The Colored Regulars in the United States ArmySteward, T. G. (Theophilus Gould)
History
The Colored Regulars in the United States Army
Steward, T. G. (Theophilus Gould)
African American soldiers; Spanish-American War, 1898 -- Participation, African American
[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.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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