The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1898-09-17


anfantry said enthusiastically:
'.Do you know, I shouldn't want any
thing better than to have company in
"a negro regiment? I am from Virginia,
and have always had the usual feeling
about commanding colored troops. But
after seeing that charge Of the Oath up
the San Juan hill, should like the best
in the world to have a negro company.
They went up that incline yelling and
shouting just as I used to hear them
when they were hunting rabbits In Vir-
etnia. The Spanish bullets only made
them wilder to reach the trenches
Officers of other regiments which were
near the gath on July /, are equally strong
In their praise of the negroes, says the
New York Tribune. Their yells were an
inspiration among the Spaniards. A cap
tain in volunteer regiment declares that
the Oath did more than any other to win
the day at San Juan. AS they charged up
through the, white soldiers, their enthus-
iasm was spread, and the entire line
fought the better for their cheers and
their wild rush.
Spanish testimony to the effectiveness
of the colored soldiers is not lacking.
linus an officer who was with the troops
that lay in wait for the Americans at
La Quasina on June "a. said:
What especially terrified our men was
the huge American negroes. We saw
their big black faces through the under
brush, and they looked like devils. They
came forward under our fire as if they
didn't the least care about: it,
1t was the 10th cavalry that had this
effect on the Spaniards itself, its COM
mander, Lieutenant-Colonel Hamilton be-
ing killed. The fourth of the negro regi-
ments, the 9th infantry, played an
especially brilliant part in the battle of
81 Caney, on July 1. 1t was held in, re-
serve with the rest of Colonel Miless
W. 70 W. TSorr
eral Lawton's brigade toward the mid
die Of the day. At that hour marching
was an ordeal, but the men went off at
fast pace With almost no rest they,
kept 1t up until they got into action. The
other troops had been fighting hard for
hours and the arrival Of the 9Th was a A
blessing. The negroes went right ahead
through the tired ranks OF their COM
rades. Their charge up the hin, which
was surmounted by Spanish rifle pits and
stone fort, has. been told. It was the
work of only part of the regiment, the
men coming chiefly from three companies
Colonel Miles had intended to have his
whole brigade make the final charge, but
the 25th' didn't wait for orders. It was
there to take that hill, and take the hill
it did. - r. .s. 10 = .s'.@' e'.r-.5
One of the Spanish officers captured
there seemed to think that the Americans
were taking an unfair advantage of them
in having colored men who fought like
that. He had been accustomed to the
negroes in the insnrgent army, and q
different lot they are from those in the
United States army. TX
"Why," he said, ruefully, "even your
negroes fight better than any other troops
ever saw" @ . ~ 80
The way the negroes charged up the Ell
Caney and San Juan hills suggested
inevitably that their African nature had
not been entirely eliminated by genera
lions of civilization. but was bursting
forth in savage yells and in that wild
rush. Some of them were fairly frantic
with the delight of battle. And it was
no mere greatness. They are excellent
marksmen, and they aimed carefully and
well. Woe to the Spaniard who showed
himself above the trenches when the
colored regiment was in good range.
In the entire Santiago campaign. the
four negro regiments showed themselves
of the greatest value. Tho men endured
the hardships and the labors with the
greatest fortitude. They withstood the
effect of the heat admirably, as was to
be expected. They were cheerful urs1er
all kinds of trials and privations. Their
powers of physical endurance were re-
markable. Altogether, they fully justi-
fled every expectation of those who be-
lieve that the negro makes first-class
soldier. .s..
OF course, battle is only a small part
of soldiers life; in peace, the coloredt
regiments are as admirable as in war.
The mon are a picked let and represent
the best of their race. 1t Is no Wondef
that their huge frames struck terror into
the hearts of the Spaniards. In a platoon
OF one company Of the 25th infantry only
three men are appreciably under SIX feet
tall The other twenty-seven range IN
height from trifle under six feet to six
four inches. Compared with the rather
nlndersized Spaniards, such men were
giants. They are nearly all educated.
Since the present regulations governing
enlistment have been in force, no Nl1terate
men have been accepted There remain q
few soldiers whose service Is older than
the, law who cannot read or write, but
that class is dying out. Indeed, some
who never had aay schooling have learn
ed to sign their names to the payrotls, SO
as not to be shamed by their more en-
heightened fellows The signature Is q
mechanical copy of the pattern which
somebody wrote; it Is made with q deal
of palms. but the soldier receives MS
money in the proud belief that every one
believes he can read and write.
Most of the recruits OF the 24tn ana
25t5a infantry on the 9th and 10th cavalry
are from the central and 1ew-England
states. Many come from Massachusetts,
New York Pennsylvania, Ohio and II
linois, some big fellows from Tennessee
and Kentucky. Southern negroes are not
SO likely to be educated as those from
rfda before the Fifth army corps sailed
for Cuba. Having been stationed In the
Northwest, where their race subjected
them to no great inconvenience, the men
of the 10th cavalry resented the restrfc-
tons placed on them in Lakeland. There ,1
was some rioting IN consequence of their
being unable to buy articles In shops
|patronized by white men. It is not pre-
|tended that the negro soldiers are sun
day-school saints, but, in general, they
are quite as anenable to discipline as any ny
other men. In the ordinary routine OF
most life. they are even more trActable
than white soldiers. Most Of them have
been accustomed to obey, and do 1t read.
lily and chee.fully. a man in another re-
Z giment may have been wealthy and have
employed servants himself; at any rate,
the instinct Of obedience is not SO strong
" developed in him as in his dark-skin-
ned fellow.
The good nature Of the negro soldier
is remarkable. He Is always fond Of a
Joke, and never too tired to enjoy one.
Officers have wondered ia sec 2 uvh6a e