Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-11-05
COLORED SOLDIERS.
They Took Leading Part in the Late
War.
instances Mentioned BY Captain Butler and
the Signal Corps.

The conversation got into the chan
mel of the disregard of the Southerners
for the colored people, and also the
part the same colored people had in
the late unpleasantness with SPAIN"
said one member of the returned
Maine Signal Corps, I'VE experienced
some of that feeling while we were
upon our way to the scenes of the bat
ties. When we reached Washington
and went into camp the others were
very bitter toward us because we had
colored member to our corps, whom
you all know, Honey johnson. I was
called to one side the second morning,
and told to look out for our niger by
a sergeant of neighboring regiment.
asked him why, and he said they
We're shooting them for the mere sport,
and that they were not in love with
them at the best. We Just told that
| fellow that they had better be careful
| of what they did to Honey, as we We're
all ready to stand by him, and that
| our captain would never see him
harmed any more than he would one
| of the rest of us. They seemed to
| think there that all the negroes were
alike, and that Honey was no better
| than one Of their low down Southern
| negroes. We told Captain Butler of
fha L.
| Gated with General Greeley about it.
| The answer that came back and the
order that he issued, showed him to be
! the good officer that we have since
| been able to swear by. He sent word
| that if a hair of Honey's head was
! harmed there would be trouble. He
was at the same time telling the evil
| disposed men that he was in command,
and would have no fOoling, and that
| he should protect the men of his COM
| mand.
Later when we arrived in Tampa
we We're likewise warned but we gave
| them the same reply and told them
what General Greeley had said.
When he arrived in Cuba, Honey
was as good as the rest of us, for then
we were there to fight, and had no
| time for quarrels.
1.-The colored troops We're instru-
mental in winning many of the bat
| ties. For instance in the taking If
Siboney mountain, it was the gallant
| 14th Regiment, made up of colored
men, that, without round of ammuni-
ton in their belts or rifles, rushed upon
the defences of the enemy, singing at
the top of their voices, "There'll be a
hot time in the old town tonight One
company in the center of the line lost
it's captain and first lieutenant, and the
second lieutenant said he saw a place
up the hill where he would lay that
night. Sure enough he was shot
through the lungs when he arrived at
this point. He called upon the senior
sergeant to lead the men on until they
had been victorious, but there was not
a sergeant left, nothing but corporal
who was later killed, leaving the COM
pany without an officer either COM
company did not suffer so badly in the
loss of men as that would suggest but
the officers We're all lost
Captain Butler said if it hadn't been
for the 9th Cavalry, all of whom are
colored men, the Rough Riders would
have been exterminated at Ell Caney.
The Rough Riders We're thanked by the
colored men and when the Rough
Riders began to get demoralized by the
terrible volleying of the Spanish, the
cavalry men by their steadiness saved
the day. The regulars, so Captain
Butler was told, behaved with great
gallantry and their work has not been
half appreciated
when l went to Cuba" said Captain
Butler, Il had great sympathy for the
Cubans and detested the Spanards. I
come home without any respect or loyea
for the Cubans and with great respect
for the Spaniards, who are very gen
tlemanly and brave, in my opinion.
Cuba must be garrsoned by American
troops for years, and the Cubans, in
my opinion, will give us a lots of
trouble before they are through They
live on the people who try to make an
honest living. Many OF them are litt!e
better than robbers and they are tho
greatest thieves in the world and with
out any regard for life or property"
Just before the Maine men left
Santiago Captain Butler, who had been
having great trouble in keeping his
telegraph and telephone lines open
caught a Cuban cutting down a tele-
graph pole. He was some distance
away from the man, but succeeded in
putting bullet through his leg with
his revolver, and the fellow made off
into the woods. The next day the Gu
ban turned up at the hospital with a
very ugly wound and confessed TO