The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-07-31
BRAVERY OF c0LORED TROOPS
ROUGH RIDERS BEAR WILLING
TESTIMONY TO THE FACT.
Description of Wounds Received By
the Gallant Black Soldiers In the
Deadly Charge at Santiago.
Washington Office of The Herald, !
1915 G Street, N. W. (

1915 G Street, N W.
Washington, D. c.. July 27-No feature
of the Santiago campaign has excited
more comment here than the splendid
bravery exhibited by the colored infantry
and cavalry regiments. The testimony of
a hundred OF the Rough Riders is eloquent
on this point. and makes it CLEFT that to
the Ninth cavalry. Colonel Woods com
mand, owed the support which came at so
opportune a moment that it prevented the
complete defamation of the entire cowboy
regiment. More recently reports have
come UP concerning the splendid work of
the TWenty-fourth and rwenry-fifth in
fantry, which show that that not only did
they conduct themselves IN a most SOL
dierly manner, but were speedily recog-
nized as the strongest element in General
Shafters entire corps.
A few DAYS ago the war department re-
ceived from the surgeon in charge Of the
relief ship Oliyette a report show-;g the
character of the wounds received by the
men on board. including a dozen members
of the Twenty-tifth, and a score of the
Twent.r-fourth- Here is the list of the
dusky heroes of the Twentv-fifth with
memoranda as to their wounds:
Hugh Swan. gun shot wound left leg,
painful but not serious, James o. Hunter,
gunshot wound of the arm. short range.
not serious; David Holden, gunshot wound
of face, long range. serious, but Will prob
ably recover: Amos Gentry. confusion of
Frank COalman, gunshot wound OF hand.
short range, rot serious; w. H. Clark,
gunshOt wound of arm, short range. and
nip long range. painful but not serious:
David Buckner. gunshot wound of back,
will recover; Barney Douglas gunshot
wound of toes. right foot. not serious:
Robert Cowan. Admits. not serious; Rob
ert Powell. acute malarial fever. conval-
escent; Henry Brishtweli, gunshot wound
left thigh, and leg, painful but not ser
ious.
Ifaro ~. +l,a hove ~ tba T,r-a,, ~ fo,,rtt,
=. A Clinton, gunshOt wound OF foot.
painful but not serious: J. c. Zellers. gun
shot wounds of shoulder and back. dong
and short range; Charles Baker. cOntuS-
ion over lumbar region moderately SER
ious: Pearl Bounsier flesh wound OF knee
moderately serious; Alfred ThCmpson, iac-
Grated thigh. probably from shen; Joseph
DAVIS. guushot wound of scalp, will re-
cover; Winter Washington. perforating
guushot wound of arm and side; b. J.
Hardman gunShOt wound of wrist pain
ful but not serious: Frank Hellems. Ions
range gUnshot wound Of shoulder sh0rg
range of hip; James Crimes. gunshot
wound of arm, long range; i y. Stafford.
heat exhaustion, cOnVa iesCent: Eugene
arm; William Howard, gunshot wounds of
nip and butGck; William Clark. gunshOt
wounds Of head. chest and right side long
ana short range; William tate. lacersfted
f'''nShnf wound or scalp. lfjderateiy ser
ious bat will recover; Alfred Riddle gun
SHOT wound of arm, long range; William
shell .'''-'''''' -s''0'''e' "i'S' i'oi" spent
1t should be remembered that these lists
represent onl,, small number of the
members OF these two regiments who
were wounded in the hot work before San
tlago. but they furnish sufficient data for
some interest~g observations by one of
the most experienced members of Surgeon
General Sternberg's staff who says:
1t is easy TO see that these regiments
must have been under a heavy fire from
two widely distant points. and these OPP
faF five
nearly at right angles to each other. It
must have been terribly perplexing 10
these men 10 have to face g short range
rre-doubtleSs from the DTUsh-and a long
range fire presumably from the hills or
block houses nearer the city. The courage
they showed, and above all their cOOiness 1
ana perfect discipline under fire demon
strates more than any words can convey
tho great usefulness of the colored reGu-
lar"
No man is Brouder of the record Of the
Twenty-foUrth and Twenty-fifth infantry
than Lieutenant Anern. who is an officer
OF the Iwenty-1ifth. and who has recently
but successful expedition. which was err
gagged in landing munitions of war for the
use OF General Gomez. In speaking of the
work Of these TWO regiments before San
tiaSo Lieutenant Ahern said:
- Cannot say 1 am surprised though
! confess / am as proud as can DE of these
brave fellows. While Go not think there
IS any intention on the part of army Off
GERS or department officials to belittle our
coiored soldiers. yet if a disagreeable as
slgnnent is to be given out or an unde
sirable station to be filed. they are pretty
apt to get 1t. Their fine professional quail
tiles 70 not been very generally receg-
nized outside Of the comparatively small
circle OF oHlcers. who are familiar with
their work. and who know now steady and
reLSble they are under all circumstances.
l would not for the world disparage any
or the volunteers who fought braveiy be-
fore Santiago. but think that a COMPARE I
son of their work with that of our colored
LADS in the regular army VIII not result
TO the disadvantage of the latter and will .
perhaps, win for them a little well .
melited. but much delayed recognition I
from our people throughout the country
My experience in the west has taught /
me that the colored soldier makes an ideal I
regular. He is intelligent. obedient learns |
quickly and remembers what he learns /
and seems to find the soldiers life es- /
pecially congenial He DEVELOPS the fuiI /
est confidence il his officers and viii fol-
low them Unhesitatingly into the hottest 1
place that can be found. He doesn't stop /.
to argue as TO whether the risk is one |
that should be taken. but marches stead !
lly and quietly into whatever work is cut /
out for him and does il in a clean cut /
manner.
The colored boys of the Twenty-fourth |
and IWenty-fifth regiments are the best /
hunters in the army and l regard hunting 4
as the post graduate course of instruction /
for the soldier. 1t sharpens his faculties
teaches him self-reiance and skills him
in that species of woodcraft which is so
u III NAilll'eie ili4S ana which. no 3
doubt, proved most valuable in the hot
work of getting up to Santiago II also
teaches fine craftsmanship. Fad l believe
that for moderate ranges our cOlore5 /
hoops are the best marksmen in the SER
vice. They hold a gun on a target as if |
i were in an iron vice. and while some of I
the white sharpshooters may best them at /
longer ranges where windage and eleva-
ton have to be figured on. yet for service
work ] would rather have a company of
he Twenty-fourth or Twenty-fifth infant
~ behind me than any men who ever
handled gun HOSFORD.
WAR AS AN EDITCATnP