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
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]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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