service had expired a few days before, but +who had promptly re-enlisted. In at least two cases were men who +served their full thirty years and could have retired with honor at +the breaking out of the war. They preferred to share the fortunes of +their comrades in arms, and it is a comfort to be able to record that +the two spoken of came home from the fight without a wound and with +health unimpaired. How many others there were in the same case in the +army is not reported, but the supposition is that there were several +such in both the white and colored regiments.</p> + +<p>Recalling the scenes of that memorable first of July, 1898, we can see +the Twenty-fifth Infantry advancing steadily on the stone fort at El +Caney at one time entirely alone, meeting the fire of the fort even up +to their last rush forward. Captain Loughborough, who commanded +Company B, of that regimen +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page239" id="page239"></a>[pg 239]</span> +t, and although his company was in the +reserve, was nevertheless under fire, says: "The hardest fighting of +the Twenty-fifth was between two and four o'clock," at which time all +the other troops of the attacking force, except Bates' brigade, were +under cover and remaining stationary, the Twenty-fifth being the only +organization that was advancing. The official reports give the +positions of General Chaffee's brigade during the two hours between +two o'clock and four of that afternoon as follows:</p> + +<p>The Seventh was under partial cover and remained in its position +"until about 4.30 p.m." The Seventeenth remained with its left joined +to the right of the Seventh "until the battle was over." The Twelfth +Infantry was in its shelter within 350 yards of the fort "until about +4 p.m." Ludlow's brigade was engaged with the town, hence only Miles' +brigade, consisting of the Fourth and Twenty-fifth Infantry, was +advancing upon the fort. The Fourth Infantry was soon checked in its +advance, as General Daggett especially notes in his report, and the +Twenty-fifth was thus thrust forward alone, excepting Bates' brigade, +which was making its way up the right.</p> + +<p>This conspicuous advance of the Twenty-fifth brought that regiment +into the view of the world, and established for it a brilliant +reputation for skill and courage. Arriving in the very jaws of the +fort the sharpshooters and marksmen of that regiment poured such a +deadly fire into the loopholes of the fort that they actually silenced +it with their rifles. These men with the sternness of iron and the +skill acquired by long and careful training, impressed their +characteristics on the minds of all their beholders. Of the four +hundred men who went on the field that morning very few were recruits, +and many had passed over ten years in the service. When they "took the + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page240" id="page240"></a>[pg 240]</span> +battle formation and advanced to the stone fort more like veterans +than troops who had never been under fire," as their commander +reports, they gave to the world a striking exhibition of the effect of +military training. In each breast a spirit of bravery had been +developed and their skill in the use of their arms did not for a +moment forsake them. They advanced against volleys from the fort and +rifle pits in front, and a galling fire from blockhouses, the church +tower and the village on their left. Before a less severe fire than +this, on that very day, a regiment of white volunteers had succumbed +and was lying utterly demoralized by the roadside; before this same +fire the Second Massachusetts Volunteers were forced to retire—in the +face of it the Twenty-fifth advanced steadily to its goal.</p> + +<p>Lieutenant Moss, who commanded Company H on the firing line on that +day, has published an account in which he says: "The town was +protected on the north by three blockhouses and the church; on the +west by three blockhouses (and partially by the church); on the east +by the stone fort, one blockhouse, the church, and three rifle pits; +on the south and southeast by the stone fort, three blockhouses, one +loop-holed house, the church and eight rifle pits. However, the Second +Brigade was sent forward against the southeast of the town, thus being +exposed to fire from fourteen sources, nearly all of which were in +different planes, forming so many tiers of fire. The cover on the +south and southeast of the town was no better than, if as good, as +that on the other sides."</p> + +<p>The cavalry regiments were no less conspicuous in their gallantry at +San Juan than was the Twenty-fifth Infantry at El Caney. The +brilliancy of that remarkable regiment, the Rough Riders, commanded on +July 1st by Colonel Roosevelt, was so dazzling that it drew attention +away from th +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page241" id="page241"></a>[pg 241]</span> +e ordinary regulars, yet the five regiments of regular +cavalry did their duty as thoroughly on that day as did the regiment +of volunteers.<a name="FNanchor_22_22" id="FNanchor_22_22"></a><a href="#Footnote_22_22" class="fnanchor">[22]</a> In this body of cavalry troops, where courage was +elevated to a degree infringing upon the romantic, the two black +regiments took their places, and were fit to be associated in valor +with that highly representative regiment. The Inspector-General turns +aside from mere routine in his report long enough to say "the courage +and conduct of the colored troops and First United States Volunteers +seemed always up to the best." That these black troopers held no +second place in valor is proven by their deeds, and from the testimony +of all who observed their conduct, and that they with the other +regulars were decidedly superior in skill was recognized by the +volunteer Colonel himself. The Ninth Cavalry, although suffering +considerably in that advance on East Hill, involved as it was, more or +less, with Roosevelt's regiment, did not receive so large a share of +public notice as its sister regiment. The strength of the Ninth was +but little over one-half that of the Tenth, and its movements were so +involved with those of the volunteers as to be somewhat obscured by +them; the loss also of its commander just as the first position of the +enemy fell into our hands, was a great misfortune to the regiment. The +Ninth, however, was with the first that mounted the heights, and +whatever praise is to be bestowed upon the Rough Riders in that +assault is to be distributed in equal degree to the men of that +regiment. Being +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page242" id="page242"></a>[pg 242]</span> +in the leading brigade of the division this regiment +had been firing steadily upon the Spanish works before the charge was +ordered, and when the movement began the men of the Ninth advanced so +rapidly that they were among the first to reach the crest.</p> + +<p>The Tenth Regiment, with its Hotchkiss guns, and its trained men, took +its place in the line that morning to add if possible further lustre +to the distinction already won. In crossing the flat, in climbing the +heights, and in holding the ridge these brave men did all that could +be expected of them. Roosevelt said: "The colored troops did as well +as any soldiers could possibly do," meaning the colored men of the +Ninth and Tenth Cavalry. To their officers he bestows a meed of praise +well deserved, but not on the peculiar ground which he brings forward. +He would have the reader believe that it has required special ability +and effort to bring these colored men up to the condition of good +soldiers and to induce them to do so well in battle; while the +testimony of the officers themselves and the experience of more than a +quarter of a century with colored professional troops give no +countenance to any such theory. The voice of experience is that the +colored man is specially apt as a soldier, and General Merritt +declares him always brave in battle. The officers commanding colored +troops at Santiago honored themselves in their reports of the battles +by giving full credit to the men in the ranks, who by their resolute +advance and their cool and accurate firing dislodged an intrenched foe +and planted the flag of our Union where had floated the ensign of +Spain.</p> + +<p>That rushing line of dismounted cavalry, so ably directed by Sumner, +did not get to its goal without loss. As it swept across the open to +reach the heights, it faced a well-dire +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page243" id="page243"></a>[pg 243]</span> +cted fire from the Spanish +works, and men dropped from the ranks, wounded and dying. Of the +officers directing that advance 35 fell either killed or wounded and +328 men. These numbers appear small when hastily scanned or when +brought into comparison with the losses in battle during the Civil +War, but if we take time to imagine 35 officers lying on the ground +either killed or wounded and 328 men in the same condition, the +carnage will not appear insignificant. Woe enough followed even that +one short conflict. It must be observed also that the whole strength +of this division was less than 3000 men, so that about one out of +every eight had been struck by shot or shell.</p> + +<p>Several enlisted men among the colored cavalry displayed high +soldierly qualities in this assault, evidencing a willingness to +assume the responsibility of command and the ability to lead. +Color-Sergeant George Berry became conspicuous at once by his +brilliant achievement of carrying the colors of two regiments, those +of his own and of the Third Cavalry. The Color-Sergeant of the latter +regiment had fallen and Berry seized the colors and bore them up the +hill with his own. The illustrated press gave some attention to this +exploit at the time, but no proper recognition of it has as yet been +made. Sergeant Berry's character as a soldier had been formed long +before this event, and his reputation for daring was already well +established. He entered the service in 1867 and when he carried that +flag up San Juan was filling out his thirty-first year in the service. +All this time he had passed in the cavalry and had engaged in many +conflicts with hostile Indians and ruffians on our frontiers.</p> + +<p>Perhaps the most important parts taken by any enlisted men in the +cavalry division were those taken by Sergeants Foster and Givens. The +former was First Sergeant of Troo +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page244" id="page244"></a>[pg 244]</span> +p G and as the troop was making its +way to the hill by some means the Spaniards were able not only to +discover them but also the direction in which they were moving and to +determine their exact range. Sergeant Foster ventured to tell the +Lieutenant in charge that the course of advance should be changed as +they were marching directly into the enemy's guns.</p> + +<p>"Silence," shouted the Lieutenant. "Come on, men; follow me." "All +right, sir," said the Sergeant; "we'll go as far as you will." The +next instant the Lieutenant was shot through the head, leaving +Sergeant Foster in command. Immediately the troop was deployed out of +the dangerous range and the Sergeant by the exercise of good judgment +brought his men to the crest of the hill without losing one from his +ranks. At the time of this action Sergeant Foster was a man who would +readily command attention. Born in Texas and a soldier almost +continuously since 1875, part of which time had been passed in an +infantry regiment, he had acquired valuable experience. In 1888, while +serving in the cavalry, he had been complimented in General Orders for +skill in trailing raiding parties in Arizona. He was a resolute and +stalwart soldier, an excellent horseman and possessed of superior +judgment, and with a reputation for valor which none who knew him +would question. The return of Troop G, Tenth Cavalry, for July, 1898, +contains the following note: "Lieutenant Roberts was wounded early in +the engagement; Lieutenant Smith was killed about 10.30 a.m. while +gallantly leading the troop in the advance line. After Lieutenant +Smith fell the command of the troop devolved upon First Sergeant Saint +Foster, who displayed remarkable intelligence and ability in handling +the troop during the remainder of the day. Sergeant Foster's conduct +was such as cannot be excelled for valor during the operati +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page245" id="page245"></a>[pg 245]</span> +ons around +Santiago. He commanded the troop up the hills of San Juan."</p> + +<p>Sergeant William H. Givens, of Troop D, Tenth Cavalry, also commanded +in the action against San Juan. His Captain, who was wounded three +times in the fight, being finally disabled before reaching the hill, +makes the following report: "Sergeant William H. Givens was with the +platoon which I commanded; whenever I observed him he was at his post +exercising a steadying or encouraging influence on the men, and +conducting himself like the thorough soldier that I have long known +him to be. I understand to my great satisfaction that he has been +rewarded by an appointment to a lieutenancy in an immune regiment."</p> + +<p>The Descriptive list of Sergeant Givens, made on August 4th, 1898, +contains these remarks:</p> + +<blockquote><p>"Commanded his troop with excellent judgment after his +captain fell at the battle of San Juan, July 1, 1898, +leading it up the hill to the attack of the blockhouse.</p> + +<p>"Character: A most excellent soldier."<a name="FNanchor_23_23" id="FNanchor_23_23"></a><a href="#Footnote_23_23" class="fnanchor">[23]</a></p></blockquote> + +<p>Sergeant Givens may also be called an "old-timer." He had enlisted in +'69, and had passed all that time in +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page246" id="page246"></a>[pg 246]</span> +hard frontier service. The troop +in which he enlisted during the years 1876-78 was almost constantly +engaged with hostile Indians along the Mexican border, and Sergeant +Givens was called upon to take part in numerous scouts in which there +were many striking adventures. He was also in that memorable campaign +against Victoria, conducted by General Grierson. Sergeant Givens was +an ideal soldier and worthy the commendations bestowed upon him by his +troop commander and others. Captain Bigelow received his disabling +wound about seventy-five yards from the blockhouse and was taken to +the rear under heavy fire by two soldiers of the troop by the name of +Henderson and Boardman.</p> + +<p>Lieutenant Kennington, reporting the work of the troop on that morning +says that Corporal J. Walker was probably the first soldier to reach +the top of the hill and is believed to have shot the Spaniard who +killed Lieutenant Ord. The report containing the above statement is +dated July 5, 1898. Since that time the matter has been fully +investigated by Captain Bigelow and the fact ascertained that Corporal +Walker did arrive first on the hill and did shoot the Spaniard +referred to and he has been recommended for a Medal of Honor in +consequence.</p> + +<p>The Sergeant-Major of the Tenth Cavalry, Mr. E.L. Baker, who served +with great credit during the Santiago campaign, is a soldier with an +excellent record. He was born of French and American parentage in +Wyoming and enlisted in the Ninth Cavalry as trumpeter in 1882, +serving five years in that regiment. He then enlisted in the Tenth +Cavalry, and in 1892 became Sergeant-Major. Being desirous of +perfecting himself in the cavalry service he applied for an extended +furlough with permission to leave the country, intending to enter +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page247" id="page247"></a>[pg 247]</span> +a +cavalry school in France. In this desire he was heartily endorsed by +the officers of his regiment, and was specially commended by General +Miles, who knew him as a soldier and who highly appreciated him as +such. The breaking out of the Spanish war soon after he had made +application prevented a full consideration of his case. In 1897 +Sergeant-Major Baker published a specially valuable "Roster of the +Non-Commissioned Officers of the Tenth U.S. Cavalry, with Some +Regimental Reminiscences, etc.," which has been of marked service in +the preparation of the sketches of the enlisted men of his regiment. +He contributes the interesting sketch of his experiences in Cuba with +his regiment, which follows this chapter, and which will prove to many +perhaps the most interesting portion of my book.</p> + +<p>The Twenty-fourth Infantry advanced in that line of attack on the +extreme left and reached the crest of the San Juan Hills in such +numbers as to lead the press correspondents and others to conclude +that there were more men of this regiment promptly on the ground than +of any other one regiment. It is certain they made a record for +heroism in that assault as bright as any won on the field that day; +and this record they raised to a magnificent climax by their +subsequent work in the fever hospital at Siboney. For their +distinguished service both in the field and in the hospital, the +colored ladies of New York honored themselves in presenting the +regiment the beautiful stand of colors already mentioned. As these +fever-worn veterans arrived at Montauk they presented a spectacle well +fitted to move strong men to tears. In solemn silence they marched +from on board the transport Nueces, which had brought them from Cuba, +and noiselessly they dragged their weary forms over the sandy roads +and up the hill to the distant "detention camp." Twenty-eight of the +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page248" id="page248"></a>[pg 248]</span> +ir +number were reported sick, but the whole regiment was in ill-health.</p> + +<p>These were the men who had risked their lives and wrecked their health +in service for others. Forty days they had stood face to face with +death. In their soiled, worn and faded clothing, with arms uncleaned, +emaciated, and with scarce strength enough to make the march before +them, as they moved on that hot 2nd of September from the transport to +the camp, they appeared more like a funeral procession than heroes +returning from the war; and to the credit of our common humanity it +may be recorded that they were greeted, not with plaudits and cheers, +but with expressions of real sympathy. Many handkerchiefs were brought +into view, not to wave joyous welcome, but to wipe away the tears that +came from overflowing hearts. At no time did human nature at Montauk +appear to better advantage than in its silent, sympathetic reception +of the Twenty-fourth Infantry.</p> + +<p>Of these shattered heroes General Miles had but recently spoken in +words well worthy his lofty position and noble manhood as "a regiment +of colored troops, who, having shared equally in the heroism, as well +as the sacrifices, is now voluntarily engaged in nursing yellow fever +patients and burying the dead." These men came up to Montauk from +great tribulations which should have washed their robes to a +resplendent whiteness in the eyes of the whole people. Great +Twenty-fourth, we thank thee for the glory thou hast given to American +soldiery, and to the character of the American Negro!</p> + +<p>Thus these four colored regiments took their place on the march, in +camp, in assault and in siege with the flower of the American Army, +the choice and pick of the American nation, and came off acknowledged +as having shared equally in heroism and sacrifices with the other +regular regiments so +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page249" id="page249"></a>[pg 249]</span> +engaged, and deserving of special mention for the +exhibition of regard for the welfare of their fellow man. The query +is now pertinent as to the return which has been made to these brave +men. The question of Ahasuerus when told of the valuable services of +the Jew, Mordecai, is the question which the better nature of the +whole American people should ask on hearing the general report of the +valuable services of the Negro Regular in the Spanish War. When +Ahasuerus asked: "What honor and dignity hath been done to Mordecai +for this?" his servants that ministered unto him were compelled to +answer: "There is nothing done for him." Looking over these four +regiments at the time of this writing an answer somewhat similar in +force must be returned. That the colored soldier is entitled to honor +and dignity must be admitted by all who admire brave deeds, or regard +the welfare of the state. The colored soldier, however, was compelled +to stand by and see a hundred lieutenancies filled in the Regular +Army, many in his own regiments, only to find himself overlooked and +to be forced to feel that his services however valuable, could not +outweigh the demerit of his complexion.</p> + +<p>The sum total of permanent advantage secured to the colored regular as +such, in that bloody ordeal where brave men gave up their lives for +their country's honor, consists of a few certificates of merit +entitling the holders to two dollars per month additional pay as long +as they remain in the service. Nor is this all, or even the worst of +the matter. Men who served in the war as First Sergeants, and who +distinguished themselves in that capacity, have been allowed to go +back to their old companies to serve in inferior positions. Notably is +this the case with Sergeant William H. Givens, whose history has been +detailed as commanding Troop D, T +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page250" id="page250"></a>[pg 250]</span> +enth Cavalry, after Captain Bigelow +fell, and who heroically led the troop up the hill. He is now serving +in his old troop as Corporal, his distinction having actually worked +his reduction rather than substantial promotion.</p> + +<p>It must not be inferred from the foregoing, however, that nothing +whatever was done in recognition of the gallantry of the colored +regulars. Something was done. Cases of individual heroism were so +marked, and so numerous, that they could not be ignored. The men who +had so distinguished themselves could not be disposed of by special +mention and compliments in orders. Something more substantial was +required. Fortunately for such purpose four regiments of colored +United States Volunteer Infantry were then in course of organization, +in which the policy had been established that colored men should be +accepted as officers below the grade of captain. Into these regiments +the colored men who had won distinction at Santiago were placed, many +as Second Lieutenants, although some were given First Lieutenancies. +This action of the Government was hailed with great delight on the +part of the colored Americans generally, and the honors were accepted +very gratefully by the soldiers who had won them on the field. +Fortunately as this opening seemed, it turned out very disappointing. +It soon became evident that these regiments would be mustered out of +the service, as they had proven themselves no more immune, so far as +it could be determined from the facts, than other troops. The +Lieutenants who had been most fortunate in getting their commissions +early got about six or seven months' service, and then the dream of +their glory departed and they fell back to the ranks to stand +"attention" to any white man who could muster political influence +sufficient to secure a commission. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page251" id="page251"></a>[pg 251]</span> +Their day was short, and when they +were discharged from the volunteer service, there appeared no future +for them as commissioned officers. Their occupation was indeed gone. +It was for them a most disappointing and exasperating promotion, +resulting in some cases in loss of standing and in financial injury. +Their honors were too short-lived, and too circumscribed, to be much +more than a lively tantalization, to be remembered with disgust by +those who had worn them. Cruel, indeed, was the prejudice that could +dictate such a policy to the brave black men of San Juan. The black +heroes, however, were not without sympathy in their misfortune. The +good people of the country had still a warm place in their hearts for +the colored soldier, despite the sayings of his maligners.</p> + +<p>The people of Washington, D.C., had an opportunity to testify their +appreciation of the Tenth Cavalry as that regiment passed through +their city on its way to its station in Alabama, and later a portion +of it was called to Philadelphia to take part in the Peace Jubilee, +and no troops received more generous attention. To express in some +lasting form their regard for the regiment and its officers, some +patriotic citizens of Philadelphia presented a handsome saber to +Captain Charles G. Ayres, who had charge of the detachment which took +part in the Peace Jubilee, "as a token of their appreciation of the +splendid conduct of the regiment in the campaign of Santiago, and of +its superb soldierly appearance and good conduct during its attendance +at the Jubilee Parade in Philadelphia."</p> + +<p>Likewise when the Twenty-fifth Infantry arrived at its station at Fort +Logan, Colorado, the people of Denver gave to both officers and men a +most cordial reception, and invited them at once to take part in their +fall carnival. All over the country there was at that time an unusual +degree of +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page252" id="page252"></a>[pg 252]</span> +good feeling toward the colored soldier who had fought so +well, and no one seemed to begrudge him the rest which came to him or +the honors bestowed upon him.</p> + +<p>This state of feeling did not last. Before the year closed assiduous +efforts were made to poison the public mind toward the black soldier, +and history can but record that these efforts were too successful. The +three hundred colored officers became an object at which both +prejudice and jealousy could strike; but to reach them the reputation +of the entire colored contingent must be assailed. This was done with +such vehemence and persistency that by the opening of 1899 the good +name of the black regular was hidden under the rubbish of reports of +misconduct. So much had been said and done, even in Denver, which had +poured out its welcome words to the heroes of El Caney, that the +Ministerial Alliance of that city, on February 6, 1899, found it +necessary to take up the subject, and that body expressed itself in +the unanimous adoption of the following resolutions:</p> + + +<p class="heading">RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED UNANIMOUSLY BY THE MINISTERIAL ALLIANCE +OF DENVER, FEBRUARY 6, 1899.</p> + +<blockquote> +<p><i>Resolved</i>, By the Ministerial Alliance of the City of +Denver, that the attempt made in certain quarters to have +the Twenty-fifth Regiment, United States Infantry, removed +from Fort Logan, appears to this body to rest on no just +grounds, to be animated on the contrary by motives unworthy +and discreditable to Denver and the State, and that +especially in view of the heroic record of the Twenty-fifth +Regiment, its presence here is an honor to Denver and +Colorado, which this Alliance would regret to have + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page253" id="page253"></a>[pg 253]</span> +withdrawn.<a name="FNanchor_24_24" id="FNanchor_24_24"></a><a href="#Footnote_24_24" class="fnanchor">[24]</a></p></blockquote> + +<p>The mustering out of the volunteers about the time this opposition was +approaching what appeared to be a climax, causing the removal from the +service of the colored officers, appeased the wrath of the demon, and +the waves of the storm gradually sank to a peace, gratifying, indeed, +to those who shuddered to see a black man with shoulder-straps. As the +last Negro officer descended from the platform and honorably laid +aside his sword to take his place as a citizen of the Republic, or a +private in her armies, that class of our citizenship breathed a sigh +of relief. What mattered it to them whether justice were done; whether +the army were weakened; whether individuals were wronged; they were +relieved from seeing Negroes in officers' uniforms, and that to them +is a most gracious portion. The discharge of the volunteers was to +them the triumph of their prejudices, and in it they took great +comfort, although as a matter of fact it was a plain national movement +coming about as a logical sequence, entirely independent of their +whims or wishes. The injustice to the Negro officer does not lie in +his being mustered out of the volunteer service, but in the failure to +provide for a recogniti +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page254" id="page254"></a>[pg 254]</span> +on of his valor in the nation's permanent +military establishment.</p> + +<p>The departure of the colored man from the volunteer service was the +consequent disappearance of the colored military officer, with the +single exception of Lieutenant Charles Young of the Regular Cavalry, +had a very depressing effect upon the colored people at large, and +called forth from their press and their associations most earnest +protests. With a few exceptions, these protests were encouched in +respectful language toward the President and his advisers, but the +grounds upon which they were based were so fair and just, that +right-thinking men could not avoid their force. The following +resolution, passed by the National Afro-American Council, may be taken +as representative of the best form of such remonstrance:</p> + +<blockquote><p>"<i>Resolved</i>, That we are heartily grieved that the President +of the United States and those in authority have not from +time to time used their high station to voice the best +conscience of the nation in regard to mob violence and fair +treatment of justly deserving men. It is not right that +American citizens should be despoiled of life and liberty +while the nation looks silently on; or that soldiers who, +with conspicuous bravery, offer their lives for the country, +should have their promotion result in practical dismissal +from the army."</p></blockquote> + +<p>The nation graciously heeded the call of justice and in the +re-organization of the volunteer army provided for two colored +regiments, of which all the company officers should be colored men. +Under this arrangement many of the black heroes of Santiago were +recalled from the ranks and again restored to the positions they had +won. Thus did the nation in part remedy the evil which came in +consequence of the discharge of the volunteers, and prove its +willingness to do right. Triumphant +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page255" id="page255"></a>[pg 255]</span> +ly did the Administration vindicate +itself in the eyes of good people, and again did it place its +withering disapproval upon the conduct of those who were ready to +shout their applause over the worthy black officer's accidental +humiliation. The Negro officer disappeared from the United States' +Regiments as a Lieutenant only; but he returns to the same, or rather, +to a higher grade of the same form of regiments, both as Lieutenant +and Captain. How rapid and pronounced has been the evolution! It is +true the Negro officer is still a volunteer, but his standing is +measurably improved, both because of the fact of his recall, and also +because the regiments which he is now entering have some prospect of +being incorporated into the Regular Army. It does not seem probable +that the nation can much longer postpone the increase of the standing +army, and in this increase it is to be hoped the American Negro, both +as soldier and officer, will receive that full measure of justice of +which the formation of the present two colored regiments is so +conspicuous a part.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p class="heading">DIARY OF E.L. BAKER. SERGEANT-MAJOR TENTH U.S. CAVALRY.</p> + +<blockquote><p>Appointed First Lieutenant Ninth U.S. Volunteer Infantry, +and later Captain of the Forty-ninth Volunteer Infantry—Now +Lieutenant in Philippine Scouts.</p></blockquote> + +<p class="heading">A TRIP FROM MONTANA TO CUBA WITH THE TENTH U.S. CAVALRY.</p> + +<p>April 16, 1898, at 10.45 p.m., telegram was received from Department +Headquarters, St. Paul, Minnesota, ordering the regiment to the +Department of the Gulf.</p> + +<p>As every click of the telegraph instrument was expected to announce a +rupture in the diplomatic relations between the United States and the +Kingdom of Spain, all knew that the mobilization of the army South +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page256" id="page256"></a>[pg 256]</span> + +meant preparing it for the serious work for which it is maintained.</p> + +<p>On April 19 we were off for Chickamauga Park. En route we were +heartily greeted. Patriotism was at its height. Every little hamlet, +even, had its offerings. To compare the journey with Cæsar's march of +triumph would be putting it mildly.</p> + +<p>We arrived at the historic point April 25. Every moment of our stay +there was assiduously devoted to organizing, refitting and otherwise +preparing for the inevitable. Officers were sent to many parts of the +country to secure recruits. Many also gave up details and relinquished +their leaves of absence to take part in the impending crisis.</p> + +<p>May 14. We were moved a little nearer the probable theatre of +operations. On account of some deficiency in water for troops at +Tampa, the regiment was stopped at Lakeland, 30 miles this side, where +many recruits were received; Troops increased to war strength, and new +Troops established. Drills and instructions were also constantly +followed up.</p> + +<p>June 6. Orders were received to prepare headquarters, band and eight +Troops dismounted, with trained men only, for service in Cuba. +Recruits to be left in camp with horses and property.</p> + +<p>June 7. We were off for Port Tampa, where the regiment embarked on the +steamship Leona that afternoon.</p> + +<p>June 8. She steamed from the dock. When the expedition seemed to be +forming, news was received that the dreaded Spanish fleet was being +sighted, evidently lying in wait for army transports. So we steamed +back to the pier. Many of the men appeared disappointed at the move, +probably not realizing that there was too much water in the Atlantic +Ocean for the 5th Army Corps to drink.</p> + +<p>To my mind, the Divine Providence surely directed the move, as the +delay enabled the force to be sw +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page257" id="page257"></a>[pg 257]</span> +elled several thousand, every one of +whom was needed before Santiago.</p> + +<p>June 14. We steamed out of Tampa Bay, amid cheers and music from the +thirty odd transports, heavily escorted by naval vessels. Among them +were the much talked-of dynamiter, Vesuvius, and the beautiful little +cruiser, Helena. Off Dry Tortugas that formidable warship, Indiana, +joined the fleet.</p> + +<p>Splendid weather; nothing unusual transpiring, though our transport, +which also contained the First U.S. Cavalry, had a seemingly close +call from being sent to the bottom of the sea, or else being taken in +as a prisoner, which the enemy could have done with impunity.</p> + +<p>Whilst going down the Saint Nicholas Chanel, in Cuban waters, the +vessel was deliberately stopped about midnight, June 16, and left to +roll in the trough of the sea until the morning of the 17th, in +consequence of which we were put 20 hours behind the fleet and without +escort, almost in sight of the Cuban shores.</p> + +<p>Men were indignant at having been placed in such a helpless position, +and would have thrown the captain of the ship, whom they accused of +being a Spanish sympathizer and otherwise disloyal, overboard without +ceremony, but for the strong arm of military discipline. We were +picked up by the U.S. Cruiser Bancroft, late in the afternoon, she +having been sent in quest of the Jonah of the fleet. Upon approach of +the ship there were prolonged cheers from all of Uncle Sam's +defenders. The only explanation that I have ever heard for this +unpardonable blunder on the part of the ship's crew was that they +mistook a signal of a leading vessel.</p> + +<p>June 20. Land was sighted.</p> + +<p>June 21. Dispatch boats active; transports circling; Morro Castle +pointed out; three days' rations issued to each man; no ext +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page258" id="page258"></a>[pg 258]</span> +ra +impedimenta to be taken ashore; crew preparing for landing.</p> + +<p>June 22. As we neared Daiquiri, the designated place for disembarking, +flames could be seen reaching almost to the heavens, the town having +been fired by the fleeing Spaniards upon the approach of war vessels +of Sampson's fleet, who were assembling to bombard the shore and cover +our landing. After a fierce fire from these ships, the landing was +effected with loss of two men of our regiment, who were doubtless +crushed to death between the lighters. They were buried near the place +of recovery the next morning.</p> + +<p>The few half-clothed and hungry-looking natives on shore seemed +pleased to see us. Daiquiri, a shipping point of the Spanish-American +Iron Company, was mostly deserted. The board houses seemed to have +been spared, while the sun-burned huts thatched with palm were still +smoking, also the roundhouse in which there were two railroad +locomotives, warped and twisted from the heat. The Spanish evidently +fired everything they could before evacuating.</p> + +<p>June 23. At 6.00 p.m. Troops A, B, E and I, left with four Troops of +the First U.S. Cavalry and Rough Riders (First U.S. Volunteer Cavalry) +as advance guard of the Army of Invasion on the main road to Santiago +de Cuba; about 800 men all told, three Hotchkiss guns, manned by ten +cavalrymen, accompanied also by the Brigadier Commander, General +S.M.B. Young and staff.</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Note</span>.—These troops marched about 13 miles through a +drenching rain from 7 to 10 p.m.; bivouacked one hour later. Oh the +24th, after breakfast, took the trail about 5.15 a.m. The vapor from +wet clothing rose with the sun, so that you could scarcely recognize a +man ten feet away. About three and one-half miles above Siboney the +command was +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page259" id="page259"></a>[pg 259]</span> +halted; the first U.S. Volunteer Cavalry (Rough Riders) +sent to the left; proceeding farther about one mile, the main column +was split, First U.S. Cavalry going to the right, the Tenth Cavalry +remaining in the center. General Wheeler joined at this point, +accompanied by his orderly, Private Queene, Troop A, Tenth Cavalry. +Disposition of the troops was explained by General Young, who had +located his headquarters with the Tenth U.S. Cavalry; General Wheeler +made his the same. Hotchkiss guns were ordered closed up; magazines +filled. The column had proceeded but a short way when the engagement +opened in all its fury; troops were deployed and advanced in the +direction from which the bullets were coming the thickest, as rapidly +as the formation of the ground would permit, the left of the line +touching the right of the Rough Riders.</p> + +<p>June 24. Headquarters, band and the remainder of the First and Tenth +U.S. Cavalry were off at 6 A.M. The road was alive with troops (C, D, +F, G,) colonels and privates alike lugging their rations and bedding +beneath that ever watchful tropical sun, feeling as though they would +wilt at every step, the undergrowth being so thick and tall that +scarcely any breeze could get to you.</p> + +<p>On emerging from this thicket, through which we had been marching for +several hours, the Sampson fleet could be heard firing on the Spanish +batteries on shore. Marines and other troops could be seen crossing +the mountains above Altares; this revived the men very much. As we +approached Verni Jarabo (Altares?), we were met by General Lawton, who +informed our Colonel that the advance guard was engaged with the +Spanish at La Guasima, and that it was hard pressed. Our pace was +quickened; the news appeared to lighten our heavy packs as we toiled +to the front to assist our comr +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page260" id="page260"></a>[pg 260]</span> +ades. The roar of the artillery became +plainer; wounded men along the road as well as those played-out from +the intense heat. Women and children were fleeing to places of safety. +Our forces were repairing a railroad engine and track; also tearing up +a piece leading to a Spanish blockhouse. In fact, everything seemed to +have on an exceedingly warlike tint, but our advance continued as +swifty as our weary feet would allow, which soon brought us to a +number of our own comrades conveyed on litters from La Guasima, where +our advance guard was tussling hard with the Dons for the honors of +the day.</p> + +<p>Upon arrival of reinforcements, victory had been wrested from the Dons +fairly by the advance guard without assistance. Every one greeted each +other, as though it had been a year instead of a few hours since +parting. The First U.S. Cavalry and Rough Riders were unstinted in +extolling the fighting qualities of their brothers in arms, the Tenth +U.S. Cavalry.</p> + +<p>The enemy was struck early June 24, entrenched on the heights of La +Guasima, near Sevilla, on the main road from Daiquiri to the city of +Santiago de Cuba. The advance guard was soon hotly engaged with them; +after a very desperate fight of over one hour, the enemy was driven in +confusion from their intrenchments. Our men were too exhausted to +follow them. The Tenth Cavalry lost 13 killed and wounded. For a while +it was a terrific fight, as the enemy was strongly intrenched on the +heights and our men had to climb them subjected to their fire, which +was very accurate, and much of it doubtless from machine guns in hands +of experienced men. Our men had also to contend with the thickest +underbrush, wire fences (the famous military trochas) and Spanish +daggers jabbing them in side at every step. For a while the situation +was serious. The decisive blow of the attack seems to have b +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page261" id="page261"></a>[pg 261]</span> +een struck +at an opportune moment, and the enemy withdrew in confusion.</p> + +<p>It has been estimated that about 4,000 Spanish were engaged. +Everything indicated that they lost heavily; a Santiago paper put it +at 240. The writer and the Sergeant-Major of the First U.S. Cavalry +superintended the digging of one large grave where all the dead of the +two regiments were interred according to the Episcopal service. The +Rough Riders, being farther to our left, buried their own. If +advantage of position goes for anything, the Spanish should have +annihilated the Americans as they approached the stronghold.</p> + +<p>The command remained on the battlefield until June 26, when it +proceeded to Sevilla, an old coffee and sugar plantation, to await the +assembling of the army and placing of the artillery.</p> + +<p>Our camp at Sevilla was an interesting one in many ways. It was +pitched between the main road and a stream of excellent water. From +the hill beyond, the Spanish works could be viewed. From the roadside +many acquaintances were seen, also generals, foreign military +attaches, troops, artillery and pack trains. Wheeled transportation +seemed entirely out of its place in Cuba; one piece of artillery was +noticed with 24 horses tugging away at it.</p> + +<p>The Cuban Army, cavalry and infantry, passed us at this point, which +seemed to consist of every male capable of swelling the crowd. Those +unable to carry or secure guns had an old knife or machete strapped to +them.</p> + +<p>On June 30, about 4 P.M., shortly after our daily shower, which was a +little more severe and much longer than usual, the regiment was put in +motion for the front. We had marched about 1600 yards when the war +balloon was seen ascending some distance to our right. As the balloon +question was new, every one almost was stumbling on the ma +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page262" id="page262"></a>[pg 262]</span> +n's heels in +front, trying to get a peep at this wonderful war machine.</p> + +<p>After much vexatious delay, narrow road crowded with troops, a pack +train came along and added its mite to the congestion, as some of the +mules turned their heels on the advancing column when pushed too much.</p> + +<p>We finally merged into a beautiful lawn, site of the Division +Hospital, where all were as busy as beavers in placing this +indispensable adjunct in order. Here the work of July 1 was clearly +suggested. Proceeding, wading and rewading streams, we bivouacked +beyond the artillery on the heights of El Poso, an old sugar +plantation, about four miles off, in plain view of the city of +Santiago. The lights of the city showed so brightly, the enemy +offering no resistance to our advance, I could not help feeling +apprehensive of being in a trap. I thought so seriously over the +matter that I did not unroll my pack, so as to be ready at an instant. +Simply released my slicker, put it on, and lay down where I halted.</p> + +<p>Early July 1 all the brigade was up, getting breakfast and making as +much noise as if on a practice march. The Tenth Cavalry did not make +any fire until orders were received to that effect. I remarked to my +bunky that we were not going to fight evidently, as the smoke would +surely disclose our presence and enable the enemy's artillery to get +our range. The whole of Santiago seemed to be decorated with hospital +flags.</p> + +<p>At 6.30 a shell from Capron's battery, U.S. Artillery, directed at a +blockhouse in El Caney, announced that the battle was on. Then the +musketry became general. All stood and watched the doomed village +quite a while as the battle progressed. Soon Grices' battery of the +U.S. Artillery, which was in support, belched forth destruction at the +Spanish work +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page263" id="page263"></a>[pg 263]</span> +s of the city, using black powder. The fire was almost +immediately returned by the enemy's batteries, who had smokeless. +They were shortly located when a fierce duel took place. The Dons were +silenced, but not until we had suffered loss. During this fire an +aide—Lieut. Wm. E. Shipp, Tenth Cavalry, Brigade +Quartermaster—brought orders for us to take position on the left of +the First U.S. Cavalry. The line extended nearly north and south on a +ridge some three or four miles from the city, where the regiment was +exposed to much of the return fire from the enemy's batteries. The men +exhibited no special concern and watched the flight of the death +messenger as eagerly as if at a horse race. Adjutant Barnum here +divided the band and turned it over to the surgeons to assist in +caring for the wounded, and directed Saddler Sergeant Smith and myself +to accompany the Colonel in advance. When Lieut. Shipp delivered his +orders, some of the officers remarked, "You are having a good time +riding around here." He replied that it was no picnic riding among +bullets, and that he would prefer being with his troops.</p> + +<p>After the artillery had ceased firing, the regiment moved to the +right, passed El Poso, where there were additional signs of the +enemy's havoc among our troops, proceeded down the road leading to +Santiago. The movement of the regiment was delayed as it approached +the San Juan River, by an infantry brigade which had halted.</p> + +<p>The regiment came within range of musket fire about three-quarters or +one-half mile from the crossing. Upon reaching the ford the Colonel +(Baldwin) rode nearly across the stream (closely followed by his +regiment) when we were greeted by the Dons with a terrific volley of +musketry, soon followed by artillery, which caused us to realize more +fully tha +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page264" id="page264"></a>[pg 264]</span> +n ever, that "things were coming our way." Orders were given +to throw off packs and get cover. In removing his, Sergeant Smith, +on, my immediate left, was assisted by a Spanish bullet, and an +infantry soldier fell as my pack was thrown off to the right. In +seeking cover men simply dropped to the right and left of the road in +a prone position.</p> + +<p>The regiment was here subjected to a terrific converging fire from the +blockhouse and intrenchments in front and the works further to the +left and nearer the city. The atmosphere seemed perfectly alive with +flying missiles from bursting shells over head, and rifle bullets +which seemed to have an explosive effect. Much fire was probably drawn +by the war balloon, which preceded the regiment to a point on the edge +of the river, near the ford, where it was held. This balloon +undoubtedly rendered excellent service in locating positions of the +Spanish works and developing an ambush which had been laid for us, but +the poor, ill-fated balloon certainly received many uncomplimentary +remarks during our stay in its vicinity.</p> + +<p>It seemed as though the Spanish regarded the balloon as an evil agent +of some kind, and as though every gun, both great and small, was +playing on it. I made several trips under it following the Colonel, +who repeatedly rode up and down the stream, and I would have been +fully satisfied to have allowed my mind even to wander back to the +gaily lighted ball rooms and festivals left behind only a few months +before.</p> + +<p>While on the last trip under the balloon a large naval shell exploded, +knocking the Colonel's hat off, crippling his horse, and injuring the +rider slightly in the arm and side, all of course, in addition to a +good sand bath. I then joined the regiment, some rods beyond, then +under cover. In crouching down behind a clump of brush, heard some one + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page265" id="page265"></a>[pg 265]</span> +groan; on looking around, saw Private Marshall struggling in the river +wounded. Immediately rushing to his assistance another of those +troublesome shells passed so close as to cause me to feel the heat. It +did not stop the effort, however, and the wounded man was placed in +safety.</p> + +<p>The regiment remained in the road only a few moments when it was +ordered to take position behind the river bank some yards above the +balloon for protection; while moving to that position, and while +there, suffered much loss. Why we did not lose heavier may be +attributed to the fact that the enemy's musket fire was a trifle high, +and their shells timed from one-half to one second too long, caused +them to explode beyond, instead of in front, where the shells would +have certainly secured the Dons' maximum results, as, after the +balloon was cut down, you could scarcely hold your hand up without +getting it hit. During the battle, one trooper fell upon a good-sized +snake and crushed it to death, and another trooper allowed one of +these poisonous reptiles to crawl over him while dodging a volley from +the Spanish Mausers.</p> + +<p>The shrapnel and canister shells, with their exceedingly mournful and +groaning sound, seemed to have a more terrifying effect than the swift +Mauser bullet, which always rendered the same salutation, "Bi-Yi." The +midern shrapnel shell is better known as the man-killing projectile, +and may be regarded as the most dangerous of all projectiles designed +for taking human life. It is a shell filled with 200 or 300 bullets, +and having a bursting charge, which is ignited by a time fuse, only +sufficient to break the base and release the bullets, which then move +forward with the velocity it had the time of bursting. Each piece is +capable of dealing death to any living thing in its path. In practice +firing, it is known w +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page266" id="page266"></a>[pg 266]</span> +here, by one shot, 152 hits were made by a single +shrapnel. In another, 215 hits are recorded. Imagine then, the havoc +of a well-directed shrapnel upon a group of men such as is here +represented. Capron's battery at El Caney cut down 16 cavalrymen with +one shell.</p> + +<p>After a delay of about 30 minutes, during part of the time, the +writer, assisted by Sergeant Smith and Mr. T.A. Baldwin, cut all the +wire fences possible. Mr. Baldwin was dangerously wounded while so +engaged just before the general advance.</p> + +<p>The regiment merged into open space in plain view of and under the +fire of the enemy; and formed line of battle facing toward the +blockhouses and strong intrenchments to the north, occupied by the +Spanish, and advanced rapidly in this formation, under a galling, +converging fire from the enemy's artillery and infantry, on the +blockhouses and heavy intrenchments to the right front. Many losses +occurred before reaching the top of the hill, Lieut. W.H. Smith being +killed while gallantly conducting his troop as it arrived on the +crest. Lieut. W.E. Shipp was killed about the same instant, shortly +after leaving Lieutenant Smith, further to the left and near the pond +on the sunken road leading to Santiago. Lieutenant Smith was struck in +the head and perished with a single groan. Lieutenant Shipp was hit +near the heart; death must have been almost instantaneous, though it +appears he made an effort to make use of his first aid package. Thus +the careers of two gallant and efficient officers whose lives had been +so closely associated were ended.</p> + +<p>Private Slaughter, who was left in charge of Lieutenant Smith's body, +was picked off by the Spanish sharpshooters, and Private Jackson, +Lieutenant Shipp's orderly, was left as deaf as a post from a bursting +shell.</p> +<p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page267" id="page267"></a>[pg 267]</span> +</p> +<p>The enemy having been driven back, northwest, to the second and third +blockhouses, new lines were formed and a rapid advance made upon them +to the new positions. The regiment assisted in capturing these works +from the enemy, and planted two sets of colors on them, then took up a +position to the north of the second blockhouse. With some changes in +position of troops, this line, one of the most advanced, about three +hundred yards of the enemy, was held and intrenchments dug under a +very heavy and continuous fire from the Spanish intrenchments in +front, July 2 and 3.</p> + +<p>In their retreat from the ridge, the enemy stood not on the order of +their going, but fled in disorder like so many sheep from the scene, +abandoning a quantity of ammunition, which was fired at them +subsequently from our rapid-fire guns. Our men were too exhausted to +pursue them, footwear and clothing being soaked by wading rivers, they +had become drenched with rain, and when they reached the crest they +were about played-out; having fought about 12 hours, most of which was +under that ever-relentless tropical sun.</p> + +<p>Throughout the night, work on the intrenchments was pushed, details +buried the dead, improvised litters, and conveyed the wounded to +hospitals, all of which was prosecuted with that vim for which the +regular soldier is characterized, notwithstanding their water-logged +condition.</p> + +<p>The regiment acted with extraordinary coolness and bravery. It held +its position at the ford and moved forward unflinchingly after +deployment, through the dense underbrush, crossed and recrossed by +barbed wire, under heavy and almost plunging fire from the Spanish +works, while attacking with small arms an enemy strongly posted in +intrenchments and blockhouses, supported by artillery, and who +stubbor +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page268" id="page268"></a>[pg 268]</span> +nly contested every inch of ground gained by the American +troops.</p> + +<p>Officers were exceedingly active and tireless in their efforts to +inspire and encourage the men. You could hear them call out, "Move +right along; the Spaniards can't shoot; they are using blanks." One +officer deliberately stopped and lit his pipe amid a shower of +bullets, and then moved on as unconcerned as if on target practice.</p> + +<p>The rifle pits occupied by the enemy were intrenchments in reality, +dug almost shoulder deep, and faced with stone, being constructed +without approaches, leaving the only avenue for escape over the +parapet, which was equivalent to committing suicide, in face of the +unerring marksmanship of the United States troops.</p> + +<p>We were afterward told by a Spanish soldier how they were held in +these trenches by an officer stationed at each end with a club; also +how they depended on their officers for everything. This may account +for the large percentage of our officers picked off by the Dons. I +observed during the battle that when spotted by the enemy, delivering +orders or busying about such duties as usually indicated some one in +authority, the Spanish would fire whole volleys at an individual, this +evidently with a view to demoralizing the rank and file by knocking +off the officers.</p> + +<p>The Spanish also tried an old Indian trick to draw our fire, or induce +the men to expose themselves, by raising their hats on sticks or +rifles, or placing them upon parapets, so when we went to fire they +would aim to catch us as we rose with a terrific volley. The Dons +were, however, soon convinced of their folly in this respect, as we +always had a volley for the hats and a much stouter one for the enemy +as he raised to reply to the volley at the hats. The Tenth Caval +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page269" id="page269"></a>[pg 269]</span> +ry had +fought Indians too long in the West to be foiled in that manner.</p> + +<p>We were annoyed much by the Spanish sharpshooters stationed in tops of +the beautiful palms and other trees of dense foliage. A number of +these guerillas were found provided with seats, water and other +necessaries, and I am told some of them had evidently robbed our dead +to secure themselves an American uniform, that they might still carry +on their nefarious work undetected.</p> + +<p>Many of the disabled received their second and some their mortal +wound, while being conveyed from the field by litter-bearers.</p> + +<p>Though it was the tendency for a time to give the sharpshooter story +little or no credence, but to lay the matter to "spent bullets"; it +seemed almost out of the question that "spent bullets" should annoy +our Division Hospital, some four or five miles from the Spanish works. +It would also seem equally as absurd that a bullet could be trained to +turn angles, as several of our men were hit while assembled for +transfer to general hospital and receiving temporary treatment at the +dressing station located in an elbow of the San Juan River.</p> + +<p>The Division Hospital was so harassed that it was necessary to order +four Troops of the 9th U.S. Cavalry there for guard. While en route to +the hospital on the morning of July 2 with wounded, I saw a squad of +the 2nd U.S. Cavalry after one of these annoying angels, not 20 feet +from the road. On arrival at the hospital I was told by a comrade that +several had been knocked from their stage of action. On July 1, our +Color-Sergeant was shot from a tree after our line had passed beneath +the tree where he was located. July 3, three more fell in response to +a volley through tree tops, and on July 14, while waiting the hand to +reach the hour for the bombar +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page270" id="page270"></a>[pg 270]</span> +dment of the city, one of the scoundrels +deliberately ascended a tree in plain view of, and within two hundred +yards of, our line. It was a good thing that the white flag for +surrender appeared before the hour to commence firing, otherwise Spain +would have had at least one less to haggle with on account of back +pay.</p> + +<p>To locate a sharpshooter using smokeless powder among the dense +tropical growth may be compared with "looking for a needle in a +haystack."</p> + +<p>The killed and wounded in battle present a scene well calculated to +move the most callous. Men shot and lacerated in every conceivable +manner; some are expressionless; some just as they appeared in life; +while others are pinched and drawn and otherwise distorted, portraying +agony in her most distressful state. Of the wounded, in their anguish, +some are perfectly quiet; others are heard praying; some are calling +for their mothers, while others are giving out patriotic utterances, +urging their comrades on to victory, or bidding them farewell as they +pass on to the front. July 1, in passing a wounded comrade, he told me +that he could whip the cowardly Spaniard who shot him, in a fair fist +fight.</p> + +<p>During the first day's battle many interesting sights were witnessed. +The new calibre 30 Gatling guns were in action. These cruel machines +were peppering away several hundred shots each per minute and sweeping +their front from right to left, cutting down shrubbery and Spaniards +like grain before the reaper. I observed the excellent service of the +Hotchkiss Mountain gun; they certainly do their work to perfection and +well did the Dons know it. Many shots fired into the "blind ditches +and blockhouses" of the enemy caused them to scatter like rats. These +guns use a percussion shell nearly t +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page271" id="page271"></a>[pg 271]</span> +wo inches, and can be packed on +mules. They were designed for light service with cavalry on the +frontier. Four of these little beauties were manned by men of the +Tenth Cavalry. The Spanish made it so hot for the boys that they would +have to roll the gun under cover to load, and then steal it back to +fire.</p> + +<p>I saw one of our light batteries of artillery go in position under +fire at the foot of San Juan Hill. The movement was swiftly and +skillfully executed. A most interesting feature of this was to see the +Caissons, drawn by six magnificent horses, off for ammunition. Three +drivers to each outfit, one to each pair of horses; all plying the +whip at every jump, would remind you of a Roman chariot race coming +around on their last heat.</p> + +<p>Wheeled vehicles of war suffer more than other troops, on account of +their stationary positions. It is here that the dreaded sharpshooter +comes in for glory, by picking off the gunners and other individuals.</p> + +<p>Pack trains were seen dashing along the line with that always +absolutely essential—ammunition—thereby gladdening the hearts of the +boys who were doing their utmost to expend every round in their belts +to gain another foot of Spanish territory.</p> + +<p>During all these stirring events the stomachs of the real heroes were +not neglected, and most certainly not along our part of the line. Pack +mules were brought right up to the line under a hot fire, loaded with +sugar, coffee, bacon and hardtack, all of which was in plenty. Some of +the mules were killed and wounded, but this did not retard the advance +of the train. When near the firing line some one called, "Whose +rations?" A prompt reply, "Hungry soldiers."</p> + +<p>The daring horseman was all that was needed to m +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page272" id="page272"></a>[pg 272]</span> +ake the situation +complete. Without participation of cavalry, the ideal warrior +disappears from the scene, and the battle and-picture of war is robbed +of its most attractive feature.</p> + +<p>Late in the afternoon, July 1, I was directed to take Saddler Sergeant +Smith and bring to the firing line all the men I could find of the +regiment. Going to the dressing station, collected those who had +brought or assisted wounded there, thence across a portion of the +field passed over a few hours previous. Men were found almost +exhausted, soaking wet, or a solid mass of mud, resting as comfortably +as if in the finest of beds; many of them had been on picket duty all +night before, to which was added the hard day's work not then +completed. After locating all I could, we went to the crest of the San +Juan Hill, to the left of the sunken road, where the First U.S. +Cavalry was reforming, and there picked up a few more who had joined +that regiment.</p> + +<p>The Tenth Cavalry having in the meantime taken another position, I set +out to find it, going in front, telling Smith to bring up the rear. We +were detained a short time near Sunken Roads by shells from Cervera's +fleet, which were falling in it at a lively rate. Barbed wire +prevented us from "running the gauntlet." Shortly after crossing the +road an officer passed us, his horse pushed to his utmost, telling us +to take all the ammunition that we possibly could on the firing line. +About that instant, the pack train came thundering by, which we +relieved of a few thousand rounds in short order. I was much amused at +one of the men who innocently asked, "Where are we to get axes to +burst these strong boxes?" The job was speedily accomplished before +the boxes were on the ground good, and most certainly in less time +than it would have taken to explain matters to the inexperienced. We +were soo +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page273" id="page273"></a>[pg 273]</span> +n off again, tramping all over the country, through darkness, +running into wire entanglements, outposts and pickets, and within +fifty yards of the enemy (subsequently ascertained).</p> + +<p>About 11.00 P.M. found Colonel Roosevelt a few hundred yards from the +Spanish lines with some of my regiment, the First Cavalry, and Rough +Riders, at work on trenches, where we reported. All seemed glad to +have my little reinforcement, about 65 men, and ammunition. I never +felt so relieved at anything as I did to get that herculean task off +my hands, a job as hard as working a problem in the third book of +Euclid. The men were so tired that they would lie down at every stop +to find the right road or the way out of the wire entanglements +constantly encountered. I have never seen in a book anything to equal +the Spanish wire entanglements. Barbed wire was stretched in every +nook and corner, through streams, grass, and from two inches to six +feet in height, and from a corkscrew to a cable in design. It takes +the nerve of a circus man to get men along when they are so exhausted +that every place feels alike to them, and that they would gladly give +away Mr. Jim Hill's fortune if they possessed it, for a few hours' +sleep.</p> + +<p>On arrival at the front, lunch was about over or just ready. +Lieutenant E.D. Anderson (10th Cavalry) gave me two and one-half +hardtacks from his supply, which he carried in his bosom. I was soon +down for a little rest; all desultory firing had ceased; the pick and +the shovel were the only things to disturb the quietude of that +anxious night. Had been down but a short time when aroused by one of +the Rough Riders, who had some rice and meat in an ammunition box +which he brought from the captured blockhouse. The meat was +undoubtedly mule, as the longer I chewed it the larg +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page274" id="page274"></a>[pg 274]</span> +er and more spongy +it got, and were it not for the fact that I had had some experience +in the same line many years before in Mexico while in pursuit of +hostile Indians, I would certainly have accused our best friends +(Rough Riders) of feeding us rubber. I made another effort for a +little sleep, and was again aroused by some one passing around +hardtack, raw bacon, etc., with instructions as to where to go to cook +it. I thanked him and carefully laid it aside to resume my nap. At +2.40 A.M. the pickets were having such a lively set to, that I thought +the general engagement was on. It was at this time I discovered that I +was shivering cold, and that my teeth were rattling equal to a +telegraph sounder; so under the circumstances, I concluded not to try +for any more sleep. The dew was falling thick and heavy; no coat, no +blanket, top shirt torn in strips from the brush, and undershirt wet +and in my pack, thrown off on coming into battle.</p> + +<p>Early July 22nd the artillery took position on our left. Pickets kept +up firing from 2.40 A.M. until 5.25, when the engagement became +general. Shortly after 6.00 A.M. our artillery opened on the Spanish +works, who promptly returned the compliment. During the firing the +Dons exploded a shell in the muzzle of one of our pieces. Adjutant +Barnum fell at 6.30 A.M.; his wound was promptly dressed, when I +started to the Division Hospital with him. Though seriously hurt, I +have never seen a better natured man. While en route, we laid him down +to eat a can of salmon <i>found in the road</i>. In response to his query, +"What's up, Sergeant?" the salmon was passed him; he helped himself, +no further questions were asked, and the journey was resumed. On +arrival at the hospital he was quickly examined and placed on a +comfortable co +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page275" id="page275"></a>[pg 275]</span> +t. Many of the attendants were completely played-out +from overwork.</p> + +<p>A visit to a field hospital will have a lasting place in your memory. +Every way you turn, amid the cries and groans, you get a beck or call +to ease this, or hand me that, and one feels badly because of his +inability to extend them material aid in their sufferings.</p> + +<p>On returning to the front, I found the regiment as hotly engaged as +when I left it some hours before. As the fighting was from trenches, +many of our men were wounded by shells. Sharpshooters were on hand as +usual. I was sent to the Captain of Troop E, under the crest of the +hill, with orders to dig an approach to one of the enemy's trenches, +evacuated the day before; also to bury some of their dead. While +delivering the order, it being necessary to get very close on account +of the noise, one of those ever vigilant sharpshooters put a bullet +between our faces. The Captain asked me to cut the wire fence so his +troops could get through more rapidly; while telling me, another +bullet passed so close as to disturb the Captain's mustache. He took +it good-naturedly, only remarking as he smiled, "Pretty close, +Sergeant-Major!"</p> + +<p>Firing ceased about 8 P.M. After all had had supper we changed +position further to the right, where work on trenches was resumed. +About 10.30 P.M. the Spaniards made an attack upon our lines, and I +have never before or since seen such terrific firing; the whole +American line, which almost encircled the city, was a solid flame of +fire. The enemy's artillery replied, also their much-praised +"Mausers," but to no avail; they had opened the ball, but Uncle Sam's +boys did not feel like yielding one inch of the territory so dearly +bought.</p> + +<p>About midnight all hands were aroused by the dynamite cruiser Vesuvius +"coughing" for the Dons. The roar was +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page276" id="page276"></a>[pg 276]</span> + so great that it seemed to shake +the whole island. To the uninitiated it would appear that some one +had taken a few mountains several miles up in a balloon and thrown +them down.</p> + +<p>July 3. Firing by pickets commenced very early, and quite heavy, at +5.40 A.M. Terrific cannonading to the seaward was heard between 9 and +10 A.M. As there was some talk of the enemy making a sortie, all eyes +were open. Dirt began falling in the pits from the jar, bells could be +heard tolling in the city, and steam whistles in the harbor. There was +much speculation as to what was in progress. I'll say that there were +many glad hearts when the news reached us that <i>Sampson's fleet was +King of the Seas</i>. At 12 M. all firing was ordered off, for flag of +truce to enter the Spanish lines. When the order for cease firing was +given, one of the troopers laid his gun upon the parapet and remarked +that he "would not take $2000 for his experience, but did not want a +cent's worth more." Work on bomb-proofs and breast works was continued +incessantly until news of the surrender reached us.</p> + +<p>July 4. Flag of truce all day; national and regimental colors placed +on parapets. At noon the regiment paraded, and all hearts cheered by +the patriotic telegram of the Commander-in-Chief—His Excellency, +President McKinley. Refugees, in droves, could be seen leaving for +several days, notice of bombardment having been served on the city.</p> + +<p>July 5. There was much excitement when Lieutenant Hobson and party +crossed our lines.</p> + +<p>During truce, the monotony was broken occasionally by the presence of +Spanish soldiers in quest of something to eat or desiring to +surrender.</p> + +<p>Truce was off July 10 at 4 P.M. Bombardment of the city commenced by +the army and navy combined, which continued un +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page277" id="page277"></a>[pg 277]</span> +til 2 P.M. 11th. +Gatling, dynamite, rapid-firing and Hotchkiss guns were so well +trained that the Dons scarcely dared to raise their heads, and their +firing was soon silenced. During the attack our part of the line +suffered no loss. While occupying these works, it was discovered that +the gun of the enemy that <i>annoyed us most was quite near a large +building covered with Red Cross flags</i>.</p> + +<p>During the truce all of our dead were located and buried. It was sad, +indeed, to see the vultures swarming like flies, when we knew so well +their prey.</p> + +<p>Though prepared to, several times, no shots were exchanged after July +11, and all was quiet until date of capitulation. The hardest rain +ever witnessed, accompanied by terrific thunder and lightning, was on +the last day of the engagement. Trenches were flooded and everything +appeared as a sea.</p> + +<p>July 17, at 9 A.M., the regiment, with the remainder of the army, was +assembled over the trenches to witness the formal surrender of General +Toral, with the Spanish forces. Owing to the dense tropical growth, +and its similarity in color to their clothing, little or nothing could +be seen, beyond the straw hats of the Dons, as they marched through +the jungles. At 12 M., we were again placed in the same position, to +salute "Old Glory" as she ascended over the Governor's palace in the +city, which was told by Capron's battery U.S. Artillery. At the first +shot, every individual tested his lungs to their fullest capacity, +bands of music playing national airs.</p> + +<p>Spanish soldiers were soon over our lines, trading off swords, wine, +cigarettes and trinkets for hard tack and bacon. This soon ended, as +there were positive orders against our fraternizing. The Spaniards +were a fine looking lot of young men; though generally small in +stature, and were very neat a +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page278" id="page278"></a>[pg 278]</span> +nd clean, considering. The officers were +an intelligent and dignified looking set. The Dons were away ahead on +ammunition, and away behind on eatables. A few musty, hard tack, +thrown in our trenches, were devoured like so much fresh beef, by so +many hungry wolves.</p> + +<p>Campaigning in the tropics entails many hardships, though unavoidable +and only to be expected, in war. War is horrible in any aspect in +which it may be viewed. Even those features of it intended to be +merciful, are full of harshness and rigor; and after all, fighting is +the easiest part.</p> + +<p>As the capitulation was complete, and Santiago was our's, we were +ordered to change camp to a more healthful locality, with a view to +allowing the men to recuperate. While en route many refugees were met +returning to the city, men and women, with the scantiest clothing +imaginable; large children even worse—in a nude state—all were +making signs for something to eat.</p> + +<p>In passing through El Caney, filth of all descriptions was piled up in +the streets; stock was seen standing inside dwellings with occupants; +young and old were emaciated—walking skeletons; children with +stomachs bloated to thrice their natural size—due to the unsanitary +condition of the huts, so I was informed.</p> + +<p>The bare facts are, that "half has never been told" regarding the true +condition of the Cubans, and it is truly a Godsend that "Uncle Sam" +was not delayed another day in letting the Don's breathe a little of +nature's sweetest fragrance of the nineteenth century—Civilization.</p> + +<p>The portion of the island I saw appears to be a beautiful park +deserted and laid waste by the lavish application of the torch for +many years. Magnificent m +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page279" id="page279"></a>[pg 279]</span> +ansions, or dwellings, in ruins; habitation +scant, except near towns.</p> + +<p>There were no domestic animals, except a few for saddle purposes, nor +were there crops to be seen. No use whatever appears to be made of the +luxuriant pasturage and rich fields. Sugar houses and sheds on +plantations are in a state of decay, and the huge kettles for boiling +deeply coated with rust.</p> + +<p>The climate of Cuba offers all the essentials, heat, moisture and +organic matter, for the development of germ life in its most active +form.</p> + +<p>The great heat and moisture, so excellent for the development of +infected wounds, and for the rapid decomposing of the heavy +undergrowth cannot, I believe, be exceeded anywhere.</p> + +<p>The frequent tropical showers, invariably followed by a hot steam, +along with which germs seem to float; the consequent exposure of the +men to that glaring heat and moisture, lowered the general tone of the +system so that they were especially liable to attacks of miasmatic +diseases (malarial and typhoid fevers and dysentery.)</p> + +<p>Owing to the dense humidity, clothing does not dry so long as it +remains on the person, but must be removed, a condition that was +absolutely impossible for many days on the field before Santiago. To +this alone, much of our sickness may be attributed.</p> + +<p>Our new camp, pitched on the eminence of El Caney, about one and +one-half miles from the village, overlooking the city and bay of +Santiago, with its excellent water, shade, grass, and increased +comforts, which were daily shipped from our transports, presented a +scene far more conciliatory <span class="pagenum"><a name="page280" id="page280"></a>[pg 280]</span> +than had been witnessed about the Tenth Horse for many days.</p> + + +<p class="heading">MEDALS OF HONOR AND CERTIFICATES OF MERIT GRANTED TO COLORED SOLDIERS +FOR DISTINGUISHED SERVICES IN THE CUBAN CAMPAIGN.</p> + +<p class="heading">OFFICIAL.</p> +<pre class="note"> + MEDALS OF HONOR. +----------------------------------------------------------------------- + Name. | Rank | Regiment. | Troop or Co.| Remarks. +----------------------------------------------------------------------- +Bell, Dennis | Pvt. | 10th Cav. | Troop H. |For gallantry +Lee, Fitz | Pvt. | 10th Cav. | Troop M. |in action at +Tompkins, Wm. H. | Pvt. | 10th Cav. | Troop M. |Tayabacoa, Cuba, +Wanton, Geo. H. | Pvt. | 10th Cav. | Troop M. |June 30, 1898. +----------------------------------------------------------------------- + CERTIFICATES OF MERIT. +---------------------------------------------------------------------- + Name. |Rank. | Regiment. | Troop or Co.| Remarks. +---------------------------------------------------------------------- +Bates, James |Pvt. | 9th Cav. | Troop H. | +Crosby, Scott |Pvt. | 24th Inf. | Comp. A. | +Davis, Edward |Pvt. | 9th Cav. | Troop H. | +Elliott, J. |Sergt. | 10th Cav. | Troop D. | +Fasit, Benjamin |Sergt. | 10th Cav. | Troop E. | +Gaither, O. |Q.M.Sergt | 10th Cav. | Troop B. | +Goff, G.W. |Sergt. | 9th Cav. | Troop B. | +Graham, J. |Sergt. | 10th Cav. | Troop E. | +Hagen, Abram |Corp. | 24th Inf. | Comp. G. | +Herbert, H.T. |Corp. | 10th Cav. | Troop E. | +Houston, Adam |1st Sergt.| 10th Cav. | Troop C. | +Jackson, J. |1st Sergt.| 9th Cav. | Troop C. | +Jackson, Elisha |Sergt. | 9th Cav. | Troop H. | +Jackson, Peter |Corp. | 24th Inf. | Comp. G. | +Jefferson, C.W. |1st Sergt.| 9th Cav. | Troop B. | +McCoun, P. |1st Sergt.| 10th Cav. | Troop E. | +Moore, Loney |Pvt. | 24th Inf. | Comp. A. | +Oden, Oscar |Musician | 10th Cav. | ........ | +Payne, William |Sergt. | 10th Cav. | Troop E. | +Pumphrey, Geo. W |Corp. | 9th Cav. | Troop H. | +Satchell, James |Sergt. | 24th Inf. | Comp. A. | +Smith, L. |Pvt. | 10th Cav. | Troop D. | +Thornton, William|Corp. | 24th Inf. | Comp. G. | +Walker, J. |Corp. | 10th Cav. | Troop D. | +Williams, John T.|Sergt. | 24th Inf. | Comp. G. | +Williams, R. |Corp. | 24th Inf. | Comp. B. | +---------------------------------------------------------------------- +</pre> + +<p>Besides the Certificates of Merit and Medals of Honor, mentioned +above, and the promotions to commissions i +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page281" id="page281"></a>[pg 281]</span> +n the volunteer services, +there were some instances of promotion to non-commissioned officers' +positions of men in the ranks or junior grade for conspicuous +gallantry. Notably among such were Benjamin F. Sayre, of the +Twenty-fourth, promoted to Sergeant-Major for gallantry at San Juan, +and Private James W. Peniston, of the Tenth Cavalry, promoted to +Squadron Sergeant-Major for conspicuous bravery at Las Guasimas. +Others there may be whose names are not available at this time.</p> + +<div class="footnotes"><h3>FOOTNOTES:</h3> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_22_22" id="Footnote_22_22"></a><a href="#FNanchor_22_22"><span class="label">[22]</span></a> "The Ninth and Tenth Cavalry regiments fought one on +either side of mine at Santiago, and I wish no better men beside me in +battle than these colored troops showed themselves to be. Later on, +when I come to write of the campaign, I shall have much to say about +them."—T. Roosevelt.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_23_23" id="Footnote_23_23"></a><a href="#FNanchor_23_23"><span class="label">[23]</span></a> The major commanding the squadron in which Sergeant +Givens' troops served, writes to the sergeant the following letter: +</p> +<blockquote><p>Sergeant William H. Givens, Troop D, 10th Cavalry, Fort +Clark, Texas. +</p><p> +Sergeant:—When making my report as commander of the Second +Squadron, 10th U. S. Cavalry, for action of July 1, 1898, at +San Juan Hills, I did not mention any enlisted men by name, +as I was absent from the regiment at the time of making the +report and without access to records, so that I could not +positively identify and name certain men who were +conspicuous during the fight; but I recollect finding a +detachment of Troop D under your command on the firing line +during the afternoon of July 1st. Your service and that of +your men at that time was most creditable, and you deserve +special credit for having brought your detachment promptly +to the firing line when left without a commissioned officer. +</p> +<p class="author-up">THEO. J. WINT,<br /> +Lieutenant-Colonel, 6th U.S. Cavalry.<br /> +Second Lieutenant, 10th Cavalry.<br /> +</p> +<p>True copy:</p> +</blockquote> +</div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_24_24" id="Footnote_24_24"></a><a href="#FNanchor_24_24"><span class="label">[24]</span></a> Extract from <i>The Statesman</i>, Denver, after the +departure of the 25th Infantry, and the arrival of the 34th: +</p> +<blockquote><p>Two policemen killed, the murderer at large and his comrades +of the 34th Regiment busy boasting of their sympathy for +him, and extolling his deed to the skies, yet not a single +petition has been prepared to have the regiment removed. The +25th Infantry, with its honor undimmed by any such wanton +crime, with a record unexcelled by any regiment in the +service, was the target for all sorts of criticism and +persecution as soon as it arrived. The one is a white +regiment, composed of the scum of the earth, the other a +black regiment composed of men who have yet to do one thing +of which they should be ashamed. Yet Denver welcomes the one +with open arms and salutes with marked favor, while she +barely suffered the other to remain. +</p><p> +Had it been a negro soldier who committed the dastardly deed +of Saturday night the War Department would have been deluged +with complaints and requests for removal, but not a word has +been said against the 34th. Prejudice and hatred blacker +than the wings of night has so envenomed the breasts of the +people that fairness is out of the question. Be he black, no +matter how noble and good, a man must be despised. Be he +white, he may commit the foulest of crimes and yet have his +crimes condoned.</p></blockquote> +</div> +</div> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/image02.png" alt="Chapter End Graphic" title="" /> +</div> + +<hr /> +<p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page282" id="page282"></a>[pg 282]</span> +</p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XI" id="CHAPTER_XI"></a>CHAPTER XI.</h2> + +<h3>The Colored Volunteers.</h3> + +<p class="hang">The Ninth Ohio Battalion—Eighth Illinois—Twenty-third +Kansas-Third North Carolina—Sixth Virginia—Third +Alabama—The Immunes.</p> + +<p class="returnTOC"><a href="#Contents">Return to Table of + Contents</a></p> + +<p>The return of the army and the repatriation of the Spanish army from +Cuba, brought before the country for immediate solution the problem of +garrisoning that island; and in a very short time the question of +similar nature regarding Porto Rico. Ten regiments of immunes had been +organized in the volunteer service partly in anticipation of such a +situation. Four of these regiments were composed of colored enlisted +men. The regiments were classed as United States Volunteer Infantry, +and were numbered from one to ten, the Seventh, Eighth, Ninth and +Tenth being colored.</p> + +<p>Of these four colored regiments the officers above first lieutenants +were white men, except the chaplains, and in some cases the surgeons. +Very little care had been taken in enlisting the men, as it was +important to get the regiments in the field as soon as possible; yet +of them as a whole General Breckinridge, Inspector-General, speaks as +follows: "The colored regiments of immunes, so called, raised for this +war, have turned out, so far as can be judged from their camp life (as +none of them have been in any actual campaign), very satisfactory. The +regular colored regiments won golden opinions in battle. The +experiment of having so many colored officers has not yet shown its +full results. Certainly we should +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page283" id="page283"></a>[pg 283]</span> +have the best obtainable officers +for our volunteers, and therefore some such men as Colonel Young, who +is a graduate of the Military Academy at West Point, whether white or +black, must be sought for."</p> + +<p>Besides these four colored regiments of immunes, so-called, there were +other State organizations composed entirely of colored men, mustered +into the United States service, as for example the Ninth Battalion of +the Ohio National Guard. This organization was composed of four +companies, with colored captains and lieutenants, the staff officers +also being colored, the commanding officer of the battalion being +Major Young, who was a first lieutenant in the Regular Army, a +graduate from the Military Academy, and an officer of experience. He +is the person referred to as <i>Colonel</i> Young by General Breckinridge, +cited just above. This battalion, although not permitted to do any +active campaigning, maintained itself well in that most trying of all +duties for raw troops—camp duty—winning a good record in the South +as well as in the North, having been stationed in Virginia, +Pennsylvania and lastly in South Carolina; from which latter place it +was mustered out, and the men proceeded to their homes in an orderly +manner, reflecting credit upon themselves and the officers under whom +they had served. This organization is mentioned first, because it was +the only one of its kind commanded by a Regular Army officer, and a +man who had received scientific military training.<a name="FNanchor_25_25" id="FNanchor_25_25"></a><a href="#Footnote_25_25" class="fnanchor">[25]</a></p> + +<p>Two of these volunteer regiments, the Eighth Illinois and the +Twenty-third Kansas, reached Cuba and made history there, in garrison +service, coming in direct contact with +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page284" id="page284"></a>[pg 284]</span> + the Ninth Immunes, and in no +sense suffering in comparison thereto. The Eighth Illinois being the +first to go to the front, in a sense deserves to be noticed here +first. This remarkable regiment was developed out of the Ninth +Battalion, Illinois National Guard, and owes its origin to the +persistent efforts of Messrs. John R. Marshall, Robert R. Jackson, +Franklin Dennison, E.H. Wright, Rev. R.C. Ransom, Rev. J.W. Thomas, +S.B. Turner and doubtless many others whose names do not appear. These +gentlemen named called upon the Governor of their State the next day +after the President had issued his call for 175,000 volunteers, and +received from that official the assurance that if another call should +be made they should have the opportunity to recruit their battalion to +a regiment, and that he would "call that regiment first into the +service," and "that every officer in that regiment will be a colored +man."</p> + +<p>After receiving this encouragement, the leaders began at once the work +of organizing and recruiting, and when the second call came, May 25th, +the regiment was well under way, and soon ready to go into camp to +prepare for service. On June 30th it assembled in Springfield from the +following places: Seven hundred men from Chicago; one hundred and +twenty from Cairo; a full company from Quincy, and smaller numbers +from Mound City, Metropolis and Litchfield, and nearly a company from +Springfield. The regiment was sworn in during the latter half of July, +the muster roll showing 1,195 men and 46 officers, every one of whom +was of African descent except one private in a Chicago company.</p> + +<p>Of these forty-six officers, ten had received college education, six +were lawyers, and the others were educated in the public schools, or +had served in the Regular Army as non-commissioned officers. Many of +them were directly fro +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page285" id="page285"></a>[pg 285]</span> +m Illinois, that is in the sense of having been +born and reared in the State, and were fully accustomed to the full +exercise of their rights as men and citizens. In character and +intelligence the official element of the Eighth was about up to the +standard of the volunteer army, as events subsequently proved.</p> + +<p>Going into camp with the Ninth, white, this latter regiment, early in +August, received an order to move to a Southern camp en route for +Cuba, leaving the Eighth behind, greatly to the chagrin of both +officers and men. Governor Tanner was evidently disturbed by this +move, and expressed himself in the following language: "Even from the +very doors of the White House have I received letters asking and +advising me not to officer this regiment with colored men, but I +promised to do so, and I have done it. I shall never rest until I see +this regiment—my regiment—on the soil of Cuba, battling for the +right and for its kinsmen."</p> + +<p>Later the misfortunes of the First Illinois proved the opportunity of +the Eighth. This regiment was in Cuba, suffering terribly with the +fever, the men going down under its effects so rapidly that the +Colonel in command implored Governor Tanner "to use all influence at +Washington to secure the immediate recall of the First Illinois." When +the Governor received this message he sent for Colonel Marshall, of +the Eighth, and asked him to ascertain the sentiments of the officers +and men of his regiment in regard to being sent to relieve the First. +On the 4th day of August Colonel Marshall was able to send to +Washington the following dispatch:</p> + +<blockquote><p>"H. C. Corbin, Adjutant-General:—</p> + +<p>"I called the officers of the Eighth Illinois, colored, in +conference and they are unanimously and enthusiastically in +favor of being sent to relieve the First Illinois at +Santiago."</p></blockquote> + +<p>To this hearty dispatch came the following reply:</p> + +<blockquote><p>"The Secretary of War appreciates very much the offer of the + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page286" id="page286"></a>[pg 286]</span> +Eighth Illinois Volunteer Infantry for duty in Santiago, +and has directed that the regiment be sent there by steamer +Yale, leaving New York next Tuesday. The main trouble with +our troops now in Cuba is that they are suffering from +exhaustion and exposure incident to one of the most trying +campaigns to which soldiers have ever been subjected."</p> + +<p class="author-up"> +"H.C. Corbin,<br /> +"<i>Adjutant-General</i>."<br /> +</p> +</blockquote> + +<p>This action on the part of the regiment is said to have so pleased the +President that on hearing it he declared it was the proudest moment of +his life.</p> + +<p>On the 9th of August the regiment left Springfield, and in passing +through Illinois and Ohio was greeted with the most generous +enthusiasm, the people supplying the men with free lunches at every +station. This was the period when the sympathy of the whole country +was turned toward the colored soldier in consequence of the reports of +valor and heroism that had been circulated concerning the black +regulars. On the afternoon of the 11th the Yale cast off her lines, +and with the first American Negro regiment that the world has ever +seen, steamed out of New York harbor amid the ringing of bells and +shrieks of steam whistles, and four days later, August 15, landed in +Cuba. The regiment remained in Cuba until March 10, performing +garrison duty so well that General Breckenridge said it was "as fine a +volunteer regiment as was ever mustered into the service," and that it +was "a shame to muster out of service such an excellent regiment."</p> + +<p>The Twenty-third Kansas, made up in that State and officered as was +the Eighth Illinois, by men of the same race, with the enlisted men, +arrived in Cuba August 30, and in company with the Eighth Illinois +Regiment, was stationed in the country about San Luis, with +headquarters at that place, Colonel Marshall, of the Illinois +Regiment, serving as comm +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page287" id="page287"></a>[pg 287]</span> +ander of the post, and also as Governor of +the Province of San Luis. A detachment of the Illinois Regiment, +under command of Major Jackson, was sent to Palma Soriana, and did +excellent work there in the preservation of order between the Cubans +and Spaniards, who were living together in that place in outward peace +but in secret resentful hostility. Major Jackson managed affairs so +well that both parties came to admire him, and when he was called away +expressed their regret. Captain Roots, who commanded the post after +the departure of Major Jackson, was equally fortunate, especially with +the Cubans, and when it was thought his command was to be removed, the +citizens generally united in a petition to the General commanding, +asking that both the Captain and his command might remain in the city. +The fact is also noted by the chroniclers of the regiment that several +marriages took place in Palma Soriana between soldiers of the Eighth +Illinois and Cuban maidens.</p> + +<p>The Eighth Regiment was finally settled in San Luis, occupying the old +Spanish barracks and arsenal, and under Colonel Marshall's supervision +the city was put in fine sanitary condition, streets and yards being +carefully policed; meanwhile under the reign of order and peace which +the Colonel's just methods established, confidence prevailed, business +revived and the stagnation which had so long hung like a fog over the +little city, departed, and in its stead came an era of bustling +activity.</p> + +<p>All was peaceful and prosperous, both with the citizens and the +garrison, until the Ninth United States Volunteers came in the +vicinity. Then a difficulty sprang up in which both regiments became +involved, although it was in no sense serious, but it afforded a +pretext for the removal of the Eighth I +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page288" id="page288"></a>[pg 288]</span> +llinois from the city. The +event turned out all the better for the Eighth, as it enabled them to +establish Camp Marshall, about three miles from the city, in a healthy +neighborhood, where they remained until ordered home to be mustered +out. The regiment came back to Chicago in fine condition and was +tendered an enthusiastic welcome by that great city. Thus two entire +regiments represented the country abroad in this, its first, foreign +war with a European power.</p> + +<p>It should also be recorded that although the Ninth United States +Volunteers was composed of persons who were classed as immune, and had +come chiefly from Louisiana, and notwithstanding that the officers of +the regiment above lieutenants were white men, and the colonel an +officer of the Regular Army of long experience, and was specially +praised by so good a sanitarian as General Wood for having been, +constant and untiring in his efforts to look after the welfare of his +men, and that the surgeons of the regiment were white men, that deaths +among the colored men numbered one officer and seventy-three enlisted +men. In striking contrast with this record of the immune regiment is +that of the Eighth Illinois, which was made up entirely of residents +of that State and officered throughout by colored men. Its medical +officers were men of high character, and its losses by death were just +twenty, or but little over one-fourth the number that occurred in the +immune regiment. An efficient auxiliary society to this regiment was +formed of colored ladies of Chicago who forwarded to the sick in Cuba +more than six hundred dollars worth of well chosen supplies, which did +much for the comfort of those in the hospital; but this would not +account for the great difference in the death rate of the two +regiments. Though not immune, the Eighth Illinois fa +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page289" id="page289"></a>[pg 289]</span> +red very much +better than the so-called immune regiment, although the latter had +the benefit of white officers. The experience of the Twenty-third +Kansas did not differ in any important respect from that of the Eighth +Illinois. Both regiments returned to their homes in March, 1899, and +were mustered out of the service, leaving behind them good records for +efficiency.</p> + +<p>The Sixth Virginia Regiment consisted of eight companies and was under +command of Lieutenant-Colonel Richard C. Croxton, of the Regular Army, +white, with Majors J.B. Johnson and W.H. Johnson, colored. It was +mustered into service during the latter part of the summer and went +into camp near Knoxville, Tennessee. Here an order came from Corps +Headquarters, at Lexington, Kentucky, directing that nine of the +officers, including one major, should appear before a board of +examiners in order to give evidence of their fitness to command. The +officers named, regarding this as uncalled for, immediately tendered +their resignations. The vacancies thus created were filled by the +Governor of the State, the appointees being white men. These white +officers on arriving at the camp and finding themselves unwelcome, +immediately followed in the wake of their colored predecessors, and +tendered their resignations.</p> + +<p>The difficulties arising from this friction were somehow adjusted, but +in what manner the reports available at this time do not show. Moving +to Macon, Georgia, the regiment remained in the service until some +time in the winter, when it was mustered out. Much was said by the +local papers to the detriment of the men composing this regiment, but +viewing their action from the standpoint of the civilian and citizen, +it does not appear reprehensible. They had volunteered with the +understanding that their own officers, officers wit +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page290" id="page290"></a>[pg 290]</span> +h whom they were +well acquainted, and in whose friendship they held a place, should +command them, and when they saw these officers displaced and white +strangers put in their stead, they felt a pardonable indignation, and +took their own way of expressing it. As soldiers, their conduct in +resisting authority, cannot be commended.</p> + +<p>The Third North Carolina Volunteer Infantry was organized as were the +regiments of Illinois and Kansas, above described. The officers of the +North Carolina Regiment were all colored men of that State and were +men of character and note. Its commanding officer, Colonel Young, had +held responsible positions under both State and National Governments, +had been editor of a paper and member of the State Legislature and +Major in the State militia. In character, he was above reproach, being +a strict teetotaler and not even using tobacco. The regiment made a +good record, but did not see any active service.</p> + +<p>A peculiar regiment was organized in Alabama, known as the Third +Alabama Volunteer Infantry, in which the enlisted men were all colored +and the officers all white. The regiment saw no service and attracted +no attention outside of its immediate locality.</p> + +<p>Two companies of colored men with colored captains were also mustered +into the United States service from Indiana, and finally attached to +Colonel Huggins' command, although not becoming a part of his +regiment, the Eighth Immunes. They were stationed at Fort Thomas, Ky., +and at Chickamauga, and were mustered out early. Their officers were +men of intelligence who had acquired experience by several years' +service in the militia, and the companies were exceptionally well +drilled. They were designated Companies A and B and were commanded by +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page291" id="page291"></a>[pg 291]</span> + +Captains Porter and Buckner, with Lieutenant Thomas as Quartermaster.</p> + +<p>The organization of the four immune regiments, already mentioned, gave +opportunity for ninety-six colored men to obtain commissions as +lieutenants. A few of these positions were seized upon by influential +young white men, who held them, but with no intention of ever serving +in the regiments, as they found staff positions much more congenial to +their tastes. The colored men who were appointed lieutenants in these +regiments were generally either young men of ability and influence who +had assisted in getting up their companies, and who in many cases had +received some elementary military instruction as cadets, in school, or +men who had distinguished themselves by efficiency or gallantry in the +Regular Army. Some exceptions there were, of course, and a few +received commissions in consequence of personal friendship and +political considerations. Before these regiments were mustered out of +the service about one-half of the lieutenants were men from the +Regular Army.</p> + +<p>I am sure the reader will be pleased to learn that Sergeants Foster, +Buck and Givens, whose deeds in Cuba have already been related, were +rewarded with commissions, and that the gallant Thomas C. Butler, who +rushed forward from his company's line and seized the Spanish standard +at El Caney, was afterward permitted to serve in Cuba with the rank of +a commissioned officer. Besides those named above, there were others +also of marked ability and very respectable attainments who received +commissions on general merit, as well as for gallantry. Chief among +the class promoted for efficiency was First Lieutenant James R. +Gillespie, formerly Post Quartermaster-Sergeant. Gillespie had served +several years in the Tenth Cavalry and had proved himself an excellent + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page292" id="page292"></a>[pg 292]</span> +soldier. Both in horsemanship and as marksman he was up to the +standard, while his character and business qualifications were such +as to secure for him a staff position of responsibility. As +Quartermaster-Sergeant he held positions of important posts and filled +them with great satisfaction. Because of his efficiency as a soldier +he was given a commission as First Lieutenant and executed the duties +of his office with the same ability that had marked his career as an +enlisted man. From the Tenth Cavalry also came First Lieutenant Baker, +whose commission was a tribute to his fidelity and efficiency. A +soldier of high type he bore his commission and its honors as worthily +as any son of our Republic. In the same category must be placed First +Lieutenant Wm. McBryer, formerly Sergeant in the Twenty-fifth +Infantry. McBryer had served in the Tenth Cavalry and had won a Medal +of Honor in conflict with the Indians. He was a soldier distinguished +by strength of character, prompt executiveness, quick decision and +courage. He was also possessed of considerable literary skill, was a +good speaker and attractive writer, and a man of fine parts. He was a +valuable acquisition to the volunteer service and would have made a +fine captain.</p> + +<p>Of the colored sergeants from the Regular Army who were given +commissions in the volunteer service it would not be extravagant to +say that all were men of worth, well-tried in the service, and there +was scarcely one of them but could have successfully commanded a +company. Lieutenant A.J. Smith, formerly First Sergeant in the +Twenty-fifth Infantry, was so well informed in the paper work of the +army and in company administration particularly that he was regarded +as an authority, and he was so well experienced in the whole life of a +soldier, in camp, field, garrison and in battle, that it +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page293" id="page293"></a>[pg 293]</span> + would have +been difficult to find his superior in the army. To the credit of all +of the enlisted men of the Regular Army referred to, who received +commissions in the volunteer service, all served honorably and were +mustered out without bringing any scandal of any sort upon the +service.</p> + +<p>The colored volunteers in the service acquitted themselves as well as +the average volunteer, and when mustered out proceeded to their homes +about as others did. The treatment accorded them in some of the +Southern cities, especially in Nashville, Tennessee, did not speak +well for the loyalty of that section, nor was it such as might +reasonably be expected from a people who had fared so well in the +offices and honors of the short war. From the best sources available, +it seems incumbent to say that the many charges alleged against the +colored volunteers for excessive rioting and disorder were without +proper foundation, and the assaults made upon them unjustifiable and +cruel. The spirit of the assailants is best seen from a description of +the attack made upon the unarmed discharged soldiers of the Eighth +Immuners in Nashville, already alluded to. This description was made +by the sheriff who participated in the brutality. An officer who was +on the train, and who was asleep at the time, when aroused went into +the car where the men were and found that they had been beaten and +robbed, and in some instances their discharges taken from them and +torn up, and their weapons and money taken from them by citizens. It +was about one o'clock A.M. and the men were generally asleep when +attacked. The sheriff gloats over it in language which ought not be +allowed to disappear:</p> + +<blockquote><p>"It was the best piece of work I ever witnessed. The police +went to the depot, not armed with the regulation 'billy,' +but carrying stout hickory clubs about two and one-half feet +long.</p></blockquote> +<p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page294" id="page294"></a>[pg 294]</span> +</p> +<p>Their idea was that a mahogany or lignum vitae billy was too costly a +weapon to be broken over a Negro's head. The police were on board the +train before it stopped even, and the way they went for the Negroes +was inspiring. The police tolerated no impudence, much less rowdyism, +from the Negroes, and if a darky even looked mad, it was enough for +some policeman to bend his club double over his head. In fact after +the police finished with them they were the meekest, mildest, most +polite set of colored men I ever saw." This language is respectfully +dedicated to the memory of the proud city of Nashville, and presents +to the readers the portrait of her police.</p> + +<p>Despite this vile treatment, the colored soldier went on to his home, +ready again to respond to his country's call, and to rally to the +defence of his country's flag, and, incidentally, to the preservation +of the lives and homes of the misguided, heartless beings who can +delight in his sufferings. The hickory club belongs to one sort of +warrior; the rifle to quite another. The club and rifle represent +different grades of civilization. The Negro has left the club; the +language from Nashville does honor to the club. Billy and bully are +the theme of this officer of the law, and for a "darkey even to look +mad" is ample justification for "some policeman to bend his club +double over his head." Were these policemen rioters? Or were they +conservaters of the peace? Judge ye!</p> +<p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page295" id="page295"></a>[pg 295]</span> +</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/image04.png" alt="Chapter End Graphic" title="" /> +</div> + + +<p class="heading">OUTLINE HISTORY OF THE NINTH (SEPARATE) BATTALION, OHIO VOLUNTEER +INFANTRY.</p> + +<p class="center"><i>By the Battalion Adjutant, Lieutenant Wilson Ballard.</i></p> + +<p>The Ninth Battalion, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, the only colored +organization from Ohio in the Volunteer Army during the war with +Spain, was, previous to the date of its muster into the United States +service, known as the Ninth Battalion, Ohio National Guard. April +25th, 1898, the battalion, consisting of three companies, A from +Springfield, under Captain R.R. Rudd; B from Columbus, under Captain +James Hopkins, and C from Xenia, under Captain Harry H. Robinson, was +ordered into camp at Columbus, Ohio. The battalion was under the +command of Major Charles Fillmore.</p> + +<p>May 14, 1898, the battalion was mustered into the volunteer service by +Captain Rockefeller, U.S.A. Lieutenant Charles Young, U.S.A., then on +duty at Wilberforce University, Wilberforce, Ohio, as professor of +military science and tactics, was commissioned by Governor Bushnell as +Major commanding the Ninth Battalion, O.V.I., relieving Major +Fillmore. In order to enable Lieutenant Young to accept his volunteer +commission, he was granted an indefinite leave of absence by the War +Department.</p> + +<p>May 19, 1898, the command having been ordered to join the Second Army +Corps at Camp Russell A. Alger, near Falls Church, Va., left Camp +Bushnell and arrived at Camp Alger May 21, 1898.</p> + +<p>When Major-General Graham assumed command of the Second Army Corps and +organized it into divisions, the battalion was placed in the +provisional division. In June (exact date not remembered) the +battalion was placed in the Second Brigade, Second Division, being +brigaded with the Twelfth Pennsylvania and Seventh Illinois Regiments. +The battalion was relieved from the Second Brigade, Second Division +and placed in the Second Brigade, First Division, being brigaded with +the Eighth Ohio and Sixth Massachusetts.</p> +<p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page296" id="page296"></a>[pg 296]</span> +</p> +<p>A New Jersey regiment was relieved from duty as corps headquarters' +guard late in June and the Ninth Battalion assigned to that duty. The +battalion performed this duty until it was ordered South from Camp +Meade, Penn., when it became separated from corps headquarters. +Important outposts, such as the entrance to Falls Church and the +guarding of the citizens' gardens and property, were under the charge +of the command.</p> + +<p>When General Garretson's brigade (Second Brigade, First Division, +consisting of the Eighth Ohio, Ninth Battalion and Sixth +Massachusetts) was ordered to Cuba, General Graham, thinking that his +entire Army Corps would soon be ordered to active service, requested +the War Department, as the battalion was his headquarters guard, to +let the battalion remain with him. (See telegrams Gen. Graham's report +to the Secretary of War.) General Graham's request being honored by +the department, the battalion was deprived of this chance of seeing +active service in foreign fields. The battalion was then attached to +the Second Brigade, Second Division, under Brigadier-General Plummer, +being brigaded with the First New Jersey, Sixty-fifth New York and +Seventh Ohio.</p> + +<p>In July the battalion was relieved from this brigade and attached +directly to corps headquarters. When the Second Army Corps was ordered +to Camp Meade, Penna., the battalion was one of the first to break +camp, going with corps headquarters. The battalion left Camp R.A. +Alger August 15, 1898, and arrived in camp at Camp George G. Meade, +near Middletown, Penna., August 16, 1898. In camp the battalion +occupied a position with the signal and engineer corps and hospital, +near corps headquarters.</p> + +<p>When the Peace Jubilee was held in Philadelphia, the battalion was one +of the representative commands from the Second Army Corps, being given +the place of honor in the corps in the parade, following immediately +General Graham and staff. When the corps was ordered South the +battalion was assigned to the Second Brigade under Brigadier-General +Ames. The battalion left Camp Meade November 17. Up to this time it +had done the guard duty of corps head +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page297" id="page297"></a>[pg 297]</span> +quarters and was complimented for +its efficient work by the commanding general. The battalion arrived +in Summerville, S.C., November 21, 1898. It was brigaded with the +Fourteenth Pennsylvania and Third Connecticut.</p> + +<p>When the battalion arrived in the South the white citizens were not at +all favorably disposed toward colored soldiers, and it must be said +that the reception was not cordial. But by their orderly conduct and +soldierly behavior the men soon won the respect of all, and the +battalion was well treated before it left. November 28-29 Major Philip +Reade, Inspector General First Division, Second Army Corps, inspected +the Ninth Battalion, beginning his duties in that brigade with this +inspection. He complimented the battalion for its work both from a +practical and theoretical standpoint. Coming to the Fourteenth +Pennsylvania he required them to go through certain movements in the +extended order drill which not being done entirely to his +satisfaction, he sent his orderly to the commanding officer of the +Ninth Battalion, requesting him to have his command on the drill +ground at once. The battalion fell in and marched to the ground and +when presented to the Inspector orders were given for it to go through +with certain movements in the extended order drill in the presence of +the Pennsylvania regiment. This done, the Inspector dismissed the +battalion, highly complimenting Major Young on the efficiency of his +command. Just after the visit of the Inspector General, General S.B.M. +Young, commanding the Second Army Corps, visited Camp Marion. Orders +were sent to Major Young one morning to have his battalion fall in at +once, as the General desired to have them drill. By his command the +battalion went through the setting-up exercises and battalion drill in +close and extended order. The General was so well pleased with the +drill that the battalion was exempted from all work during the +remainder of the day.</p> + +<p>The battalion was ordered to be mustered out January 29, 1899. +Lieutenant Geo. W. Van Deusen, First Artillery, who was detailed to +muster out the command, hardly spent fifteen minutes in the camp. +Major Young had been detai +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page298" id="page298"></a>[pg 298]</span> +led Assistant Commissary of Musters and +signed all discharges for the Ninth Battalion, except for the field +and staff, which were signed by Lieutenant Van Deusen. The companies +left for their respective cities the same night they were paid. Major +Bullis was the paymaster.</p> + +<div class="footnotes"><h3>FOOTNOTES:</h3> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_25_25" id="Footnote_25_25"></a><a href="#FNanchor_25_25"><span class="label">[25]</span></a> See "Outline History of the Ninth (Separate) Battalion +Ohio Volunteer Infantry," by the Battalion Adjutant, Lieutenant Nelson +Ballard, following the close of this chapter.</p></div> +</div> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/image02.png" alt="Chapter End Graphic" title="" /> +</div> + +<hr /> +<p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page299" id="page299"></a>[pg 299]</span> +</p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XII" id="CHAPTER_XII"></a>CHAPTER XII.</h2> + +<h3>COLORED OFFICERS.</h3> + +<p class="hang center">By Captain Frank R. Steward, A.B., LL.B., Harvard, +Forty-ninth U.S. Volunteer Infantry—Appendix.</p> + +<p class="returnTOC"><a href="#Contents">Return to Table of + Contents</a></p> + +<p>Of all the avenues open to American citizenship the commissioned ranks +of the army and navy have been the stubbornest to yield to the newly +enfranchised. Colored men have filled almost every kind of public +office or trust save the Chief Magistracy. They have been members of +both Houses of Congress, and are employed in all the executive +branches of the Government, but no Negro has as yet succeeded in +invading the commissioned force of the navy, and his advance in the +army has been exceedingly slight. Since the war, as has been related, +but three Negroes have been graduated from the National Military +Academy at West Point; of these one was speedily crowded out of the +service; another reached the grade of First Lieutenant and died +untimely; the third, First Lieutenant Charles Young, late Major of the +9th Ohio Battalion, U.S. Volunteers, together with four colored +Chaplains, constitute the sole colored commissioned force of our +Regular Army.</p> + +<p>Although Negroes fought in large numbers in both the Revolution and +the War of 1812, there is no instance of any Negro attaining or +exercising the rank of commissioned officer. It is a curious bit of +history, however, that in the Civil War those who were fighting to +keep colored men enslav +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page300" id="page300"></a>[pg 300]</span> +ed were the first to commission colored +officers. In Louisiana but a few days after the outbreak of the war, +the free colored population of New Orleans organized a military +organization, called the "Native Guard," which was accepted into the +service of the State and its officers were duly commissioned by the +Governor.<a name="FNanchor_26_26" id="FNanchor_26_26"></a><a href="#Footnote_26_26" class="fnanchor">[26]</a></p> + +<p>These Negro soldiers were the first to welcome General Butler when he +entered New Orleans, and the fact of the organization of the "Native +Guard" by the Confederates was used by General Butler as the basis for +the organization of three colored regiments of "Native Guards," all +the line officers of which were colored men. Governor Pinchback, who +was a captain in +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page301" id="page301"></a>[pg 301]</span> +one of these regiments, tells the fate of these early +colored officers.</p> + +<p>"There were," he writes, "in New Orleans some colored soldiers known +as 'Native Guards' before the arrival of the Federal soldiers, but I +do not know much about them. It was a knowledge of this fact that +induced General Butler, then in command of the Department of the Gulf, +to organize three regiments of colored soldiers, viz: The First, +Second and Third Regiments of Native Guards.</p> + +<p>"The First Regiment of Louisiana Native Guards, Colonel Stafford +commanding, with all the field officers white, and a full complement +of line officers (30) colored, was mustered into service at New +Orleans September 27, 1862, for three years. Soon after General Banks +took command of the department and changed the designation of the +regiment to First Infantry, Corps d'Afrique. April 4th, 1864, it was +changed again to Seventy-third United States Colored Infantry.</p> + +<blockquote><p>[Transcriber's Note: This footnote appeared in the text +without a footnote anchor:</p> + +<p>"On the 23d of November, 1861, there was a grand review of +the Confederate troops stationed at New Orleans. An +Associated Press despatch announced that the line was seven +miles long. The feature of the review, however, was one +regiment of fourteen hundred free colored men. Another grand +review followed the next spring, and on the appearance of +rebel negroes a local paper made the following comment:</p> + +<p>"'We must also pay a deserved compliment to the companies of +free colored men, all very well drilled and comfortably +uniformed. Most of these companies, quite unaided by the +administration, have supplied themselves with arms without +regard to cost or trouble. On the same day one of these +negro companies was presented with a flag, and every +evidence of public approbation was manifest.'"</p> + +<p>(Williams's Negro Troops in the Rebellion, pp. 83-4)]</p></blockquote><p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page302" id="page302"></a>[pg 302]</span> +</p> + +<p>"The Second Louisiana Native Guards, with Colonel N.W. Daniels and +Lieutenant-Colonel Hall, white, and Major Francis E. Dumas, colored, +and all the line officers colored except one Second Lieutenant, was +mustered into service for three years, October 12, 1862. General Banks +changed its designation to Second Infantry Corps d'Afrique, June 6, +1863, and April 6, 1864, it was changed to Second United States +Colored Troops. Finally it was consolidated with the Ninety-first as +the Seventy-fourth Colored Infantry, and mustered out October 11, +1865.</p> + +<p>"The Third Regiment of Louisiana Native Guards, with Colonel Nelson +and all field officers white, and all line officers (30) colored, was +mustered into service at New Orleans for three years, November 24, +1862. Its designation went through the same changes as the others at +the same dates, and it was mustered out November 25, 1865, as the +Seventy-fifth Colored Infantry.</p> + +<p>"Soon after the organization of the Third Regiment, trouble for the +colored officers began, and the department began a systematic effort +to get rid of them. A board of examiners was appointed and all COLORED +officers of the Third Regiment were ordered before it. They refused to +obey the order and tendered their resignations in a body. The +resignations were accepted and that was the beginning of the end. Like +action with the same results followed in the First and Second +Regiments, and colored officers were soon seen no more. All were +driven out of the service except three or four who were never ordered +to appear before the examining board. Among these was your humble +servant. I was then Captain of Compa +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page303" id="page303"></a>[pg 303]</span> +ny A, Second Regiment, but I soon +tired of my isolation and resigned."</p> + +<p>Later on in the war, with the general enlistment of colored soldiers, +a number of colored chaplains and some surgeons were commissioned. +Towards the close of the war several colored line officers and a field +officer or two were appointed. The State of Massachusetts was foremost +in according this recognition to colored soldiers. But these later +appointments came, in most cases, after the fighting was all over, and +gave few opportunities to command. At the close of the war, with the +muster out of troops the colored officers disappeared and upon the +reorganization of the army, despite the brilliant record of the +colored soldiers, no Negro was given a commission of any sort.</p> + +<p>The outbreak of the Spanish War brought the question of colored +officers prominently to the front. The colored people began at once to +demand that officers of their own race be commissioned to command +colored volunteers. They were not to be deluded by any extravagant +praise of their past heroic services, which veiled a determination to +ignore their just claims. So firmly did they adhere to their demands +that but one volunteer regiment of colored troops, the Third Alabama, +could be induced to enter the service with none of its officers +colored. But the concessions obtained were always at the expense of +continuous and persistent effort, and in the teeth of a very active +and at times extremely violent opposition. We know already the kind of +opposition the Eighth Illinois, the Twenty-third Kansas, and the Third +North Carolina Regiments, officered entirely by colored men, +encountered. It was this opposition, as we have seen, which confined +colored officers to positions below the grade of captain in the four +immune regiments. From a like cause, we know also, disti +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page304" id="page304"></a>[pg 304]</span> +nguished +non-commissioned officers of the four regular regiments of colored +troops were allowed promotion only to Lieutenantcies in the immune +regiments, and upon the muster out of those organizations, were +compelled, if they desired to continue soldiering, to resume their +places as enlisted men.</p> + +<p>There is some explanation for this opposition in the nature of the +distinction which military rank confers. Military rank and naval rank +constitute the only real distinction among us. Our officers of the +army and navy, and of the army more than of the navy, because the +former officers are more constantly within the country, make up the +sole separate class of our population. We have no established +nobility. Wealth confers no privilege which men are bound to observe. +The respect paid to men who attain eminence in science and learning +goes only as far as they are known. The titles of the professions are +matters of courtesy and customs only. Our judges and legislators, our +governors and mayors, are still our "fellow citizens," and the dignity +they enjoy is but an honorary one. The highest office within our gift +offers no exception. At the close of his term, even an ex-President, +"that melancholy product of our system," must resume his place among +his fellow citizens, to sink, not infrequently, into obscurity. But +fifty thousand soldiers must stand attention to the merest second +lieutenant! His rank is a <i>fact</i>. The life tenure, the necessities of +military discipline and administration, weld army officers into a +distinct class and make our military system the sole but necessary +relic of personal government. Any class with special privileges is +necessarily conservative.</p> + +<p>The intimate association of "officer" and "gentleman," a legacy of +feudal days, is not without significance. An o +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page305" id="page305"></a>[pg 305]</span> +fficer must also be a +gentleman, and "conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman" is +erected into an offence punishable by dismissal from the service. The +word "gentleman" has got far away from the strict significance of its +French parent. De Tocqueville has made us see the process of this +development. Passing over to England, with the changing conditions, +"gentleman" was used to describe persons lower and lower in the social +scale, until, when it crossed to this country, its significance became +lost in an indiscriminate application to all citizens<a name="FNanchor_27_27" id="FNanchor_27_27"></a><a href="#Footnote_27_27" class="fnanchor">[27]</a>. A flavor of +its caste significance still remains in the traditional "high sense of +honor" characteristic of our military service. It was a distant step +for a slave and freedman to become an officer and gentleman.</p> + +<p>While the above reflections may be some explanations <i>in fact</i> for the +opposition to the commissioning of Negroes, there was no one with +hardihood enough to bring them forward. Such notions might form the +groundwork of a prejudice, but they could not become the reason of a +policy. It is an instinctive tribute to the good sense of the American +people that the opponents of colored officers were compelled to find +reasons of another kind for their antagonism.</p> + +<p>The one formula heard always in the campaign against colored officers +was: Negroes cannot command. This formula was sent forth with every +kind of variation, from the fierce fulminations of the hostile +Southern press, to the more apologetic and philosophical discussions +of our Northern secular and religious journals. To be sure, every now +and then, there were exhibitions of impatience against the doctrine. +Not a few newspapers had little tolerance for the nonsense. Some +former commanders of Negro soldiers in the C +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page306" id="page306"></a>[pg 306]</span> +ivil War, notably, General +T.J. Morgan, spoke out in their behalf. The brilliant career of the +black regulars in Cuba broke the spell for a time, but the re-action +speedily set in. In short it became fastened pretty completely in the +popular mind as a bit of demonstrated truth that Negroes could not +make officers; that colored soldiers would neither follow nor obey +officers of their own race.</p> + +<p>This formula had of course to ignore an entire epoch of history. It +could take no account of that lurid program wrought in the Antilles a +century ago—a rising mob of rebel slaves, transformed into an +invincible army of tumultuous blacks, under the guidance of the +immortal Toussaint, overcoming the trained armies of three Continental +powers, Spain, England and France, and audaciously projecting a black +republic into the family of nations, a program at once a marvel and a +terror to the civilized world.</p> + +<p>Not alone in Hayti, but throughout the States of Central and South +America have Negroes exercised military command, both in the struggles +of these states for independence, and in their national armies +established after independence. At least one soldier of Negro blood, +General Dumas, father of the great novelist, arose to the rank of +General of Division in the French Army and served under Napoleon. In +our day we have seen General Dodds, another soldier of Negro blood, +returning from a successful campaign in Africa, acclaimed throughout +France, his immense popularity threatening Paris with a renewal of the +hysterical days of Boulanger. Finally, we need not be told that at the +very head and front of the Cuban Rebellion were Negroes of every hue, +exercising every kind of command up to the very highest. We need but +recall the lamented Maceo, the Negro chieftain, whose t +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page307" id="page307"></a>[pg 307]</span> +ragic end +brought sorrow and dismay to all of Cuba. With an army thronging with +blacks and mulattoes, these Cuban chieftains, black, mulatto and +white, prolonged such an harassing warfare as to compel the +intervention of the United States. At the end of this recital, which +could well have been extended with greater particularity, if it were +thought needful, we are bound to conclude that the arbitrary formula +relied upon by the opponents of colored officers was never constructed +to fit such an obstinate set of facts.</p> + +<p>The prolonged struggle which culminated in permitting the Negro's +general enlistment in our Civil War had only to be repeated to secure +for him the full pay of a soldier, the right to be treated as a +prisoner of war, and to relieve him of the monopoly of fatigue and +garrison duty. He was too overjoyed with the boon of fighting for the +liberation of his race to make much contention about who was to lead +him. With meagre exception, his exclusive business in that war was to +carry a gun. Yet repeatedly Negro soldiers evinced high capacity for +command. Colonel Thomas Wentworth Higginson draws a glowing portrait +of Sergeant Prince Rivers, Color-Sergeant of the First South Carolina +Volunteers, a regiment of slaves, organized late in 1862. The +Color-Sergeant was provost-Sergeant also, and had entire charge of the +prisoners and of the daily policing of the camp.</p> + +<p>"He is a man of distinguished appearance and in old times was the +crack coachman of Beaufort. * * * They tell me that he was once +allowed to present a petition to the Governor of South Carolina in +behalf of slaves, for the redress of certain grievances, and that a +placard, offering two thousand dollars for his re-capture is still to +be seen by the wayside between here and Charleston. He was a sergean +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page308" id="page308"></a>[pg 308]</span> +t +in the old 'Hunter Regiment,' and was taken by General Hunter to New +York last spring, where the chevrons on his arm brought a mob upon him +in Broadway, whom he kept off till the police interfered. There is not +a white officer in this regiment who has more administrative ability, +or more absolute authority over the men; they do not love him, but his +mere presence has controlling power over them. He writes well enough +to prepare for me a daily report of his duties in the camp; if his +education reached a higher point I see no reason why he should not +command the Army of the Potomac. He is jet-black, or rather, I should +say, wine-black, his complexion, like that of others of my darkest +men, having a sort of rich, clear depth, without a trace of sootiness, +and to my eye very handsome. His features are tolerably regular, and +full of command, and his figure superior to that of any of our white +officers, being six feet high, perfectly proportioned, and of +apparently inexhaustable strength and activity. His gait is like a +panther's; I never saw such a tread. No anti-slavery novel has +described a man of such marked ability. He makes Toussaint perfectly +intelligible, and if there should ever be a black monarchy in South +Carolina he will be its king."<a name="FNanchor_28_28" id="FNanchor_28_28"></a><a href="#Footnote_28_28" class="fnanchor">[28]</a></p> + +<p>Excepting the Louisiana Native Guards, the First South Carolina +Volunteers was the first regiment of colored troops to be mustered +into the service in the Civil War. The regiment was made up entirely +of slaves, with scarcely a mulatto among them. The first day of +freedom for these men was passed in uniform and with a gun. Among +these Negroes, just wrested from slavery, their scholarly commander, +Colonel Higginson, could find many whom he judged well fitted by +nature to command.</p> +<p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page309" id="page309"></a>[pg 309]</span> +</p> +<p>"Afterwards I had excellent battalion drills," he writes, "without a +single white officer, by way of experiment, putting each company under +a sergeant, and going through the most difficult movements, such as +division columns and oblique squares. And as to actual discipline, it +is doing no injustice to the line-officers of the regiment to say that +none of them received from the men more implicit obedience than +Color-Sergeant Rivers. * * * It always seemed to me an insult to those +brave men to have novices put over their heads, on the ground of color +alone, and the men felt it the more keenly as they remained longer in +the service. There were more than seven hundred enlisted men in the +regiment, when mustered out after more than three years' service. The +ranks had been kept full by enlistment, but there were only fourteen +line-officers instead of the full thirty. The men who should have +filled these vacancies were doing duty as sergeants in the ranks."<a name="FNanchor_29_29" id="FNanchor_29_29"></a><a href="#Footnote_29_29" class="fnanchor">[29]</a></p> + +<p>Numerous expeditions were constantly on foot in the Department of the +South, having for their object the liberation of slaves still held to +service in neighborhoods remote from the Union camps, or to capture +supplies and munitions of war. Frequently these expeditions came in +conflict with armed bodies of rebels and hot engagements would ensue, +resulting in considerable loss of life. Colored soldiers were +particularly serviceable for this work because of their intimate +knowledge of the country and their zeal for the rescue of their +enslaved brethren.</p> + +<p>One of these expeditions, composed of thirty colored soldiers and +scouts, commanded by Sergeant-Major Henry James, Third United States +Colored Troops, left Jackson +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page310" id="page310"></a>[pg 310]</span> +ville, Florida, early in March, 1865, to +penetrate into the interior through Marion county. They destroyed +considerable property in the use of the rebel government, burned the +bridge across the Oclawaha River, and started on their return with +ninety-one Negroes whom they had rescued from slavery, four white +prisoners, some wagons and a large number of horses and mules. They +were attacked by a rebel band of more than fifty cavalry. The colored +soldiers commanded by one of their own number, defeated and drove off +the rebels, inflicting upon them the heavy loss of thirty men. After a +long and rapid march they arrived at St. Augustine, Florida, with a +loss of but two killed and four wounded, the expedition covering in +all five days. These colored soldiers and their colored commander were +thanked in orders by Major-General Q.A. Gilmore, commanding the +department, who was moved to declare that "this expedition, planned +and executed by colored men, under the command of a colored +non-commissioned officer, reflects credit upon the brave participants +and their leader," and "he holds up their conduct to their comrades in +arms as an example worthy of emulation."<a name="FNanchor_30_30" id="FNanchor_30_30"></a><a href="#Footnote_30_30" class="fnanchor">[30]</a></p> + +<p>It was no uncommon occurrence throughout the Civil War for colored +non-commissioned officers to be thrown into command of their companies +by the killing or wounding of their superior officers. On many a field +of battle this happened and these colored non-commissioned officers +showed the same ability to take the initiative and accept the +responsibility, and conducted their commands just as bravely and +unfalteringly as did their successors on the firing line at La Guasima +and El Caney, or in the charge up San Juan Hill.</p> + +<p>In the battle of New Market Heights, fought on +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page311" id="page311"></a>[pg 311]</span> +the 29th of September, +1864, as part of a comprehensive effort to turn Lee's left flank, the +great heroism of the black soldiers, and the terrible slaughter among +them, impressed their commander, the late Major-General Butler, to his +dying day, and made him the stout champion of their rights for the +rest of his life. In that battle, to quote from the orders putting on +record the "gallant deeds of the officers and soldiers of the Army of +the James":—</p> + +<blockquote><p>"Milton M. Holland, Sergeant-Major Fifth United States +Colored Troops, commanding Company C; James H. Bronson, +First Sergeant, commanding Company D; Robert Pinn, First +Sergeant, commanding Company I, wounded; Powhatan Beaty, +First Sergeant, commanding Company G, Fifth United States +Colored Troops—all these gallant colored soldiers were left +in command, all their company officers being killed or +wounded, and led them gallantly and meritoriously through +the day. For these services they have most honorable +mention, and the commanding general will cause a special +medal to be struck in honor of these gallant soldiers."</p> + +<p>"First Sergeant Edward Ratcliff, Company C, Thirty-eighth +United States Colored Troops, thrown into command of his +company by the death of the officer commanding, was the +first enlisted man in the enemy's works, leading his company +with great gallantry for which he has a medal."</p> + +<p>"Sergeant Samuel Gilchrist, Company K, Thirty-sixth United +States Colored Troops, showed great bravery and gallantry in +commanding his company after his officers were killed. He +has a medal for gallantry."<a name="FNanchor_31_31" id="FNanchor_31_31"></a><a href="#Footnote_31_31" class="fnanchor">[31]</a></p></blockquote> + +<p>"Honorable mention" and "medals" were the sole reward open to the +brave Negro soldiers of that day.</p> +<p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page312" id="page312"></a>[pg 312]</span> +</p> +<p>Not alone in camp and garrison, in charge of expeditions, or as +non-commissioned officers thrown into command of their companies on +the field of battle have Negro soldiers displayed unquestioned +capacity for command, but as commissioned officers they commanded in +camp and in battle, showing marked efficiency and conspicuous +gallantry. The colored officers of the First and Second Regiments of +Louisiana Native Guards, whose history has been detailed earlier in +this chapter,<a name="FNanchor_32_32" id="FNanchor_32_32"></a><a href="#Footnote_32_32" class="fnanchor">[32]</a> were retained in the service long enough to command +their troops in bloody combat with the enemy. It will be remembered +that of the Second Regiment of Louisiana Native Guards only the +Colonel and Lieutenant-Colonel were white, the Major, F.E. Dumas, and +all the line officers, as in the case of the First Regiment of +Louisiana Native Guards, being colored. On April 9, 1863, Colonel N.U. +Daniels, who commanded the Second Regiment of Louisiana Native Guards, +with a detachment of two hundred men of his regiment, under their +colored officers, engaged and repulsed a considerable body of rebel +infantry and cavalry at Pascagoula, Mississippi. The engagement lasted +from 10 A.M. until 2 P.M. and was remarkable for the steadiness, +tenacity and bravery of these black troops in this, their first +battle, where they succeeded in defeating and beating off an enemy +five times their number. The official report by the Colonel commanding +declared: "Great credit is due to the troops engaged for their +unflinching bravery and steadiness under this, their first fire, +exchanging volley after volley with the coolness of veterans, and for +their determined tenacity in maintaining their position, and taking +advantage of every success that their courage and valor gave them; and +also to their officers, who were +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page313" id="page313"></a>[pg 313]</span> + cool and determined throughout the +action, fighting their commands against five times their number, and +confident throughout of success. * * *</p> + +<p>"I would particularly call the attention of the department to Major +F.E. Dumas, Capt. Villeverd and Lieuts. Jones and Martin, who were +constantly in the thickest of the fight, and by their unflinching +bravery and admirable handling of their commands, contributed to the +success of the attack, and reflected great honor upon the flag for +which they so nobly struggled."<a name="FNanchor_33_33" id="FNanchor_33_33"></a><a href="#Footnote_33_33" class="fnanchor">[33]</a></p> + +<p>The battle which settled for all time the bravery of black troops, and +ought as well to silence all question about the capacity of colored +officers, was the storming of Port Hudson, May 27, 1863. For months +the Confederates had had uninterrupted opportunity to strengthen their +works at Port Hudson at a time when an abundance of slave labor was at +their disposal. They had constructed defenses of remarkable strength. +On a bluff, eighty feet above the river, was a series of batteries +mounting in all twenty siege guns. For land defenses they had a +continuous line of parapet of strong profile, beginning at a point on +the river a mile from Port Hudson and extending in a semi-circle for +three or four miles over a country for the most part rough and broken, +and ending again at the river, a half mile north of Port Hudson. At +appropriate positions along this line four bastion works were +constructed and thirty pieces of field artillery were posted. The +average thickness of the parapet was twenty feet, and the depth of the +ditch below the top of the parapet was fifteen feet. The ground beh +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page314" id="page314"></a>[pg 314]</span> +ind +the parapet was well adapted for the prompt movement of troops.<a name="FNanchor_34_34" id="FNanchor_34_34"></a><a href="#Footnote_34_34" class="fnanchor">[34]</a></p> + +<p>On the 24th of May General Banks reached the immediate vicinity of +Port Hudson, and proceeded at once to invest the place.</p> + +<p>On the 27th the assault was ordered. Two colored regiments of +Louisiana Native Guards, the First Regiment with all line officers +colored, and the Third with white officers throughout, were put under +command of Colonel John A. Nelson, of the Third Regiment, and assigned +to position on the right of the line, where the assault was begun. The +right began the assault in the morning; for some reason the left did +not assault until late in the afternoon. Six companies of the First +Louisiana and nine companies of the Third, in all 1080 men, were +formed in column of attack. Even now, one cannot contemplate unmoved +the desperate valor of these black troops and the terrible slaughter +among them as they were sent to their impossible task that day in May. +Moving forward in double quick time the column emerged from the woods, +and passing over the plain strewn with felled trees and entangled +brushwood, plunged into a fury of shot and shell as they charged for +the batteries on the rebel left. Again and again that unsupported +column of black troops held to their hopeless mission by the +unrelenting order of the brigade commander, hurled itself literally +into the jaws of death, many meeting horrible destruction actually at +the cannon's mouth.</p> + +<p>It was a day prodigal with deeds of fanatical bravery. The colors of +the First Louisiana, torn and shivered in that fearful hail of fire, +were still borne forward in front of the works by the color-sergeant, +until a shell from the enemy cut the flag in two and gave the sergeant +his mortal wound. He fell spattering the flag with blood and brains +and hugged it to +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page315" id="page315"></a>[pg 315]</span> +his bosom as he lay in the grasp of death. Two +corporals sprang forward to seize the colors, contending in generous +rivalry until a rebel sharpshooter felled one of them across the +sergeant's lifeless body. The other dashed proudly forward with the +flag. Sixteen men fell that day defending the colors.</p> + +<p>Black officers and white officers commanded side by side, moving among +the men to prompt their valor by word and example, revealing no +difference in their equal contempt of death. Captain Quinn, of the +Third Regiment, with forty reckless followers, bearing their rifles +and cartridge boxes above their heads, swam the ditch and leaped among +the guns, when they were ordered back to escape a regiment of rebels +hastening for their rear. Six of them re-crossed alive, and of these +only two were unhurt, the brave Quinn and a Lieutenant. The gallant +Captain Andre Cailloux, who commanded the color company of the First +Louisiana, a man black as night, but a leader by birth and education, +moved in eager zeal among his men, cheering them on by words and his +own noble example, with his left arm already shattered, proudly +refusing to leave the field. In a last effort of heroism, he sprang to +the front of his company, commanded his men to follow him, and in the +face of that murderous fire, gallantly led them forward until a shell +smote him to death but fifty yards from the works.</p> + +<p>Cailloux, a pure Negro in blood, was born a freeman and numbered +generations of freemen among his ancestry. He had fine presence, was a +man of culture and possessed wealth. He had raised his company by his +own efforts, and attached them to him, not only by his ardent pride of +race, which made him boast his blackness, but also by his undoubted +talents for command. His heroic death was mo +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page316" id="page316"></a>[pg 316]</span> +urned by thousands of his +race who had known him. His body, recovered after the surrender, was +given a soldier's burial in his own native city of New Orleans.</p> + +<p>When the day was spent, the bleeding and shattered column was at +length recalled. The black troops did not take the guns, but the day's +work had won for them a fame that cannot die. The nation, which had +received them into the service half-heartedly, and out of necessity, +was that day made to witness a monotony of gallantry and heroism that +compelled everywhere awe and admiration. Black soldiers, and led by +black officers as well as white, assigned a task hopeless and +impossible at the start, had plunged into that withering storm of shot +and shell, poured fourth by artillery and infantry, charging over a +field strewn with obstacles, and in madness of bravery had more than +once thrown the thin head of their column to the very edge of the +guns. They recoiled only to reform their broken lines and to start +again their desperate work. When the day was gone, and they were +called back, the shattered remnant of the column which had gone forth +in the morning still burned with passion. With that day's work of +black soldiers under black officers, a part forever of the military +glory of the Republic, there are those who yet dare to declare that +Negroes cannot command.</p> + +<p>The assault on Port Hudson had been unsuccessful all along the line. A +second assault was ordered June 13. It, too, was unsuccessful. The +fall of Vicksburg brought the garrison to terms. The surrender took +place July 9, 1863. In the report of the general commanding, the +colored soldiers were given unstinted praise. General Banks declared +that "no troops could be more determined or more daring."<a name="FNanchor_35_35" id="FNanchor_35_35"></a><a href="#Footnote_35_35" class="fnanchor">[35]</a> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page317" id="page317"></a>[pg 317]</span> The +Northern press described glowingly their part in the fight. The +prowess of the black soldiers had conquered military prejudice, and +won for them a place in the army of the Union. And the brave black +officers who led these black soldiers, they were, all of them, ordered +forthwith before an examining board with the purpose of driving them +from the service, and every one of them in self-respect was made to +resign. In such manner was their bravery rewarded.</p> + +<p>In the four regiments of colored troops made a part of the Regular +Army since the Civil War, colored soldiers, to say nothing of the +three colored graduates from West Point, referred to earlier in this +chapter, have repeatedly given evidence of their capacity to command. +An earlier chapter has already set forth the gallant manner in which +colored non-commissioned officers, left in command by the killing or +wounding of their officers, commanded their companies at La Guasima, +El Caney and in the charge at San Juan. On numerous occasions, with +none of the heroic setting of the Santiago campaign, have colored +soldiers time and again command detachments and companies on dangerous +scouting expeditions, and in skirmishes and fights with hostile +Indians and marauders. The entire Western country is a witness of +their prowess. This meritorious work, done in remote regions, has +seldom come to public notice; the medal which the soldier wears, and +the official entry in company and regimental record are in most cases +the sole chronicle. A typical instance is furnished in the career of +Sergeant Richard Anderson, late of the Ninth Cavalry. The sergeant has +long ago completed his thirty years of service. He passed through all +non-commissioned grades in his troop and regiment, and was retired as +Post Commissary-Sergeant. The stor +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page318" id="page318"></a>[pg 318]</span> +y of the engagements in which he +commanded give ample proof of his ability and bravery. It would be no +service to the sergeant to disturb his own frank and formal narrative.</p> + +<p>The Sergeant's story:—</p> + +<blockquote><p>"While in sub-camp at Fort Cumming, New Mexico, awaiting +orders for campaign duty against hostile Indians (old +Naney's band), on the evening of June 5, 1880, my troop +commander being absent at Fort Bayard, which left me in +command of my troop, there being no other commissioned +officer available, a report having come in to the commanding +officer about 1 o'clock that a band of Apache Indians were +marching toward Cook's Canon, Troops B and L, under general +command of Captain Francis, 9th Cavalry, and myself +commanding Troop B, were ordered out.</p> + +<p>We came upon the Indians in Cook's Canon and had an +engagement which lasted two or three hours. Three or four +Indians were killed and several wounded. We had no men +killed, but a few wounded in both L and B Troops. We +followed the Indians many miles that evening, but having no +rations, returned to Fort Cumming late that evening, and +went into camp until the following morning, when the two +troops took the trail and followed it many days, but being +unable to overtake the Indians, returned to Fort Cumming.</p> + +<p>In August, 1881, while my troop was in camp at Fort Cumming, +New Mexico, awaiting orders for another campaign against +these same Apache Indians, my troop commander having been +ordered to Fort Bayard, New Mexico, on general court-martial +duty, and during his absence having no commissioned officer +available, I was in command of my troop subject to the +orders of the post commander. At 12 o'clock at night, August +17, 1881, while in my tent asleep, the commanding officer's +orderly knocked on my tent and informed me that the +commanding officer wanted me to report to him at once. I +asked the orderly what was up. He informed me that he +supposed a scout was going out, as the commanding officer +had sent for Lieutenant Smith, then in command of Troop H, +9th Cavalry.</p> + +<p>I dressed myself promptly and reported, and found Lieutenant +Smith and the commanding officer at the office on my +arrival.</p> + +<p>The commanding officer asked me about how many men I c +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page319" id="page319"></a>[pg 319]</span> +ould +mount for thirty days' detached duty, leaving so many men +to take care of property and horses. I told him about how +many. He ordered me to make a ration return for that number +of men, and send a sergeant to draw rations for thirty days' +scout; and for me to hurry up, and when ready to report to +Lieutenant Smith. By 12.45 my troop was ready and mounted, +and reported as ordered, and at 1 o'clock Troop's B and H +pulled out from Fort Cumming for Lake Valley, New Mexico; +and when the sun showed himself over the tops of the +mountains we marched down the mountains into Lake Valley, +thirty-five miles from Fort Cumming. We went into camp +hoping to spend a few hours and take a rest, and feed our +horses and men.</p> + +<p>About 9 o'clock a small boy came running through camp crying +as if to break his heart, saying that the Indians had killed +his mother and their baby. Some of the men said the boy must +be crazy; but many of them made for their horses without +orders. Soon Lieutenant Smith ordered "Saddle up." In less +than five minutes all the command was saddled up and ready +to mount. We mounted and pulled out at a gallop, and +continued at that gait until we came to a high mountain, +when we came down to a walk. And when over the mountain we +took up the gallop, and from that time on, nothing but a +gallop and a trot, when the country was favorable for such. +When we had marched about two miles from Lake Valley we met +the father of the boy, with his leg bleeding where the +Indians had shot him. We marched about half a mile farther, +when we could see the Indians leaving this man's ranch. We +had a running fight with them from that time until about 5 +o'clock that evening, August 18th, 1881. Having no rations, +we returned to Lake Valley with the intention of resting +that night and taking the trail the next morning; but about +9 o'clock that night a ranchman came into camp and reported +that the Indians had marched into a milk ranch and burned up +the ranch, and had gone into camp near by.</p> + +<p>Lieutenant Smith ordered me to have the command in readiness +to march at 12 o'clock sharp, and said we could surprise +those Indians and capture many of them and kill a few also. +I went and made my detail as ordered, with five days' +rations in haversacks, and at 12 o'clock reported as +ordered.</p> + +<p>About half-past 12 o'clock the command pulled out and +marched within about a mile and a half of the milk ranch and +went +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page320" id="page320"></a>[pg 320]</span> + into camp; and at daylight in the morning saddled up +and marched to the ranch. The Indians had pulled out a few +minutes before our arrival. We took their trail and came up +with them about 10 o'clock, finding the Indians in ambush. +Lieutenant Smith was the first man killed, and when I heard +his last command, which was "Dismount," then the whole +command fell upon your humble servant. We fell back, up a +canon and on a hill, and held them until 4 o'clock, when a +reinforcement came up of about twenty men from Lake Valey +and the Indians pulled off over the mountains. The +following-named men were killed in the engagement:</p> + +<p>Lieutenant G.W. Smith; Mr. Daily, a miner; Saddler Thomas +Golding; Privates James Brown and Monroe Overstreet. +Wounded—Privates Wesley Harris, John W. Williams and +William A. Hallins.</p> + +<p>After the Indians ceased firing and fell back over the +mountains I cared for the wounded and sent Lieutenant +Smith's body to Fort Bayard, New Mexico, where his wife was, +which was about sixty miles from the battle-ground, and Mr. +Daily's body to Lake Valley, all under a strong detachment +of men under a non-commissioned officer; when I marched with +the remainder of the command with the dead and wounded for +Rodman Mill, where I arrived about 5 o'clock on the morning +of August 20 and buried the dead and sent the wounded to +Fort Bayard.</p> + +<p>One thing that attracted my attention more than anything +else was the suffering of Private John W. Williams, Troop H, +who was shot through the kneecap and had to ride all that +night from the battle-ground to Brookman's Mill. Poor +fellow!</p> + +<p>I buried all my dead, and then marched for Fort Cumming, +where we arrived about sunset and reported to General Edward +Hatch, then commanding the regiment and also the district of +New Mexico, giving him all the details pertaining to the +engagement.</p> + +<p>General Hatch asked me about how many men I could mount the +next morning, the 21st. I informed him about how many. He +ordered me to have my troop in readiness by daylight and +report to Lieutenant Demmick, then commanding Troop L, and +follow that Indian trail.</p> + +<p>My troop was ready as ordered, and marched. We followed +those Indians to the line of Old Mexico, but were unable to +overtake them. Such was my last engagement with hostile + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page321" id="page321"></a>[pg 321]</span> +Indians."</p></blockquote> + +<p>The formula that Negroes cannot command, with the further assertion +that colored soldiers will neither follow nor obey officers of their +own race, we have now taken out of the heads of its upholders, and +away from its secure setting of type on the printed page, and applied +it to the facts. Negro soldiers have shown their ability to command by +commanding, not always with shoulder-straps, to be sure, but +nevertheless commanding. With wearying succession, instance after +instance, where Negroes have exercised all manner of military command +and always creditably, have extended for us a recital to the border of +monotony, and made formidable test of our patience. In France and the +West Indies, in Central and South America, Negroes have commanded +armies, in one instance fighting under Napoleon, at other times to +free themselves from slavery and their countries from the yoke of +oppression. In our own country, from the days of the Revolution, when +fourteen American officers declared in a memorial to the Congress, +that a "Negro man called Salem Poor, of Colonel Frye's regiment, +Captain Ames' company, in the late battle at Charlestown, behaved like +an <i>experienced officer</i>, as well as an excellent soldier;"<a name="FNanchor_36_36" id="FNanchor_36_36"></a><a href="#Footnote_36_36" class="fnanchor">[36]</a> from +the first war of the nation down to its last, Negro soldiers have been +evincing their capacity to command. In the Civil War, where thousands +of colored soldiers fought for the Union, their ability to command has +been evidenced in a hundred ways, on scouts and expeditions, in camp +and in battle; on two notable occasions, Negro officers gallantly +fought their commands side by side with white officers, and added +lustre to the milita +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page322" id="page322"></a>[pg 322]</span> +ry glory of the nation. Upon the re-organization +of the Regular Army at the close of the war the theatre shifted to +our Western frontier, where the Negro soldier continued to display his +ability to command. Finally, in the Spanish War, just closed, the +Negro soldier made the nation again bear witness not alone to his +undaunted bravery, but also to his conspicuous capacity to command. +Out of this abundant and conclusive array of incontestable facts, +frankly, is there anything left to the arbitrary formula that Negroes +cannot command, but a string of ipse dixits hung on a very old, but +still decidedly robust prejudice? There is no escape from the +conclusion that as a matter of fact, with opportunity, Negroes differ +in no wise from other men in capacity to exercise military command.</p> + +<p>Undoubtedly substantial progress has been made respecting colored +officers since 1863, when colored soldiers were first admitted in +considerable numbers into the army of the Union. At the period of the +Civil War colored officers for colored soldiers was little more than +thought of; the sole instance comprised the short-lived colored +officers of the three regiments of Louisiana Native Guards, and the +sporadic appointments made near the close of the war, when the +fighting was over.</p> + +<p>More than three hundred colored officers served in the volunteer army +in the war with Spain. Two Northern States, Illinois and Kansas, and +one Southern State, North Carolina, put each in the field as part of +its quota a regiment of colored troops officered throughout by colored +men. Ohio and Indiana contributed each a separate battalion of colored +soldiers entirely under colored officers.</p> + +<p>In 1863 a regiment of colored troops with colored officers was +practically impossible. In 1898 a regiment of col +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page323" id="page323"></a>[pg 323]</span> +ored volunteers +without some colored officers was almost equally impossible. In 1863 +a regiment of colored soldiers commanded by colored officers would +have been a violation of the sentiment of the period and an outrage +upon popular feelings, the appearance of which in almost any Northern +city would hardly fail to provoke an angry and resentful mob. At that +period, even black recruits in uniforms were frequently assaulted in +the streets of Northern cities. We have seen already how Sergeant +Rivers, of the First South Carolina Volunteers, had to beat off a mob +on Broadway in New York city. In 1898 regiments and battalions of +colored troops, with colored colonels and majors in command, came out +of States where the most stringent black laws were formerly in force, +and were greeted with applause as they passed on their way to their +camps or to embark for Cuba.</p> + +<p>In Baltimore, in 1863, the appearance of a Negro in the uniform of an +army surgeon started a riot, and the irate mob was not appeased until +it had stripped the patriotic colored doctor of his shoulder-straps. +In 1898, when the Sixth Regiment of Massachusetts Volunteers passed +through the same city, the colored officers of Company L of that +regiment were welcomed with the same courtesies as their white +colleagues—courtesies extended as a memorial of the fateful progress +of the regiment through the city of Baltimore in 1861. One State which +went to war in 1861 to keep the Negro a slave, put in the field a +regiment of colored soldiers, officered by colored men from the +colonel down. To this extent has prejudice been made to yield either +to political necessity, or a generous change in sentiment. Thus were +found States both North and South willing to give the Negro the full +military recognition to which he is entitled.</p> + +<p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page324" id="page324"></a>[pg 324]</span> +With this wider recognition of colored officers the general +government has not kept pace. In the four regiments of colored +volunteers recruited by the general government for service in the war +with Spain, only the lieutenants were colored. Through the extreme +conservatism of the War Department, in these regiments no colored +officers, no matter how meritorious, could be appointed or advanced to +the grade of captain. Such was the announced policy of the department, +and it was strictly carried out. The commissioning of this large +number of colored men even to lieutenancies was, without doubt, a +distinct step in advance; it was an entering wedge. But it was also an +advance singularly inadequate and embarrassing. In one of these +colored volunteer, commonly called "immune" regiments, of the twelve +captains, but five had previous military training, while of the +twenty-four colored lieutenants, eighteen had previous military +experience, and three of the remaining six were promoted from the +ranks, so that at the time of their appointment twenty-one lieutenants +had previous military training. Of the five captains with previous +military experience, one, years ago, had been a lieutenant in the +Regular Army; another was promoted from Post Quartermaster-Sergeant; a +third at one time had been First Sergeant of Artillery; the remaining +two had more or less experience in the militia. Of the eighteen +lieutenants with previous military experience, twelve had served in +the Regular Army; eight of these, not one with a service less than +fifteen years, were promoted directly from the ranks of the regulars +for efficiency and gallantry. At the time of their promotion two were +Sergeants, five First Sergeants and one a Post Quartermaster-Sergeant. +The four others from the Regular Army had served five years each. Of +the six remaining Lieu +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page325" id="page325"></a>[pg 325]</span> +tenants with previous military experience, four +had received military training in high schools, three of whom were +subsequently officers in the militia; fifth graduated from a state +college with a military department; the sixth had been for years an +officer in the militia. With this advantage at the start, it is no +extravagance to say that the colored officers practically made the +companies. To them was due the greater part of the credit for whatever +efficiency the companies showed. Moreover, these colored officers were +not behind in intelligence. Among them were four graduates of +universities and colleges, two lawyers, two teachers, one journalist, +five graduates of high schools and academies, and the men from the +Regular Army, as their previous non-commissioned rank indicates, were +of good average intelligence. There is no reason to believe that this +one of the four colored volunteer regiments was in any degree +exceptional.</p> + +<p>These are the officers for whom the War Department had erected their +arbitrary bar at captaincy, and declared that no show of efficiency +could secure for them the titular rank which they more than once +actually exercised. For they were repeatedly in command of their +companies through sickness or absence of their captains. They served +as officers without the incentive which comes from hope of promotion. +They were forced to see the credit of their labors go to others, and +to share more than once in discredit for which they were not +responsible. They were, and in this lay their chief embarrassment, +without the security and protection which higher rank would have +accorded them. In case of trial by court-martial, captains and other +higher officers filled the court to the exclusion of almost all +others. These were white men. It is gratifying to record that the War +Department recognized this special injustice to colored officers, and +in the two regim +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page326" id="page326"></a>[pg 326]</span> +ents of colored volunteers recruited for service in +the Philippines all the line-officers are colored men, the field +officers being white, and appointed from the Regular Army in pursuance +of a general policy. Thus far has the general government advanced in +recognition of the military capacity of the Negro. In the swing of the +pendulum the nation is now at the place where the hardy General Butler +was thirty-seven years ago, when he organized the three regiments of +Louisiana Native Guards with all line-officers colored.</p> + +<p>The way in which modern armies are organized and perfected leaves +little necessity for an equipment of exceptional personal gifts in +order to exercise ordinary military command. The whole thing is +subordinate, and the field for personal initiative is contracted to +the minimum. In our own army the President is Commander-in-Chief, and +the command descends through a multitude of subordinate grades down to +the lowest commissioned officer in the service. We have "Articles of +War" and "Regulations," and the entire discipline and government of +the army is committed to writing. There is no chance to enshroud in +mystery the ability to command. For ordinary military command, with +intelligence the chief requisite, little is required beyond courage, +firmness and good judgment. These qualities are in no respect natural +barriers for colored men.</p> + +<p>This last story of the Negro soldier's efficiency and gallantry, told +in the pages of this book, teaches its own very simple conclusion. The +Cuban campaign has forced the nation to recognize the completion of +the Negro's evolution as a soldier in the Army of the United States. +The colored American soldier, by his own prowess, has won an +acknowledged place by the side of the best trained fighters with arms. +In the fullness of his manhood he has no rejoicing +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page327" id="page327"></a>[pg 327]</span> +in the patronizing +paean, "the colored troops fought nobly," nor does he glow at all +when told of his "faithfulness" and "devotion" to his white officers, +qualities accentuated to the point where they might well fit an +affectionate dog. He lays claim to no prerogative other than that of a +plain citizen of the Republic, trained to the profession of arms. The +measure of his demand—and it is the demand of ten millions of his +fellow-citizens allied to him by race—is that the full manhood +privileges of a soldier be accorded him. On his record in arms, not +excluding his manifest capacity to command, the colored soldier, +speaking for the entire body of colored citizens in this country, only +demands that the door of the nation's military training school be +freely open to the capable of his race, and the avenue of promotion +from the ranks be accessible to his tried efficiency; that no +hindrance prevent competent colored men from taking their places as +officers as well as soldiers in the nation's permanent military +establishment.</p> + +<div class="footnotes"><h3>FOOTNOTES:</h3> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_26_26" id="Footnote_26_26"></a><a href="#FNanchor_26_26"><span class="label">[26]</span></a> +</p> +<blockquote><p class="letterDate"> +Headquarters Department of the Gulf,<br /> +New Orleans, August 22, 1862.</p> +<p>General Orders No. 63.</p> +<p> +"Whereas, on the 23d day of April, in the year eighteen +hundred and sixty-one, at a public meeting of the free +colored population of the city of New Orleans, a military +organization, known as the 'Native Guards' (colored), had +its existence, which military organization was duly and +legally enrolled as a part of the militia of the State, its +officers being commissioned by Thomas O. Moore, Governor and +Commander-in-Chief of the militia of the State of Louisiana, +in the form following, that is to say: +</p> +<p class="author-up"> +The State of Louisiana.<br /> +(Seal of the State.)<br /> +</p> +<p> +By Thomas Overton Moore, Governor of the State of Louisiana, +and commander-in-chief of the militia thereof. +</p> +<p> +"'In the name and by the authority of the State of +Louisiana: Know ye that —— ——, having been duly and +legally elected captain of the "Native Guards" (colored), +first division of the Militia of Louisiana, to serve for the +term of the war, +</p><p> +"'I do hereby appoint and commission him captain as +aforesaid, to take rank as such, from the 2d day of May, +eighteen hundred and sixty-one. +</p><p> +"'He is, therefore, carefully and diligently to discharge +the duties of his office by doing and performing all manner +of things thereto belonging. And I do strictly charge and +require all officers, non-commissioned officers and privates +under his command to be obedient to his orders as captain; +and he is to observe and follow such orders and directions, +from time to time, as he shall receive from me, or the +future Governor of the State of Louisiana, or other superior +officers, according to the Rules and Articles of War, and in +conformity to law. +</p><p> +"'In testimony whereof, I have caused these letters to be +made patent, and the seal of the State to be hereunto +annexed. +</p><p> +"'Given under my hand, at the city of Baton Rouge, on the +second day of May, in the year of our Lord one thousand +eight hundred and sixty-one. +</p> +<p class="author-up">(L.S.) (Signed) THOS. O. MOORE.</p> +<p class="close">"'By the Governor:</p> +<p class="author-up">(Signed) P.D. HARDY,<br /> +Secretary of State.</p> +<p>(Wilson: Black Phalanx, p. 194.)</p> +</blockquote> +</div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_27_27" id="Footnote_27_27"></a><a href="#FNanchor_27_27"><span class="label">[27]</span></a> De Tocqueville: L'Ancien Régime et La Revolution, p. +125-6.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_28_28" id="Footnote_28_28"></a><a href="#FNanchor_28_28"><span class="label">[28]</span></a> Thomas Westworth Higginson: Army Life in a Black +Regiment, pp. 57-8.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_29_29" id="Footnote_29_29"></a><a href="#FNanchor_29_29"><span class="label">[29]</span></a> Thomas Wentworth Higginson: Army Life in a Black +Regiment, p. 261.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_30_30" id="Footnote_30_30"></a><a href="#FNanchor_30_30"><span class="label">[30]</span></a> Williams's Negro Troops in the Rebellion, pp. 339-40, +quoting the order.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_31_31" id="Footnote_31_31"></a><a href="#FNanchor_31_31"><span class="label">[31]</span></a> Williams's Negro Troops in the Rebellion, pp. 334-6, +original order quoted.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_32_32" id="Footnote_32_32"></a><a href="#FNanchor_32_32"><span class="label">[32]</span></a> See pp. 351-6 MS.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_33_33" id="Footnote_33_33"></a><a href="#FNanchor_33_33"><span class="label">[33]</span></a> Wilson: Black Phalanx, p. 211, original order quoted.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_34_34" id="Footnote_34_34"></a><a href="#FNanchor_34_34"><span class="label">[34]</span></a> Campaigns of the Civil War. F.V. Greene. The +Mississippi, p. 226 et seq.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_35_35" id="Footnote_35_35"></a><a href="#FNanchor_35_35"><span class="label">[35]</span></a> Williams's Negro Troops in the Rebellion, p. 221, +original order quoted.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_36_36" id="Footnote_36_36"></a><a href="#FNanchor_36_36"><span class="label">[36]</span></a> MS. Archives of Massachusetts, Vol. 180, p. 241, quoted +in Williams's Negro Troops in the Rebellion, p. 13.</p></div> +</div> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/image06.png" alt="Chapter End Graphic" title="" /> +</div> + +<hr /> +<p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page328" id="page328"></a>[pg 328]</span> +</p> +<h2><a name="APPENDIX" id="APPENDIX"></a>APPENDIX.</h2> + +<p class="returnTOC"><a href="#Contents">Return to Table of + Contents</a></p> + +<p>The correspondence following shows the progress of the negotiations +for the surrender of the city of Santiago and the Spanish Army, from +the morning of July 3d until the final convention was signed on the +sixteenth of the same month. This surrender virtually closed the war, +but did not restore the contending nations to a status of peace. +Twenty-three thousand Spanish soldiers had laid down their arms and +had been transformed from enemies to friends. On the tenth of August +following, a protocol was submitted by the President of the United +States, which was accepted by the Spanish cabinet on the eleventh, and +on the twelfth the President announced the cessation of hostilities, +thus closing a war which had lasted one hundred and ten days. On the +tenth of December a Treaty of Peace between the United States and +Spain was signed at Paris, which was subsequently ratified by both +nations, and diplomatic relations fully restored. The war, though +short, had been costly. One hundred and fifty million dollars had been +spent in its prosecution, and there were left on our hands the +unsolved problem of Cuba and the Philippines, which promised much +future trouble.</p> + +<p>Within a month from the signing of the convention, the Army of +Invasion, known as the Fifth Army Corps, was on its homeward voyage, +and by the latter part of August the whole command was well out of +Cuba. Well did the soldiers themselves, as well as their friends, +realize, as +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page329" id="page329"></a>[pg 329]</span> +the former returned from that campaign of a hundred days, +that war in the tropics was neither a pastime nor a practice march. +The campaign had tested the powers of endurance of the men to its +utmost limit. The horrors of war were brought directly to the face of +the people, as the ten thousand invalids dragged their debilitated +forms from the transports to their detention camps, or to the +hospitals, some too helpless to walk, and many to die soon after +greeting their native shores. Those who had been so enthusiastic for +the war were now quiet, and were eagerly laying the blame for the +sorrow and suffering before them upon the shoulders of those who had +conducted the war. Few stopped to think that a good part of this woe +might be justly charged to those who had constantly resisted the +establishment of an adequate standing army, and who, with inconsistent +vehemence, had urged the nation into a war, regardless of its military +equipment. The emaciated veterans arriving at Montauk were spoken of +as the evidences of "military incompetency;" they were also evidence +of that narrow statesmanship which ignores the constant suggestions of +military experience.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<blockquote> +<p class="letterDate">Headquarters United States Forces,<br /> +Near San Juan River, July 3, 1898—8.30 A.M.</p> +<p>To the Commanding General of the Spanish Forces, Santiago de Cuba.<br /> +</p> + +<p>Sir:—I shall be obliged, unless you surrender, to shell +Santiago de Cuba. Please inform the citizens of foreign +countries, and all the women and children, that they should +leave the city before 10 o'clock to-morrow morning.</p> + +<p class="letterClose3">Very respectfully, your obedient servant,</p> +<p class="author-up">WILLIAM R. SHAFTER,<br /> +Major-General U.S.V.</p> +</blockquote><p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page330" id="page330"></a>[pg 330]</span> +</p> + +<p>Reply.</p> + +<blockquote> +<p class="letterDate">Santiago de Cuba, July 3, 1898.</p> +<p> +His Excellency the General Commanding Forces of United States, +near San Juan River. +</p> + +<p>Sir:—I have the honor to reply to your communication of +to-day, written at 8.30 A.M., and received at 1 P.M., +demanding the surrender of this city, or, in contrary case, +announcing to me that you will bombard this city, and that I +advise the foreigners, women and children that they must +leave the city before 10 o'clock to-morrow morning. It is my +duty to say to you that this city will not surrender, and +that I will inform the foreign consuls and inhabitants of +the contents of your message.</p> + +<p class="letterClose3">Very respectfully,</p> +<p class="author-up">JOSE TORAL,<br /> +Commander-in-Chief, Fourth Corps. +</p> + +<p class="letterDate"> +Headquarters Fifth Army Corps,<br /> +Camp near San Juan River, Cuba, July 4, 1898.</p> +<p>The Commanding General, Spanish Forces, Santiago de Cuba, Cuba.</p> + +<p>Sir:—I was officially informed last night that Admiral +Cervera is now a captive on board the U.S.S. Gloucester, and +is unharmed. He was then in the harbor of Siboney. I regret +also to have to announce to you the death of General Vara +del Rey at El Caney, who, with two of his sons, was killed +in the battle of July 1st. His body will be buried this +morning with military honors. His brother, +Lieutenant-Colonel Vara del Rey, is wounded and a prisoner +in my hands, together with the following officers: Captain +Don Antonio Vara del Rey, Captain Isidor Arias, Captain +Antonio Mansas, and Captain Manuel Romero, who, though +severely wounded, will all probably survive.</p> + +<p>I also have to announce to you that the Spanish fleet, with +the exception of one vessel, was destroyed, and this one is +being so vigorously pursued that it will be impossible for +it to escape. General Pando is opposed by forces sufficient +to hold him in check.</p> + +<p>In view of the above, I would suggest that, to save needless +effusion of +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page331" id="page331"></a>[pg 331]</span> + blood and the distress of many people, you may +reconsider your determination of yesterday. Your men have +certainly shown the gallantry which was expected of them.</p> + +<p>I am, sir, with great respect,</p> +<p class="letterClose3">Your obedient servant,</p> +<p class="author-up">WILLIAM R. SHAFTER,<br /> +Major-General, Commanding United States Forces.</p> +</blockquote> + +<blockquote> +<p class="letterDate"> +Headquarters Fifth Army Corps,<br /> +Camp near San Juan River, Cuba, July 4, 1898.</p> +<p> +To the Commanding General, Spanish Forces, Santiago de Cuba, Cuba. +</p> + +<p>Sir:—The fortune of war has thrown into my hands quite a +number of officers and private soldiers, whom I am now +holding as prisoners of war, and I have the honor to propose +to you that a cartel of exchange be arranged to-day, by +which the prisoners taken by the forces of Spain from on +board the Merrimac, and any officers and men of the army who +may have fallen into our hands within the past few days, may +be returned to their respective governments on the terms +usual in such cases, of rank for rank. Trusting that this +will meet with your favorable consideration, I remain,</p> + +<p class="letterClose3"> +Very respectfully, your obedient servant,</p> +<p class="author-up">WILLIAM R. SHAFTER,<br /> +Major-General, Commanding United States Forces.</p> +</blockquote> + +<blockquote> +<p class="letterDate"> +Headquarters Fifth Army Corps,<br /> +Camp near San Juan River, Cuba, July 4, 1898.</p> +<p>To the Commanding Officer, Spanish Forces, Santiago.</p> + +<p>Sir:—It will give me great pleasure to return to the city +of Santiago at an early hour to-morrow morning all the +wounded Spanish officers now at El Caney who are able to be +carried and who will give their parole not to serve against +the United States until regularly exchanged. I make this +proposition, as I am not so situated as to give these +officers the care and attention that they can receive at the +hands of their military associates and from their own +surgeons; though I shall, of course, give them every kind +treatment that it is possible to do under such ad +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page332" id="page332"></a>[pg 332]</span> +verse +circumstances. Trusting that this will meet with your +approbation, and that you will permit me to return to you +these persons, I am,</p> + +<p class="letterClose3">Your very obedient servant,</p> +<p class="author-up">WILLIAM R. SHAFTER,<br /> +Major-General, Commanding United States Forces.</p> +</blockquote> + +<blockquote> +<p class="letterDate"> +Army of the Island of Cuba,<br /> +Fifth Corps, General Staff.</p> +<p>To His Excellency the Commander-in-Chief of the American Forces.</p> + +<p>Excellency:—I have the honor to reply to the three +communications of your Excellency, dated to-day, and I am +very grateful for the news you give in regard to the +generals, chiefs, officers and troops that are your +prisoners, and of the good care that you give to the wounded +in your possession. With respect to the wounded, I have no +objection to receiving in this place those that your +Excellency may willingly deliver me, but I am not authorized +by the General-in-Chief to make any exchange, as he has +reserved to himself that authority. Yet I have given him +notice of the proposition of your Excellency.</p> + +<p>It is useless for me to tell you how grateful I am for the +interest that your Excellency has shown for the prisoners +and corpse of General Vara del Rey, giving you many thanks +for the chivalrous treatment.</p> + +<p>The same reasons that I explained to you yesterday, I have +to give again to-day—that this place will not be +surrendered.</p> + +<p>I am, yours with great respect and consideration,</p> +<p class="author-up">(Signed) JOSE TORAL.</p> +<p>In Santiago de Cuba, July 4, 1898.</p> +</blockquote> + +<blockquote> +<p class="letterDate"> +Headquarters Fifth Army Corps,<br /> +Camp near San Juan River, Cuba, July 6, 1898.</p> +<p>To the Commander-in-Chief, Spanish Forces, Santiago de Cuba.</p> + +<p>Sir:—In view of the events of the 3d instant, I have the +honor to lay before your Excellency certain propositions to +which, I trust, your Excellency, will give the consideration +which, in my judgment, they deserve.</p> + +<p>I inclose a bulletin of the engagement of Sunday morning +which resulted in the complete destruction of Admiral +Cervera's fleet, the loss of six hundred of his officers and +men, and the +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page333" id="page333"></a>[pg 333]</span> + capture of the remainder. The Admiral, General +Paredes and all others who escaped alive are now prisoners +on board the Harvard and St. Louis, and the latter ship, in +which are the Admiral, General Paredes and the surviving +captains (all except the captain of the Almirante Oquendo, +who was slain) has already sailed for the United States. If +desired by you, this may be confirmed by your Excellency +sending an officer under a flag of truce to Admiral Sampson, +and he can arrange to visit the Harvard, which will not sail +until to-morrow, and obtain the details from Spanish +officers and men on board that ship.</p> + +<p>Our fleet is now perfectly free to act, and I have the honor +to state that unless a surrender be arranged by noon of the +9th instant, a bombardment will be begun and continued by +the heavy guns of our ships. The city is within easy range +of these guns, the eight-inch being capable of firing 9,500 +yards, the thirteen-inch, of course, much farther. The ships +can so lie that with a range of 8,000 yards they can reach +the centre of the city.</p> + +<p>I make this suggestion of a surrender purely in a +humanitarian spirit. I do not wish to cause the slaughter of +any more men, either of your Excellency's forces or my own, +the final result, under circumstances so disadvantageous to +your Excellency being a foregone conclusion.</p> + +<p>As your Excellency may wish to make reference of so +momentous a question to your Excellency's home government, +it is for this purpose that I have placed the time of the +resumption of hostilities sufficiently far in the future to +allow a reply being received.</p> + +<p>I beg an early answer from your Excellency.</p> + +<p>I have the honor to be,</p> + +<p class="letterClose3"> +Very respectfully, your obedient servant,</p> +<p class="author-up">W. R. SHAFTER,<br /> +Major-General, Commanding.</p> +</blockquote> + +<blockquote> +<p class="letterDate"> +Headquarters Fifth Army Corps,<br /> +Camp near Santiago, July 9, 1898.</p> +<p>Hon. Secretary of War, Washington, D.C.</p> + +<p>I forwarded General Toral's proposition to evacuate the town +this morning without consulting any one. Since then I have +seen the general officers commanding divisions, who agree +with me in that it should be accepted.</p> +<p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page334" id="page334"></a>[pg 334]</span> +</p> +<p>1st. It releases at once the harbor.</p> + +<p>2d. It permits the return of thousands of women, children +and old men, who have left the town, fearing bombardment, +and are now suffering fearfully where they are, though I am +doing my best to supply them with food.</p> + +<p>3d. It saves the great destruction of property which a +bombardment would entail, most of which belongs to Cubans +and foreign residents.</p> + +<p>4th. It at once releases this command while it is in good +health for operations elsewhere. There are now three cases +of yellow fever at Siboney in a Michigan regiment, and if it +gets started, no one knows where it will stop.</p> + +<p>We lose by this, simply some prisoners we do not want and +the arms they carry. I believe many of them will desert and +return to our lines. I was told by a sentinel who deserted +last night that two hundred men wanted to come, but were +afraid our men would fire upon them.</p> + +<p class="author-up">W.R. SHAFTER,<br /> +Major-General, United States Volunteers.</p> +</blockquote> + +<p>Reply.</p> + +<blockquote> +<p class="letterDate"> +Washington, D.C., July 9, 1898.</p> +<p>Major-General Shafter, Playa, Cuba.</p> + +<p>In reply to your telegram recommending terms of evacuation +as proposed by the Spanish commander, after careful +consideration by the President and Secretary of War, I am +directed to say that you have repeatedly been advised that +you would not be expected to make an assault upon the enemy +at Santiago until you were prepared to do the work +thoroughly. When you are ready this will be done. Your +telegram of this morning said your position was impregnable +and that you believed the enemy would yet surrender +unconditionally. You have also assured us that you could +force their surrender by cutting off their supplies. Under +these circumstances, your message recommending that Spanish +troops be permitted to evacuate and proceed without +molestation to Holguin is a great surprise and is not +approved. The responsibility for the destruction and +distress to the inhabitants rests entirely with the Spanish +commander. The Secretary of War orders that when you are +strong enough to destroy the enemy and take Santiago, you do +it. If you have not force enough, it will be despatched to +you at the earliest moment possible. Reinforcements are on +the way of +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page335" id="page335"></a>[pg 335]</span> + which you have already been apprised. In the +meantime, nothing is lost by holding the position you now +have, and which you regard as impregnable.</p> + +<p> +Acknowledge receipt. By order of the Secretary of War.</p> + +<p class="author-up">(Signed) H.C. CORBIN, Adjutant-General.</p> +</blockquote> + +<blockquote> +<p class="letterDate"> +Headquarters United States Forces,<br /> +Camp near San Juan River, Cuba, July 11, 1898.</p> +<p> +To His Excellency, the Commander-in-Chief of the Spanish Forces, +Santiago de Cuba.</p> + +<p>Sir:—With the largely increased forces which have come to +me, and the fact that I have your line of retreat securely +within my hands, the time seems fitting that I should again +demand of your Excellency the surrender of Santiago and your +Excellency's army. I am authorized to state that should your +Excellency so desire, the Government of the United States +will transport your entire command to Spain. I have the +honor to be,</p> + +<p class="letterClose3">Very respectfully, your obedient servant,</p> +<p class="author-up">WILLIAM R. SHAFTER,<br /> +Major-General, Commanding.</p> +</blockquote> + +<p>Reply.</p> + +<blockquote> +<p class="letterDate"> +Army of the Island of Cuba, Fourth Corps,<br /> +July 11, 1898.</p> +<p> +To His Excellency, the Commander-in-Chief of the Forces of +the United States, in the Camp of the San Juan.</p> + +<p>Esteemed Sir:—I have the honor to advise your Eminence that +your communication of this date is received, and in reply +desire to confirm that which I said in my former +communication, and also to advise you that I have +communicated your proposition to the General-in-Chief. +Reiterating my sentiments, I am,</p> + +<p class="letterClose3"> +Very respectfully, your obedient servant,</p> +<p class="author-up"> +(Signed) JOSE TORAL,<br /> +Commander-in-Chief of the Fourth Corps and Military Governor +of Santiago.</p> +</blockquote> + +<blockquote> +<p class="letterDate"> +Headquarters Fifth Army Corps,<br /> +Camp near Santiago de Cuba, July 12, 1898.</p> +<p> +To His Excellency, Commander-in-Chief of Spanish Forces, Santiago de Cuba.</p> + +<p>Sir:—I have the honor to inform your Excellency that I have +already +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page336" id="page336"></a>[pg 336]</span> + ordered a suspension of hostilities, and I will +repeat that order, granting in this manner a reasonable +time within which you may receive an answer to the message +sent to the Government of Spain, which time will end +to-morrow at 12 o'clock noon.</p> + +<p>I think it my duty to inform your Excellency that during +this armistice I will not move any of my troops that occupy +the advanced line, but the forces that arrived to-day and +which are debarking at Siboney require moving to this camp.</p> + +<p>I wish that your Excellency would honor me with a personal +interview to-morrow morning at 9 o'clock. I will come +accompanied by the Commanding General of the American army, +and by an interpreter, which will permit you to be +accompanied by two or three persons of your staff who speak +English. Hoping for a favorable answer, I have the honor to +be,</p> + +<p class="letterClose3"> +Very respectfully, your obedient servant,</p> +<p class="author-up">WILLIAM R. SHAFTER,<br /> +Major-General, Commanding.</p> +</blockquote> + +<blockquote> +<p class="letterDate"> +Army of the Island of +<ins class="correction" title="Transcriber's Note: The original text reads 'Cuma'">Cuba,</ins> +Fourth Corps,<br /> +Santiago de cuba, July 12, 1898—9 P. M.</p> +<p>To His Excellency, the General of the American Troops.</p> + +<p>Esteemed Sir:—I have the honor to answer your favor of this +date, inform your Excellency that in deference to your +desires I will be much honored by a conference with his +Excellency, the Commanding General of your army, and your +Excellency, to-morrow morning at the hour you have seen fit +to appoint.</p> + +<p class="letterClose3"> +Very respectfully, your obedient servant,</p> +<p class="author-up">(Signed) JOSE TORAL,<br /> +Commander-in-Chief of the Fourth Army Corps.</p> +</blockquote> + +<blockquote><p>Preliminary agreement for the capitulation of the Spanish +forces which constitute the division of Santiago de Cuba, +occupying the territory herein set forth, said capitulation +authorized by the Commander-in-Chief of the Island of Cuba, +agreed to by General Toral and awaiting the approbation of +the Government at Madrid, and subject to the following +conditions:</p> + +<p>Submitted by the undersigned Commissioners—</p> + +<p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page337" id="page337"></a>[pg 337]</span> +Brigadier-General Don Frederick Escario, Lieutenant-Colonel +of Staff Don Ventura Fontan and Mr. Robert Mason, of the +city of Santiago de Cuba, representing General Toral, +commanding Spanish forces, to Major-General Joseph Wheeler, +U.S.V., Major-General H.W. Lawton, U.S.V., and First +Lieutenant J.D. Miley, Second Artillery, A.D.C, representing +General Shafter, commanding American forces, for the +capitulation of the Spanish forces comprised in that portion +of the Island of Cuba east of a line passing through +Aserradero, Dos Palmas, Palma Soriano, Cauto Abajo, +Escondida, Tanamo and Aguilera, said territory being known +as the Eastern District of Santiago, commanded by General +Jose Toral.</p> + +<p>1. That pending arrangements for capitulation all +hostilities between American and Spanish forces in this +district shall absolutely and unequivocally cease.</p> + +<p>2. That this capitulation includes all the forces and war +material in said territory.</p> + +<p>3. That after the signing of the final capitulation the +United States agrees, with as little delay as possible, to +transport all the Spanish troops in said district to the +Kingdom of Spain, the troops, as near as possible, to embark +at the port nearest the garrison they now occupy.</p> + +<p>4. That the officers of the Spanish Army be permitted to +retain their side arms, and both officers and enlisted men +their personal property.</p> + +<p>5. That after final capitulation the Spanish authorities +agree without delay to remove, or assist the American Navy +in removing, all mines or other obstructions to navigation +now in the harbor of Santiago and its mouth.</p> + +<p>6. That after final capitulation the commander of the +Spanish forces deliver without delay a complete inventory of +all arms and munitions of war of the Spanish forces and a +roster of the said forces now in the above-described +district, to the commander of the American forces.</p> + +<p>7. That the commander of the Spanish forces, in leaving said +district, is authorized to carry with him all military +archives and r +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page338" id="page338"></a>[pg 338]</span> +ecords pertaining to the Spanish Army now in +said district.</p> + +<p>8. That all of that portion of the Spanish forces known as +Volunteers, Movilizados and Guerillas, who wish to remain in +the Island of Cuba are permitted to do so under parole not +to take up arms against the United States during the +continuance of the war between Spain and the United States, +delivering up their arms.</p> + +<p>9. That the Spanish forces will march out of Santiago de +Cuba with honors of war, depositing their arms thereafter at +a point mutually agreed upon, to await their disposition by +the United States Government, it being understood that the +United States Commissioners will recommend that the Spanish +soldier return to Spain with the arms he so bravely +defended.</p> + +<p>Entered into this fifteenth day of July, eighteen hundred +and ninety-eight, by the undersigned Commissioners, acting +under instructions from their respecting commanding +generals.</p> + +<p> +(Signed)<br /> +JOSEPH WHEELER,<br /> +<i>Major-General U.S. Vols.</i>;<br /> +<br /> +H.W. LAWTON,<br /> +<i>Major-General U.S. Vols.</i>;<br /> +<br /> +J.D. MILEY,<br /> +<i>1st Lieut. 2d Art., A.D.C. to General Shafter.</i></p> +<p class="author-up"> +FREDERICO ESCARIO,<br /> +VENTURA FONTAN,<br /> +ROBERT MASON.<br /> +</p> +</blockquote> + +<blockquote> +<p class="letterDate"> +Army of the Island of Cuba, Fourth Corps,<br /> +Santiago de Cuba, July 12, 1898—9 P.M.</p> +<p>To His Excellency, the General-in-Chief of the American Forces,</p> + +<p>Esteemed Sir:—As I am now authorized by my Government to +capitulate, I have the honor to so advise you, requesting +you to designate the hour and place where my representatives +should appear, to concur with those of your Excellency to +edit the articles of capitulation on the basis of what has +been agreed upon to this date.</p> + +<p>In due time I wish to manifest to your Excellency my desire +to know the +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page339" id="page339"></a>[pg 339]</span> + resolution of the United States Government +respecting the return of the arms, so as to note it in the +capitulation; also for their great courtesy and gentlemanly +deportment I wish to thank your Grace's representatives, and +in return for their generous and noble efforts for the +Spanish soldiers, I hope your Government will allow them to +return to the Peninsula with the arms that the American army +do them the honor to acknowledge as having dutifully +defended.</p> + +<p>Reiterating my former sentiments, I remain,</p> + +<p class="letterClose3"> +Very respectfully, your obedient servant,</p> +<p class="author-up">JOSE TORAL,<br /> +Commander-in-Chief of the Fourth Army Corps.</p> +</blockquote> + +<blockquote> +<p class="letterDate"> +At Neutral Camp, near Santiago, Under a Flag of Truce,<br /> +July 14, 1898.</p> + +<p>Recognizing the chivalry, courage and gallantry of Generals +Linares and Toral, and of the soldiers of Spain who were +engaged in the battles recently fought in the vicinity of +Santiago de Cuba, as displayed in said battles, we, the +undersigned officers of the United States army, who had the +honor to be engaged in said battle, and are now a duly +organized commission, treating with a like commission of +officers of the Spanish army, for the capitulation of +Santiago de Cuba, unanimously join in earnestly soliciting +the proper authority to accord to these brave and chivalrous +soldiers the privilege of returning to their country bearing +the arms they have so bravely defended.</p> + +<p class="author-up"> +JOSEPH WHEELER,<br /> +Major-General, U.S. Vols.<br /> +<br /> +H. W. LAWTON,<br /> +Major-General, U.S. Vols.<br /> +<br /> +First Lieut., 2d Art., A.D.C.<br /> +J. D. MILEY.<br /> +</p> +</blockquote> + +<blockquote> +<p class="letterDate"> +Army of the Island of Cuba, Fourth Corps,<br /> +Santiago de Cuba, July 16, 1898.</p> +<p> +To His Excellency, the Commander-in-Chief of the Forces of +the United States.</p> + +<p>Esteemed Sir:—At half-past 11 I received your communication +of this date, and I am sorry to advise you that it is +impossible for my representatives to come to the appointed +place at midday, as you wish, as I must meet them and give +them their instructions.</p> + +<p>If agre +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page340" id="page340"></a>[pg 340]</span> +eable to you, will you defer the visit until 4 P.M. +to-day or until 7 to-morrow morning, and in the meanwhile +the obstacles to the entrance of the Red Cross will be +removed from the harbor.</p> + +<p>I beg your Honor will make clear what force you wish me to +retire from the railroad, as, if it is that in Aguadores, I +would authorize the repair of the bridge at once by your +engineers; and if it is that on the heights to the left of +your lines, I beg you will specify with more precision.</p> + +<p>I have ordered those in charge of the aqueduct to proceed at +once to repair it with the means at their command.</p> + +<p>Awaiting your reply, I remain,</p> + +<p class="letterClose3"> +Very respectfully, your obedient servant,</p> +<p class="author-up">JOSE TORAL,<br /> +Commander-in-Chief of the Fourth Army Corps.</p> +</blockquote> + +<blockquote> +<p class="letterDate"> +Headquarters Fifth Army Corps,<br /> +Camp, July 16, 1898.</p> +<p> +To His Excellency, General Jose Toral, Commanding Spanish Forces +in Eastern Cuba.</p> + +<p>Sir:—I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your +Excellency's letter of this date, notifying me that the +Government at Madrid approves your action, and requesting +that I designate officers to arrange for and receive the +surrender of the forces of your Excellency. This I do, +nominating Major-General Wheeler, Major-General Lawton, and +my aide, Lieutenant Miley. I have to request that your +Excellency at once withdraw your troops from along the +railway to Aguadores, and from the bluff in rear of my left; +also that you at once direct the removal of the obstructions +at the entrance to the harbor or assist the navy in doing +so, as it is of the utmost importance that I at once get +vessels loaded with food into the harbor.</p> + +<p>The repair of the railroad will, I am told, require a week's +time. I shall, as I have said to your Excellency, urge my +Government that the gallant men your Excellency has so ably +commanded have returned to Spain with them the arms they +have wielded. With great respect, I remain,</p> + +<p class="letterClose3"> +Your obedient servant and friend,</p> +<p class="author-up">WILLIAM R. SHAFTER,<br /> +General, Commanding.</p> +</blockquote><p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page341" id="page341"></a>[pg 341]</span> +</p> + +<blockquote><p>Terms of the Military Convention for the capitulation of the +Spanish forces occupying the territory which constitutes the +Division of Santiago de Cuba and described as follows: All +that portion of the Island of Cuba east of a line passing +through Aserradero, Dos Palmas, Cauto Abajo, Escondida, +Tanamo and Aguilara, said troops being in command of General +Jose Toral; agreed upon by the undersigned Commissioners: +Brigadier-General Don Federico Escario, Lieutenant-Colonel +of Staff Don Ventura Fontan, and as Interpreter, Mr. Robert +Mason, of the city of Santiago de Cuba, appointed by General +Toral, commanding the Spanish forces, on behalf of the +Kingdom of Spain, and Major-General Joseph Wheeler, U.S.V., +Major-General H.W. Lawton, U.S.V., and First Lieutenant J.D. +Miley, Second Artillery, A.D.C., appointed by General +Shafter, commanding the American forces on behalf of the +United States:</p> + +<p>1. That all hostilities between the American and Spanish +forces in this district absolutely and unequivocally cease.</p> + +<p>2. That this capitulation includes all the forces and war +material in said territory.</p> + +<p>3. That the United States agrees, with as little delay as +possible, to transport all the Spanish troops in said +district to the Kingdom of Spain, the troops being embarked, +as far as possible at the port nearest the garrison they now +occupy.</p> + +<p>4. That the officers of the Spanish +<ins class="correction" title="Transcriber's Note: The original text reads 'Arm'">Army</ins> +be permitted to +retain their side arms, and both officers and private +soldiers their personal property.</p> + +<p>5. That the Spanish authorities agree to remove, or assist +the American Navy in removing, all mines or other +obstructions to navigation now in the harbor of Santiago and +its mouth.</p> + +<p>6. That the commander of the Spanish forces deliver without +delay a complete inventory of all arms and munitions of war +of the Spanish forces in above described district to the +commander of the American forces; also a roster of said +forces now in said district.</p> + +<p>7. That the commander of the Spanish forces, in leaving said + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page342" id="page342"></a>[pg 342]</span> +district, is authorized to carry with him all military +archives and records pertaining to the Spanish Army now in +said district.</p> + +<p>8. That all that portion of the Spanish forces known as +Volunteers, Movilizados and Guerillas, who wish to remain in +the Island of Cuba, are permitted to do so upon the +condition of delivering up their arms and taking a parole +not to bear arms against +<ins class="correction" title="Transcriber's Note: The original text reads 'he'">the</ins> +United States during the +continuance of the present war between Spain and the United +States.</p> + +<p>9. That the Spanish forces will march out of Santiago de +Cuba with the honors of war, depositing their arms +thereafter at a point mutually agreed upon, to await their +disposition by the United States Government, it being +understood that the United States Commissioners will +recommend that the Spanish soldier return to Spain with the +arms he so bravely defended.</p> + +<p>10. That the provisions of the foregoing instrument become +operative immediately upon its being signed.</p> + +<p>Entered into this sixteenth day of July, eighteen hundred +and ninety-eight, by the undersigned Commissioners, acting +under instructions from their respective commanding generals +and with the approbation of their respective governments.</p> + +<p> +(Signed)<br /> +JOSEPH WHEELER,<br /> +<i>Major-General U.S. Vols.</i>;<br /> +<br /> +H.W. LAWTON,<br /> +<i>Major-General U.S. Vols.</i>;<br /> +<br /> +J.D. MILEY,<br /> +<i>1st Lieut. 2d Art., A.D.C. to General Shafter.</i></p> +<p class="author-up"> +FREDERICO ESCARIO,<br /> +VENTURA FONTAN,<br /> +ROBERT MASON.<br /> +</p> +</blockquote><p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page343" id="page343"></a>[pg 343]</span> +</p> + +<p>The following dispatch, sent by General Linares, will show how +desperate were the straits into which he had been driven and how +earnestly he desired to be granted authority to avoid further fighting +by the surrender of his forces at Santiago:</p> + +<blockquote> +<p class="letterDate"> +Santiago de Cuba, July 12, 1898.</p> +<p> +The General-in-Chief to the Secretary of War. +</p> + +<p>Although prostrated in bed from weakness and pain, my mind +is troubled by the situation of our suffering troops, and +therefore I think it my duty to address myself to you, Mr. +Secretary, and describe the true situation.</p> + +<p>The enemy's forces very near city; ours extended fourteen +kilometres (14,000 yards). Our troops exhausted and sickly +in an alarming proportion. Cannot be brought to the +hospital—needing them in trenches. Cattle without fodder or +hay. Fearful storm of rain, which has been pouring +continuously for past twenty-four hours. Soldiers without +permanent shelter. Their only food rice, and not much of +that. They have no way of changing or drying their clothing. +Our losses were very heavy—many chiefs and officers among +the dead, wounded and sick. Their absence deprives the +forces of their leaders in this very critical moment. Under +these conditions it is impossible to open a breach on the +enemy, because it would take a third of our men who cannot +go out, and whom the enemy would decimate. The result would +be a terrible disaster, without obtaining, as you desire, +the salvation of eleven maimed battalions. To make a sortie +protected by the division at Holguin, it is necessary to +attack the enemy's lines simultaneously, and the forces of +Holguin cannot come here except after many long days' +marching. Impossible for them to transport rations. +Unfortunately, the situation is desperate. The surrender is +imminent, otherwise we will only gain time to prolong our +agony. The sacrifice would be sterile, and the men +understand this. With his lines so near us, the enemy will +annihilate us without exposing his own, as he did yesterday, +bombarding by land elevations without our being able to +discover their batteries, and by sea the fleet has a perfect +knowledge of the place, and bombards with a mathematical +accuracy. Santiago is no Gerona, a walled city, part of the +mother country, and defended inch by inch by her own people +without distinction—old men a +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page344" id="page344"></a>[pg 344]</span> +nd women who helped with their +lives, moved by the holy idea of freedom, and with the hope +of help, which they received. Here I am alone. All the +people have fled, even those holding public offices, almost +without exception. Only the priests remain, and they wish to +leave the city to-day, headed by their archbishop. These +defenders do not start now a campaign full of enthusiasm and +energy, but for three years they have been fighting the +climate, privations and fatigue, and now they have to +confront this critical situation when they have no +enthusiasm or physical strength. They have no ideals, +because they defend the property of people who have deserted +them and those who are the allies of the American forces.</p> + +<p>The honor of arms has its limit, and I appeal to the +judgment of the Government and of the entire nation whether +these patient +<ins class="correction" title="Transcriber's Note: The original text reads 'trops'">troops</ins> +have not repeatedly saved it since May +18th—date of first bombardment. If it is necessary that I +sacrifice them for reasons unknown to me, or if it is +necessary for some one to take responsibility for the issue +foreseen and announced by me in several telegrams, I +willingly offer myself as a sacrifice to my country, and I +will take charge of the command for the act of surrender, as +my modest reputation is of small value when the reputation +of the nation is at stake.</p> + +<p class="author">(Signed) LINARES.</p> +</blockquote> + +<p>Thus surrendered to our forces about 23,500 Spanish troops, of whom +about 11,000 had been in the garrison of Santiago, the others having +been stationed in garrisons outside of the city, but belonging to the +Division of Santiago. With them were also surrendered 100 cannon, 18 +machine guns and over 25,000 rifles. The troops were all sent back to +Spain in vessels of their own nation and flying their own flag. We had +lost in battles with them before the surrender 23 officers killed and +237 men; and 100 officers and 1,332 men wounded.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" > +<img src="images/image04.png" alt="Chapter End Graphic" title="" /> +</div> + +<hr class="full" /> + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Colored Regulars in the United +States Army, by T. G. Steward + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE COLORED REGULARS *** + +***** This file should be named 16750-h.htm or 16750-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/6/7/5/16750/ + +Produced by Suzanne Shell, Richard J. 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G. Steward + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Colored Regulars in the United States Army + +Author: T. G. Steward + +Release Date: September 25, 2005 [EBook #16750] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE COLORED REGULARS *** + + + + +Produced by Suzanne Shell, Richard J. Shiffer, and the PG +Online Distributed Proofreading Team. + + + + + + + + + +THE COLORED REGULARS + +IN THE UNITED STATES ARMY + + +With a Sketch of the History of the Colored American, and an Account of +His Services in the Wars of the Country, from the +Period of the Revolutionary War to 1899. + + +INTRODUCTORY LETTER FROM + +Lieutenant-General Nelson A. Miles +Commanding the Army of the United States. + + * * * * * + +By CHAPLAIN T.G. STEWARD, D.D., +Twenty-fifth U.S. Infantry. + + +Philadelphia +A.M.E. Book Concern, +631 Pine Street. + +1904 + + +[Illustration: Chaplain T.G. Steward, D.D.] + + + + +TABLE OF CONTENTS. + + +INTRODUCTORY. + +CHAPTER I.--SKETCH OF SOCIAL HISTORY. + +The Importation of the Africans. Character of the Colored Population +in 1860. Colored Population in British West Indian Possessions. Free +Colored People of the South. Free Colored People of the North. Notes. + 21 + +CHAPTER II.--THE AMERICAN NEGRO AND THE MILITARY SPIRIT. + +Early Literature of Negro Soldiers. Negro Soldiers in the War of the +Revolution. The War of 1812. Negro Insurrections. Negro Troops in the +Civil War. Notes. 57 + +CHAPTER III.--THE BLACK REGULARS OF THE ARMY OF INVASION IN THE +SPANISH WAR. + +Organization of Negro Regiments in the Regular Army. First Movement in +the War. Chickamauga and Tampa. Notes. 84 + +CHAPTER IV.--BRIEF SKETCH OF SPANISH HISTORY. 107 + +CHAPTER V.--PASSAGE, LANDING, AND FIRST BATTLE IN CUBA. + +The Tenth Cavalry at Guasimas. The "Rescue of the Rough Riders." Was +there an Ambush? Notes. 116 + +CHAPTER VI.--THE BATTLE OF EL CANEY. + +The Capture of the Stone Fort by the Twenty-fifth Infantry. 150 + +CHAPTER VII.--SAN JUAN. + +Cavalry Division: The Ninth and Tenth Regiments. Kent's Division: The +Twenty-fourth Infantry. Forming under fire. A Gallant Charge. 191 + +CHAPTER VIII.--SAN JUAN (Continued). + +Kent's Division. The Twenty-fourth Infantry. Forming Under Fire. A +Gallant Charge. 208 + +CHAPTER IX.--THE SURRENDER AND AFTERWARDS. + +In the Trenches. The Twenty-fourth in the Fever Camp. Are Negro +Soldiers Immune? Camp Wikoff. 220 + +CHAPTER X.--REVIEW AND REFLECTIONS. + +Gallantry of the Black Regulars. Diary of Sergeant Major E.L. Baker, +Tenth Cavalry. 236 + +CHAPTER XI.--THE COLORED VOLUNTEERS. + +The Ninth Ohio Battalion. Eighth Illinois. Twenty-third Kansas. Third +North Carolina. Sixth Virginia. Third Alabama. The Immunes. 282 + +CHAPTER XII.--COLORED OFFICERS. + +By Captain Frank R. Steward, A.B., LL.B., Harvard, 49th U. S. +Volunteer Infantry. 299 + +APPENDIX. 328 + + + + +PREFACE. + + +The material out of which the story of the COLORED REGULARS has been +constructed has been collected with great pains, and upon it has been +expended a serious amount of labor and care. All the movements of the +Cuban campaign, and particularly of the battles, have been carefully +studied by the aid of official reports, and conversations and +correspondence with those who participated in them. The work has been +performed with an earnest desire to obtain and present the truth, +hoping that the reader will be inspired by it to a more profound +respect for the brave and skilled black men who passed through that +severe baptism of fire and suffering, contributing their full share to +their country's honor. + +It is also becoming in this place to mention with gratitude the +encouragement given by the War Department both in granting me the time +in which to do the work, and also in supplying me with documents and +furnishing other facilities. By this enlightened course on the part of +the Department great aid has been given to historical science, and, +incidentally, very important service rendered to the cause of freedom +and humanity. A struggling people has been helped and further glory +reflected upon the Government. The President, himself, has manifested +a kindly interest in the work, and has wished that the story of the +black soldiers should be told to the world. The interest of the +Commanding General of the Army is shown in his letter. + +Thus encouraged from official sources and receiving the most hearty +words of cheer from friends, of whom none has been more potent or more +earnest than Bishop B.W. Arnett, D.D., of the African M.E. Church, I +have, after five months of severe labor, about completed my task, so +far as I find it in my power to complete it; and trusting that the +majesty and interest of the story itself will atone for any defects in +the style of the narration, the volume is now offered to a sympathetic +public, affectionately dedicated to the men whose heroic services have +furnished the theme for my pen. + +T.G. STEWARD. +Wilberforce, Ohio, September, 1899. + + + + +LETTER FROM GENERAL MILES. + + +Headquarters of the Army, Washington, August 5, 1899. + +Rev. T.G. Steward, Chaplain 25th Infantry, Wilberforce, Ohio. + +Dear Sir:--Your letter of the 20th ultimo was duly received, but my +time has been so much engrossed with official duties, requiring my +presence part of the time out of the city, that it has not been +practicable to comply with your request earlier; and even now I can +only reply very briefly. + +You will remember that my acquaintance with negro character commenced +during the Civil War. The colored race then presented itself to me in +the character of numerous contrabands of war, and as a people who, +individually, yearned for the light and life of liberty. Ages of +slavery had reduced them to the lowest ebb of manhood. From that +degree of degradation I have been an interested spectator of the +marvelously rapid evolution of the down-trodden race. From the +commencement of this evolution to the present time I have been more or +less in a position to closely observe their progress. At the close of +the war I was in command of one of the very important military +districts of the South, and my concern for the welfare of all the +people of that district, not excluding the people of color, you will +find evidenced in the measures taken by me, more especially in regard +to educational matters, at that time. The first regiment which I +commanded on entering the Regular Army of the United States at the +close of the war was made up of colored troops. That regiment--the +40th Infantry--achieved a reputation for military conduct which forms +a record that may be favorably compared with the best regiments in the +service. Then, again, refer to my General Order No. 1, issued after +the fall of Santiago, and you will see that recognition is not +grudgingly given to the troops who heroically fought there, whether of +American, of African, or of Latin descent. If so early in the second +generation of the existence of the race in the glorious light of +liberty it produces such orators as Douglas, such educators as Booker +T. Washington, such divines as the Afro-American Bishops, what may we +not expect of the race when it shall have experienced as many +generations of growth and development as the Anglo-Saxons who now +dominate the thought, the inventive genius, the military prowess, and +the commercial enterprise of the world! Very truly yours, + +NELSON A. MILES. + + +[Illustration: Lieutenant-General Nelson A. Miles.] + + + + +Headquarters of the Army, +Siboney, Cuba, July 16, 1898. + +General Field Orders No. 1. + +The gratifying success of the American arms at Santiago de Cuba and +some features of a professional character both important and +instructive, are hereby announced to the army. + +The declaration of war found our country with a small army scattered +over a vast territory. The troops composing this army were speedily +mobilized at Tampa, Fla. Before it was possible to properly equip a +volunteer force, strong appeals for aid came from the navy, which had +inclosed in the harbor of Santiago de Cuba an important part of the +Spanish fleet. At that time the only efficient fighting force +available was the United States Army, and in order to organize a +command of sufficient strength, the cavalry had to be sent dismounted +to Santiago de Cuba with the infantry and artillery. + +The expedition thus formed was placed under command of Major-General +Shafter. Notwithstanding the limited time to equip and organize an +expedition of this character, there was never displayed a nobler +spirit of patriotism and fortitude on the part of officers and men +going forth to mantain the honor of their country. After encountering +the vicissitudes of an ocean voyage, they were obliged to disembark on +a foreign shore and immediately engage in an aggressive campaign. +Under drenching storms, intense and prostrating heat, within a +fever-afflicted district, with little comfort or rest, either by day +or night, they pursued their purpose of finding and conquering the +enemy. Many of them, trained in the severe experience of the great +war, and in frequent campaigns on the Western plains, officers and men +alike exhibited a great skill, fortitude, and tenacity, with results +which have added a new chapter of glory to their country's history. +Even when their own generals in several cases were temporarily +disabled, the troops fought on with the same heroic spirit until +success was finally achieved. In many instances the officers placed +themselves in front of their commands, and under their direct and +skillful leadership the trained troops of a brave army were driven +from the thickets and jungles of an almost inaccessible country. In +the open field the troops stormed intrenched infantry, and carried and +captured fortified works with an unsurpassed daring and disregard of +death. By gaining commanding ground they made the harbor of Santiago +untenable for the Spanish fleet, and practically drove it out to a +speedy destruction by the American Navy. + +While enduring the hardships and privations of such campaign, the +troops generously shared their scanty food with the 5,000 Cuban +patriots in arms, and the suffering people who had fled from the +besieged city. With the twenty-four regiments and four batteries, the +flower of the United States Army, were also three volunteer regiments. +These though unskilled in warfare, yet, inspired with the same spirit, +contributed to the victory, suffered hardships, and made sacrifices +with the rest. Where all did so well, it is impossible, by special +mention, to do justice to those who bore conspicuous part. But of +certain unusual features mention cannot be omitted, namely, the +cavalry dismounted, fighting and storming works as infantry, and a +regiment of colored troops, who, having shared equally in the heroism +as well as the sacrifices, is now voluntarily engaged in nursing +yellow-fever patients and burying the dead. The gallantry, patriotism +and sacrifices of the American Army, as illustrated in this brief +campaign, will be fully appreciated by a grateful country, and the +heroic deeds of those who have fought and fallen in the cause of +freedom will ever be cherished in sacred memory and be an inspiration +to the living. + +By command of Major-General Miles: + +J.C. GILMORE, +Brigadier-General, United States Volunteers. + + + + +INTRODUCTORY. + + +To write the history of the Negro race within that part of the western +world known as the United States of America would be a task to which +one might devote a life time and still fail in its satisfactory +accomplishment. The difficulties lying in the way of collecting and +unifying the material are very great; and that of detecting the inner +life of the people much greater. Facts and dates are to history what +color and proportion are to the painting. Employed by genius, color +and form combine in a language that speaks to the soul, giving +pleasure and instruction to the beholder; so the facts and dates +occurring along the pathway of a people, when gathered and arranged by +labor and care, assume a voice and a power which they have not +otherwise. As these facts express the thoughts and feelings, and the +growth, of a people, they become the language in which that people +writes its history, and the work of the historian is to read and +interpret this history for the benefit of his fellow men. + +Borrowing a second illustration from the work of the artist, it may be +said, that as nature reveals her secrets only to him whose soul is in +deepest sympathy with her moods and movements, so a people's history +can be discovered only by one whose heart throbs in unison with those +who have made the history. To write the history of any people +successfully one must read it by the heart; and the best part of +history, like the best part of the picture, must ever remain +unexpressed. The artist sees more, and feels more than he is able to +transfer to his canvas, however entrancing his presentation; and the +historian sees and feels more than his brightest pages convey to his +readers. Nothing less than a profound respect and love for humankind +and a special attraction toward a particular people and age, can fit +one to engage in so sublime a task as that of translating the history +of a people into the language of common men. + +The history of the American Negro differs very widely from that of any +people whose life-story has been told; and when it shall come to be +known and studied will open an entirely new view of experience. In it +we shall be able to see what has never before been discovered in +history; to wit: the absolute beginning of a people. Brought to these +shores by the ship-load as freight, and sold as merchandise; entirely +broken away from the tribes, races, or nations of their native land; +recognized only, as African slaves, and forbidden all movement looking +toward organic life; deprived of even the right of family or of +marriage, and corrupted in the most shameless manner by their powerful +and licentious oppressors--it is from this heterogeneous protoplasm +that the American Negro has been developed. The foundation from which +he sprang had been laid by piecemeal as the slave ships made their +annual deposits of cargoes brought from different points on the West +Coast, and basely corrupted as is only too well known; yet out of it +has grown, within less than three hundred years, an organic people. +Grandfathers, and great-grandfathers are among them; and personal +acquaintance is exceedingly wide. In the face of slavery and against +its teaching and its power, overcoming the seduction of the master +class, and the coarse and brutal corruptions of the baser overseer +class, the African slave persistently strove to clothe himself with +the habiliments of civilization, and so prepared himself for social +organization that as soon as the hindrances were removed, this vast +people almost immediately set themselves in families; and for over +thirty years they have been busily engaged hunting up the lost roots +of their family trees. We know the pit whence the Afro-American race +was dug, the rock whence he was hewn; he was born here on this soil, +from a people who in the classic language of the Hebrew prophet, could +be described as, No People. + +That there has been a majestic evolution quietly but rapidly going on +in this mass, growing as it was both by natural development and by +accretion, is plainly evident. Heterogeneous as were the fragments, by +the aid of a common language and a common lot, and cruel yet partially +civilizing control, the whole people were forced into a common outward +form, and to a remarkable extent, into the same ways of thinking. The +affinities within were really aided by the repulsions without, and +when finally freed from slavery, for an ignorant and inexperienced +people, they presented an astonishing spectacle of unity. Socially, +politically and religiously, their power to work together showed +itself little less than marvellous. The Afro-American, developing from +this slave base, now directs great organizations of a religious +character, and in comprehensive sweep invites to his co-operation the +inhabitants of the isles of the sea and of far-off Africa. He is +joining with the primitive, strong, hopeful and expanding races of +Southern Africa, and is evidently preparing for a day that has not yet +come. + +The progress made thus far by the people is somewhat like that made by +the young, man who hires himself to a farmer and takes his pay in +farming stock and utensils. He is thus acquiring the means to stock a +farm, and the skill and experience necessary to its successful +management at the same time. His career will not appear important, +however, until the day shall arrive when he will set up for himself. +The time spent on the farm of another was passed in comparative +obscurity; but without it the more conspicuous period could never have +followed. So, now, the American colored people are making history, but +it is not of that kind that gains the attention of writers. Having no +political organizations, governments or armies they are not performing +those deeds of splendor in statesmanship and war over which the pen of +the historian usually delights to linger. The people, living, growing, +reading, thinking, working, suffering, advancing and dying--these are +all common-place occurrences, neither warming the heart of the +observer, nor capable of brightening the page of the chronicler. This, +however, is, with the insignificant exception of Liberia, all that is +yet to be found in the brief history of the Afro-American race. + +The period for him to set up for himself has not yet come, and he is +still acquiring means and training within a realm controlled in all +respects by a people who maintain toward him an attitude of absolute +social exclusion. His is the history of a people marching from nowhere +to somewhere, but with no well-defined Canaan before them and no Moses +to lead. It is indeed, on their part, a walk by faith, for as yet the +wisest among the race cannot tell even the direction of the journey. +Before us lie surely three possible destinies, if not four; yet it is +not clear toward which one of these we are marching. Are we destined +to see the African element of America's population blend with the +Euro-American element and be lost in a common people? Will the colored +American leave this home in which as a race he has been born and +reared to manhood, and find his stage of action somewhere else on +God's earth? Will he remain here as a separate and subordinate people +perpetuating the conditions of to-day only that they may become more +humiliating and exasperating? Or is there to arise a war of races in +which the blacks are to be exterminated? Who knows? Fortunately the +historian is not called upon to perform the duties of prophet. His +work is to tell what has been; and if others, building upon his +presentation of facts can deduce what is to be, it is no small tribute +to the correctness of his interpretations; for all events are parts of +one vast system ever moving toward some great end. One remark only +need be made. It is reasonable to presume that this new Afro-American +will somehow and somewhere be given an opportunity to express that +particular modification of material life which his spiritual nature +will demand. Whether that expression will be made here or elsewhere; +whether it will be higher or lower than what now surrounds us, are +questions which we may well leave to the future. + +No people can win and hold a place, either as a nation among other +nations, or as an elementary component of a nation, merely by its own +goodness or by the goodness of others. The struggle for national +existence is a familiar one, and is always initiated by a display of +physical force. Those who have the power seize territory and +government, and those who CAN, keep possession and control. It is in +some instances the backing up of right by might, and in others the +substituting of right by might. Too often the greatest of all national +crimes is to be weak. When the struggle is a quiet one, going on +within a nation, and is that of an element seeking a place in the +common social life of the country, much the same principles are +involved. It is still a question to be settled by force, no matter how +highly the claim of the weaker may be favored by reason and justice. + +The powers by which a special people may emerge from an unhappy +condition and secure improved social relations, using the word social +in its broadest sense, are physical, intellectual and material. There +must be developed manly strength and courage and a power of intellect +which will manifest itself in organization and attractiveness, and in +the aptitude of employing appropriate methods for ends in view. To +these must be added the power that comes through wealth; and thus, +with the real advancement of condition and character will come, +tardily and grudgingly perhaps, but nevertheless surely, improved +social standing. Once filled with the common national spirit, +partaking of its thoughts, entering heartily into the common +movements, having the same dress, language and manners as others, and +being as able and as willing to help as to be helped, and withal being +in fact the most intensely American element on the continent because +constructed on this soil, we may hope that the Afro-American will +ultimately win and hold his proper place. + +The history made by the American Negro has been so filled with +suffering that we have overlooked the active side. The world has heard +so much of the horrors of the "Middle Passage"; the awful sufferings +of the slave; the barbarous outrages that have been perpetrated upon +ex-slaves; the inhuman and senseless prejudices that meet colored +Americans almost everywhere on their native soil; that it has come to +look upon this recital as the whole of the story. It needs to be told +that these records constitute the dark side of the picture, dark and +horrible enough, to be sure, but this is by no means the whole +picture. If there are scenes whose representations would serve to +ornament the infernal regions, pictures over which fiends might gloat, +there are also others which angels might delight to gaze upon. There +has been much of worthy action among the colored people of this +country, wherever the bonds of oppression have been slackened enough +to allow of free movement. There have been resistance to wrong by way +of remonstrance and petition, sometimes even by force; laudable +efforts toward self-education; benevolent and philanthropic movements; +reform organizations, and commendable business enterprise both in +individuals and associations. These show a toughness of fibre and +steadiness of purpose sufficient to make the backbone of a real +history. + +The present work deals with these elements of character as they are +exhibited in the garb of the soldier. When men are willing to fight +and die for what they hold dear, they have become a moving force, +capable of disturbing the currents of history and of making a channel +for the stream of their own actions. The American Negro has evolved an +active, aggressive element in the scientific fighting men he has +produced. Individual pugilists of that race have entered all classes, +from featherweight to heavyweight, and have remained there; receiving +blows and dealing blows; showing a sturdy, positive force; mastering +and employing all the methods of attack and defence allowed in such +encounters, and supporting themselves with that fortitude and courage +so necessary to the ring. Such combats are not to be commended, as +they are usually mere tests of skill and endurance, entered into on +the principles of the gambler, and they are introduced here for the +sole purpose of showing the colored man as a positive force, yielding +only to a superior degree of force of the same kind. The soldier +stands for something far higher than the pugilist represents, although +he has need of the same qualities of physical hardihood--contempt for +suffering and coolness in the presence of danger, united with skill in +the use of his weapons. The pugilist is his own general and never +learns the high lessons of obedience; the soldier learns to +subordinate himself to his commander, and to fight bravely and +effectively under the direction of another. + +The evolution of the Afro-American soldier was the work of a short +period and suffered many interruptions. When the War of the Revolution +broke out the colored man was a slave, knowing nothing of the spirit +or the training of the soldier; before it closed several thousand +colored men had entered the army and some had won distinction for +gallantry. Less than forty years later, in the war of 1812, the black +man again appeared to take his stand under the flag of independence. +The War of Secession again witnessed the coming forth of the black +soldier, this time in important numbers and performing heroic services +on a grand scale, and under most discouraging circumstances, but with +such success that he won a place in arms for all time. When the Civil +War closed, the American black man had secured his standing as a +soldier--the evolution was complete. Henceforth he was to be found an +integral part of the Army of the United States. + +The black man passed through the trying baptism of fire in the Sixties +and came out of it a full-fledged soldier. His was worse than an +impartial trial; it was a trial before a jury strongly biased against +him; in the service of a government willing to allow him but half pay; +and in the face of a foe denying him the rights belonging to civilized +warfare. Yet against these odds, denied the dearest right of a +soldier--the hope of promotion--scorned by his companions in arms, the +Negro on more than two hundred and fifty battle-fields, demonstrated +his courage and skill, and wrung from the American nation the right to +bear arms. The barons were no more successful in their struggle with +King John when they obtained Magna Charta than were the American +Negroes with Prejudice, when they secured the national recognition of +their right and fitness to hold a place in the Standing Army of the +United States. The Afro-American soldier now takes his rank with +America's best, and in appearance, skill, physique, manners, conduct +and courage proves himself worthy of the position he holds. Combining +in his person the harvested influences of three great continents, +Europe, Africa and America, he stands up as the typical soldier of the +Western World, the latest comer in the field of arms, but yielding his +place in the line to none, and ever ready to defend his country and +his flag against any and all foes. + +The mission of this book is to make clear this evolution, giving the +historical facts with as much detail as possible, and setting forth +finally the portrait of this new soldier. That this is a prodigious +task is too evident to need assertion--a task worthy the most lofty +talents; and in essaying it I humbly confess to a sense of unfitness; +yet the work lies before me and duty orders me to enter upon it. A +Major General writes: "I wish you every success in producing a work +important both historically and for the credit of a race far more +deserving than the world has acknowledged." A Brigadier General who +commanded a colored regiment in Cuba says to me most encouragingly: +"You must allow me--for our intimate associations justify it--to write +frankly. Your education, habits of thought, fairness of judgment and +comprehension of the work you are to undertake, better fit you for +writing such a history than any person within my acquaintance. Those +noble men made the history at El Caney and San Juan; I believe you are +the man to record it. May God help you to so set forth the deeds of +that memorable first of July in front of Santiago that the world may +see in its true light what those brave, intelligent colored men did." + +Both these men fought through the Civil War and won distinction on +fields of blood. To the devout prayer offered by one of them I +heartily echo an Amen, and can only wish that in it all my friends +might join, and that God would answer it in granting me power to do +the work in such a way as to bring great good to the race and reflect +some glory to Himself, in whose name the work is undertaken. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +SKETCH OF SOCIAL HISTORY. + + The Importation of the Africans--Character of the Colored + Population in 1860--Colored Population in British West + Indian Possessions--Free Colored People of the South--Free + Colored People of the North--Notes. + + +Professor DuBois, in his exhaustive work upon the "Suppression of the +African Slave-Trade," has brought within comparatively narrow limits +the great mass of facts bearing upon his subject, and in synopses and +indices has presented all of the more important literature it has +induced. In his Monograph, published as Volume II of the Harvard +Historical Series, he has traced the rise of this nefarious traffic, +especially with reference to the American colonies, exhibited the +proportions to which it expanded, and the tenacity with which it held +on to its purpose until it met its death in the fate of the +ill-starred Southern Confederacy. Every step in his narrative is +supported by references to unimpeachable authorities; and the +scholarly Monograph bears high testimony to the author's earnest +labor, painstaking research and unswerving fidelity. Should the +present work stimulate inquiry beyond the scope herein set before the +reader, he is most confidently referred to Professor Du Bois' book as +containing a complete exposition of the development and overthrow of +that awful crime. + +It is from this work, however, that we shall obtain a nearer and +clearer view of the African planted upon our shores. Negro slavery +began at an early day in the North American Colonies; but up until the +Revolution of 1688 the demand for slaves was mainly supplied from +England, the slaves being white.[1] "It is probable," says Professor +DuBois, "that about 25,000 slaves were brought to America each year +between 1698 and 1707, and after 1713 it rose to perhaps 30,000 +annually. "Before the Revolution the total exportation to America is +variously estimated as between 40,000 and 100,000 each year." +Something of the horrors of the "Middle Passage" may be shown by the +records that out of 60,783 slaves shipped from Africa during the years +1680-88, 14,387, or nearly one-fourth of the entire number, perished +at sea. In 1790 there were in the country nearly seven hundred +thousand Africans, these having been introduced by installments from +various heathen tribes. The importation of slaves continued with more +or less success up until 1858, when the "Wanderer" landed her cargo of +500 in Georgia. + +During the period from 1790 to the breaking out of the Civil War, +shortly after the landing of the last cargo of slaves, the colored +population, both slave and free, had arisen to about four million, and +had undergone great modifications. The cargo of the "Wanderer" found +themselves among strangers, even when trying to associate with those +who in color and hair were like themselves. The slaves of 1860 +differed greatly from the slaves of a hundred years earlier. They had +lost the relics of that stern warlike spirit which prompted the Stono +insurrection, the Denmark Vesey insurrection, and the Nat Turner +insurrection, and had accepted their lot as slaves, hoping that +through God, freedom would come to them some time in the happy future. +Large numbers of them had become Christians through the teaching of +godly white women, and at length through the evangelistic efforts of +men and women of their own race. Independent religious organizations +had been formed in the North, and large local churches with Negro +pastors were in existence in the South when the "Wanderer" landed her +cargo. There had been a steady increase in numbers, indicating that +the physical well-being of the slave was not overlooked, and the +slaves had greatly improved in character. Sales made in South Carolina +between 1850 and 1860 show "boys," from 16 to 25 years of age, +bringing from $900 to $1000; and "large sales" are reported showing an +"average of $620 each," "Negro men bringing from $800 to $1000," and a +"blacksmith" bringing $1425. The averages generally obtained were +above $600. A sale of 109 Negroes in families is reported in the +"Charleston Courier" in which the writer says: "Two or three families +averaged from $1000 to $1100 for each individual." The same item +states also that "C.G. Whitney sold two likely female house servants, +one for $1000, the other for $1190." These cases are presented to +illustrate the financial value of the American slave, and +inferentially the progress he had made in acquiring the arts of modern +civilization. Slaves had become blacksmiths, wheelwrights, +carriage-makers, carpenters, bricklayers, tailors, bootmakers, +founders and moulders, not to mention all the common labor performed +by them. Slave women had become dressmakers, hairdressers, nurses and +the best cooks to be found in the world. The slave-holders regarded +themselves as the favored of mankind because of the competence and +faithfulness of their slaves. The African spirit and character had +disappeared, and in their place were coming into being the elements of +a new character, existing in 1860 purely in a negative form. The slave +had become an American. He was now a civilized slave, and had received +his civilization from his masters. He had separated himself very far +from his brother slave in St. Domingo. The Haytian Negro fought and +won his freedom before he had been civilized in slavery, and hence has +never passed over the same ground that his American fellow-servant has +been compelled to traverse. + +Beside the slaves in the South, there were also several thousand "free +persons of color," as they were called, dwelling in such cities as +Richmond, Va., Charleston, S.C., and New Orleans, La. Some of these +had become quite wealthy and well-educated, forming a distinct class +of the population. They were called Creoles in Louisiana, and were +accorded certain privileges, although laws were carefully enacted to +keep alive the distinction between them and the whites. In Charleston +the so-called colored people set themselves up as a class, prided +themselves much upon their color and hair and in their sympathies +joined almost wholly with the master class. Representatives of their +class became slave-holders and were in full accord with the social +policy of the country. Nevertheless their presence was an +encouragement to the slave, and consequently was objected to by the +slave-holder. The free colored man became more and more disliked in +the South as the slave became more civilized. He was supposed by his +example to contribute to the discontent of the slave, and laws were +passed restricting his priveleges so as to induce him to leave. +Between 1850 and 1860 this question reached a crisis and free colored +people from the South were to be seen taking up their homes in the +Northern States and in Canada. (Many of the people, especially from +Charleston, carried with them all their belittling prejudices, and +after years of sojourn under the sway of enlightened and liberal +ideas, proved themselves still incapable of learning the new way or +forgetting the old.) + +There were, then, three very distinct classes of colored people in the +country, to wit: The slave in the South, the free colored people of +the South, and the free colored people of the North. These were also +sub-divided into several smaller classes. Slaves were divided into +field hands, house servants and city slaves. The free colored people +of the South had their classes based usually on color; the free +colored people of the North had their divisions caused by differences +in religion, differences as to place of birth, and numerous family +conceits. So that surveyed as a whole, it is extremely difficult to +get anything like a complete social map of these four millions as they +existed at the outbreak of the Civil War. + +For a quarter of a century there had been a steady concentration of +the slave population within the cotton and cane-growing region, the +grain-growing States of Delaware, Maryland and Virginia having become +to a considerable extent breeding farms. Particularly was this the +case with the more intelligent and higher developed individual slaves +who appeared near the border line. The master felt that such persons +would soon make their escape by way of the "Underground Railroad" or +otherwise, and hence in order to prevent a total loss, would follow +the dictates of business prudence and sell his bright slave man to +Georgia. The Maryland or Virginia slave who showed suspicious +aspirations was usually checked by the threat, "I'll sell you to +Georgia;" and if the threat did not produce the desired reformation it +was not long before the ambitious slave found himself in the gang of +that most despised and most despicable of all creatures, the Georgia +slave-trader. Georgia and Canada were the two extremes of the slave's +anticipation during the last decade of his experience. These stood as +his earthly Heaven and Hell, the "Underground Railroad," with its +agents, conducting to one, and the odious slave-trader, driving men, +women and children, to the other. No Netherlander ever hated and +feared the devil more thoroughly than did the slaves of the border +States hate and fear these outrages on mankind, the kidnapping +slave-traders of the cotton and cane regions. I say kidnapping, for I +have myself seen persons in Georgia who had been kidnapped in +Maryland. If the devil was ever incarnate, I think it safe to look for +him among those who engaged in the slave-trade, whether in a foreign +or domestic form. + +Nothing is more striking in connection with the history of American +Slavery than the conduct of Great Britain on the same subject. So +inconsistent has this conduct been that it can be explained only by +regarding England as a conglomerate of two elements nearly equal in +strength, of directly opposite character, ruling alternately the +affairs of the nation. As a slave-trader and slave-holder England was +perhaps even worse than the United States. Under her rule the slave +decreased in numbers, and remained a savage. In Jamaica, in St. +Vincent, in British Guiana, in Barbadoes, in Trinidad and in Grenada, +British slavery was far worse than American slavery. In these colonies +"the slave was generally a barbarian, speaking an unknown tongue, and +working with men like himself, in gangs with scarcely a chance for +improvement." An economist says, had the slaves of the British +colonies been as well fed, clothed, lodged, and otherwise cared for as +were those of the United States, their number at emancipation would +have reached from seventeen to twenty millions, whereas the actual +number emancipated was only 660,000. Had the blacks of the United +States experienced the same treatment as did those of the British +colonies, 1860 would have found among us less than 150,000 colored +persons. In the United States were found ten colored persons for every +slave imported, while in the British colonies only one was found for +every three imported. Hence the claim that the American Negro is a new +race, built up on this soil, rests upon an ample supply of facts. The +American slave was born in our civilization, fed upon good American +food, housed and clothed on a civilized plan, taught the arts and +language of civilization, acquired necessarily ideas of law and +liberty, and by 1860 was well on the road toward fitness for freedom. +No lessons therefore drawn from the emancipation of British slaves in +the West Indies are of any direct value to us, inasmuch as British +slavery was not like American slavery, the British freedman was in no +sense the equal of the American freedman, and the circumstances +surrounding the emancipation of the British slave had nothing of the +inspiring and ennobling character with those connected with the +breaking of the American Negro's chains. Yet, superior as the American +Negro was as a slave, he was very far below the standard of American +citizenship as subsequent events conclusively proved. The best form of +slavery, even though it may lead toward fitness for freedom, can never +be regarded as a fit school in which to graduate citizens of so +magnificent an empire as the United States. + +The slave of 1860 was perhaps, all things considered, the best slave +the world had ever seen, if we except those who served the Hebrews +under the Mosaic statutes. While there was no such thing among them as +legal marriage or legitimate childhood, yet slave "families" were +recognized even on the auction block, and after emancipation legal +family life was erected generally upon relationships which had been +formed in slavery. Bishop Gaines, himself born a slave of slave +parents, says: "The Negro had no civil rights under the codes of the +Southern States. It was often the case, it is true, that the marriage +ceremony was performed, and thousands of couples regarded it, and +observed it as of binding force, and were as true to each other as if +they had been lawfully married." * * * "The colored people +generally," he says, "held their marriage (if such unauthorized union +may be called marriage) sacred, even while they were slaves. Many +instances will be recalled by the older people of the life-long +fidelity which existed between the slave and his concubine" (Wife, +T.G.S.)" ... the mother of his children. My own father and mother +lived together over sixty years. I am the fourteenth child of that +union, and I can truthfully affirm that no marriage, however made +sacred by the sanction of law, was ever more congenial and beautiful. +Thousands of like instances might be cited to the same effect. It will +always be to the credit of the colored people that almost without +exception, they adhered to their relations, illegal though they had +been, and accepted gladly the new law which put the stamp of +legitimacy upon their union and removed the brand of bastardy from the +brows of their children." + +Let us now sum up the qualifications that these people possessed in +large degree, in order to determine their fitness for freedom, then so +near at hand. They had acquired the English language, and the +Christian religion, including the Christian idea of marriage, so +entirely different in spirit and form from the African marriage. They +had acquired the civilized methods of cooking their food, making and +wearing clothes, sleeping in beds, and observing Sunday. They had +acquired many of the useful arts and trades of civilization and had +imbibed the tastes and feelings, to some extent, at least, of the +country in which they lived. Becoming keen observers, shut out from +books and newspapers, they listened attentively, learned more of law +and politics than was generally supposed. They knew what the election +of 1860 meant and were on tiptoe with expectation. Although the days +of insurrection had passed and the slave of '59 was not ready to rise +with the immortal John Brown, he had not lost his desire for freedom. +The steady march of escaping slaves guided by the North star, with the +refrain: + + "I'm on my way to Canada, + That cold but happy land; + The dire effects of slavery + I can no longer stand," + +proved that the desire to be free was becoming more extensive and +absorbing as the slave advanced in intelligence. + +It is necessary again to emphasize the fact that the American slaves +were well formed and well developed physically, capable of enduring +hard labor and of subsisting upon the plainest food. Their diet for +years had been of the simplest sort, and they had been subjected to a +system of regulations very much like those which are employed in the +management of armies. They had an hour to go to bed and an hour to +rise; left their homes only upon written "passes," and when abroad at +night were often halted by the wandering patrol. "Run, nigger, run, +the patrol get you," was a song of the slave children of South +Carolina. + +Strangers who saw for the first time these people as they came out of +slavery in 1865 were usually impressed with their robust appearance, +and a conference of ex-slaves, assembled soon after the war, +introduced a resolution with the following declaration: "Whereas, +Slavery has left us in possession of strong and healthy bodies." It is +probable that at least a half-million of men of proper age could then +have been found among the newly liberated capable of bearing arms. +They were inured to the plain ration, to labor and fatigue, and to +subordination, and had long been accustomed to working together under +the immediate direction of foremen. + +Two questions of importance naturally arose at this period: First, did +the American slave understand the issue that had been before the +country for more than a half-century and that was now dividing the +nation in twain and marshalling for deadly strife these two opposing +armies? Second, had he the courage necessary to take part in the +struggle and help save the Union? It would be a strange thing to say, +but nevertheless a thing entirely true, that many of the Negro slaves +had a clearer perception of the real question at issue than did some +of our most far-seeing statesmen, and a clearer vision of what would +be the outcome of the war. While the great men of the North were +striving to establish the doctrine that the coming war was merely to +settle the question of Secession, the slave knew better. God had hid +certain things from the wise and prudent and had revealed them unto +babes. Lincoln, the wisest of all, was slow to see that the issue he +himself had predicted was really at hand. As President, he declared +for the preservation of the Union, with or without slavery, or even +upon the terms which he had previously declared irreconcilable, "half +slave and half free." The Negro slave saw in the outbreak of the war +the death struggle of slavery. He knew that the real issue was +slavery. + +The masters were careful to keep from the knowledge of the slave the +events as well as the causes of the war, but in spite of these efforts +the slave's keen perception enabled him to read defeat in the dejected +mien of his master, and victory in his exultation. To prevent the +master's knowing what was going on in their thoughts, the slaves +constructed curious codes among themselves. In one neighborhood +freedom was always spoken of as "New Rice"; and many a poor slave +woman sighed for the coming of New Rice in the hearing of those who +imagined they knew the inmost thoughts of their bondwomen. Gleefully +at times they would talk of the jollification they would make when the +New Rice came. It was this clear vision, this strong hope, that +sustained them during the trying days of the war and kept them back +from insurrection. Bishop Gaines says: "Their prayers ascended for +their deliverance, and their hearts yearned for the success of their +friends. They fondly hoped for the hour of victory, when the night of +slavery would end and the dawn of freedom appear. They often talked to +each other of the progress of the war and conferred in secret as to +what they might do to aid in the struggle. Worn out with long bondage, +yearning for the boon of freedom, longing for the sun of liberty to +rise, they kept their peace and left the result to God." Mr. Douglass, +whom this same Bishop Gaines speaks of very inappropriately as a +"half-breed," seemed able to grasp the feelings both of the slave and +the freeman and said: "From the first, I for one, saw in this war the +end of slavery, and truth requires me to say that my interest in the +success of the North was largely due to this belief." Mr. Seward, the +wise Secretary of State, had thought that the war would come and go +without producing any change in the relation of master and slave; but +the humble slave on the Georgia cotton plantation, or in the Carolina +rice fields, knew that the booming of the guns of rebellion in +Charleston was the opening note of the death knell of slavery. The +slave undoubtedly understood the issue, and knew on which side liberty +dwelt. Although thoroughly bred to slavery, and as contented and happy +as he could be in his lot, he acted according to the injunction of the +Apostle: "Art thou called being a servant, care not for it; but if +thou mayest be made free, use it rather." The slaves tried to be +contented, but they preferred freedom and knew which side to take when +the time came for them to act. + +Enough has been said to show that out of the African slave had been +developed a thoroughly American slave, so well imbued with modern +civilization and so well versed in American politics, as to be +partially ready for citizenship. He had become law-abiding and +order-loving, and possessed of an intelligent desire to be free. +Whether he had within him the necessary moral elements to become a +soldier the pages following will attempt to make known. He had the +numbers, the physical strength and the intelligence. He could enter +the strife with a sufficient comprehension of the issues involved to +enable him to give to his own heart a reason for his action. Fitness +for the soldier does not necessarily involve fitness for citizenship, +but the actual discharge of the duties of the soldier in defence of +the nation, entitles one to all common rights, to the nation's +gratitude, and to the highest honors for which he is qualified. + +In concluding this chapter I shall briefly return to the free colored +people of the South that the reader may be able to properly estimate +their importance as a separate element. Their influence upon the slave +population was very slight, inasmuch as law and custom forbade the +intercourse of these two classes. + +According to the Census of 1860 there were in the slave-holding States +altogether 261,918 free colored persons, 106,770 being mulattoes. In +Charleston there were 887 free blacks and 2,554 mulattoes; in Mobile, +98 free blacks and 617 mulattoes; in New Orleans, 1,727 blacks and +7,357 mulattoes. As will be seen, nearly one-half of the entire number +of free colored persons were mulattoes, while in the leading Southern +cities seventy-five per cent. of the free colored people were put in +this class. The percentage of mulatto slaves to the total slave +population at that time was 10.41, and in the same cities which showed +seventy-five per cent, of all the free colored persons mulattoes, the +percentage of mulatto slaves was but 16.84. Mulatto in this +classification includes all colored persons who are not put down as +black. + +In New Orleans the free mulattoes were generally French, having come +into the Union with the Louisiana purchase, and among them were to be +found wealthy slave-holders. They much resembled the class of +mulattoes which obtained in St. Domingo at the beginning of the +century, and had but little sympathy with the blacks, although they +were the first to acquiesce in emancipation, some of them actually +leading their own slaves into the army of liberation. It is possible, +however, that they had not fully realized the trend of the war, +inasmuch as New Orleans was excepted from the effects of the +Proclamation. It is certain that the free colored people of that city +made a tender of support to the Confederacy, although they were among +the first to welcome the conquering "Yankees," and afterward fought +with marked gallantry in the Union cause. The free mulattoes, or +_browns_, as they called themselves, of Charleston, followed much the +same course as their fellow classmen of New Orleans. Here, too, they +had been exclusive and to some extent slave-holders, had tendered +their services to the Confederacy, and had hastily come forward to +welcome the conquerors. They were foremost among the colored people in +wealth and intelligence, but their field of social operations had been +so circumscribed that they had exerted but little influence in the +work of Americanizing the slave. Separated from the slave by law and +custom they did all in their power to separate themselves from him in +thought and feeling. They drew the line against all blacks as +mercilessly and senselessly as the most prejudiced of the whites and +were duplicates of the whites placed on an intermediate plane. It was +not unusual to find a Charleston brown filled with more prejudice +toward the blacks than were the whites. + + [Transcriber's Note: This footnote appeared in the text + without a footnote anchor: "Census of 1860."] + +The colored people of the North in 1860 numbered 237,283, +Pennsylvania having the largest number, 56,849; then came New York +with 49,005; Ohio, 36,673; New Jersey, 25,318; Indiana, 11,428; +Massachusetts, 9,602; Connecticut, 8,627; Illinois, 7,628; Michigan, +6,799; Rhode Island, 3,952; Maine, 1,327; Wisconsin, 1,171; Iowa, +1,069; Vermont, 709; Kansas, 625; New Hampshire, 494; Minnesota, 259; +Oregon, 128. + +Considerably more than one-half of this population was located within +the States along the Atlantic Coast, viz.; Maine, New Hampshire, +Massachusetts, Vermont, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, +Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Here were to be found 154,883 free +colored people. Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey took the lead in +this population, with Massachusetts and Connecticut coming next, while +Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont had but few. The cities, Boston, New +York and Philadelphia, were the largest cities of free colored people +then in the North. In Boston there were 2,261; New York City, 12,574, +while in Philadelphia there were 22,185 + +As early as 1787 the free colored people of Philadelphia, through two +distinguished representatives, Absalom Jones and Richard Allen, "two +men of the African race," as the chroniclers say, "saw the irreligious +and uncivilized state" of the "people of their complexion," and +finally concluded "that a society should be formed without regard to +religious tenets, provided the persons lived an orderly and sober +life," the purpose of the society being "to support one another in +sickness and for the benefit of their widows and fatherless children." +Accordingly a society was established, known as the Free African +Society of Philadelphia, and on the 17th, 5th-mo., 1787, articles were +published, including the following, which is inserted to show the +breadth of the society's purpose: + +"And we apprehend it to be necessary that the children of our +deceased members be under the care of the Society, so far as to pay +for the education of their children, if they cannot attend free +school; also to put them out apprentices to suitable trades or places, +if required."[2] + +Shortly after this we read of "the African School for the free +instruction of the black people," and in 1796, "The Evening Free +School, held at the African Methodist Meeting House in Philadelphia" +was reported as being "kept very orderly, the scholars behaving in a +becoming manner, and their improvement beyond the teachers' +expectations, their intellects appearing in every branch of learning +to be equal to those of the fairest complexion." The name African, as +the reader will notice, is used with reference to school, church, and +individuals; although not to the complete exclusion of "colored +people" and "people of color." These phrases seem to have been coined +in the West Indies, and were there applied only to persons of mixed +European and African descent. In the United States they never obtained +such restricted use except in a very few localities. The practice of +using African as a descriptive title of the free colored people of the +North became very extensive and so continued up to the middle of the +century. There were African societies, churches and schools in all the +prominent centres of this population. + +In 1843 one, Mr. P. Loveridge, Agent for Colored Schools of New York, +wrote the editor of the African Methodist Magazine as follows:[3] "As +to the name of your periodical, act as we did with the name of our +schools--away with Africa. There are no Africans in your connection. +Substitute colored for African and it will be, in my opinion, as it +should be." The earnestness of the writer shows that the matter of +parting with African was then a live question. The cool reply of the +editor indicates how strong was the conservative element among the +African people of '43. He says: "We are unable to see the +reasonableness of the remarks. It is true we are not Africans, or +natives born upon the soil of Africa, yet, as the descendants of that +race, how can we better manifest that respect due to our fathers who +begat us, than by the adoption of the term in our institutions, and +inscribing it upon our public places of resort?" To this Mr. Loveridge +rejoins in the following explanatory paragraph: "We who are engaged in +the Public Schools in this city found upon examination of about 1500 +children who attend our schools from year to year, not one African +child among them. A suggestion was made that we petition the Public +School Society to change the name African to Colored Schools. The +gentlemen of that honorable body, perceiving our petition to be a +logical one, acquiesced with us. Hence the adjective African (which +does not apply to us) was blotted out and Colored substituted in its +place. It is 'Public Schools for Colored Children.' We are Americans +and expect American sympathies." + +In 1816 the colored Methodists conceived the idea of organizing and +evangelizing their race, and to this end a convention was called and +assembled in Philadelphia of that year, composed of sixteen delegates, +coming from Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland and New Jersey. The +convention adopted a resolution that the people of Philadelphia, +Baltimore and all other places who should unite with them, should +become one body under the name and style of the African Methodist +Episcopal Church. Similar action was taken by two other bodies of +colored Methodists, one in New York, the other in Wilmington, +Delaware, about the same time. The people were coming together and +beginning to understand the value of organization. This was manifested +in their religious, beneficial and educational associations that were +springing up among them. In 1841 the African Methodist Magazine +appeared, the first organ of religious communication and thought +issued by the American colored people. It was published in Brooklyn, +N.Y., Rev. George Hogarth being its editor. + +There were papers published by the colored people prior to the +appearance of the African Methodist Magazine, but these were +individual enterprises. They were, however, indices of the thought of +the race, and looking back upon them now, we may regard them as +mile-stones set up along the line of march over which the people have +come. New York, city and State, appears to have been the home of these +early harbingers, and it was there that the earliest literary centre +was established, corresponding to that centre of religious life and +thought which had been earlier founded in Philadelphia. In 1827 the +first newspaper published on this continent by colored men issued from +its office in New York. It was called "Freedom's Journal," and had for +its motto "Righteousness exalteth a nation." Its editors and +proprietors were Messrs. Cornish & Russwurm. Its name was subsequently +changed to the "Rights of All," Mr. Cornish probably retiring, and in +1830 it suspended, Mr. Russwurm going to Africa. Then followed "The +Weekly Advocate," "The American," "The Colored American," "The +Elevator," "The National Watchman," "The Clarion," "The Ram's Horn," +"The North Star," "Frederick Douglass' Paper," and finally that +crowning literary work of the race, "The Anglo-African." + +"The Anglo-African" appeared in 1859, under the management of the +strongest and most brilliant purely literary families the American +Negro up to that time had produced. It was edited and published by +Thomas Hamilton, and like all the important literary ventures of the +race in those days, had its birth in New York. It came out in 1859 and +continued through the war, and in 1865 went out of existence +honorably, having its work well done. Its first volume, that of 1859, +contains the ablest papers ever given to the public by the American +Negro; and taken as a whole this volume is the proudest literary +monument the race has as yet erected. + +Reviewing the progress of the race in the North, we may say, the +period of organized benevolence and united religious effort began +before the close of the past century, Philadelphia being its place of +origin; that the religious movement reached much broader and clearer +standing about 1816, and in consequence there sprang up organizations +comprehending the people of the whole country; that the religious +movement advanced to a more intellectual stage when in 1841 the +African Methodist Magazine appeared, since which time the organized +religion of the American Negro has never been for any considerable +time without its organs of communication. The journalistic period +began in 1827, its centre being New York and the work of the journals +almost wholly directed to two ends: the abolition of slavery, and the +enfranchisement and political elevation of the free blacks. This work +had reached its highest form in the Anglo-African, as that epoch of +our national history came to its close in the slave-holders' war. + +The titles of the newspapers indicate the opening and continuance of a +period of anti-slavery agitation. Their columns were filled with +arguments and appeals furnished by men who gave their whole souls to +the work. It was a period of great mental activity on the part of the +free colored people. They were discussing all probable methods of +bettering their condition. It was the period that produced both +writers and orators. In 1830 the first convention called by colored +men to consider the general condition of the race and devise means to +improve that condition, met in the city of Philadelphia. The history +of this convention is so important that I append a full account of it +as published in the Anglo-African nearly thirty years after the +convention met. It was called through the efforts of Hezekiah Grice, +of Baltimore, who afterwards emigrated to Hayti, and for many years +followed there the occupation of carver and gilder and finally became +Director of Public Works of the city of Port-au-Prince. While visiting +that city years ago, I met a descendant of Mr. Grice, a lady of great +personal beauty, charming manners, accomplished in the French +language, but incapable of conversing at all in English. + +The conventions, begun in 1830, continued to be held annually for a +brief period, and then dropped into occasional and special gatherings. +They did much good in the way of giving prominence to the colored +orators and in stemming the tide of hostile sentiment by appealing to +the country at large in language that reached many hearts. + +The physical condition, so far as the health and strength of the free +colored people were concerned, was good. Their mean age was the +greatest of any element of our population, and their increase was +about normal, or 1.50 per cent. annually. In the twenty years from +1840 to 1860 it had kept up this rate with hardly the slightest +variation, while the increase of the free colored people of the South +during the same period had been 1 per cent, annually.[4] The increase +of persons of mixed blood in the North did not necessarily imply +laxity of morals, as the census compilers always delighted to say, but +could be easily accounted for by the marriages occurring between +persons of this class. I have seen more than fifty persons, all of +mixed blood, descend from one couple, and these with the persons +joined to them by marriages as they have come to marriageable age, +amounted to over seventy souls--all in about a half century. That the +slaves had, despite their fearful death rate, the manumissions and the +escapes, increased twice as fast as the free colored people of the +North, three times as fast as the free colored people of the South, +and faster than the white people with all the immigration of that +period, can be accounted for only by the enormous birth rate of that +people consequent upon their sad condition. Their increase was +abnormal, and when properly viewed, proves too much. + +There is no way of determining the general wealth of the colored +people of the North at the period we are describing; but some light +may be thrown upon their material condition from the consideration +that they were supporting a few publications and building and +supporting churches, and were holders of considerable real estate. In +New York city, the thirteen thousand colored people paid taxes on +nearly a million and a half in real estate, and had over a quarter +million of dollars in the savings banks. It is probable that the +twenty-five thousand in Philadelphia owned more in proportion than +their brethren in New York, for they were then well represented in +business in that city. There were the Fortens, Bowers, Casseys, +Gordons, and later Stephen Smith, William Whipper and Videl, all of +whom were men of wealth and business. There were nineteen churches +owned and supported by colored people of Philadelphia, with a seating +capacity of about 10,000 and valued at about $250,000. + +[5]The schools set apart for colored children were very inferior and +were often kept alive by great sacrifices on the part of the colored +people themselves. Prior to the war and in many cases for some time +afterward, the colored public schools were a disgrace to the country. +A correspondent writing from Hollidaysburg, Pa., says, speaking of the +school there: "The result of my inquiries here is that here, as in the +majority of other places, the interest manifested for the colored man +is more for political effect, and that those who prate the loudest +about the moral elevation and political advancement of the colored man +are the first to turn against him when he wants a friend." The +correspondent then goes on to say that the school directors persist in +employing teachers "totally incompetent." What the schools were in New +York the report made by the New York Society for the promotion of +Education among Colored Children to the Honorable Commissioners for +examining into the condition of Common Schools in the City and County +of New York, will show. Reverend Charles B. Ray, who was President of +this Society, and Philip A. White, its Secretary, both continued to +labor in the interest of education unto the close of their lives, Mr. +White dying as a member of the School Board of the city of Brooklyn, +and Mr. Ray bequeathing his library to Wilberforce University at his +death. + +In summing up the conditions which they have detailed in their report +they say: "From a comparison of the school houses occupied by the +colored children with the splendid, almost palatial edifices, with +manifold comforts, conveniences and elegancies which make up the +school houses for white children in the city of New York, it is +clearly evident that the colored children are painfully neglected and +positively degraded. Pent up in filthy neighborhoods, in old +dilapidated buildings, they are held down to low associations and +gloomy surroundings. * * * The undersigned enter their solemn protest +against this unjust treatment of colored children. They believe with +the experience of Massachusetts, and especially the recent experience +of Boston before them, there is no sound reason why colored children +shall be excluded from any of the common schools supported by taxes +levied alike on whites and blacks, and governed by officers elected by +the vote of colored as well as white voters." + +This petition and remonstrance had its effect, for mainly through its +influence within two years very great improvements were made in the +condition of the New York colored schools. + +For the especial benefit of those who erroneously think that the +purpose of giving industrial education is a new thing in our land, as +well as for general historical purposes, I call attention to the +establishment of the Institute for Colored Youth in Philadelphia in +1842. This Institute was founded by the Society of Friends, and was +supported in its early days and presumably still "by bequests and +donations made by members of that Society." The objects of the +Institute as set forth by its founders, fifty-seven years ago, are: +"The education and improvement of colored youth of both sexes, to +qualify them to act as teachers and instructors to their own people, +either in the various branches of school learning or the mechanic +arts and agriculture." Two years later the African Methodists +purchased one hundred and eighty acres of land in eastern Ohio and +established what was called the Union Seminary, on the manual labor +plan. It did not succeed, but it lingered along, keeping alive the +idea, until it was eclipsed by Wilberforce University, into which it +was finally merged. + +The anti-slavery fight carried on in the North, into which the colored +men entered and became powerful leaders, aroused the race to a deep +study of the whole subject of liberty and brought them in sympathy +with all people who had either gained or were struggling for their +liberties, and prompted them to investigate all countries offering to +them freedom. No country was so well studied by them as Hayti, and +from 1824 to 1860 there had been considerable emigration thither. +Liberia, Central and South America and Canada were all considered +under the thought of emigration. Thousands went to Hayti and to +Canada, but the bulk preferred to remain here. They liked America, and +had become so thoroughly in love with the doctrines of the Republic, +so imbued with the pride of the nation's history, so inspired with +hope in the nation's future, that they resolved to live and die on her +soil. When the troublous times of 1860 came and white men were fleeing +to Canada, colored men remained at their posts. They were ready to +stand by the old flag and to take up arms for the Union, trusting that +before the close of the strife the flag might have to them a new +meaning. An impassioned colored orator had said of the flag: "Its +stars were for the white man, and its stripes for the Negro, and it +was very appropriate that the stripes should be red." The free Negro +of the North was prepared in 1861 to support Abraham Lincoln with +40,000 as good American-born champions for universal liberty as the +country could present. + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[1] Slave Trade--Carey. + +[2] Outlines--Tanner. + +[3] A.M.E. Magazine, 1843. + +[4] It is to be noted that in Maryland and Virginia an important +number of white serving women married Negro slave men in the early +days of these colonies. + +[5] In 1835 there were six high schools, or schools for higher +education, in the United States that admitted colored students on +equal footing with others. These were: Oneida Institute, New York; +Mount Pleasant, Amherst, Mass.; Canaan, N.H.; Western Reserve, Ohio; +Gettysburg, Pa.; and "one in the city of Philadelphia of which Miss +Buffam" was "principal." There was also one manual labor school in +Madison County, N.Y., capable of accommodating eighteen students. It +was founded by Gerrit Smith. + + +NOTES. + +A. + +THE FIRST COLORED CONVENTION. + +On the fifteenth day of September, 1830, there was held at Bethel +Church, in the city of Philadelphia, the first convention of the +colored people of these United States. It was an event of historical +importance; and, whether we regard the times or the men of whom this +assemblage was composed, we find matter for interesting and profitable +consideration. + +Emancipation had just taken place in New York, and had just been +arrested in Virginia by the Nat Turner rebellion and Walker's +pamphlet. Secret sessions of the legislatures of the several Southern +States had been held to deliberate upon the production of a colored +man who had coolly recommended to his fellow blacks the only solution +to the slave question, which, after twenty-five years of arduous labor +of the most hopeful and noble-hearted of the abolitionists, seems the +forlorn hope of freedom to-day--insurrection and bloodshed. Great +Britain was in the midst of that bloodless revolution which, two years +afterwards, culminated in the passage of the Reform Bill, and thus +prepared the joyous and generous state of the British heart which +dictated the West India Emancipation Act. France was rejoicing in the +not bloodless _trois jours de Juliet_. Indeed, the whole world seemed +stirred up with a universal excitement, which, when contrasted with +the universal panics of 1837 and 1857, leads one to regard as more +than a philosophical speculation the doctrine of those who hold the +life of mankind from the creation as but one life, beating with one +heart, animated with one soul, tending to one destiny, although made +up of millions upon millions of molecular lives, gifted with their +infinite variety of attractions and repulsions, which regulate or +crystallize them into evanescent substructures or organizations, which +we call nationalities and empires and peoples and tribes, whose minute +actions and reactions on each other are the histories which absorb our +attention, whilst the grand universal life moves on beyond our ken, +or only guessed at, as the astronomers shadow out movements of our +solar system around or towards some distant unknown centre of +attraction. + +If the times of 1830 were eventful, there were among our people, as +well as among other peoples, men equal to the occasion. We had giants +in those days! There were Bishop Allen, the founder of the great +Bethel connection of Methodists, combining in his person the fiery +zeal of St. Francis Xavier with the skill and power of organizing of a +Richelieu; the meek but equally efficient Rush (who yet remains with +us in fulfilment of the Scripture), the father of the Zion Methodists; +Paul, whose splendid presence and stately eloquence in the pulpit, and +whose grand baptisms in the waters of Boston harbor are a living +tradition in all New England; the saintly and sainted Peter Williams, +whose views of the best means of our elevation are in triumphant +activity to-day; William Hamilton, the thinker and actor, whose sparse +specimens of eloquence we will one day place in gilded frames as rare +and beautiful specimens of Etruscan art--William Hamilton, who, four +years afterwards, during the New York riots, when met in the street, +loaded down with iron missiles, and asked where he was going, replied, +"To die on my threshold"; Watkins, of Baltimore; Frederick Hinton, +with his polished eloquence; James Forten, the merchant prince; +William Whipper, just essaying his youthful powers; Lewis Woodson and +John Peck, of Pittsburg; Austin Steward, then of Rochester; Samuel E. +Cornish, who had the distinguished honor of reasoning Gerrit Smith out +of colonization, and of telling Henry Clay that he would never be +president of anything higher than the American Colonization Society; +Philip A. Bell, the born sabreur, who never feared the face of clay, +and a hundred others, were the worthily leading spirits among the +colored people. + +And yet the idea of the first colored convention did not originate +with any of these distinguished men; it came from a young man of +Baltimore; then, and still, unknown to fame. Born in that city in +1801, he was in 1817 apprenticed to a man some two hundred miles off +in the Southeast. Arriving at his field of labor, he worked hard +nearly a week and received poor fare in return. One day, while at work +near the house, the mistress came out and gave him a furious scolding, +so furious, indeed, that her husband mildly interfered; she drove the +latter away, and threatened to take the Baltimore out of the lad with +cowhide, etc., etc. At this moment, to use his own expression, the +lad became converted, that is, he determined to be his own master as +long as he lived. Early nightfall found him on his way to Baltimore +which he reached after a severe journey which tested his energy and +ingenuity to the utmost. At the age of twenty-three he was engaged in +the summer time in supplying Baltimore with ice from his cart, and in +winter in cutting up pork for Ellicotts' establishment. He must have +been strong and swift with knife and cleaver, for in one day he cut up +and dressed some four hundred and fifteen porkers. + +In 1824 our young friend fell in with Benjamin Lundy, and in 1828-9, +with William Lloyd Garrison, editors and publishers of the "Genius of +Universal Emancipation," a radical anti-slavery paper, whose boldness +would put the "National Era" to shame, printed and published in the +slave State of Maryland. In 1829-30 the colored people of the free +States were much excited on the subject of emigration; there had been +an emigration to Hayti, and also to Canada, and some had been driven +to Liberia by the severe laws and brutal conduct of the fermenters of +colonization in Virginia and Maryland. In some districts of these +States the disguised whites would enter the houses of free colored men +at night, and take them out and give them from thirty to fifty lashes, +to get them to consent to go to Liberia. + +It was in the spring of 1830 that the young man we have sketched, +Hezekiah Grice, conceived the plan of calling together a meeting or +convention of colored men in some place north of the Potomac, for the +purpose of comparing views and of adopting a harmonious movement +either of emigration or of determination to remain in the United +States; convinced of the hopelessness of contending against the +oppressions in the United States, living in the very depth of that +oppression and wrong, his own views looked to Canada; but he held them +subject to the decision of the majority of the convention which might +assemble. + +On the 2d of April, 1830, he addressed a written circular to prominent +colored men in the free States, requesting their opinions on the +necessity and propriety of holding such convention, and stated that if +the opinions of a sufficient number warranted it, he would give time +and place at which duly elected delegates might assemble. Four months +passed away, and his spirit almost died within him, for he had not +received a line from any one in reply. When he visited Mr. Garrison +in his office, and stated his project, Mr. Garrison took up a copy of +Walker's Appeal, and said, although it might be right, yet it was too +early to have published such a book. + +On the 11th of August, however, he received a sudden and peremptory +order from Bishop Allen to come instantly to Philadelphia, about the +emigration matter. He went, and found a meeting assembled to consider +the conflicting reports on Canada of Messrs. Lewis and Dutton; at a +subsequent meeting, held the next night, and near the adjournment, the +Bishop called Mr. Grice aside and gave to him to read a printed +circular, issued from New York City, strongly approving of Mr. Grice's +plan of a convention, and signed by Peter Williams, Peter Vogelsang +and Thomas L. Jinnings. The Bishop added, "My dear child, we must take +some action immediately, or else these New Yorkers will get ahead of +us." The Bishop left the meeting to attend a lecture on chemistry by +Dr. Wells, of Baltimore. Mr. Grice introduced the subject of the +convention; and a committee consisting of Bishop Allen, Benjamin +Pascal, Cyrus Black, James Cornish and Junius C. Morel, were appointed +to lay the matter before the colored people of Philadelphia. This +committee, led, doubtless, by Bishop Allen, at once issued a call for +a convention of the colored men of the United States, to be held in +the city of Philadelphia on the 15th of September, 1830. + +Mr. Grice returned to Baltimore rejoicing at the success of his +project; but, in the same boat which bore him down the Chesapeake, he +was accosted by Mr. Zollickoffer, a member of the Society of Friends, +a Philadelphian, and a warm and tried friend of the blacks. Mr. +Zollickoffer used arguments, and even entreaties, to dissuade Mr. +Grice from holding the convention, pointing out the dangers and +difficulties of the same should it succeed, and the deep injury it +would do the cause in case of failure. Of course, it was reason and +entreaty thrown away. + +On the fifteenth of September, Mr. Grice again landed in Philadelphia, +and in the fulness of his expectation asked every colored man he met +about the convention; no one knew anything about it; the first man did +not know the meaning of the word, and another man said, "Who ever +heard of colored people holding a convention--convention, indeed!" +Finally, reaching the place of meeting, he found, in solemn conclave, +the five gentlemen who had constituted themselves delegates: with a +warm welcome from Bishop Allen, Mr. Grice, who came with credentials +from the people of Baltimore, was admitted as delegate. A little while +after, Dr. Burton, of Philadelphia, dropped in, and demanded by what +right the six gentlemen held their seats as members of the convention. +On a hint from Bishop Allen, Mr. Pascal moved that Dr. Burton be +elected an honorary member of the convention, which softened the +Doctor. In half an hour, five or six grave, stern-looking men, members +of the Zion Methodist body in Philadelphia, entered, and demanded to +know by what right the members present held their seats and undertook +to represent the colored people. Another hint from the Bishop, and it +was moved that these gentlemen be elected honorary members. But the +gentlemen would submit to no such thing, and would accept nothing +short of full membership, which was granted them. + +Among the delegates were Abraham Shadd, of Delaware; J.W.C. +Pennington, of Brooklyn; Austin Steward, of Rochester; Horace Easton, +of Boston, and ---- Adams, of Utica. + +The main subject of discussion was emigration to Canada; Junius C. +Morel, chairman of a committee on that subject presented a report, on +which there was a two days' discussion; the point discussed was that +the report stated that "the lands in Canada were synonymous with those +of the Northern States." The word synonymous was objected to, and the +word similar proposed in its stead. Mr. Morel, with great vigor and +ingenuity, defended the report, but was finally voted down, and the +word similar adopted. The convention recommended emigration to Canada, +passed strong resolutions against the American Colonization Society, +and at its adjournment appointed the next annual convention of the +people of color to be held in Philadelphia, on the first Monday in +June, 1831. + +At the present day, when colored conventions are almost as frequent as +church meetings, it is difficult to estimate the bold and daring +spirit which inaugurated the Colored Convention of 1830. It was the +right move, originating in the right quarter and at the right time. +Glorious old Maryland, or, as one speaking in the view that climate +grows the men, would say,--Maryland-Virginia region,--which has +produced Benjamin Banneker, Nat. Turner, Frederick Douglass, the +parents of Ira Aldridge, Henry Highland Garnett and Sam. Ringold Ward, +also produced the founder of colored conventions, Hezekiah Grice! At +that time, in the prime of his young manhood, he must have presented +the front of one equal to any fortune, able to achieve any +undertaking. Standing six feet high, well-proportioned, of a dark +bronze complexion, broad brow, and that stamp of features out of which +the Greek sculptor would have delighted to mould the face of +Vulcan--he was, to the fullest extent, a working man of such sort and +magnetism as would lead his fellows where he listed. + +In looking to the important results that grew out of this convention, +the independence of thought and self-assertion of the black man are +the most remarkable. Then, the union of purpose and union of strength +which grew out of the acquaintanceship and mutual pledges of colored +men from different States. Then, the subsequent conventions, where the +great men we have already named, and others, appeared and took part in +the discussions with manifestations of zeal, talent and ability, which +attracted Garrison, the Tappans, Jocelyn and others of that noble +host, who, drawing no small portion of their inspiration from their +black brethren in bonds, did manfully fight in the days of +anti-slavery which tried men's souls, and when, to be an abolitionist, +was, to a large extent, to be a martyr. + +We cannot help adding the thought that had these conventions of the +colored people of the United States continued their annual sittings +from 1830 until the present time, the result would doubtless have been +greater general progress among our people themselves, a more united +front to meet past and coming exigencies, and a profounder hold upon +the public attention, and a deeper respect on the part of our enemies, +than we now can boast of. Looking at public opinion as it is, the +living law of the land, and yet a malleable, ductile entity, which can +be moulded, or at least affected, by the thoughts of any masses +vigorously expressed, we should have become a power on earth, of +greater strength and influence than in our present scattered and +dwindled state we dare even dream of. The very announcement, +"Thirtieth Annual Convention of the Colored People of the United +States," would bear a majestic front. Our great gathering at Rochester +in 1853, commanded not only public attention, but respect and +admiration. Should we have such a gathering even now, once a year, not +encumbered with elaborate plans of action, with too many wheels within +wheels, we can yet regain much of the ground lost. The partial +gathering at Boston, the other day, has already assumed its place in +the public mind, and won its way into the calculations of the +politicians. + +Our readers will doubtless be glad to learn the subsequent history of +Mr. Grice. He did not attend the second convention, but in the +interval between the second and third he formed, in the city of +Baltimore, a "Legal Rights Association," for the purpose of +ascertaining the legal status of the colored man in the United States. +It was entirely composed of colored men, among whom were Mr. Watkins +(the colored Baltimorean), Mr. Deaver, and others. Mr. Grice called on +William Wirt, and asked him "what he charged for his opinion on a +given subject." "Fifty dollars." "Then, sir, I will give you fifty +dollars if you will give me your opinion on the legal condition of a +free colored man in these United States." + +Mr. Wirt required the questions to be written out in proper form +before he could answer them. Mr. Grice employed Tyson, who drew up a +series of questions, based upon the Constitution of the United States, +and relating to the rights and citizenship of the free black. He +carried the questions to Mr. Wirt, who, glancing over them, said, +"Really, sir, my position as an officer under the government renders +it a delicate matter for me to answer these questions as they should +be answered, but I'll tell you what to do: they should be answered, +and by the best legal talent in the land; do you go to Philadelphia, +and present my name to Horace Binney, and he will give you an answer +satisfactory to you, and which will command the greatest respect +throughout the land." Mr. Grice went to Philadelphia, and presented +the questions and request to Horace Binney. This gentleman pleaded age +and poor eyesight, but told Mr. Grice that if he would call on John +Sargent he would get answers of requisite character and weight. He +called on John Sargent, who promptly agreed to answer the questions if +Mr. Binney would allow his name to be associated as an authority in +the replies. Mr. Binney again declined, and so the matter fell +through. This is what Mr. Grice terms his "Dred Scott case" and so it +was. + +He attended the convention of 1832, but by some informality, or a want +of credentials, was not permitted to sit as full member!--Saul ejected +from among the prophets!--Yet he was heard on the subject of rights, +and the doctrine of "our rights," as well as the first colored +convention, are due to the same man. + +In 1832, chagrined at the colored people of the United States, he +migrated to Hayti, where, until 1843, he pursued the business of +carver and gilder. In the latter year he was appointed Director of +Public Works in Port-au-Prince, which office he held until two years +ago. He is also engaged in, and has wide knowledge of machinery and +engineering. Every two or three years he visits New York, and is +welcomed to the arcana of such men as James J. Mapes, the Bensons, +Dunhams, and at the various works where steam and iron obey human +ingenuity in our city. He is at present in this city, lodging at the +house of the widow of his old friend and coadjutor, Thomas L. +Jinnings, 133 Reade street. We have availed ourselves of his presence +among us to glean from him the statements which we have imperfectly +put together in this article. + +We cannot dismiss this subject without the remark, of peculiar +pertinence at this moment, that it would have been better for our +people had Mr. Grice never left these United States. The twenty-seven +years he has passed in Hayti, although not without their mark on the +fortunes of that island, are yet with out such mark as he would have +made in the land and upon the institutions among which he was born. So +early as his thirty-second year, before he had reached his +intellectual prime, he had inaugurated two of the leading ideas on +which our people have since acted, conventions to consider and +alleviate their grievances, and the struggle for legal rights. If he +did such things in early youth, what might he not have done with the +full force and bent of his matured intellect? And where, in the wide +world, in what region, or under what sun, could he so effectually have +labored to elevate the black man as on this soil and under American +institutions? + +So profoundly are we opposed to the favorite doctrine of the Puritans +and their co-workers, the colonizationists--Ubi Libertas, ibi +Patria--that we could almost beseech Divine Providence to reverse some +past events and to fling back into the heart of Virginia and Maryland +their Sam Wards, Highland Garnets, J.W. Penningtons, Frederick +Douglasses, and the twenty thousand who now shout hosannas in +Canada--and we would soon see some stirring in the direction of Ubi +Patria, ibi Libertas.--Anglo-African Magazine, October, 1859. + + +B. + +COMMUNICATION FROM THE NEW YORK SOCIETY FOR THE PROMOTION OF EDUCATION +AMONG COLORED CHILDREN. + +To the Honorable the Commissioners for examining into the condition of +Common Schools in the City and County of New York. + +The following statement in relation to the colored schools in said +city and county is respectfully presented by the New York Society for +the Promotion of Education among Colored Children: + + 1. The number of colored children in the city and county of + New York (estimated in 1855, from the census of 1850), between + the ages of 4 and 17 years 3,000 + + a. Average attendance of colored children at public + schools in 1855 913 + + Average attendance of colored children in + corporate schools supported by school funds + (Colored Orphan Asylum) 240 + ---- 1,153 + + b. Proportion of average attendance in public + schools of colored children to whole number + of same is as 1 to 2.60. + + 2. The number of white children in the city of New + York in 1855 (estimated as above), between the ages of + 4 and 17 years 159,000 + + a. Average attendance of white children in public + schools in 1855 43,858 + + Average attendance of white children in + corporate schools supported by public + funds 2,826 + ------ 46,684 + + b. Proportion of average attendance of white children + in public schools to whole number of same + is as 1 to 3.40. + + 3. From these facts it appears that colored children attend + the public schools (and schools supported by public funds in + the city of New York) in the proportion of 1 to 2.60, and that + the white children attend similar schools in said city in the + proportion of 1 to 3.40; that is to say, nearly 25 per cent. more of + colored children than of white children attend the public schools, + and schools supported by public funds in the city of New York. + + 4. The number of colored children attending private schools + in the city of New York, 125. + + a. The number of white children attending private + schools in 1850, census gave 10,560, which number has since + been increased by the establishment of Catholic parochial + schools, estimated in 1856, 17,560. + + b. The proportion of colored children attending private + schools to white children attending same, is as 1 to 140. + + c. But the average attendance of colored children in all + schools is about the same as that of the white in proportion, + that is to say, as many colored children attend the + public schools as do whites attend both public and private + schools, in proportion to the whole number of each class + of children. + + Locality, capability, etc., of colored schools. + + 1. The Board of Education, since its organization, has + expended in sites and buildings for white schools $1,600,000. + + b. The Board of Education has expended for sites and + buildings for colored schools (addition to building leased + 19 Thomas), $1,000. + + c. The two schoolhouses in possession of the Board + now used for colored children were assigned to same by + the Old Public School Society. + + 2. The proportion of colored children to white children + attending public schools is as 1 to 40. + + a. The sum expended on school buildings and sites of + colored and white schools by the Board of Education is as + 1 to 1,600. + + 3. a. Schoolhouse No. 1, for colored children, is an old + building, erected in 1820 by the New York Manumission Society + as a school for colored children, in Mulberry street, in a poor + but decent locality. It has two departments, one male and one + female; it consists of two stories only, and has two small + recitation rooms on each floor, but as primary as well as grammar + children attend each department, much difficulty and confusion + arises from the want of class room for the respective studies. + The building covers only part of the lot, and as it is, the best + attended and among the best taught of the colored schools, a + new and ample school building, erected in this place, would + prove a great attraction, and could be amply filled by children. + + b. Schoolhouse No. 2, erected in Laurens street more + than twenty years ago for colored children by the Public + School Society, is in one of the lowest and filthiest + neighborhoods, and hence, although it has competent teachers + in the male and female departments, and a separate primary + department, the attendance has always been slender, + and will be until the school is removed to a neighborhood + where children may be sent without danger to their morals. + + c. School No. 3, for colored children, in Yorkville, is + an old building, is well attended, and deserves, in connection + with Schoolhouse No. 4, in Harlem, a new building midway + between the present localities. + + d. Schoolhouse No. 5, for colored children, is an old + building, leased at No. 19 Thomas street, a most degraded + neighborhood, full of filth and vice; yet the attendance on + this school, and the excellence of its teachers, earn for it the + need of a new site and new building. + + e. Schoolhouse No. 6, for colored children, is in Broadway, + near 37th street, in a dwelling house leased and fitted + up for a school, in which there is always four feet of water + in the cellar. The attendance good. Some of the school + officers have repeatedly promised a new building. + + f. Primary school for colored children, No. 1, is in the + basement of a church on 15th street, near 7th avenue, + in a good location, but premises too small for the attendance; + no recitation rooms, and is perforce both primary + and grammar school, to the injury of the progress of all. + + g. Primary schools for colored children, No. 2 and 3, + are in the rear of church, in 2d street, near 6th avenue; the + rooms are dark and cheerless, and without the needful + facilities of sufficient recitation rooms, etc. + +From a comparison of the schoolhouses with the splendid, almost +palatial edifices, with manifold comforts, conveniences and elegancies +which make up the schoolhouses for white children in the city of New +York, it is evident that the colored children are painfully neglected +and positively degraded. Pent up in filthy neighborhoods, in old and +dilapidated buildings, they are held down to low associations and +gloomy surroundings. + +Yet Mr. Superintendent Kiddle, at a general examination of colored +schools held in July last (for silver medals awarded by the society +now addressing your honorable body) declared the reading and spelling +equal to that of any schools in the city. + +The undersigned enter their solemn protest against this unjust +treatment of colored children. They believe with the experience of +Massachusetts, and especially the recent experience of Boston before +them, there is no sound reason why colored children shall be excluded +from any of the common schools supported by taxes levied alike on +whites and blacks, and governed by officers elected by the vote of +colored as well as white voters. + +But if in the judgment of your honorable body common schools are not +thus common to all, then we earnestly pray you to recommend to the +Legislature such action as shall cause the Board of Education of this +city to erect at least two well-appointed modern grammar schools for +colored children on suitable sites, in respectable localities, so that +the attendance of colored children may be increased and their minds be +elevated in like manner as the happy experience of the honorable Board +of Education has been in the matter of white children. + +In addition to the excellent impulse to colored youth which these new +grammar schools would give, they will have the additional argument of +actual economy; the children will be taught with far less expense in +two such schoolhouses than in the half dozen hovels into which they +are now driven. It is a costly piece of injustice which educates the +white scholar in a palace at $10 per year and the colored pupil in a +hovel at $17 or $18 per annum. + +Taxes, etc., of colored population of the city. + +No proposition can be more reasonable than that they who pay taxes for +schools and schoolhouses should be provided with schools and +schoolhouses. The colored population of this city, in proportion to +their numbers, pay their full share of the general and therefore of +the school taxes. There are about nine thousand adults of both sexes; +of these over three thousand are householders, rent-payers, and +therefore tax-payers, in that sense of the word in which owners make +tax-payers of their poor tenants. The colored laboring man, with an +income of $200 a year, who pays $72 per year for a room and bedroom, +is really in proportion to his means a larger tax-payer than the +millionaire whose tax rate is thousands of dollars. But directly, +also, do the colored people pay taxes. From examinations carefully +made, the undersigned affirm that there are in the city at least +1,000 colored persons who own and pay taxes on real estate. + + Taxed real estate in the city of New York owned + by colored persons $1,400,000 + Untaxed by colored persons (churches) 250,000 + Personal estate 710,000 + Money in savings banks 1,121,000 + ----------- + $3,481,000 + +These figures indicate that in proportion to their numbers, the +colored population of this city pay a fair share of the school taxes, +and that they have been most unjustly dealt with. Their money has been +used to purchase sites and erect and fit up schoolhouses for white +children, whilst their own children are driven into miserable edifices +in disgraceful localities. Surely, the white population of the city +are too able, too generous, too just, any longer to suffer this +miserable robbing of their colored fellow-citizens for the benefit of +white children. + +Praying that your honorable commission will take due notice of these +facts, and recommend such remedy as shall seem to you best, + +We have the honor to be, in behalf of the New York Society for the +Promotion of Education among Colored Citizens, + +Most respectfully yours, + +CHARLES B. RAY, President. +PHILIP A. WHITE, Secretary. +New York City, December 28, 1857. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +AMERICAN NEGRO AND THE MILITARY SPIRIT. + + Early Literature of Negro Soldiers--Negro Soldiers in the + War of the Revolution--The War of 1812--Negro + Insurrections--Negro Troops in the Civil War--Notes. + + +"Do you think I'll make a soldier?" is the opening line of one of +those delightful spirituals, originating among the slaves in the far +South. I first heard it sung in the Saint James Methodist Church, +corner of Spring and Coming Streets, Charleston, South Carolina, +immediately after the close of the war. It was sung by a vast +congregation to a gentle, swinging air, with nothing of the martial +about it, and was accompanied by a swaying of the body to the time of +the music. Occasionally there would be the "curtesys" peculiar to the +South Carolina slave of the low country, which consists in a stooping +of the body by bending the knees only, the head remaining erect, a +movement which takes the place of the bow among equals. The older +ladies, with heads adorned with the ever-present Madras kerchief, +often tied in the most becoming and tasteful manner, and faces aglow +with an enthusiasm that bespoke a life within sustained by visions of +spiritual things, would often be seen to shake hands and add a word of +greeting and hope which would impart a charm and meaning to the +singing far above what the humble words of the song without these +accessories could convey. As the rich chorus of matchless voices +poured out in perfect time and tune, "Rise, shine, and give God the +glory," the thoughts of earthly freedom, of freedom from sin, and +finally of freedom from the toils, cares and sorrows of earth to be +baptized into the joys of heaven, all seemed to blend into the many +colored but harmonious strain. The singing of the simple hearted +trustful, emancipated slave! Shall we ever hear the like again on +earth? Alas, that the high hopes and glowing prophecies of that +auspicious hour have been so deferred that the hearts of millions have +been made sick! + +Of the songs that came out of slavery with these long suffering +people, Colonel Higginson, who perhaps got nearer to them in sentiment +than any other literary man not really, of them, says: "Almost all +their songs were thoroughly religious in their tone, however quaint +their expression, and were in a minor key both as to words and music. +The attitude is always the same, and, as a commentary on the life of +the race, is infinitely pathetic. Nothing but patience for this +life--nothing but triumph in the next. Sometimes the present +predominates, sometimes the future; but the combination is always +implied." + +I do not know when this "soldier" song had its birth, but it may have +sprung out of the perplexity of the slave's mind as he contemplated +the raging conflict and saw himself drawn nearer and nearer to the +field of strife. Whether in this song the "present predominates," and +the query, therefore, has a strong primary reference to carnal weapons +and to garments dyed in blood; whether the singer invites an opinion +as to his fitness to engage in the war for Freedom--it may not be +possible to determine. The "year of Jubilee," coming in the same song +in connection with the purpose for which the singer is to be made a +soldier, gives clearer illustration of that combination of the present +and future which Mr. Higginson says was always present in the +spirituals of that period, if it shows no more. When it is remembered +that at that time Charleston was literally trodden under foot by black +soldiers in bright uniforms, whose coming seemed to the colored people +of that city like a dream too good to be true, it is not hard to +believe that this song had much of the present in it, and owed its +birth to the circumstances of war. + +Singularly enough the song makes the Negro ask the exact question +which had been asked about him from the earliest days of our history +as a nation, a question which in some form confronts him still. The +question, as the song has it, is not one of fact, but one of opinion. +It is not: Will I make a soldier? but: Do you think I will make a +soldier? It is one thing to "make a soldier," another thing to have +men think so. The question of fact was settled a century ago; the +question of opinion is still unsettled. The Negro soldier, hero of +five hundred battlefields, with medals and honors resting upon his +breast, with the endorsement of the highest military authority of the +nation, with Port Hudson, El Caney and San Juan behind him, is still +expected by too many to stand and await the verdict of thought, from +persons who never did "think" he would make a soldier, and who never +will think so. As well expect the excited animal of the ring to +_think_ in the presence of the red rag of the toreador as to expect +_them_ to think on the subject of the Negro soldier. They can curse, +and rant, when they see the stalwart Negro in uniform, but it is too +much to ask them to think. To them the Negro can be a fiend, a brute, +but never a soldier. + +To John G. Whittier and to William C. Nell are we indebted for the +earliest recital of the heroic deeds of the colored American in the +Wars of the Revolution and 1812. Whittier contributed an article on +this subject to the "National Era" in 1847, and five or six years +later Nell published his pamphlet on "Colored Patriots," a booklet +recently reprinted by the African Methodist Episcopal Church. It is a +useful contribution, showing as it does the rising and spreading +abroad of that spirit which appreciates military effort and valor; and +while recognizing the glory that came to American arms in the period +described, honestly seeks to place some of that glory upon the +deserving brow of a race then enslaved and despised. The book is +unpretentious and aims to relate the facts in a straight-forward way, +unaccompanied by any of the charms of tasteful presentation. Its +author, however, is deserving our thanks, and the book marks an +important stage in the development of the colored American. His mind +was turning toward the creation of the soldier--the formation of +armies. + +There are other evidences that the mind of the colored man was at this +time turning towards arms. In 1852 Doctor Pennington, one of the most +learned colored men of his times, having received his Degree in +Divinity from Heidelberg, delivered an address before a mass +convention of colored citizens of Ohio, held in Cleveland, in which he +spoke principally of the colored soldier. During the convention the +"Cleveland Light Artillery" fired a salute, and on the platform were +seated several veteran colored men, some of them, particularly Mr. +John Julius, of Pittsburg, Pa., taking part in the speech-making. Mr. +Nell says: "Within recent period several companies of colored men in +New York city have enrolled themselves a la militaire," and quotes +from the New York Tribune of August, 1852, as follows: + + "COLORED SOLDIERS.--Among the many parades within a few days + we noticed yesterday a soldierly-looking company of colored + men, on their way homeward from a target or parade drill. + They looked like men, handled their arms like men, and + should occasion demand, we presume they would fight like + men." + +In Boston, New Haven, New Bedford and other places efforts were made +during the decade from 1850 to 1860 to manifest this rising military +spirit by appropriate organization, but the efforts were not always +successful. In some cases the prejudices of the whites put every +possible obstacle in the way of the colored young men who attempted to +array themselves as soldiers. + +The martial spirit is not foreign to the Negro character, as has been +abundantly proved in both ancient and modern times. Williams, in his +admirable history of the Negro as well as in his "Negro Troops in the +Rebellion," has shown at considerable length that the Negro has been a +soldier from earliest times, serving in large numbers in the Egyptian +army long before the beginning of the Christian era. We know that +without any great modification in character, runaway slaves developed +excellent fighting qualities as Maroons, in Trinidad, British Guiana, +St. Domingo and in Florida. But it was in Hayti that the unmixed Negro +rose to the full dignity of a modern soldier, creating and leading +armies, conducting and carrying on war, treating with enemies and +receiving surrenders, complying fully with the rules of civilized +warfare, and evolving finally a Toussaint, whose military genius his +most bitter enemies were compelled to recognize--Toussaint, who to the +high qualities of the soldier added also the higher qualities of +statesmanship. With Napoleon, Cromwell and Washington, the three great +commanders of modern times who have joined to high military talent +eminent ability in the art of civil government, we must also class +Toussaint L'Ouverteur, the black soldier of the Antilles. Thiers, the +prejudiced attorney of Napoleon, declares nevertheless that Toussaint +possessed wonderful talent for government, and the fact ever remains +that under his benign rule all classes were pacified and San Domingo +was made to blossom as the rose. In the armies of Menelek, in the +armies of France, in the armies of England, as well as in the +organization of the Zulu and Kaffir tribes the Negro has shown himself +a soldier. If the Afro-American should fail in this particular it will +not be because of any lack of the military element in the African side +of his character, or for any lack of "remorseless military audacity" +in the original Negro, as the historian, Williams, expresses it. + +In our own Revolutionary War, the Negro, then but partially civilized, +and classed with "vagabonds," held everywhere as a slave, and +everywhere distrusted, against protest and enactment, made his way +into the patriot army, fighting side by side with his white +compatriots from Lexington to Yorktown. On the morning of April 19th, +1775, when the British re-enforcements were preparing to leave Boston +for Lexington, a Negro soldier who had served in the French war, +commanded a small body of West Cambridge "exempts" and captured Lord +Percy's supply train with its military escort and the officer in +command. As a rule the Negro soldiers were distributed among the +regiments, thirty or forty to a regiment, and did not serve in +separate organizations. Bishop J.P. Campbell, of the African Methodist +Church, was accustomed to say "both of my grandfathers served in the +Revolutionary War." In Varnum's Brigade, however, there was a Negro +regiment and of it Scribner's history, 1897, says, speaking of the +battle of Rhode Island: "None behaved better than Greene's colored +regiment, which three times repulsed the furious charges of veteran +Hessians." Williams says: "The black regiment was one of three that +prevented the enemy from turning the flank of the American army. These +black troops were doubtless regarded as the weak spot of the line, but +they were not." + +The colony of Massachusetts alone furnished 67,907 men for the +Revolutionary War, while all the colonies together south of +Pennsylvania furnished but 50,493, hence the sentiment prevailing in +Massachusetts would naturally be very powerful in determining any +question pertaining to the army. When the country sprang to arms in +response to that shot fired at Lexington, the echoes of which, +poetically speaking, were heard around the world, the free Negroes of +every Northern colony rallied with their white neighbors. They were in +the fight at Lexington and at Bunker Hill, but when Washington came to +take command of the army he soon gave orders that no Negroes should be +enlisted. He was sustained in this position by a council of war and by +a committee of conference in which were representatives from Rhode +Island, Connecticut and Massachusetts, and it was agreed that Negroes +be rejected altogether. The American Negro's persistency in pressing +himself where he is not _wanted_ but where he is _eminently needed_ +began right there. Within six weeks so many colored men applied for +enlistment, and those that had been put out of the army raised such a +clamor that Washington changed his policy, and the Negro, who of all +America's population contended for the privilege of shouldering a gun +to fight for American liberty, was allowed a place in the Continental +Army, the first national army organized on this soil, ante-dating the +national flag. The Negro soldier helped to evolve the national +standard and was in the ranks of the fighting men over whom it first +unfolded its broad stripes and glittering stars. + + [Transcriber's Note: This footnote appeared in the text + without a footnote anchor: + + "To the Honorable General Court of the Massachusetts Bay: + + "The subscribers beg leave to report to your Honorable + House, which we do in justice to the character of so brave a + man, that, under our own observation, we declare that a + Negro man called Salem Poor, of Col. Frye's regiment, Capt. + Ames' company, in the late battle at Charlestown, behaved + like an experienced officer, as well as an excellent + soldier. We would only beg leave to say, in the person of + this said Negro centres a brave and gallant soldier. The + reward due to so great and distinguished a character we + submit to the Congress. + + "Cambridge, Dec. 5, 1775." + + These black soldiers, fresh from heathen lands, not out of + slavery, proved themselves as worthy as the best. In the + battle of Bunker Hill, where all were brave, two Negro + soldiers so distinguished themselves that their names have + come down to us garlanded with the tributes of their + contemporaries. Peter Salem, until then a slave, a private + in Colonel Nixon's regiment of Continentals, without orders + fired deliberately upon Major Pitcairn as he was leading the + assault of the British to what appeared certain victory. + Everet in speaking "of Prescott, Putnam and Warren, the + chiefs of the day," mentions in immediate connection "the + colored man, Salem, who is reported to have shot the gallant + Pitcairn as he mounted the parapet." What Salem Poor did is + not set forth, but the following is the wreath of praise + that surrounds his name: + + Jona. Brewer, Col. Eliphalet Bodwell, Sgt. + Thomas Nixon, Lt.-Col. Josiah Foster, Lieut. + Wm. Precott, Col. Ebenr. Varnum, 2d Lieut. + Ephm. Corey, Lieut. Wm. Hudson Ballard, Capt. + Joseph Baker, Lieut. William Smith, Capt. + Joshua Row, Lieut. John Morton, Sergt. (?) + Jonas Richardson, Capt. Richard Welsh, Lieut.] + + +It is in place here to mention a legion of free mulattoes and blacks +from the Island of St. Domingo, a full account of whose services is +appended to this section, who fought under D'Estaing with great +distinction in the siege of Savannah, their bravery at that time +saving the patriot army from annihilation. + +When the Revolutionary War had closed the brave black soldier who had +fought to give to the world a new flag whose every star should be a +star of hope to the oppressed, and whose trinity of colors should +symbolize Liberty, Equality and Fraternity, found his race, and in +some instances himself personally, encased in a cruel and stubborn +slavery. For the soldier himself special provision had been made in +both Northern and Southern colonies, but it was not always hearty or +effective. In October, 1783, the Virginia Legislature passed an act +for the relief of certain slaves who had served in the army whose +"former owners were trying to force to return to a state of servitude, +contrary to the principles of justice and their solemn promise." The +act provided that each and every slave who had enlisted "by the +appointment and direction of his owner" and had "been received as a +substitute for any free person whose duty or lot it was to serve" and +who had served faithfully during the term of such enlistment, unless +lawfully discharged earlier, should be fully and completely +emancipated and should be held and deemed free in as full and ample +manner as if each and every one of them were specially named in the +act. The act, though apparently so fair on its face, and interlarded +as it is with patriotic and moral phrases, is nevertheless very narrow +and technical, liberating only those who enlisted by the appointment +and direction of their owners, and who were accepted as substitutes, +and who came out of the army with good discharges. It is not hard to +see that even under this act many an ex-soldier might end his days in +slavery. The Negro had joined in the fight for freedom and when +victory is won finds himself a slave. He was both a slave and a +soldier, too often, during the war; and now at its close may be both a +veteran and a slave. + +The second war with Great Britain broke out with an incident in which +the Negro in the navy was especially conspicuous. The Chesapeake, an +American war vessel was hailed, fired upon and forced to strike her +colors, by the British. She was then boarded and searched and four +persons taken from her decks, claimed as deserters from the English +navy. Three of these were Negroes and one white. The Negroes were +finally dismissed with a reprimand and the white man hanged. Five +years later hostilities began on land and no opposition was manifested +toward the employment of Negro soldiers. Laws were passed, especially +in New York, authorizing the formation of regiments of blacks with +white officers. It is remarkable that although the successful +insurrection of St. Domingo was so recent, and many refugees from that +country at that time were in the United States, and our country had +also but lately come into possession of a large French element by the +Louisiana purchase, there was no fear of a servile insurrection in +this country. The free colored men of New Orleans, under the +proclamation of the narrow-minded Jackson, rallied to the defence of +that city and bore themselves with commendable valor in that useless +battle. The war closed, however, and the glory of the Negro soldier +who fought in it soon expired in the dismal gloom of a race-slavery +becoming daily more wide-spread and hopeless. + +John Brown's movement was military in character and contemplated the +creation of an army of liberated slaves; but its early suppression +prevented any display of Negro valor or genius. Its leader must ever +receive the homage due those who are so moved by the woes of others as +to overlook all considerations of policy and personal risk. As a plot +for the destruction of life it fell far short of the Nat Turner +insurrection which swept off fifty-seven persons within a few hours. +In purpose the two episodes agree. They both aim at the liberation of +the slave; both were led by fanatics, the reflex production of the +cruelty of slavery, and both ended in the melancholy death of their +heroic leaders. Turner's was the insurrection of the slave and was not +free from the mad violence of revenge; Brown's was the insurrection of +the friend of the slave, and was governed by the high and noble +purpose of freedom. The insurrections of Denmark Vesey in South +Carolina, in 1822, and of Nat Turner, in Virginia, in 1831, show +conclusively that the Negro slave possessed the courage, the cunning, +the secretiveness and the intelligence to fight for his freedom. +These two attempts were sufficiently broad and intelligent, when taken +into consideration with the enforced ignorance of the slave, to prove +the Negro even in his forlorn condition capable of daring great +things. Of the probable thousands who were engaged in the Denmark +Vesey insurrection, only fifteen were convicted, and these died +heroically without revealing anything connected with the plot. +Forty-three years later I met the son of Denmark Vesey, who rejoiced +in the efforts of his noble father, and regarded his death on the +gallows as a holy sacrifice to the cause of freedom. Turner describes +his fight as follows: "The white men, eighteen in number, approached +us to about one hundred yards, when one of them fired, and I +discovered about half of them retreating. I then ordered my men to +fire and rush on them. The few remaining stood their ground until we +approached within fifty yards, when they fired and retreated. We +pursued and overtook some of them whom we thought we left dead. After +pursuing them about two hundred yards, and rising a little hill, I +discovered they were met by another party, and had halted and were +reloading their guns. Thinking that those who retreated first and the +party who fired on us at fifty or sixty yards distant had all only +fallen back to meet others with ammunition, as I saw them reloading +their guns, and more coming up than I saw at first, and several of my +bravest men being wounded, the others became panic struck and +scattered over the field. The white men pursued and fired on us +several times. Hark had his horse shot under him, and I caught another +for him that was running by me; five or six of my men were wounded, +but none left on the field. Finding myself defeated here, I instantly +determined to go through a private way and cross the Nottoway River at +Cypress Bridge, three miles below Jerusalem, and attack that place in +the rear, as I expected they would look for me on the other road, and +I had a great desire to get there to procure arms and ammunition. +After going a short distance in this private way, accompanied by about +twenty men, I overtook two or three who told me the others were +dispersed in every direction. After trying in vain to collect a +sufficient force to proceed to Jerusalem, I determined to return, as I +was sure they would make back to their old neighborhood, where they +would rejoin me, make new recruits, and come down again. On my way +back I called on Mrs. Thomas', Mrs. Spencer's and several other +places. We stopped at Major Ridley's quarters for the night, and being +joined by four of his men, with the recruits made since my defeat, we +mustered now about forty strong. + +After placing out sentinels, I lay down to sleep, but was quickly +aroused by a great racket. Starting up I found some mounted and others +in great confusion, one of the sentinels having given the alarm that +we were about to be attacked. I ordered some to ride around and +reconnoitre, and on their return the others being more alarmed, not +knowing who they were, fled in different ways, so that I was reduced +to about twenty again. With this I determined to attempt to recruit, +and proceed on to rally in the neighborhood I had left."[6] + +No one can read this account, which is thoroughly supported by +contemporary testimony, without seeing in this poor misguided slave +the elements of a vigorous captain. Failing in his efforts he made his +escape and remained for two months in hiding in the vicinity of his +pursuers. One concerned in his prosecution says: "It has been said +that he was ignorant and cowardly and that his object was to murder +and rob for the purpose of obtaining money to make his escape. It is +notorious that he was never known to have a dollar in his life, to +swear an oath, or drink a drop of spirits. As to his ignorance, he +certainly never had the advantages of education, but he can read and +write (it was taught him by his parents) and for natural intelligence +and quickness of apprehension, is surpassed by few men I have ever +seen. As to his being a coward, his reason as given for not resisting +Mr. Phipps shows the decision of his character."[7] + +The War of the Rebellion, now called the Civil War, effected the last +and tremendous step in the transition of the American Negro from the +position of a slave under the Republic to that of a soldier in its +armies. Both under officers of his own race at Port Hudson and under +white officers on a hundred battlefields, the Negro in arms proved +himself a worthy foeman against the bravest and sternest enemies that +ever assailed our nation's flag, and a worthy comrade of the Union's +best defenders. Thirty-six thousand eight hundred and forty-seven of +them gave their lives in that awful conflict. The entire race on this +continent and those of allied blood throughout the world are indebted +to the soldier-historian, Honorable George W. Williams, for the +eloquent story of their service in the Union Army, and for the +presentation of the high testimonials to the valor and worthiness of +the colored soldier as given by the highest military authority of the +century. From Chapter XVI of his book, "Negro Troops in the +Rebellion," the paragraphs appended at the close of this chapter are +quoted. + + +A. + +HOW THE BLACK ST. DOMINGO LEGION SAVED THE PATRIOT ARMY IN THE SIEGE +OF SAVANNAH, 1779. + +The siege and attempted reduction of Savannah by the combined French +and American forces is one of the events of our revolutionary war, +upon which our historians care little to dwell. Because it reflects +but little glory upon the American arms, and resulted so disastrously +to the American cause, its important historic character and +connections have been allowed to fade from general sight; and it +stands in the ordinary school text-books, much as an affair of shame. +The following, quoted from Barnes' History, is a fair sample of the +way in which it is treated: + +"French-American Attack on Savannah.--In September, D'Estaing joined +Lincoln in besieging that city. After a severe bombardment, an +unsuccessful assault was made, in which a thousand lives were lost. +Count Pulaski was mortally wounded. The simple-hearted Sergeant Jasper +died grasping the banner presented to his regiment at Fort Moultrie. +D'Estaing refused to give further aid; thus again deserting the +Americans when help was most needed." + +From this brief sketch the reader is at liberty to infer that the +attack was unwise if not fool-hardy; that the battle was unimportant; +and that the conduct of Count D'Estaing immediately after the battle +was unkind, if not unjust, to the Americans. While the paragraph does +not pretend to tell the whole truth, what it does tell ought to be the +truth; and this ought to be told in such a way as to give correct +impressions. The attack upon Savannah was well-planned and thoroughly +well considered; and it failed only because the works were so ably +defended, chiefly by British regulars, under brave and skillful +officers. In a remote way, which it is the purpose of this paper to +trace, that sanguinary struggle had a wider bearing upon the progress +of liberty in the Western World than any other one battle fought +during the Revolution. + +But first let us listen to the story of the battle itself. Colonel +Campbell with a force of three thousand men, captured Savannah in +December, 1778; and in the January following, General Prevost arrived, +and by March had established a sort of civil government in Georgia, +Savannah being the capital. In April, the American general, Lincoln, +feeble in more senses than one, perhaps, began a movement against +Savannah by way of Augusta; but Prevost, aware of his purpose, crossed +into South Carolina and attempted an attack upon Charleston. Finding +the city too well defended, he contented himself with ravaging the +plantations over a wide extent of adjacent country, and returned to +Savannah laden with rich spoils, among which were included three +thousand slaves, of whose labor he made good use later. + +The patriots of the South now awaited in hope the coming of the French +fleet; and on the first of September, Count D'Estaing appeared +suddenly on the coast of Georgia with thirty-three sail, surprised and +captured four British warships, and announced to the government of +South Carolina his readiness to assist in the recapture of Savannah. +He urged as a condition, however, that his ships should not be +detained long off so dangerous a coast, as is was now the hurricane +season, and there was neither harbor, road, nor offing for their +protection. + +By means of small vessels sent from Charleston he effected a landing +in ten days, and four days thereafter, on the 16th, he summoned the +garrison to surrender to the arms of France. Although this demand was +made in the name of France for the plain reason that the American army +was not yet upon the spot, the loyalists did not fail to make it a +pretext for the accusation that the French were desirous of making +conquests in the war on their own account. In the meantime Lincoln +with the regular troops, was hurrying toward Savannah, and had issued +orders for the militia to rendezvous at the same place; and the +militia full of hope of a speedy, if not of a bloodless conquest, were +entering upon this campaign with more than ordinary enthusiasm. + +During the time that the fleet had been off the coast, and especially +since the landing, the British had been very busy in putting the city +in a high state of defence, and in making efforts to strengthen the +garrison. Lieutenant-colonel Cruger, who had a small force at Sunbury, +the last place in Georgia that had been captured by the British, and +Lieutenant-colonel Maitland who was commanding a considerable force at +Beaufort, were ordered to report in haste with their commands at +Savannah. On the 16th, when the summons to surrender was received by +Prevost, Maitland had not arrived, but was hourly expected. Prevost +asked for a delay of twenty-four hours to consider the proposal, which +delay was granted; and on that very evening, Maitland with his force +arrived at Dawfuskie. Finding the river in the possession of the +French, his course for a time seemed effectually cut off. By the +merest chance he fell in with some Negro fishermen who informed him of +a passage known as Wall's cut, through Scull's creek, navigable for +small boats. A favoring tide and a dense fog enabled him to conduct +his command unperceived by the French, through this route, and thus +arrive in Savannah on the afternoon of the 17th, before the expiration +of the twenty-four hours. General Prevost had gained his point; and +now believing himself able to resist an assault, declined the summons +to surrender. Two armed ships and four transports were sunk in the +channel of the river below the city, and a boom in the same place laid +entirely across the river; while several small boats were sunk above +the town, thus rendering it impossible for the city to be approached +by water. + +On the day of the summons to surrender, although the works were +otherwise well advanced, there were not ten cannon mounted in the +lines of Savannah; but from that time until the day of assault, the +men of the garrison, with the slaves they had captured, worked day and +night to get the defences of the city in the highest state of +excellence. Major Moncrief, chief of the engineers, is credited with +placing in position more than eighty cannons in a short time after the +call to surrender had been received. + +The city itself at this time was but a mere village of frame buildings +and unpaved streets. Viewed as facing its assailants, it was protected +in its rear, or upon its north side, by the Savannah river; and on its +west side by a thick swamp or morass, which communicated with the +river above the city. The exposed sides were those of the east and +south. These faced an open country which for several miles was +entirely clear of woods. This exposed portion of the city was well +protected by an unbroken line of defences extending from the river +back to the swamp, the right and left extremes of the line consisting +of strong redoubts, while the centre was made up of seamen's batteries +in front, with impalements and traverses thrown up to protect the +troops from the fire of the besiegers. The whole extent of the works +was faced with an ample abattis. + +[Illustration: Savannah River.] + +To be still more particular: there were three redoubts on the right of +the line, and on the right of them quite near the swamp, was a +sailor's battery of nine pounders, covered by a company of the British +legion. The left redoubt of these three, was known as the Springhill +redoubt; and proved to be the objective of the final assault. Between +it and the centre, was another sailor's battery behind which were +posted the grenadiers of the 60th regiment, with the marines which had +been landed from the warships. On the left of the line near the river +were two redoubts, strongly constructed, with a massy frame of green +spongy wood, filled in with sand, and mounted with heavy cannon. The +centre, or space between these groups of redoubts, was composed, as +has been said, of lighter but nevertheless very effective works, and +was strongly garrisoned. + +Having thus scanned the works, let us now take a glance at the men who +are to defend them. As all of the assaulting forces are not made up of +Americans, so all of the defenders are not foreigners. The centre +redoubt of the triplet on the right, was garrisoned by two companies +of militia, with the North Carolina regiment to support them; Captains +Roworth and Wylie, with the provincial corps of King's Rangers, were +posted in the redoubt on the right; and Captain Tawse with his corps +of provincial dragons, dismounted, in the left or Springhill redoubt, +supported by the South Caroline regiment. The whole of this force on +the right of the line, was under the command of the gallant +Lieutenant-colonel Maitland; and it was this force that made the +charge that barely failed of annihilating the American army. On the +left of the line, the Georgia loyalists garrisoned one of those massy +wooden sand-filled redoubts; while in the centre, cheek by jowl so to +speak, with two battalions of the seventy-first regiment, and two +regiments of Hessians, stood the New York Volunteers. All of these +corps were ready to act as circumstances should require and to support +any part of the line that might be attacked. The Negroes who worked on +these defences were under the direction of Major Moncrief. + +The French troops had landed below the city and were formed facing the +British lines, with the river on their right. On their left, later, +assembled the American troops. The final dispositions were concluded +by September 22nd, and were as follows: The American troops under +Lincoln formed the left of the line, their left resting upon the swamp +and the entire division facing the Springhill redoubt and her two +sister defences; then came the division of M. de Noailles, composed of +nine hundred men. D'Estaing's division of one thousand men beside the +artillery, came next, and formed the centre of the French army. On +D'Estaing's right was Count Dillon's division of nine hundred men; on +the right of Dillon were the powder magazine, cattle depot, and a +small field hospital; on the right of the depot and a little in +advance, were Dejean's dragoons, numbering fifty men; upon the same +alignment and to the right of the dragoons were Rouvrais' Volunteer +Chasseurs, numbering seven hundred and fifty men; still further on to +the right and two hundred yards in advance of Rouvrais, was Framais, +comanding the Grenadier Volunteers, and two hundred men besides, his +right resting upon the swampy wood that bordered the river, thus +completely closing in the city on the land side. The frigate, La +Truite, and two galleys, lay within cannon shot of the town, and with +the aid of the armed store ship, La Bricole, and the frigate, La +Chimere, effectually cut off all communication by water. + +On the 23rd, both the French and the Americans opened their trenches; +and on the 24th, a small detachment of the besieged made a sortie +against the French. The attack was easily repulsed, but the French +pursuing, approached so near the entrenchments of the enemy that they +were fired upon and several were killed. On the night of the 27th +another sortie was made which threw the besiegers into some confusion +and caused the French and Americans to fire upon each other. +Cannonading continued with but little result until October 8th. + +The engineers were now of the opinion that a speedy reduction of the +city could not be accomplished by regular approaches; and the naval +officers were very anxious about the fleet, both because of the +dangers to which it was exposed from the sea, and also because with so +many men ashore it was in especial danger of being attacked and +captured by British men-of-war. These representations agreeing +altogether with D'Estaing's previously expressed wishes to leave the +coast as soon as possible, induced that officer and General Lincoln +to decide upon an attempt to storm the British works at once. It is +quite probable that this had been the purpose as a last resort from +the first. The preservation of the fleet was, however, the powerful +factor in determining the time and character of the assault upon +Savannah. + +On the night of the eighth, Major L'Enfant, with a detachment +attempted to set fire to the abattis in order to clear the way for the +assault, but failed to through the dampness of the wood. The plan of +the assault may be quite accurately obtained from the orders given to +the American troops on the evening of the 8th by General Lincoln and +from the inferences to be drawn from the events of the morning of the +9th as they are recorded in history. At least two of the historians +who have left us accounts of the seige, Ramsey and McCall, were +present at the time, and their accounts may be regarded as original +authority. General Lincoln's orders were as follows: + + + "Evening Orders. By General Lincoln. + Watchword--Lewis. + + "The soldiers will be immediately supplied with 40 rounds of + cartridges, a spare flint, and have their arms in good + order. The infantry destined for the attack of Savannah will + be divided into two bodies; first composed of the light + troops under the command of Colonel Laurens; the second, of + the continental battalions and the first battalion of the + Charleston militia, except the grenadiers, who are to join + the light troops. The whole will parade at 1 o'clock, near + the left of the line, and march by platoons. The guards of + the camp will be formed of the invalids, and be charged to + keep the fires as usual in camp. + + "The cavalry under the command of Count Pulaski, will parade + at the same time with the infantry and follow the left + column of the French troops, precede the column of the + American light troops; they will endeavor to penetrate the + enemy's lines between the battery on the left of Springhill + redoubt, and the next towards the river; having effected + this, will pass to the left towards Yamacraw and secure such + parties of the enemy as may be lodged in that quarter. + + "The artillery will parade at the same time, follow the + French artillery, and remain with the corps de reserve until + they receive further orders. + + "The whole will be ready by the time appointed, with the + utmost silence and punctuality; and be ready to march the + instant Count Dillon and General Lincoln shall order. + + "The light troops who are to follow the cavalry, will + attempt to enter the redoubt on the left of the Springhill, + by escalade if possible; if not by entrance into it, they + are to be supported if necessary by the first South Carolina + regiment; in the meantime the column will proceed with the + lines to the left of the Springhill battery. + + "The light troops having succeeded against the redoubt will + proceed to the left and attempt the several works between + that and the river. + + "The column will move to the left of the French troops, + taking care not to interfere with them. + + "The light troops having carried the work towards the river + will form on the left of the column. + + "It is especially forbidden to fire a single gun before the + redoubts are carried; or for any soldier to quit his rank to + plunder without an order for that purpose; any who shall + presume to transgress in either of these respects shall be + reputed a disobeyer of military orders which is punishable + with death. + + "The militia of the first and second brigades, General + Williamson's and the second battalion of the Charleston + militia will parade immediately under the command of General + Huger; after draughting five hundred of them the remander of + them will go into the trenches and put themselves under the + commanding officer there; with the 500 he will march to the + left of the enemy's line, remain as near them as he possibly + can without being seen, until four o'clock in the morning, + at which time the troops in the trenches will begin an + attack upon the enemy; he will then advance and make his + attack as near the river as possible; though this is only + meant as a feint, yet should a favorable opportunity offer, + he will improve it and push into the town. + + "In case of a repulse after taking Springhill redoubt, the + troops will retreat and rally in the rear of redoubt; if it + cannot be effected that way, it must be attempted by the + same route at which they entered. + + "The second place of rallying (or the first if the redoubt + should not be carried) will be at the Jews' burying-ground, + where the reserve will be placed; if these two halts should + not be effected, they will retire towards camp. + + "The troops will carry in their hats a piece of white paper + by which they will be distinguished." + +General Huger with his five hundred militia, covered by the river +swamp, crept quite close to the enemy's lines and delivered his attack +as directed. Its purpose was to draw attention to that quarter and if +possible cause a weakening of the strength in the left centre of the +line. What its real effect was, there is now no means of knowing. + +Count Dillon, who during the siege had been on D'Estaing's right, and +who appears to have been second in command in the French army, in this +assault was placed in command of a second attacking column. His +purpose was to move to the right of General Huger, and keeping in the +edge of the swamps along the river, steal past the enemy's batteries +on the left, and attack him in the rear. Bancroft describes the +results of his efforts as follows: "The column under Count Dillon, +which was to have attacked the rear of the British lines, became +entangled in a swamp of which it should only have skirted the edge was +helplessly exposed to the British batteries and could not even be +formed." Here were the two strong sand-filled redoubts, mounted with +heavy cannon, and these may have been the batteries that stopped +Dillon's column. + +Count Pulaski with his two hundred brave cavalrymen, undertook his +part in the deadly drama with ardor, and began that perilous ride +which had for its object: "to penetrate the enemy's lines, between the +battery on the left of the Springhill redoubt, and the next towards +the river." Balch describes it as an attempt to "penetrate into the +city by galloping between the redoubts." It was the anticipation of +the Crimean "Charge of the Light Brigade;" only in this case, no one +blundered; it was simply a desperate chance. Cannon were to the right, +left, and front, and the heroic charge proved in vain; the noble Pole +fell, banner[8] in hand, pierced with a mortal wound--another foreign +martyr to our dearly bought freedom. + +The cavalry dash having failed, that much of the general plan was +blotted out. The feints may have been understood; it is said a +sergeant of the Charleston Grenadiers deserted during the night of the +8th and gave the whole plan of the attack to General Prevost, so that +he knew just where to strengthen his lines. The feints were +effectually checked by the garrison on the left, twenty-eight of the +Americans being killed: while Dillon's column was stopped by the +batteries near the river. This state of affairs allowed the whole of +Maitland's force to protect the Springhill redoubt and that part of +the line which was most threatened. The Springhill redoubt, as has +been stated, was occupied by the South Carolina regiment and a corps +of dragoons. This circumstance may account for the fact, that while +the three hundred and fifty Charleston militia occupied a most exposed +position in the attacking column, only one man among them was killed +and but six wounded. The battery on the left of this redoubt was +garrisoned by grenadiers and marines. + +The attacking column now advanced boldly, under the command of +D'Estaing and Lincoln, the Americans consisting of six hundred +continental troops and three hundred and fifty Charleston militia, +being on the left, while the centre and right were made up of the +French forces. They were met with so severe and steady a fire that the +head of the column was soon thrown into confusion. They endured this +fire for fifty-five minutes, returning it as best they could, although +many of the men had no opportunity to fire at all. Two American +standards and one French standard, were placed on the British works, +but their bearers were instantly killed. It being found impossible to +carry any part of the works, a general retreat was ordered. Of the six +hundred continental troops, more than one-third had fallen, and about +one-fifth of the French. The Charleston militia had not suffered, +although they had bravely borne their part in the assault, and it had +certainly been no fault of theirs if their brethren behind the +embankments had not fired upon them. Count D'Estaing had received two +wounds, one in the thigh, and being unable to move, was saved by the +young naval lieutenant Truguet. Ramsey gives the losses of the battle +as follows: French soldiers 760; officers 61; Americans 312; total +1133. + +As the army began its retreat, Lieutenant-colonel Maitland with the +grenadiers and marines, who were incorporated with the grenadiers, +charged its rear with the purpose of accomplishing its annihilation. +It was then that there occurred the most brilliant feat of the day, +and one of the bravest ever performed by foreign troops in the +American cause. In the army of D'Estaing was a legion of black and +mulatto freedmen, known as Fontages Legion, commanded by Vicount de +Fontages, a brave and experienced officer. The strength of this legion +is given variously from six hundred to over eight hundred men. This +legion met the fierce charge of Maitland and saved the retreating +army. + +In an official record prepared in Paris, now before me, are these +words: "This legion saved the army at Savannah by bravely covering its +retreat. Among the blacks who rendered signal services at that time +were: Andre, Beauvais, Rigaud, Villatte, Beauregard, Lambert, who +latterly became generals under the convention, including Henri +Christophe, the future king of Haiti." This quotation is taken from a +paper secured by the Honorable Richard Rush, our minister to Paris in +1849, and is preserved in the Pennsylvania Historical Society. Henri +Christophe received a dangerous gunshot wound in Savannah. Balch says +in speaking of Fontages at Savannah: "He commanded there a legion of +mulattoes, according to my manuscript, of more than eight hundred men, +and saved the army after the useless assault on the fortifications, by +bravely covering the retreat." + +It was this legion that formed the connecting link between the siege +of Savannah and the wide development of republican liberty on the +Western continent, which followed early in the present century. In +order to show this connection and the sequences, it will be necessary +to sketch in brief the history of this remarkable body of men, +especially that of the prominent individuals who distinguished +themselves at Savannah. + +In 1779 the French colony of Saint Domingo was in a state of peace, +the population then consisting of white slave-holders, mulatto and +black freedmen (affranchis), and slaves. Count D'Estaing received +orders to recruit men from Saint Domingo for the auxiliary army; and +there being no question of color raised, received into the service a +legion of colored freedmen. There had been for years a colored militia +in Saint Domingo, and as early as 1716, the Marquis de Chateau Morant, +then governor of the colony, made one Vincent the Captain-general of +all the colored militia in the vicinity of the Cape. This Captain +Vincent died in 1780 at the reputed age of 120 years. He was certainly +of great age, for he had been in the siege of Carthegenia in 1697, was +taken prisoner, afterwards liberated by exchange and presented to +Louis XIV, and fought in the German war under Villars. Moreau de St. +Mery, in his description of Vincent, incidentally mentions the +Savannah expedition. He says: "I saw him (Vincent) the year preceding +his death, recalling his ancient prowess to the men of color who were +enrolling themselves for the expedition to Savannah; and showing in +his descendants who were among the first to offer themselves, that he +had transmitted his valor. Vincent, the good Captain Vincent, had a +most pleasing countenance; and the contrast of his black skin with his +white hair produced an effect that always commanded respect." + +[Illustration: Hutchinson Island.] + +The Haytian historian, Enclus Robin, says when the call for volunteers +reached Saint Domingo: "eight hundred young freedmen, blacks and +mulattoes, offered themselves to take part in the expedition;" that +they went and "fought valiantly; and returned to Saint Domingo covered +with glory." Madiou, another Haytian historian of the highest +respectability says: "A crowd of young men, black and colored, +enlisted with the French troops and left for the continent. They +covered themselves with glory in the siege of Savannah, under the +orders of Count D'Estaing." + +What effect this experience had upon these volunteers may be inferred +from their subsequent history. Robin says: "These men who contributed +their mite toward American independence, had still their mothers and +sisters in slavery; and they themselves were subject to humiliating +discriminations. Should not France have expected from that very +moment, that they would soon use in their own cause, those very arms +which they had learned so well to use in the interests of others?" +Madiou says: "On their return to Saint Domingo they demanded for their +brothers the enjoyment of political rights." Beauvais went to Europe +and served in the army of France; but returned to fight for liberty in +Hayti, and was Captain-general in 1791; Rigaud, Lambert and Christophe +wrote their names--not in the sand. These are the men who dared to +stir Saint Domingo, under whose influence Hayti became the first +country of the New World, after the United States, to throw off +European rule. The connection between the siege of Savannah and the +independence of Hayti is traced, both as to its spirit, and +physically, through the black legion that on that occasion saved the +American army. How this connection is traced to the republics of South +America, I will allow a Haytian statesman and man of letters, honored +both at home and abroad, to relate. I translate from a work published +in Paris in 1885: + +"The illustrious Bolivar, liberator and founder of five republics in +South America, undertook in 1811 his great work of shaking off the +yoke of Spain, and of securing the independence of those immense +countries which swelled the pride of the catholic crown--but failed. +Stripped of all resources he took flight and repaired to Jamaica, +where he implored in vain of the governor of that island, the help of +England. Almost in despair, and without means, he resolved to visit +Hayti, and appeal to the generosity of the black Republic for the +help necessary to again undertake that work of liberation which had +gone to pieces in his hands. Never was there a more solemn hour for +any man--and that man the representative of the destiny of South +America! Could he hope for success? After the English, who had every +interest in the destruction of Spanish colonial power, had treated him +with so much indifference, could he hope that a new-born nation, weak, +with microscopic territory, and still guarding anxiously its own +ill-recognized independence, would risk itself in an enterprise +hazardous as the one he represented? Full of doubt he came; but Petion +gave him a most cordial welcome. + +"Taking the precautions that a legitimate sentiment of prudence +dictated at that delicate moment of our national existence, the +government of Port-au-Prince put to the disposition of the hero of +Boyaca and Carabobo, all the elements of which he had need--and +Bolivar needed everything. Men, arms and money were generously given +him. Petion did not wish to act openly for fear of compromising +himself with the Spanish government; it was arranged that the men +should embark secretly as volunteers; and that no mention of Hayti +should ever be made in any official act of Venezuela." + +Bolivar's first expedition with his Haytian volunteers was a failure; +returning to the island he procured reinforcements and made a second +descent which was brilliantly successful. Haytian arms, money and men +turned Bolivar's disasters to victory; and the spirit of Western +liberty marched on to the redemption of South America. The liberation +of Mexico and all Central America, followed as a matter of course; and +the ground was thus cleared for the practical application of that +Continentalism enunciated in the Monroe doctrine. + +The black men of the Antilles who fought in the siege of Savannah, +enjoy unquestionably the proud historical distinction of being the +physical conductors that bore away from our altars the sacred fire of +liberty to rekindle it in their own land; and also of becoming the +humble but important link that served to unite the Two Americas in the +bond of enlightened independence. + +T.G. STEWARD, U.S.A. + +Note:--In the preparation of the above paper I have been greatly +assisted by the Honorable L.J. Janvier, Charge d'affairs d' Haiti, in +London; by Right Reverend James Theodore Holly, bishop of Hayti, and +by Messrs. Charles and Frank Rudolph Steward of Harvard University. To +all of these gentlemen my thanks are here expressed. T.G.S. + +Paper read at the session of the Negro Academy, Washington, D.C., +1898. + + +B. + +EXTRACTS FROM CHAPTER XVI "NEGRO TROOPS IN THE REBELLION"--WILLIAMS. + +Adjutant-General Thomas in a letter to Senator Wilson, May 30, 1864, +says: "Experience proves that they manage heavy guns very well. Their +fighting qualities have also been fully tested a number of times, and +I am yet to hear of the first case where they did not fully stand up +to their work." + +Major-General James G. Blunt writing of the battle of Honey Springs, +Arkansas, said of Negro troops: "The Negroes (First Colored Regiment) +were too much for the enemy, and let me here say that I never saw such +fighting as was done by that Negro regiment. They fought like +veterans, with a coolness and valor that is unsurpassed. They +preserved their line perfect throughout the whole engagement, and +although in the hottest of the fight, they never once faltered. Too +much praise cannot be awarded them for their gallantry. The question +that Negroes will fight is settled; besides, they make better soldiers +in every respect than any troops I have ever had under my command." + +General Thomas J. Morgan, speaking of the courage of Negro troops in +the battle of Nashville, and its effect upon Major-General George H. +Thomas, says: "Those who fell nearest the enemy's works were colored. +General Thomas spoke very feelingly of the sight which met his eye as +he rode over the field, and he confessed that the Negro had fully +vindicated his bravery, and wiped from his mind the last vestige of +prejudice and doubt." + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[6] Confession of Nat Turner, Anglo-African Magazine, Vol. 1, p. 338, +1859. + +[7] Ibid. + +[8] The presentation of this banner by the Moravian Nuns of Bethlehem +forms the text of the poem by Longfellow beginning-- + + When the dying flame of day + Through the chancel shot its ray, + Far the glimmering tapers shed + Faint light on the cowled head; + And the censer burning swung + Where, before the altar, hung + The crimson banner, that with prayer + Had been consecrated there. + And the nuns' sweet hymn was heard the while, + Sung low in the dint, mysterious aisle, + "Take thy banner! may it wave + Proudly o'er the good and brave; + When the battle's distant wail + Breaks the Sabbath of our vale, + When the cannon's music thrills + To the hearts of those lone hills. + When the spear in conflict shakes, + And the strong lance shivering breaks. + + * * * * * + + "Take thy banner! and if e'er + Thou should'st press the soldier's bier + And the muffled drum shall beat + To the tread of mournful feet, + Then the crimson flag shall be + Martial cloak and shroud for thee." + The warrior took that banner proud, + And it was his martial cloak and shroud. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +THE BLACK REGULARS OF THE ARMY OF INVASION IN THE SPANISH-AMERICAN +WAR. + + Organization of Negro Regiments in the Regular Army--First + Move in the War--Chickamauga and Tampa--Note. + + +Altogether the colored soldiers in the Civil War took part and +sustained casualties in two hundred and fifty-one different +engagements and came out of the prolonged conflict with their +character so well established that up to the present hour they have +been able to hold an important place in the Regular Army of the United +States. No regiment of colored troops in the service was more renowned +at the close of the war or has secured a more advantageous position in +the history of that period than the Fifty-fourth Massachusetts +Regiment of Infantry. Recruited among the free colored people of the +North, many of them coming from Ohio, it was remarkable for the +intelligence and character of its men, and for the high purpose and +noble bearing of its officers. Being granted but half the pay per +month given to white soldiers, the regiment to a man, for eighteen +months refused to receive one cent from the Government. This was a +spectacle that the country could not longer stand. One thousand +volunteers fighting the country's battles without any compensation +rather than submit to a discrimination fatal to their manhood, aroused +such a sentiment that Congress was compelled to put them on the +pay-roll on equal footing with all other soldiers. By them the +question of the black soldier's pay and rations was settled in the +Army of the United States for all time. Every soldier, indeed every +man in the army, except the chaplain, now draws the pay of his grade +without regard to color, hair or race. By the time these lines reach +the public eye it is to be hoped that even the chaplain will be lifted +from his exceptional position and given the pay belonging to his rank +as captain. + +(February 2, 1901, the bill became a law giving chaplains the full pay +of their grade.) + +More than 185,000 blacks, all told, served in the army of the Union +during the War of the Rebellion, and the losses from their ranks of +men killed in battle were as heavy as from the white troops. Their +bravery was everywhere recognized, and in the short time in which they +were employed, several rose to commissions. + +Perhaps the most notable act performed by a colored American during +the war was the capture and delivery to the United States forces of +the rebel steamer Planter, by Robert Smalls, of Charleston. Smalls was +employed as pilot on the Planter, a rebel transport, and was entirely +familiar with the harbors and inlets, of which there are many, on the +South Atlantic coast. On May 13, 1862, the Planter came to her wharf +in Charleston, and at night all the white officers went ashore, +leaving a colored crew of eight men on board in charge of Smalls. +Smalls hastily got his wife and three children on board, and at 2 +o'clock on the morning of the 14th steamed out into the harbor, +passing the Confederate forts by giving the proper signals, and when +fairly out of reach, as daylight came, he ran up the Stars and Stripes +and headed his course directly toward the Union fleet, into whose +hands he soon surrendered himself and his ship. The act caused much +favorable comment and Robert Smalls became quite a hero. His +subsequent career has been in keeping with the high promise indicated +by this bold dash for liberty, and his name has received additional +lustre from gallant services performed in the war after, and in +positions of distinguished honor and responsibility in civil life. The +Planter, after being accepted by the United States, became a despatch +boat, and Smalls demonstrating by skill and bravery his fitness for +the position, was finally, as an act of imperative justice, made her +commander. + +With the close of the Revolutionary War the prejudice against a +standing army was so great that the army was reduced to scarce six +hundred men, and the Negro as a soldier dropped out of existence. When +the War of 1812 closed sentiment with regard to the army had made but +little advancement, and consequently no place in the service was left +for Negro soldiers. In the navy the Negro still lingered, doing +service in the lower grades, and keeping up the succession from the +black heroes of '76 and 1812. When the War of the Rebellion closed the +country had advanced so far as to see both the necessity of a standing +army, and the fitness of the Negro to form a part of the army; and +from this position it has never receded, and if the lessons of the +Cuban campaign are rightly heeded, it is not likely to recede +therefrom. The value of the Regular Army and of the Black Regular were +both proven to an absolute demonstration in that thin line of blue +that compelled the surrender of Santiago. + +In July, 1866, Congress passed an act adding eight new regiments of +infantry and four of calvary to the nineteen regiments of infantry and +six of calvary of which those arms of the Regular Army were at that +time composed, thus making the permanent establishment to consist of +five regiments of artillery, twenty-seven of infantry, and ten of +cavalry. Of the eight new infantry regiments to be formed, four were +to be composed of colored men; and of the four proposed for the +calvary arm, two were to be of colored men. The President was +empowered by the act also to appoint a chaplain for each of the six +regiments of colored troops. Under this law the Ninth and Tenth +Cavalry Regiments were organized. + +In 1869 the infantry suffered further reduction, and the four colored +regiments organized under the law of 1866, numbered respectively the +38th, 39th, 40th and 41st, were consolidated into two regiments, and +numbered the 24th and 25th--the 38th and 41st becoming the former, and +the 39th and 40th the latter. Previous to this consolidation the +numbers between the old 19th and the 38th, which was the lowest number +borne by the new colored regiments, were filled in by dividing the old +three batallion regiments in the service, and making of the second and +third batallions of these regiments new regiments. The whole infantry +arm, by the law of 1869, was compressed into twenty-five regiments, +and in that condition the army remains to the present, to wit:[9] Ten +regiments of cavalry, five of artillery and twenty-five of infantry. + +The number of men in a company and the number of companies in a +regiment have varied greatly within the past few months. Just previous +to the breaking out of the war a regiment of infantry consisted of +eight companies of about sixty men each, and two skeletonized +companies and the band--the whole organization carrying about five +hundred men; now a regiment of infantry consists of twelve companies +of 106 men each and with the non-commissioned staff numbers twelve +hundred and seventy-four men. + +Since 1869, or for a period of thirty years, the colored American has +been represented in the Regular Army by these four regiments and +during this time these regiments have borne more than their +proportionate share in hard frontier service, including all sorts of +Indian campaigning and much severe guard and fatigue duty. The men +have conducted themselves so worthily as to receive from the highest +military authority the credit of being among our best troops. General +Miles and General Merritt,[10] with others who were active leaders in +the Indian wars of the West, have been unstinting in their praise of +the valor and skill of colored soldiers. They proved themselves not +only good individual fighters, but in some instances non-commissioned +officers exhibited marked coolness and ability in command.[11] + +From 1869 to the beginning of the Hispano-American War there were in +the Regular Army at some time, as commissioned officers, the following +colored men, all from West Point, all serving with the cavalry, and +none rising higher than first-lieutenant, viz: John H. Alexander, H.O. +Flipper and Charles Young. H.O. Flipper was dismissed; Alexander died, +and Young became major in the volunteer service, and was placed in +command of the Ninth Battalion of Ohio Volunteers, discharging the +duties of his position in such a manner as to command general +satisfaction from his superior officers.[12] + +These colored men while cadets at West Point endured hardships +disgraceful to their country, and when entering the army were not +given that cordial welcome by their brother officers, becoming an +"officer and gentleman," both to give and to receive. Of course there +were some noble exceptions, and this class of officers seems to be +steadily increasing, so that now it is no longer necessary, even on +the ground of expediency, to strive to adhere to the rule of only +white men for army officers. Of Alexander and Young it can be said +they have acquitted themselves well, the former enjoying the +confidence and esteem of his associates up to the time of his early +death--an event which caused deep regret--and the latter so impressing +the Governor of his State and the President as to secure for himself +the responsible position which he, at the time of this writing, so +worthily fills. Besides these line officers, five colored chaplains +have been appointed, all of whom have served successfully, one, +however, being dismissed by court-martial after many years of really +meritorious service, an event to be regretted, but by no means without +parallel. + +Brief sketches of the history of these four colored regiments, as well +as of the others, have been recently made by members of them and +published in the Journal of the Military Service Institution and +subsequently in a large and beautiful volume edited by +Brigadier-General Theo. F. Rodenbough and Major William L. Haskin, +published by the Institution and designated "The Army of the United +States," a most valuable book of reference. From the sketches +contained therein the following summary is given. + +The Twenty-fourth Infantry was organized, as we have seen, from the +38th and 41st Regiments, these two regiments being at the time +distributed in New Mexico, Louisiana and Texas, and the regiment +remained in Texas from the time of its organization in 1869 until +1880. Its first Lieutenant-Colonel was William R. Shafter. It was +from this regiment and the Tenth Cavalry that the escort of Paymaster +Wham was selected which made so brave a stand against a band of +robbers that attacked the paymaster that several of them were given +medals for distinguished gallantry, and others certificates of merit. +The Twenty-fifth Infantry was organized in New Orleans out of the +39th, that was brought from North Carolina for that purpose, and the +40th, that was then in Louisiana. It was organized during the month of +April, 1869, and early in 1870 moved to Texas, where it remained ten +years. In 1880 it moved to the Department of Dakota and remained in +the Northwest until it took the road for the Cuban war. + +The Ninth Cavalry was organized in New Orleans during the winter of +1866-67. Its first Colonel was Edward Hatch and its first +Lieutenant-Colonel Wesley Merritt. From 1867 to 1890 it was in almost +constant Indian warfare, distinguishing itself by daring and +hardihood. From 1890 to the opening of the Cuban war it remained in +Utah and Nebraska, engaging in but one important campaign, that +against hostile Sioux during the winter of 1890-91, in which, says the +historian: "The regiment was the first in the field, in November, and +the last to leave, late in the following March, after spending the +winter, the latter part of which was terrible in its severity, under +canvas." + +The Tenth Calvary was organized under the same law as was the Ninth, +and at the same time. Its place of rendezvous was Fort Leavenworth, +Kansas, and its first Colonel, Benjamin H. Grierson. This regiment was +the backbone of the Geronimo campaign force, and it finally succeeded +in the capture of that wily warrior. The regiment remained in the +Southwest until 1893, when it moved to Montana, and remained there +until ordered to Chickamauga for the war. + +These four regiments were finely officered, well drilled and well +experienced in camp and field, particularly the cavalry regiments, and +it was of them that General Merritt said: "I have always found them +brave in battle." With such training and experience they were well +fitted to take their place in that selected host of fighting men which +afterwards became the Fifth Army Corps, placed under command of +Major-General William R. Shafter, the first Lieutenant-Colonel of the +Twenty-fourth Infantry. + +When the news of the blowing up of our great battleship Maine, in the +harbor of Havana, with the almost total loss of her crew, flashed over +the country, carrying sadness to hundreds of homes, and arousing +feelings of deepest indignation whether justly or unjustly, it was +easy to predict that we should soon be involved in war with Spain. The +Cuban question, already chronic, had by speeches of Senators Thurston +and Proctor been brought to such a stage of aggravation that it needed +only an incident to set the war element in motion. That incident was +furnished by the destruction of the Maine. Thenceforth there was no +power in the land sufficient to curb the rapidly swelling tide of +popular hate, which manifested itself in the un-Christian but truly +significant mottoes: "Remember the Maine," "Avenge the Maine," and "To +hell with Spain." These were the outbreathings of popular fury, and +they represented a spirit quite like that of the mob, which was not to +be yielded to implicitly, but which could not be directly opposed. + +The President did all in his power to stay this element of our +population and to lead the country to a more befitting attitude. He +and his advisers argued that Spain was to be resisted, and fought if +necessary, not on account of the Maine, not in the spirit of revenge, +but in the interest of humanity, and upon principles sanctioned even +by our holy religion. On behalf of the starving reconcentrados, and in +aid of the noble Cuban patriot, we might justly arm and equip +ourselves for the purpose of driving Spanish rule from the Western +Hemisphere. + +This view appealed to all lovers of freedom, to all true patriots, and +to the Christian and philanthropist. It also afforded a superb +opportunity for the old leaders in the South, who were not entirely +relieved from the taint of secession, to come out and reconsecrate +themselves to the country and her flag. Hence, Southern statesmen, who +were utterly opposed to Negroes or colored men having any share in +ruling at home, became very enthusiastic over the aspirations of the +colored Cuban patriots and soldiers. The supporters, followers, and in +a sense, devotees of Maceo and Gomez, were worthy of our aid. The same +men, actuated by the same principles, in the Carolinas, in Louisiana +or in Mississippi, would have been pronounced by the same authorities +worthy of death. + +The nation was, however, led into war simply to liberate Cuba from the +iniquitous and cruel yoke of Spain, and to save thousands of +impoverished Cubans from death by starvation. Great care was taken not +to recognize the Cuban government in any form, and it seemed to be +understood that we were to do the fighting both with our navy and our +army, the Cubans being invited to co-operate with us, rather than that +we should co-operate with them. We were to be the liberators and +saviors of a people crushed to the very gates of death. Such was the +platform upon which our nation stood before the world when the first +orders went forth for the mobilization of its forces for war. It was a +position worthy our history and character and gave to our national +flag a prouder meaning than ever. Its character as the emblem of +freedom shone out with awe-inspiring brilliancy amid the concourse of +nations. + +While there was such a clamor for war in the newspapers and in the +public speeches of statesmen, both in and out of Congress, it is +remarkable that the utmost serenity prevailed in the army. Officers +and men were ready to fight if the stern necessity came, but they were +not so eager for the death-game as were the numerous editors' whose +papers were getting out extras every half-hour. It was argued by the +officers of rank that the Maine incident added nothing whatever to the +Cuban question; that it did not involve the Spanish Government; that +the whole subject might well be left to arbitration, and full respect +should be given to Spain's disclaimer. It was also held that to rush +into a war in order to prevent a few people from starving, might not +relieve them, and at the same time would certainly cost the lives of +many innocent men. Spain was revising her policy, and the benevolence +of the United States would soon bring bread to the door of every needy +Cuban. Such remarks and arguments as these were used by men who had +fought through one war and were ready to fight, through another if +they must; but who were willing to go to any reasonable length to +prevent it; and yet the men who used such arguments beforehand and +manifested such a shrinking from carnage, are among those to whom the +short Spanish War brought distinction and promotion. To their honor be +it said that the war which gave them fresh laurels was in no sense +brought about through their instigation. + +As chaplain of the Twenty-fifth Infantry, stationed with the +headquarters of the regiment at Fort Missoula, where we had been for +ten years, the call for the war met me in the midst of my preparations +for Easter service. One young man, then Private Thomas C. Butler, who +was practicing a difficult solo for the occasion, before the year +closed became a Second Lieutenant, having distinguished himself in +battle; the janitor, who cared for my singing books, and who was my +chief school teacher, Private French Payne, always polite and +everywhere efficient, met his death from a Spanish bullet while on the +reserve before bloody El Caney. + +It was on a bright day during the latter part of March and near the +close of the day as I was looking out of the front window of my +quarters that I saw the trumpeter of the guard come out of the +Adjutant's office with a dispatch in his hand and start on a brisk run +toward the quarters of the Commanding Officer. I immediately divined +what was in the wind, but kept quiet. In a few minutes "officers' +call" was sounded, and all the officers of the post hastened to the +administration building to learn the news. + +When all were assembled the Commanding Officer desired to know of each +company officer how much time he would need to have his company ready +to move from the post to go to a permanent station elsewhere, and from +all officers how much time they would require to have their families +ready to quit the station. The answers generally were that all could +be ready within a week. It was finally agreed, however, to ask for ten +days. + +Immediately the work of preparation began, although none knew where +the regiment was to go. At this time the order, so far as it was +understood at the garrison, was, that two companies were to go to Key +West, Florida, and the other companies of the regiment to Dry +Tortugas. One officer, Lieutenant V.A. Caldell, early saw through the +haze and said: "It means that we will all eventually land in Cuba." +While we were packing, rumors flew through the garrison, as indeed +through the country, thick and fast, and our destination was changed +three or four times a day. One hour we would be going to Key West, the +next to St. Augustine, the next to Tortugas. In this confusion I asked +an old frontier officer where he thought we would really go. +Regarding himself as an indicator and always capable of seeing the +amusing side of a subject, he replied: "I p'int toward Texas." Such +was the state of uncertainty as to destination, and yet all the time +the greatest activity prevailed in making ready for departure. Finally +definite orders came that we were to store our furniture in the large +gymnasium hall at the post and prepare to go in camp at Chickamauga +Park, Georgia. + +Our regiment was at the time stationed as follows: Headquarters, four +companies and the band at Fort Missoula; two companies at Fort +Harrison, near Helena, and two companies at Fort Assinniboine, all in +Montana. The arrangements contemplated moving the regiment in two +sections, one composed of the Missoula troops to go over the Northern +Pacific Railroad, the other of the Fort Harrison and Fort Assinniboine +troops to go over the Great Northern Railroad, all to arrive in St. +Paul about the same time. + +On the 10th of April, Easter Sunday, the battalion at Fort Missoula +marched out of post quite early in the morning, and at Bitter Root +Station took the cars for their long journey. Officers and men were +all furnished sleeping accommodations on the train. Arriving in the +city of Missoula, for the gratification of the citizens and perhaps to +avoid strain on the bridge crossing the Missoula River, the men were +disembarked from the train and marched through the principal streets +to the depot, the citizens generally turning out to see them off. Many +were the compliments paid officers and men by the good people of +Missoula, none perhaps more pleasing than that furnished by a written +testimonial to the regret experienced at the departure of the +regiment, signed by all the ministers of the city. + +As the Twenty-fifth was the first regiment to move in the preparation +for war, its progress from Montana to Chickamauga was a marked event, +attracting the attention of both the daily and illustrated press. All +along the route they were greeted with enthusiastic crowds, who fully +believed the war with Spain had begun. In St. Paul, in Chicago, in +Terre Haute, in Nashville, and in Chattanooga the crowds assembled to +greet the black regulars who were first to bear forward the Starry +Banner of Union and Freedom against a foreign foe. What could be more +significant, or more fitting, than that these black soldiers, drilled +up to the highest standard of modern warfare, cool, brave and +confident, themselves a proof of American liberty, should be called +first to the front in a war against oppression? Their martial tread +and fearless bearing proclaimed what the better genius of our great +government meant for all men dwelling beneath the protection of its +honored flag. + +As the Twenty-fifth Infantry was the first regiment to leave its +station, so six companies of it were first to go into camp on the +historic grounds of Chickamauga. Two companies were separated from the +regiment at Chattanooga and forwarded to Key West where they took +station under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel A.S. Daggett. The +remaining six companies, under command of Colonel A.S. Burt, were +conducted by General Boynton to a choice spot on the grounds, where +they pitched camp, their tents being the first erected in that +mobilization of troops which preceded the Cuban invasion, and theirs +being really the first camp of the war. + +Soon came the Ninth Cavalry, the Tenth Cavalry and the Twenty-fourth +Infantry. While these were assembling there arrived on the ground also +many white regiments, cavalry, artillery and infantry, and it was +pleasing to see the fraternity that prevailed among black and white +regulars. This was especially noticeable between the Twenty-fifth and +Twelfth. In brigading the regiments no attention whatever was paid to +the race or color of the men. The black infantry regiments were placed +in two brigades, and the black cavalry likewise, and they can be +followed through the fortunes of the war in the official records by +their regimental numbers. During their stay in Chickamauga, and at Key +West and Tampa, the Southern newspapers indulged in considerable +malicious abuse of colored soldiers, and some people of this section +made complaints of their conduct, but the previous good character of +the regiments and the violent tone of the accusations, taken together +with the well-known prejudices of the Southern people, prevented their +complaints from having very great weight. The black soldiers held +their place in the army chosen for the invasion of Cuba, and for that +purpose were soon ordered to assemble in Tampa. + +From the 10th of April, when the war movement began with the march of +the Twenty-fifth Infantry out of its Montana stations, until June +14th, when the Army of Invasion cleared Tampa for Cuba--not quite two +months--the whole energy of the War Department had been employed in +preparing the army for the work before it. The beginning of the war is +officially given as April 21st, from which time onward it was declared +a state of war existed between Spain and the United States, but +warlike movements on our side were begun fully ten days earlier, and +begun with a grim definiteness that presaged much more than a practice +march or spring manoeuver. + +After arriving at Chickamauga all heavy baggage was shipped away for +storage, and all officers and men were required to reduce their field +equipage to the minimum; the object being to have the least possible +amount of luggage, in order that the greatest possible amount of +fighting material might be carried. Even with all this preparation +going on some officers were indulging the hope that the troops might +remain in camps, perfecting themselves in drill, until September, or +October, before they should be called upon to embark for Cuba. This, +however, was not to be, and it is perhaps well that it was not, as the +suffering and mortality in the home camps were almost equal to that +endured by the troops in Cuba. The suffering at home, also, seemed +more disheartening, because it appeared to be useless, and could not +be charged to any important changes in conditions or climate. It was +perhaps in the interest of humanity that this war, waged for +humanity's sake, should have been pushed forward from its first step +to its last, with the greatest possible dispatch, and that just enough +men on our side were sent to the front, and no more. It is still a +good saying that all is well that ends well. + +The Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park, the place +where our troops assembled on their march to Cuba, beautiful by +nature, especially in the full season of spring when the black +soldiers arrived there, and adorned also by art, has, next to +Gettysburg, the most prominent place among the historic battle-fields +of the Civil War. As a park it was established by an act of Congress +approved August 19, 1890, and contains seven thousand acres of rolling +land, partly cleared and partly covered with oak and pine timber. +Beautiful broad roads wind their way to all parts of the ground, along +which are placed large tablets recording the events of those dreadful +days in the autumn of 1863, when Americans faced Americans in bloody, +determined strife. Monuments, judiciously placed, speak with a mute +eloquence to the passer-by and tell of the valor displayed by some +regiment or battery, or point to the spot where some lofty hero gave +up his life. The whole park is a monument, however, and its definite +purpose is to preserve and suitably mark "for historical and +professional military study the fields of some of the most remarkable +manoeuvres and most brilliant fighting in the War of the Rebellion." +The battles commemorated by this great park are those of Chickamauga, +fought on September 19-20, and the battles around Chattanooga, +November 23-25, 1863. The battle of Chickamauga was fought by the Army +of the Cumberland, commanded by Major-General W.S. Rosecrans, on the +Union side, and the Army of Tennessee, commanded by General Braxton +Bragg, on the side of the Confederates. The total effective strength +of the Union forces in this battle was little less than 60,000 men, +that of the Confederates about 70,000. The total Union loss was 16,179 +men, a number about equal to the army led by Shatter against Santiago. +Of the number reported as lost, 1,656 were killed, or as many as were +lost in killed, wounded and missing in the Cuban campaign. The +Confederate losses were 17,804, 2,389 being killed, making on both +sides a total killed of 4,045, equivalent to the entire voting +population of a city of over twenty thousand inhabitants. General +Grant, who commanded the Union forces in the battles around +Chattanooga, thus sums up the results: "In this battle the Union army +numbered in round figures about 60,000 men; we lost 752 killed, 4,713 +wounded and 350 captured or missing. The rebel loss was much greater +in the aggregate, as we captured and sent North to be rationed there +over 6,100 prisoners. Forty pieces of artillery, over seven thousand +stand of small arms, many caissons, artillery wagons and baggage +wagons fell into our hands. The probabilities are that our loss in +killed was the heavier as we were the attacking party. The enemy +reported his loss in killed at 361, but as he reported his missing at +4,146, while we held over 6,000 of them as prisoners, and there must +have been hundreds, if not thousands, who deserted, but little +reliance can be placed upon this report." + +In the battle of Chickamauga, when "four-fifths of the Union Army had +crumbled into wild confusion," and Rosecrans was intent only on saving +the fragments, General Thomas, who had commanded the Federal left +during the two days' conflict, and had borne the brunt of the fight, +still held his position. To him General James A. Garfield reported. +General Gordon Granger, without orders, brought up the reserves, and +Thomas, replacing his lines, held the ground until nightfall, when he +was joined by Sheridan. Bragg won and held the field, but Thomas +effectually blocked his way to Chattanooga, securing to himself +immediately the title of the "Rock of Chickamauga." His wonderful +resolution stayed the tide of a victory dearly bought and actually +won, and prevented the victors from grasping the object for which they +had fought. In honor of this stubborn valor, and in recognition of +this high expression of American tenacity, the camp established in +Chickamauga Park by the assembling army was called Camp George H. +Thomas. + +The stay of the colored regulars at Camp George H. Thomas was short, +but it was long enough for certain newspapers of Chattanooga to give +expression to their dislike to negro troops in general and to those in +their proximity especially. The Washington Post, also, ever faithful +to its unsavory trust, lent its influence to this work of defamation. +The leading papers, however, both of Chattanooga and the South +generally, spoke out in rather conciliatory and patronizing tones, and +"sought to restrain the people of their section from compromising +their brilliant display of patriotism by contemptuous flings at the +nation's true and tried soldiers. + +The 24th Infantry and the 9th Cavalry soon left for Tampa, Florida, +whither they were followed by the 10th Cavalry and the 25th Infantry, +thus bringing the entire colored element of the army together to +prepare for embarkation. The work done at Tampa is thus described +officially by Lieutenant-Colonel Daggett in general orders addressed +to the 25th Infantry, which he at that time commanded. On August 11th, +with headquarters near Santiago, after the great battles had been +fought and won, he thus reviewed the work of the regiment: "Gathered +from three different stations, many of you strangers to each other, +you assembled as a regiment for the first time in more than +twenty-eight years, on May 7, 1898, at Tampa, Florida. There you +endeavored to solidify and prepare yourselves, as far as the +oppressive weather would permit, for the work that appeared to be +before you." What is here said of the 25th might have been said with +equal propriety of all the regular troops assembled at Tampa. + +In the meantime events were ripening with great rapidity. The historic +"first gun" had been fired, and the United States made the first naval +capture of the war on April 22, the coast trader Buena Ventura having +surrendered to the American gunboat Nashville. On the same day the +blockade of Cuban ports was declared and on the day following a call +was issued for 125,000 volunteers. On May 20th the news that a Spanish +fleet under command of Admiral Cervera had arrived at Santiago was +officially confirmed, and a speedy movement to Cuba was determined +upon. + +Almost the entire Regular Army with several volunteer regiments were +organized into an Army of Invasion and placed under the command of +Major-General W.R. Shafter with orders to prepare immediately for +embarkation, and on the 7th and 10th of June this army went on board +the transports. For seven days the troops lay cooped up on the vessels +awaiting orders to sail, a rumor having gained circulation that +certain Spanish gunboats were hovering around in Cuban waters awaiting +to swoop down upon the crowded transports. While the Army of Invasion +was sweltering in the ships lying at anchor off Port Tampa, a small +body of American marines made a landing at Guantanamo, and on June +12th fought the first battle between Americans and Spaniards on Cuban +soil. In this first battle four Americans were killed. The next day, +June 13th, General Shafter's army containing the four colored +regiments, excepting those left behind to guard property, sailed for +Cuba.[13] + +The whole number of men and officers in the expedition, including +those that came on transports from Mobile, amounted to about seventeen +thousand men, loaded on twenty-seven transports. The colored regiments +were assigned to brigades as follows: The Ninth Cavalry was joined +with the Third and Sixth Cavalry and placed under command of Colonel +Carrol; the Tenth Cavalry was joined with the Rough Riders and First +Regular Cavalry and fell under the command of General Young; the +Twenty-fourth Infantry was joined with the Ninth and Thirteenth +Infantry and the brigade placed under command of Colonel Worth and +assigned to the division commanded by General Kent, who, until his +promotion as Brigadier-General of Volunteers, had been Colonel of the +Twenty-fourth; the Twenty-fifth Infantry was joined with the First and +Fourth Infantry and the brigade placed under command of Colonel Evans +Miles, who had formerly been Major of the Twenty-fifth. All of the +colored regiments were thus happily placed so that they should be in +pleasant soldierly competition with the very best troops the country +ever put in the field, and this arrangement at the start proves how +strongly the black regular had entrenched himself in the confidence of +our great commanders. + +Thus sailed from Port Tampa the major part of our little army of +trained and seasoned soldiers, representative of the skill and daring +of the nation.[14] In physique, almost every man was an athlete, and +while but few had seen actual war beyond an occasional skirmish with +Indians, all excepting the few volunteers, had passed through a long +process of training in the various details of marching, camping and +fighting in their annual exercises in minor tactics. For the first +time in history the nation is going abroad, by its army, to occupy the +territory of a foreign foe, in a contest with a trans-Atlantic power. +The unsuccessful invasions of Canada during the Revolutionary War and +the War of 1812 can hardly be brought in comparison with this movement +over sea. The departure of Decatur with his nine ships of war to the +Barbary States had in view only the establishment of proper civil +relations between those petty, half-civilized countries and the United +States. The sailing of General Shafter's army was only one movement in +a comprehensive war against the Kingdom of Spain. More than a month +earlier Commodore Dewey, acting under orders, had destroyed a fleet of +eleven war ships in the Philippines. The purpose of the war was to +relieve the Cubans from an inhumane warfare with their mother country, +and to restore to that unhappy island a stable government in harmony +with the ideas of liberty and justice. + +Up to the breaking out of the Spanish War the American policy with +respect to Europe had been one of isolation. Some efforts had been +made to consolidate the sentiment of the Western world, but it had +never been successful. The fraternity of the American Republics and +the attempted construction of a Pan-American policy had been thus far +unfulfilled dreams. Canada was much nearer to the United States, +geographically and socially, than even Mexico, although the latter is +a republic. England, in Europe, was nearer than Brazil. The day came +in 1898, when the United States could no longer remain in political +seclusion nor bury herself in an impossible federation. Washington's +advice against becoming involved in European affairs, as well as the +direct corrollary of the Monroe Doctrine, were to be laid aside and +the United States was to speak out to the world. The business of a +European nation had become our business; in the face of all the world +we resolved to invade her territory in the interest of humanity; to +face about upon our own traditions and dare the opinions and arms of +the trans-Atlantic world by openly launching upon the new policy of +armed intervention in another's quarrel. + +While the troops were mobilizing at Tampa preparatory to embarking for +Cuba the question came up as to why there were no colored men in the +artillery arm of the service, and the answer given by a Regular Army +officer was, that the Negro had not brains enough for the management +of heavy guns. It was a trifling assertion, of course, but at this +period of the Negro's history it must not be allowed to pass +unnoticed. We know that white men of all races and nationalities can +serve big guns, and if the Negro cannot, it must be because of some +marked difference between him and them. The officer said it was a +difference in "brains," i.e., a mental difference. Just how the +problem of aiming and firing a big gun differs from that of aiming and +firing small arms is not so easily explained. In both, the questions +of velocity, gravitation, wind and resistance are to be considered and +these are largely settled by mechanism, the adjustment of which is +readily learned; hence the assumption that a Negro cannot learn it is +purely gratuitous. Several of the best rifle shots known on this +continent are Negroes; and it was a Negro who summerized the whole +philosophy of rifle shooting in the statement that it all consists in +knowing _where_ to aim, and _how_ to pull--in knowing just what value +to assign to gravitation, drift of the bullet and force of the wind, +and then in being able to pull the trigger of the piece without +disturbing the aim thus judiciously determined. This includes all +there is in the final science and art of firing a rifle. If the Negro +can thus master the revolver, the carbine and the rifle, why may he +not master the field piece or siege gun? + +But an ounce of fact in such things is worth more than many volumes of +idle speculation, and it is remarkable that facts so recent, so +numerous, and so near at hand, should escape the notice of those who +question the Negro's ability to serve the artillery organizations. +Negro artillery, both light and heavy, fought in fifteen battles in +the Civil War with average effectiveness; and some of those who fought +against them must either admit the value of the Negro artilleryman or +acknowledge their own inefficiency. General Fitz-Hugh Lee failed to +capture a Negro battery after making most vigorous attempts to that +end. This attempt to raise a doubt as to the Negro's ability to serve +in the artillery arm is akin to, and less excusable, than that other +groundless assertion, that Negro officers cannot command troops, an +assertion which in this country amounts to saying that the United +States cannot command its army. Both of these assertions have been +emphatically answered in fact, the former as shown above, and the +latter as will be shown later in this volume. These assertions are +only temporary covers, behind which discomfitted and retreating +prejudice is able to make a brief stand, while the black hero of five +hundred battle-fields, marches proudly by, disdaining to lower his gun +to fire a shot on a foe so unworthy. When the Second Massachusetts +Volunteers sent up their hearty cheers of welcome to the gallant old +Twenty-fifth, as that solid column fresh from El Caney swung past its +camp, I remarked to Sergeant Harris, of the Twenty-fifth: "Those men +think you are soldiers." "They know we are soldiers," was his reply. +When the people of this country, like the members of that +Massachusetts regiment, come to know that its black men in uniform are +soldiers, plain soldiers, with the same interests and feelings as +other soldiers, of as much value to the government and entitled from +it to the same attention and rewards, then a great step toward the +solution of the prodigious problem now confronting us will have been +taken. + + * * * * * + + Note.--"I had often heard that the physique of the men of + our regular army was very remarkable, but the first time I + saw any large body of them, which was at Tampa, they + surpassed my highest expectations. It is not, however, to be + wondered at that, for every recruit who is accepted, on the + average thirty-four are rejected, and that, of course, the + men who present themselves to the recruiting officer already + represent a physical 'elite'; but it was very pleasant to + see and be assured, as I was at Tampa, by the evidences of + my own eyes and the tape measure, that there is not a guard + regiment of either the Russian, German or English army, of + whose remarkable physique we have heard so much, that can + compare physically, not with the best of our men, but simply + with the average of the men of our regular army."--Bonsal. + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[9] The army has been reorganized since. See Register. + +[10] "My experience in this direction since the war is beyond that of +any officer of my rank in the army. For ten years I had the honor of +being lieutenant-colonel of the Ninth Cavalry, and during most of that +service I commanded garrisons composed in part of the Ninth Cavalry +and other organizations of cavalry and infantry. I have always found +the colored race represented in the army obedient, intelligent and +zealous in the discharge of duty, brave in battle, easily disciplined, +and most efficient in the care of their horses, arms and equipments. +The non-commissioned officers have habitually shown the qualities for +control in their position which marked them as faithful and sensible +in the discharge of their duties. I take pleasure in bearing witness +as above in the interest of the race you represent." WESLEY MERRITT. + +[11] See chapter on Colored Officers. + +[12] Young is now captain in the Ninth Cavalry.--T.G.S. + +[13] The colored regulars were embarked on the following named ships: +The 9th Cavalry on the Miami, in company with the 6th Infantry; the +10th Cavalry on the Leona, in company with the 1st Cavalry; the 24th +Infantry on the City of Washington, in company with one battalion of +the 21st Infantry; the 25th infantry on board the Concho, in company +with the 4th Infantry. + +[14] See Note, at the close of this chapter. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +BRIEF SKETCH OF SPANISH HISTORY. + + +The following brief sketch of Spain, its era of greatness, the causes +leading thereto, and the reasons for its rapid decline, will be of +interest to the reader at this point in the narrative, as it will +bring into view the other side of the impending conflict: + +Spain, the first in rank among the second-rate powers of Europe, by +reason of her possessions in the West Indies, especially Cuba, may be +regarded as quite a near neighbor, and because of her connection with +the discovery and settlement of the continent, as well as the +commanding part she at one time played in the world's politics, her +history cannot but awaken within the breasts of Americans a most +lively interest. + +As a geographical and political fact, Spain dates from the earliest +times, and the Spanish people gather within themselves the blood and +the traditions of the three great continents of the Old World--Europe, +Asia and Africa--united to produce the mighty Spaniard of the 15th and +16th centuries. It would be an interesting subject for the +anthropologist to trace the construction of that people who are so +often spoken of as possessing the pure blood of Castile, and as the +facts should be brought to view, another proud fiction would dissipate +in thin air, as we should see the Spaniard arising to take his place +among the most mixed of mankind. + +The Spain that we are considering now is the Spain that gradually +emerged from a chaos of conflicting elements into the unity of a +Christian nation. The dismal war between creeds gave way to the +greater conflict between religions, when Cross and Crescent contended +for supremacy, and this too had passed. The four stalwart Christian +provinces of Leon, Castile, Aragon and Navarre had become the four +pillars of support to a national throne and Ferdinand and Isabella +were reigning. Spain has now apparently passed the narrows and is +crossing the bar with prow set toward the open sea. She ends her war +with the Moors at the same time that England ends her wars of the +Roses, and the battle of Bosworth's field may be classed with the +capitulation of Granada. Both nations confront a future of about equal +promise and may be rated as on equal footing, as this new era of the +world opens to view. + +What was this new era? Printing had been invented, commerce had +arisen, gunpowder had come into use, the feudal system was passing, +royal authority had become paramount, and Spain was giving to the +world its first lessons in what was early stigmatized as the "knavish +calling of diplomacy." + +Now began the halcyon days of Spain, and what a breed of men she +produced! Read the story of their conquests in Mexico and Peru, as +told with so much skill and taste by our own Prescott; or read of the +grandeur of her national character, and the wonderful valor of her +troops, and the almost marvelous skill of her Alexander of Parma, and +her Spinola, as described by our great Motley, and you will see +something of the moral and national glory of that Spain which under +Charles V and Philip II awed the world into respectful silence. + +Who but men of iron, under a commander of steel, could have conducted +to a successful issue the awful siege of Antwerp, and by a discipline +more dreadful than death, kept for so many years, armed control of the +country of the brave Netherlanders? A Farnese was there, who could +support and command an army, carry Philip and his puerile +idiosyncrasies upon his back and meet the fury of an outraged people +who were fighting on their own soil for all that man holds dear. Never +was wretched cause so ably led, never were such splendid talents so +unworthily employed. + +Alexander of Parma, Cortez, the Pizarros, were representatives of that +form of human character that Spain especially developed. Skill and +daring were brought out in dazzling splendor, and success followed +their movements. Take a brief survey of the Empire under Charles V: +Himself Emperor of Germany; his son married to the Queen of England; +Turkey repulsed; France humbled, and all Europe practically within his +grasp. And what was Spain outside of Europe? In America she possessed +territory covering sixty degrees of latitude, owning Mexico, Central +America, Venezuela, New Granada, Peru and Chili, with vast parts of +North America, and the islands of Cuba, Jamaica and St. Domingo. In +Africa and Asia she had large possessions--in a word, the energies of +the world were at her feet. The silver and gold of America, the +manufactures and commerce of the Netherlands, combined to make her the +richest of nations. + +The limits of the present purpose do not permit an exhaustive +presentation of her material strength in detail, nor are the means at +hand for making such an exhibit. We must be content with a general +picture, quoted directly from Motley. He says: + +"Look at the broad magnificent Spanish Peninsula, stretching across +eight degrees of latitude and ten of longtitude, commanding the +Atlantic and the Mediterranean, with a genial climate, warmed in +winter by the vast furnace of Africa, and protected from the scorching +heats of summer by shady mountain and forest, and temperate breezes +from either ocean. A generous southern territory, flowing with oil and +wine, and all the richest gifts of a bountiful nature--splendid +cities--the new and daily expanding Madrid, rich in the trophies of +the most artistic period of the modern world; Cadiz, as populous at +that day as London, seated by the straits where the ancient and modern +systems of traffic were blending like the mingling of the two oceans; +Granada, the ancient, wealthy seat of the fallen Moors; Toledo, +Valladolid, and Lisbon, chief city of the recently conquered kingdom +of Portugal, counting with its suburbs a larger population than any +city excepting Paris, in Europe, the mother of distant colonies, and +the capital of the rapidly-developing traffic with both the +Indies--these were some of the treasures of Spain herself. But she +possessed Sicily also, the better portion of Italy, and important +dependencies in Africa, while the famous maritime discoveries of the +age had all enured to her aggrandizement. The world seemed suddenly to +have expanded its wings from East to West, only to bear the fortunate +Spanish Empire to the most dizzy heights of wealth and power. The most +accomplished generals, the most disciplined and daring infantry the +world has ever known, the best equipped and most extensive navy, royal +and mercantile, of the age, were at the absolute command of the +sovereign. Such was Spain." + +Such is not Spain to-day. A quite recent writer, speaking of Spain +before the war, said, that although Spain in extent holds the sixth +place in the European states, "it really now subsists merely by the +sufferance of stronger nations." Thus has that nation, which three +centuries ago dominated the world, lost both its position and its +energy. + +Without attempting to sketch chronologically, either this rise or this +decline, let us rather direct our efforts to an inquiry into the +causes of both the one and the other. + +In attempting to explain the greatness of Spain we must give first +place to the vigor of the Spanish race. The great Spaniard was a +mighty compound. He had the blood of Rome mingled with the awful +torrent that gave birth to the soulless Goths and Vandals. In him also +flowed the hot blood of the Moors. He was both sturdy and fiery; he +had the fervor of the South with the tenacity of the North; the pride +of the Roman with the passion of the Moor. The Spanish race was +emphatically a rich race. + +And then we must remember that this race had been forged in war. +Century after century, from the earliest times, they had lived with +their arms in their hands. First came the long war between the Arian +Vandals, and the Trinitarian natives; then the seven-hundred-year war +with the followers of Mahomed. The whole mission of life to them was +to fight. + +Naturally there was developed in the people at large the most complete +unification and subjection. Individualism gave place almost entirely +to the common weal, and the spectacle was presented of a nation with +no political questions. Maccaulay maintains that human nature is such +that aggregations of men will always show the two principles of +radicalism and conservatism, and that two parties will exist in +consequence, one composed of those who are ever looking to a brighter +future, the other of those who are ever seeking to restore a +delightful past; but no such phenomena appear in the ascending period +of Spain's history. The whole nation moved as an organized army, +steadily forward, until its zenith was reached. This solidity was a +marked element of its strength. + +Mr. Buckle recognizes this, and accounts for the harmonious movements +of the nation by the influence of two leading principles, which he is +pleased to call superstition and loyalty. The Arab invasion had +pressed upon the Christians with such force that it was only by the +strictest discipline that the latter had managed to survive. To secure +such discipline, and at the same time supply the people with the +steady enthusiasm necessary to support a war from century to century, +all the terrors and all the glories that could be derived from +religion were employed. The church and the state, the prince and the +priest, became as one, and loyalty and religion, devotion to the +standard and to the cross, were but different names for the same +principles and actions. Hence Spain emerged to greatness without the +least dream of liberty of either person, conscience or thought. Her +rallying cry was: For the Prince and the Church; not, For God and +Liberty. She went up to greatness the most loyal and the most +religious of nations; but Liberty, Justice and Truth were not upon her +banners. + +Look over the territory settled and conquered by her, and what do we +see? Columbus, sailing under Spain, names the first land he discovers +San Salvador; the first settlement made in this country is St. +Augustine; the second, Sante Fe. Look down over the southern half of +our continent and such names as Espirito Santo, Corpus Christi, San +Diego, San Juan, San Jose, San Domingo attest the religious zeal of +the conquerors. They were missionaries of the Cross, robbing the +people of their gold and paying them off with religion. + +Steadfast in the faith and sturdy in her loyalty, Spain resisted all +innovations with respect to her religious beliefs, and all +insurrections against her government. Her Alva and her Torquemada but +illustrated how strong was her conservatism, while her Isabella and +her Philip II show how grand and comprehensive and how persistent was +her aggressiveness, under the idea of spreading and upholding the true +faith. She not only meant to hold all she had of wealth and power, but +she aspired to universal dominion; already chief, she desired to be +sole, and this in the interest and name of the Holy Church. + +The Reformation did not disturb Spain; it was crushed out within +twenty years. The spirit of liberty that had been growing in England +since Bosworth's Field, and that was manifesting itself in Germany and +the Netherlands, and that had begun to quiver even in France, did not +dare stir itself in Spain. Spain was united, or rather, was solidity +itself, and this solidity was both its strength and its death. England +was not so united, and England went steadily onward and upward; but +Spain's unity destroyed her, because it practically destroyed +individualism and presented the strange paradox of a strong nation of +weak men. + +As a machine Spain in the sixteenth century was a marvel of power; as +an aggregation of thinking men, it was even then contemptible. +Ferdinand, Charles V and Philip II were able and illustrious rulers, +and they appeared at a time when their several characters could tell +on the immediate fortunes of Spain. They were warriors, and the nation +was entirely warlike. During this period the Spaniard overran the +earth, not that he might till the soil, but that he might rob the man +who did. With one hand he was raking in the gold and silver of Mexico +and Peru; with the other confiscating the profits of the trade and +manufactures of the Low Countries--and all in the name of the Great +God and Saints! + +How was Spain overthrown? The answer is a short one. Spain, under +Philip II staked her all upon a religious war against the awakening +age. She met the Reformation within her own borders and extinguished +it; but thought had broken loose from its chains and was abroad in the +earth. England had turned Protestant, and Elizabeth was on the throne; +Denmark, Norway and Sweden, indeed all countries except Spain and +Italy had heard the echoes from Luther's trumpet blast. Italy +furnished the religion, and Spain the powder, in this unequal fight +between the Old and the New. Spain was not merely the representative +of the old, she WAS the old, and she armed her whole strength in its +behalf. + +Here was a religion separated from all moral principle and devoid of +all softening sentiment--its most appropriate formula being, death to +all heretics. Death--not to tyrants, not to oppressors, not to robbers +and men-stealers--but death to _heretics_. It was this that equipped +her Armada. + +The people were too loyal and too pious to THINK, and so were hurled +in a solid mass against the armed thought of the coming age, and a +mighty nation crumbled as in a day. With the destruction of her Armada +her warlike ascendancy passed and she had nothing to put in its place. +She had not tillers of the soil, mechanics or skilled merchants. +Business was taking the place of war all over the world, but Spain +knew only religion and war, hence worsted in her only field, she was +doomed. + +From the days of Philip II her decline was rapid. Her territory +slipped from her as rapidly as it had been acquired. Her great domains +on our soil are now the seat of thriving communities of +English-speaking people. The whole continent of South America has +thrown off her yoke, though still retaining her language, and our +troops now embarked from Port Tampa are destined to wrest from her the +two only remaining colonies subject to her sway in the Western +World,--Cuba and Porto Rico. With all her losses hitherto, Spain has +not learned wisdom. Antagonistic to truth and liberty, she seems to +sit in the shadow of death, hugging the delusions that have betrayed +her, while all other people of earth are pressing onward toward light +and liberty. + +The struggle in Cuba had been going on for years, and in that colony +of less than two millions of inhabitants, many of whom were Spaniards, +there was now an army four times as large as the standing army of the +United States. Against this army and against the Government of Spain a +revolt had been carried on previous to the present outbreak for a +period of ten years, and which had been settled by concessions on the +part of the home government. The present revolt was of two years' +standing when our government decided to interfere. The Cubans had +maintained disorder, if they had not carried on war; and they had +declined to be pacified. In their army they experienced no color +difficulties. Gomez, Maceo and Quintin Banderas were generals honored +and loved, Maceo especially coming to be the hero and idol of the +insurgents of all classes. And it can truthfully be said that no man +in either the Cuban or Spanish army, in all the Cuban struggle +previous to our intervention, has earned a loftier fame as patriot, +soldier and man of noble mould than ANTONIO MACEO. + +Cuba, by far the most advanced of all the West Indian colonies; Cuba, +essentially Spanish, was destined to be the battle ground between our +troops and the veterans of Spain. The question to be settled was that +of Spain's sovereignty. Spain's right to rule over the colonies of +Cuba and Porto Rico was disputed by the United States, and this +question, and this alone, is to be settled by force of arms. Further +than this, the issue does not go. The dictum of America is: Spain +shall not rule. The questions of Annexation, Expansion and Imperialism +were not before us as we launched our forces to drive Spain out of the +West Indies. The Cuban flag was closely associated with our own +standard popularly, and "Cuba Libre" was a wide-spread sentiment in +June, 1898. "We are ready to help the Cubans gain their liberty" was +the honest expression of thousands who felt they were going forward in +a war for others. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +PASSAGE, LANDING, AND FIRST BATTLE IN CUBA. + + The Tenth Cavalry at Guasimas--The "Rescue of the Rough + Riders"--Was There an Ambush?--Notes. + + +"The passage to Santiago was generally smooth and uneventful," says +General Shafter in his official report. But when the fact is called to +mind that the men had been on board a week before sailing, and were a +week more on the passage, and that "the conveniences on many of the +transports in the nature of sleeping accommodations, space for +exercise, closet accommodations, etc., were not all that could have +been desired," and that the opinion was general throughout the army +that the travel ration was faulty, it cannot be doubted that the trip +was a sore trial to the enlisted men at least. The monotonous days +passed in the harbor at Port Tampa, while waiting for orders to sail, +were unusually trying to the men. They were relieved somewhat by +bathing, swimming, gaming and chatting on the coming events. A soldier +who was in one of the colored regiments describes the inside life of +one of the transports as follows: "After some miles of railroad travel +and much hustling we were put on board the transport. I say _on +board_, but it is simply because we cannot use the terms _under +board_. We were huddled together below two other regiments and under +the water line, in the dirtiest, closest, most sickening place +imaginable. For about fifteen days we were on the water in this dirty +hole, but being soldiers we were compelled to accept this without a +murmur. We ate corn beef and canned tomatoes with our hard bread +until we were anything but half way pleased. In the fifth or sixth day +out to sea the water furnished us became muddy or dirty and well +flavored with salt, and remained so during the rest of the journey. +Then, the ship's cooks, knowing well our condition made it convenient +to themselves to sell us a glass of clean ice water and a small piece +of bread and tainted meat for the sum of seventy-five cents, or one +dollar, as the case might be." + +A passage from Port Tampa, around the eastern end of Cuba, through the +Windward Passage, even in June, is ordinarily pleasant. On the deck of +a clean steamer, protected from the sun's rays by a friendly awning, +it may be put down as nearly an ideal pleasure trip; but crowded into +freight ships as these men were, many of them clad in thick and +uncomfortable clothing, reduced to the uninviting travel ration, +compelled to spend most of the time below decks, occupied with +thoughts of home and friends, and beset with forebodings of coming +events, it was very far from being to them a pastime. Of the thousands +who are going to Cuba to magnify the American flag, not all will +return. Occasionally the gay music of the bands would relieve the dull +routine and cause the spirits to rise under the effects of some +enlivening waltz or stirring patriotic air; or entering a school of +flying fish the men would be entertained to see these broad-finned +creatures dart from the waves like arrows from the bow, and after a +graceful flight of perhaps near two hundred yards drop again into the +sea; but taken altogether it was a voyage that furnishes little for +the historian. + +The transports were so arranged as to present an interesting and +picturesque spectacle as they departed from our shores on their ocean +march. Forming in three columns, with a distance of about 1,000 yards +between the columns, and the vessels in the columns being distanced +from one another about 400 yards, the fleet was convoyed from Port +Tampa by small naval vessels until it reached a point between the Dry +Tortugas and Key West. Here it was met by the noble battleship Indiana +and nine other war vessels, thus making a convoy altogether of fifteen +fighting craft. Transports and convoy now made an armada of more than +forty ships, armed and manned by the audacious modern republic whose +flag waved from every masthead. Thus spreading out over miles of +smooth sea, moving quietly along by steam, carrying in its arms the +flower of the American army, every man of which was an athlete, this +fleet announced to the world the grim purpose of a nation aroused. + +The weather from the time of leaving Port Tampa continued fine until +the fleet entered the passage between the western coast of Hayti and +the eastern end of Cuba, known as the Windward Passage, when the +breeze freshened and a rough sea began, continuing more or less up to +the time of landing. Rounding this eastern coast of Cuba the fleet +headed its course westerly and on the morning of the 20th was able to +determine its position as being off Guantanamo Bay, about fifty miles +east of Santiago. Here, eight days before, the first battle on Cuban +soil, in which four American marines were killed, had been fought. +About noon on the same day, the fleet came to a halt off Santiago +harbor, or a little to the west of the entrance to it, and Admiral +Sampson came on board. He and General Shafter soon after went ashore +to consult the Cuban General, Garcia, who was known to be in that +vicinity with about 4,000 well armed troops. + +The voyage over, and the men having been crowded together on +shipboard for nearly two weeks, it was now expedient to get them on +shore as soon as possible. But it was necessary to find out beforehand +what defences were along the coast, and what forces of the enemy were +likely to be encountered in landing. The fleet lay off from the shore +about a mile, and it was no small undertaking to convey the 17,000 men +on board with all their arms and equipments to the shore in small +boats over a rough sea, especially should the landing be disputed. It +was to arrange for the landing and also to map out a general plan of +campaign that the three great leaders, Shafter, Sampson and Garcia met +at Aserradores on the afternoon of June 20th as the American fleet +stood guard over the harbor of Santiago. + +General Garcia was already aware of the coming of the fleet, having +received a message from Major-General Miles two weeks previous. The +letter of General Miles ran as follows: + + + Headquarters of the Army, + In the Field, Tampa, Fla., June 2, 1898. + + Dear General:--I am very glad to have received your + officers, General Enrique Collazo and Lieut.-Col. Carlos + Hernandez, the latter of whom returns to-night with our best + wishes for your success. + + It would be a very great assistance if you could have as + large a force as possible in the vicinity of the harbor of + Santiago de Cuba, and communicate any information by signals + which Colonel Hernandez will explain to you either to our + navy or to our army on its arrival, which we hope will be + before many days. + + It would also assist us very much if you could drive in and + harass any Spanish troops near or in Santiago de Cuba, + threatening or attacking them at all points, and preventing, + by every means, any possible re-enforcement coming to that + garrison. While this is being done, and before the arrival + of our army, if you can seize and hold any commanding + position to the east or west of Santiago de Cuba, or both, + that would be advantageous for the use of our artillery, it + will be exceedingly gratifying to us." + +To this General Garcia replied that he would "take measures at once to +carry out your (Miles') recommendation, but concentration of forces +will require some time. Roads bad and Cubans scattered. Will march +without delay." Admiral Sampson also cabled the Secretary of the Navy +that Garcia "regards his (Miles') wishes and suggestions as orders, +and immediately will take measures to concentrate forces at the points +indicated, but he is unable to do so as early as desired on account of +his expedition at Banes Port, Cuba, but will march without delay. All +of his subordinates are ordered to assist to disembark the United +States troops and to place themselves under orders." It was in +compliance with these requests that General Garcia had the five +thousand troops so near Santiago at the time he welcomed Shafter and +Sampson to his camp, as mentioned above, and there is every necessary +evidence that these Cuban troops took part in the fight about +Santiago. Says General Miles of Garcia: "He had troops in the rear as +well as on both sides of the garrison at Santiago before the arrival +of our troops." + +It was agreed that the force of five hundred men under General +Castillo, posted near Daiquiri, should be increased to 1,000, and +should be prepared to make an attack upon the rear of the Spanish +garrison at Daiquiri on the morning of the 22nd, at which time the +debarkation would begin. General Rabi with about 500 men was also to +attack Cabanas at the same time, in the same manner, the transports +and war vessels so manoeuvring as to give the impression that a +landing was to be made at that place. While these attacks in the rear +were distracting the garrisons, the navy, by order of Admiral Sampson, +was to start up a vigorous bombardment of all the villages along the +coast, thus clearing the shore for the landing of the army. Thus did +the conference unite the hands of Americans and Cubans in the fight +against Spain on Cuban soil, and each was pledged to the other by the +expressions of good will. Having accomplished its work the important +conference closed, Admiral Sampson and General Shafter to return to +their ships, and General Garcia to carry out the part of the work +assigned to him, which he did with fidelity and success.[15] + +According to orders published on the 20th, General Lawton's Division, +known as the Second Division, Fifth Army Corps, was to disembark +first. This Division contained the three following Brigades: The +First, General Ludlow's, composed of the Eighth and Twenty-second +Infantry (regulars) and the Second Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry; +the Second Brigade, General Miles', composed of the Fourth and +Twenty-fifth Infantry (regulars); the Third Brigade, General +Chaffee's, containing the Seventh, Twelfth and Seventeenth Infantry +(regulars). Next to follow was General Bates' Brigade, which was to +act as reserve to Lawton's Division. This Brigade consisted of the +Third and Twentieth Infantry (regulars) and one squadron of the Second +Cavalry, the only mounted troops in Shafter's army. The cavalry, +however, were not to disembark with the Brigade, but were to be the +last troops to leave the transports. After Bates' Brigade, was to +follow Wheeler's Dismounted Cavalry Division, containing the two +following Brigades: The First, composed of the Third, Sixth and Ninth +Cavalry (regulars); the Second, composed of the First and Tenth +Cavalry (regulars) and the First Volunteer Cavalry (Rough Riders). To +follow the Cavalry Division was to come the First Division, General +Kent's, containing the following troops: The First Brigade, General +Hawkins', consisting of the Sixth and Sixteenth Infantry (regulars) +and the Seventy-first New York Volunteer Infantry; the Second Brigade, +General Pearson's, consisting of the Second, Tenth and Twenty-first +Infantry (regulars); the Third Brigade, Colonel Wikoffs, made up of +the Ninth, Thirteenth and Twenty-fourth Infantry (regulars). Then, +lastly, was to depart the squadron of mounted cavalry. + +Thus prepared, both on board the ships and on shore, the morning of +the 22nd dawned to witness the beginning of mighty operations. The war +vessels, drawn up in proper order, early began to hurl shot and shell +upon the towns, forts, blockhouses and clumps of trees that could be +discovered along the shore. The cannonading lasted between two and +three hours and was furious throughout. Meanwhile General Lawton's +Division began the work of going ashore. The sea was rough and the +passage to the shore was made in small boats furnished from the +transports and from the naval vessels, towed by steam launches +belonging to the navy. The larger of the boats were capable of +carrying ten or twelve men each, while the smaller ones could carry +but six or seven. During the passage to the shore several of the men +who had escaped thus far, were taken with seasickness, greatly to the +amusement of their more hardy companions. The landing was made at a +pier which had been used formerly as a railroad pier, but was now +abandoned and somewhat dilapidated. To get from the boats to the pier +in this rough sea was the most perilous part of the whole trip from +Tampa to Cuba. As the boats would rise on the waves almost level with +the landing place it was necessary to leap quickly from the boat to +the shore. In this way two cavalrymen of the Tenth lost their lives, +falling into the sea with their equipments on and sinking before help +could reach them. Some of the boats were rowed ashore and made a +landing on the beach some distance from the pier. By this method some +men of the Twenty-fifth tried to be the first to land, but failed, +that regiment landing, however, in the first body of troops to go +ashore, and being the second in order, in the invasion of the island. +By night of the 22nd more than one-third of the troops were on shore, +and by the evening of the 24th the whole army was disembarked +according to the program announced at the beginning, the squadron of +cavalry coming in at the close of the march to the shore. + +The only national movement on our part deserving to be brought into +comparison with the expedition against the Spanish power in Cuba, is +that of fifty years earlier, when General Scott sailed at the head of +the army of invasion against Mexico. Some of the occurrences of that +expedition, especially connected with its landing, should be carefully +studied, and if the reports which have reached the public concerning +it are truthful, we would do well to consider how far the methods then +in use could be applied now. Scribner's recent history, published just +before the outbreak of the Spanish War, tells the story of that +expedition, so far as it tells it at all, in the following sentence: +"On the 7th of March, the fleet with Scott's army came to anchor a few +miles south of Vera Cruz, and two days later he landed his whole +force--nearly twelve thousand men--by means of surf-boats." A writer +in a recent number of _The Army and Navy Journal_ says General Worth's +Division of 4,500 men were landed in one hour, and the whole force was +landed in six hours, without accident or confusion. In the prosecution +of that unholy war, which lasted about a year, nearly three thousand +men were lost in battle and about as many more by disease, peace being +finally made by the cession of territory on the part of Mexico, the +United States paying in return much more than the territory was +worth. The twenty millions paid to Texas probably in great part went +into the coffers of the patriots who occupied that region, some of +whom had not been known as desirable citizens in the parts from which +they came, and had manifested their patriotism by leaving their +country for their country's good. The fifteen millions handed over to +Mexico looks like a contribution to a conscience fund, and an +atonement offered for an assault without provocation. The country +gained Arizona, New Mexico, California and finally Texas, but it lost +six thousand good men, the cost of the war, and all told, in +negotiations, about thirty million dollars, besides. However, it is +not always profitable to look up the harvests of war. There are always +two--the harvest of gain, and the harvest of loss. Death and debt are +reapers, as well as are honor and extent of territory. + +The feelings of the six thousand American troops who landed on Cuban +soil on June 22nd, 1898, may well be imagined. Although they felt the +effects of the confinement to which they had been subjected while on +shipboard, there was very little sickness among them. Again possessed +of the free use of their limbs they swarmed the beach and open space +near the landing, making themselves at home, and confronting the +difficulties and perils that lay before them with a courage born of +national pride. Before them were the mountains with their almost +impassable roads, the jungles filled with poisonous plants and the +terrible prickly underbrush and pointed grass, in which skulked the +land crab and various reptiles whose bite or sting was dangerous; +twenty miles of this inhospitable country lay between them and +Santiago, their true objective. And somewhere on the road to that city +they knew they were destined to meet a well-trained foe, skilled in +all the arts of modern warfare, who would contest their advance. The +prospect, however, did not unnerve them, although they could well +conjecture that all who landed would not re-embark. Some in that six +thousand were destined never again to set foot on shipboard. Out of +the Twenty-fifth Infantry and the Tenth Cavalry men were to fall both +before Spanish bullets and disease ere these organizations should +assemble to return to their native shores. These thoughts did not +prevent the men from taking advantage of what nature had to offer +them. + +"We landed in rowboats, amid, and after the cessation of the +bombardment of the little hamlet and coast by the men-of-war and +battle-ships," writes a brave soldier of the Twenty-fifth Infantry, +and adds immediately: "We then helped ourselves to cocoanuts which we +found in abundance near the landing." Ordinarily this statement, so +trivial and apparently unimportant, would not merit repetition, but in +its connection here it is significant as showing the immediate +tendency of the men to resort to the fruits of the country, despite +all warnings to the contrary. The two weeks' experience on board the +transports had made the finding of cocoanuts an event to be noted, and +the dry pulp and strongly flavored milk of this tropical fruit became +extremely grateful to the palate, even if not altogether safe for the +stomach. If ripe, however, the cocoanut could scarcely be more +ungenial to many, than the raw, canned tomatoes upon which they had in +part subsisted during the voyage. It is to be added that this report +of the finding of the cocoanuts is not the report of an old soldier, +but of a young and intelligent, first enlistment man. + +Lawton's Division soon after landing, was ordered to move forward in +the direction of Santiago, on the road leading past Siboney. A staff +officer, writing of that movement, says: "General Lawton, with his +Division, in obedience to this order, pushed forward from Daiquiri +about five miles, when night overtook him and he bivouacked on the +road." An old soldier of the Twenty-fifth, writing me from the +hospital in Tampa, Florida, July 22nd, says of the same event: "After +the regiment landed we marched about four and a half miles through the +mountains; then we made camp." The old soldier says nothing of +cocoanuts, but makes his statement with as much accuracy as possible, +and with no waste of words. The novice describing the same thing says: +"A short distance ahead (from the shore) we bivouacked for the night. +We were soon lying in dreamland, so far from friends and home, indeed, +on a distant, distant shore." These two extracts show at once the +difference between the soldier produced by years of trial and training +on our plains, and the soldier who but yesterday was a civilian. With +the one the march is a short distance; with the other it is about four +and a half miles; one reports that they "made camp," the other talks +of dreamland, friend, home and distant shore; one expresses his +feelings, the other shows control of feeling and reserve in +expression. + +That first night on Cuban soil, the night following June 22nd, was one +without events, but one of great concern to the commanders on shore +and on the fleet. The work of disembarking had gone on successfully, +and already about six thousand men were on shore. Nearly the whole of +Lawton's Division, with Bates' independent brigade, were bivouacked, +as we have seen, about five miles from Daiquiri, exactly where the +railroad crosses the wagon road leading to Siboney. General Wheeler's +troops--one brigade--were encamped on the open ground near the +landing, the remainder of his division being still on the transports. +The Twenty-fifth Infantry was with Lawton; the Tenth Cavalry was +ashore with Wheeler's troops. A detachment of the Twenty-fifth was put +on outpost duty on that night of their landing, and five miles within +Cuban territory they tramped their solitary beats, establishing and +guarding the majestic authority of the United States. + +Lawton's orders were to seize and hold the town of Siboney at which +place Kent's Division, containing the Twenty-fourth, was to land. It +was then intended that the whole army should advance as rapidly as +would be consistent with supplying the men with rations toward +Santiago. Siboney was to be the base of supplies, and from this point +ammunition and food were to be conveyed to the front by wagons and +pack trains. General Shafter also intended that Lawton with his +division should lead the advance upon Santiago, but circumstances +beyond his control brought about a different result. On the morning of +the 23rd Lawton's division was in motion early, and before half-past +ten o'clock he was able to report that the Spaniards had evacuated +Siboney and were in full retreat, pursued by a body of Cubans under +direction of General Castillo; that the town was in his hands, and he +had also captured one locomotive and nearly one hundred cars loaded +with coal. + +General Young's brigade of General Wheeler's cavalry division, got on +shore on the afternoon of the 23rd and after landing received verbal +orders to move out with three days' rations "to a good camping place +between Juraguacito and Siboney, on the road leading to Santiago de +Cuba." In obedience to these orders, at 4.30 in the afternoon Young +with the Rough Riders and a squadron from each of the First and Tenth +Regular Cavalry moved from the bivouack near the landing and arrived +at Siboney at about 7 o'clock. When General Young arrived at Siboney +he had with him the Rough Riders, the other troops having been delayed +by the crowded condition of the trail and the difficulty of following +after nightfall. Although these troops are always spoken of as +cavalry, the reader must not forget that they were dismounted and in +marching and fighting were the same as infantry. + +General Young on arriving at Siboney reported to General Wheeler, who +had preceded him to the same place. The statements of the several +commanders here appear somewhat conflicting, although not +inexplicable. General Lawton says: "Yesterday afternoon, late, General +Wheeler and staff arrived and established his headquarters within the +limits of my command. Saw him after dark. Late last night Colonel +Wood's regiment of dismounted cavalry (Rough Riders) passed through my +camp at Division Headquarters, and later General Young, with some of +the dismounted Cavalry, and early this morning others of the +dismounted cavalry." Wheeler says that "in obedience to instructions +from the Major-General Commanding," given to him in person, he +proceeded, on June 23rd, to Siboney, but does not say at what hour. He +says he "rode out to the front and found that the enemy had halted and +established themselves at a point about three miles from Siboney." He +then informs us that "at 8 o'clock on that evening of the 23rd General +Young reached Siboney with eight troops of Colonel Wood's regiment (A, +B, D, E, F, G, K and L), 500 strong; Troops A, B, G and K, of the +First Cavalry, in all 244, and Troops A, B, E and I, of the Tenth +Cavalry, in all 220 men, making a total force of 964 men, which +included nearly all of my command which had disembarked. These troops +had marched from Daiquiri, 11 miles. With the assistance of General +Castillo a rough map of the country was prepared and the position of +the enemy fully explained, and I determined to make an attack." +Lieutenant Miley says that the whole brigade of Wheeler's troops +arrived in Siboney about dark and were occupying the same ground as +General Lawton ("In Cuba With Shafter," p. 76.) General Young says +that after reporting to General Wheeler he "asked and obtained from +General Wheeler authority to make a reconnoisance in force" for the +purpose of obtaining "positive information * * * as to the position +and movements of the enemy in front." + +The distance from Daiquiri to Siboney was but eleven miles, and as the +troops left the former place at 4.30 it is probable that they were all +bivouacked near Siboney before 9 o'clock, as they were all together, +according to General Wheeler's report, at 5.45 on the morning of the +24th. General Young having discovered that there were two roads or +trails leading from Siboney northward toward the town of Sevilla +determined to make his reconnoisance by both these trails. He directed +Colonel Wood to move by the western trail and to keep a careful +lookout and to attack any Spaniards he might encounter, being careful +to join his right in the event of an engagement, with the left of the +column advancing by the eastern trail. Colonel Wood's column was the +left column and was composed of the Rough Riders only. The column +marching by the eastern trail was composed of the First and Tenth +Cavalry (regulars) and was under the command of General Young. It was +the intention of General Young by this column to gain the enemy's +left, and thus attack in front and left. As early as 7.20 a.m. Captain +Mills discovered the enemy exactly as had been described by General +Castillo. When this was done word was sent to Colonel Wood, who was +making his way to the front over a more difficult route than the one +by which General Young's column had marched. A delay was therefore +made on the part of General Young in order that the attack should +begin on both flanks at the same time. During this delay General +Wheeler arrived and was informed of the plans and dispositions for the +attack, and after examining the position gave his approval of what +had been done, whereupon General Young ordered the attack. General +Wheeler in speaking of the same event says: "General Young and myself +examined the position of the enemy. The lines were deployed and I +directed him to open fire with the Hotchkiss gun. The enemy replied +and the firing immediately became general." There can be no question +as to the planning of this fight nor as to the direction of the +American force in the fight so far as any general direction was +possible. Colonel Wood directed one column and General Young another, +while the plan of the attack undoubtedly originated with General +Young. General Wheeler conveys as much when he says: "General Young +deserves special commendation for his cool deliberate and skillful +management." General Young, if only the commander of the right column +consisting of two squadrons of regular cavalry, had not as large a +command, nor as difficult and important a one as had Colonel Wood, and +hence is not deserving of special commendation except upon the general +ground that he had supervision over the whole battle. This position is +taken by General Shafter in his report, who though admitting the +presence of the Division Commander, credits the battle to General +Young, the commander of the brigade. The reconnoissance in force for +which Young had obtained authority from General Wheeler on the night +of the 23rd had developed into a battle, and the plan had evolved +itself from the facts discovered. This plan General Wheeler approved, +but in no such way as to take the credit from its originator; and it +is doubtless with reference both to the plan and the execution that he +bestows on General Young the mead of praise. This statement of fact +does not in the least detract from either the importance or the +praiseworthiness of the part played by Colonel Wood. Both he and the +officers and men commanded by him received both from General Young +and from the division commander the most generous praise. The advance +of Wood's column was made with great difficulty owing to the nature of +the ground, and according to General Young's belief, he was in the +rear when at 7.20 in the morning Captain Mills discovered the enemy, +and a Cuban guide was dispatched to warn Wood, and a delay made to +allow time for him to come up. Colonel Wood, on the other hand, claims +to have discovered the enemy at 7.10 and to have begun action almost +immediately, so that it turned out as Young had planned, and "the +attack of both wings was simultaneous." The Spaniards were posted on a +range of high hills in the form of a "V," the opening being toward +Siboney, from which direction the attack came. + +From Colonel Wood's report it appears that soon after the firing began +he found it necessary to deploy five troops to the right, and left, +leaving three troops in reserve. The enemy's lines being still beyond +his, both on the right and on the left, he hastily deployed two more +troops, which made the lines now about equal in length. The firing was +now "exceedingly heavy," and much of it at short range, but on account +of the thick underbrush it was not very effective; "comparatively few +of our men were injured." Captain Capron at this time received his +mortal wound and the firing became so terrific that the last remaining +troop of the reserve was absorbed by the firing line, and the whole +regiment ordered to advance very slowly. The Spanish line yielded and +the advance soon showed that in falling back the enemy had taken a new +position, about three hundred yards in front of the advancing +regiment. Their lines extended from 800 to 1,000 yards, and the firing +from their front was "exceedingly heavy" and effective. A "good many +men" were wounded, "and several officers," says Colonel Wood's +report. Still the advance was kept up, and the Spanish line was +steadily forced back. "We now began," says Colonel Wood, "to get a +heavy fire from a ridge on our right, which enfiladed our line." The +reader can at once see that although the Rough Riders were advancing +heroically, they were now in a very serious situation, with an +exceedingly heavy and effective fire striking them in front, and a +heavy, enfilading fire raking them from the right. Their whole +strength was on the line, and these two fires must have reduced their +effectiveness with great rapidity had it kept up, the Spaniards having +their range and firing by well-directed volleys. It was for the +regiment a moment of the utmost peril. Had they been alone they must +have perished. + +It was from this perilous situation of Colonel Wood's command that one +of the most popular stories of the war originated, a story that +contained some truth, but which was often told in such a way as to +cause irritation, and in some instances it was so exaggerated or +mutilated in the telling as to be simply ridiculous. On the day after +the battle the story was told in Lawton's camp according to the +testimony of an intelligent soldier of the Twenty-fifth Infantry. His +words are: "The next day about noon we heard that the Tenth Cavalry +had met the enemy and that the Tenth Cavalry had rescued the Rough +Riders. We congratulated ourselves that although not of the same +branch of service, we were of the same color, and that to the eye of +the enemy we, troopers and footmen, all looked alike." According to +artists and cheap newspaper stories this rescuing occurred again and +again. A picture is extensively advertized as "an actual and +authoritative presentation of this regiment (the Tenth Cavalry) as it +participated in that great struggle, and their heroic rescue of the +Rough Riders on that memorable _July_ day." This especial rescuing +took place on _San Juan Hill_. The editor of a religious paper +declares that it was the _Twenty-fifth Infantry_ that rescued the +Rough Riders and that it was done at _El Caney_![16] + +Before we go any farther let us see just what the Tenth Cavalry did do +in this fight. That their action was highly meritorious admits of no +doubt, and the laurels they won were never allowed to fade during the +whole campaign. General Wheeler speaks of them with the First Cavalry. +He says: "I was immediately with the troops of the First and Tenth +Regular Cavalry, dismounted, and personally noticed their brave and +good conduct." There were four troops of the Tenth engaged, composing +the First Squadron of that regiment, under command of Major Norval. +Troop A was commanded by Captain W.H. Beck, who was specially +commended by General Wheeler for good conduct. Second Lieutenant F.R. +McCoy was Captain Beck's assistant. This troop moved over to the left, +receiving the fire of the enemy, but making no response, the distance +being too great for effective carbine firing. This troop reached +Colonel Wood's right and made the line continuous so that there was +now a force in front of that ridge where the Spaniards were securely +entrenched and from which they were pouring their enfilading fire upon +Colonel Wood's line. Troop A, although coming into the line, did not +fire. Their presence, however, gave the Rough Riders the assurance +that their flank was saved. Troop E was commanded by Captain C.G. +Ayres with Second Lieutenant George Vidmar. This troop was placed by +General Young in support of Captain Watson's two Hotchkiss guns, and +also of the troops in their front. The troop was under fire one hour +and a quarter, during which they were in plain view of the Spaniards, +who also had their exact range. One man was killed and one wounded. +Their courage, coolness and discipline in this trying hour and a +quarter were of the very highest order. The troop commander says: +"Their coolness and fine discipline were superb." This troop did not +fire a shot. Thus one-half of the squadron moved to its positions and +held them without being able to do any damage to the enemy, as they +were carrying out to the letter their instructions, which were to fire +only when they could see the enemy. Troop B was commanded by Captain +J.W. Watson with H.O. Willard as Second Lieutenant. A detachment of +this troop was placed in charge of four Hotchkiss mountain guns. This +detachment opened fire upon the enemy, using the ammunition sparingly, +as they had but fifty rounds with them. Twenty-two shots were fired, +apparently with effect. The remainder of the troop under Lieutenant +Williard was ordered to move out to the extreme right, which would +place it beyond the line of the First Cavalry, thus bringing that +regiment between Troop A of the Tenth, which connected it with the +Rough Riders and Troop B, which was to be on its extreme right. +Lieutenant Williard's report of this movement is as follows: + + "I ordered the troop forward at once, telling them to take + advantage of all cover available. In the meantime the + volleys from the Spanish were coming in quite frequently and + striking the ground on all sides near where we were. I found + it very difficult to move the men forward after having found + cover, and ran back to a portion of the troop near an old + brick wall, and ordered them forward at once. They then made + a dash forward, and in doing so three or four men were + wounded, Private Russell severely. Who the others were I do + not know. We encountered a severe fire directly after this + move forward; and Private Wheeler was wounded in the left + leg. There was a wire fence on our right, and such thick + underbrush that we were unable to get through right there, + so had to follow along the fence for some distance before + being able to penetrate. Finally, was able to get the + greater proportion of my men through, and about this time I + met Lieutenants Fleming and Miller, Tenth Cavalry, moving + through the thicket at my left. I there heard the order + passed on 'not to fire ahead,' as there was danger of firing + into our own forces. In the meantime there was shouting from + the First Cavalry in our front, 'Don't fire on us in rear.' + My troop had not fired a shot to my knowledge, nor the + knowledge of any non-commissioned officers in the troop. + About this time I found I was unable to keep the troop + deployed, as they would huddle up behind one rock or tree, + so I gave all sergeants orders to move out on the extreme + right and to keep in touch with those on their left. Then, + with a squad of about five men, I moved to the right front, + and was unfortunate enough to lose the troop, i.e., I could + see nothing of them except the men with me. + + "But as I had given explicit instructions to my sergeant, in + case I was lost from them, to continue to advance until + halted by some one in authority, I moved ahead myself, + hoping to find them later on. In making a rush forward three + men of my squad were lost from me in some way. I still had + two men with me, Privates Combs and Jackson, and in the next + advance made I picked up a First Cavalry sergeant who had + fallen out from exhaustion. After a terrific climb up the + ridge in front of me, and a very regular though ineffective + fire from the enemy kept up until we were about sixty yards + from the summit of hill, we reached the advance line of the + First United States Cavalry, under command of Captain + Wainwright. I then reported to him for orders, and moved + forward when he next advanced. The firing had ceased, and no + more shots were fired, to my knowledge, after this time. + With the First Cavalry, Troop G, we followed along the right + of the ridge and came down to the right front, encountering + no opposition or fire from the enemy, but finding the + enemy's breastworks in confusion, ammunition and articles of + clothing scattered around; also one dead Spaniard and two + Mauser rifles. At the foot of the ridge we met some of the + First Volunteer Cavalry, and being utterly exhausted, I was + obliged to lie down. Soon after, Captain Mills, + adjutant-general of Second Brigade, Cavalry Division, came + up to where I was and placed me in command of Troop K, First + United States Cavalry, whose officers were wounded. I then + marched them forward on the road to where General Wheeler + was sitting, and received orders from Colonel Wood, First + Volunteer Cavalry, to remain until further orders and make + no further advance. Directly afterwards, learning the action + was over, I reported back to General Young, and received + orders to remain camped with the First Cavalry Squadron, + where the action had closed. In the meantime, I should have + stated that I found the principal part of my troop and + collected them and left them under the first sergeant, when + I went back to receive orders. So far as I know, and to the + best of my knowledge, the men of my troop acted with the + greatest bravery, advancing on an enemy who could not be + seen, and subjected to a severe and heavy fire at each step, + which was only rendered ineffective to a great degree by the + poor marksmanship of the enemy, as many times we were in + sight of them (I discovered this by observation after the + engagement) while we could see nothing. We were also + subjected to a severe reverse fire from the hills in our + right rear, several men being wounded by this fire. + Throughout the fight the men acted with exceptional + coolness, in my judgment. The casualties were: Privates + Russell, Braxton and Morris, severely wounded; Privates F.A. + Miller, Grice, Wheeler and Gaines, slightly wounded, i.e., + less severely. None killed. + + Very respectfully, + + HENRY O. WILLIARD. + June 24, 1898. + Troop B, Tenth Cavalry, during action near La Guasima, + Second Lieutenant, Tenth United States Cavalry, Commanding. + + +Troop I of the Tenth Cavalry was commanded by First Lieutenant R.J. +Fleming with Second Lieutenant A.M. Miller. This troop moved to the +right and wedged in between B Troop and the right of the First +Cavalry. Lieutenant Fleming discovered the enemy posted on the high +ridge immediately in front of his troop, and also extending to his +right, in front of B Troop. Moving his troop a little to the right so +as to secure room to advance without coming in contact with the First +Cavalry, he then directed his course straight toward the hill on which +he had located the enemy. The advance was made with great caution, the +men seeking cover wherever possible, and dashing across the open +spaces at full run. Thus they moved until the base of the steep part +of the hill was reached. This was found very difficult of ascent, not +only because of the rugged steepness, but also on account of the +underbrush, and the sharp-leaved grass, the cacti and Spanish bayonet, +that grow on all these hillsides. Paths had to be cut through these +prickly obstructions with knives and sabres. Consequently the advance +up that hill, though free from peril, was very slow and trying. Twice +during the advance the men obtained a view of their enemies and were +permitted to fire. The instructions were rigidly adhered to: No firing +only at the visible foe. Lieutenant Fleming says: "Owing to the +underbrush it was impossible for me to see but a very few men at a +time, but as they all arrived on the crest about the time I did, or +shortly after, they certainly advanced steadily." He says: "The entire +troop behaved with great coolness and obeyed every order." Farrier +Sherman Harris, Wagoner John Boland and Private Elsie Jones especially +distinguished themselves for coolness and gallantry. The aggressive +work of the Tenth Cavalry, therefore, appears to have been done by +Troops B and I, a detachment of the former troop serving the Hotchkiss +gun battery. Troop I was commanded by Lieutenant Fleming and by him +conducted to the front, although he admits that in their advance up +the slope of the hill he could see but very few of the men at a time, +and declares that their advance was certainly steady, because all +arrived at the crest of the hill simultaneously or nearly so. + +Lieutenant Fleming does not show that his troop of excellent men were +in any sense _peculiarly_ dependent upon their white officers as some +have asserted. They advanced steadily, just as the regulars always do, +advanced noiselessly and without any reckless firing, and reached the +crest of the hill in order, although he could not see them as they +were making their advance. They kept their line despite all the +obstructions. Lieutenant Fleming also says that in moving to his +position he passed Troop B, which then "inclined to the right, and +during the remainder of the action was on my right." Troop B, +therefore, went through about the same experience as Troop I, and +being on the extreme right of the line may have been more directly in +front of that foe which Fleming says was in his front and to the +right. Why did not the officer who directed or led B Troop in its +advance upon the enemy report the action of his troop as vividly and +generously as did Lieutenant Fleming the men of Troop I? With not the +slightest reflection upon the gallant officer, he himself has the +manliness to say he was so unfortunate as to lose the troop. The +troop, however, did not become demoralized, but went into action under +command of its First Sergeant, _John Buck,[17] and remained on +Lieutenant Fleming's right during the action_. It has been proven more +than once that should the commissioned officers of a company or troop +of colored regulars be killed or incapacitated, the non-commissioned +officers can carry on the fight. Speaking of this same regiment it is +equally true that at San Juan the officers of Troops D and G were all +shot and the commands of these troops fell to their First Sergeants, +the first to Sergeant William H. Given, the second to Sergeant Saint +Foster, and it is generally understood that these two men were +appointed Lieutenants of Volunteers because of their success in +handling their troops in battle. + +The entire attacking force at this end of the line, if we count only +those engaged in actual firing, consisted of two troops of the Tenth +Cavalry and two of the First Cavalry--four troops--while to the left +the entire eight troops were on the firing line. The action of the +troops of the First Cavalry was quite similar to that of the troops of +the Tenth Cavalry, and equally deserving of commendation. Of them all +General Young says: + + "The ground over which the right column advanced was a mass + of jungle growth, with wire fences, not to be seen until + encountered, and precipitous heights as the ridge was + approached. It was impossible for the troops to keep in + touch along the front, and they could only judge of the + enemy from the sound and direction of his fire. However, had + it not been for this dense jungle, the attack would not have + been made against an overwhelming force in such a position. + Headway was so difficult that advance and support became + merged and moved forward under a continuous volley firing, + supplemented by that of two rapid-fire guns. Return firing + by my force was only made as here and there a small clear + spot gave a sight of the enemy. The fire discipline of these + particular troops was almost perfect. The ammunition + expended by the two squadrons engaged in an incessant + advance for one hour and fifteen minutes averaged less than + ten rounds per man. The fine quality of these troops is also + shown by the fact that there was not a single straggler, and + in not one instance was an attempt made by any soldier to + fall out in the advance to assist the wounded or carry back + the dead. The fighting on the left flank was equally + creditable and was remarkable, and I believe unprecedented, + in volunter troops so quickly raised, armed and equipped." + +The five hundred men of Colonel Wood's regiment were stretched over a +space of 800 to 1,000 yards, and were entirely without support or +reserve, and appear to have advanced to a point where this very strong +force on the right swept a good part of their line both with rifle +fire and the fire of their two machine guns. Men and officers were +falling under both the front and flank fire of the enemy, and had not +the squadrons of the First and Tenth made their successful assault +upon that ridge, which, according to General Wood's report, was "very +strongly held," the situation of the Rough Riders would have been +extreme. Because this successful assault was participated in by the +Tenth Cavalry the story arose that the Rough Riders were rescued by +that regiment. The fair statement would be: That the Regular Cavalry, +consisting of a squadron of the First and a squadron of the Tenth, +made their advance on the right at the precise moment to deliver the +Rough Riders from a fire that threatened their annihilation. The +marksmanship and coolness of the men of the Tenth have been specially +commented upon and their fire was described as very effective, but the +same remarks could be made of the men of the First, who fought side by +side with them. It is probable that the volunteers advanced more +rapidly than did the regulars, using more ammunition, and manifesting +a very high degree of courage and enthusiasm as well as deliberation; +but the regulars reached their objective at the proper time to turn +the battle's tide. Each advancing column was worthy to be companion to +the other. + +General Wheeler said the fire was very hot for about an hour, and "at +8.30 sent a courier to General Lawton informing him that he was +engaged with a larger force of the enemy than was anticipated, and +asked that his force be sent forward on the Sevilla road as quickly as +possible." ("In Cuba With Shafter," p. 83.) General Lawton, however, +with the true instinct of a soldier had already sent orders to General +Chaffee to move forward with the First Brigade. The Second Brigade was +also in readiness to move and the men of the Twenty-fifth were +expecting to go forward to take a position on the right and if +possible a little to the rear of the Spanish entrenchments in order to +cut off their retreat. The rapid movements of the cavalry division, +however, rendered this unnecessary, and the routing of the foe gave to +the Americans an open country and cleared the field for the advance on +Santiago. The first battle had been fought, and the Americans had been +victorious, but not without cost. Sixteen men had been killed and +fifty-two wounded. In Colonel Wood's regiment eight had been killed +and thirty-four wounded; in the First Cavalry, seven killed and eight +wounded; in the Tenth Cavalry, one killed and ten wounded. The +percentage of losses to the whole strength of the several +organizations engaged was as follows: Rough Riders, over 8 per cent.; +First Cavalry, over 6 per cent.; Tenth Cavalry, 5 per cent. But if we +take those on the firing line as the base the rate per cent. of losses +among the regulars would be doubled, while that of the volunteers +would remain the same. + +The strength of the enemy in this battle is given in the Spanish +official reports, according to Lieutenant Miley, at about five +hundred, and their losses are put at nine killed and twenty-seven +wounded. At the time of the fight it was supposed to be much larger. +General Young's report places the estimates at 2,000, and adds "that +it has since been learned from Spanish sources to have been 2,500. The +Cuban military authorities claim the Spanish strength was 4,000." +These figures are doubtless too high. The force overtaken at Las +Guasimas was the same force that evacuated Siboney at the approach of +Lawton and the force with which the Cubans had fought on the morning +of the 23rd. It may have consisted solely of the garrison from +Siboney, although it is more probable that it included also those from +Daiquiri and Jutici, as it is quite certain that all these troops +proceeded toward Santiago over the same road. The force at Siboney had +been given by the Cubans at 600, at Daiquiri at 300, and at Jutici at +150. If these had concentrated and the figures were correct, the +Spanish force at Guasimas was upwards of 1,000. If, however, it was +the force from Siboney alone, it was about as the Spanish official +report gives it. On this latter basis, however, the losses are out of +proportion, for while the attacking party lost a little less than 7 +per cent. of its entire strength in killed and wounded, the losses of +the entrenched, defending party, were even a little greater, or over 7 +per cent. of its strength. It is, therefore, probable that the Spanish +force was greater than officially reported and included the troops +from the other posts as well as those from Siboney. The engagement was +classed by General Shafter as unimportant, although its effect upon +our army was inspiring. It did not cut off the retreat of the Spanish +force, and the men who faced our army at Guasimas met them again in +the trenches before Santiago. General Shafter desired to advance with +his whole force, and cautioned strongly against any further forward +movement until the troops were well in hand. The two battles between +the Cubans and Spaniards, fought on the 23rd, in which the Cubans had +sixteen men wounded and two killed, were engagements of some +consequence, although we have no reports of them. There is no evidence +that the Cubans took part in the battle of Guasimas, although they +arrived on the grounds immediately after the firing ceased. + +The story thus far told is, as the reader cannot fail to see, +directly from official records, and the conclusions arrived at are +those which result naturally from the facts as therein detailed. Not +one word is quoted from any but military men--actors in the affair. We +may now go briefly over the same ground, giving the views and +conclusions of able civilian correspondents who followed the army to +see what was done, and who were trained observers and skilled writers. +How have these able war journalists told the story of Las Guasimas? + +To quote from Stephen Bonsal in substance, not in words, is to +contradict what General Shafter says officially in one particular, but +in no such way as to discredit the General, or to weaken Bonsal. It is +not a case of bringing two universal, antagonistic propositions face +to face, but a case where two men of different training look upon an +action from different standpoints and through different field-glasses. +General Shafter says of the collision of the Rough Riders with the +Spanish force: "There was no ambush as reported." As a military man, +he says there was no more concealment on the part of the Spanish force +than what an attacking party should expect, no more than what is usual +in modern warfare, hence he does not regard it as an ambush, and does +not officially take notice of any surprise or unexpected encounter on +the part of his force. To do so would be to reflect, however slightly, +upon the professional skill of the commander of the left column. +General Shafter thus says officially in a manly way: "There was no +ambush." Beyond this his duty does not call him to go, and he halts +his expressions exactly at this line, maintaining in his attitude all +the attributes of the true soldier, placing himself beyond criticism +by thus securing from attack the character of his subordinate. + +Mr. Bonsal is a writer and author, accustomed to view actions in the +broader light of popular judgment, entirely free from professional +bias, and having no class-feeling or obligations to serve. His pen is +not official; his statements are not from the military standpoint; not +influenced in any way by considerations of personal weal or woe with +respect to others or himself. He says that one troop of the Rough +Riders, Troop L, commanded by Captain Capron, was leading the advance +of the regiment, and was in solid formation and within twenty-five +yards of its scouting line when it received the enemy's fire. This +troop was so far in the advance that it took the other troops of the +regiment more than a half hour to get up to it. The writer speaks of +the advance of that troop as having been made "in the fool-hardy +formation of a solid column along a narrow trail, which brought them, +in the way I have described, within point-blank range of the Spanish +rifles, and within the unobstructed sweep of their machine guns." He +sums up as follows: "And if it is to be ambushed when you receive the +enemy's fire perhaps a quarter of an hour before it was expected, and +when the troop was in a formation, and the only one in which, in view +of the nature of the ground it was possible to advance quickly, then +most certainly L Troop of the Rough Riders was ambushed by the +Spaniards on the morning of June 24th." + +Mr. Bonsal also brings into clear view the part taken in this battle +by Lawton's Infantry. He shows by means of a simple map the trail by +which Miles' brigade, in which was the Twenty-fifth Infantry, moved in +order to flank the Spanish position, while Chaffee's brigade was +hurrying forward on the Royal Road to reinforce the line in front. A +letter from a soldier of the Twenty-fifth written soon after these +events fully confirms Mr. Bonsal in what he says concerning the +movement of Miles' brigade. The soldier says: "On the morning of the +24th the Rough Riders, Tenth and First Cavalry were to make an attack +on a little place where the Spanish were fortified. The Second Brigade +was to come on the right flank of these troops and a little in rear of +the fortifications; but by some misunderstanding, the former troops, +led by the Rough Riders, made an attack before we got our position, +and the result was a great many lives lost in the First Cavalry and +Rough Riders--only one in Tenth Cavalry, but many wounded. They +captured the fortification." This letter by a humble soldier, written +with no thought of its importance, shows how gallantly Lawton had +sprung to the rescue of Wheeler's division. According to Bonsal, who +says he obtained his information from Spanish officers who were +present in this fight, it was the information of the approach of this +brigade and of Chaffee's up the main road that caused the Spaniards to +withdraw rapidly from the position. The whole force was in imminent +danger of being captured. Another soldier of the Twenty-fifth wrote: +"The report came that the Twenty-fifth Infantry was to cut off the +Spanish retreat from a stronghold, toward Santiago." These glimpses +from soldiers' letters illustrate how clearly they comprehended the +work upon which they were sent, and show also how hearty and cordial +was the support which the infantry at that time was hurrying forward +to the advancing cavalry. + +The official reports show that the strength of the Spanish position +was before the right of our line. Mr. Bonsal says: "Directly in front +of the Tenth Cavalry rose undoubtedly the strongest point in the +Spanish position--two lines of shallow trenches, strengthened by heavy +stone parapets." We must remember that so far as we can get the +disposition of these troops from official records, Troop A connected +the Rough Riders with the First Cavalry, and Troops I and B were on +the right of the First Cavalry. Troop A did not fire a shot; the +fighting, therefore, was done by Troops I and B on the extreme right +of the line, and it was on their front that "undoubtedly the strongest +point in the Spanish position" lay--nor should the reader forget that +at this very important moment Troop B was commanded by its First +Sergeant, Buck, Lieutenant Williard having by his own report been +"unfortunate enough to lose the troop." This is said with no +disparagement to Lieutenant Williard. It was merely one of the +accidents of battle. + +Says Mr. Bonsal: "The moment the advance was ordered the black +troopers of the Tenth Cavalry forged ahead. They were no braver +certainly than any other men in the line, but their better training +enabled them to render more valuable services than the other troops +engaged. They had with them and ready for action their machine guns, +and shoved them right up to the front on the firing line, from where +they poured very effective fire into the Spanish trenches, which not +only did considerable execution, but was particularly effective in +keeping down the return fire of the Spaniards. The machine guns of the +Rough Riders were mislaid, or the mules upon which they had been +loaded could not be found at this juncture. It was said they had +bolted. It is certain, however, that the guns were not brought into +action, and consequently the Spaniards suffered less, and the Rough +Riders more, in the gallant charge they made up the hill in front of +them, after the Tenth Cavalry had advanced and driven the Spaniards +from their position on the right." + +Corporal W.F. Johnson, B Troop, was the non-commissioned officer in +charge of the machine guns during the brief fight at Las Guasimas, and +his action was such as to call forth from the troop commander special +mention "for his efficiency and perfect coolness under fire." Here I +may be pardoned for calling attention to a notion too prevalent +concerning the Negro soldier in time of battle. He is too often +represented as going into action singing like a zany or yelling like a +demon, rather than as a man calculating the chances for life and +victory. The official reports from the Black Regulars in Cuba ought to +correct this notion. Every troop and company commander, who has +reported upon colored soldiers in that war, speaks of the coolness of +the men of his command. Captain Beck, of Troop A, Tenth Cavalry, in +the Guasimas fight, says: "I will add that the enlisted men of Troop +A, Tenth Cavalry, behaved well, silently and alertly obeying orders, +and without becoming excited when the fire of the enemy reached them." +The yell, in the charge of the regulars, is a part of the action, and +is no more peculiar to Negro troops than to the whites, only as they +may differ in the general timbre of voice. Black American soldiers +when not on duty may sing more than white troops, but in quite a long +experience among them I have not found the difference so very +noticeable. In all garrisons one will find some men more musically +inclined than others; some who love to sing and some who do not; some +who have voices adapted to the production of musical tones, and some +who have not, and it is doubtless owing to these constitutional +differences that we find differences in habits and expressions. + +Lieutenant Miley, of General Shafter's staff, in his description of +the departure of General Shatter from General Garcia's tent, gives us +a glimpse of the character of the men that composed the Cuban army in +that vicinity. + + "While the interview was going on, the troops were being + assembled to do honor to the General on his departure. + Several companies were drawn up in front of the tent to + present arms as he came out, and a regiment escorted him to + the beach down the winding path, which was now lined on both + sides by Cuban soldiers standing about a yard apart and + presenting arms. The scene made a strong impression on all + in the party, there seemed to be such an earnestness and + fixedness of purpose displayed that all felt these soldiers + to be a power. About fifty per cent. were blacks, and the + rest mulattoes, with a small number of whites. They were + very poorly clad, many without shirts or shoes, but every + man had his gun and a belt full of ammunition." + + +B. + +EXTRACT FROM A LETTER FROM A SOLDIER OF THE 10TH CAVALRY, TROOP B, +CONCERNING THE BATTLE OF LAS GUASIMAS: + + "... The platoon which escaped this ditch got on the right + of the 1st Cavalry on the firing line, and pushed steadily + forward under First Sergeant Buck, being then in two + squads--one under Sergeant Thompson. On account of the + nature of the ground and other natural obstacles, there were + men not connected with any squads, but who advanced with the + line. + + Both squads fired by volley and at will, at the command of + the sergeants named; and their shots reached the enemy and + were effective, as it is generally believed. + + Private W.M. Bunn, of Sergeant Thompson's squad, is reported + to have shot a sharpshooter from a tree just in front of the + enemy's work. Private Wheeler was shot twice in the advance. + Sergeant Thompson's squad was once stopped from firing by + General Wheeler's adjutant-general for fear of hitting the + Rough Riders. + + It seems that two distinct battles were fought that day. + Colonel Wood's command struck the enemy at about the tame + time, or probably a Little before, ours did, and all unknown + to the men in our ranks; and got themselves into a pretty + tight squeeze. About the same time our force engaged the + enemy and drew part of the attention they were giving the + Rough Riders. This, the latter claimed, enabled them to + continue the movement on the enemy's works. + + But as our command had an equal number of 1st and 10th + Cavalrymen, I am of the opinion that the story of our saving + the Rough Riders arose from the fact that as soon as the + fight was over, the 1st Regular Cavalry was opening its arms + to us, declaring that we, especially B Troop, had saved + them; for the 1st Regular Cavalry was first in the attack in + General Young's command; and when the enemy began to make it + pretty warm, he ordered B and I Troops of the 10th forward + on the right. Troop B was in the lead; and the alacrity + with which these two troops moved to the front has always + been praised by the 1st Cavalry; and they declare that that + movement helped them wonderfully. In making this movement my + troop had three or four men wounded; and later, when + Sergeant Thompson's squad was fighting far to the front, it + had in it several members of the 1st Cavalry, who are always + glad to praise him. + + So, I think that by the Rough Riders first attributing their + success, or their rescue from inevitable defeat, to the + attack made by our command; and by the 1st Regular Cavalry's + very generously, in the heat of success, bestowing upon us + the honors of the day, it finally became a settled thing + that we saved the whole battle. + + That evening, after the battle, I was met by Lieutenant + Shipp, later killed at San Juan Hill, who, on inquiring and + being told that I belonged to Troop B, congratulated me on + its conduct, and said it had made a name for the regiment. + Lieutenant Shipp was not in that fight, but had come up + after it was over and had heard of us through the 1st + Cavalry." + + +C. + + Sergeant John Buck was born September 10th, 1861, at Chapel + Hill, Texas; enlisted in 10th Cavalry, November 6, 1880, and + passed over ten years in active Indian service. He is a man + of strong character, an experienced horseman and packer, and + so commanded a portion of the firing line in the battle of + June 24 as to elicit remarks of praise from officers of + other troops "for his gallantry, coolness and good judgment + under fire." Sergeant Thompson's good conduct in the same + battle was noticeable also. Sergeant Buck was made second + lieutenant in the 7th U.S. Volunteer Infantry and + subsequently captain in the 48th United States Volunteers. + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[15] See Note A at the end of this chapter. + +[16] THE TWENTY-FIFTH AT EL-CANEY. + +American valor never shone with greater luster than when the +Twenty-fifth Infantry swept up the sizzling hill of El-Caney to the +rescue of the rough riders. Two other regiments came into view of the +rough riders. But the bullets were flying like driving hail; the enemy +were in trees and ambushes with smokeless powder, and the rough riders +were biting the dust and were threatened with annihilation. + +A rough rider described the feelings of his brigade when they saw the +other regiments appear and retreat. Finally this rough rider, a +Southerner, heard a well-known yell. And out of the distance moved a +regiment as if on dress parade, faces set like steel, keeping step +like a machine, their comrades falling here, there, everywhere, moving +into the storm of invisible death without one faltering step, passing +the rough riders, conquering up the hill, and never stopping until +with the rough riders El-Caney was won. This was the Twenty-fifth +Regiment (colored), United States Infantry, now quartered at Fort +Logan, Denver. We have asked the chaplain, T.G. Steward, to recite the +events at El-Caney. His modesty confines him to the barest recital of +"semi-official" records. But the charge of the Twenty-fifth is +deserving of comparison with that of "the Light Brigade" in the +Crimean War, or of Custer at the massacre of the Big Horn. + +(Editorial in religious paper.) + +[17] See Note C at the end of this chapter. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +THE BATTLE OF EL CANEY. + + The Capture of the Stone Fort by the Twenty-fifth Infantry. + + +While the battle of Guasimas was going on, in which the Tenth Cavalry +took so conspicuous a part, the Twenty-fourth Infantry still remained +on board the City of Washington awaiting orders to land. During the +night of the 24th such orders were received by the authorities of the +transport, and they were directed to land their troops, but the +General Commanding, Brigadier-General Kent, did not hear of the matter +until some time the next morning. He relates the following +circumstances in his official report of the debarkation: + +"At 9 a.m. of the 25th Lieutenant Cardin, of the Revenue Marine, came +aboard with orders for me to proceed to and disembark at Altares +(Siboney). This officer also handed me a letter from the corps +commander expressing his astonishment that I had remained away three +days." + +General Kent also states in his report that his travel rations had +been exhausted seven days before and that but one meal of field +rations remained, and that the ship's supply both of water and +provisions was running low, and that in consequence of these facts as +well as for higher considerations he was very anxious to get on shore. +The debarkation followed as rapidly as possible, and that afternoon +General Kent reported in person to Major-General Wheeler, the troops +bivouacking for the night near the landing. The next day Colonel +Pearson, who commanded the Second Brigade of Kent's division, took +the Second Infantry and reconnoitred along the railroad toward the +Morro, going a distance of about six miles and returning in the +evening, having found no enemy in that vicinity, although evidences +were found that a force had recently retreated from a blockhouse +situated on the railroad about two miles from Aguadores. + +On the day following, June 27th, the entire division moved out on the +road toward Santiago and encamped on the same ground that Lawton had +occupied the night previous. The Second Brigade took its place near +Savilla, while the Third Brigade, which included the Twenty-fourth +Infantry, went into camp at Las Guasimas, where the affair of the 24th +had occurred. The order of march had now partially fallen back to the +original plan: Lawton in advance, with whom was the Twenty-Fifth +Infantry; Wheeler next, with whom was the Ninth and Tenth Cavalry, and +Kent in the rear, who had, as we have just related, the Twenty-fourth +Infantry in his Third Brigade. In this order the army moved, so far as +it moved at all, until the morning of the 30th, when dispositions for +the general attack began. + +The story of the great battle, or as it turned out, of the two great +battles, begins on this day, and the careers of the four colored +regiments are to be followed through the divisions of Lawton, Kent and +Wheeler. Let us begin, however, with General Shafter's official report +and his "Story of Santiago," as told in the "Century" of February, +1899. + +From these sources it is learned that on June 30th General Shafter +reconnoitered the country about Santiago and determined upon a plan of +attack. Ascending a hill from which he could obtain a good view of the +city, and could also see San Juan Hill and the country about El Caney, +he observed afresh what had impressed itself upon all immediately +upon landing, to wit: That in all this country there were no good +roads along which to move troops or transport supplies. The General +says: "I had never seen a good road in a Spanish country, and Santiago +did not disappoint my expectations." The roads as he saw them from the +summit of the hill on June 30th were very poor, and indeed, little +better than bridle paths, except between El Caney and San Juan River +and the city. Within this region, a distance of from four to four and +a half miles, the roads were passable. El Caney lay about four miles +northeast of Santiago, and was strongly fortified, and, as events +proved, strongly garrisoned. This position was of great importance to +the enemy, because from it a force might come to attack the right +flank and rear of the American Army as it should make its attempt on +San Juan Hill. El Caney held the road from Guantanamo, at which point +an important Spanish force was posted. While General Shafter was +surveying the country from the hill at El Pozo and making what special +examination he could of the country toward San Juan Hills, Generals +Lawton and Chaffee were making a reconnoisance around El Caney. From +General Lawton's report it would appear that the work of +reconnoitering around El Caney was done chiefly by General Chaffee. He +says: "To General Adna R. Chaffee I am indebted for a thorough and +intelligent reconnoissance of the town of El Caney and vicinity prior +to the battle and the submission of a plan of attack which was +adopted. I consider General Chaffee one of the best practical soldiers +in the army and recommend him for special distinction for successfully +charging the stone fort mentioned in this report, the capture of which +practically closed the battle." + +The general plan of attack as explained by General Shafter himself in +his "Century" article was "to put a brigade on the road between +Santiago and El Caney, to keep the Spaniards at the latter place from +retreating on the city, and then with the rest of Lawton's division +and the divisions of Wheeler and Kent, and Bates' brigade to attack +the Spanish position in front of Santiago." Before that he had said +that he wished to put a division in on the right of El Caney and +assault the town on that road. To Admiral Sampson on June 26th he +said: "I shall, if I can, put a large force in Caney, and one perhaps +still farther west, near the pipe-line conveying water to the city, +making my main attack from the northeast and east." His desire at this +time was to "get the enemy in my front and the city at my back." On +June 30th he had modified this plan so as to decide to place one +brigade on the road between El Caney and Santiago, with a view merely +to keeping the El Caney garrison from retreating into Santiago. + +As he was explaining his plan to the division officers and others on +the afternoon of the 30th at his own headquarters, Lawton and Chaffee +were of the opinion that they could dispose of the Spaniards at El +Caney in two hours time. "Therefore," says the General, "I modified my +plan, assigning Lawton's whole division for the attack of El Caney and +directed Bates' independent brigade to his support." This last +modification of General Shafter's plan was made in deference to the +opinion of subordinates, and was based upon observations made +especially by General Chaffee. + +The force assigned for the reduction of El Caney was to begin its work +early in the morning, and by ten or eleven o'clock at the outside it +was expected that the task would be accomplished and Lawton would join +Kent and Sumner in the assault upon San Juan. Early on the morning of +July 1st Capron's battery was got into position on a line running +directly north from Marianage on a hill about five hundred yards east +of Las Guasimas Creek. Lawton's division began its move on the +afternoon of the 30th, as did in fact the whole army, and bivouacked +that night near El Pozo. The Twenty-fifth Infantry, which belonged to +the Second Brigade, commanded by Colonel Miles, a former Major of the +Twenty-fifth, left El Pozo at daylight by way of the road leading +almost due north, and marched about one mile to the little town of +Marianage. Here a halt was made for an hour, from 6.30 to 7.30, during +which time reconnoitering parties were sent out to examine the ground +toward the Ducoureau House, which lay about one mile to the northward +of Marianage, and which had been designated by General Lawton as a +general rendezvous after the engagement should terminate. +Reconnoissance was made also to the front for the purpose of +discovering the enemy, and to ascertain the left of Ludlow's brigade. +This was the first brigade of Lawton's division and consisted of the +Eighth and Twenty-second Infantry and the Second Massachusetts, the +last named regiment being on the right. The Second Brigade was to +connect with this on its right and succeeded in finding the position +of the Second Massachusetts during this halt. At 11.30 Miles' brigade +was ordered to take position on the right of Ludlow's brigade, which +it did in the following order: The Fourth Infantry on the left, +joining with the Second Massachusetts on Ludlow's right; the +Twenty-fifth on the right, with its left joining on the Fourth +Infantry. + +We must now review the progress of the battle so far as it is possible +to do so, from the firing of the first shot by Capron's battery up to +11.30, an hour long after the time at which it had been supposed that +El Caney would fall. Capron's reports are very brief. He says: "July +1--Fired shell and shrappnel into El Caney (ranged 2,400) 6.15 a.m. to +11.30 a.m." In another report he says: "Opened fire July 1, with shell +and shrappnel at 6.15 on Caney; range, 2,400 yards; continued until +11.30 a.m." He says that the battery "continued its fire against +specified objectives intermittently throughout the day under the +personal direction of the division commander." The forces we have so +far considered, consisting of Ludlow's and Miles' brigades, and of +Capron's battery, lay to the south of Caney, between it and Santiago, +Ludlow's brigade having been placed there to "cut off the retreat of +the garrison should it attempt to escape." Up to 11.30 there had been +no call for employing it for that purpose. The garrison had made no +attempt to escape. We must now go around to the east and north of +Caney. Here the Third Brigade, consisting of the Seventh, Twelfth and +Seventeenth Infantry, was posted, and early in the morning joined in +the attack, the brigade getting under fire before eight o'clock. +Colonel Carpenter, of the Seventh Regiment, says that one company of +his regiment, by General Chaffee's direction, was detached and sent +forward to reduce a blockhouse, well up on the hill, which commanded +the approach of his regiment to the field of action. After several +ineffectual attempts by the company, the Captain (Van Orsdale) was +directed to abandon the undertaking and rejoin the regiment, which +then took up a position on the crest of a hill running nearly parallel +with the Spanish lines. From this position the men crawled forward +about fifty yards and opened a deliberate fire upon the enemy, keeping +it up for about an hour, but as the losses of the regiment at this +time were considerable and the fire seemed to be without material +effect, the command was withdrawn to its position on the hill where +it found protection in a sunken road. In this condition this regiment +lay when Capron's battery made its lull at 11.30. The fearful fire +this regiment met can be estimated by the losses it sustained, which +during the day were as follows: Killed, 1 officer and 33 enlisted men; +wounded, 4 officers and 95 enlisted men; missing, 3 enlisted men. The +Seventeenth Regiment went into action on the right of the Seventh, +doing but little firing, as their orders were not to open fire unless +they could make the fire effective. Companies C and G fired a few +volleys; the remainder of the regiment did not fire at all. Four +enlisted men were killed and two officers severely wounded, one, +Lieutenant Dickinson, dying from his wounds within a few hours. +Several enlisted men were also wounded. At 11.30 this regiment was +lying on the right of the Seventh. The Twelfth Regiment began firing +between 6 and 7 in the morning and advanced to take its position on +the left of the Seventh Infantry. This regiment early reached a +position within 350 yards of the enemy, in which it found shelter in +the sunken road, "free from the enemy's fire." The regiment remained +in this position until about 4 o'clock in the afternoon, and, hence, +was there at 11.30 a.m. The losses of this regiment during the day +were, killed, 7 enlisted men; wounded, 2 officers and 31 enlisted men. +From these brief sketches the reader will now be able to grasp the +position of Lawton's entire division. Beginning on the south, from the +west, with Ludlow's brigade, consisting of the Twenty-second, Eighth +and Second Massachusetts, the line was continued by Miles' brigade of +the Fourth and Twenty-fifth Infantry; then passing over a considerable +space, we strike Chaffee's brigade, posted as has just been described. +General Bates' brigade probably arrived upon the field about noon. +This brigade consisted of the Third and Twentieth Infantry, and is +known as "Bates' Independent Brigade." The brigade is reported as +going into action about 1 o'clock and continuing in action until 4 +o'clock. It took a position on the right, partially filling up the gap +between Miles and Chaffee. The first battalion of the Twentieth +Infantry went into action on the left of the Twenty-fifth Infantry's +firing line, and one company, A, took part in the latter part of the +charge by which the stone house was taken. Between 11.30, when +Capron's firing stopped, and when Miles' brigade was moved forward to +join the right of Ludlow's, and 12.20, when the battery recommenced, +the troops, including Bates' brigade, were either in the positions +described above or were moving to them. Noon had arrived and El Caney +is not taken; the garrison has not attempted to escape, but is sending +out upon its assailants a continuous and deadly fire. "Throughout the +heaviest din of our fire," says Colonel Carpenter, "could be heard the +peculiar high-keyed ring of the defiant enemy's shots." + +Twelve o'clock on July 1st, 1898, was a most anxious hour for our army +in Cuba. The battle at El Caney was at a standstill and the divisions +of Kent and Sumner were in a most perilous situation. Bonsal's +description of the state of the battle at that time is pathetic. +Speaking of the artillery at El Caney--Capron's battery--he says it +was now apparent that this artillery, firing from its position of +twenty-four hundred yards, could do very little damage to the great +stone fort and earthworks north of the village. The shots were too few +and the metal used too light to be effectual. Three hours of the +morning had worn away and the advance of our men had been slowly made +and at great cost; all the approaches were commanded by Spanish +entrenchments and the fighting was very unequal. A soldier of the +Twenty-fifth says that when he came in sight of the battle at El +Caney, "the Americans were gaining no ground, and the flashes of the +Spanish mausers told us that the forces engaged were unequally +matched, the difference of position favoring the Spaniards." This view +was had about noon, or soon after. At that time "a succession of aides +and staff officers came galloping from headquarters with messages +which plainly showed that confusion, if not disaster, had befallen the +two divisions which, by the heavy firing, we had learned to our great +surprise, had become warmly engaged in the centre. The orders to +General Lawton from headquarters were at first peremptory in +character--he was to pull out of his fight and to move his division to +the support of the centre" (Bonsal). This call for Lawton arose from +the fact that about noon General Shafter received several dispatches +from Sumner, of the Cavalry Division, requiring assistance. General +Sumner felt the need of the assistance of every available man in the +centre of the line where he was carrying on his fight with the +Spaniards on Blue House Hill. This situation so impressed the General, +Shafter, that he finally wrote to Lawton, "You must proceed with the +remainder of your force and join on immediately upon Sumner's right. +If you do not the battle is lost." Shafter's idea then was to fall +back to his original plan of just leaving enough troops at El Caney to +prevent the garrison from going to the assistance of any other part of +the line. Shafter himself says: "As the fight progressed I was +impressed with the fact that we were meeting with a very stubborn +resistance at El Caney and I began to fear that I had made a mistake +in making two fights in one day, and sent Major Noble with orders to +Lawton to hasten with his troops along the Caney road, placing himself +on the right of Wheeler" (Sumner). Lawton now made a general advance, +and it is important to see just what troops did advance. The Seventh +Infantry did not move, for Lieutenant-Colonel Carpenter says that +after withdrawing "to the partial cover furnished by the road, the +regiment occupied this position from 8 o'clock a.m. until about 4.30 +p.m." The Seventeenth did not move, for Captain O'Brien, commanding, +says the regiment took a position joining "its left with the right of +the Seventh Infantry" and that the regiment "remained in this position +until the battle was over." The Twelfth Infantry remained in its +shelter within 350 yards of the stone fort until about 4 p.m. Then we +have Chaffee's brigade on the north of the fort remaining stationary +and by their own reports doing but little firing. The Seventeenth +fired "for about fifty minutes" about noon, with remarkable precision, +but "it seemingly had no effect upon reducing the Spanish fire +delivered in our (their) front." The Seventh did not fire to any +extent. The Twelfth Infantry lay in its refuge "free from the enemy's +fire" and may have kept up an irregular fire. + +About this time Bates' brigade entered the field and one battalion of +the Twentieth Infantry is reported to have joined the left of the +firing line of the Twenty-fifth. General Ludlow says there was a lull +from 12 to 1 p.m., "when the action again became violent, and at 3 +p.m. the Third Brigade captured the stone fort with a rush and hoisted +the American flag." From Ludlow's brigade, Captain Van Horne, +commanding the Twenty-second Infantry, after the wounding of +Lieutenant-Colonel Patterson, says that the First Battalion of his +regiment took a position about 800 yards from the town and kept up +firing until the place surrendered. He does not say positively that +the firing was upon the town, but he had said just before that the +Second Battalion slowly moved forward, firing into the town from the +left, so that we may readily conclude from the context as well as from +the position that the First Battalion fired into the town also. Hence +it seems fair to exclude from the fort all of Ludlow's brigade, and it +is observable that Ludlow himself claims no part in the capture of +that stronghold. + +General Bates says his brigade took position to the right of Colonel +Miles' brigade and pushed rapidly to the front. He then says that +after remaining sometime in the crossroad to the right of Miles' +brigade, under a heavy fire from the enemy, the brigade moved farther +"to the right to the assault of a small hill, occupied upon the top by +a stone fort and well protected by rifle pits. General Chaffee's +brigade charged them from the right, and the two brigades joining upon +the crest, opened fire from this point of vantage, lately occupied by +the Spanish, upon the village of El Caney." General Chaffee says it +was in consequence of the fire of General Bates' troops upon the fort +that the assault by the Twelfth Infantry was postponed. + +In General Chaffee's report this statement occurs: "The action lasted +nearly throughout the day, terminating at about 4.30 p.m., at which +time the stone blockhouse was assaulted by Captain Haskell's battalion +of the Twelfth Infantry, under the personal direction of +Lieutenant-Colonel Comba, commanding the regiment. The resistance at +this point had been greatly affected by the fire of Capron's battery. +A few moments after the seizure of this point--the key to the +situation--my left was joined by General Bates with a portion of his +command." It is to be noted in connection with all of the above +statements that Major McCaskey, who commanded the Twentieth Infantry +(Bates brigade), says: "The First Battalion was moved to the right and +put into action on the left of the Twenty-fifth Infantry's firing +line, and one company, A, took part in the latter part of the charge +by which the stone house was taken." The two points to be noted here +are (1) that this battalion was on the left of the Twenty-fifth's +firing line, and (2) that one company took part in the charge upon the +stone house. When Chaffee's brigade charged the stone house from the +right some of Bates' troops, at least this Company A, from the +battalion near the firing line of the Twenty-fifth Infantry, took part +in the latter part of the charge. The two brigades, Bates' and +Chaffee's, joined immediately after the capture of the stone fort and +opened fire upon the town. + +We have now traced the actions and the fortunes of the three following +brigades: Ludlow's Chaffee's and Bates'. But what has become of Miles' +brigade? Unfortunately, the Second Brigade has not been so well +reported as were the others engaged in the action at El Caney. We have +seen that it was ordered to take position on the right of Ludlow's +brigade at 11.30, when Capron's battery ceased its firing for the +fifty minutes. "We were detained in reaching our position by troops in +our front blocking the road," says the brigade commander. "We came +into action directly in front of the stone blockhouse at 12.30, and +from that hour until about 4.30, when the command 'cease firing' was +given, the blockhouse having been captured, my command was +continuously under fire." The reader will note in this report that the +brigade went into action at 12.30, several hours before the charge was +ordered by General Chaffee, and at least an hour and a half before, +according to the report of the commander of the Third Brigade, "this +fort was practically in the possession of the Twelfth Infantry." Major +Baker, who commanded the Fourth Infantry, says: "About 12 m. we +received orders directing us to take our place in the line of battle, +and arriving at the proper point the regiment was placed in line in +the following order: The First Battalion in the fighting line; the +Second Battalion in support and regimental reserve. In this order the +First Battalion, under my command, took up the advance toward the +blockhouse, to our right, south east of Caney." This battalion +advanced until it reached a position about 200 yards from the village, +where it remained, assisted by the Second Battalion until the capture +of the fort. Two companies of this First Battalion "fired into the +town and also into the blockhouse until its fall." A good part of the +fire of this regiment was directed upon the fort. + +Colonel Miles says: "The brigade advanced steadily, with such scanty +cover as the ground afforded, maintaining a heavy fire on the stone +fort from the time the fight began until it ended." The reader is +asked to note particularly that this fire was continuous throughout +the fight; that it was characterized by the brigade commander as +"heavy," and that it was "on the stone fort". He says: "As the brigade +advanced across a plowed field in front of the enemy's position the +latter's sharpshooters in the houses in Caney enfiladed the left of +our line with a murderous fire. To silence it Major Baker, Fourth +Infantry, in command of the battalion of that regiment on the left of +our line of battle, directed it to turn its fire upon the town. In so +doing this battalion lost heavily, but its steady front and accurate +volleys greatly assisted the advance of the remainder of the brigade +upon the stone fort." + +We have now these facts clearly brought out or suggested: That the +brigade took its place in line of battle soon after 12 o'clock; that +the Fourth Infantry was on the left; that the advance of the First +Battalion of the Fourth Infantry was "toward the blockhouse;" that +aside from the companies of the Fourth Infantry that fired into town, +"the remainder of the brigade advanced upon the stone fort." The +Fourth Infantry, holding the left of the line, however, reached a +position from which it could not advance, its commander having +"quickly perceived that an advance meant annihilation, as it would +involve not only a frontal, but also a flank fire from the town." Here +the Fourth Infantry remained, but continued to maintain a fire upon +both the blockhouse and the town. + +There is but one more regiment in all of Lawton's division to be +accounted for, and that is the Twenty-fifth Infantry, holding the +right of Miles' brigade in this advance. This regiment was in place +in the line under its gallant and experienced commander, +Lieutenant-Colonel A.S. Daggett, and contributed its full share of +that "heavy fire on the stone fort from the time the fight began until +it ended." Major McCaskey says the First Battalion of his regiment +took a position on the left of the Twenty-fifth's firing line. The +statement seems erroneous, and one is inclined to believe that it was +originally written "on the right," instead of "on the left"; but it is +enough for our purpose now, that the firing line of the Twenty-fifth +is recognized well in advance. Major Baker, who commanded on the left +of the brigade line, and whose advance was stopped by the flank fire +from the village and a frontal fire from the fort, says: "as a matter +of fact the village of El Caney was not charged by any troops. Those +of Bates' brigade and the Twenty-fifth Infantry, after having carried +the stone fort (on a hill some 75 feet higher, and to the east of the +town,) fired into the village, and the Fourth Infantry continued its +fire. Nor was it charged by any of the troops to our left. Such a +charge would necessarily have been seen by us." Major Baker, who was +on the field and had the blockhouse in clear view, declares that some +of Bates' brigade and the Twenty-fifth Infantry carried the stone +fort. Major McCaskey says that one battalion of the Twentieth Infantry +(Bates' brigade) was on the left of the Twenty-fifth's firing line, +and that one company (A) took part in the latter part of the charge by +which the fort was taken. This battalion may be referred to by Major +Baker when he says: "Those of Bates' brigade and the Twenty-fifth +Infantry, after having carried, etc." + +As there are some matters of dispute concerning the events which I am +now going to relate, I will present a soldier's statement before I go +to the official records. The soldier in writing to me after the battle +says: "I was left-guide of Company G (25th Infantry), and I received +orders from Lieutenant McCorkle to guide on Fourth Infantry, which +held the left flank. 'Forward, march! Guide left. Don't fire until you +see somebody; then fire to hit!' came the orders. Tramp! tramp! Crash! +crash! On we walked and stopped. We fired into the underbrush for +safety; then in another moment we were under Spanish fire. Balls flew +like bees, humming as they went. Soon we found ourselves up against a +network of Spanish trickery. Barbed-wire fences, ditches and creeks, +too numerous to think of. The only thing left was to go ahead or die; +or else retreat like cowards. We preferred to go ahead. At this first +fence Lieutenant McCorkle was taken to earth by a Spanish bullet. +Lieutenant Moss spoke out, 'Come ahead! Let's get at these Spaniards!' +A few moments more and he, too, was almost dead with exertion, loud +speaking, running and jumping, as onward we swept toward the Spanish +stronghold. The sun was exceedingly hot, as on the slope of a little +mound we rested for a few moments. We lay here about five minutes, +looking into the Spanish fort or blockhouse; we measured the distance +by our eyesight, then with our rifles; we began to cheer and storm, +and in a moment more, up the hill like a bevy of blue birds did the +Twenty-fifth fly. G and H Companies were the first to reach the summit +and to make the Spaniards fly into the city of El Caney, which lay +just behind the hill. When we reached the summit others soon began to +_mount our ladder_. We fired down into the city until nearly dusk." + +The brigade made its advance under fire almost from the beginning. The +commander says it was continuously under fire from 12.30 to 4.30 p.m. +"The attack was begun by two companies in each regiment on the firing +line, strengthened by supports and reserves from the remaining +companies until the brigade had but two companies in reserve. At one +time in this hotly engaged contest the commanding officer of the +Twenty-Fifth Infantry sent me word that he needed troops on his right. +I then sent forward 40 Cubans, under command of Captains Jose' Varges +and Avelens Bravo, with Lieutenants Nicholas Franco and Tomas Repelao, +to form on the right of the Twenty-fifth, which was also the right of +the brigade. With these Cubans I ordered Private Henry Downey, Company +H, First Infantry, on duty as interpreter at the headquarters. These +men advanced on the stone fort with our line, fighting gallantly, +during which Lieutenant Nicholas Franco was mortally wounded and died +soon afterwards." (Col. Miles' report.) + +From the soldier's story, as well as from the official report of the +brigade commander, it is conclusive that the real objective of the +Second Brigade was the stone fort, and that the Twenty-fifth Infantry, +which occupied the right of the line, had no other objective +whatever.* [Transcriber's Note: No footnote text present for this +footnote anchor.] It also appears that Bates' brigade, although +somewhere on the right, was not so near but that the commanding +officer of the Twenty-fifth could see the need of troops at his right; +and to meet this need the brigade commander "sent forward 40 Cubans, +who advanced on the stone fort with our lines." The fire from this +fort continued severe during the whole of the advance, and until the +last halt made by the Twenty-fifth. At the first fence met by the +Twenty-fifth Lieutenant McCorkle was killed; and, to use the words of +a soldier, "as the regiment swept toward the Spanish stronghold" to +reach the slope of a little mound for cover, many more fell. Behind +this little mound, after resting about five minutes, they began their +last fire upon the enemy. This must have been as late as 3 o'clock, +and perhaps considerably later, and the fire from the stone fort was +vigorous up until their last halt, as their casualties prove. The +battery had begun to fire on the fort again at 12.30 and continued +from the same position until 2.10, the range being as has been already +stated, 2,400 yards. Hence the artillery firing at long range had +ceased, and it is generally conceded that this long range firing had +been ineffective. Captain Capron says he moved his battery at 2.10 +p.m. to 1,000 yards from Caney and opened fire on two blockhouses. He +does not say at what hour he opened fire on these two blockhouses, or +how long he continued to fire, or what was the effect of his fire upon +the two block houses. Lieutenant-Colonel Bisbee, who was acting as +support of Capron's battery, says of himself that he "moved with the +battery at 3.30 p.m. by the Dubroix (Ducureaux) road." General Lawton +says the battery was moved to a new position about 2.30, "about 1,000 +yards from certain blockhouses in the town, where a few shots, all +taking effect, were fired." From these reports it would appear that +after moving to the second station the battery fired upon two +blockhouses in the town, and not upon the stone fort. General Ludlow, +speaking of the battle, says: "In the present case, the artillery fire +was too distant to reduce the blockhouses or destroy the +entrenchments, so that the attack was practically by infantry alone." +On the other hand, General Chaffee says: "The resistance at this +point," meaning the stone fort at the time of assault, "had been +greatly affected by the fire of Capron's battery." Colonel Comba, of +the Twelfth Infantry, says: "The artillery made the breach through +which our men entered the stone work." Bonsal says that Captain +Capron, "under the concentrated fire of his four guns at a point blank +range of a thousand yards, had converted the fort into a shapeless +ruin," when the infantry charged it. + +It is probable that in this case, as in most cases of similar nature, +the truth divides equally between the apparently opposing views. Of +General Ludlow, who is the authority for this statement, that the +stone fort at El Caney was taken by infantry alone, General Lawton +says: "General Ludlow's professional accomplishments are well known +and his assignment to command a brigade in my division I consider a +high compliment to myself." "The fighting was all done with small +arms" were the words written me by an infantryman soon after the +battle. The question, whether Capron fired upon the stone fort after +taking his new position, or fired on two blockhouses, entirely +distinct from the fort, remains undetermined. The author of this work +inclines to the conclusion that the fire of Capron after moving to his +new position was directed for a brief period, at least, upon the stone +fort. + +Inasmuch as we are now to trace the career of the Twenty-fifth +Infantry through an unfortunate dispute, on both sides of which are +officers of high rank and unimpeachable honor, it is important to +note, first, to what extent the several statements, both unofficial +and official, can be harmonized and made to corroborate one another. +Major Baker says: "Those of Bates' brigade and the Twenty-fifth +Infantry, after having carried the stone fort," which he explains was +some 75 feet higher than the town, then fired _down_ into the village. +The soldier who acted as left-guide of Company G, Twenty-fifth +Infantry, says, after getting up on the hill, "we fired _down_ into +the city until near dusk." The experience of the soldier agrees +exactly with the report of the officer. The fact that the Twenty-fifth +went up the hill cannot be questioned, and that up to their last halt, +they went under fire, no one will deny. Bonsal, in speaking of +Chaffee's brigade, which was "more immediately charged with the +reduction of Caney" (Ludlow's report), says: "And it was nearly five +o'clock when his most advanced regiment, the gallant Twelfth Infantry, +deployed into the valley and charged up the steep hillside, which was +lined with Spanish trenches, rising in irregular tiers and crowned +with a great stone fort." The stone fort at this time, however, was, +as he says, "a shapeless ruin." Where was the Twenty-fifth Infantry at +this time? Mr. Bonsal continues: "Almost at the same moment the +Twenty-fifth Colored Infantry, the leading regiment of Miles' brigade, +which had been advancing in the centre, started up the hill also." +General Lawton says that after moving the battery to its new position, +1,000 yards from certain blockhouses in the town, Capron fired a few +shots, all of which took effect, and he adds: "This firing terminated +the action, as the Spanish garrison were attempting to escape." +Colonel Comba says there was a breach in the stonework large enough +for his men to enter, and that this had been made by the artillery; +General Chaffee says resistance had been greatly affected by the +artillery, and Bonsal adds, the garrison resisted the last advance +made by the infantry but for a moment. + +General Chaffee declares: "The troops arriving at the fort were there +in the following order: Twelfth Infantry, which took the place; the +command of General Bates some moments later; the Twenty-fifth +Infantry." + +The facts therefore stand, that the Twenty-fifth Infantry was on the +ground with the first troops that reached the fort and that there was +a captain of that regiment who then and there claimed the capture of +the place, even against the claims of a Major-General. He was told +that his proposition was absurd, and so it may have been from one +standpoint; and yet there may be a ground upon which the captain's +claim was fair and just. + +That the Twelfth Infantry arrived on the ground first is not disputed; +but it is questioned whether the fort was belligerent at that time. +General Chaffee says the resistance had been greatly reduced by the +artillery; General Lawton says the action had been finished by +Capron's shots and the garrison was trying to escape; a soldier from +the Twenty-fifth says the Spaniards flew out of the fort to the town; +Bonsal says, they stoutly resisted "for a moment and then fled +precipitately down the ravine and up the other side, and into the +town." If first occupancy is the only ground upon which the capture of +a place can be claimed, then the title to the honor of capturing the +stone fort lies, according to official report as so far presented, +with the Twelfth Infantry. But even upon this ground it will be shown +that the Twenty-fifth's action will relieve the claim of its captain +from absurdity. We are now prepared to read the official report of the +commanding officer of the Twenty-fifth Regiment, Lieutenant-Colonel +Daggett, who was with the regiment all through the fight, and who bore +himself so well that the division commander said: "Lieutenant-Colonel +Daggett deserves special mention for skillful handling of his +regiment, and would have received it before had the fact been reported +by his brigade commander." + + July 5, 1898. + + Intrenchments Twenty-fifth United States Infantry, + Adjutant-General, Second Brigade, Second Division, Fifth + Corps. + + Sir:--I have the honor to submit the following report of the + part taken by the Twenty-fifth Infantry in the battle of the + 1st instant. The regiment formed firing line on the right of + the Fourth Infantry, facing a Spanish fort or blockhouse + about half a mile distant. On moving forward, the battalion, + composed of Companies C, D, E, G and H, and commanded by + Capt. W.S. Scott, received the fire of the enemy, and after + advancing about 400 yards was subjected to a galling fire on + their left. Finding cover, the battalion prepared for an + advance up the hill to the fort. This advance was made + rapidly and conducted with great skill by company officers. + + "On arriving within a short distance of the fort the white + flag was waved to our companies, but a cross fire prevented + the enemy from advancing with it or our officers from + receiving it. About twenty minutes later a battalion of some + other regiment advanced to the rear of the fort, completely + covered from fire, and received the flag; but the men of the + Twenty-fifth Infantry entered the fort at the same time. All + officers and men behaved gallantly. One officer was killed + and three wounded; eight men were killed and twenty wounded. + + "About 200 men and ten officers were in the firing line. I + attribute the comparatively small losses to the skill and + bravery of the company officers, viz.: First Lieutenant + Caldwell and Second Lieutenants Moss and Hunt. Second + Lieutenant French, adjutant of the battalion, was among + those who gallantly entered the fort. + + "The battle lasted about two hours and was a hotly contested + combat. Very respectfully, + + "A.S. DAGGETT, + "Lieutenant-Colonel, Twenty-fifth Infantry, Commanding." + +Here it is shown by the testimony of the regimental commander, that a +battalion of the Twenty-fifth ascended the hill and arrived at a short +distance from the fort about twenty minutes before any other troops +are mentioned as coming in sight; and that a white flag was waved to +the companies of the Twenty-fifth. It was doubtless upon this ground +that a captain of the Twenty-fifth had the temerity to claim the +capture of the place, even from a Major-General. I do not know who the +captain was, but it is evident that he had what he believed ample +grounds for his claim. Colonel Daggett says, also, that when the men +of the other regiment advanced to this fort after it had waved the +white flag to the companies of the Twenty-fifth, the men of the +Twenty-fifth advanced and entered the fort at the same time. Bonsal +says: "Almost at the same moment that the Twelfth started up the hill +the Twenty-fifth started up the hill also;" while according to Colonel +Daggett's testimony the Twenty-fifth was well up the hill already and +the fort had waved to it the white flag. + +Colonel Daggett makes this further report: + + Headquarters Twenty-fifth Infantry, + Near Santiago, Cuba, July 16, 1898. + + The Adjutant-General, Second Division, Fifth Corps, near Santiago, + Cuba. + + Sir:--Feeling that the Twenty-fifth Infantry has not + received credit for the part it took in the battle of El + Caney on the first instant, I have the honor to submit the + following facts: + + I was ordered by the brigade commander to put two companies + (H, Lieutenant Caldwell, and G, Lieutenant McCorkle) on the + firing line in extended order. The right being uncovered and + exposed to the enemy, I ordered D Company (Captain Edwards) + to deploy as flankers. The battalion was commanded by Capt. + W.S. Scott. The battalion advanced about 300 yards under + fire, the Fourth Infantry on its left, where the line found + cover, halted, and opened fire on the blockhouse and + intrenchments in front of it. After the line had been + steadied and had delivered an effective fire, I ordered a + further advance, which was promptly made. As the Fourth + Infantry did not advance, my left was exposed to a very + severe fire from the village on the left. I immediately + ordered Company C (Lieutenant Murdock), which was in + support, to the front, and E. Company (Lieutenant Kinnison) + from regimental reserve to take its place. Thus + strengthened, the four companies moved up the hill rapidly, + being skilfully handled by company officers. On arriving + near the fort the white flag was waved toward our men, but + the fire from the village on our left was so severe that + neither our officers nor Spanish could pass over the + intervening ground. After about twenty minutes some of the + Twelfth Infantry arrived in rear of the fort, completely + sheltered from the fire from the village, and received the + white flag; but Privates J.H. Jones, of Company D, and T.C. + Butler, H. Company, Twenty-fifth Infantry, entered the fort + at the same time and took possession of the Spanish flag. + They were ordered to give it up by an officer of the Twelfth + United States Infantry, but before doing so they each tore a + piece from it, which they now have. So much for the facts. + + I attribute the success attained by our line largely to the + bravery and skill of the company officers who conducted the + line to the fort. These officers are: First Lieutenants V.A. + Caldwell and J.A. Moss, and Second Lieutenant J.E. Hunt. It + is my opinion that the two companies first deployed could + not have reached the fort alone, and that it was the two + companies I ordered to their support that gave them the + power to reach it. I further believe that had we failed to + move beyond the Fourth Infantry the fort would not have been + taken that night. + + The Twenty-fifth Infantry lost one officer killed[18] and + three wounded, and seven men killed and twenty-eight + wounded. + + Second Lieutenant H.W. French, adjutant of Captain Scott's + battalion, arrived at the fort near the same time as the + other officers. + + I request that this report be forwarded to corps + headquarters. + + Very respectfully, + + A.S. DAGGETT, + Lieutenant-Colonel, Twenty-fifth Infantry, Commanding. + +General Chaffee's statement is not to be questioned for a moment. +There is not the least doubt that the troops, as organizations arrived +at the fort in the order he describes. General Lawton says: "General +Chaffee's brigade was especially charged with the duty of assaulting +the stone fort, and successfully executed that duty, after which a +portion of the Twenty-fifth, and a portion of Bates' brigade, assisted +in the work, all of which is commendable." He says also, that the +"Twenty-fifth Infantry did excellent service, as reported, though +not better than the others engaged.' This seems to confirm +Lieutenant-Colonel Daggett's report, for he says he is sure the +regiment did excellent work, "as reported;" and at that time he is +commenting on Lieutenant-Colonel Daggett's report, the report printed +above. The broad statements of General Lawton do not touch the exact +question at issue between the reports of the subordinate commanders; +nor do they throw any light on the circumstances of the final charge. +Miles' brigade had been advancing on the stone fort for some hours, +and the Twenty-fifth was so near when the charge of the Twelfth was +made that portions of it were on the hill and near the fort at the +same time. The commander of the Third Brigade saw the fight from one +side and reported events as he learned them. His official statement +requires no support. The commanding officer of the Twenty-fifth +Infantry saw the fight from another standpoint, and his official +reports are entitled to equal respect. Both the General's and the +Lieutenant-Colonel's must be accepted as recitals of facts, made with +all the accuracy that high personal integrity armed with thorough +military training can command. Happily the statements, which at first +appear so widely at variance, are entirely reconcilable. The following +supplementary report of the regimental commander, when taken in +connection with the final complimentary orders published in the +regiment before leaving Cuba, will place the whole subject before the +reader and put the question at rest, and at the same time leave +undisturbed all the reports of superior officers. + + Headquarters Twenty-fifth Infantry, + Montauk Point, Long Island, August 22, 1898. + + The Adjutant-General, U.S. Army, Washington, D.C. + + Sir:--I have the honor to submit a supplementary report to + the original one made on the 19th (16th) of July, 1898, of + the battle of El Caney de Cuba, so far as relates to the + part taken therein by the Twenty-fifth Infantry: + + 1. I stated in the original report that the Twenty-fifth + Infantry, in advancing, broke away from and left the Fourth + Infantry behind. This may inferentially reflect on the + latter regiment. It was not so intended, and a subsequent + visit to the battle-field convinces me that it would have + been impossible for the regiment to advance to the fort, + and, although it might have advanced a short distance + farther, it would have resulted in a useless slaughter, and + that the battalion commander exercised excellent judgment in + remaining where he did and by his fire aiding the + Twenty-fifth Infantry in its advance. + + 2. Colonel Miles, the then brigade commander, informed me + that his first report of the battle would be brief and that + a later and full report would be made. In his former report + I think he failed to give credit to myself and regiment. As + he was soon after relieved of the command of the brigade I + assume that no further report will be made. + + I have reported what the regiment did, but said nothing + about my own action. I must, therefore, report it myself or + let it go unrecorded. Distasteful as it is to me, I deem it + duty to my children to state the facts and my claims based + thereon, as follows: + + 1. I was ordered to put two companies in the firing line. + Before this line advanced the brigade commander informed me, + and personal examination verified, that my right was in the + air and exposed. On my own judgment I ordered a company, as + flankers, to that part of the line. + + 2. As soon as the line had rested and become steadied at its + first halt I ordered it to advance, and it continued to + advance, although it broke away from the rest of the + brigade. + + 3. As this exposed the left to a galling and dangerous fire, + I ordered, on my own judgment, a company to re-enforce that + part of the line and a company from the regimental reserve + also to the fighting line. + + These are the facts, and as my orders were to keep my left + joined to the right of the Fourth Infantry, and received no + further orders, my claims are as follows: + + 1. That it was necessary to place a company on the right as + flankers. + + 2. That the conditions offered an opportunity to advance + after the first halt, and I took advantage of it. + + 3. That the left being exposed by this advance of the line + beyond the rest of the brigade, it was proper and necessary + to re-enforce it by two companies. + + 4. That the two companies first deployed could not have + reached the stone fort. + + 5. That the three companies added to the firing line gave it + the power to reach the fort. + + 6. That the advance beyond the rest of the brigade was a + bold and, without support, dangerous movement, but that the + result justified the act. Had it failed I would have been + held responsible. + + 7. That I saw at each stage of the battle what ought to be + done, and did it. Results show that it was done at the right + moment. + + 8. That the Twenty-fifth Infantry caused the surrender of + the stone fort. + + I desire to repeat that it is with great reluctance that I + make so much of this report as relates to myself, and + nothing but a sense of duty would impel me to do it. + + Very respectfully, + + A.S. DAGGETT, + Lieutenant-Colonel, Twenty-fifth Infantry, Commanding. + + +LOSSES OF THE TWENTY-FIFTH INFANTRY. + + Killed.--Lieutenant H.L. McCorkle, Company G; Private Albert + Strother, H; Private John W. Steele, D; Corporal Benj. + Cousins, H; Private John B. Phelps, D; Private French Payne, + B; Private Aaron Leftwich, G; Private Tom Howe, D. + + Wounded.--Company A: Private William H. Clarke, Sergeant + Stephen A. Browne. Company B: Private Tom Brown. Company C: + Lieutenant John S. Murdock, Private Joseph L. Johnson, + Private Samuel W. Harley, Private John A. Boyd. Company D; + Captain Eaton A. Edwards, Sergeant Hayden Richards, Private + Robert Goodwin. Company E: Lieutenant H.L. Kinnison, Private + James Howard, Private John Saddler, Private David C. Gillam, + Private Hugh Swann. Company F: First Sergeant Frank Coleman. + Company G: Corporal James O. Hunter, Private Henry + Brightwell, Private David Buckner, Private Alvin Daniels, + Private Boney Douglas, Private George P. Cooper, Private + John Thomas, Corporal Gov. Staton, Private Eugene Jones. + Company H: Private James Bevill, Private Henry Gilbert. + + Wounded July 2.--Private Elwood A. Forman, H; Private Smith, + D; Private William Lafayette, F. + +COMPLIMENTARY ORDER. + + Headquarters 25th Infantry, + + Near Santiago de Cuba, August 11, 1898. + General Orders No. 19. + + The regimental commander congratulates the regiment on the + prospect of its speedy return to the United States. + + Gathered from three different stations, many of you + strangers to each other, you assembled as a regiment for the + first time in more than twenty-eight years on May 7, 1898, + at Tampa, Florida. There you endeavored to solidify and + prepare yourselves, as far as the oppressive weather would + permit, for the work that appeared to be before you; but, + who could have fortold the severity of that work? + + You endured the severe hardships of a long sea voyage, which + no one who has not experienced it can appreciate. You then + disembarked, amidst dangerous surroundings; and on landing + were for the first time on hostile ground. You marched, + under a tropical sun, carrying blanket-roll, three days' + rations, and one hundred rounds of ammunition, through rain + and mud, part of the time at night, sleeping on the wet + ground without shelter, living part of the time on scant + rations, even, of bacon, hard bread and coffee, until on + July 1 you arrived at El Caney. Here you took the battle + formation and advanced to the stone fort, more like veterans + than troops who had never been under fire. You again + marched, day and night, halting only to dig four lines of + intrenchments, the last being the nearest point to the enemy + reached by any organization, when, still holding your + rifles, within these intrenchments, notice was received that + Santiago and the Spanish army had surrendered. + + But commendable as the record cited may be, the brightest + hours of your lives were on the afternoon of July 1. Formed + in battle array, you advanced to the stone fort against + volleys therefrom, and rifle-pits in front, and against a + galling fire from blockhouses, the church tower and the + village on your left. You continued to advance, skilfully + and bravely directed by the officers in immediate command, + halting and delivering such a cool and well-directed fire + that the enemy was compelled to wave the white flag in token + of surrender. + + Seldom have troops been called upon to face a severer fire, + and never have they acquitted themselves better. + + The regimental reserve was called upon to try its nerve, by + lying quiet under a galling fire, without the privilege of + returning it, where men were killed and wounded. This is a + test of nerve which the firing line cannot realize, and + requires the highest qualities of bravery and endurance. + + You may well return to the United States proud of your + accomplishments; and if any one asks you what you have done, + point him to El Caney. + + But in the midst of the joy of going home, we mourn the loss + of those we leave behind. The genial, generous-hearted + McCorkle fell at his post of duty, bravely directing his men + in the advance on the stone fort. He died as the soldier + dies, and received a soldier's burial. He was beloved by all + who knew him, and his name will always be fondly remembered + by his regiment--especially by those who participated in the + Santiago campaign. The officers of the regiment will wear + the prescribed badge of mourning for Lieutenant McCorkle for + thirty days. And Corporal Benjamin Cousins, Privates Payne, + Lewis, Strother, Taliaferro, Phelps, Howell, Steel and + Leftwitch, sacrificed their lives on their country's altar. + Being of a race which only thirty-five years ago emerged + through a long and bloody war, from a condition of + servitude, they in turn engaged in a war which was + officially announced to be in the interest of humanity and + gave all they had--their lives--that the oppressed might be + free, and enjoy the blessings of liberty guaranteed by a + stable government. They also died like true soldiers and + received a soldier's burial. + + By order of Lieutenant-Colonel Daggett. + + M.D. CRONIN, + First Lieutenant and Adjutant, 25th Infantry. + + +MAJOR GENERAL AARON S. DAGGETT. + +General Aaron S. Daggett is a native of Maine, born at Greene Corner, +in that State, June 14, 1837. He is descended from a paternal ancestry +which can be traced, with an honorable record, as far back as 1100 +A.D. His mother was Dorcas C., daughter of Simon Dearborn, a +collateral descendant of General Henry Dearborn. His more immediate +ancestors came from Old to New England about 1630, and both his +grandparents served in the Continental Army during the Revolutionary +War. He was educated in his native town, at Monmouth Academy, Maine +Wesleyan Seminary and Bates College. At the outbreak of the Civil War +he enlisted as a private, April 27th, 1861, in the 5th Maine Infantry; +was appointed second lieutenant May 1, and promoted first lieutenant +May 24, 1861. He commanded his company at the first Bull Run battle, +and was promoted captain August 14, 1861. + +[Illustration: Lieutenant-Colonel A.S. Daggett] + +From the first engagement of the regiment to the end of its three +years' memorable service, Captain Daggett proved a faithful and +gallant soldier. He was promoted major, January 8th, 1863; on January +18th, 1865, was commissioned lieutenant-colonel of the 5th Regiment, +United States Veteran Volunteers, Hancock Corps, and was brevetted +colonel and brigadier-general of volunteers, March 13, 1865, for +"gallant and meritorious services during the war." He also received +the brevets of major in the United States Army for "gallant and +meritorious services at the battle of Rappahannock Station, Va.," +November 7, 1863, and lieutenant-colonel for "gallant and meritorious +services in the battle of the Wilderness, Va." Immediately after the +battle of Rappahannock Station, the captured trophies, flags, cannons, +etc., were escorted, by those who had been most conspicuous in the +action, to General Meade's headquarters, Colonel Daggett being in +command of the battalion of his brigade. General Upton to whom he owed +this distinction, wrote of him as follows: + + "In the assault at Rappahannock Station, Colonel Daggett's + regiment captured over five hundred prisoners. In the + assault at Spottsylvania Court House, May 10, his regiment + lost six out of seven captains, the seventh being killed on + the 12th of May, at the "angle," or the point where the tree + was shot down by musketry, on which ground the regiment + fought from 9.30 A.M. to 5.30 P.M., when it was relieved. On + all these occasions Colonel Daggett was under my immediate + command, and fought with distinguished bravery. + + "Throughout his military career in the Army of the Potomac, + he maintained the character of a good soldier and an upright + man, and his promotion would be commended by all those who + desire to see courage rewarded." + +General Upton also wrote to the Governor of Maine as follows: + + "I would respectfully recommend to Your Excellency, Major + A.S. Daggett, formerly 5th Maine Volunteers, as an officer + highly qualified to command a regiment. Major Daggett served + his full term in this brigade with honor both to himself and + State, and won for himself the reputation of being a brave, + reliable and efficient officer. His promotion to a colonelcy + would be a great benefit to the service, while the honor of + his State could scarcely be entrusted to safer hands." + +He was subsequently recommended for promotion by Generals Meade, +Hancock, Wright and D.A. Russell. He was in every battle and campaign +in which the Sixth Corps, Army of the Potomac, was engaged, from the +first Bull Run to Petersburg, and was twice slightly wounded. On July +28, 1866, without his knowledge or solicitation, he was appointed a +captain in the U.S. Regular Army, on recommendation of General Grant, +and has since been promoted colonel in this service. During his +subsequent career he has won the reputation of being a fine tactician +and of being thoroughly versed in military law, as is indicated by +Major Hancock's commendatory words in 1878: + + "I look upon him as by far the best tactician in the + regiment, and as for a thorough, clear knowledge of tactics + his superior is not in the army. As regards military and + civil law, I know of no one so well informed." + +His ability and soldierly qualities have also been highly commended by +General Crook, Colonel Hughes--Inspector-General in 1891--and Colonel +----, Inspector-General in 1892. + +Not only as a soldier, but in many other ways, has General Daggett +distinguished himself. As a public speaker the following was said of +him by the Rev. S.S. Cummings, of Boston: + + "It was my privilege and pleasure to listen to an address + delivered by General A.S. Daggett on Memorial Day of 1891. I + had anticipated something able and instructive, but it far + exceeded my fondest expectations. The address was dignified, + yet affable, delivered in choice language without + manuscript, instructive and impressive, and highly + appreciated by an intelligent audience." + +General Daggett is noted for his courteous and genial manner, and his +sterling integrity of character. He is a member of the Presbyterian +church. + + War Department, Inspector-General's Office, + Washington, Jan. 6th, 1899. + + To the Adjutant-General, U.S.A., Washington, D.C. + + Sir:--I desire to recommend to your favorable consideration + and for advancement in case of the reorganization of the + Regular Army, Lieutenant-Colonel A.S. Daggett, 25th U.S. + Infantry. + + I have known Colonel Daggett for a long time; he served in + the War of the Rebellion with the 5th Maine Volunteers and + acquitted himself with much honor; he served in Cuba in the + war with Spain, commanding the 25th U.S. Infantry, and was + conspicuous for gallantry at the battle of El Caney. He is + an officer of the highest character, intelligent, courageous + and energetic. + + I sincerely trust that he may receive all the consideration + he deserves. + + Very respectfully, + + (Sd) H.W. LAWTON, + Major-General, U.S.V. + + A true copy: + + + M.D. CRONIN, + First Lieutenant and Adjutant 25th Infantry. + Headquarters Department of the East, + Governor's Island, New York City, + December 29, 1898. + + Honorable R.A. Alger, Secretary of War, Washington, D.C. + + Sir:--I recommend to the favorable consideration of the + Secretary of War for promotion to Brigadier-General, Colonel + A.S. Daggett, 25th Infantry. This officer has an excellent + war record; his service has been faithful since then, and in + the recent Spanish-American war he distinguished himself by + his good judgment and faithful attention to duty, as well as + for gallant service in action. An appointment of this + character will be very highly appreciated throughout the + army as a recognition of faithful, meritorious and gallant + service. From my observation of Colonel Daggett he is well + qualified for the position. + + Very respectfully, + + (Sd) WM. R. SHAFTER, + Major-General, U.S. Volunteers. + + M.D. CRONIN, + + A true copy: + + First Lieutenant and Adjutant 25th Infantry. + +To this very brilliant official record it is necessary to add but a +word personal. Colonel Daggett is a typical New Englander; tall, +well-formed, nervous and sinewy, a centre of energy, making himself +felt wherever he may be. Precise and forceful of speech, correct and +sincere in manners, a safe counsellor and a loyal friend, his +character approaches the ideal. Stern and commanding as an officer he +is nevertheless tender and sympathetic. His very sensitiveness +concerning the feelings of others embarrasses him in giving expression +to his own feelings on seeing suffering, unless it should be urgent, +but those who know him best know him to be just, humane and tender. No +man could have taken more care than he did for his regiment in Cuba. +Hating oppression and wrong with a vehemency suited to his intense +nature, he nevertheless deplores war and bloodshed. The President of +the United States never did a more worthy act than when he gave to +Lieutenant-Colonel A.S. Daggett of the Twenty-fifth Infantry his +commission as Brigadier-General of Volunteers in recognition of his +valor and skill at El Caney and of his general efficiency as an +officer in our army. + +TESTIMONIES CONCERNING THE WORK OF THE TWENTY-FIFTH INFANTRY BEFORE EL +CANEY. + + + Headquarters First District, Southern Luzon, + El Deposito, P.I., April 20, 1900. + + My Dear General Daggett:--Some time ago I received a letter + from you asking me to make an official statement as to where + and at what objective the energies and fire of the 25th + Infantry were directed during the battle of El Caney, Cuba, + July 1, 1898. + + In reply I have the honor to officially state that about + noon July 1, 1898, the regiment moved from the mango grove, + near the Ducro House, toward a stone fort located on a hill, + near the town of El Caney. + + It arrived at about one of the afternoon at a point about + eight hundred yards to the south and east of the fort; + immediately deployed, and the First Battalion, under command + of Captain Walter S. Scott, and of which I was adjutant, + designated as the attacking line. Presently, after advancing + a few yards, we were subjected to a galling fire from the + stone fort, the trenches in its front and from a blockhouse + on its right. The line steadily moved forward, directing its + fire at the stone fort and the trenches surrounding it. When + within about one hundred and fifty yards from the fort the + line was halted, and several sharpshooters, directed by + their company officers to fire at the loopholes. Finally, + when the men had regained their wind, a rush was made, part + of the line going through a cornfield. At the foot the line + was again halted, and after a few moments' rest charged up + the hill, and the fort surrendered. + + I went to the fort and found a Spanish lieutenant and seven + enlisted men whom I passed out and were taken charge of by + an officer of the 12th Infantry. This was about 3.50 P.M. + + * * * * * + + Note.--Since the above was written, General Daggett + served with great distinction in the Philippines and in + China, and was retired as a brigadier-general--a hero + of four wars. A bill is now before Congress to make him + a major-general, an honor to which he is most justly + entitled. + + * * * * * + + As soon as the line reached the top of the hill it was + fired on from the town, which had before been masked by the + hill; the fire was of course returned, and this was the + first fire from the battalion directed at the town. About + five o'clock firing had ceased, the battalion was assembled + and marched away. + + (Sd) H.W. FRENCH, + First Lieutenant, 17th Infantry (late Second Lieutenant 25th + Infantry). + + A true copy: + + H.G. LEARNARD, + Capt. and Adj. 14th Infantry. + Manila, P.I., March 30, 1900. + + I certify that in the action of El Caney, Cuba, July 1, + 1898, the company I commanded, i.e., H, 25th Infantry, + directed its fire almost exclusively on the stone fort and + the trench a few yards from its base. That very little of + this company's fire was directed on the town and none before + the fort was carried. + + (Sd) VERNON A. CALDWELL, + First Lieutenant, 25th Infantry. + + A true copy: + + H.G. LEARNARD, + Capt. and Adj. 14th Infantry. + Tayug, Luzon, Philippine Islands, + April 17th, 1900. + + To Those in Military Authority. + + Regarding the battle of El Caney, Cuba, July 1, 1898, I + hereby certify: + + 1. From about 1.20 o'clock P.M. to the time of the capture + of the town of El Caney, I was in command of two + companies--C and G--forming part of the 25th U.S. Infantry + firing line. + + 2. From about 2.55 o'clock P.M. to the time of the capture + of the town, very nearly the entire 25th Infantry firing + line was under my observation. + + 3. From about 2.55 o'clock P. M. to about 3.20, the time of + the surrender of the stone fort to the east of the town, the + fire of the entire 25th Infantry firing line within my sight + was directed against the fort. + + 4. During this period of the battle the 25th Infantry firing + line was about 150 yards from the stone fort. + + 5. From the time the firing line began firing--about 1 + o'clock P.M.--to the time of the surrender of the stone + fort--about 3.20 P.M.--the companies under my command and + all others under my observation concentrated their fire on + the fort. + + 6. About 3.20 P.M., I was standing about 150 yards from the + stone fort, and I plainly and distinctly saw a Spaniard + appear in the door of the fort, and, for two or three + seconds, wave a white flag at the 25th Infantry firing line, + and upon being shot down, another Spaniard picked up the + flag and likewise waved it at the 25th Infantry firing line. + + 7. After the white flag had twice been presented to the 25th + Infantry firing line, and after all fire from the stone fort + had ceased, the firing line rushed forward, took up a + position facing to their left--that is, facing the town--and + began a vigorous fire on a small blockhouse and on the town. + + Respectfully, + + JAMES A. MOSS, + First Lieutenant, 24th U.S. Infantry. + + + +RECOLLECTIONS OF THE SANTIAGO CAMPAIGN, BY CAPTAIN R.H.R. +LOUGHBOROUGH, 25TH U.S. INFANTRY. + + The 25th U.S. Infantry left its stations in Montana on the + 10th of April, 1898; six companies (B, C, D, E, F and H) + went in camp at Chickamauga National Park; the other two + companies (A and G) went to Key West, Fla. + + On May 6th the six companies at the Chickamauga National + Park moved by rail to Tampa, Fla., arriving the night of the + 7th, where they were joined by the two companies from Key + West. With the exception of three days in 1870, the regiment + had never been together since its organization in 1869. It + necessarily followed that many of the officers, as well as + men, were strangers to each other. + + Our camp at Tampa was fair; the ground is sandy and flat, + but as the rainy season had not set in, it was dry and the + health was good. Drills and parades were held daily (Sundays + excepted), but on account of the intense heat the hours for + it were limited to the early mornings and after sunset. The + clothing of the men was the same they had worn in Montana, + and did not add to their comfort. Supplies of all kinds + (except rations) came by piecemeal, and we finally sailed + for the tropics with the same clothing used in the + Northwest. + + At 6 o'clock P.M. June 6th the regiment received orders to + strike tents and be ready to move within an hour; the order + was immediately complied with, though the necessary + transportation to move the baggage did not report until the + forenoon of the following day; it was not far from noon when + the last of it left the camp for the railroad station, en + route to Port Tampa, where we were to embark on transports + for the seat of war. + + As soon as the camp equipage was started, the regiment was + formed and marched to West Tampa (about three miles), where + we took a train for Port Tampa, distant nine miles. On + arrival, the regiment boarded the steamer "Concho," one of + the vessels to carry the expedition to its destination. The + 4th U.S. Infantry had preceded us, and the next day a + battalion of the 2d Massachusetts Volunteers was put on, but + owing to the crowded condition of the ship, a few days later + they were transferred to another vessel. + + The "Concho" is a large ship, but without the comforts I + have seen since then on the U.S. Army transports plying + between San Francisco and Manila. The ships used were + hastily fitted up for the occasion, and it could not be + expected that they would be all that was required, but some + of the appointments could and should have been better. After + a tedious wait until June 14th, we sailed down Tampa Bay and + out on the Gulf of Mexico, still in ignorance of our + destination. The evening of the 15th the light at Dry + Tortugas was seen to our right. June 16th, 17th and 18th our + course was a little south of east, and part of the time the + north coast of Cuba was visible. The weather (except the + intense heat) was fine. On Sunday morning, June 18th, we + entered the Windward Passage, and it seemed certain, from + our course, that Santiago was our objective. Early the next + morning the high mountains of Santiago de Cuba were in plain + sight to our north. June 20th and 21st, remained off the + coast; the sea was rough and the vessel rolled considerably, + adding to the discomfort of every one, especially those + subject to seasickness. During the evening of the 21st, + orders were received to be ready to disembark the following + morning. About 8 A.M. on the 22d our warships began shelling + the coast, and two hours later the troops started in small + boats from the transports to the shore. By evening most of + the Second Division and part of the Cavalry Division were on + Cuban soil. There was no opposition to our landing; I + believe that a small force well handled could have made it + very difficult, if, indeed, it could not have prevented it. + + As soon as the regiment had landed it was marched out about + four miles and bivouacked for the night. The country is + rugged and covered with a dense tropical vegetation. A few + "Cuban Patriots" had joined us and formed the extreme + advance, saving us some disagreeable outpost duty. This was + the only service that I know of them doing throughout the + campaign, though they were always on hand ration day. Later + developments showed that the service rendered was not so + important, as any Spanish force had retired to a safe place, + something our friends looked out for whenever there was any + danger. + + June 23d, the regiment started shortly after daylight + towards the city of Santiago. About 9 o'clock there was a + report that the enemy were in our front. The regiment was + immediately formed for battle, and reconnoitering parties + sent forward; after about thirty minutes' delay the supposed + enemy proved to be the large leaves of some tropical trees + being moved by the wind, giving them the appearance of + persons in motion. Our route was over a narrow trail, + through a dense wilderness; water was scarce and the heat + was intense. About noon we arrived at Siboney, where we + bivouacked for the night. Before daylight next morning the + troops in our rear were heard passing on the trail by our + camp. Shortly after daylight Captain Capron's battery of + four guns passed, and the men lined up along the road and + cheered lustily. About an hour later, musketry fire and the + occasional discharge of a Hotchkiss gun could be plainly + heard towards Santiago. About three-quarters of an hour + later we received orders to march. By mistake, the wrong + trail was taken, and after marching fourteen hours we + returned to our camp of the previous night, all fagged out. + A great many men of the brigade were overcome with heat + during this long, tiresome and fruitless ramble. I cannot + say how many of these were of the 25th Infantry, but in my + own company (B) there was not a man out of the ranks when + the camp was reached. (I have called the above-mentioned + place "Siboney." There is probably some other name for it, + as the Cubans have one for every hamlet. It is not far from + Siboney, and not knowing the name, have called it Siboney.) + + On the morning of the 25th we got rations from the transport + and all enjoyed a hearty breakfast. At 1 P.M. we broke camp + and marched to Sevilla, about six miles. Here we remained + until the morning of the 27th, part of the regiment being + out on picket duty. June 27th, the regiment marched three + miles towards Santiago and bivouacked on the banks of a + small creek. Bathing was forbidden, as the creek was the + only water supply for the army. The troops remained at this + place until the afternoon of June 30th. The camp was in the + valley of the creek, the ground is low and flat, and with + the heavy rainfall every one was uncomfortable. Rations had + to be brought from Siboney over a trail and did not arrive + regularly. + + About 1 o'clock in the afternoon on the 30th, the officers + of the regiment were assembled at headquarters and were + notified that there would be an attack on the Spanish + position the next morning. About 4 o'clock the regiment + started for its position, arriving after 10 o'clock, having + covered a distance of less than three miles. The route was + over an excuse for a road, but was crowded with some of the + troops of almost every organization of the army, causing + numberless halts, but worse than all, breaking the + much-needed rest of the troops. On one part of this route I + heard men asking, "What regiment is this?" and heard various + responses, as follows: "The W.W.W.'s, the 1st Cavalry, the + 4th Infantry, the 10th Cavalry," etc. Some one asked, "What + are the W.W.W.'s?" and some one replied, "Wood's Weary + Walkers." I do not know who is responsible for that + condition of affairs. Had we had an enterprising enemy in + our front, disaster certainly would have followed. Here were + a number of organizations scattered along a narrow, muddy + trail, at the mercy of an active foe. All this was only + three or four miles from the Spanish works. The men were + cheerful, and few if any realized that there might be + danger. + + Most of the men were up and moving about before daylight the + next morning. Shortly after, the regiment started in the + direction of El Caney. At 9 A.M. we halted in a mango grove + near the Ducureau mansion. Shortly before noon a mounted + orderly appeared with a message for the brigade commander. A + few minutes later the march towards El Caney was taken up. + Heavy musketry fire had been heard in that direction since + shortly before 7 o'clock. A march of little more than a mile + and the regiment was formed for battle, Companies G and H in + the firing line, C and D in support, the remaining four + companies in reserve. + + For two hours or perhaps more the firing was very heavy, + especially during the second hour. Attention is called to + report of Colonel A.S. Daggett, pages 387 and 388, "Report + of the War Department, 1898, Vol. I," and endorsement on + same by Major-General A.R. Chaffee. He says: "This stone + fort was practically in the possession of the 12th Infantry + at about 2 P.M. July 1." I cannot reconcile this statement + with the fact that between the hours named some of the + heaviest firing was going on, which does not indicate that + its defenders were ready to give up. Lord Wellington once + said, "At the end of every campaign truth lies at the bottom + of a deep well, and it often takes twenty years to get her + out." This may not be an exception. About half-past 4 + o'clock the firing ceased and El Caney was ours. + + The dead were collected near a hedge and the regiment was + formed in column of masses to pay a silent tribute of + respect to our departed comrades. + + The regiment then started for the mango grove where we had + left our blanket rolls and haversacks. Just as we were + starting, some men with canteens started for water (about a + mile away), when orders were received to be ready to march + in twenty minutes. A few rods took us back to the road + leading to Santiago. We moved down the road about + three-quarters of a mile and halted. Two hours later, the + pack train arrived with ammunition and then another with + rations. Before the latter were issued orders were issued to + move at once to the rear. The regiment marched over the + trail it had come on the day before, arriving at El Poso + about 8 o'clock A.M. Here we took the road leading to + Santiago. About 9 A.M. we passed under San Juan Hill and + moved to our right. Our forces held the crest of the hill. + In passing along the hill we were sheltered from the fire + except a short space, where one or two men were slightly + wounded. Arriving at the La Cruz house near the road leading + from El Caney to Santiago about 3.30 P.M. and bivouacked for + the night. About 10 o'clock the troops on our left were + attacked by the Spanish. The firing was very heavy for an + hour, when it suddenly ceased, and we retired for the night. + During this time we were under the hill and protected from + the fire. + + Next morning (Sunday, July 3d) desultory firing began at + daylight. About 7 A.M. the regiment left the La Cruz house + and moved across the Caney-Santiago road and formed line to + the left and moved forward to a ridge overlooking the city. + A number of shots fell about us, but no one was struck. + Shortly after, we were in possession of the ridge and began + intrenching. The firing was kept up and two men were + wounded. About noon we were informed that a truce had been + established and all work was stopped. This gave all a + much-needed rest, though it proved to be of short duration, + caused by a false alarm by Major Webb, the inspector of the + division staff. + + During the afternoon the regiment was moved to the foot of + the ridge, leaving only the pickets on the crest. About 8.30 + P.M. we were ordered to the picket line and began + intrenching. The tall grass was wet from a drenching rain a + few hours before. The ground, though wet, was hard, and slow + progress was made, having only their bayonets for picks and + their bare hands for shovels. All night this work went on. + The men were tired, and hungry (as rations had not come up + that day), but worked faithfully. During this, and I will + add, throughout the campaign, I never heard a murmur nor a + complaint; even when almost all the men of the regiment were + down with fever and bowel trouble they were cheerful and + ready to do any duty they were called on for. + + The morning of July 3d Cervera's fleet sailed down the bay. + An officer rode by our part of the line about half-past 9 + and informed us of it. A few minutes later we heard the roar + of the big guns, though at the time I little thought of what + was going on. In the afternoon we heard cheering on our line + way to the left, and as the good news came along it was + taken up, and soon the whole line was shouting. + + On the morning of July 5th the non-combatants left Santiago + by two roads, one passing through our line. It was a pitiful + sight. During the forenoon of the 5th we moved about a mile + to the right and began intrenching. This position was very + near the Spanish line, and quite elaborate works were + constructed. We remained in this position until the morning + of the 11th, when the regiment was ordered to the right of + the line, about three miles. Here we intrenched. About 1 + P.M. a truce was announced. + + At 9.15 P.M. a staff officer came to the regimental + commander's tent and informed him that the regiment was to + be on the line at 12 o'clock midnight, and as soon as the + moon rose to advance through the jungle until fired on, when + the line was to halt and intrench. The night was stormy and + any moon there might have been was obscured by the clouds. + We were up, however, standing until daylight in a drenching + rain, for it was so dark that any movement was impossible. + Our rest was broken, without accomplishing anything that I + know or heard of. + + However, the rain and storm were providential, for I will + always believe if the movement had been started we should + have met with disaster. The ground was broken, deep ravines + and underbrush with wire fences running through it. I have + never learned who was "the father" of this order, and + possibly never will. He must be ashamed of it. + + The afternoon of the 12th the regiment advanced several + hundred yards to the front and dug more intrenchments. They + were still on this work the afternoon of the 14th when it + was announced that the Spanish army had agreed to surrender. + This came none too soon, for our men were coming down with + malarial fever. A few days later nearly half the regiment + were on the sick list, and the balance could not have done + much. + + The regiment was moved the same afternoon to higher ground + in rear of the trenches. Strong guards were kept to look out + for our prisoners and to prevent "our allies," the Cubans, + from going into the city. + + On the morning of the 17th the formal surrender of the city + and Spanish army took place. We were some distance away and + did not see anything of the ceremony. + + On July 25th the regiment was moved about a mile further + back in the hills and made camp, our tents, etc., having + been brought up from the transport. Medicines appeared very + scarce, resulting in much suffering. The food supplied was + totally unfit for our new surroundings, and I believe not a + little of the sickness can be traced to this. Our last camp + was as good as any to be found in that vicinity. + + The regiment remained in camp until August 13th, when it + embarked on the transport "Camanche" for Montauk Point, + arriving on the 18th, and landed on the 23d. + + B.H.R. LOUGHBOROUGH, + Captain, 25th Infantry. + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[18] First Lieutenant McCorkle killed; Captain Edwards and First +Lieutenants Kinnison and Murdock wounded. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +SAN JUAN. + + Cavalry Division: The Ninth and Tenth Regiments. + + +When Lawton's division swung off to the right to engage the enemy at +El Caney, with the results described in the preceeding chapter, the +divisions of Wheeler and Kent were ordered to proceed directly along +the Santiago road toward San Juan. Within a mile from El Pozo, the +point where they had bivouacked for the night of the 30th, the troops +arrived at the Aguadores River, which crosses the road here within +less than a mile from San Juan Heights. Wheeler's division headed the +column, although that general was not commanding. He had been relieved +on the afternoon of the 30th and did not resume command until about 4 +o'clock on July 1,[19] long after the heights had been carried, +although he was on the field shortly after 1 o'clock of that day. + +The Dismounted Cavalry Division on the morning of July 1 presented +2,663 fighting men, including officers. The First Brigade, commanded +by Colonel Carrol, had 50 officers and 1,054 men, in regiments as +follows: Third Cavalry, 22 officers, 420 men; Sixth Cavalry, 16 +officers, 427 men; Ninth Cavalry, 12 officers, 207 men, the Ninth +having hardly one-half the strength of either of the other regiments +of the brigade. The Second Brigade, commanded by General Wood, +contained 1,559 persons, distributed as follows: Brigade staff, 9 +officers, 14 men; First Cavalry, 21 officers, 501 men: Tenth Cavalry, +22 officers, 507 men; First Volunteer Cavalry (Rough Riders), 25 +officers, 517 men. + +Before the troops left El Poso, Grimes' battery had been put in +position and had fired a few shots at a blockhouse on San Juan Hill, +distance 2,600 yards. Using black powder, which created a cloud of +smoke with every shot, the battery was readily located by the foe, and +the shrapnel from their guns was soon bursting among our forces. The +second shot from the Spaniards wounded four of the Rough Riders and +two or three of the regulars, while a third killed and wounded several +Cubans. As a matter of course there was a rapid movements of the +troops from that immediate vicinity. The firing soon ceased, and the +troops took up that general advance movement already noted. + +It is no easy task to follow the movements of the Cavalry Division +from the time it left El Poso that July morning until it finally +entrenched itself for the night on San Juan Hills. As heretofore we +will take the official reports first, and from them make up the +itinerary and the movements of the battle that followed, as far as +they will enable us to do so. General Sumner says the division +proceeded toward Santiago, and when about three-fourths of a mile from +El Poso was halted in a narrow road to await orders and remained there +for nearly an hour, subject to the effects of heavy artillery fire +from the enemy's battery. Major Wessells, of the Third Cavalry, says, +while following the road toward Santiago that morn, "much delay ensued +from some reason unknown to the undersigned," and that the First +Brigade of the division arrived at San Juan ford about 10 o'clock. +This creek was about five hundred yards farther toward Santiago than +Aguadores River, and ran about parallel with San Juan Heights, from +which it was about three-fourths of a mile distant. + +The orders for which General Sumner had waited nearly an hour under +fire had come and were "verbal instructions to move to the San Juan +Creek and hold it." Reaching this creek his advance guard was met by +the Spaniards who fired one volley and retreated to a position on a +hill on Sumner's right front, about 1,200 yards distant. Crossing this +creek with sufficient strength to hold it, Sumner was now ordered to +move by the right flank and connect with Lawton's left. While his +troops were in this massed condition prior to deploying to the right +through a thick jungle, the balloon that was in use for purposes of +reconnoitering, came up the road and exposed itself to the full view +of the Spaniards upon the heights. They needed no further invitation +to direct toward our forces their artillery, for which the balloon +became a flying target. Many officers and men were wounded here by +exploding shells and small arms' fire of the enemy (Sumner). Under +this fire, however, the troops were deployed as ordered. + +Colonel Wood, who had charge of the Second Brigade, of which the Rough +Riders were the leading regiment, says this "regiment was directed to +change direction to the right, and by moving up the creek to effect a +junction with General Lawton's division, which was engaged at Caney, +about one and a-half miles toward the right, but was supposed to be +working toward our right flank. After proceeding in this direction +about half a mile the effort to connect with General Lawton was given +up." This movement to the right took place between ten and eleven +o'clock, at which time Lawton's forces had made no impression upon El +Caney, and he was far from making any movement which might be +described as working toward the right flank of the Cavalry Division. +Lawton was not found by that half-hour's search to the right; and it +was evident that something must be done by these troops in front, and +done quickly. The whole division was under fire, and the battle on the +Spanish side was in actual progress. True our men were hidden away in +the jungle that bordered the creek, but their position was known to +the Spaniards, and leaves and boughs are no cover from shot and shell. +They were receiving the fire of the enemy and making no reply +whatever, save by the few ineffective shots from the far away battery +on El Poso Hill. + +Directly in front of the cavalry division was a little hill occupied +by a Spanish force. This hill is called in General Wood's report East +Hill, but in the literature of the battle it is usually mentioned as +Kettle Hill. The fire in part was coming from here. Colonel Wood gives +another report of the morning's experience in which he says: "The +brigade moved down the road toward Santiago in rear of the First +Brigade, with instructions to deploy to the right after crossing the +San Juan, and continue to extend to the right, reaching out toward +General Lawton's left and holding ourselves in rear of the First +Brigade as a support. On reaching the stream the First Volunteer +Cavalry, which was in the lead, crossed the stream with comparatively +slight loss and deployed to the right in good order, but at this time +a captive balloon was led down the road in which the troops were +massed, and finally anchored at the crossing of the stream. The +approach and anchoring of this balloon served to indicate the line of +approach of the troops and to locate the ford, and the result was a +terrific converging of artillery and rifle fire on the ford, which +resulted in severe loss of men. Under this fire the First United +States Cavalry and the Tenth United States Cavalry crossed the stream +and deployed to the right where they were placed in position in rear +of the First Brigade. Two regiments of the Second Brigade, to wit., +the First and the Tenth Regular Cavalry, were located in the rear of +the First Brigade. The First Regular Cavalry had begun its day's work +as support of Grimes' battery, but had later come forward and taken +its place in the brigade time enough to join in the action that +followed. + +"After completing the deployment," says Sumner, "the command was so +much committed to battle that it became necessary either to advance or +else retreat under fire." The troops were already in battle, but were +not fighting, and could not do so in their present position, simply +because they could not see the enemy. "Lieutenant Miley, representing +General Shafter, authorized an advance, which was ordered, Carroll's +brigade taking the advance, reinforced on the right by Roosevelt's +regiment, and supported by the First and Tenth Cavalry." (Sumner.) +Colonel Wood says: "After remaining in this position for about an hour +(meaning the position held by his brigade previous to the coming of +the order to advance) the order to advance was given, and the brigade +advanced in good order as possible, but more or less broken up by the +masses of brush and heavy grass and cactus; passing through the line +of the First Brigade, mingling with them and charging the hill in +conjunction with these troops, as well as some few infantry who had +extended to the right." It must be remembered that the First Brigade +consisted wholly of regulars, the Third, Sixth and Ninth Cavalry, +while the Second Brigade had that remarkable regiment, the Rough +Riders. This fact may account for their breaking through the lines of +the First Brigade. Major Wessells, who commanded the Third Cavalry in +that fight, and was himself wounded at the close of the first charge, +says his regiment became entangled with other regiments, but, +nevertheless, was to the crest as soon as any. Of the advance of the +whole division, General Sumner says: "The advance was made under heavy +infantry fire, through open flat ground, cut up by wire fences, to the +creek, distant about 600 yards. The advance was made in good order, +the enemy's fire being returned only under favorable opportunities. In +crossing the flat one officer and several men were killed and several +officers and men wounded. Both sides of the creek were heavily wooded +for about 200 yards. The creek was swollen, and the crossing through +this space and the creek was made with great difficulty. + +"After passing through the thick woods the ground was entirely open +and fenced by wire. From this line it was necessary to storm the hill, +upon the top of which is a house, loop-holed for defense. The slope of +the hill is very difficult, but the assault was made with great +gallantry and with much loss to the enemy. In this assault Colonel +Hamilton, Lieutenants Smith and Shipp were killed; Colonel Carroll, +Lieutenants Thayer and Myer were wounded. A number of casualties +occurred among the enlisted men." The heights were carried by the +whole division. + +Lieutenant-Colonel Baldwin's account of the part his regiment took in +the assault upon San Juan is told about as follows: After the search +for Lawton had been given up, the First and Tenth Cavalry were formed +for attack on East Hill. "I was directed," he says, "to take a +position to the right, behind the river bank, for protection. While +moving to this position, and while there, the regiment suffered +considerable loss. After an interval of twenty or thirty minutes I was +directed to form line of battle in a partially open field facing +toward the blockhouses and strong intrenchments to the north occupied +by the enemy. Much difficulty was found on account of the dense +undergrowth, crossed in several directions by wire fences. As a part +of the cavalry division under General Sumner, the regiment was formed +in two lines, the First Squadron under Major S.T. Norvell, consisting +of Troops A, B, E and I, leading; the second line, under Major T.J. +Wint, consisting of Troops C, F and G. Troop D having crossed farther +down the river, attached itself to a command of infantry and moved +with that command on the second blockhouse. The regiment advanced in +this formation in a heavy converging fire from the enemy's position, +proceeding but a short distance when the two lines were united into +one. The advance was rapidly continued in an irregular line toward the +blockhouses and intrenchments to the right front. During this advance +the line passed some troops of the First Cavalry, which I think had +previously been formed on our right. Several losses occurred before +reaching the top of the hill, First Lieutenant William H. Smith being +killed as he arrived on its crest. The enemy having retreated toward +the northwest to the second and third blockhouses, new lines were +formed and a rapid advance was made upon these new positions. The +regiment assisted in capturing these works from the enemy, and with +the exception of Troops C and I, which in the meantime had joined the +First Volunteer Cavalry, then took up a position to the north of the +second blockhouse, remaining there all night." + +Major Norvell, who commanded the First Squadron of the Tenth Cavalry, +which consisted of Troops A, B, E and I, gives the following account +of the experiences of July 1st: + +"The regiment took position in a wood, and here suffered considerable +loss, due to the fact that the whole of the enemy's fire appeared to +be directed to this point. In a short time we moved out of the wood by +the right flank and then deployed to the left, being then directly in +front of the enemy and one mile distant from his works, marked by +three houses about half a mile from one another. The enemy was +strongly entrenched in front of these houses. The line, consisting of +the cavalry division, under direction of Brigadier-General Sumner, +moved forward in double time, under a terrific fire of the enemy. We +had a very heavy jungle to march through, beside the river (San Juan) +to cross, and during our progress many men were killed and wounded. +The troops became separated from one another, though the general line +was pretty well preserved. The works of the enemy were carried in +succession by the troops; and the Spaniards were steadily driven back +toward the town to their last ditches. We now found ourselves about +half a mile from the city, but the troops being by this time nearly +exhausted, here intrenched themselves for the night under a heavy +fire. By dark this line was occupied by all the troops engaged during +the day." + +The official reports of the troop commanders of the Tenth Cavalry +bring out a few more particulars which serve to give us a more vivid +conception of this moving line. The entire cavalry division advanced +together, and notwithstanding the roughness of the ground, Major +Norvell assures us the line was pretty well preserved. Troops A, B, E +and I were in the First Squadron, which was in the lead; Troops C, F +and G were in the second line; Troop D made its advance with the +infantry off to the left. We have now a fair knowledge of the general +movement of the whole regiment. Let us follow the fortunes of some of +the Troops, and by that means get nearer to the work done by the +individual soldier. + +Troop A was on the right of the leading squadron as the regiment took +its place in line on the left of the First Cavalry and moved against +the Spanish blockhouses in the face of a heavy fire, making a rush +forward without intermission. A portion of the right platoon, under +Lieutenant Livermore, became separated in one of the thickets, and +under instructions received personally from the brigade commander, who +seems to have been everywhere where he was needed, continued up the +slope toward his right and toward the first blockhouse. The remainder +of the troop, commanded by Captain Beck and Lieutenant McCoy, moved in +the same direction at first, but observing that on account of the +shorter distance to the slope from that end of the line, a large +number of troops were arriving there, Captain Beck swung his troop to +the left and reached the summit of the hill between the second and +third blockhouses, and on arriving received a message by an aid of the +brigade commander to hold the ridge. Just then Lieut. Livermore +arrived, having come by way of Blockhouse No. 1. The troop now being +together, held the crest for an hour. At times the fire of the enemy +was so severe and Captain Beck's force so small that there was great +danger that he would be compelled to abandon the position, but +fortunately at the most critical juncture Lieutenant Lyon of the +Twenty-fourth Infantry came up with a few reinforcements, and +Lieutenant Hughes of the Tenth Cavalry with a Hotchkiss gun. +Lieutenant Lyon formed his troops to the left of the gun, Troop A of +the Tenth Cavalry being on the right. With this force the position was +held until other troops arrived. Soon after, the squadron was reformed +and the men entrenched themselves under fire. Troop B was next to +Troop A and advanced as skirmishers by rushes and double time, but +soon found its front blocked by other troops. Troop I advanced in two +sections, the left being commanded by Lieutenant Miller, joined in the +attack on the right of the enemy's position; the right commanded by +Lieutenant Fleming, advanced on trenches between two blockhouses, and +in so doing caught up with the rest of the troop. The first half of +the troop, after attacking the blockhouse on right of the enemy's +position then crossed the valley and attacked the blockhouse on the +left of enemy's position, and then moved forward with the First +Regular Cavalry and First Volunteer Cavalry, until the troop assembled +as a whole. When it reached the place of intrenchment there were +altogether about one hundred men at that point of the ridge, +consisting of men from the Tenth Cavalry and of the Rough Riders. It +is claimed by Lieutenant Anderson, who commanded Troop C, and who made +his way to the front on the right of the line, that after coming up on +the second hill and joining his troop to the left of Troop I, Colonel +Roosevelt and part of his regiment joined on the right of the Tenth, +and that he reported to him, placing C Troop in his command. Before +this time Lieutenant Anderson had reported to Captain Jones, of Troop +F, while they were on Kettle Hill, and the Two troops, F and C, had +been formed in skirmish line and moved against the second blockhouse. +In this movement Troop C got separated from Captain Jones, and +Anderson, with 18 men of his own troop and several from other +organizations, moved forward until he connected with Troop I, as +previously narrated. These troops, C and I, were reported by their +Colonel as having joined the First Volunteer Cavalry. All of the troop +commanders who were immediately with the men bear hearty testimony to +their good conduct. Captain Jones, commanding Troop F, says: "I could +only do justice to the troop by mentioning by name all who were +engaged, not only for their bravery, but for their splendid discipline +under the most demoralizing fire." Lieutenant Fleming, commanding +Troop I, says: "The entire troop behaved with great gallantry. Private +Elsie Jones particularly distinguished himself." Captain Beck, +commanding Troop A, says: "The behaviour of the enlisted men was +magnificent, paying studious attention to orders while on the firing +line, and generally exhibiting an intrepidity which marks the +first-class soldier." Lieutenant Hughes, who commanded the Hotchkiss +gun detachment, mentions four men for conspicuous bravery and commends +his entire detachment for "spirit, enterprise and good behavior." + +The official story is that the entire cavalry division advanced under +orders from General Sumner and that the heft of its first blow fell +upon Kettle Hill, which was soon captured, and on the crest of this +hill the troops which had ascended it made a temporary halt, reformed +their lines somewhat and immediately advanced upon the second hill to +the help of that part of the cavalry division which had swung to the +left in the advance, and also to the help of the infantry who were +coming against Fort San Juan at the same time. Meanwhile there was +left upon Kettle Hill a sufficient garrison or force to prevent its +being recaptured by the enemy. In the assault on Kettle Hill the +brigade commander, Colonel Carroll, had been wounded, and +Lieutenant-Colonel Hamilton of the Ninth Cavalry killed. Many troop +officers also had been either killed or wounded and also in the rush +forward through the jungle and high grass some troops had been +separated from their officers, and yet it is remarkable that all were +ready to move forward to the next assault. + +The words of praise to the whole cavalry division contained in the +following order, published at Camp Wikoff immediately after the +arrival there of the troops, are claimed by both black and white +cavalrymen alike: + + Headquarters, Cavalry Division, + Camp Wikoff, L.I., September 7th, 1898. + + To the Officers and Soldiers of the Cavalry Division, Army + of Santiago. + + The duties for which the troops comprising the Cavalry + Division were brought together have been accomplished. + + On June 14th we sailed from Tampa, Fla., to encounter in the + sickly season the diseases of the tropical island of Cuba, + and to face and attack the historic legions of Spain in + positions chosen by them and which for years they had been + strengthening by every contrivance and art known to the + skillful military engineers of Europe. + + On the 23d, one squadron each of the 1st and 10th Regular + Cavalry and two squadrons of the 1st Volunteer Cavalry, in + all 964 officers and men, landed on Cuban soil. These troops + marched on foot fourteen miles, and, early on the morning of + the 24th, attacked and defeated double their number of + regular Spanish soldiers under the command of + Lieutenant-General Linares. Eagerly and cheerfully you + pushed onward, and on July 1st forded San Juan River and + gallantly swept over San Juan Hill, driving the enemy from + its crest. Without a moment's halt you formed, aligning the + division upon the 1st Infantry Division under General Kent, + and, together with these troops, you bravely charged and + carried the formidable intrenchments of Fort San Juan. The + entire force which fought and won this great victory was + less than seven thousand men. + + The astonished enemy, though still protected by the strong + works to which he had made his retreat, was so stunned by + your determined valor that his only thought was to devise + the quickest means of saving himself from further battle. + The great Spanish fleet hastily sought escape from the + harbor and was destroyed by our matchless navy. + + After seizing the fortifications of San Juan Ridge, you, in + the darkness of night, strongly intrenched the position + your valor had won. Reinforced by Bates' Brigade on your + left and Lawton's Division on your right, you continued the + combat until the Spanish army of Santiago Province succumbed + to the superb prowess and courage of American arms. Peace + promptly followed, and you return to receive the plaudits of + seventy millions of people. + + The valor displayed by you was not without sacrifice. + Eighteen per cent., or nearly one in five, of the Cavalry + Division fell on the field either killed or wounded. We + mourn the loss of these heroic dead, and a grateful country + will always revere their memory. + + Whatever may be my fate, wherever my steps may lead, my + heart will always burn with increasing admiration for your + courage in action, your fortitude under privation and your + constant devotion to duty in its highest sense, whether in + battle, in bivouac or upon the march. + + JOSEPH WHEELER, + Major-General U.S.V., Commanding. + +Aside from that part of the Tenth Cavalry who fought under General +Wheeler and who are consequently included among those congratulated by +the General Order just quoted, Troop M of that regiment, under command +of Lieutenant C.P. Johnson, performed an important part in the war. +The troop consisted of 50 men and left Port Tampa June 21 on board the +steamship Florida, the steamship Fanita also making a part of the +expedition. The troop was mounted and was accompanied by a pack train +of 65 animals. Both ships were heavily loaded with clothing, +ammunition and provision, and had on board besides Lieutenant +Johnson's command, General Nunez and staff and 375 armed Cubans. The +expedition sailed around the west end of the island and attempted a +landing at a point chosen by General Nunez on June 29, but failed +owing to the fact that the place chosen was well guarded by Spaniards, +who fired upon the landing party. The expedition had with it a small +gunboat, the Peoria, commanded by Captain Ryan, and on the afternoon +of June 30th an attack was made upon a blockhouse on the shore by the +gunboat, and a small force of Cuban and American volunteers landed, +but were repulsed with the loss of one killed, General Nunez's +brother, and seven wounded. Two days later Lieutenant Johnson was able +to land and immediately made connection with General Gomez, unloading +his stores for the Cuban Army. + +Lieutenant G.P. Ahearn, of the Twenty-fifth Infantry, who went on this +expedition as a volunteer, rendered important service on the night +after the attack on the blockhouse at Tayabacoa. As the attacking +party met with repulse and escaped to the ship in the darkness, +several of their wounded were left on shore. Several boats sent out to +recover them had returned without the men, their crews fearing to go +on shore after them. Lieutenant Ahearn volunteered to attempt the +rescue of the men, and taking a water-logged boat, approached the +shore noiselessly and succeeded in his undertaking. The crew +accompanying Lieutenant Ahearn was made up of men from Troop M, Tenth +Cavalry, and behaved so well that the four were given Medals of Honor +for their marked gallantry. The action of Lieutenant Ahearn in this +case was in keeping with his whole military career. He has ever +manifested a fondness for exceptional service, and has never failed +when opportunity occurred to display a noble gallantry on the side of +humanity. Nothing appeals to him so commandingly as an individual +needing rescue, and in such a cause he immediately rises to the hero's +plane. The noble colored soldiers who won medals on that occasion were +all privates and became heroes for humanity's sake. Their names +deserve a place in this history outside the mere official table. They +were Dennis Bell, George H. Wanton, Fitz Lee and William H. Tompkins, +and were the only colored soldiers who, at the time of this writing, +have won Medals of Honor in the Spanish War. Others, however, may yet +be given, as doubtless others are deserved. The heroic service +performed by whole regiments, as in the case of the Twenty-fourth +Infantry, should entitle every man in it to a medal of some form as a +souvenir for his posterity. + +Losses of the Ninth Cavalry in the battles of San Juan: + +OFFICERS--Killed, Lieutenant-Colonel John M. Hamilton. + +MEN--Killed, Trumpeter Lewis Fort, Private James Johnson. + +OFFICERS--Wounded, Adjutant Winthrop S. Wood, Captain Charles +W. Taylor. + +MEN--Wounded. First Sergeant Charles W. Jefferson, Sergeant +Adam Moore, Sergeant Henry F. Wall, Sergeant Thomas B. Craig, Corporal +James W. Ervine, Corporal Horace T. Henry, Corporal John Mason, +Burwell Bullock, Elijah Crippen, Edward Davis, Hoyle Ervin, James +Gandy, Edward D. Nelson, Noah Prince, Thomas Sinclair, James R. Spear, +Jr., Jacob Tull, William H. Turner, George Warren, Alfred Wilson. + +Losses of the Tenth Cavalry during the battle of San Juan: + +OFFICERS--Killed, First Lieutenant W.E. Shipp, First +Lieutenant W.H. Smith. + +MEN--Killed, John H. Smoot, Corporal W.F. Johnson, John H. +Dodson, George Stroal, William H. Slaughter. + +OFFICERS--Wounded, Major T.J. Wint Captain John Bigelow, Jr., +Adjutant and First Lieutenant M.H. Barnum, First Lieutenant R.L. +Livermore, First Lieutenant E.D. Anderson, Second Lieutenant F.R. +McCoy, Second Lieutenant H.C. Whitehead, Second Lieutenant T.A. +Roberts, Second Lieutenant H.O. Willard. + +MEN--Wounded, First Sergeant A. Houston, First Sergeant +Robert Milbrown, Q.M. Sergeant William Payne, Sergeant Smith Johnson, +Sergeant Ed. Lane, Sergeant Walker Johnson, Sergeant George Dyers, +Sergeant Willis Hatcher, Sergeant John L. Taylor, Sergeant Amos +Elliston, Sergeant Frank Rankin, Sergeant E.S. Washington, Sergeant +U.G. Gunter, Corporal J.G. Mitchell, Corporal Allen Jones, Corporal +Marcellus Wright, Privates Lewis L. Anderson, John Arnold, Charles +Arthur, John Brown, Frank D. Bennett, Wade Bledsoe, Hillary Brown, +Thornton Burkley, John Brooks, W.H. Brown, Wm. A. Cooper, John Chinn, +J.H. Campbell, Henry Fearn, Benjamin Franklin, Gilmore Givens, B.F. +Gaskins, William Gregory, Luther D. Gould, Wiley, Hipsher, Thomas +Hardy, Charles Hopkins, Richard James, Wesley Jones, Robert E. Lee, +Sprague Lewis, Henry McCormack, Samuel T. Minor, Lewis Marshall, +William Matthews, Houston Riddill, Charles Robinson, Frank Ridgeley, +Fred. Shackley, Harry D. Sturgis, Peter Saunderson, John T. Taylor, +William Tyler, Isom Taylor, John Watson, Benjamin West, Joseph +Williams, Allen E. White, Nathan Wyatt. + + * * * * * + + Note.--"While we talked, and the soldiers filled their + canteens and drank deep and long, like camels who, after + days of travel through the land of 'thirst and emptiness,' + have reached the green oasis and the desert spring, a black + corporal of the 24th Infantry walked wearily up to the + 'water hole.' He was muddy and bedraggled. He carried no cup + or canteen, and stretched himself out over the + stepping-stones in the stream, sipping up the water and the + mud together out of the shallow pool. A white cavalryman ran + toward him shouting, 'Hold on, bunkie; here's my cup!' The + negro looked dazed a moment, and not a few of the spectators + showed amazement, for such a thing had rarely if ever + happened in the army before. 'Thank you,' said the black + corporal. 'Well, we are all fighting under the same flag + now.' And so he drank out of the white man's cup. I was glad + to see that I was not the only man who had come to recognize + the justice of certain Constitutional amendments, in the + light of the gallant behaviour of the colored troops + throughout the battle, and, indeed, the campaign. The + fortune of war had, of course, something to do with it in + presenting to the colored troops the opportunities for + distinguished service, of which they invariably availed + themselves to the fullest extent; but the confidence of the + general officers in their superb gallantry, which the event + proved to be not misplaced, added still more, and it is a + fact that the services of no four white regiments can be + compared with those rendered by the four colored + regiments--the 9th and 10th Cavalry, and the 24th and 25th + Infantry. They were to the front at La Guasima, at Caney, + and at San Juan, and what was the severest test of all, that + came later, in the yellow-fever hospitals."--Bonsal. + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[19] Official Report of General Sumner. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +SAN JUAN (Continued). + + Kent's Division: The Twenty-fourth Infantry; Forming Under + Fire--A Gallant Charge. + + +Turning now to the centre and left of the American line we follow the +advance of that division of infantry commanded by General Kent, and +which met the brunt of Spanish resistance at San Juan. This division, +known as the First Division, Fifth Army Corps, consisted of three +brigades, composed as follows: + +First Brigade, Brigadier-General Hawkins commanding, made up of the +Sixth Infantry, the Sixteenth Infantry, and the Seventy-first New York +Volunteers. + +The Second Brigade, Colonel Pearson commanding, made up of the Second +Infantry, the Tenth Infantry and the Twenty-first Infantry. + +The Third Brigade, commanded by Colonel Wikoff, in which were the +Ninth Infantry, the Thirteenth Infantry and the Twenty-fourth +Infantry; in all 262 officers and 5,095 men. Thus, in the whole +division there were eight regiments of regular infantry and one +volunteer regiment, the Seventy-first New York. + +Although our present purpose is to bring into view the special work of +the Twenty-fourth Infantry, it will be necessary to embrace in our +scope the work of the entire division, in order to lay before the +reader the field upon which that particular regiment won such lasting +credit. General Kent, who commanded the division, a most accomplished +soldier, gives a lucid account of the whole assault as seen from his +position, and of the work performed by his division, in his report, +dated July 8, 1898. + +When General Kent's division arrived in the neighborhood of the San +Juan ford and found itself under fire and the trail so blocked by +troops of the cavalry division, which had not yet deployed to the +right, that direct progress toward the front was next to impossible, +the welcome information was given by the balloon managers that a trail +branched off to the left from the main trail, only a short distance +back from the ford. This trail led to a ford some distance lower down +the stream and nearly facing the works on the enemy's right. General +Kent on learning of this outlet immediately hastened back to the forks +and meeting the Seventy-first New York Regiment, the rear regiment of +the First Brigade, he directed that regiment into this trail toward +the ford. The regiment was to lead the way through this new trail and +would consequently arrive at the front first on the left; but meeting +the fire of the enemy, the First Battalion of the regiment apparently +became panic stricken and recoiled upon the rest of the regiment; the +regiment then lay down on the sides of the trail and in the bushes, +thoroughly demoralized. + +Wikoff's brigade was now coming up and it was directed upon the same +trail. This brigade consisted of the Ninth, Thirteenth and +Twenty-fourth. Colonel Wikoff was directed by General Kent to move his +brigade across the creek by the trail (the left fork) and when +reaching the opposite side, of the creek to put the brigade in line on +the left of the trail and begin the attack at once. In executing this +order the entire brigade stumbled through and over hundreds of men of +the Seventy-first New York Regiment. When a volunteer regiment broke +through the lines of the Ninth Cavalry from the rear, that regiment +was in its place on the field in line of battle, with its morale +perfect. It was under discipline and delivering its fire with +regularity. It had an absolute right to its place. The Seventy-first +was in no such attitude, and General Kent directed the advance through +it in these words: "Tell the brigade to pay no attention to this sort +of thing; it is highly irregular." The Ninth Cavalry's position was +exactly _regular_; the position of the Seventh-first was to the eyes +of General Kent "highly irregular." + +The three regiments of this brigade were to take their positions on +the left of the ford after crossing the stream, in the following +order: On the extreme left the Twenty-fourth, next to it in the centre +of the brigade, the Ninth, and on the right of the brigade the +Thirteenth. In approaching the ford the Ninth and Twenty-fourth became +mixed and crossed in the following order: First one battalion of the +Ninth; then a battalion of the Twenty-fourth; then the second +battalion of the Ninth, followed by the second battalion of the +Twenty-fourth. The line was formed under fire, and while +superintending its formation the brigade commander, Colonel Wikoff, +came under observation and was killed; Lieutenant-Colonel Worth, who +succeeded him, was seriously wounded within five minutes after having +taking command, and Lieutenant-Colonel Liscum, who next assumed charge +of the brigade, had hardly learned that he was in command before he, +too, was disabled by a Spanish shot By this time, however, the +formation was about complete and the brigade ready to begin the +advance. + +Leaving Wikoff's brigade in line ready to begin the advance we must +now return in our narrative to the main ford, where the major portions +of Hawkins' and Pearson's brigades are massed and follow the various +regiments as they come to their places in the battle line preparing +for the onslaught. After crossing the ford with the Sixth Infantry, +pursuant to the orders given by Lieutenant Miley in the name of +General Shafter, General Hawkins attempted to flank the enemy by a +movement to the left, the Sixth Infantry leading and the Sixteenth +intending to pass beyond it in its rear and join to its left. The +Sixth in passing to its intended position passed to the left of the +Sixth Cavalry, which held the left of the line of the cavalry +division, which had crossed the ford and deployed to the right, +reaching beyond the Spanish lines in that direction, or at least it +was able to reach the extreme right of the enemy. The Sixth Infantry +continued this line southward and it was to be farther extended by the +Sixteenth. Before this disposition could be effected the fire of the +enemy became so severe that an advance movement was started and the +Sixth lined up facing the fort on the hill, with only one company and +a half of the Sixteenth on its left. + +While Hawkins' and Wikoff's brigades were preparing for the advance +upon the enemy's works, Pearson's brigade was approaching the ford, +hurrying to the support. The Twenty-first Regiment of this brigade was +detached from the brigade and sent directly forward on the main trail +with orders to re-enforce the firing line. This regiment crossed the +San Juan River to the left of the main ford and rushed forward to +support Hawkins' left. In the meantime the two other regiments of the +brigade, the Second and Tenth, which had preceded the Twenty-first in +their march from El Poso, had been deflected to the left by order of +the division commander and were passing to the front over the trail +previously taken by Wikoff's brigade, crossing the San Juan at the +lower ford. The Tenth crossed in advance and formed in close order on +the opposite side of the stream, its line facing northwest. It was +soon after, however, put in battle formation and moved to the right +until it connected with the Twenty-first. The Second Regiment crossed +the ford in the rear of the Tenth, having been delayed considerably by +the Seventh-first New York Volunteers, who still blocked the way +between the forks and the lower ford. After crossing the ford the +Second put itself in line on the left of the Tenth, the whole brigade +being now in position to support the First and Third Brigades in their +charge. + +This movement of Colonel Pearson's brigade had not been made without +hardship and loss. All of the regiments came under the enemy's fire +before reaching the San Juan River and many men were killed or wounded +while the regiments were gaining their positions. The movement was so +well executed as to call forth from the division commander the +following enconium: "I observed this movement from the Fort San Juan +Hill. Colonel E.P. Pearson, Tenth Infantry, commanding the Second +Brigade, and the officers and troops under his command deserve great +credit for the soldierly manner in which this movement was executed." + +Although we left Wikoff's brigade standing in line on the left of the +lower ford, we must not imagine that it remained in that position +until the above movement on the part of the Second Brigade had been +accomplished. There was no standing still in the fierce fire to which +the men of that brigade were at that time subjected--a fire which had +already cut down in rapid succession three brigade commanders. The +formation was no sooner completed than the rapid advance began. The +Thirteenth Infantry holding the right of the brigade moved to the +right and front, while the Ninth and Twenty-fourth moved almost +directly to the front at first, thus partially gaining the flank of +the enemy's position. The whole line moved with great rapidity across +the open field and up the hill, so that when the Second and Tenth +Infantry came to their position as support, the heroic Third Brigade +was well up the heights. To the right of the Third Brigade the First +Brigade, containing the gallant Sixth, under Colonel Egbert, and the +Sixteenth, was advancing also, and the two brigades arrived at the +fort almost simultaneously; so that the division commander in speaking +of the capture says: "Credit is almost equally due the Sixth, Ninth, +Thirteenth, Sixteenth and Twenty-fourth Regiments of Infantry." To the +Third Brigade he gives the credit of turning the enemy's right. + +Let us now examine more closely that sweep of the Third Brigade from +the left of the lower ford to San Juan Hill, in order to trace more +distinctly the pathway of honor made for itself by the Twenty-fourth. +This regiment formed left front into line under fire and advanced over +the flat in good order, and then reformed under shelter of the hill +preparatory to the final charge upon the enemy's intrenchments. The +experience of the companies in crossing the flat is told by the +company commanders. One company under the orders of its captain formed +line of skirmishers and advanced in good order at rapid gait, reaching +the foot of the hill almost exhausted. This was about the experience +of all, but this company is mentioned because it was the first company +of the regiment to reach the top of the hill. In crossing the flat +there was necessarily some mixing of companies and in some instances +men were separated from their officers, but those who escaped the +enemy's bullets made their way across that plain of fire and were +ready to join in the charge up the hill where only brave men could go. + +There was but a moment's pause for breath at the foot of the hill and +the general charge all along the line began, the Sixth Infantry +probably taking the initiative, although the gallant Colonel Egbert, +of that regiment (since killed in the Philippines), makes no such +claim. In his farewell official report of the Sixth he thus describes +the final act: + + "We were now unexpectedly re-enforced. Lieutenant Parker, + made aware by the heavy fire from the hill that a conflict + was going on in his front, opened fire with his Gatlings + most effectively on the intrenchments, while from far down + on my left I heard cheering and shouts, and saw coming up + the slope towards us a multitude of skirmishers. As they + drew nearer we distinguished the tall figure of General + Hawkins, with his aide, Lieutenant Ord, Sixth Infantry, + charging at the head of the skirmishers and waving their + hats. When the charge came up nearly abreast of where the + Sixth stood in the road I ordered the companies out through + the gaps in the wire fence to join it, and they complied + with the same alacrity and enthusiasm that they had + displayed in entering this bloody field. The Gatlings + redoubled their fierce grinding of bullets on the Spanish, + despite which there still came a savage fire from the + blockhouse and trenches. Here the gallant Captain Wetherell, + Sixth Infantry, fell, shot through the forehead, at the head + of his company, and I received a Mauser bullet through the + left lung, which disabled me. But the blood of the troops + was now up, and no loss of officers or men could stop them. + They charged up the incline until, coming to a steep ridge + near the top, they were brought to a stand by the hail of + bullets from the Gatlings against the summit. As soon as + this could be stopped by a signal, the mingled troops of the + Sixth, Sixteenth, Thirteenth and Twenty-fourth swept up and + over the hill and it was won." + +From testimony gathered on the evening of the fight it was concluded +that there were more men of the Twenty-fourth Infantry on the ridge in +this first occupation than of any other regiment, but all of the +regiments of the division had done admirably and the brave blacks of +the Twenty-fourth won on that day a standing in arms with the bravest +of the brave. + +The Spaniards although driven from their first line, by no means gave +up the fight; but retreating to a line of intrenchments about eight +hundred yards in the rear they opened upon the new-comers a fire +almost as hot as before, and the troops found it difficult to hold +what they had gained. The supporting regiments were coming up and +strengthening the line, the men meanwhile entrenching themselves under +fire as rapidly as possible. The Thirteenth Infantry was immediately +ordered off to the right to assist the cavalry division, especially +the Rough Riders, who were said to be in danger of having their flank +turned. Here it remained under fire all night. + +The advance and charge of the Twenty-fourth made up only a part of the +advance and charge of the Third Brigade; and this in turn was part of +the attack and assault made by the whole infantry division; a movement +also participated in at the same hour by the cavalry division; so that +regarded as a whole, it was a mighty blow delivered on the enemy's +right and centre by two-thirds of the American Army, and its effect +was stunning, although its full weight had not been realized by the +foe. The part sustained in the assault by each regiment may be +estimated by the losses experienced by each in killed and wounded. +Judged by this standard the brunt fell upon the Sixth, Sixteenth, +Thirteenth, and Twenty-fourth, all of which regiments lost heavily, +considering the short time of the action. + +The movement by which the Twenty-fourth reached its position on that +memorable 1st of July has called forth especial mention by the +regimental commander and by the acting Assistant Adjutant-General of +the brigade; it was also noted immediately after the battle by all the +newspaper writers as one of the striking occurrences of the day. The +regiment on coming under fire marched about one mile by the left +flank, and then formed left front into line on its leading company, +Company G, commanded by Captain Brereton. The first man of the +regiment to take position in the line was the First Sergeant of G +Company, R.G. Woods. This company when reaching its position formed on +left into line, under a severe fire in front and a fire in the rear; +the other companies forming in the same manner, with more or less +regularity, to its left. As soon as the line was formed the order was +given to charge. The advance was made across an open meadow, during +which several officers were wounded, among them the officers of +Company F, the command of that company devolving upon its First +Sergeant, William Rainey, who conducted the company successfully to +the crest of the hill. + +The description of the movement of Company D as given by Lieutenant +Kerwin, who was placed in command of that company after its officers +had been shot, is a very interesting document. Lieutenant Kerwin +claims to have made his report from "close inquiries and from personal +observation." According to this report the company was led across the +San Juan Creek by its Captain (Ducat), the Second Lieutenant of the +company (Gurney) following it, and keeping the men well closed up. +While crossing, the company encountered a terrific fire, and after +advancing about ten yards beyond the stream went through a wire fence +to the right, and advanced to an embankment about twenty yards from +the right bank of the stream. Here Captain Ducat gave the order to +advance to the attack and the whole company opened out in good order +in line of skirmishers and moved rapidly across the open plain to the +foot of San Juan Hill. In making this movement across the plain the +line was under fire and the brave Lieutenant Gurney was killed, and +First Sergeant Ellis, Corporal Keys and Privates Robinson and Johnson +wounded. It was a race with death, but the company arrived at the base +of the hill in good form, though well-nigh exhausted. After breathing +a moment the men were ready to follow their intrepid commander, +Captain Ducat, up the hill, and at twelve o'clock they gained the +summit, being the first company of the regiment to reach the top of +the hill. Just as they reached the crest the brave Ducat fell, shot +through the hip, probably by a Spanish sharpshooter, thus depriving +the company of its last commissioned officer, and leaving its first +sergeant also disabled. + +The commander of the regiment speaks of its doings in a very modest +manner, but in a tone to give the reader confidence in what he says. +He became temporarily separated from the regiment, but made his way to +the crest of the hill in company with the Adjutant and there found a +part of his command. He says a creditable number of the men of his +regiment reached the top of the hill among the first to arrive there. +The commander of the Second Battalion, Captain Wygant, crossed the +meadow, or flat, some distance ahead of the battalion, but as the men +subsequently charged up the hill, he was unable to keep up with them, +so rapid was their gait It was from this battalion that Captain +Ducat's company broke away and charged on the right of the battalion, +arriving, as has been said, first on the top of the hill. As the +regiment arrived Captain Wygant, finding himself the ranking officer +on the ground, assembled it and assigned each company its place. +Captain Dodge, who commanded Company C in this assault, and who +subsequently died in the yellow fever hospital at Siboney, mentions +the fact that Captain Wygant led the advance in person, and says that +in the charge across the open field the three companies, C, B and H, +became so intermixed that it was impossible for the company commanders +to distinguish their own men from those of the other companies, yet he +says he had the names of twenty men of his own company who reached the +trenches at Fort San Juan in that perilous rush on that fiery mid-day. +The testimony of all the officers of the regiment is to the effect +that the men behaved splendidly, and eight of them have been given +Certificates of Merit for gallantry in the action of July 1. + +The losses of the regiment in that advance were numerous, the killed, +wounded and missing amounted to 96, which number was swelled to 104 +during the next two days. So many men falling in so short a time while +advancing in open order tells how severe was the fire they were facing +and serves to modify the opinion which was so often expressed about +the time the war broke out, to the effect that the Spanish soldiers +were wanting both in skill and bravery. They contradicted this both at +El Caney and at San Juan. In the latter conflict they held their +ground until the last moment and inflicted a loss upon their +assailants equal to the number engaged in the defence of the heights. +Since July 1, 1898, expatiation on the cowardice and lack of skill of +the Spanish soldier has ceased to be a profitable literary occupation. +Too many journalists and correspondents were permitted to witness the +work of Spanish sharpshooters, and to see their obstinate resistance +to the advance of our troops, to allow comments upon the inefficiency +of the Spanish Army to pass unnoticed. Our army from the beginning was +well impressed with the character of the foe and nerved itself +accordingly. The bravery of our own soldiers was fully recognized by +the men who surrendered to our army and who were capable of +appreciating it, because they themselves were not wanting in the same +qualities. + + [Transcriber's Note: This footnote appeared in the text + without a footnote anchor: + + "The intrenchments of San Juan were defended by two + companies of Spanish infantry, numbering about two hundred + and fifty to three hundred men. At about 11 o'clock in the + morning reinforcements were sent to them, bringing the + number up to about seven hundred and fifty men. There were + two pieces of mountain artillery on these hills, the rest of + the artillery fire against our troops on that day being from + batteries close to the city."--In Cuba with Shafter (Miley), + page 117.] + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +THE SURRENDER, AND AFTERWARDS. + + In the Trenches--The Twenty-fourth in the Fever Camp--Are + Negro Soldiers Immune?--Camp Wikoff. + + +After the battle of El Caney the Twenty-fifth Infantry started for the +mango grove, where the blanket rolls and haversacks had been left in +the morning, and on its way passed the Second Massachusetts Volunteers +standing by the roadside. This regiment had seen the charge of the +Twenty-fifth up the hillside, and they now manifested their +appreciation of the gallantry of the black regulars in an ovation of +applause and cheers. This was the foundation for Sergeant Harris' +reply when on another occasion seeing the manifest kind feelings of +this regiment to the Twenty-fifth, I remarked: "Those men think you +are soldiers." "They know we are soldiers," replied the sergeant. The +regiment bivouacked in the main road leading from El Caney to +Santiago, but sleep was out of the question. What with the passing of +packtrains and artillery, and the issuing of rations and ammunition, +the first half of the night gave no time for rest; and shortly after +12 o'clock, apprehensions of a Spanish attack put every one on the +alert. At 3.30 the march to the rear was commenced and the entire +division passed around by El Poso and advanced to the front by the +Aguadores road, finally reaching a position on Wheeler's right about +noon, July 2. + +Subsequently the line of investment was extended to the right, the +Cuban forces under General Garcia holding the extreme right +connecting with the water front on that side of the city. Next to them +came Ludlow's McKibben's and Chaffee's forces. In McKibben's brigade +was the Twenty-fifth, which dug its last trench on Cuban soil on July +14th, on the railroad running out from Santiago to the northwest. This +intrenchment was the nearest to the city made by any American +organization, and in this the regiment remained until the surrender. + +The Twenty-fourth remained entrenched over to the left, in General +Kent's division, lying to the right of the 21st. This regiment (24th) +had won great credit in its advance upon the enemy, but it was to win +still greater in the field of humanity. Capt. Leavel, who commanded +Company A, said: "It would be hard to particularize in reporting upon +the men of the company. All--non-commissioned officers, privates, even +newly joined recruits--showed a desire to do their duty, yea, more +than their duty, which would have done credit to seasoned veterans. +Too much cannot be said of their courage, willingness and endurance." +Captain Wygant, who commanded the Second Battalion of the regiment, +says: "The gallantry and bearing shown by the officers and soldiers of +the regiment under this trying ordeal was such that it has every +reason to be proud of its record. The losses of the regiment, which +are shown by the official records, show the fire they were subjected +to. The casualties were greater among the officers than the men, which +is accounted for by the fact that the enemy had posted in the trees +sharpshooters, whose principal business was to pick them off." There +is no countenance given in official literature to the absurd notion +maintained by some, that it was necessary for the officers of black +troops to expose themselves unusually in order to lead their troops, +and that this fact accounts for excessive losses among them. The fact +is that the regular officer's code is such that he is compelled to +occupy the place in battle assigned him in the tactics, and no matter +how great his cowardice of heart may be, he must go forward until +ordered to halt. The penalty of cowardice is something to be dreaded +above wounds or even death by some natures. "Colored troops are brave +men when led by white officers."(?) As a matter of fact there is very +little leading of any sort by officers in battle. The officer's place +is in the rear of the firing line, directing, not leading, and it is +his right and duty to save his own life if possible, and that of every +man in his command, even while seeking to destroy the enemy, in +obedience to orders. The record of the Twenty-fourth for bravery was +established beyond question when it swept across that open flat and up +San Juan Hill on that hot mid-day of July 1st, 1898. + +After lying in the trenches until July 15th, the news reached the camp +of the Twenty-fourth that yellow fever had broken out in the army, and +that a large hospital and pest-house had been established at Siboney. +About 4 o'clock that day an order came to the commanding officer of +the regiment directing him to proceed with his regiment to Siboney and +report to the medical officer there. The regiment started on its march +at 5.30, numbering at that time 8 companies, containing 15 officers +and 456 men. Marching on in the night, going through thickets and +across streams, the men were heard singing a fine old hymn: + + When through the deep waters I call thee to go, + The rivers of woe shall not thee o'erflow; + For I will be with thee, thy troubles to bless, + And sanctify to thee they deepest distress. + +In view of what was before them, the words were very appropriate. They +arrived on the hill at Siboney at 3.30 on the morning of July 16th. + +Without discussing the graphic story told by correspondents of the +highest respectability describing the regiment as volunteering, to a +man, to nurse the sick and dying at Siboney, we will rather follow the +official records of their doings in that fever-stricken place. On +arriving at Siboney on the morning of July 16, Sunday, Major Markely, +then in command of the regiment, met Colonel Greenleaf of the Medical +Department, and informed him that the Twenty-fourth Infantry was on +the ground. Colonel Greenleaf was just leaving the post, but Major La +Garde, his successor, manifested his great pleasure in seeing this +form of assistance arrive. Such a scene of misery presented itself to +Major Markely's eyes that he, soldier as he was, was greatly affected, +and assured Major La Garde that he was prepared personally to sink +every other consideration and devote himself to giving what assistance +he could in caring for the sick, and that he believed his whole +regiment would feel as he did when they came to see the situation. In +this he was not mistaken. The officers and men of the Twenty-fourth +Infantry did give themselves up to the care of the sick and dying, +furnishing all help in their power until their own health and strength +gave way, in some instances laying down even their lives in this noble +work. + +On the day of arrival seventy men were called for to nurse yellow +fever patients and do other work about the hospital. More than this +number immediately volunteered to enter upon a service which they +could well believe meant death to some of them. The camp was so +crowded and filthy that the work of cleaning it was begun at once by +the men of the Twenty-fourth, and day by day they labored as their +strength would permit, in policing the camp, cooking the food for +themselves and for the hospital, unloading supplies, taking down and +removing tents, and numberless other details of necessary labor. +Despite all the care that could be taken under such conditions as were +found at Siboney, the yellow fever soon overran the entire camp, and +of the 16 officers of the regiment, 1 had died, 2 more were expected +to die; 3 were dangerously ill, and 5 more or less so. Out of the +whole sixteen there were but three really fit for duty, and often out +of the whole regiment it would be impossible to get 12 men who could +go on fatigue duty. Out of the 456 men who marched to Siboney only 24 +escaped sickness, and on one day 241 were down. Those who would +recover remained weak and unfit for labor. Silently, without +murmuring, did these noble heroes, officers and men, stand at their +post ministering to the necessities of their fellowman until the +welcome news came that the regiment would be sent north and the +hospital closed as soon as possible. On August 8 Major La Garde, more +entitled to the honor of being classed among the heroes of Santiago +than some whose opportunities of brilliant display were vastly +superior, succumbed to the disease. The fact should be borne in mind +that all of these men, officers, soldiers and surgeons, went upon this +pest-house duty after the severe labors of assault of July 1-2, and +the two weeks of terrible strain and exposure in the trenches before +Santiago, and with the sick and wounded consequent upon these battles +and labors--none were strong. + +On July 16th, the day after the Twenty-fourth left the trenches, the +surrender was made and on the next morning the final ceremonies of +turning over Santiago to the American forces took place, and the +soldiers were allowed to come out of their ditches and enter into +more comfortable camps. The hardships of the period after the +surrender were not much less than those experienced while in the +lines. + +On the 26th of August the Twenty-fourth Infantry, having obtained an +honorable release from its perilous duty, marched out of Siboney with +band playing and colors flying to go on board the transport for +Montauk; but of the 456 men who marched into Siboney, only 198 were +able to march out, directed by 9 out of the 15 officers that marched +in with them. Altogether there were 11 officers and 289 men who went +on board the transport, but all except the number first given were +unable to take their places in the ranks. They went on board the +steamer Nueces, and coming from an infected camp, no doubt great care +was taken that the transport should arrive at its destination in a +good condition. Although there was sickness on board, there were no +deaths on the passage, and the Nueces arrived in port "one of the +cleanest ships that came to that place." The official report states +that the Nueces arrived at Montauk Point September 2, with 385 troops +on board; 28 sick, no deaths on the voyage, and not infected. Worn out +by the hard service the regiment remained a short time at Montauk and +then returned to its former station, Fort Douglass, Utah, leaving its +camp at Montauk in such a thoroughly creditable condition as to elicit +official remark. + +While the Twenty-fourth Infantry had without doubt the hardest +service, after the surrender, of any of the colored regiments, the +others were not slumbering at ease. Lying in the trenches almost +constantly for two weeks, drenched with rains, scorched by the burning +sun at times, and chilled by cool nights, subsisting on food not of +the best and poorly cooked, cut off from news and kept in suspense, +when the surrender finally came it found our army generally very +greatly reduced in vital force. During the period following, from July +16th to about the same date in August the re-action fell with all its +weight upon the troops, rendering them an easy prey to the climatic +influences by which they were surrounded.[20] Pernicious malarial +fever, bowel troubles and yellow fever were appearing in all the +regiments; and the colored troops appeared as susceptible as their +white comrades. The theory had been advanced that they were less +susceptible to malarial fever, and in a certain sense this appears to +be true; but the experience of our army in Cuba, as well as army +statistics published before the Cuban War, do not bear out the popular +view of the theory. The best that can be said from the experience of +Cuba is to the effect that the blacks may be less liable to yellow +fever and may more quickly rally from the effects of malarial fever. +These conclusions are, however, by no means well established. The +Twenty-fourth suffered excessively from fevers of both kinds, and in +the judgment of the commanding officer of the regiment "effectually +showed that colored soldiers were not more immune from Cuban fever +than white," but we must remember that the service of the +Twenty-fourth was exceptional. The Twenty-fifth Infantry lost but one +man during the whole campaign from climatic disease, John A. Lewis, +and it is believed that could he have received proper medical care his +life would have been saved. Yet this regiment suffered severely from +fever as did also the Ninth and Tenth Cavalry. + +Arriving at Montauk[21] early the author had the opportunity to see +the whole of the Fifth Army Corps disembark on its return from Cuba, +and was so impressed with its forlorn appearance that he then wrote of +it as coming home on stretchers. Pale, emaciated, weak and halting, +they came, with 3,252 sick, and reporting 87 deaths on the voyage. +But, as General Wheeler said in his report, "the great bulk of the +troops that were at Santiago were by no means well." Never before had +the people seen an army of stalwart men so suddenly transformed into +an army of invalids. And yet while all the regiments arriving showed +the effects of the hardships they had endured, the black regulars, +excepting the Twenty-fourth Infantry, appeared to have slightly the +advantage. The arrival of the Tenth Cavalry in "good condition" was an +early cheering item in the stream of suffering and debility landing +from the transports. Seeing all of the troops land and remaining at +Camp Wikoff until its days were nearly numbered, the writer feels sure +that the colored troops arrived from the front in as good condition as +the best, and that they recuperated with marked comparative rapidity. + +The chaplain of the Twenty-fifth Infantry, while en route to join his +regiment at Montauk, thinking seriously over the condition of the men +returning from such a hard experience, concluded that nothing would be +more grateful to them than a reasonable supply of ripe fruit, fresh +from the orchards and fields. He therefore sent a dispatch to the +Daily Evening News, published in Bridgeton, N.J., asking the citizens +of that community to contribute a carload of melons and fruits for the +men of the Twenty-fifth, or for the whole camp, if they so wished. +Subsequently mentioning the fact to the commanding officer of the +regiment, Lieutenant-Colonel Daggett, he heartily commended the idea, +believing that the fruit would be very beneficial. The good people of +Bridgeton took hold of the matter heartily, and in a short time +forwarded to the regiment more than four hundred of Jersey's finest +watermelons, fresh from the vines. These were distributed judiciously +and the health of the men began to improve forthwith. Soon five +hundred more arrived, sent by a patriotic citizen of Philadelphia. +These were also distributed. Ladies of Brooklyn forwarded peaches and +vegetables, and supplies of all sorts now were coming in abundance. +Our men improved so rapidly as to be the occasion of remark by +correspondents of the press. They were spoken of as being apparently +in good condition. While engaged in the work of supplying their +physical wants the chaplain was taken to task by a correspondent of +Leslie's for being too much concerned in getting a carload of +watermelons for his regiment, to go over to a graveyard and pray over +the dead. The next day the chaplain made haste to go over to that +particular graveyard to relieve the country from the crying shame that +the correspondent had pointed out, only to find two men already there +armed with prayer-books and one of them especially so fearful that he +would not get a chance to read a prayer over a dead soldier, that the +chaplain found it necessary to assure him that the opportunity to pray +should not be taken from him; and thus another popular horror was +found to be without reality. + +The colored ladies of Brooklyn organized a Soldiers' Aid Society, and +besides contributing in a general way, as already mentioned, also made +and presented to the soldiers about four hundred home-made pies, which +were most highly appreciated. They also prepared a tasty souvenir +commemorative of the heroic work performed by the troops in Cuba, and +expressive of high appreciation of the gallantry of the colored +regiments. A beautiful stand of colors was also procured for the +Twenty-fourth Infantry, which were subsequently presented to the +regiment with appropriate ceremonies. + +At the camp were three colored chaplains and one colored surgeon, +serving with the Regular Army, and their presence was of great value +in the way of accustoming the people at large to beholding colored men +as commissioned officers. To none were more attention shown than to +these colored men, and there was apparently no desire to infringe upon +their rights. Occasionally a very petty social movement might be made +by an insignificant, with a view of humiliating a Negro chaplain, but +such efforts usually died without harm to those aimed at and +apparently without special comfort to those who engineered them. + +The following paragraphs, written while in camp at the time indicated +in them, may serve a good purpose by their insertion here, showing as +they do the reflections of the writer as well as in outlining the more +important facts associated with that remarkable encampment: + + * * * * * + +CAMP WIKOFF AND ITS LESSONS. + +Now that the days of this camp are drawing to a close it is profitable +to recall its unique history and gather up some of the lessons it has +taught us. Despite all the sensationalism, investigations, testings, +experimentation, and general condemnation, the camp at Montauk +accomplished what was intended, and was itself a humane and patriotic +establishment. It is not for me to say whether a better site might not +have been selected, or whether the camp might not have been better +managed. I will take it for granted that improvement might have been +made in both respects, but our concern is rather with what was, than +with what "might have been." + +To appreciate Camp Wikoff we must consider two things specially; +first, its purpose, and secondly, the short time allowed to prepare +it; and then go over the whole subject and properly estimate its +extent and the amount of labor involved. + +The intention of the camp was to afford a place where our troops, +returning from Cuba, prostrated with climatic fever, and probably +infected with yellow fever, might receive proper medical treatment and +care, until the diseases were subdued. The site was selected with this +in view, and the conditions were admirably suited to such a purpose. +Completely isolated, on dry soil, with dry pure air, cool climate, +away from mosquitoes, the camp seemed all that was desired for a great +field hospital. + +Here the sick could come and receive the best that nature had to +bestow in the way of respite from the heat, and pure ocean breezes, +and, taken altogether, the experiences of August and a good part of +September, have justified the selection of Montauk. While prostrations +were occurring elsewhere, the camp was cool and delightful most of the +time. + +As to the preparations, it must be remembered that the recall of the +whole Army of Invasion from Cuba was made in response to a popular +demand, and as a measure of humanity. Bring the army home! was the +call, and, Bring it at once! + +[Illustration] + +Such urgency naturally leaps ahead of minor preparations. The soldiers +wanted to come; the people wanted them to come; hence the crowding of +transports and the lack of comforts on the voyages; hence the lack of +hospital accommodations when the troops began to arrive. Haste almost +always brings about such things; but sometimes haste is imperative. +This was the case in getting the army out of Cuba and into Camp at +Montauk in August, '98. Haste was pushed to that point when omissions +had to occur, and inconvenience and suffering resulted. + +We must also remember the condition of the men who came to Montauk. +About 4,000 were reported as sick before they left Cuba; but, roughly +speaking, there were 10,000 sick men landing in Montauk. Those who +were classed as well were, with rare exceptions, both mentally and +physically incapable of high effort. It was an invalid army, with +nearly one-half of its number seriously sick and suffering. + +Ten thousand sick soldiers were never on our hands before, and the +mighty problem was not realized until the transports began to emit +their streams of weakness and walking death at Montauk. The +preparation was altogether inadequate for such a mass of misery, and +for a time all appeared confusion. + +Then came severe, cruel, merciless criticisms; deserved in some cases +no doubt, but certainly not everywhere. The faults, gaps, failures, +were everywhere to be seen, and it was easy to see and to say what +ought to have been done. But the situation at Camp Wikoff from August +15th to Sep. 15th needed more than censure; it needed help. The men +who were working for the Government in both the medical and commissary +departments needed assistance; the former in the way of nurses, and +the latter in the way of appropriate food. The censure and exposure +indulged in by the press may have contributed to direct the attention +of the benevolently disposed to the conditions in the camp. + +Then came the era of ample help; from Massachusetts; from New York, in +a word, from all over the country. The Merchants' Relief Association +poured in its thousands of dollars worth of supplies, bringing them to +the camp and distributing them generously and wisely. The Women's +Patriotic Relief, the Women's War Relief, the International +Brotherhood League, and the powerful Red Cross Society, all poured in +food and comforts for the sick thousands. Besides these great +organizations there were also the spontaneous offerings of the people, +many of them generously distributed by the Brooklyn Daily Eagle's +active representatives. The tent of that journal was an excellent +way-mark and a veritable house of the good shepherd for many a lost +wanderer, as well as a place of comfort, cheer and rest. The work done +was very valuable and highly appreciated. + +To the medical department came the trained hand of the female nurse. +No one who saw these calm-faced, white-hooded sisters, or the cheery +cheeked, white capped nurses from the schools, could fail to see that +they were in the right place. The sick soldier's lot was brightened +greatly when the gentle female nurse came to his cot. Woman can never +be robbed of her right to nurse. This is one of the lessons taught by +the Hispano-American War. + +This vast army has been handled. No yellow fever has been spread. The +general health has been restored. The disabled are mostly housed in +hospitals, and many of them are on the road to recovery. Some have +died; some are on furlough, and many have gone to their homes. + +The regulars are repairing to their stations quite invigorated, and +greatly helped in many ways by the kind treatment they have received. +Camp Wikoff was not a failure; but a great and successful object +lesson, as well as a great summer school in nationalism. Here black, +white and Indian soldiers fraternized; here Northerners and +Southerners served under the same orders. Ten thousand soldiers and as +many civilians daily attended the best school of its kind ever held in +this country, striving to take home to their hearts the lessons that +God is teaching the nations. + +The Rev. Sylvester Malone thus sums up the message of the war to us in +his letter to the committee to welcome Brooklyn's soldiers: + + "This short war has done so much for America at home and + abroad that we must take every soldier to our warmest + affection and send him back to peaceful pursuits on the + conviction that there is nothing higher in our American life + than to have the privilege to cheer and gladden the marine + and the soldier that have left to America her brightest and + best page of a great history. This past war must kindle in + our souls a love of all the brethren, black as well as + white, Catholic as well as Protestant, having but one + language, one nationality, and it is to be hoped, yet one + religion." + +These are true words, as full of patriotism as they are of fraternity, +and these are the two special lessons taught at Montauk--a broad, +earnest, practical fraternity, and a love of country before which the +petty prejudices of race and section were compelled to yield ground. + + +THE YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION IN CAMP WIKOFF. + +The Young Men's Christian Association has done an excellent work in +Camp Wikoff. Their tents have afforded facilities for profitable +amusements, in the way of quiet games, thus bringing out the use of +these games distinct from their abuse--gambling. + +Their reading tables have also been well supplied with papers and +magazines, religious and secular, generally very acceptable to the +soldiers, as attested by the numbers that read them. But perhaps best +of all, has been the provision made for the soldiers to write. Tables, +pens, ink, paper and envelopes have been supplied in abundance. These +were of great advantage to soldiers living in tents, and the work of +the Association in this respect cannot be too highly commended. + +The specially religious work of the Association as I have seen it, +consists of three divisions: First, the meetings in their tents, held +nightly and on Sundays. These have been vigorously carried on and well +attended, the chaplains of the camp often rendering assistance. +Secondly, I have noticed the Y.M.C.A. men visiting the sick in the +hospitals and camps, giving the word of exhortation and help to the +sick. Perhaps, however, in their work of private conversation with the +well men, they have done as much real service for God as in either of +the other two fields. They have made the acquaintance of many men and +have won the respect of the camp. This I have numbered as the third +division of their work--personal contact with the soldiers of the +camp, at the same time keeping themselves "unspotted from the world." + +B. + + The 24th Infantry was ordered down to Siboney to do guard + duty. When the regiment reached the yellow-fever hospital it + was found to be in a deplorable condition. Men were dying + there every hour for the lack of proper nursing. Major + Markley, who had commanded the regiment since July 1st, when + Colonel Liscum was wounded, drew his regiment up in line, + and Dr. La Garde, in charge of the hospital, explained the + needs of the suffering, at the same time clearly setting + forth the danger to men who were not immune, of nursing and + attending yellow-fever patients. Major Markley then said + that any man who wished to volunteer to nurse in the + yellow-fever hospital could step forward. The whole regiment + stepped forward. Sixty men were selected from the volunteers + to nurse, and within forty-eight hours forty-two of these + brave fellows were down seriously ill with yellow or + pernicious malarial fever. Again the regiment was drawn up + in line, and again Major Markley said that nurses were + needed, and that any man who wished to do so could + volunteer. After the object lesson which the men had + received in the last few days of the danger from contagion + to which they would be exposed, it was now unnecessary for + Dr. La Garde to again warn the brave blacks of the terrible + contagion. When the request for volunteers to replace those + who had already fallen in the performance of their dangerous + and perfectly optional duty was made again, the regiment + stepped forward as one man. When sent down from the trenches + the regiment consisted of eight companies, averaging about + forty men each. Of the officers and men who remained on duty + the forty days spent in Siboney, only twenty-four escaped + without serious illness, and of this handful not a few + succumbed to fevers on the voyage home and after their + arrival at Montauk. + + As a result, thirty-six died and about forty were discharged + from the regiment owing to disabilities resulting from + sickness which began in the yellow-fever hospital.--Bonsal's + Fight for Santiago. + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[20] "After the surrender, dear Chaplain, the real trouble and +difficulties began. Such a period, from July 14, 1898 to August 14, +1898, was never before known to human beings, I hope. The starving +time was nothing to the fever time, where scores died per day. We were +not permitted to starve; but had fever, and had it bad; semi-decayed +beef, both from refrigerators and from cans. We had plenty of fever, +but no clothing until very late; no medicine save a little quinine +which was forced into you all the time, intermittent only with bad +meat."--Extract from a soldier's letter. + +[21] While the Twenty-fifth Infantry was in camp at Chickamauga Park I +was ordered to Xenia, Ohio, on recruiting duty, and on July 5. on +seeing the reports of the wounded I asked officially to be ordered to +my regiment. An order to that effect came about a month later, +directing me to join my regiment by way of Tampa, Florida. Arriving in +Tampa, my destination was changed by telegraph to Montauk Point, N.Y., +whither I arrived a few days before the regiment did. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +REVIEW AND REFLECTIONS. + + Gallantry of the Black Regulars--Diary of Sergeant-Major + E.L. Baker, Tenth Cavalry. + + +It is time now to sum up the work of the four regiments whose careers +we have thus far followed, and to examine the grounds upon which the +golden opinions they won in battle and siege are based. We have seen +that in the first fight, that of Las Guasimas, on June 24th, the Tenth +Cavalry, especially Troops I and B, both with their small arms and +with the machine guns belonging to Troop B, did most effective work +against the Spanish right, joining with the First Cavalry in +overcoming that force which was rapidly destroying Roosevelt's Rough +Riders. Nor should it be forgotten that in this first fight, Troop B, +which did its full share, was commanded on the firing line by +Sergeants John Buck and James Thompson. In the squad commanded by +Sergeant Thompson several men of the First Regular Cavalry fought and +it is claimed were highly pleased with him as squad commander. + +While this was the first fight of the men of the Tenth Cavalry with +the Spaniards, it was by no means their first experience under fire. +From the time of the organization of the regiment in 1866 up to within +a year of the war, the men had been engaged frequently in conflicts +with Indians and marauders, often having men killed and wounded in +their ranks. The fights were participated in by small numbers, and the +casualties were not numerous, but there were opportunities for the +acquirement of skill and the display of gallantry. Altogether the men +of the regiment during their experience on the plains engaged in +sixty-two battles and skirmishes. This training had transformed the +older men of the regiment into veterans and enabled them to be cool +and efficient in their first fight in Cuba. + +Sergeant Buck, upon whom the command of Troop B chiefly fell after +becoming separated from his Lieutenant in the battle at Guasimas, +joined the regiment in 1880, and had already passed through eighteen +years of the kind of service above described. He was at the time of +the Cuban War in the prime of life, a magnificent horseman, an +experienced scout, and a skilled packer. In 1880, when he joined the +regiment, the troops were almost constantly in motion, marching that +one year nearly seventy-seven thousand miles, his own troop covering +twelve hundred and forty-two miles in one month. This troop with four +others made a ride of sixty-five miles in less than twenty-one hours, +arriving at their destination without the loss of a single horse. In +1893 he was mentioned by the commanding officer of Fort Missoula, +Montana, for highly meritorious service, skill and energy displayed +while in charge of pack train of an expedition across the Bitter Root +Mountains, Idaho, during the most inclement weather, in quest of a +party of gentlemen lost. (Letter of commanding officer, Fort Missoula, +Montana, February 12, 1894.) Sergeant Buck has also won the silver +medal for revolver shooting. + +Sergeant James Thompson joined the regiment in 1888, and has passed +the ten years in the one troop, and proved himself at Las Guasimas a +soldier worthy his regiment. + +The first battle gave the Tenth a reputation in a new field, +corresponding to that which it had gained in the West, and this was +not allowed to fade during its stay in Cuba. The fame of this first +action spread rapidly through the army and inspired the other +regiments of colored men with a desire to distinguish themselves on +this new field of honor, and their readiness to be to the front and to +take prominent part in all service was so marked that opportunity +could not be withheld from them. As the army advanced toward Santiago +these regiments became more and more the mark of observation by +foreign military men who were present, and by the great throng of +correspondents who were the eyes for the people of the civilized +world. And hence, when the lines of assault were finally determined +and the infantry and cavalry of our army deployed for its perilous +attack upon the Spanish fortifications the black regiments were in +their places, conspicuous by their vigor and enthusiasm. In them were +enlisted men whose time of service had expired a few days before, but +who had promptly re-enlisted. In at least two cases were men who +served their full thirty years and could have retired with honor at +the breaking out of the war. They preferred to share the fortunes of +their comrades in arms, and it is a comfort to be able to record that +the two spoken of came home from the fight without a wound and with +health unimpaired. How many others there were in the same case in the +army is not reported, but the supposition is that there were several +such in both the white and colored regiments. + +Recalling the scenes of that memorable first of July, 1898, we can see +the Twenty-fifth Infantry advancing steadily on the stone fort at El +Caney at one time entirely alone, meeting the fire of the fort even up +to their last rush forward. Captain Loughborough, who commanded +Company B, of that regiment, and although his company was in the +reserve, was nevertheless under fire, says: "The hardest fighting of +the Twenty-fifth was between two and four o'clock," at which time all +the other troops of the attacking force, except Bates' brigade, were +under cover and remaining stationary, the Twenty-fifth being the only +organization that was advancing. The official reports give the +positions of General Chaffee's brigade during the two hours between +two o'clock and four of that afternoon as follows: + +The Seventh was under partial cover and remained in its position +"until about 4.30 p.m." The Seventeenth remained with its left joined +to the right of the Seventh "until the battle was over." The Twelfth +Infantry was in its shelter within 350 yards of the fort "until about +4 p.m." Ludlow's brigade was engaged with the town, hence only Miles' +brigade, consisting of the Fourth and Twenty-fifth Infantry, was +advancing upon the fort. The Fourth Infantry was soon checked in its +advance, as General Daggett especially notes in his report, and the +Twenty-fifth was thus thrust forward alone, excepting Bates' brigade, +which was making its way up the right. + +This conspicuous advance of the Twenty-fifth brought that regiment +into the view of the world, and established for it a brilliant +reputation for skill and courage. Arriving in the very jaws of the +fort the sharpshooters and marksmen of that regiment poured such a +deadly fire into the loopholes of the fort that they actually silenced +it with their rifles. These men with the sternness of iron and the +skill acquired by long and careful training, impressed their +characteristics on the minds of all their beholders. Of the four +hundred men who went on the field that morning very few were recruits, +and many had passed over ten years in the service. When they "took the +battle formation and advanced to the stone fort more like veterans +than troops who had never been under fire," as their commander +reports, they gave to the world a striking exhibition of the effect of +military training. In each breast a spirit of bravery had been +developed and their skill in the use of their arms did not for a +moment forsake them. They advanced against volleys from the fort and +rifle pits in front, and a galling fire from blockhouses, the church +tower and the village on their left. Before a less severe fire than +this, on that very day, a regiment of white volunteers had succumbed +and was lying utterly demoralized by the roadside; before this same +fire the Second Massachusetts Volunteers were forced to retire--in the +face of it the Twenty-fifth advanced steadily to its goal. + +Lieutenant Moss, who commanded Company H on the firing line on that +day, has published an account in which he says: "The town was +protected on the north by three blockhouses and the church; on the +west by three blockhouses (and partially by the church); on the east +by the stone fort, one blockhouse, the church, and three rifle pits; +on the south and southeast by the stone fort, three blockhouses, one +loop-holed house, the church and eight rifle pits. However, the Second +Brigade was sent forward against the southeast of the town, thus being +exposed to fire from fourteen sources, nearly all of which were in +different planes, forming so many tiers of fire. The cover on the +south and southeast of the town was no better than, if as good, as +that on the other sides." + +The cavalry regiments were no less conspicuous in their gallantry at +San Juan than was the Twenty-fifth Infantry at El Caney. The +brilliancy of that remarkable regiment, the Rough Riders, commanded on +July 1st by Colonel Roosevelt, was so dazzling that it drew attention +away from the ordinary regulars, yet the five regiments of regular +cavalry did their duty as thoroughly on that day as did the regiment +of volunteers.[22] In this body of cavalry troops, where courage was +elevated to a degree infringing upon the romantic, the two black +regiments took their places, and were fit to be associated in valor +with that highly representative regiment. The Inspector-General turns +aside from mere routine in his report long enough to say "the courage +and conduct of the colored troops and First United States Volunteers +seemed always up to the best." That these black troopers held no +second place in valor is proven by their deeds, and from the testimony +of all who observed their conduct, and that they with the other +regulars were decidedly superior in skill was recognized by the +volunteer Colonel himself. The Ninth Cavalry, although suffering +considerably in that advance on East Hill, involved as it was, more or +less, with Roosevelt's regiment, did not receive so large a share of +public notice as its sister regiment. The strength of the Ninth was +but little over one-half that of the Tenth, and its movements were so +involved with those of the volunteers as to be somewhat obscured by +them; the loss also of its commander just as the first position of the +enemy fell into our hands, was a great misfortune to the regiment. The +Ninth, however, was with the first that mounted the heights, and +whatever praise is to be bestowed upon the Rough Riders in that +assault is to be distributed in equal degree to the men of that +regiment. Being in the leading brigade of the division this regiment +had been firing steadily upon the Spanish works before the charge was +ordered, and when the movement began the men of the Ninth advanced so +rapidly that they were among the first to reach the crest. + +The Tenth Regiment, with its Hotchkiss guns, and its trained men, took +its place in the line that morning to add if possible further lustre +to the distinction already won. In crossing the flat, in climbing the +heights, and in holding the ridge these brave men did all that could +be expected of them. Roosevelt said: "The colored troops did as well +as any soldiers could possibly do," meaning the colored men of the +Ninth and Tenth Cavalry. To their officers he bestows a meed of praise +well deserved, but not on the peculiar ground which he brings forward. +He would have the reader believe that it has required special ability +and effort to bring these colored men up to the condition of good +soldiers and to induce them to do so well in battle; while the +testimony of the officers themselves and the experience of more than a +quarter of a century with colored professional troops give no +countenance to any such theory. The voice of experience is that the +colored man is specially apt as a soldier, and General Merritt +declares him always brave in battle. The officers commanding colored +troops at Santiago honored themselves in their reports of the battles +by giving full credit to the men in the ranks, who by their resolute +advance and their cool and accurate firing dislodged an intrenched foe +and planted the flag of our Union where had floated the ensign of +Spain. + +That rushing line of dismounted cavalry, so ably directed by Sumner, +did not get to its goal without loss. As it swept across the open to +reach the heights, it faced a well-directed fire from the Spanish +works, and men dropped from the ranks, wounded and dying. Of the +officers directing that advance 35 fell either killed or wounded and +328 men. These numbers appear small when hastily scanned or when +brought into comparison with the losses in battle during the Civil +War, but if we take time to imagine 35 officers lying on the ground +either killed or wounded and 328 men in the same condition, the +carnage will not appear insignificant. Woe enough followed even that +one short conflict. It must be observed also that the whole strength +of this division was less than 3000 men, so that about one out of +every eight had been struck by shot or shell. + +Several enlisted men among the colored cavalry displayed high +soldierly qualities in this assault, evidencing a willingness to +assume the responsibility of command and the ability to lead. +Color-Sergeant George Berry became conspicuous at once by his +brilliant achievement of carrying the colors of two regiments, those +of his own and of the Third Cavalry. The Color-Sergeant of the latter +regiment had fallen and Berry seized the colors and bore them up the +hill with his own. The illustrated press gave some attention to this +exploit at the time, but no proper recognition of it has as yet been +made. Sergeant Berry's character as a soldier had been formed long +before this event, and his reputation for daring was already well +established. He entered the service in 1867 and when he carried that +flag up San Juan was filling out his thirty-first year in the service. +All this time he had passed in the cavalry and had engaged in many +conflicts with hostile Indians and ruffians on our frontiers. + +Perhaps the most important parts taken by any enlisted men in the +cavalry division were those taken by Sergeants Foster and Givens. The +former was First Sergeant of Troop G and as the troop was making its +way to the hill by some means the Spaniards were able not only to +discover them but also the direction in which they were moving and to +determine their exact range. Sergeant Foster ventured to tell the +Lieutenant in charge that the course of advance should be changed as +they were marching directly into the enemy's guns. + +"Silence," shouted the Lieutenant. "Come on, men; follow me." "All +right, sir," said the Sergeant; "we'll go as far as you will." The +next instant the Lieutenant was shot through the head, leaving +Sergeant Foster in command. Immediately the troop was deployed out of +the dangerous range and the Sergeant by the exercise of good judgment +brought his men to the crest of the hill without losing one from his +ranks. At the time of this action Sergeant Foster was a man who would +readily command attention. Born in Texas and a soldier almost +continuously since 1875, part of which time had been passed in an +infantry regiment, he had acquired valuable experience. In 1888, while +serving in the cavalry, he had been complimented in General Orders for +skill in trailing raiding parties in Arizona. He was a resolute and +stalwart soldier, an excellent horseman and possessed of superior +judgment, and with a reputation for valor which none who knew him +would question. The return of Troop G, Tenth Cavalry, for July, 1898, +contains the following note: "Lieutenant Roberts was wounded early in +the engagement; Lieutenant Smith was killed about 10.30 a.m. while +gallantly leading the troop in the advance line. After Lieutenant +Smith fell the command of the troop devolved upon First Sergeant Saint +Foster, who displayed remarkable intelligence and ability in handling +the troop during the remainder of the day. Sergeant Foster's conduct +was such as cannot be excelled for valor during the operations around +Santiago. He commanded the troop up the hills of San Juan." + +Sergeant William H. Givens, of Troop D, Tenth Cavalry, also commanded +in the action against San Juan. His Captain, who was wounded three +times in the fight, being finally disabled before reaching the hill, +makes the following report: "Sergeant William H. Givens was with the +platoon which I commanded; whenever I observed him he was at his post +exercising a steadying or encouraging influence on the men, and +conducting himself like the thorough soldier that I have long known +him to be. I understand to my great satisfaction that he has been +rewarded by an appointment to a lieutenancy in an immune regiment." + +The Descriptive list of Sergeant Givens, made on August 4th, 1898, +contains these remarks: + + "Commanded his troop with excellent judgment after his + captain fell at the battle of San Juan, July 1, 1898, + leading it up the hill to the attack of the blockhouse. + + "Character: A most excellent soldier."[23] + +Sergeant Givens may also be called an "old-timer." He had enlisted in +'69, and had passed all that time in hard frontier service. The troop +in which he enlisted during the years 1876-78 was almost constantly +engaged with hostile Indians along the Mexican border, and Sergeant +Givens was called upon to take part in numerous scouts in which there +were many striking adventures. He was also in that memorable campaign +against Victoria, conducted by General Grierson. Sergeant Givens was +an ideal soldier and worthy the commendations bestowed upon him by his +troop commander and others. Captain Bigelow received his disabling +wound about seventy-five yards from the blockhouse and was taken to +the rear under heavy fire by two soldiers of the troop by the name of +Henderson and Boardman. + +Lieutenant Kennington, reporting the work of the troop on that morning +says that Corporal J. Walker was probably the first soldier to reach +the top of the hill and is believed to have shot the Spaniard who +killed Lieutenant Ord. The report containing the above statement is +dated July 5, 1898. Since that time the matter has been fully +investigated by Captain Bigelow and the fact ascertained that Corporal +Walker did arrive first on the hill and did shoot the Spaniard +referred to and he has been recommended for a Medal of Honor in +consequence. + +The Sergeant-Major of the Tenth Cavalry, Mr. E.L. Baker, who served +with great credit during the Santiago campaign, is a soldier with an +excellent record. He was born of French and American parentage in +Wyoming and enlisted in the Ninth Cavalry as trumpeter in 1882, +serving five years in that regiment. He then enlisted in the Tenth +Cavalry, and in 1892 became Sergeant-Major. Being desirous of +perfecting himself in the cavalry service he applied for an extended +furlough with permission to leave the country, intending to enter a +cavalry school in France. In this desire he was heartily endorsed by +the officers of his regiment, and was specially commended by General +Miles, who knew him as a soldier and who highly appreciated him as +such. The breaking out of the Spanish war soon after he had made +application prevented a full consideration of his case. In 1897 +Sergeant-Major Baker published a specially valuable "Roster of the +Non-Commissioned Officers of the Tenth U.S. Cavalry, with Some +Regimental Reminiscences, etc.," which has been of marked service in +the preparation of the sketches of the enlisted men of his regiment. +He contributes the interesting sketch of his experiences in Cuba with +his regiment, which follows this chapter, and which will prove to many +perhaps the most interesting portion of my book. + +The Twenty-fourth Infantry advanced in that line of attack on the +extreme left and reached the crest of the San Juan Hills in such +numbers as to lead the press correspondents and others to conclude +that there were more men of this regiment promptly on the ground than +of any other one regiment. It is certain they made a record for +heroism in that assault as bright as any won on the field that day; +and this record they raised to a magnificent climax by their +subsequent work in the fever hospital at Siboney. For their +distinguished service both in the field and in the hospital, the +colored ladies of New York honored themselves in presenting the +regiment the beautiful stand of colors already mentioned. As these +fever-worn veterans arrived at Montauk they presented a spectacle well +fitted to move strong men to tears. In solemn silence they marched +from on board the transport Nueces, which had brought them from Cuba, +and noiselessly they dragged their weary forms over the sandy roads +and up the hill to the distant "detention camp." Twenty-eight of their +number were reported sick, but the whole regiment was in ill-health. + +These were the men who had risked their lives and wrecked their health +in service for others. Forty days they had stood face to face with +death. In their soiled, worn and faded clothing, with arms uncleaned, +emaciated, and with scarce strength enough to make the march before +them, as they moved on that hot 2nd of September from the transport to +the camp, they appeared more like a funeral procession than heroes +returning from the war; and to the credit of our common humanity it +may be recorded that they were greeted, not with plaudits and cheers, +but with expressions of real sympathy. Many handkerchiefs were brought +into view, not to wave joyous welcome, but to wipe away the tears that +came from overflowing hearts. At no time did human nature at Montauk +appear to better advantage than in its silent, sympathetic reception +of the Twenty-fourth Infantry. + +Of these shattered heroes General Miles had but recently spoken in +words well worthy his lofty position and noble manhood as "a regiment +of colored troops, who, having shared equally in the heroism, as well +as the sacrifices, is now voluntarily engaged in nursing yellow fever +patients and burying the dead." These men came up to Montauk from +great tribulations which should have washed their robes to a +resplendent whiteness in the eyes of the whole people. Great +Twenty-fourth, we thank thee for the glory thou hast given to American +soldiery, and to the character of the American Negro! + +Thus these four colored regiments took their place on the march, in +camp, in assault and in siege with the flower of the American Army, +the choice and pick of the American nation, and came off acknowledged +as having shared equally in heroism and sacrifices with the other +regular regiments so engaged, and deserving of special mention for the +exhibition of regard for the welfare of their fellow man. The query +is now pertinent as to the return which has been made to these brave +men. The question of Ahasuerus when told of the valuable services of +the Jew, Mordecai, is the question which the better nature of the +whole American people should ask on hearing the general report of the +valuable services of the Negro Regular in the Spanish War. When +Ahasuerus asked: "What honor and dignity hath been done to Mordecai +for this?" his servants that ministered unto him were compelled to +answer: "There is nothing done for him." Looking over these four +regiments at the time of this writing an answer somewhat similar in +force must be returned. That the colored soldier is entitled to honor +and dignity must be admitted by all who admire brave deeds, or regard +the welfare of the state. The colored soldier, however, was compelled +to stand by and see a hundred lieutenancies filled in the Regular +Army, many in his own regiments, only to find himself overlooked and +to be forced to feel that his services however valuable, could not +outweigh the demerit of his complexion. + +The sum total of permanent advantage secured to the colored regular as +such, in that bloody ordeal where brave men gave up their lives for +their country's honor, consists of a few certificates of merit +entitling the holders to two dollars per month additional pay as long +as they remain in the service. Nor is this all, or even the worst of +the matter. Men who served in the war as First Sergeants, and who +distinguished themselves in that capacity, have been allowed to go +back to their old companies to serve in inferior positions. Notably is +this the case with Sergeant William H. Givens, whose history has been +detailed as commanding Troop D, Tenth Cavalry, after Captain Bigelow +fell, and who heroically led the troop up the hill. He is now serving +in his old troop as Corporal, his distinction having actually worked +his reduction rather than substantial promotion. + +It must not be inferred from the foregoing, however, that nothing +whatever was done in recognition of the gallantry of the colored +regulars. Something was done. Cases of individual heroism were so +marked, and so numerous, that they could not be ignored. The men who +had so distinguished themselves could not be disposed of by special +mention and compliments in orders. Something more substantial was +required. Fortunately for such purpose four regiments of colored +United States Volunteer Infantry were then in course of organization, +in which the policy had been established that colored men should be +accepted as officers below the grade of captain. Into these regiments +the colored men who had won distinction at Santiago were placed, many +as Second Lieutenants, although some were given First Lieutenancies. +This action of the Government was hailed with great delight on the +part of the colored Americans generally, and the honors were accepted +very gratefully by the soldiers who had won them on the field. +Fortunately as this opening seemed, it turned out very disappointing. +It soon became evident that these regiments would be mustered out of +the service, as they had proven themselves no more immune, so far as +it could be determined from the facts, than other troops. The +Lieutenants who had been most fortunate in getting their commissions +early got about six or seven months' service, and then the dream of +their glory departed and they fell back to the ranks to stand +"attention" to any white man who could muster political influence +sufficient to secure a commission. Their day was short, and when they +were discharged from the volunteer service, there appeared no future +for them as commissioned officers. Their occupation was indeed gone. +It was for them a most disappointing and exasperating promotion, +resulting in some cases in loss of standing and in financial injury. +Their honors were too short-lived, and too circumscribed, to be much +more than a lively tantalization, to be remembered with disgust by +those who had worn them. Cruel, indeed, was the prejudice that could +dictate such a policy to the brave black men of San Juan. The black +heroes, however, were not without sympathy in their misfortune. The +good people of the country had still a warm place in their hearts for +the colored soldier, despite the sayings of his maligners. + +The people of Washington, D.C., had an opportunity to testify their +appreciation of the Tenth Cavalry as that regiment passed through +their city on its way to its station in Alabama, and later a portion +of it was called to Philadelphia to take part in the Peace Jubilee, +and no troops received more generous attention. To express in some +lasting form their regard for the regiment and its officers, some +patriotic citizens of Philadelphia presented a handsome saber to +Captain Charles G. Ayres, who had charge of the detachment which took +part in the Peace Jubilee, "as a token of their appreciation of the +splendid conduct of the regiment in the campaign of Santiago, and of +its superb soldierly appearance and good conduct during its attendance +at the Jubilee Parade in Philadelphia." + +Likewise when the Twenty-fifth Infantry arrived at its station at Fort +Logan, Colorado, the people of Denver gave to both officers and men a +most cordial reception, and invited them at once to take part in their +fall carnival. All over the country there was at that time an unusual +degree of good feeling toward the colored soldier who had fought so +well, and no one seemed to begrudge him the rest which came to him or +the honors bestowed upon him. + +This state of feeling did not last. Before the year closed assiduous +efforts were made to poison the public mind toward the black soldier, +and history can but record that these efforts were too successful. The +three hundred colored officers became an object at which both +prejudice and jealousy could strike; but to reach them the reputation +of the entire colored contingent must be assailed. This was done with +such vehemence and persistency that by the opening of 1899 the good +name of the black regular was hidden under the rubbish of reports of +misconduct. So much had been said and done, even in Denver, which had +poured out its welcome words to the heroes of El Caney, that the +Ministerial Alliance of that city, on February 6, 1899, found it +necessary to take up the subject, and that body expressed itself in +the unanimous adoption of the following resolutions: + + RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED UNANIMOUSLY BY THE MINISTERIAL ALLIANCE + OF DENVER, FEBRUARY 6, 1899. + + _Resolved_, By the Ministerial Alliance of the City of + Denver, that the attempt made in certain quarters to have + the Twenty-fifth Regiment, United States Infantry, removed + from Fort Logan, appears to this body to rest on no just + grounds, to be animated on the contrary by motives unworthy + and discreditable to Denver and the State, and that + especially in view of the heroic record of the Twenty-fifth + Regiment, its presence here is an honor to Denver and + Colorado, which this Alliance would regret to have + withdrawn.[24] + +The mustering out of the volunteers about the time this opposition was +approaching what appeared to be a climax, causing the removal from the +service of the colored officers, appeased the wrath of the demon, and +the waves of the storm gradually sank to a peace, gratifying, indeed, +to those who shuddered to see a black man with shoulder-straps. As the +last Negro officer descended from the platform and honorably laid +aside his sword to take his place as a citizen of the Republic, or a +private in her armies, that class of our citizenship breathed a sigh +of relief. What mattered it to them whether justice were done; whether +the army were weakened; whether individuals were wronged; they were +relieved from seeing Negroes in officers' uniforms, and that to them +is a most gracious portion. The discharge of the volunteers was to +them the triumph of their prejudices, and in it they took great +comfort, although as a matter of fact it was a plain national movement +coming about as a logical sequence, entirely independent of their +whims or wishes. The injustice to the Negro officer does not lie in +his being mustered out of the volunteer service, but in the failure to +provide for a recognition of his valor in the nation's permanent +military establishment. + +The departure of the colored man from the volunteer service was the +consequent disappearance of the colored military officer, with the +single exception of Lieutenant Charles Young of the Regular Cavalry, +had a very depressing effect upon the colored people at large, and +called forth from their press and their associations most earnest +protests. With a few exceptions, these protests were encouched in +respectful language toward the President and his advisers, but the +grounds upon which they were based were so fair and just, that +right-thinking men could not avoid their force. The following +resolution, passed by the National Afro-American Council, may be taken +as representative of the best form of such remonstrance: + + "_Resolved_, That we are heartily grieved that the President + of the United States and those in authority have not from + time to time used their high station to voice the best + conscience of the nation in regard to mob violence and fair + treatment of justly deserving men. It is not right that + American citizens should be despoiled of life and liberty + while the nation looks silently on; or that soldiers who, + with conspicuous bravery, offer their lives for the country, + should have their promotion result in practical dismissal + from the army." + +The nation graciously heeded the call of justice and in the +re-organization of the volunteer army provided for two colored +regiments, of which all the company officers should be colored men. +Under this arrangement many of the black heroes of Santiago were +recalled from the ranks and again restored to the positions they had +won. Thus did the nation in part remedy the evil which came in +consequence of the discharge of the volunteers, and prove its +willingness to do right. Triumphantly did the Administration vindicate +itself in the eyes of good people, and again did it place its +withering disapproval upon the conduct of those who were ready to +shout their applause over the worthy black officer's accidental +humiliation. The Negro officer disappeared from the United States' +Regiments as a Lieutenant only; but he returns to the same, or rather, +to a higher grade of the same form of regiments, both as Lieutenant +and Captain. How rapid and pronounced has been the evolution! It is +true the Negro officer is still a volunteer, but his standing is +measurably improved, both because of the fact of his recall, and also +because the regiments which he is now entering have some prospect of +being incorporated into the Regular Army. It does not seem probable +that the nation can much longer postpone the increase of the standing +army, and in this increase it is to be hoped the American Negro, both +as soldier and officer, will receive that full measure of justice of +which the formation of the present two colored regiments is so +conspicuous a part. + + * * * * * + +DIARY OF E.L. BAKER. SERGEANT-MAJOR TENTH U.S. CAVALRY. + + Appointed First Lieutenant Ninth U.S. Volunteer Infantry, + and later Captain of the Forty-ninth Volunteer Infantry--Now + Lieutenant in Philippine Scouts. + +A TRIP FROM MONTANA TO CUBA WITH THE TENTH U.S. CAVALRY. + +April 16, 1898, at 10.45 p.m., telegram was received from Department +Headquarters, St. Paul, Minnesota, ordering the regiment to the +Department of the Gulf. + +As every click of the telegraph instrument was expected to announce a +rupture in the diplomatic relations between the United States and the +Kingdom of Spain, all knew that the mobilization of the army South +meant preparing it for the serious work for which it is maintained. + +On April 19 we were off for Chickamauga Park. En route we were +heartily greeted. Patriotism was at its height. Every little hamlet, +even, had its offerings. To compare the journey with Caesar's march of +triumph would be putting it mildly. + +We arrived at the historic point April 25. Every moment of our stay +there was assiduously devoted to organizing, refitting and otherwise +preparing for the inevitable. Officers were sent to many parts of the +country to secure recruits. Many also gave up details and relinquished +their leaves of absence to take part in the impending crisis. + +May 14. We were moved a little nearer the probable theatre of +operations. On account of some deficiency in water for troops at +Tampa, the regiment was stopped at Lakeland, 30 miles this side, where +many recruits were received; Troops increased to war strength, and new +Troops established. Drills and instructions were also constantly +followed up. + +June 6. Orders were received to prepare headquarters, band and eight +Troops dismounted, with trained men only, for service in Cuba. +Recruits to be left in camp with horses and property. + +June 7. We were off for Port Tampa, where the regiment embarked on the +steamship Leona that afternoon. + +June 8. She steamed from the dock. When the expedition seemed to be +forming, news was received that the dreaded Spanish fleet was being +sighted, evidently lying in wait for army transports. So we steamed +back to the pier. Many of the men appeared disappointed at the move, +probably not realizing that there was too much water in the Atlantic +Ocean for the 5th Army Corps to drink. + +To my mind, the Divine Providence surely directed the move, as the +delay enabled the force to be swelled several thousand, every one of +whom was needed before Santiago. + +June 14. We steamed out of Tampa Bay, amid cheers and music from the +thirty odd transports, heavily escorted by naval vessels. Among them +were the much talked-of dynamiter, Vesuvius, and the beautiful little +cruiser, Helena. Off Dry Tortugas that formidable warship, Indiana, +joined the fleet. + +Splendid weather; nothing unusual transpiring, though our transport, +which also contained the First U.S. Cavalry, had a seemingly close +call from being sent to the bottom of the sea, or else being taken in +as a prisoner, which the enemy could have done with impunity. + +Whilst going down the Saint Nicholas Chanel, in Cuban waters, the +vessel was deliberately stopped about midnight, June 16, and left to +roll in the trough of the sea until the morning of the 17th, in +consequence of which we were put 20 hours behind the fleet and without +escort, almost in sight of the Cuban shores. + +Men were indignant at having been placed in such a helpless position, +and would have thrown the captain of the ship, whom they accused of +being a Spanish sympathizer and otherwise disloyal, overboard without +ceremony, but for the strong arm of military discipline. We were +picked up by the U.S. Cruiser Bancroft, late in the afternoon, she +having been sent in quest of the Jonah of the fleet. Upon approach of +the ship there were prolonged cheers from all of Uncle Sam's +defenders. The only explanation that I have ever heard for this +unpardonable blunder on the part of the ship's crew was that they +mistook a signal of a leading vessel. + +June 20. Land was sighted. + +June 21. Dispatch boats active; transports circling; Morro Castle +pointed out; three days' rations issued to each man; no extra +impedimenta to be taken ashore; crew preparing for landing. + +June 22. As we neared Daiquiri, the designated place for disembarking, +flames could be seen reaching almost to the heavens, the town having +been fired by the fleeing Spaniards upon the approach of war vessels +of Sampson's fleet, who were assembling to bombard the shore and cover +our landing. After a fierce fire from these ships, the landing was +effected with loss of two men of our regiment, who were doubtless +crushed to death between the lighters. They were buried near the place +of recovery the next morning. + +The few half-clothed and hungry-looking natives on shore seemed +pleased to see us. Daiquiri, a shipping point of the Spanish-American +Iron Company, was mostly deserted. The board houses seemed to have +been spared, while the sun-burned huts thatched with palm were still +smoking, also the roundhouse in which there were two railroad +locomotives, warped and twisted from the heat. The Spanish evidently +fired everything they could before evacuating. + +June 23. At 6.00 p.m. Troops A, B, E and I, left with four Troops of +the First U.S. Cavalry and Rough Riders (First U.S. Volunteer Cavalry) +as advance guard of the Army of Invasion on the main road to Santiago +de Cuba; about 800 men all told, three Hotchkiss guns, manned by ten +cavalrymen, accompanied also by the Brigadier Commander, General +S.M.B. Young and staff. + +NOTE.--These troops marched about 13 miles through a +drenching rain from 7 to 10 p.m.; bivouacked one hour later. Oh the +24th, after breakfast, took the trail about 5.15 a.m. The vapor from +wet clothing rose with the sun, so that you could scarcely recognize a +man ten feet away. About three and one-half miles above Siboney the +command was halted; the first U.S. Volunteer Cavalry (Rough Riders) +sent to the left; proceeding farther about one mile, the main column +was split, First U.S. Cavalry going to the right, the Tenth Cavalry +remaining in the center. General Wheeler joined at this point, +accompanied by his orderly, Private Queene, Troop A, Tenth Cavalry. +Disposition of the troops was explained by General Young, who had +located his headquarters with the Tenth U.S. Cavalry; General Wheeler +made his the same. Hotchkiss guns were ordered closed up; magazines +filled. The column had proceeded but a short way when the engagement +opened in all its fury; troops were deployed and advanced in the +direction from which the bullets were coming the thickest, as rapidly +as the formation of the ground would permit, the left of the line +touching the right of the Rough Riders. + +June 24. Headquarters, band and the remainder of the First and Tenth +U.S. Cavalry were off at 6 A.M. The road was alive with troops (C, D, +F, G,) colonels and privates alike lugging their rations and bedding +beneath that ever watchful tropical sun, feeling as though they would +wilt at every step, the undergrowth being so thick and tall that +scarcely any breeze could get to you. + +On emerging from this thicket, through which we had been marching for +several hours, the Sampson fleet could be heard firing on the Spanish +batteries on shore. Marines and other troops could be seen crossing +the mountains above Altares; this revived the men very much. As we +approached Verni Jarabo (Altares?), we were met by General Lawton, who +informed our Colonel that the advance guard was engaged with the +Spanish at La Guasima, and that it was hard pressed. Our pace was +quickened; the news appeared to lighten our heavy packs as we toiled +to the front to assist our comrades. The roar of the artillery became +plainer; wounded men along the road as well as those played-out from +the intense heat. Women and children were fleeing to places of safety. +Our forces were repairing a railroad engine and track; also tearing up +a piece leading to a Spanish blockhouse. In fact, everything seemed to +have on an exceedingly warlike tint, but our advance continued as +swifty as our weary feet would allow, which soon brought us to a +number of our own comrades conveyed on litters from La Guasima, where +our advance guard was tussling hard with the Dons for the honors of +the day. + +Upon arrival of reinforcements, victory had been wrested from the Dons +fairly by the advance guard without assistance. Every one greeted each +other, as though it had been a year instead of a few hours since +parting. The First U.S. Cavalry and Rough Riders were unstinted in +extolling the fighting qualities of their brothers in arms, the Tenth +U.S. Cavalry. + +The enemy was struck early June 24, entrenched on the heights of La +Guasima, near Sevilla, on the main road from Daiquiri to the city of +Santiago de Cuba. The advance guard was soon hotly engaged with them; +after a very desperate fight of over one hour, the enemy was driven in +confusion from their intrenchments. Our men were too exhausted to +follow them. The Tenth Cavalry lost 13 killed and wounded. For a while +it was a terrific fight, as the enemy was strongly intrenched on the +heights and our men had to climb them subjected to their fire, which +was very accurate, and much of it doubtless from machine guns in hands +of experienced men. Our men had also to contend with the thickest +underbrush, wire fences (the famous military trochas) and Spanish +daggers jabbing them in side at every step. For a while the situation +was serious. The decisive blow of the attack seems to have been struck +at an opportune moment, and the enemy withdrew in confusion. + +It has been estimated that about 4,000 Spanish were engaged. +Everything indicated that they lost heavily; a Santiago paper put it +at 240. The writer and the Sergeant-Major of the First U.S. Cavalry +superintended the digging of one large grave where all the dead of the +two regiments were interred according to the Episcopal service. The +Rough Riders, being farther to our left, buried their own. If +advantage of position goes for anything, the Spanish should have +annihilated the Americans as they approached the stronghold. + +The command remained on the battlefield until June 26, when it +proceeded to Sevilla, an old coffee and sugar plantation, to await the +assembling of the army and placing of the artillery. + +Our camp at Sevilla was an interesting one in many ways. It was +pitched between the main road and a stream of excellent water. From +the hill beyond, the Spanish works could be viewed. From the roadside +many acquaintances were seen, also generals, foreign military +attaches, troops, artillery and pack trains. Wheeled transportation +seemed entirely out of its place in Cuba; one piece of artillery was +noticed with 24 horses tugging away at it. + +The Cuban Army, cavalry and infantry, passed us at this point, which +seemed to consist of every male capable of swelling the crowd. Those +unable to carry or secure guns had an old knife or machete strapped to +them. + +On June 30, about 4 P.M., shortly after our daily shower, which was a +little more severe and much longer than usual, the regiment was put in +motion for the front. We had marched about 1600 yards when the war +balloon was seen ascending some distance to our right. As the balloon +question was new, every one almost was stumbling on the man's heels in +front, trying to get a peep at this wonderful war machine. + +After much vexatious delay, narrow road crowded with troops, a pack +train came along and added its mite to the congestion, as some of the +mules turned their heels on the advancing column when pushed too much. + +We finally merged into a beautiful lawn, site of the Division +Hospital, where all were as busy as beavers in placing this +indispensable adjunct in order. Here the work of July 1 was clearly +suggested. Proceeding, wading and rewading streams, we bivouacked +beyond the artillery on the heights of El Poso, an old sugar +plantation, about four miles off, in plain view of the city of +Santiago. The lights of the city showed so brightly, the enemy +offering no resistance to our advance, I could not help feeling +apprehensive of being in a trap. I thought so seriously over the +matter that I did not unroll my pack, so as to be ready at an instant. +Simply released my slicker, put it on, and lay down where I halted. + +Early July 1 all the brigade was up, getting breakfast and making as +much noise as if on a practice march. The Tenth Cavalry did not make +any fire until orders were received to that effect. I remarked to my +bunky that we were not going to fight evidently, as the smoke would +surely disclose our presence and enable the enemy's artillery to get +our range. The whole of Santiago seemed to be decorated with hospital +flags. + +At 6.30 a shell from Capron's battery, U.S. Artillery, directed at a +blockhouse in El Caney, announced that the battle was on. Then the +musketry became general. All stood and watched the doomed village +quite a while as the battle progressed. Soon Grices' battery of the +U.S. Artillery, which was in support, belched forth destruction at the +Spanish works of the city, using black powder. The fire was almost +immediately returned by the enemy's batteries, who had smokeless. +They were shortly located when a fierce duel took place. The Dons were +silenced, but not until we had suffered loss. During this fire +an aide--Lieut. Wm. E. Shipp, Tenth Cavalry, Brigade +Quartermaster--brought orders for us to take position on the left of +the First U.S. Cavalry. The line extended nearly north and south on a +ridge some three or four miles from the city, where the regiment was +exposed to much of the return fire from the enemy's batteries. The men +exhibited no special concern and watched the flight of the death +messenger as eagerly as if at a horse race. Adjutant Barnum here +divided the band and turned it over to the surgeons to assist in +caring for the wounded, and directed Saddler Sergeant Smith and myself +to accompany the Colonel in advance. When Lieut. Shipp delivered his +orders, some of the officers remarked, "You are having a good time +riding around here." He replied that it was no picnic riding among +bullets, and that he would prefer being with his troops. + +After the artillery had ceased firing, the regiment moved to the +right, passed El Poso, where there were additional signs of the +enemy's havoc among our troops, proceeded down the road leading to +Santiago. The movement of the regiment was delayed as it approached +the San Juan River, by an infantry brigade which had halted. + +The regiment came within range of musket fire about three-quarters or +one-half mile from the crossing. Upon reaching the ford the Colonel +(Baldwin) rode nearly across the stream (closely followed by his +regiment) when we were greeted by the Dons with a terrific volley of +musketry, soon followed by artillery, which caused us to realize more +fully than ever, that "things were coming our way." Orders were given +to throw off packs and get cover. In removing his, Sergeant Smith, +on, my immediate left, was assisted by a Spanish bullet, and an +infantry soldier fell as my pack was thrown off to the right. In +seeking cover men simply dropped to the right and left of the road in +a prone position. + +The regiment was here subjected to a terrific converging fire from the +blockhouse and intrenchments in front and the works further to the +left and nearer the city. The atmosphere seemed perfectly alive with +flying missiles from bursting shells over head, and rifle bullets +which seemed to have an explosive effect. Much fire was probably drawn +by the war balloon, which preceded the regiment to a point on the edge +of the river, near the ford, where it was held. This balloon +undoubtedly rendered excellent service in locating positions of the +Spanish works and developing an ambush which had been laid for us, but +the poor, ill-fated balloon certainly received many uncomplimentary +remarks during our stay in its vicinity. + +It seemed as though the Spanish regarded the balloon as an evil agent +of some kind, and as though every gun, both great and small, was +playing on it. I made several trips under it following the Colonel, +who repeatedly rode up and down the stream, and I would have been +fully satisfied to have allowed my mind even to wander back to the +gaily lighted ball rooms and festivals left behind only a few months +before. + +While on the last trip under the balloon a large naval shell exploded, +knocking the Colonel's hat off, crippling his horse, and injuring the +rider slightly in the arm and side, all of course, in addition to a +good sand bath. I then joined the regiment, some rods beyond, then +under cover. In crouching down behind a clump of brush, heard some one +groan; on looking around, saw Private Marshall struggling in the river +wounded. Immediately rushing to his assistance another of those +troublesome shells passed so close as to cause me to feel the heat. It +did not stop the effort, however, and the wounded man was placed in +safety. + +The regiment remained in the road only a few moments when it was +ordered to take position behind the river bank some yards above the +balloon for protection; while moving to that position, and while +there, suffered much loss. Why we did not lose heavier may be +attributed to the fact that the enemy's musket fire was a trifle high, +and their shells timed from one-half to one second too long, caused +them to explode beyond, instead of in front, where the shells would +have certainly secured the Dons' maximum results, as, after the +balloon was cut down, you could scarcely hold your hand up without +getting it hit. During the battle, one trooper fell upon a good-sized +snake and crushed it to death, and another trooper allowed one of +these poisonous reptiles to crawl over him while dodging a volley from +the Spanish Mausers. + +The shrapnel and canister shells, with their exceedingly mournful and +groaning sound, seemed to have a more terrifying effect than the swift +Mauser bullet, which always rendered the same salutation, "Bi-Yi." The +midern shrapnel shell is better known as the man-killing projectile, +and may be regarded as the most dangerous of all projectiles designed +for taking human life. It is a shell filled with 200 or 300 bullets, +and having a bursting charge, which is ignited by a time fuse, only +sufficient to break the base and release the bullets, which then move +forward with the velocity it had the time of bursting. Each piece is +capable of dealing death to any living thing in its path. In practice +firing, it is known where, by one shot, 152 hits were made by a single +shrapnel. In another, 215 hits are recorded. Imagine then, the havoc +of a well-directed shrapnel upon a group of men such as is here +represented. Capron's battery at El Caney cut down 16 cavalrymen with +one shell. + +After a delay of about 30 minutes, during part of the time, the +writer, assisted by Sergeant Smith and Mr. T.A. Baldwin, cut all the +wire fences possible. Mr. Baldwin was dangerously wounded while so +engaged just before the general advance. + +The regiment merged into open space in plain view of and under the +fire of the enemy; and formed line of battle facing toward the +blockhouses and strong intrenchments to the north, occupied by the +Spanish, and advanced rapidly in this formation, under a galling, +converging fire from the enemy's artillery and infantry, on the +blockhouses and heavy intrenchments to the right front. Many losses +occurred before reaching the top of the hill, Lieut. W.H. Smith being +killed while gallantly conducting his troop as it arrived on the +crest. Lieut. W.E. Shipp was killed about the same instant, shortly +after leaving Lieutenant Smith, further to the left and near the pond +on the sunken road leading to Santiago. Lieutenant Smith was struck in +the head and perished with a single groan. Lieutenant Shipp was hit +near the heart; death must have been almost instantaneous, though it +appears he made an effort to make use of his first aid package. Thus +the careers of two gallant and efficient officers whose lives had been +so closely associated were ended. + +Private Slaughter, who was left in charge of Lieutenant Smith's body, +was picked off by the Spanish sharpshooters, and Private Jackson, +Lieutenant Shipp's orderly, was left as deaf as a post from a bursting +shell. + +The enemy having been driven back, northwest, to the second and third +blockhouses, new lines were formed and a rapid advance made upon them +to the new positions. The regiment assisted in capturing these works +from the enemy, and planted two sets of colors on them, then took up a +position to the north of the second blockhouse. With some changes in +position of troops, this line, one of the most advanced, about three +hundred yards of the enemy, was held and intrenchments dug under a +very heavy and continuous fire from the Spanish intrenchments in +front, July 2 and 3. + +In their retreat from the ridge, the enemy stood not on the order of +their going, but fled in disorder like so many sheep from the scene, +abandoning a quantity of ammunition, which was fired at them +subsequently from our rapid-fire guns. Our men were too exhausted to +pursue them, footwear and clothing being soaked by wading rivers, they +had become drenched with rain, and when they reached the crest they +were about played-out; having fought about 12 hours, most of which was +under that ever-relentless tropical sun. + +Throughout the night, work on the intrenchments was pushed, details +buried the dead, improvised litters, and conveyed the wounded to +hospitals, all of which was prosecuted with that vim for which the +regular soldier is characterized, notwithstanding their water-logged +condition. + +The regiment acted with extraordinary coolness and bravery. It held +its position at the ford and moved forward unflinchingly after +deployment, through the dense underbrush, crossed and recrossed by +barbed wire, under heavy and almost plunging fire from the Spanish +works, while attacking with small arms an enemy strongly posted in +intrenchments and blockhouses, supported by artillery, and who +stubbornly contested every inch of ground gained by the American +troops. + +Officers were exceedingly active and tireless in their efforts to +inspire and encourage the men. You could hear them call out, "Move +right along; the Spaniards can't shoot; they are using blanks." One +officer deliberately stopped and lit his pipe amid a shower of +bullets, and then moved on as unconcerned as if on target practice. + +The rifle pits occupied by the enemy were intrenchments in reality, +dug almost shoulder deep, and faced with stone, being constructed +without approaches, leaving the only avenue for escape over the +parapet, which was equivalent to committing suicide, in face of the +unerring marksmanship of the United States troops. + +We were afterward told by a Spanish soldier how they were held in +these trenches by an officer stationed at each end with a club; also +how they depended on their officers for everything. This may account +for the large percentage of our officers picked off by the Dons. I +observed during the battle that when spotted by the enemy, delivering +orders or busying about such duties as usually indicated some one in +authority, the Spanish would fire whole volleys at an individual, this +evidently with a view to demoralizing the rank and file by knocking +off the officers. + +The Spanish also tried an old Indian trick to draw our fire, or induce +the men to expose themselves, by raising their hats on sticks or +rifles, or placing them upon parapets, so when we went to fire they +would aim to catch us as we rose with a terrific volley. The Dons +were, however, soon convinced of their folly in this respect, as we +always had a volley for the hats and a much stouter one for the enemy +as he raised to reply to the volley at the hats. The Tenth Cavalry had +fought Indians too long in the West to be foiled in that manner. + +We were annoyed much by the Spanish sharpshooters stationed in tops of +the beautiful palms and other trees of dense foliage. A number of +these guerillas were found provided with seats, water and other +necessaries, and I am told some of them had evidently robbed our dead +to secure themselves an American uniform, that they might still carry +on their nefarious work undetected. + +Many of the disabled received their second and some their mortal +wound, while being conveyed from the field by litter-bearers. + +Though it was the tendency for a time to give the sharpshooter story +little or no credence, but to lay the matter to "spent bullets"; it +seemed almost out of the question that "spent bullets" should annoy +our Division Hospital, some four or five miles from the Spanish works. +It would also seem equally as absurd that a bullet could be trained to +turn angles, as several of our men were hit while assembled for +transfer to general hospital and receiving temporary treatment at the +dressing station located in an elbow of the San Juan River. + +The Division Hospital was so harassed that it was necessary to order +four Troops of the 9th U.S. Cavalry there for guard. While en route to +the hospital on the morning of July 2 with wounded, I saw a squad of +the 2nd U.S. Cavalry after one of these annoying angels, not 20 feet +from the road. On arrival at the hospital I was told by a comrade that +several had been knocked from their stage of action. On July 1, our +Color-Sergeant was shot from a tree after our line had passed beneath +the tree where he was located. July 3, three more fell in response to +a volley through tree tops, and on July 14, while waiting the hand to +reach the hour for the bombardment of the city, one of the scoundrels +deliberately ascended a tree in plain view of, and within two hundred +yards of, our line. It was a good thing that the white flag for +surrender appeared before the hour to commence firing, otherwise Spain +would have had at least one less to haggle with on account of back +pay. + +To locate a sharpshooter using smokeless powder among the dense +tropical growth may be compared with "looking for a needle in a +haystack." + +The killed and wounded in battle present a scene well calculated to +move the most callous. Men shot and lacerated in every conceivable +manner; some are expressionless; some just as they appeared in life; +while others are pinched and drawn and otherwise distorted, portraying +agony in her most distressful state. Of the wounded, in their anguish, +some are perfectly quiet; others are heard praying; some are calling +for their mothers, while others are giving out patriotic utterances, +urging their comrades on to victory, or bidding them farewell as they +pass on to the front. July 1, in passing a wounded comrade, he told me +that he could whip the cowardly Spaniard who shot him, in a fair fist +fight. + +During the first day's battle many interesting sights were witnessed. +The new calibre 30 Gatling guns were in action. These cruel machines +were peppering away several hundred shots each per minute and sweeping +their front from right to left, cutting down shrubbery and Spaniards +like grain before the reaper. I observed the excellent service of the +Hotchkiss Mountain gun; they certainly do their work to perfection and +well did the Dons know it. Many shots fired into the "blind ditches +and blockhouses" of the enemy caused them to scatter like rats. These +guns use a percussion shell nearly two inches, and can be packed on +mules. They were designed for light service with cavalry on the +frontier. Four of these little beauties were manned by men of the +Tenth Cavalry. The Spanish made it so hot for the boys that they would +have to roll the gun under cover to load, and then steal it back to +fire. + +I saw one of our light batteries of artillery go in position under +fire at the foot of San Juan Hill. The movement was swiftly and +skillfully executed. A most interesting feature of this was to see the +Caissons, drawn by six magnificent horses, off for ammunition. Three +drivers to each outfit, one to each pair of horses; all plying the +whip at every jump, would remind you of a Roman chariot race coming +around on their last heat. + +Wheeled vehicles of war suffer more than other troops, on account of +their stationary positions. It is here that the dreaded sharpshooter +comes in for glory, by picking off the gunners and other individuals. + +Pack trains were seen dashing along the line with that always +absolutely essential--ammunition--thereby gladdening the hearts of the +boys who were doing their utmost to expend every round in their belts +to gain another foot of Spanish territory. + +During all these stirring events the stomachs of the real heroes were +not neglected, and most certainly not along our part of the line. Pack +mules were brought right up to the line under a hot fire, loaded with +sugar, coffee, bacon and hardtack, all of which was in plenty. Some of +the mules were killed and wounded, but this did not retard the advance +of the train. When near the firing line some one called, "Whose +rations?" A prompt reply, "Hungry soldiers." + +The daring horseman was all that was needed to make the situation +complete. Without participation of cavalry, the ideal warrior +disappears from the scene, and the battle and-picture of war is robbed +of its most attractive feature. + +Late in the afternoon, July 1, I was directed to take Saddler Sergeant +Smith and bring to the firing line all the men I could find of the +regiment. Going to the dressing station, collected those who had +brought or assisted wounded there, thence across a portion of the +field passed over a few hours previous. Men were found almost +exhausted, soaking wet, or a solid mass of mud, resting as comfortably +as if in the finest of beds; many of them had been on picket duty all +night before, to which was added the hard day's work not then +completed. After locating all I could, we went to the crest of the San +Juan Hill, to the left of the sunken road, where the First U.S. +Cavalry was reforming, and there picked up a few more who had joined +that regiment. + +The Tenth Cavalry having in the meantime taken another position, I set +out to find it, going in front, telling Smith to bring up the rear. We +were detained a short time near Sunken Roads by shells from Cervera's +fleet, which were falling in it at a lively rate. Barbed wire +prevented us from "running the gauntlet." Shortly after crossing the +road an officer passed us, his horse pushed to his utmost, telling us +to take all the ammunition that we possibly could on the firing line. +About that instant, the pack train came thundering by, which we +relieved of a few thousand rounds in short order. I was much amused at +one of the men who innocently asked, "Where are we to get axes to +burst these strong boxes?" The job was speedily accomplished before +the boxes were on the ground good, and most certainly in less time +than it would have taken to explain matters to the inexperienced. We +were soon off again, tramping all over the country, through darkness, +running into wire entanglements, outposts and pickets, and within +fifty yards of the enemy (subsequently ascertained). + +About 11.00 P.M. found Colonel Roosevelt a few hundred yards from the +Spanish lines with some of my regiment, the First Cavalry, and Rough +Riders, at work on trenches, where we reported. All seemed glad to +have my little reinforcement, about 65 men, and ammunition. I never +felt so relieved at anything as I did to get that herculean task off +my hands, a job as hard as working a problem in the third book of +Euclid. The men were so tired that they would lie down at every stop +to find the right road or the way out of the wire entanglements +constantly encountered. I have never seen in a book anything to equal +the Spanish wire entanglements. Barbed wire was stretched in every +nook and corner, through streams, grass, and from two inches to six +feet in height, and from a corkscrew to a cable in design. It takes +the nerve of a circus man to get men along when they are so exhausted +that every place feels alike to them, and that they would gladly give +away Mr. Jim Hill's fortune if they possessed it, for a few hours' +sleep. + +On arrival at the front, lunch was about over or just ready. +Lieutenant E.D. Anderson (10th Cavalry) gave me two and one-half +hardtacks from his supply, which he carried in his bosom. I was soon +down for a little rest; all desultory firing had ceased; the pick and +the shovel were the only things to disturb the quietude of that +anxious night. Had been down but a short time when aroused by one of +the Rough Riders, who had some rice and meat in an ammunition box +which he brought from the captured blockhouse. The meat was +undoubtedly mule, as the longer I chewed it the larger and more spongy +it got, and were it not for the fact that I had had some experience +in the same line many years before in Mexico while in pursuit of +hostile Indians, I would certainly have accused our best friends +(Rough Riders) of feeding us rubber. I made another effort for a +little sleep, and was again aroused by some one passing around +hardtack, raw bacon, etc., with instructions as to where to go to cook +it. I thanked him and carefully laid it aside to resume my nap. At +2.40 A.M. the pickets were having such a lively set to, that I thought +the general engagement was on. It was at this time I discovered that I +was shivering cold, and that my teeth were rattling equal to a +telegraph sounder; so under the circumstances, I concluded not to try +for any more sleep. The dew was falling thick and heavy; no coat, no +blanket, top shirt torn in strips from the brush, and undershirt wet +and in my pack, thrown off on coming into battle. + +Early July 22nd the artillery took position on our left. Pickets kept +up firing from 2.40 A.M. until 5.25, when the engagement became +general. Shortly after 6.00 A.M. our artillery opened on the Spanish +works, who promptly returned the compliment. During the firing the +Dons exploded a shell in the muzzle of one of our pieces. Adjutant +Barnum fell at 6.30 A.M.; his wound was promptly dressed, when I +started to the Division Hospital with him. Though seriously hurt, I +have never seen a better natured man. While en route, we laid him down +to eat a can of salmon _found in the road_. In response to his query, +"What's up, Sergeant?" the salmon was passed him; he helped himself, +no further questions were asked, and the journey was resumed. On +arrival at the hospital he was quickly examined and placed on a +comfortable cot. Many of the attendants were completely played-out +from overwork. + +A visit to a field hospital will have a lasting place in your memory. +Every way you turn, amid the cries and groans, you get a beck or call +to ease this, or hand me that, and one feels badly because of his +inability to extend them material aid in their sufferings. + +On returning to the front, I found the regiment as hotly engaged as +when I left it some hours before. As the fighting was from trenches, +many of our men were wounded by shells. Sharpshooters were on hand as +usual. I was sent to the Captain of Troop E, under the crest of the +hill, with orders to dig an approach to one of the enemy's trenches, +evacuated the day before; also to bury some of their dead. While +delivering the order, it being necessary to get very close on account +of the noise, one of those ever vigilant sharpshooters put a bullet +between our faces. The Captain asked me to cut the wire fence so his +troops could get through more rapidly; while telling me, another +bullet passed so close as to disturb the Captain's mustache. He took +it good-naturedly, only remarking as he smiled, "Pretty close, +Sergeant-Major!" + +Firing ceased about 8 P.M. After all had had supper we changed +position further to the right, where work on trenches was resumed. +About 10.30 P.M. the Spaniards made an attack upon our lines, and I +have never before or since seen such terrific firing; the whole +American line, which almost encircled the city, was a solid flame of +fire. The enemy's artillery replied, also their much-praised +"Mausers," but to no avail; they had opened the ball, but Uncle Sam's +boys did not feel like yielding one inch of the territory so dearly +bought. + +About midnight all hands were aroused by the dynamite cruiser Vesuvius +"coughing" for the Dons. The roar was so great that it seemed to shake +the whole island. To the uninitiated it would appear that some one +had taken a few mountains several miles up in a balloon and thrown +them down. + +July 3. Firing by pickets commenced very early, and quite heavy, at +5.40 A.M. Terrific cannonading to the seaward was heard between 9 and +10 A.M. As there was some talk of the enemy making a sortie, all eyes +were open. Dirt began falling in the pits from the jar, bells could be +heard tolling in the city, and steam whistles in the harbor. There was +much speculation as to what was in progress. I'll say that there were +many glad hearts when the news reached us that _Sampson's fleet was +King of the Seas_. At 12 M. all firing was ordered off, for flag of +truce to enter the Spanish lines. When the order for cease firing was +given, one of the troopers laid his gun upon the parapet and remarked +that he "would not take $2000 for his experience, but did not want a +cent's worth more." Work on bomb-proofs and breast works was continued +incessantly until news of the surrender reached us. + +July 4. Flag of truce all day; national and regimental colors placed +on parapets. At noon the regiment paraded, and all hearts cheered by +the patriotic telegram of the Commander-in-Chief--His Excellency, +President McKinley. Refugees, in droves, could be seen leaving for +several days, notice of bombardment having been served on the city. + +July 5. There was much excitement when Lieutenant Hobson and party +crossed our lines. + +During truce, the monotony was broken occasionally by the presence of +Spanish soldiers in quest of something to eat or desiring to +surrender. + +Truce was off July 10 at 4 P.M. Bombardment of the city commenced by +the army and navy combined, which continued until 2 P.M. 11th. +Gatling, dynamite, rapid-firing and Hotchkiss guns were so well +trained that the Dons scarcely dared to raise their heads, and their +firing was soon silenced. During the attack our part of the line +suffered no loss. While occupying these works, it was discovered that +the gun of the enemy that _annoyed us most was quite near a large +building covered with Red Cross flags_. + +During the truce all of our dead were located and buried. It was sad, +indeed, to see the vultures swarming like flies, when we knew so well +their prey. + +Though prepared to, several times, no shots were exchanged after July +11, and all was quiet until date of capitulation. The hardest rain +ever witnessed, accompanied by terrific thunder and lightning, was on +the last day of the engagement. Trenches were flooded and everything +appeared as a sea. + +July 17, at 9 A.M., the regiment, with the remainder of the army, was +assembled over the trenches to witness the formal surrender of General +Toral, with the Spanish forces. Owing to the dense tropical growth, +and its similarity in color to their clothing, little or nothing could +be seen, beyond the straw hats of the Dons, as they marched through +the jungles. At 12 M., we were again placed in the same position, to +salute "Old Glory" as she ascended over the Governor's palace in the +city, which was told by Capron's battery U.S. Artillery. At the first +shot, every individual tested his lungs to their fullest capacity, +bands of music playing national airs. + +Spanish soldiers were soon over our lines, trading off swords, wine, +cigarettes and trinkets for hard tack and bacon. This soon ended, as +there were positive orders against our fraternizing. The Spaniards +were a fine looking lot of young men; though generally small in +stature, and were very neat and clean, considering. The officers were +an intelligent and dignified looking set. The Dons were away ahead on +ammunition, and away behind on eatables. A few musty, hard tack, +thrown in our trenches, were devoured like so much fresh beef, by so +many hungry wolves. + +Campaigning in the tropics entails many hardships, though unavoidable +and only to be expected, in war. War is horrible in any aspect in +which it may be viewed. Even those features of it intended to be +merciful, are full of harshness and rigor; and after all, fighting is +the easiest part. + +As the capitulation was complete, and Santiago was our's, we were +ordered to change camp to a more healthful locality, with a view to +allowing the men to recuperate. While en route many refugees were met +returning to the city, men and women, with the scantiest clothing +imaginable; large children even worse--in a nude state--all were +making signs for something to eat. + +In passing through El Caney, filth of all descriptions was piled up in +the streets; stock was seen standing inside dwellings with occupants; +young and old were emaciated--walking skeletons; children with +stomachs bloated to thrice their natural size--due to the unsanitary +condition of the huts, so I was informed. + +The bare facts are, that "half has never been told" regarding the true +condition of the Cubans, and it is truly a Godsend that "Uncle Sam" +was not delayed another day in letting the Don's breathe a little of +nature's sweetest fragrance of the nineteenth century--Civilization. + +The portion of the island I saw appears to be a beautiful park +deserted and laid waste by the lavish application of the torch for +many years. Magnificent mansions, or dwellings, in ruins; habitation +scant, except near towns. + +There were no domestic animals, except a few for saddle purposes, nor +were there crops to be seen. No use whatever appears to be made of the +luxuriant pasturage and rich fields. Sugar houses and sheds on +plantations are in a state of decay, and the huge kettles for boiling +deeply coated with rust. + +The climate of Cuba offers all the essentials, heat, moisture and +organic matter, for the development of germ life in its most active +form. + +The great heat and moisture, so excellent for the development of +infected wounds, and for the rapid decomposing of the heavy +undergrowth cannot, I believe, be exceeded anywhere. + +The frequent tropical showers, invariably followed by a hot steam, +along with which germs seem to float; the consequent exposure of the +men to that glaring heat and moisture, lowered the general tone of the +system so that they were especially liable to attacks of miasmatic +diseases (malarial and typhoid fevers and dysentery.) + +Owing to the dense humidity, clothing does not dry so long as it +remains on the person, but must be removed, a condition that was +absolutely impossible for many days on the field before Santiago. To +this alone, much of our sickness may be attributed. + +Our new camp, pitched on the eminence of El Caney, about one and +one-half miles from the village, overlooking the city and bay of +Santiago, with its excellent water, shade, grass, and increased +comforts, which were daily shipped from our transports, presented a +scene far more conciliatory than had been witnessed about the Tenth +Horse for many days. + + +MEDALS OF HONOR AND CERTIFICATES OF MERIT GRANTED TO COLORED SOLDIERS +FOR DISTINGUISHED SERVICES IN THE CUBAN CAMPAIGN. + +OFFICIAL. + + MEDALS OF HONOR. +----------------------------------------------------------------------- + Name. | Rank | Regiment. | Troop or Co.| Remarks. +----------------------------------------------------------------------- +Bell, Dennis | Pvt. | 10th Cav. | Troop H. |For gallantry +Lee, Fitz | Pvt. | 10th Cav. | Troop M. |in action at +Tompkins, Wm. H. | Pvt. | 10th Cav. | Troop M. |Tayabacoa, Cuba, +Wanton, Geo. H. | Pvt. | 10th Cav. | Troop M. |June 30, 1898. +----------------------------------------------------------------------- + CERTIFICATES OF MERIT. +----------------------------------------------------------------------- + Name. |Rank. | Regiment. | Troop or Co.| Remarks. +----------------------------------------------------------------------- +Bates, James |Pvt. | 9th Cav. | Troop H. | +Crosby, Scott |Pvt. | 24th Inf. | Comp. A. | +Davis, Edward |Pvt. | 9th Cav. | Troop H. | +Elliott, J. |Sergt. | 10th Cav. | Troop D. | +Fasit, Benjamin |Sergt. | 10th Cav. | Troop E. | +Gaither, O. |Q.M.Sergt | 10th Cav. | Troop B. | +Goff, G.W. |Sergt. | 9th Cav. | Troop B. | +Graham, J. |Sergt. | 10th Cav. | Troop E. | +Hagen, Abram |Corp. | 24th Inf. | Comp. G. | +Herbert, H.T. |Corp. | 10th Cav. | Troop E. | +Houston, Adam |1st Sergt.| 10th Cav. | Troop C. | +Jackson, J. |1st Sergt.| 9th Cav. | Troop C. | +Jackson, Elisha |Sergt. | 9th Cav. | Troop H. | +Jackson, Peter |Corp. | 24th Inf. | Comp. G. | +Jefferson, C.W. |1st Sergt.| 9th Cav. | Troop B. | +McCoun, P. |1st Sergt.| 10th Cav. | Troop E. | +Moore, Loney |Pvt. | 24th Inf. | Comp. A. | +Oden, Oscar |Musician | 10th Cav. | ........ | +Payne, William |Sergt. | 10th Cav. | Troop E. | +Pumphrey, Geo. W |Corp. | 9th Cav. | Troop H. | +Satchell, James |Sergt. | 24th Inf. | Comp. A. | +Smith, L. |Pvt. | 10th Cav. | Troop D. | +Thornton, William|Corp. | 24th Inf. | Comp. G. | +Walker, J. |Corp. | 10th Cav. | Troop D. | +Williams, John T.|Sergt. | 24th Inf. | Comp. G. | +Williams, R. |Corp. | 24th Inf. | Comp. B. | +----------------------------------------------------------------------- + +Besides the Certificates of Merit and Medals of Honor, mentioned +above, and the promotions to commissions in the volunteer services, +there were some instances of promotion to non-commissioned officers' +positions of men in the ranks or junior grade for conspicuous +gallantry. Notably among such were Benjamin F. Sayre, of the +Twenty-fourth, promoted to Sergeant-Major for gallantry at San Juan, +and Private James W. Peniston, of the Tenth Cavalry, promoted to +Squadron Sergeant-Major for conspicuous bravery at Las Guasimas. +Others there may be whose names are not available at this time. + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[22] "The Ninth and Tenth Cavalry regiments fought one on either side +of mine at Santiago, and I wish no better men beside me in battle than +these colored troops showed themselves to be. Later on, when I come to +write of the campaign, I shall have much to say about them."--T. +Roosevelt. + +[23] The major commanding the squadron in which Sergeant Givens' +troops served, writes to the sergeant the following letter: + + Sergeant William H. Givens, Troop D, 10th Cavalry, Fort + Clark, Texas. + + Sergeant:--When making my report as commander of the Second + Squadron, 10th U. S. Cavalry, for action of July 1, 1898, at + San Juan Hills, I did not mention any enlisted men by name, + as I was absent from the regiment at the time of making the + report and without access to records, so that I could not + positively identify and name certain men who were + conspicuous during the fight; but I recollect finding a + detachment of Troop D under your command on the firing line + during the afternoon of July 1st. Your service and that of + your men at that time was most creditable, and you deserve + special credit for having brought your detachment promptly + to the firing line when left without a commissioned officer. + + THEO. J. WINT, + Lieutenant-Colonel, 6th U.S. Cavalry. + Second Lieutenant, 10th Cavalry. + + True copy: + +[24] Extract from _The Statesman_, Denver, after the departure of the +25th Infantry, and the arrival of the 34th: + + Two policemen killed, the murderer at large and his comrades + of the 34th Regiment busy boasting of their sympathy for + him, and extolling his deed to the skies, yet not a single + petition has been prepared to have the regiment removed. The + 25th Infantry, with its honor undimmed by any such wanton + crime, with a record unexcelled by any regiment in the + service, was the target for all sorts of criticism and + persecution as soon as it arrived. The one is a white + regiment, composed of the scum of the earth, the other a + black regiment composed of men who have yet to do one thing + of which they should be ashamed. Yet Denver welcomes the one + with open arms and salutes with marked favor, while she + barely suffered the other to remain. + + Had it been a negro soldier who committed the dastardly deed + of Saturday night the War Department would have been deluged + with complaints and requests for removal, but not a word has + been said against the 34th. Prejudice and hatred blacker + than the wings of night has so envenomed the breasts of the + people that fairness is out of the question. Be he black, no + matter how noble and good, a man must be despised. Be he + white, he may commit the foulest of crimes and yet have his + crimes condoned. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +The Colored Volunteers. + + The Ninth Ohio Battalion--Eighth Illinois--Twenty-third + Kansas-Third North Carolina--Sixth Virginia--Third + Alabama--The Immunes. + + +The return of the army and the repatriation of the Spanish army from +Cuba, brought before the country for immediate solution the problem of +garrisoning that island; and in a very short time the question of +similar nature regarding Porto Rico. Ten regiments of immunes had been +organized in the volunteer service partly in anticipation of such a +situation. Four of these regiments were composed of colored enlisted +men. The regiments were classed as United States Volunteer Infantry, +and were numbered from one to ten, the Seventh, Eighth, Ninth and +Tenth being colored. + +Of these four colored regiments the officers above first lieutenants +were white men, except the chaplains, and in some cases the surgeons. +Very little care had been taken in enlisting the men, as it was +important to get the regiments in the field as soon as possible; yet +of them as a whole General Breckinridge, Inspector-General, speaks as +follows: "The colored regiments of immunes, so called, raised for this +war, have turned out, so far as can be judged from their camp life (as +none of them have been in any actual campaign), very satisfactory. The +regular colored regiments won golden opinions in battle. The +experiment of having so many colored officers has not yet shown its +full results. Certainly we should have the best obtainable officers +for our volunteers, and therefore some such men as Colonel Young, who +is a graduate of the Military Academy at West Point, whether white or +black, must be sought for." + +Besides these four colored regiments of immunes, so-called, there were +other State organizations composed entirely of colored men, mustered +into the United States service, as for example the Ninth Battalion of +the Ohio National Guard. This organization was composed of four +companies, with colored captains and lieutenants, the staff officers +also being colored, the commanding officer of the battalion being +Major Young, who was a first lieutenant in the Regular Army, a +graduate from the Military Academy, and an officer of experience. He +is the person referred to as _Colonel_ Young by General Breckinridge, +cited just above. This battalion, although not permitted to do any +active campaigning, maintained itself well in that most trying of all +duties for raw troops--camp duty--winning a good record in the South +as well as in the North, having been stationed in Virginia, +Pennsylvania and lastly in South Carolina; from which latter place it +was mustered out, and the men proceeded to their homes in an orderly +manner, reflecting credit upon themselves and the officers under whom +they had served. This organization is mentioned first, because it was +the only one of its kind commanded by a Regular Army officer, and a +man who had received scientific military training.[25] + +Two of these volunteer regiments, the Eighth Illinois and the +Twenty-third Kansas, reached Cuba and made history there, in garrison +service, coming in direct contact with the Ninth Immunes, and in no +sense suffering in comparison thereto. The Eighth Illinois being the +first to go to the front, in a sense deserves to be noticed here +first. This remarkable regiment was developed out of the Ninth +Battalion, Illinois National Guard, and owes its origin to the +persistent efforts of Messrs. John R. Marshall, Robert R. Jackson, +Franklin Dennison, E.H. Wright, Rev. R.C. Ransom, Rev. J.W. Thomas, +S.B. Turner and doubtless many others whose names do not appear. These +gentlemen named called upon the Governor of their State the next day +after the President had issued his call for 175,000 volunteers, and +received from that official the assurance that if another call should +be made they should have the opportunity to recruit their battalion to +a regiment, and that he would "call that regiment first into the +service," and "that every officer in that regiment will be a colored +man." + +After receiving this encouragement, the leaders began at once the work +of organizing and recruiting, and when the second call came, May 25th, +the regiment was well under way, and soon ready to go into camp to +prepare for service. On June 30th it assembled in Springfield from the +following places: Seven hundred men from Chicago; one hundred and +twenty from Cairo; a full company from Quincy, and smaller numbers +from Mound City, Metropolis and Litchfield, and nearly a company from +Springfield. The regiment was sworn in during the latter half of July, +the muster roll showing 1,195 men and 46 officers, every one of whom +was of African descent except one private in a Chicago company. + +Of these forty-six officers, ten had received college education, six +were lawyers, and the others were educated in the public schools, or +had served in the Regular Army as non-commissioned officers. Many of +them were directly from Illinois, that is in the sense of having been +born and reared in the State, and were fully accustomed to the full +exercise of their rights as men and citizens. In character and +intelligence the official element of the Eighth was about up to the +standard of the volunteer army, as events subsequently proved. + +Going into camp with the Ninth, white, this latter regiment, early in +August, received an order to move to a Southern camp en route for +Cuba, leaving the Eighth behind, greatly to the chagrin of both +officers and men. Governor Tanner was evidently disturbed by this +move, and expressed himself in the following language: "Even from the +very doors of the White House have I received letters asking and +advising me not to officer this regiment with colored men, but I +promised to do so, and I have done it. I shall never rest until I see +this regiment--my regiment--on the soil of Cuba, battling for the +right and for its kinsmen." + +Later the misfortunes of the First Illinois proved the opportunity of +the Eighth. This regiment was in Cuba, suffering terribly with the +fever, the men going down under its effects so rapidly that the +Colonel in command implored Governor Tanner "to use all influence at +Washington to secure the immediate recall of the First Illinois." When +the Governor received this message he sent for Colonel Marshall, of +the Eighth, and asked him to ascertain the sentiments of the officers +and men of his regiment in regard to being sent to relieve the First. +On the 4th day of August Colonel Marshall was able to send to +Washington the following dispatch: + + "H. C. Corbin, Adjutant-General:-- + + "I called the officers of the Eighth Illinois, colored, in + conference and they are unanimously and enthusiastically in + favor of being sent to relieve the First Illinois at + Santiago." + +To this hearty dispatch came the following reply: + + "The Secretary of War appreciates very much the offer of the + Eighth Illinois Volunteer Infantry for duty in Santiago, + and has directed that the regiment be sent there by steamer + Yale, leaving New York next Tuesday. The main trouble with + our troops now in Cuba is that they are suffering from + exhaustion and exposure incident to one of the most trying + campaigns to which soldiers have ever been subjected." + + "H.C. Corbin, + "_Adjutant-General_." + +This action on the part of the regiment is said to have so pleased the +President that on hearing it he declared it was the proudest moment of +his life. + +On the 9th of August the regiment left Springfield, and in passing +through Illinois and Ohio was greeted with the most generous +enthusiasm, the people supplying the men with free lunches at every +station. This was the period when the sympathy of the whole country +was turned toward the colored soldier in consequence of the reports of +valor and heroism that had been circulated concerning the black +regulars. On the afternoon of the 11th the Yale cast off her lines, +and with the first American Negro regiment that the world has ever +seen, steamed out of New York harbor amid the ringing of bells and +shrieks of steam whistles, and four days later, August 15, landed in +Cuba. The regiment remained in Cuba until March 10, performing +garrison duty so well that General Breckenridge said it was "as fine a +volunteer regiment as was ever mustered into the service," and that it +was "a shame to muster out of service such an excellent regiment." + +The Twenty-third Kansas, made up in that State and officered as was +the Eighth Illinois, by men of the same race, with the enlisted men, +arrived in Cuba August 30, and in company with the Eighth Illinois +Regiment, was stationed in the country about San Luis, with +headquarters at that place, Colonel Marshall, of the Illinois +Regiment, serving as commander of the post, and also as Governor of +the Province of San Luis. A detachment of the Illinois Regiment, +under command of Major Jackson, was sent to Palma Soriana, and did +excellent work there in the preservation of order between the Cubans +and Spaniards, who were living together in that place in outward peace +but in secret resentful hostility. Major Jackson managed affairs so +well that both parties came to admire him, and when he was called away +expressed their regret. Captain Roots, who commanded the post after +the departure of Major Jackson, was equally fortunate, especially with +the Cubans, and when it was thought his command was to be removed, the +citizens generally united in a petition to the General commanding, +asking that both the Captain and his command might remain in the city. +The fact is also noted by the chroniclers of the regiment that several +marriages took place in Palma Soriana between soldiers of the Eighth +Illinois and Cuban maidens. + +The Eighth Regiment was finally settled in San Luis, occupying the old +Spanish barracks and arsenal, and under Colonel Marshall's supervision +the city was put in fine sanitary condition, streets and yards being +carefully policed; meanwhile under the reign of order and peace which +the Colonel's just methods established, confidence prevailed, business +revived and the stagnation which had so long hung like a fog over the +little city, departed, and in its stead came an era of bustling +activity. + +All was peaceful and prosperous, both with the citizens and the +garrison, until the Ninth United States Volunteers came in the +vicinity. Then a difficulty sprang up in which both regiments became +involved, although it was in no sense serious, but it afforded a +pretext for the removal of the Eighth Illinois from the city. The +event turned out all the better for the Eighth, as it enabled them to +establish Camp Marshall, about three miles from the city, in a healthy +neighborhood, where they remained until ordered home to be mustered +out. The regiment came back to Chicago in fine condition and was +tendered an enthusiastic welcome by that great city. Thus two entire +regiments represented the country abroad in this, its first, foreign +war with a European power. + +It should also be recorded that although the Ninth United States +Volunteers was composed of persons who were classed as immune, and had +come chiefly from Louisiana, and notwithstanding that the officers of +the regiment above lieutenants were white men, and the colonel an +officer of the Regular Army of long experience, and was specially +praised by so good a sanitarian as General Wood for having been, +constant and untiring in his efforts to look after the welfare of his +men, and that the surgeons of the regiment were white men, that deaths +among the colored men numbered one officer and seventy-three enlisted +men. In striking contrast with this record of the immune regiment is +that of the Eighth Illinois, which was made up entirely of residents +of that State and officered throughout by colored men. Its medical +officers were men of high character, and its losses by death were just +twenty, or but little over one-fourth the number that occurred in the +immune regiment. An efficient auxiliary society to this regiment was +formed of colored ladies of Chicago who forwarded to the sick in Cuba +more than six hundred dollars worth of well chosen supplies, which did +much for the comfort of those in the hospital; but this would not +account for the great difference in the death rate of the two +regiments. Though not immune, the Eighth Illinois fared very much +better than the so-called immune regiment, although the latter had +the benefit of white officers. The experience of the Twenty-third +Kansas did not differ in any important respect from that of the Eighth +Illinois. Both regiments returned to their homes in March, 1899, and +were mustered out of the service, leaving behind them good records for +efficiency. + +The Sixth Virginia Regiment consisted of eight companies and was under +command of Lieutenant-Colonel Richard C. Croxton, of the Regular Army, +white, with Majors J.B. Johnson and W.H. Johnson, colored. It was +mustered into service during the latter part of the summer and went +into camp near Knoxville, Tennessee. Here an order came from Corps +Headquarters, at Lexington, Kentucky, directing that nine of the +officers, including one major, should appear before a board of +examiners in order to give evidence of their fitness to command. The +officers named, regarding this as uncalled for, immediately tendered +their resignations. The vacancies thus created were filled by the +Governor of the State, the appointees being white men. These white +officers on arriving at the camp and finding themselves unwelcome, +immediately followed in the wake of their colored predecessors, and +tendered their resignations. + +The difficulties arising from this friction were somehow adjusted, but +in what manner the reports available at this time do not show. Moving +to Macon, Georgia, the regiment remained in the service until some +time in the winter, when it was mustered out. Much was said by the +local papers to the detriment of the men composing this regiment, but +viewing their action from the standpoint of the civilian and citizen, +it does not appear reprehensible. They had volunteered with the +understanding that their own officers, officers with whom they were +well acquainted, and in whose friendship they held a place, should +command them, and when they saw these officers displaced and white +strangers put in their stead, they felt a pardonable indignation, and +took their own way of expressing it. As soldiers, their conduct in +resisting authority, cannot be commended. + +The Third North Carolina Volunteer Infantry was organized as were the +regiments of Illinois and Kansas, above described. The officers of the +North Carolina Regiment were all colored men of that State and were +men of character and note. Its commanding officer, Colonel Young, had +held responsible positions under both State and National Governments, +had been editor of a paper and member of the State Legislature and +Major in the State militia. In character, he was above reproach, being +a strict teetotaler and not even using tobacco. The regiment made a +good record, but did not see any active service. + +A peculiar regiment was organized in Alabama, known as the Third +Alabama Volunteer Infantry, in which the enlisted men were all colored +and the officers all white. The regiment saw no service and attracted +no attention outside of its immediate locality. + +Two companies of colored men with colored captains were also mustered +into the United States service from Indiana, and finally attached to +Colonel Huggins' command, although not becoming a part of his +regiment, the Eighth Immunes. They were stationed at Fort Thomas, Ky., +and at Chickamauga, and were mustered out early. Their officers were +men of intelligence who had acquired experience by several years' +service in the militia, and the companies were exceptionally well +drilled. They were designated Companies A and B and were commanded by +Captains Porter and Buckner, with Lieutenant Thomas as Quartermaster. + +The organization of the four immune regiments, already mentioned, gave +opportunity for ninety-six colored men to obtain commissions as +lieutenants. A few of these positions were seized upon by influential +young white men, who held them, but with no intention of ever serving +in the regiments, as they found staff positions much more congenial to +their tastes. The colored men who were appointed lieutenants in these +regiments were generally either young men of ability and influence who +had assisted in getting up their companies, and who in many cases had +received some elementary military instruction as cadets, in school, or +men who had distinguished themselves by efficiency or gallantry in the +Regular Army. Some exceptions there were, of course, and a few +received commissions in consequence of personal friendship and +political considerations. Before these regiments were mustered out of +the service about one-half of the lieutenants were men from the +Regular Army. + +I am sure the reader will be pleased to learn that Sergeants Foster, +Buck and Givens, whose deeds in Cuba have already been related, were +rewarded with commissions, and that the gallant Thomas C. Butler, who +rushed forward from his company's line and seized the Spanish standard +at El Caney, was afterward permitted to serve in Cuba with the rank of +a commissioned officer. Besides those named above, there were others +also of marked ability and very respectable attainments who received +commissions on general merit, as well as for gallantry. Chief among +the class promoted for efficiency was First Lieutenant James R. +Gillespie, formerly Post Quartermaster-Sergeant. Gillespie had served +several years in the Tenth Cavalry and had proved himself an excellent +soldier. Both in horsemanship and as marksman he was up to the +standard, while his character and business qualifications were such +as to secure for him a staff position of responsibility. As +Quartermaster-Sergeant he held positions of important posts and filled +them with great satisfaction. Because of his efficiency as a soldier +he was given a commission as First Lieutenant and executed the duties +of his office with the same ability that had marked his career as an +enlisted man. From the Tenth Cavalry also came First Lieutenant Baker, +whose commission was a tribute to his fidelity and efficiency. A +soldier of high type he bore his commission and its honors as worthily +as any son of our Republic. In the same category must be placed First +Lieutenant Wm. McBryer, formerly Sergeant in the Twenty-fifth +Infantry. McBryer had served in the Tenth Cavalry and had won a Medal +of Honor in conflict with the Indians. He was a soldier distinguished +by strength of character, prompt executiveness, quick decision and +courage. He was also possessed of considerable literary skill, was a +good speaker and attractive writer, and a man of fine parts. He was a +valuable acquisition to the volunteer service and would have made a +fine captain. + +Of the colored sergeants from the Regular Army who were given +commissions in the volunteer service it would not be extravagant to +say that all were men of worth, well-tried in the service, and there +was scarcely one of them but could have successfully commanded a +company. Lieutenant A.J. Smith, formerly First Sergeant in the +Twenty-fifth Infantry, was so well informed in the paper work of the +army and in company administration particularly that he was regarded +as an authority, and he was so well experienced in the whole life of a +soldier, in camp, field, garrison and in battle, that it would have +been difficult to find his superior in the army. To the credit of all +of the enlisted men of the Regular Army referred to, who received +commissions in the volunteer service, all served honorably and were +mustered out without bringing any scandal of any sort upon the +service. + +The colored volunteers in the service acquitted themselves as well as +the average volunteer, and when mustered out proceeded to their homes +about as others did. The treatment accorded them in some of the +Southern cities, especially in Nashville, Tennessee, did not speak +well for the loyalty of that section, nor was it such as might +reasonably be expected from a people who had fared so well in the +offices and honors of the short war. From the best sources available, +it seems incumbent to say that the many charges alleged against the +colored volunteers for excessive rioting and disorder were without +proper foundation, and the assaults made upon them unjustifiable and +cruel. The spirit of the assailants is best seen from a description of +the attack made upon the unarmed discharged soldiers of the Eighth +Immuners in Nashville, already alluded to. This description was made +by the sheriff who participated in the brutality. An officer who was +on the train, and who was asleep at the time, when aroused went into +the car where the men were and found that they had been beaten and +robbed, and in some instances their discharges taken from them and +torn up, and their weapons and money taken from them by citizens. It +was about one o'clock A.M. and the men were generally asleep when +attacked. The sheriff gloats over it in language which ought not be +allowed to disappear: + + "It was the best piece of work I ever witnessed. The police + went to the depot, not armed with the regulation 'billy,' + but carrying stout hickory clubs about two and one-half feet + long. + +Their idea was that a mahogany or lignum vitae billy was too costly a +weapon to be broken over a Negro's head. The police were on board the +train before it stopped even, and the way they went for the Negroes +was inspiring. The police tolerated no impudence, much less rowdyism, +from the Negroes, and if a darky even looked mad, it was enough for +some policeman to bend his club double over his head. In fact after +the police finished with them they were the meekest, mildest, most +polite set of colored men I ever saw." This language is respectfully +dedicated to the memory of the proud city of Nashville, and presents +to the readers the portrait of her police. + +Despite this vile treatment, the colored soldier went on to his home, +ready again to respond to his country's call, and to rally to the +defence of his country's flag, and, incidentally, to the preservation +of the lives and homes of the misguided, heartless beings who can +delight in his sufferings. The hickory club belongs to one sort of +warrior; the rifle to quite another. The club and rifle represent +different grades of civilization. The Negro has left the club; the +language from Nashville does honor to the club. Billy and bully are +the theme of this officer of the law, and for a "darkey even to look +mad" is ample justification for "some policeman to bend his club +double over his head." Were these policemen rioters? Or were they +conservaters of the peace? Judge ye! + + +OUTLINE HISTORY OF THE NINTH (SEPARATE) BATTALION, OHIO VOLUNTEER +INFANTRY. + +_By the Battalion Adjutant, Lieutenant Wilson Ballard._ + +The Ninth Battalion, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, the only colored +organization from Ohio in the Volunteer Army during the war with +Spain, was, previous to the date of its muster into the United States +service, known as the Ninth Battalion, Ohio National Guard. April +25th, 1898, the battalion, consisting of three companies, A from +Springfield, under Captain R.R. Rudd; B from Columbus, under Captain +James Hopkins, and C from Xenia, under Captain Harry H. Robinson, was +ordered into camp at Columbus, Ohio. The battalion was under the +command of Major Charles Fillmore. + +May 14, 1898, the battalion was mustered into the volunteer service by +Captain Rockefeller, U.S.A. Lieutenant Charles Young, U.S.A., then on +duty at Wilberforce University, Wilberforce, Ohio, as professor of +military science and tactics, was commissioned by Governor Bushnell as +Major commanding the Ninth Battalion, O.V.I., relieving Major +Fillmore. In order to enable Lieutenant Young to accept his volunteer +commission, he was granted an indefinite leave of absence by the War +Department. + +May 19, 1898, the command having been ordered to join the Second Army +Corps at Camp Russell A. Alger, near Falls Church, Va., left Camp +Bushnell and arrived at Camp Alger May 21, 1898. + +When Major-General Graham assumed command of the Second Army Corps and +organized it into divisions, the battalion was placed in the +provisional division. In June (exact date not remembered) the +battalion was placed in the Second Brigade, Second Division, being +brigaded with the Twelfth Pennsylvania and Seventh Illinois Regiments. +The battalion was relieved from the Second Brigade, Second Division +and placed in the Second Brigade, First Division, being brigaded with +the Eighth Ohio and Sixth Massachusetts. + +A New Jersey regiment was relieved from duty as corps headquarters' +guard late in June and the Ninth Battalion assigned to that duty. The +battalion performed this duty until it was ordered South from Camp +Meade, Penn., when it became separated from corps headquarters. +Important outposts, such as the entrance to Falls Church and the +guarding of the citizens' gardens and property, were under the charge +of the command. + +When General Garretson's brigade (Second Brigade, First Division, +consisting of the Eighth Ohio, Ninth Battalion and Sixth +Massachusetts) was ordered to Cuba, General Graham, thinking that his +entire Army Corps would soon be ordered to active service, requested +the War Department, as the battalion was his headquarters guard, to +let the battalion remain with him. (See telegrams Gen. Graham's report +to the Secretary of War.) General Graham's request being honored by +the department, the battalion was deprived of this chance of seeing +active service in foreign fields. The battalion was then attached to +the Second Brigade, Second Division, under Brigadier-General Plummer, +being brigaded with the First New Jersey, Sixty-fifth New York and +Seventh Ohio. + +In July the battalion was relieved from this brigade and attached +directly to corps headquarters. When the Second Army Corps was ordered +to Camp Meade, Penna., the battalion was one of the first to break +camp, going with corps headquarters. The battalion left Camp R.A. +Alger August 15, 1898, and arrived in camp at Camp George G. Meade, +near Middletown, Penna., August 16, 1898. In camp the battalion +occupied a position with the signal and engineer corps and hospital, +near corps headquarters. + +When the Peace Jubilee was held in Philadelphia, the battalion was one +of the representative commands from the Second Army Corps, being given +the place of honor in the corps in the parade, following immediately +General Graham and staff. When the corps was ordered South the +battalion was assigned to the Second Brigade under Brigadier-General +Ames. The battalion left Camp Meade November 17. Up to this time it +had done the guard duty of corps headquarters and was complimented for +its efficient work by the commanding general. The battalion arrived +in Summerville, S.C., November 21, 1898. It was brigaded with the +Fourteenth Pennsylvania and Third Connecticut. + +When the battalion arrived in the South the white citizens were not at +all favorably disposed toward colored soldiers, and it must be said +that the reception was not cordial. But by their orderly conduct and +soldierly behavior the men soon won the respect of all, and the +battalion was well treated before it left. November 28-29 Major Philip +Reade, Inspector General First Division, Second Army Corps, inspected +the Ninth Battalion, beginning his duties in that brigade with this +inspection. He complimented the battalion for its work both from a +practical and theoretical standpoint. Coming to the Fourteenth +Pennsylvania he required them to go through certain movements in the +extended order drill which not being done entirely to his +satisfaction, he sent his orderly to the commanding officer of the +Ninth Battalion, requesting him to have his command on the drill +ground at once. The battalion fell in and marched to the ground and +when presented to the Inspector orders were given for it to go through +with certain movements in the extended order drill in the presence of +the Pennsylvania regiment. This done, the Inspector dismissed the +battalion, highly complimenting Major Young on the efficiency of his +command. Just after the visit of the Inspector General, General S.B.M. +Young, commanding the Second Army Corps, visited Camp Marion. Orders +were sent to Major Young one morning to have his battalion fall in at +once, as the General desired to have them drill. By his command the +battalion went through the setting-up exercises and battalion drill in +close and extended order. The General was so well pleased with the +drill that the battalion was exempted from all work during the +remainder of the day. + +The battalion was ordered to be mustered out January 29, 1899. +Lieutenant Geo. W. Van Deusen, First Artillery, who was detailed to +muster out the command, hardly spent fifteen minutes in the camp. +Major Young had been detailed Assistant Commissary of Musters and +signed all discharges for the Ninth Battalion, except for the field +and staff, which were signed by Lieutenant Van Deusen. The companies +left for their respective cities the same night they were paid. Major +Bullis was the paymaster. + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[25] See "Outline History of the Ninth (Separate) Battalion Ohio +Volunteer Infantry," by the Battalion Adjutant, Lieutenant Nelson +Ballard, following the close of this chapter. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +COLORED OFFICERS. + + By Captain Frank R. Steward, A.B., LL.B., Harvard, + Forty-ninth U.S. Volunteer Infantry--Appendix. + + +Of all the avenues open to American citizenship the commissioned ranks +of the army and navy have been the stubbornest to yield to the newly +enfranchised. Colored men have filled almost every kind of public +office or trust save the Chief Magistracy. They have been members of +both Houses of Congress, and are employed in all the executive +branches of the Government, but no Negro has as yet succeeded in +invading the commissioned force of the navy, and his advance in the +army has been exceedingly slight. Since the war, as has been related, +but three Negroes have been graduated from the National Military +Academy at West Point; of these one was speedily crowded out of the +service; another reached the grade of First Lieutenant and died +untimely; the third, First Lieutenant Charles Young, late Major of the +9th Ohio Battalion, U.S. Volunteers, together with four colored +Chaplains, constitute the sole colored commissioned force of our +Regular Army. + +Although Negroes fought in large numbers in both the Revolution and +the War of 1812, there is no instance of any Negro attaining or +exercising the rank of commissioned officer. It is a curious bit of +history, however, that in the Civil War those who were fighting to +keep colored men enslaved were the first to commission colored +officers. In Louisiana but a few days after the outbreak of the war, +the free colored population of New Orleans organized a military +organization, called the "Native Guard," which was accepted into the +service of the State and its officers were duly commissioned by the +Governor.[26] + +These Negro soldiers were the first to welcome General Butler when he +entered New Orleans, and the fact of the organization of the "Native +Guard" by the Confederates was used by General Butler as the basis for +the organization of three colored regiments of "Native Guards," all +the line officers of which were colored men. Governor Pinchback, who +was a captain in one of these regiments, tells the fate of these early +colored officers. + +"There were," he writes, "in New Orleans some colored soldiers known +as 'Native Guards' before the arrival of the Federal soldiers, but I +do not know much about them. It was a knowledge of this fact that +induced General Butler, then in command of the Department of the Gulf, +to organize three regiments of colored soldiers, viz: The First, +Second and Third Regiments of Native Guards. + +"The First Regiment of Louisiana Native Guards, Colonel Stafford +commanding, with all the field officers white, and a full complement +of line officers (30) colored, was mustered into service at New +Orleans September 27, 1862, for three years. Soon after General Banks +took command of the department and changed the designation of the +regiment to First Infantry, Corps d'Afrique. April 4th, 1864, it was +changed again to Seventy-third United States Colored Infantry. + + [Transcriber's Note: This footnote appeared in the text + without a footnote anchor: + + "On the 23d of November, 1861, there was a grand review of + the Confederate troops stationed at New Orleans. An + Associated Press despatch announced that the line was seven + miles long. The feature of the review, however, was one + regiment of fourteen hundred free colored men. Another grand + review followed the next spring, and on the appearance of + rebel negroes a local paper made the following comment: + + "'We must also pay a deserved compliment to the companies of + free colored men, all very well drilled and comfortably + uniformed. Most of these companies, quite unaided by the + administration, have supplied themselves with arms without + regard to cost or trouble. On the same day one of these + negro companies was presented with a flag, and every + evidence of public approbation was manifest.'" + + (Williams's Negro Troops in the Rebellion, pp. 83-4)] + +"The Second Louisiana Native Guards, with Colonel N.W. Daniels and +Lieutenant-Colonel Hall, white, and Major Francis E. Dumas, colored, +and all the line officers colored except one Second Lieutenant, was +mustered into service for three years, October 12, 1862. General Banks +changed its designation to Second Infantry Corps d'Afrique, June 6, +1863, and April 6, 1864, it was changed to Second United States +Colored Troops. Finally it was consolidated with the Ninety-first as +the Seventy-fourth Colored Infantry, and mustered out October 11, +1865. + +"The Third Regiment of Louisiana Native Guards, with Colonel Nelson +and all field officers white, and all line officers (30) colored, was +mustered into service at New Orleans for three years, November 24, +1862. Its designation went through the same changes as the others at +the same dates, and it was mustered out November 25, 1865, as the +Seventy-fifth Colored Infantry. + +"Soon after the organization of the Third Regiment, trouble for the +colored officers began, and the department began a systematic effort +to get rid of them. A board of examiners was appointed and all COLORED +officers of the Third Regiment were ordered before it. They refused to +obey the order and tendered their resignations in a body. The +resignations were accepted and that was the beginning of the end. Like +action with the same results followed in the First and Second +Regiments, and colored officers were soon seen no more. All were +driven out of the service except three or four who were never ordered +to appear before the examining board. Among these was your humble +servant. I was then Captain of Company A, Second Regiment, but I soon +tired of my isolation and resigned." + +Later on in the war, with the general enlistment of colored soldiers, +a number of colored chaplains and some surgeons were commissioned. +Towards the close of the war several colored line officers and a field +officer or two were appointed. The State of Massachusetts was foremost +in according this recognition to colored soldiers. But these later +appointments came, in most cases, after the fighting was all over, and +gave few opportunities to command. At the close of the war, with the +muster out of troops the colored officers disappeared and upon the +reorganization of the army, despite the brilliant record of the +colored soldiers, no Negro was given a commission of any sort. + +The outbreak of the Spanish War brought the question of colored +officers prominently to the front. The colored people began at once to +demand that officers of their own race be commissioned to command +colored volunteers. They were not to be deluded by any extravagant +praise of their past heroic services, which veiled a determination to +ignore their just claims. So firmly did they adhere to their demands +that but one volunteer regiment of colored troops, the Third Alabama, +could be induced to enter the service with none of its officers +colored. But the concessions obtained were always at the expense of +continuous and persistent effort, and in the teeth of a very active +and at times extremely violent opposition. We know already the kind of +opposition the Eighth Illinois, the Twenty-third Kansas, and the Third +North Carolina Regiments, officered entirely by colored men, +encountered. It was this opposition, as we have seen, which confined +colored officers to positions below the grade of captain in the four +immune regiments. From a like cause, we know also, distinguished +non-commissioned officers of the four regular regiments of colored +troops were allowed promotion only to Lieutenantcies in the immune +regiments, and upon the muster out of those organizations, were +compelled, if they desired to continue soldiering, to resume their +places as enlisted men. + +There is some explanation for this opposition in the nature of the +distinction which military rank confers. Military rank and naval rank +constitute the only real distinction among us. Our officers of the +army and navy, and of the army more than of the navy, because the +former officers are more constantly within the country, make up the +sole separate class of our population. We have no established +nobility. Wealth confers no privilege which men are bound to observe. +The respect paid to men who attain eminence in science and learning +goes only as far as they are known. The titles of the professions are +matters of courtesy and customs only. Our judges and legislators, our +governors and mayors, are still our "fellow citizens," and the dignity +they enjoy is but an honorary one. The highest office within our gift +offers no exception. At the close of his term, even an ex-President, +"that melancholy product of our system," must resume his place among +his fellow citizens, to sink, not infrequently, into obscurity. But +fifty thousand soldiers must stand attention to the merest second +lieutenant! His rank is a _fact_. The life tenure, the necessities of +military discipline and administration, weld army officers into a +distinct class and make our military system the sole but necessary +relic of personal government. Any class with special privileges is +necessarily conservative. + +The intimate association of "officer" and "gentleman," a legacy of +feudal days, is not without significance. An officer must also be a +gentleman, and "conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman" is +erected into an offence punishable by dismissal from the service. The +word "gentleman" has got far away from the strict significance of its +French parent. De Tocqueville has made us see the process of this +development. Passing over to England, with the changing conditions, +"gentleman" was used to describe persons lower and lower in the social +scale, until, when it crossed to this country, its significance became +lost in an indiscriminate application to all citizens[27]. A flavor of +its caste significance still remains in the traditional "high sense of +honor" characteristic of our military service. It was a distant step +for a slave and freedman to become an officer and gentleman. + +While the above reflections may be some explanations _in fact_ for the +opposition to the commissioning of Negroes, there was no one with +hardihood enough to bring them forward. Such notions might form the +groundwork of a prejudice, but they could not become the reason of a +policy. It is an instinctive tribute to the good sense of the American +people that the opponents of colored officers were compelled to find +reasons of another kind for their antagonism. + +The one formula heard always in the campaign against colored officers +was: Negroes cannot command. This formula was sent forth with every +kind of variation, from the fierce fulminations of the hostile +Southern press, to the more apologetic and philosophical discussions +of our Northern secular and religious journals. To be sure, every now +and then, there were exhibitions of impatience against the doctrine. +Not a few newspapers had little tolerance for the nonsense. Some +former commanders of Negro soldiers in the Civil War, notably, General +T.J. Morgan, spoke out in their behalf. The brilliant career of the +black regulars in Cuba broke the spell for a time, but the re-action +speedily set in. In short it became fastened pretty completely in the +popular mind as a bit of demonstrated truth that Negroes could not +make officers; that colored soldiers would neither follow nor obey +officers of their own race. + +This formula had of course to ignore an entire epoch of history. It +could take no account of that lurid program wrought in the Antilles a +century ago--a rising mob of rebel slaves, transformed into an +invincible army of tumultuous blacks, under the guidance of the +immortal Toussaint, overcoming the trained armies of three Continental +powers, Spain, England and France, and audaciously projecting a black +republic into the family of nations, a program at once a marvel and a +terror to the civilized world. + +Not alone in Hayti, but throughout the States of Central and South +America have Negroes exercised military command, both in the struggles +of these states for independence, and in their national armies +established after independence. At least one soldier of Negro blood, +General Dumas, father of the great novelist, arose to the rank of +General of Division in the French Army and served under Napoleon. In +our day we have seen General Dodds, another soldier of Negro blood, +returning from a successful campaign in Africa, acclaimed throughout +France, his immense popularity threatening Paris with a renewal of the +hysterical days of Boulanger. Finally, we need not be told that at the +very head and front of the Cuban Rebellion were Negroes of every hue, +exercising every kind of command up to the very highest. We need but +recall the lamented Maceo, the Negro chieftain, whose tragic end +brought sorrow and dismay to all of Cuba. With an army thronging with +blacks and mulattoes, these Cuban chieftains, black, mulatto and +white, prolonged such an harassing warfare as to compel the +intervention of the United States. At the end of this recital, which +could well have been extended with greater particularity, if it were +thought needful, we are bound to conclude that the arbitrary formula +relied upon by the opponents of colored officers was never constructed +to fit such an obstinate set of facts. + +The prolonged struggle which culminated in permitting the Negro's +general enlistment in our Civil War had only to be repeated to secure +for him the full pay of a soldier, the right to be treated as a +prisoner of war, and to relieve him of the monopoly of fatigue and +garrison duty. He was too overjoyed with the boon of fighting for the +liberation of his race to make much contention about who was to lead +him. With meagre exception, his exclusive business in that war was to +carry a gun. Yet repeatedly Negro soldiers evinced high capacity for +command. Colonel Thomas Wentworth Higginson draws a glowing portrait +of Sergeant Prince Rivers, Color-Sergeant of the First South Carolina +Volunteers, a regiment of slaves, organized late in 1862. The +Color-Sergeant was provost-Sergeant also, and had entire charge of the +prisoners and of the daily policing of the camp. + +"He is a man of distinguished appearance and in old times was the +crack coachman of Beaufort. * * * They tell me that he was once +allowed to present a petition to the Governor of South Carolina in +behalf of slaves, for the redress of certain grievances, and that a +placard, offering two thousand dollars for his re-capture is still to +be seen by the wayside between here and Charleston. He was a sergeant +in the old 'Hunter Regiment,' and was taken by General Hunter to New +York last spring, where the chevrons on his arm brought a mob upon him +in Broadway, whom he kept off till the police interfered. There is not +a white officer in this regiment who has more administrative ability, +or more absolute authority over the men; they do not love him, but his +mere presence has controlling power over them. He writes well enough +to prepare for me a daily report of his duties in the camp; if his +education reached a higher point I see no reason why he should not +command the Army of the Potomac. He is jet-black, or rather, I should +say, wine-black, his complexion, like that of others of my darkest +men, having a sort of rich, clear depth, without a trace of sootiness, +and to my eye very handsome. His features are tolerably regular, and +full of command, and his figure superior to that of any of our white +officers, being six feet high, perfectly proportioned, and of +apparently inexhaustable strength and activity. His gait is like a +panther's; I never saw such a tread. No anti-slavery novel has +described a man of such marked ability. He makes Toussaint perfectly +intelligible, and if there should ever be a black monarchy in South +Carolina he will be its king."[28] + +Excepting the Louisiana Native Guards, the First South Carolina +Volunteers was the first regiment of colored troops to be mustered +into the service in the Civil War. The regiment was made up entirely +of slaves, with scarcely a mulatto among them. The first day of +freedom for these men was passed in uniform and with a gun. Among +these Negroes, just wrested from slavery, their scholarly commander, +Colonel Higginson, could find many whom he judged well fitted by +nature to command. + +"Afterwards I had excellent battalion drills," he writes, "without a +single white officer, by way of experiment, putting each company under +a sergeant, and going through the most difficult movements, such as +division columns and oblique squares. And as to actual discipline, it +is doing no injustice to the line-officers of the regiment to say that +none of them received from the men more implicit obedience than +Color-Sergeant Rivers. * * * It always seemed to me an insult to those +brave men to have novices put over their heads, on the ground of color +alone, and the men felt it the more keenly as they remained longer in +the service. There were more than seven hundred enlisted men in the +regiment, when mustered out after more than three years' service. The +ranks had been kept full by enlistment, but there were only fourteen +line-officers instead of the full thirty. The men who should have +filled these vacancies were doing duty as sergeants in the ranks."[29] + +Numerous expeditions were constantly on foot in the Department of the +South, having for their object the liberation of slaves still held to +service in neighborhoods remote from the Union camps, or to capture +supplies and munitions of war. Frequently these expeditions came in +conflict with armed bodies of rebels and hot engagements would ensue, +resulting in considerable loss of life. Colored soldiers were +particularly serviceable for this work because of their intimate +knowledge of the country and their zeal for the rescue of their +enslaved brethren. + +One of these expeditions, composed of thirty colored soldiers and +scouts, commanded by Sergeant-Major Henry James, Third United States +Colored Troops, left Jacksonville, Florida, early in March, 1865, to +penetrate into the interior through Marion county. They destroyed +considerable property in the use of the rebel government, burned the +bridge across the Oclawaha River, and started on their return with +ninety-one Negroes whom they had rescued from slavery, four white +prisoners, some wagons and a large number of horses and mules. They +were attacked by a rebel band of more than fifty cavalry. The colored +soldiers commanded by one of their own number, defeated and drove off +the rebels, inflicting upon them the heavy loss of thirty men. After a +long and rapid march they arrived at St. Augustine, Florida, with a +loss of but two killed and four wounded, the expedition covering in +all five days. These colored soldiers and their colored commander were +thanked in orders by Major-General Q.A. Gilmore, commanding the +department, who was moved to declare that "this expedition, planned +and executed by colored men, under the command of a colored +non-commissioned officer, reflects credit upon the brave participants +and their leader," and "he holds up their conduct to their comrades in +arms as an example worthy of emulation."[30] + +It was no uncommon occurrence throughout the Civil War for colored +non-commissioned officers to be thrown into command of their companies +by the killing or wounding of their superior officers. On many a field +of battle this happened and these colored non-commissioned officers +showed the same ability to take the initiative and accept the +responsibility, and conducted their commands just as bravely and +unfalteringly as did their successors on the firing line at La Guasima +and El Caney, or in the charge up San Juan Hill. + +In the battle of New Market Heights, fought on the 29th of September, +1864, as part of a comprehensive effort to turn Lee's left flank, the +great heroism of the black soldiers, and the terrible slaughter among +them, impressed their commander, the late Major-General Butler, to his +dying day, and made him the stout champion of their rights for the +rest of his life. In that battle, to quote from the orders putting on +record the "gallant deeds of the officers and soldiers of the Army of +the James":-- + + "Milton M. Holland, Sergeant-Major Fifth United States + Colored Troops, commanding Company C; James H. Bronson, + First Sergeant, commanding Company D; Robert Pinn, First + Sergeant, commanding Company I, wounded; Powhatan Beaty, + First Sergeant, commanding Company G, Fifth United States + Colored Troops--all these gallant colored soldiers were left + in command, all their company officers being killed or + wounded, and led them gallantly and meritoriously through + the day. For these services they have most honorable + mention, and the commanding general will cause a special + medal to be struck in honor of these gallant soldiers." + + "First Sergeant Edward Ratcliff, Company C, Thirty-eighth + United States Colored Troops, thrown into command of his + company by the death of the officer commanding, was the + first enlisted man in the enemy's works, leading his company + with great gallantry for which he has a medal." + + "Sergeant Samuel Gilchrist, Company K, Thirty-sixth United + States Colored Troops, showed great bravery and gallantry in + commanding his company after his officers were killed. He + has a medal for gallantry."[31] + +"Honorable mention" and "medals" were the sole reward open to the +brave Negro soldiers of that day. + +Not alone in camp and garrison, in charge of expeditions, or as +non-commissioned officers thrown into command of their companies on +the field of battle have Negro soldiers displayed unquestioned +capacity for command, but as commissioned officers they commanded in +camp and in battle, showing marked efficiency and conspicuous +gallantry. The colored officers of the First and Second Regiments of +Louisiana Native Guards, whose history has been detailed earlier in +this chapter,[32] were retained in the service long enough to command +their troops in bloody combat with the enemy. It will be remembered +that of the Second Regiment of Louisiana Native Guards only the +Colonel and Lieutenant-Colonel were white, the Major, F.E. Dumas, and +all the line officers, as in the case of the First Regiment of +Louisiana Native Guards, being colored. On April 9, 1863, Colonel N.U. +Daniels, who commanded the Second Regiment of Louisiana Native Guards, +with a detachment of two hundred men of his regiment, under their +colored officers, engaged and repulsed a considerable body of rebel +infantry and cavalry at Pascagoula, Mississippi. The engagement lasted +from 10 A.M. until 2 P.M. and was remarkable for the steadiness, +tenacity and bravery of these black troops in this, their first +battle, where they succeeded in defeating and beating off an enemy +five times their number. The official report by the Colonel commanding +declared: "Great credit is due to the troops engaged for their +unflinching bravery and steadiness under this, their first fire, +exchanging volley after volley with the coolness of veterans, and for +their determined tenacity in maintaining their position, and taking +advantage of every success that their courage and valor gave them; and +also to their officers, who were cool and determined throughout the +action, fighting their commands against five times their number, and +confident throughout of success. * * * + +"I would particularly call the attention of the department to Major +F.E. Dumas, Capt. Villeverd and Lieuts. Jones and Martin, who were +constantly in the thickest of the fight, and by their unflinching +bravery and admirable handling of their commands, contributed to the +success of the attack, and reflected great honor upon the flag for +which they so nobly struggled."[33] + +The battle which settled for all time the bravery of black troops, and +ought as well to silence all question about the capacity of colored +officers, was the storming of Port Hudson, May 27, 1863. For months +the Confederates had had uninterrupted opportunity to strengthen their +works at Port Hudson at a time when an abundance of slave labor was at +their disposal. They had constructed defenses of remarkable strength. +On a bluff, eighty feet above the river, was a series of batteries +mounting in all twenty siege guns. For land defenses they had a +continuous line of parapet of strong profile, beginning at a point on +the river a mile from Port Hudson and extending in a semi-circle for +three or four miles over a country for the most part rough and broken, +and ending again at the river, a half mile north of Port Hudson. At +appropriate positions along this line four bastion works were +constructed and thirty pieces of field artillery were posted. The +average thickness of the parapet was twenty feet, and the depth of the +ditch below the top of the parapet was fifteen feet. The ground behind +the parapet was well adapted for the prompt movement of troops.[34] + +On the 24th of May General Banks reached the immediate vicinity of +Port Hudson, and proceeded at once to invest the place. + +On the 27th the assault was ordered. Two colored regiments of +Louisiana Native Guards, the First Regiment with all line officers +colored, and the Third with white officers throughout, were put under +command of Colonel John A. Nelson, of the Third Regiment, and assigned +to position on the right of the line, where the assault was begun. The +right began the assault in the morning; for some reason the left did +not assault until late in the afternoon. Six companies of the First +Louisiana and nine companies of the Third, in all 1080 men, were +formed in column of attack. Even now, one cannot contemplate unmoved +the desperate valor of these black troops and the terrible slaughter +among them as they were sent to their impossible task that day in May. +Moving forward in double quick time the column emerged from the woods, +and passing over the plain strewn with felled trees and entangled +brushwood, plunged into a fury of shot and shell as they charged for +the batteries on the rebel left. Again and again that unsupported +column of black troops held to their hopeless mission by the +unrelenting order of the brigade commander, hurled itself literally +into the jaws of death, many meeting horrible destruction actually at +the cannon's mouth. + +It was a day prodigal with deeds of fanatical bravery. The colors of +the First Louisiana, torn and shivered in that fearful hail of fire, +were still borne forward in front of the works by the color-sergeant, +until a shell from the enemy cut the flag in two and gave the sergeant +his mortal wound. He fell spattering the flag with blood and brains +and hugged it to his bosom as he lay in the grasp of death. Two +corporals sprang forward to seize the colors, contending in generous +rivalry until a rebel sharpshooter felled one of them across the +sergeant's lifeless body. The other dashed proudly forward with the +flag. Sixteen men fell that day defending the colors. + +Black officers and white officers commanded side by side, moving among +the men to prompt their valor by word and example, revealing no +difference in their equal contempt of death. Captain Quinn, of the +Third Regiment, with forty reckless followers, bearing their rifles +and cartridge boxes above their heads, swam the ditch and leaped among +the guns, when they were ordered back to escape a regiment of rebels +hastening for their rear. Six of them re-crossed alive, and of these +only two were unhurt, the brave Quinn and a Lieutenant. The gallant +Captain Andre Cailloux, who commanded the color company of the First +Louisiana, a man black as night, but a leader by birth and education, +moved in eager zeal among his men, cheering them on by words and his +own noble example, with his left arm already shattered, proudly +refusing to leave the field. In a last effort of heroism, he sprang to +the front of his company, commanded his men to follow him, and in the +face of that murderous fire, gallantly led them forward until a shell +smote him to death but fifty yards from the works. + +Cailloux, a pure Negro in blood, was born a freeman and numbered +generations of freemen among his ancestry. He had fine presence, was a +man of culture and possessed wealth. He had raised his company by his +own efforts, and attached them to him, not only by his ardent pride of +race, which made him boast his blackness, but also by his undoubted +talents for command. His heroic death was mourned by thousands of his +race who had known him. His body, recovered after the surrender, was +given a soldier's burial in his own native city of New Orleans. + +When the day was spent, the bleeding and shattered column was at +length recalled. The black troops did not take the guns, but the day's +work had won for them a fame that cannot die. The nation, which had +received them into the service half-heartedly, and out of necessity, +was that day made to witness a monotony of gallantry and heroism that +compelled everywhere awe and admiration. Black soldiers, and led by +black officers as well as white, assigned a task hopeless and +impossible at the start, had plunged into that withering storm of shot +and shell, poured fourth by artillery and infantry, charging over a +field strewn with obstacles, and in madness of bravery had more than +once thrown the thin head of their column to the very edge of the +guns. They recoiled only to reform their broken lines and to start +again their desperate work. When the day was gone, and they were +called back, the shattered remnant of the column which had gone forth +in the morning still burned with passion. With that day's work of +black soldiers under black officers, a part forever of the military +glory of the Republic, there are those who yet dare to declare that +Negroes cannot command. + +The assault on Port Hudson had been unsuccessful all along the line. A +second assault was ordered June 13. It, too, was unsuccessful. The +fall of Vicksburg brought the garrison to terms. The surrender took +place July 9, 1863. In the report of the general commanding, the +colored soldiers were given unstinted praise. General Banks declared +that "no troops could be more determined or more daring."[35] The +Northern press described glowingly their part in the fight. The +prowess of the black soldiers had conquered military prejudice, and +won for them a place in the army of the Union. And the brave black +officers who led these black soldiers, they were, all of them, ordered +forthwith before an examining board with the purpose of driving them +from the service, and every one of them in self-respect was made to +resign. In such manner was their bravery rewarded. + +In the four regiments of colored troops made a part of the Regular +Army since the Civil War, colored soldiers, to say nothing of the +three colored graduates from West Point, referred to earlier in this +chapter, have repeatedly given evidence of their capacity to command. +An earlier chapter has already set forth the gallant manner in which +colored non-commissioned officers, left in command by the killing or +wounding of their officers, commanded their companies at La Guasima, +El Caney and in the charge at San Juan. On numerous occasions, with +none of the heroic setting of the Santiago campaign, have colored +soldiers time and again command detachments and companies on dangerous +scouting expeditions, and in skirmishes and fights with hostile +Indians and marauders. The entire Western country is a witness of +their prowess. This meritorious work, done in remote regions, has +seldom come to public notice; the medal which the soldier wears, and +the official entry in company and regimental record are in most cases +the sole chronicle. A typical instance is furnished in the career of +Sergeant Richard Anderson, late of the Ninth Cavalry. The sergeant has +long ago completed his thirty years of service. He passed through all +non-commissioned grades in his troop and regiment, and was retired as +Post Commissary-Sergeant. The story of the engagements in which he +commanded give ample proof of his ability and bravery. It would be no +service to the sergeant to disturb his own frank and formal narrative. + +The Sergeant's story:-- + + "While in sub-camp at Fort Cumming, New Mexico, awaiting + orders for campaign duty against hostile Indians (old + Naney's band), on the evening of June 5, 1880, my troop + commander being absent at Fort Bayard, which left me in + command of my troop, there being no other commissioned + officer available, a report having come in to the commanding + officer about 1 o'clock that a band of Apache Indians were + marching toward Cook's Canon, Troops B and L, under general + command of Captain Francis, 9th Cavalry, and myself + commanding Troop B, were ordered out. + + We came upon the Indians in Cook's Canon and had an + engagement which lasted two or three hours. Three or four + Indians were killed and several wounded. We had no men + killed, but a few wounded in both L and B Troops. We + followed the Indians many miles that evening, but having no + rations, returned to Fort Cumming late that evening, and + went into camp until the following morning, when the two + troops took the trail and followed it many days, but being + unable to overtake the Indians, returned to Fort Cumming. + + In August, 1881, while my troop was in camp at Fort Cumming, + New Mexico, awaiting orders for another campaign against + these same Apache Indians, my troop commander having been + ordered to Fort Bayard, New Mexico, on general court-martial + duty, and during his absence having no commissioned officer + available, I was in command of my troop subject to the + orders of the post commander. At 12 o'clock at night, August + 17, 1881, while in my tent asleep, the commanding officer's + orderly knocked on my tent and informed me that the + commanding officer wanted me to report to him at once. I + asked the orderly what was up. He informed me that he + supposed a scout was going out, as the commanding officer + had sent for Lieutenant Smith, then in command of Troop H, + 9th Cavalry. + + I dressed myself promptly and reported, and found Lieutenant + Smith and the commanding officer at the office on my + arrival. + + The commanding officer asked me about how many men I could + mount for thirty days' detached duty, leaving so many men + to take care of property and horses. I told him about how + many. He ordered me to make a ration return for that number + of men, and send a sergeant to draw rations for thirty days' + scout; and for me to hurry up, and when ready to report to + Lieutenant Smith. By 12.45 my troop was ready and mounted, + and reported as ordered, and at 1 o'clock Troop's B and H + pulled out from Fort Cumming for Lake Valley, New Mexico; + and when the sun showed himself over the tops of the + mountains we marched down the mountains into Lake Valley, + thirty-five miles from Fort Cumming. We went into camp + hoping to spend a few hours and take a rest, and feed our + horses and men. + + About 9 o'clock a small boy came running through camp crying + as if to break his heart, saying that the Indians had killed + his mother and their baby. Some of the men said the boy must + be crazy; but many of them made for their horses without + orders. Soon Lieutenant Smith ordered "Saddle up." In less + than five minutes all the command was saddled up and ready + to mount. We mounted and pulled out at a gallop, and + continued at that gait until we came to a high mountain, + when we came down to a walk. And when over the mountain we + took up the gallop, and from that time on, nothing but a + gallop and a trot, when the country was favorable for such. + When we had marched about two miles from Lake Valley we met + the father of the boy, with his leg bleeding where the + Indians had shot him. We marched about half a mile farther, + when we could see the Indians leaving this man's ranch. We + had a running fight with them from that time until about 5 + o'clock that evening, August 18th, 1881. Having no rations, + we returned to Lake Valley with the intention of resting + that night and taking the trail the next morning; but about + 9 o'clock that night a ranchman came into camp and reported + that the Indians had marched into a milk ranch and burned up + the ranch, and had gone into camp near by. + + Lieutenant Smith ordered me to have the command in readiness + to march at 12 o'clock sharp, and said we could surprise + those Indians and capture many of them and kill a few also. + I went and made my detail as ordered, with five days' + rations in haversacks, and at 12 o'clock reported as + ordered. + + About half-past 12 o'clock the command pulled out and + marched within about a mile and a half of the milk ranch and + went into camp; and at daylight in the morning saddled up + and marched to the ranch. The Indians had pulled out a few + minutes before our arrival. We took their trail and came up + with them about 10 o'clock, finding the Indians in ambush. + Lieutenant Smith was the first man killed, and when I heard + his last command, which was "Dismount," then the whole + command fell upon your humble servant. We fell back, up a + canon and on a hill, and held them until 4 o'clock, when a + reinforcement came up of about twenty men from Lake Valey + and the Indians pulled off over the mountains. The + following-named men were killed in the engagement: + + Lieutenant G.W. Smith; Mr. Daily, a miner; Saddler Thomas + Golding; Privates James Brown and Monroe Overstreet. + Wounded--Privates Wesley Harris, John W. Williams and + William A. Hallins. + + After the Indians ceased firing and fell back over the + mountains I cared for the wounded and sent Lieutenant + Smith's body to Fort Bayard, New Mexico, where his wife was, + which was about sixty miles from the battle-ground, and Mr. + Daily's body to Lake Valley, all under a strong detachment + of men under a non-commissioned officer; when I marched with + the remainder of the command with the dead and wounded for + Rodman Mill, where I arrived about 5 o'clock on the morning + of August 20 and buried the dead and sent the wounded to + Fort Bayard. + + One thing that attracted my attention more than anything + else was the suffering of Private John W. Williams, Troop H, + who was shot through the kneecap and had to ride all that + night from the battle-ground to Brookman's Mill. Poor + fellow! + + I buried all my dead, and then marched for Fort Cumming, + where we arrived about sunset and reported to General Edward + Hatch, then commanding the regiment and also the district of + New Mexico, giving him all the details pertaining to the + engagement. + + General Hatch asked me about how many men I could mount the + next morning, the 21st. I informed him about how many. He + ordered me to have my troop in readiness by daylight and + report to Lieutenant Demmick, then commanding Troop L, and + follow that Indian trail. + + My troop was ready as ordered, and marched. We followed + those Indians to the line of Old Mexico, but were unable to + overtake them. Such was my last engagement with hostile + Indians." + +The formula that Negroes cannot command, with the further assertion +that colored soldiers will neither follow nor obey officers of their +own race, we have now taken out of the heads of its upholders, and +away from its secure setting of type on the printed page, and applied +it to the facts. Negro soldiers have shown their ability to command by +commanding, not always with shoulder-straps, to be sure, but +nevertheless commanding. With wearying succession, instance after +instance, where Negroes have exercised all manner of military command +and always creditably, have extended for us a recital to the border of +monotony, and made formidable test of our patience. In France and the +West Indies, in Central and South America, Negroes have commanded +armies, in one instance fighting under Napoleon, at other times to +free themselves from slavery and their countries from the yoke of +oppression. In our own country, from the days of the Revolution, when +fourteen American officers declared in a memorial to the Congress, +that a "Negro man called Salem Poor, of Colonel Frye's regiment, +Captain Ames' company, in the late battle at Charlestown, behaved like +an _experienced officer_, as well as an excellent soldier;"[36] from +the first war of the nation down to its last, Negro soldiers have been +evincing their capacity to command. In the Civil War, where thousands +of colored soldiers fought for the Union, their ability to command has +been evidenced in a hundred ways, on scouts and expeditions, in camp +and in battle; on two notable occasions, Negro officers gallantly +fought their commands side by side with white officers, and added +lustre to the military glory of the nation. Upon the re-organization +of the Regular Army at the close of the war the theatre shifted to +our Western frontier, where the Negro soldier continued to display his +ability to command. Finally, in the Spanish War, just closed, the +Negro soldier made the nation again bear witness not alone to his +undaunted bravery, but also to his conspicuous capacity to command. +Out of this abundant and conclusive array of incontestable facts, +frankly, is there anything left to the arbitrary formula that Negroes +cannot command, but a string of ipse dixits hung on a very old, but +still decidedly robust prejudice? There is no escape from the +conclusion that as a matter of fact, with opportunity, Negroes differ +in no wise from other men in capacity to exercise military command. + +Undoubtedly substantial progress has been made respecting colored +officers since 1863, when colored soldiers were first admitted in +considerable numbers into the army of the Union. At the period of the +Civil War colored officers for colored soldiers was little more than +thought of; the sole instance comprised the short-lived colored +officers of the three regiments of Louisiana Native Guards, and the +sporadic appointments made near the close of the war, when the +fighting was over. + +More than three hundred colored officers served in the volunteer army +in the war with Spain. Two Northern States, Illinois and Kansas, and +one Southern State, North Carolina, put each in the field as part of +its quota a regiment of colored troops officered throughout by colored +men. Ohio and Indiana contributed each a separate battalion of colored +soldiers entirely under colored officers. + +In 1863 a regiment of colored troops with colored officers was +practically impossible. In 1898 a regiment of colored volunteers +without some colored officers was almost equally impossible. In 1863 +a regiment of colored soldiers commanded by colored officers would +have been a violation of the sentiment of the period and an outrage +upon popular feelings, the appearance of which in almost any Northern +city would hardly fail to provoke an angry and resentful mob. At that +period, even black recruits in uniforms were frequently assaulted in +the streets of Northern cities. We have seen already how Sergeant +Rivers, of the First South Carolina Volunteers, had to beat off a mob +on Broadway in New York city. In 1898 regiments and battalions of +colored troops, with colored colonels and majors in command, came out +of States where the most stringent black laws were formerly in force, +and were greeted with applause as they passed on their way to their +camps or to embark for Cuba. + +In Baltimore, in 1863, the appearance of a Negro in the uniform of an +army surgeon started a riot, and the irate mob was not appeased until +it had stripped the patriotic colored doctor of his shoulder-straps. +In 1898, when the Sixth Regiment of Massachusetts Volunteers passed +through the same city, the colored officers of Company L of that +regiment were welcomed with the same courtesies as their white +colleagues--courtesies extended as a memorial of the fateful progress +of the regiment through the city of Baltimore in 1861. One State which +went to war in 1861 to keep the Negro a slave, put in the field a +regiment of colored soldiers, officered by colored men from the +colonel down. To this extent has prejudice been made to yield either +to political necessity, or a generous change in sentiment. Thus were +found States both North and South willing to give the Negro the full +military recognition to which he is entitled. + +With this wider recognition of colored officers the general +government has not kept pace. In the four regiments of colored +volunteers recruited by the general government for service in the war +with Spain, only the lieutenants were colored. Through the extreme +conservatism of the War Department, in these regiments no colored +officers, no matter how meritorious, could be appointed or advanced to +the grade of captain. Such was the announced policy of the department, +and it was strictly carried out. The commissioning of this large +number of colored men even to lieutenancies was, without doubt, a +distinct step in advance; it was an entering wedge. But it was also an +advance singularly inadequate and embarrassing. In one of these +colored volunteer, commonly called "immune" regiments, of the twelve +captains, but five had previous military training, while of the +twenty-four colored lieutenants, eighteen had previous military +experience, and three of the remaining six were promoted from the +ranks, so that at the time of their appointment twenty-one lieutenants +had previous military training. Of the five captains with previous +military experience, one, years ago, had been a lieutenant in the +Regular Army; another was promoted from Post Quartermaster-Sergeant; a +third at one time had been First Sergeant of Artillery; the remaining +two had more or less experience in the militia. Of the eighteen +lieutenants with previous military experience, twelve had served in +the Regular Army; eight of these, not one with a service less than +fifteen years, were promoted directly from the ranks of the regulars +for efficiency and gallantry. At the time of their promotion two were +Sergeants, five First Sergeants and one a Post Quartermaster-Sergeant. +The four others from the Regular Army had served five years each. Of +the six remaining Lieutenants with previous military experience, four +had received military training in high schools, three of whom were +subsequently officers in the militia; fifth graduated from a state +college with a military department; the sixth had been for years an +officer in the militia. With this advantage at the start, it is no +extravagance to say that the colored officers practically made the +companies. To them was due the greater part of the credit for whatever +efficiency the companies showed. Moreover, these colored officers were +not behind in intelligence. Among them were four graduates of +universities and colleges, two lawyers, two teachers, one journalist, +five graduates of high schools and academies, and the men from the +Regular Army, as their previous non-commissioned rank indicates, were +of good average intelligence. There is no reason to believe that this +one of the four colored volunteer regiments was in any degree +exceptional. + +These are the officers for whom the War Department had erected their +arbitrary bar at captaincy, and declared that no show of efficiency +could secure for them the titular rank which they more than once +actually exercised. For they were repeatedly in command of their +companies through sickness or absence of their captains. They served +as officers without the incentive which comes from hope of promotion. +They were forced to see the credit of their labors go to others, and +to share more than once in discredit for which they were not +responsible. They were, and in this lay their chief embarrassment, +without the security and protection which higher rank would have +accorded them. In case of trial by court-martial, captains and other +higher officers filled the court to the exclusion of almost all +others. These were white men. It is gratifying to record that the War +Department recognized this special injustice to colored officers, and +in the two regiments of colored volunteers recruited for service in +the Philippines all the line-officers are colored men, the field +officers being white, and appointed from the Regular Army in pursuance +of a general policy. Thus far has the general government advanced in +recognition of the military capacity of the Negro. In the swing of the +pendulum the nation is now at the place where the hardy General Butler +was thirty-seven years ago, when he organized the three regiments of +Louisiana Native Guards with all line-officers colored. + +The way in which modern armies are organized and perfected leaves +little necessity for an equipment of exceptional personal gifts in +order to exercise ordinary military command. The whole thing is +subordinate, and the field for personal initiative is contracted to +the minimum. In our own army the President is Commander-in-Chief, and +the command descends through a multitude of subordinate grades down to +the lowest commissioned officer in the service. We have "Articles of +War" and "Regulations," and the entire discipline and government of +the army is committed to writing. There is no chance to enshroud in +mystery the ability to command. For ordinary military command, with +intelligence the chief requisite, little is required beyond courage, +firmness and good judgment. These qualities are in no respect natural +barriers for colored men. + +This last story of the Negro soldier's efficiency and gallantry, told +in the pages of this book, teaches its own very simple conclusion. The +Cuban campaign has forced the nation to recognize the completion of +the Negro's evolution as a soldier in the Army of the United States. +The colored American soldier, by his own prowess, has won an +acknowledged place by the side of the best trained fighters with arms. +In the fullness of his manhood he has no rejoicing in the patronizing +paean, "the colored troops fought nobly," nor does he glow at all +when told of his "faithfulness" and "devotion" to his white officers, +qualities accentuated to the point where they might well fit an +affectionate dog. He lays claim to no prerogative other than that of a +plain citizen of the Republic, trained to the profession of arms. The +measure of his demand--and it is the demand of ten millions of his +fellow-citizens allied to him by race--is that the full manhood +privileges of a soldier be accorded him. On his record in arms, not +excluding his manifest capacity to command, the colored soldier, +speaking for the entire body of colored citizens in this country, only +demands that the door of the nation's military training school be +freely open to the capable of his race, and the avenue of promotion +from the ranks be accessible to his tried efficiency; that no +hindrance prevent competent colored men from taking their places as +officers as well as soldiers in the nation's permanent military +establishment. + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[26] Headquarters Department of the Gulf, + New Orleans, August 22, 1862. + General Orders No. 63. + + "Whereas, on the 23d day of April, in the year eighteen + hundred and sixty-one, at a public meeting of the free + colored population of the city of New Orleans, a military + organization, known as the 'Native Guards' (colored), had + its existence, which military organization was duly and + legally enrolled as a part of the militia of the State, its + officers being commissioned by Thomas O. Moore, Governor and + Commander-in-Chief of the militia of the State of Louisiana, + in the form following, that is to say: + + The State of Louisiana. + (Seal of the State.) + + By Thomas Overton Moore, Governor of the State of Louisiana, + and commander-in-chief of the militia thereof. + + "'In the name and by the authority of the State of + Louisiana: Know ye that ---- ----, having been duly and + legally elected captain of the "Native Guards" (colored), + first division of the Militia of Louisiana, to serve for the + term of the war, + + "'I do hereby appoint and commission him captain as + aforesaid, to take rank as such, from the 2d day of May, + eighteen hundred and sixty-one. + + "'He is, therefore, carefully and diligently to discharge + the duties of his office by doing and performing all manner + of things thereto belonging. And I do strictly charge and + require all officers, non-commissioned officers and privates + under his command to be obedient to his orders as captain; + and he is to observe and follow such orders and directions, + from time to time, as he shall receive from me, or the + future Governor of the State of Louisiana, or other superior + officers, according to the Rules and Articles of War, and in + conformity to law. + + "'In testimony whereof, I have caused these letters to be + made patent, and the seal of the State to be hereunto + annexed. + + "'Given under my hand, at the city of Baton Rouge, on the + second day of May, in the year of our Lord one thousand + eight hundred and sixty-one. + + (L.S.) (Signed) THOS. O. MOORE. + "'By the Governor: + (Signed) P.D. HARDY, + Secretary of State. + + (Wilson: Black Phalanx, p. 194.) + +[27] De Tocqueville: L'Ancien Regime et La Revolution, p. 125-6. + +[28] Thomas Westworth Higginson: Army Life in a Black Regiment, pp. +57-8. + +[29] Thomas Wentworth Higginson: Army Life in a Black Regiment, p. +261. + +[30] Williams's Negro Troops in the Rebellion, pp. 339-40, quoting the +order. + +[31] Williams's Negro Troops in the Rebellion, pp. 334-6, original +order quoted. + +[32] See pp. 351-6 MS. + +[33] Wilson: Black Phalanx, p. 211, original order quoted. + +[34] Campaigns of the Civil War. F.V. Greene. The Mississippi, p. 226 +et seq. + +[35] Williams's Negro Troops in the Rebellion, p. 221, original order +quoted. + +[36] MS. Archives of Massachusetts, Vol. 180, p. 241, quoted in +Williams's Negro Troops in the Rebellion, p. 13. + + + + +APPENDIX. + + +The correspondence following shows the progress of the negotiations +for the surrender of the city of Santiago and the Spanish Army, from +the morning of July 3d until the final convention was signed on the +sixteenth of the same month. This surrender virtually closed the war, +but did not restore the contending nations to a status of peace. +Twenty-three thousand Spanish soldiers had laid down their arms and +had been transformed from enemies to friends. On the tenth of August +following, a protocol was submitted by the President of the United +States, which was accepted by the Spanish cabinet on the eleventh, and +on the twelfth the President announced the cessation of hostilities, +thus closing a war which had lasted one hundred and ten days. On the +tenth of December a Treaty of Peace between the United States and +Spain was signed at Paris, which was subsequently ratified by both +nations, and diplomatic relations fully restored. The war, though +short, had been costly. One hundred and fifty million dollars had been +spent in its prosecution, and there were left on our hands the +unsolved problem of Cuba and the Philippines, which promised much +future trouble. + +Within a month from the signing of the convention, the Army of +Invasion, known as the Fifth Army Corps, was on its homeward voyage, +and by the latter part of August the whole command was well out of +Cuba. Well did the soldiers themselves, as well as their friends, +realize, as the former returned from that campaign of a hundred days, +that war in the tropics was neither a pastime nor a practice march. +The campaign had tested the powers of endurance of the men to its +utmost limit. The horrors of war were brought directly to the face of +the people, as the ten thousand invalids dragged their debilitated +forms from the transports to their detention camps, or to the +hospitals, some too helpless to walk, and many to die soon after +greeting their native shores. Those who had been so enthusiastic for +the war were now quiet, and were eagerly laying the blame for the +sorrow and suffering before them upon the shoulders of those who had +conducted the war. Few stopped to think that a good part of this woe +might be justly charged to those who had constantly resisted the +establishment of an adequate standing army, and who, with inconsistent +vehemence, had urged the nation into a war, regardless of its military +equipment. The emaciated veterans arriving at Montauk were spoken of +as the evidences of "military incompetency;" they were also evidence +of that narrow statesmanship which ignores the constant suggestions of +military experience. + + * * * * * + + Headquarters United States Forces, + Near San Juan River, July 3, 1898--8.30 A.M. + + To the Commanding General of the Spanish Forces, Santiago de Cuba. + + Sir:--I shall be obliged, unless you surrender, to shell + Santiago de Cuba. Please inform the citizens of foreign + countries, and all the women and children, that they should + leave the city before 10 o'clock to-morrow morning. + + Very respectfully, your obedient servant, + + WILLIAM R. SHAFTER, + Major-General U.S.V. + +Reply. + + Santiago de Cuba, July 3, 1898. + + His Excellency the General Commanding Forces of United States, + near San Juan River. + + Sir:--I have the honor to reply to your communication of + to-day, written at 8.30 A.M., and received at 1 P.M., + demanding the surrender of this city, or, in contrary case, + announcing to me that you will bombard this city, and that I + advise the foreigners, women and children that they must + leave the city before 10 o'clock to-morrow morning. It is my + duty to say to you that this city will not surrender, and + that I will inform the foreign consuls and inhabitants of + the contents of your message. + + Very respectfully, + + JOSE TORAL, + Commander-in-Chief, Fourth Corps, + + + Headquarters Fifth Army Corps, + Camp near San Juan River, Cuba, July 4, 1898. + + The Commanding General, Spanish Forces, Santiago de Cuba, Cuba. + + Sir:--I was officially informed last night that Admiral + Cervera is now a captive on board the U.S.S. Gloucester, and + is unharmed. He was then in the harbor of Siboney. I regret + also to have to announce to you the death of General Vara + del Rey at El Caney, who, with two of his sons, was killed + in the battle of July 1st. His body will be buried this + morning with military honors. His brother, + Lieutenant-Colonel Vara del Rey, is wounded and a prisoner + in my hands, together with the following officers: Captain + Don Antonio Vara del Rey, Captain Isidor Arias, Captain + Antonio Mansas, and Captain Manuel Romero, who, though + severely wounded, will all probably survive. + + I also have to announce to you that the Spanish fleet, with + the exception of one vessel, was destroyed, and this one is + being so vigorously pursued that it will be impossible for + it to escape. General Pando is opposed by forces sufficient + to hold him in check. + + In view of the above, I would suggest that, to save needless + effusion of blood and the distress of many people, you may + reconsider your determination of yesterday. Your men have + certainly shown the gallantry which was expected of them. + + I am, sir, with great respect, + + Your obedient servant, + + WILLIAM R. SHAFTER, + Major-General, Commanding United States Forces. + + + Headquarters Fifth Army Corps, + Camp near San Juan River, Cuba, July 4, 1898. + + To the Commanding General, Spanish Forces, Santiago de Cuba, Cuba. + + Sir:--The fortune of war has thrown into my hands quite a + number of officers and private soldiers, whom I am now + holding as prisoners of war, and I have the honor to propose + to you that a cartel of exchange be arranged to-day, by + which the prisoners taken by the forces of Spain from on + board the Merrimac, and any officers and men of the army who + may have fallen into our hands within the past few days, may + be returned to their respective governments on the terms + usual in such cases, of rank for rank. Trusting that this + will meet with your favorable consideration, I remain, + + Very respectfully, your obedient servant, + + WILLIAM R. SHAFTER, + Major-General, Commanding United States Forces. + + + Headquarters Fifth Army Corps, + Camp near San Juan River, Cuba, July 4, 1898. + + To the Commanding Officer, Spanish Forces, Santiago. + + Sir:--It will give me great pleasure to return to the city + of Santiago at an early hour to-morrow morning all the + wounded Spanish officers now at El Caney who are able to be + carried and who will give their parole not to serve against + the United States until regularly exchanged. I make this + proposition, as I am not so situated as to give these + officers the care and attention that they can receive at the + hands of their military associates and from their own + surgeons; though I shall, of course, give them every kind + treatment that it is possible to do under such adverse + circumstances. Trusting that this will meet with your + approbation, and that you will permit me to return to you + these persons, I am, + + Your very obedient servant, + + WILLIAM R. SHAFTER, + Major-General, Commanding United States Forces. + + + Army of the Island of Cuba, + Fifth Corps, General Staff. + + To His Excellency the Commander-in-Chief of the American Forces. + + Excellency:--I have the honor to reply to the three + communications of your Excellency, dated to-day, and I am + very grateful for the news you give in regard to the + generals, chiefs, officers and troops that are your + prisoners, and of the good care that you give to the wounded + in your possession. With respect to the wounded, I have no + objection to receiving in this place those that your + Excellency may willingly deliver me, but I am not authorized + by the General-in-Chief to make any exchange, as he has + reserved to himself that authority. Yet I have given him + notice of the proposition of your Excellency. + + It is useless for me to tell you how grateful I am for the + interest that your Excellency has shown for the prisoners + and corpse of General Vara del Rey, giving you many thanks + for the chivalrous treatment. + + The same reasons that I explained to you yesterday, I have + to give again to-day--that this place will not be + surrendered. + + I am, yours with great respect and consideration, + + (Signed) JOSE TORAL. + + In Santiago de Cuba, July 4, 1898. + + + Headquarters Fifth Army Corps, + Camp near San Juan River, Cuba, July 6, 1898. + + To the Commander-in-Chief, Spanish Forces, Santiago de Cuba. + + Sir:--In view of the events of the 3d instant, I have the + honor to lay before your Excellency certain propositions to + which, I trust, your Excellency, will give the consideration + which, in my judgment, they deserve. + + I inclose a bulletin of the engagement of Sunday morning + which resulted in the complete destruction of Admiral + Cervera's fleet, the loss of six hundred of his officers and + men, and the capture of the remainder. The Admiral, General + Paredes and all others who escaped alive are now prisoners + on board the Harvard and St. Louis, and the latter ship, in + which are the Admiral, General Paredes and the surviving + captains (all except the captain of the Almirante Oquendo, + who was slain) has already sailed for the United States. If + desired by you, this may be confirmed by your Excellency + sending an officer under a flag of truce to Admiral Sampson, + and he can arrange to visit the Harvard, which will not sail + until to-morrow, and obtain the details from Spanish + officers and men on board that ship. + + Our fleet is now perfectly free to act, and I have the honor + to state that unless a surrender be arranged by noon of the + 9th instant, a bombardment will be begun and continued by + the heavy guns of our ships. The city is within easy range + of these guns, the eight-inch being capable of firing 9,500 + yards, the thirteen-inch, of course, much farther. The ships + can so lie that with a range of 8,000 yards they can reach + the centre of the city. + + I make this suggestion of a surrender purely in a + humanitarian spirit. I do not wish to cause the slaughter of + any more men, either of your Excellency's forces or my own, + the final result, under circumstances so disadvantageous to + your Excellency being a foregone conclusion. + + As your Excellency may wish to make reference of so + momentous a question to your Excellency's home government, + it is for this purpose that I have placed the time of the + resumption of hostilities sufficiently far in the future to + allow a reply being received. + + I beg an early answer from your Excellency. + + I have the honor to be, + + Very respectfully, your obedient servant, + + W. R. SHAFTER, + Major-General, Commanding. + + + Headquarters Fifth Army Corps, + Camp near Santiago, July 9, 1898. + + Hon. Secretary of War, Washington, D. C. + + I forwarded General Toral's proposition to evacuate the town + this morning without consulting any one. Since then I have + seen the general officers commanding divisions, who agree + with me in that it should be accepted. + + 1st. It releases at once the harbor. + + 2d. It permits the return of thousands of women, children + and old men, who have left the town, fearing bombardment, + and are now suffering fearfully where they are, though I am + doing my best to supply them with food. + + 3d. It saves the great destruction of property which a + bombardment would entail, most of which belongs to Cubans + and foreign residents. + + 4th. It at once releases this command while it is in good + health for operations elsewhere. There are now three cases + of yellow fever at Siboney in a Michigan regiment, and if it + gets started, no one knows where it will stop. + + We lose by this, simply some prisoners we do not want and + the arms they carry. I believe many of them will desert and + return to our lines. I was told by a sentinel who deserted + last night that two hundred men wanted to come, but were + afraid our men would fire upon them. + + W.R. SHAFTER, + Major-General, United States Volunteers. + +Reply. + + Washington, D.C., July 9, 1898. + + Major-General Shafter, Playa, Cuba. + + In reply to your telegram recommending terms of evacuation + as proposed by the Spanish commander, after careful + consideration by the President and Secretary of War, I am + directed to say that you have repeatedly been advised that + you would not be expected to make an assault upon the enemy + at Santiago until you were prepared to do the work + thoroughly. When you are ready this will be done. Your + telegram of this morning said your position was impregnable + and that you believed the enemy would yet surrender + unconditionally. You have also assured us that you could + force their surrender by cutting off their supplies. Under + these circumstances, your message recommending that Spanish + troops be permitted to evacuate and proceed without + molestation to Holguin is a great surprise and is not + approved. The responsibility for the destruction and + distress to the inhabitants rests entirely with the Spanish + commander. The Secretary of War orders that when you are + strong enough to destroy the enemy and take Santiago, you do + it. If you have not force enough, it will be despatched to + you at the earliest moment possible. Reinforcements are on + the way of which you have already been apprised. In the + meantime, nothing is lost by holding the position you now + have, and which you regard as impregnable. + + Acknowledge receipt. By order of the Secretary of War. + (Signed) H.C. CORBIN, Adjutant-General. + + + Headquarters United States Forces, + Camp near San Juan River, Cuba, July 11, 1898. + + To His Excellency, the Commander-in-Chief of the Spanish Forces, + Santiago de Cuba. + + Sir:--With the largely increased forces which have come to + me, and the fact that I have your line of retreat securely + within my hands, the time seems fitting that I should again + demand of your Excellency the surrender of Santiago and your + Excellency's army. I am authorized to state that should your + Excellency so desire, the Government of the United States + will transport your entire command to Spain. I have the + honor to be, + + Very respectfully, your obedient servant, + + WILLIAM R. SHAFTER, + Major-General, Commanding. + +Reply. + + Army of the Island of Cuba, Fourth Corps, + July 11, 1898. + + To His Excellency, the Commander-in-Chief of the Forces of + the United States, in the Camp of the San Juan. + + Esteemed Sir:--I have the honor to advise your Eminence that + your communication of this date is received, and in reply + desire to confirm that which I said in my former + communication, and also to advise you that I have + communicated your proposition to the General-in-Chief. + Reiterating my sentiments, I am, + + Very respectfully, your obedient servant, + + (Signed) JOSE TORAL, + Commander-in-Chief of the Fourth Corps and Military Governor + of Santiago. + + + Headquarters Fifth Army Corps, + Camp near Santiago de Cuba, July 12, 1898. + + To His Excellency, Commander-in-Chief of Spanish Forces, + Santiago de Cuba. + + Sir:--I have the honor to inform your Excellency that I have + already ordered a suspension of hostilities, and I will + repeat that order, granting in this manner a reasonable + time within which you may receive an answer to the message + sent to the Government of Spain, which time will end + to-morrow at 12 o'clock noon. + + I think it my duty to inform your Excellency that during + this armistice I will not move any of my troops that occupy + the advanced line, but the forces that arrived to-day and + which are debarking at Siboney require moving to this camp. + + I wish that your Excellency would honor me with a personal + interview to-morrow morning at 9 o'clock. I will come + accompanied by the Commanding General of the American army, + and by an interpreter, which will permit you to be + accompanied by two or three persons of your staff who speak + English. Hoping for a favorable answer, I have the honor to + be, + + Very respectfully, your obedient servant, + + WILLIAM R. SHAFTER, + Major-General, Commanding. + + + Army of the Island of Cuba, Fourth Corps, + Santiago de cuba, July 12, 1898--9 P. M. + + To His Excellency, the General of the American Troops. + + Esteemed Sir:--I have the honor to answer your favor of this + date, inform your Excellency that in deference to your + desires I will be much honored by a conference with his + Excellency, the Commanding General of your army, and your + Excellency, to-morrow morning at the hour you have seen fit + to appoint. + + Very respectfully, your obedient servant, + + (Signed) JOSE TORAL, + Commander-in-Chief of the Fourth Army Corps. + + Preliminary agreement for the capitulation of the Spanish + forces which constitute the division of Santiago de Cuba, + occupying the territory herein set forth, said capitulation + authorized by the Commander-in-Chief of the Island of Cuba, + agreed to by General Toral and awaiting the approbation of + the Government at Madrid, and subject to the following + conditions: + + Submitted by the undersigned Commissioners-- + + Brigadier-General Don Frederick Escario, Lieutenant-Colonel + of Staff Don Ventura Fontan and Mr. Robert Mason, of the + city of Santiago de Cuba, representing General Toral, + commanding Spanish forces, to Major-General Joseph Wheeler, + U.S.V., Major-General H.W. Lawton, U.S.V., and First + Lieutenant J.D. Miley, Second Artillery, A.D.C, representing + General Shafter, commanding American forces, for the + capitulation of the Spanish forces comprised in that portion + of the Island of Cuba east of a line passing through + Aserradero, Dos Palmas, Palma Soriano, Cauto Abajo, + Escondida, Tanamo and Aguilera, said territory being known + as the Eastern District of Santiago, commanded by General + Jose Toral. + + 1. That pending arrangements for capitulation all + hostilities between American and Spanish forces in this + district shall absolutely and unequivocally cease. + + 2. That this capitulation includes all the forces and war + material in said territory. + + 3. That after the signing of the final capitulation the + United States agrees, with as little delay as possible, to + transport all the Spanish troops in said district to the + Kingdom of Spain, the troops, as near as possible, to embark + at the port nearest the garrison they now occupy. + + 4. That the officers of the Spanish Army be permitted to + retain their side arms, and both officers and enlisted men + their personal property. + + 5. That after final capitulation the Spanish authorities + agree without delay to remove, or assist the American Navy + in removing, all mines or other obstructions to navigation + now in the harbor of Santiago and its mouth. + + 6. That after final capitulation the commander of the + Spanish forces deliver without delay a complete inventory of + all arms and munitions of war of the Spanish forces and a + roster of the said forces now in the above-described + district, to the commander of the American forces. + + 7. That the commander of the Spanish forces, in leaving said + district, is authorized to carry with him all military + archives and records pertaining to the Spanish Army now in + said district. + + 8. That all of that portion of the Spanish forces known as + Volunteers, Movilizados and Guerillas, who wish to remain in + the Island of Cuba are permitted to do so under parole not + to take up arms against the United States during the + continuance of the war between Spain and the United States, + delivering up their arms. + + 9. That the Spanish forces will march out of Santiago de + Cuba with honors of war, depositing their arms thereafter at + a point mutually agreed upon, to await their disposition by + the United States Government, it being understood that the + United States Commissioners will recommend that the Spanish + soldier return to Spain with the arms he so bravely + defended. + + Entered into this fifteenth day of July, eighteen hundred + and ninety-eight, by the undersigned Commissioners, acting + under instructions from their respecting commanding + generals. + + (Signed) + JOSEPH WHEELER, + _Major-General U.S. Vols._; + + H.W. LAWTON, + _Major-General U.S. Vols._; + + J.D. MILEY, + _1st Lieut. 2d Art., A.D.C. to General Shafter._ + + FREDERICO ESCARIO, + VENTURA FONTAN, + ROBERT MASON. + + + Army of the Island of Cuba, Fourth Corps, + Santiago de Cuba, July 12, 1898--9 P.M. + + To His Excellency, the General-in-Chief of the American Forces, + + Esteemed Sir:--As I am now authorized by my Government to + capitulate, I have the honor to so advise you, requesting + you to designate the hour and place where my representatives + should appear, to concur with those of your Excellency to + edit the articles of capitulation on the basis of what has + been agreed upon to this date. + + In due time I wish to manifest to your Excellency my desire + to know the resolution of the United States Government + respecting the return of the arms, so as to note it in the + capitulation; also for their great courtesy and gentlemanly + deportment I wish to thank your Grace's representatives, and + in return for their generous and noble efforts for the + Spanish soldiers, I hope your Government will allow them to + return to the Peninsula with the arms that the American army + do them the honor to acknowledge as having dutifully + defended. + + Reiterating my former sentiments, I remain, + + Very respectfully, your obedient servant, + + JOSE TORAL, + Commander-in-Chief of the Fourth Army Corps. + + + At Neutral Camp, near Santiago, Under a Flag of Truce, + July 14, 1898. + + Recognizing the chivalry, courage and gallantry of Generals + Linares and Toral, and of the soldiers of Spain who were + engaged in the battles recently fought in the vicinity of + Santiago de Cuba, as displayed in said battles, we, the + undersigned officers of the United States army, who had the + honor to be engaged in said battle, and are now a duly + organized commission, treating with a like commission of + officers of the Spanish army, for the capitulation of + Santiago de Cuba, unanimously join in earnestly soliciting + the proper authority to accord to these brave and chivalrous + soldiers the privilege of returning to their country bearing + the arms they have so bravely defended. + + JOSEPH WHEELER, + Major-General, U.S. Vols. + + H. W. LAWTON, + Major-General, U.S. Vols. + + First Lieut., 2d Art., A.D.C. + J. D. MILEY. + + + Army of the Island of Cuba, Fourth Corps, + Santiago de Cuba, July 16, 1898. + + To His Excellency, the Commander-in-Chief of the Forces of + the United States. + + Esteemed Sir:--At half-past 11 I received your communication + of this date, and I am sorry to advise you that it is + impossible for my representatives to come to the appointed + place at midday, as you wish, as I must meet them and give + them their instructions. + + If agreeable to you, will you defer the visit until 4 P.M. + to-day or until 7 to-morrow morning, and in the meanwhile + the obstacles to the entrance of the Red Cross will be + removed from the harbor. + + I beg your Honor will make clear what force you wish me to + retire from the railroad, as, if it is that in Aguadores, I + would authorize the repair of the bridge at once by your + engineers; and if it is that on the heights to the left of + your lines, I beg you will specify with more precision. + + I have ordered those in charge of the aqueduct to proceed at + once to repair it with the means at their command. + + Awaiting your reply, I remain, + + Very respectfully, your obedient servant, + + JOSE TORAL, + Commander-in-Chief of the Fourth Army Corps. + + + Headquarters Fifth Army Corps, + Camp, July 16, 1898. + + To His Excellency, General Jose Toral, Commanding Spanish Forces + in Eastern Cuba. + + Sir:--I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your + Excellency's letter of this date, notifying me that the + Government at Madrid approves your action, and requesting + that I designate officers to arrange for and receive the + surrender of the forces of your Excellency. This I do, + nominating Major-General Wheeler, Major-General Lawton, and + my aide, Lieutenant Miley. I have to request that your + Excellency at once withdraw your troops from along the + railway to Aguadores, and from the bluff in rear of my left; + also that you at once direct the removal of the obstructions + at the entrance to the harbor or assist the navy in doing + so, as it is of the utmost importance that I at once get + vessels loaded with food into the harbor. + + The repair of the railroad will, I am told, require a week's + time. I shall, as I have said to your Excellency, urge my + Government that the gallant men your Excellency has so ably + commanded have returned to Spain with them the arms they + have wielded. With great respect, I remain, + + Your obedient servant and friend, + + WILLIAM R. SHAFTER, + General, Commanding. + + Terms of the Military Convention for the capitulation of the + Spanish forces occupying the territory which constitutes the + Division of Santiago de Cuba and described as follows: All + that portion of the Island of Cuba east of a line passing + through Aserradero, Dos Palmas, Cauto Abajo, Escondida, + Tanamo and Aguilara, said troops being in command of General + Jose Toral; agreed upon by the undersigned Commissioners: + Brigadier-General Don Federico Escario, Lieutenant-Colonel + of Staff Don Ventura Fontan, and as Interpreter, Mr. Robert + Mason, of the city of Santiago de Cuba, appointed by General + Toral, commanding the Spanish forces, on behalf of the + Kingdom of Spain, and Major-General Joseph Wheeler, U.S.V., + Major-General H.W. Lawton, U.S.V., and First Lieutenant J.D. + Miley, Second Artillery, A.D.C., appointed by General + Shafter, commanding the American forces on behalf of the + United States: + + 1. That all hostilities between the American and Spanish + forces in this district absolutely and unequivocally cease. + + 2. That this capitulation includes all the forces and war + material in said territory. + + 3. That the United States agrees, with as little delay as + possible, to transport all the Spanish troops in said + district to the Kingdom of Spain, the troops being embarked, + as far as possible at the port nearest the garrison they now + occupy. + + 4. That the officers of the Spanish Army be permitted to + retain their side arms, and both officers and private + soldiers their personal property. + + 5. That the Spanish authorities agree to remove, or assist + the American Navy in removing, all mines or other + obstructions to navigation now in the harbor of Santiago and + its mouth. + + 6. That the commander of the Spanish forces deliver without + delay a complete inventory of all arms and munitions of war + of the Spanish forces in above described district to the + commander of the American forces; also a roster of said + forces now in said district. + + 7. That the commander of the Spanish forces, in leaving said + district, is authorized to carry with him all military + archives and records pertaining to the Spanish Army now in + said district. + + 8. That all that portion of the Spanish forces known as + Volunteers, Movilizados and Guerillas, who wish to remain in + the Island of Cuba, are permitted to do so upon the + condition of delivering up their arms and taking a parole + not to bear arms against the United States during the + continuance of the present war between Spain and the United + States. + + 9. That the Spanish forces will march out of Santiago de + Cuba with the honors of war, depositing their arms + thereafter at a point mutually agreed upon, to await their + disposition by the United States Government, it being + understood that the United States Commissioners will + recommend that the Spanish soldier return to Spain with the + arms he so bravely defended. + + 10. That the provisions of the foregoing instrument become + operative immediately upon its being signed. + + Entered into this sixteenth day of July, eighteen hundred + and ninety-eight, by the undersigned Commissioners, acting + under instructions from their respective commanding generals + and with the approbation of their respective governments. + + (Signed) + JOSEPH WHEELER, + _Major-General U.S. Vols._; + + H.W. LAWTON, + _Major-General U.S. Vols._; + + J.D. MILEY, + _1st Lieut. 2d Art., A.D.C. to General Shafter._ + + FREDERICO ESCARIO, + VENTURA FONTAN, + ROBERT MASON. + +The following dispatch, sent by General Linares, will show how +desperate were the straits into which he had been driven and how +earnestly he desired to be granted authority to avoid further fighting +by the surrender of his forces at Santiago: + + Santiago de Cuba, July 12, 1898. + + The General-in-Chief to the Secretary of War. + + Although prostrated in bed from weakness and pain, my mind + is troubled by the situation of our suffering troops, and + therefore I think it my duty to address myself to you, Mr. + Secretary, and describe the true situation. + + The enemy's forces very near city; ours extended fourteen + kilometres (14,000 yards). Our troops exhausted and sickly + in an alarming proportion. Cannot be brought to the + hospital--needing them in trenches. Cattle without fodder or + hay. Fearful storm of rain, which has been pouring + continuously for past twenty-four hours. Soldiers without + permanent shelter. Their only food rice, and not much of + that. They have no way of changing or drying their clothing. + Our losses were very heavy--many chiefs and officers among + the dead, wounded and sick. Their absence deprives the + forces of their leaders in this very critical moment. Under + these conditions it is impossible to open a breach on the + enemy, because it would take a third of our men who cannot + go out, and whom the enemy would decimate. The result would + be a terrible disaster, without obtaining, as you desire, + the salvation of eleven maimed battalions. To make a sortie + protected by the division at Holguin, it is necessary to + attack the enemy's lines simultaneously, and the forces of + Holguin cannot come here except after many long days' + marching. Impossible for them to transport rations. + Unfortunately, the situation is desperate. The surrender is + imminent, otherwise we will only gain time to prolong our + agony. The sacrifice would be sterile, and the men + understand this. With his lines so near us, the enemy will + annihilate us without exposing his own, as he did yesterday, + bombarding by land elevations without our being able to + discover their batteries, and by sea the fleet has a perfect + knowledge of the place, and bombards with a mathematical + accuracy. Santiago is no Gerona, a walled city, part of the + mother country, and defended inch by inch by her own people + without distinction--old men and women who helped with their + lives, moved by the holy idea of freedom, and with the hope + of help, which they received. Here I am alone. All the + people have fled, even those holding public offices, almost + without exception. Only the priests remain, and they wish to + leave the city to-day, headed by their archbishop. These + defenders do not start now a campaign full of enthusiasm and + energy, but for three years they have been fighting the + climate, privations and fatigue, and now they have to + confront this critical situation when they have no + enthusiasm or physical strength. They have no ideals, + because they defend the property of people who have deserted + them and those who are the allies of the American forces. + + The honor of arms has its limit, and I appeal to the + judgment of the Government and of the entire nation whether + these patient troops have not repeatedly saved it since May + 18th--date of first bombardment. If it is necessary that I + sacrifice them for reasons unknown to me, or if it is + necessary for some one to take responsibility for the issue + foreseen and announced by me in several telegrams, I + willingly offer myself as a sacrifice to my country, and I + will take charge of the command for the act of surrender, as + my modest reputation is of small value when the reputation + of the nation is at stake. + + (Signed) LINARES. + +Thus surrendered to our forces about 23,500 Spanish troops, of whom +about 11,000 had been in the garrison of Santiago, the others having +been stationed in garrisons outside of the city, but belonging to the +Division of Santiago. With them were also surrendered 100 cannon, 18 +machine guns and over 25,000 rifles. The troops were all sent back to +Spain in vessels of their own nation and flying their own flag. We had +lost in battles with them before the surrender 23 officers killed and +237 men; and 100 officers and 1,332 men wounded. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Colored Regulars in the United +States Army, by T. G. Steward + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE COLORED REGULARS *** + +***** This file should be named 16750.txt or 16750.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/6/7/5/16750/ + +Produced by Suzanne Shell, Richard J. Shiffer, and the PG +Online Distributed Proofreading Team. + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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