The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-07-22
After Facing Bullets They Braved
Yellow Fever.
THEIR DASHING CHARGE
The Fearlessness of the Colored Rsgi-
ment in Their Bold Dash
up San Juan
Hill.

been overlooked.
General Miles said in his report to the
department regarding the war in Cuba:
There are two things that l cannot
overlook, viz, the wonderful charge of
the dismounted cavalry, who, without
bayonet, but with bare carbine. went in
dashing, unbroken lines at the enemy
without a thought of their defenceless
condition. Another is the undaunted
bravery of the fearless Twenty Fourth
infantry regulars, U. S. A, that dared
the dangers of the fatal yellow jack to
nurse their stricken officers back to life
and health.
THE members of the regiment were
plainly told of the great danger; they
were informed that yellow fever could
not be deceived like poor Spanish
craftsmanship; that ten to one every
man who volunteered his services for
this dangerous mission would at least
be afflicted with the dread disease. Yet
not a man hesitated. When the call
came they went cheerfully forward to
almost certain death. That was BRAY
cry"
Captain Belts, who was seriously
wounded at the battle of San Juan Hill
while leading these colored soldiers,
gives unstinted praise to the brave fell
lews, and says he could not wish for
better men in time of war, and in peace
they are the most careful painstak-
ing, neat and orderly of troops. They
are very proud of their uniforms AID
arms and attentive to discipline. Pun
ishment for disorderly or unsoldierly
conduct is very rare.
They are most decidedly musical"
tniy of md h n
band attached to this regiment that is
admired by the whole service. They
play each morning at guard mount
This occurs at 1916 and the public is
quite welcome. We have many visit
ors daily, some, in fact, come day after
day to hear the music, and 1t is really
excellent.
No, this regiment is not one of the
immune lot sent to Cuba on that ar
count" continued Captain Belts, "Ihere
were immunes in other colored regi-
ments, but they were not of the Twen-
ty-Fourth; in fact, the records of our
losses from fever would contradict that
argument. They certainly took all The
chances possible to man in war or
peace when they volunteered to nurse
the yellow fever patients that were
stricken with the frightful plague on
the Island of Cuba, and they did their
duty nobly and cheerfully, like the true
and trained soldiers they are"
According to the statements of Lieu
| tenant J. D. Leitch, who was regiment
| tai adjutant during the Cuban cam
| paign, and who holds the same once
here, the Twenty fourth were fighters
| from the start. although they are
| colored and their bravery was doubted
| by some of the scoffers in the begin
| ming, the army had little to fear after
| once having seen these men in action
| They are as brave soldiers as the world
| ever saw" said Lieutenant Leitch
| mo, there is none of the dash about
them that you newspaper men are
| so fond of describing. They are
| lust simple. plain soldiers, who know
| enough to do their duty, and do it IS
| they are told. And really that is what
| one wants in q soldier. You may say
what you please of the Intelligent man
with "a musket, but what is really
wanted is man with just the proper
| amount of brains to do what he is told.
| A man too highly educated IS quite
| likely to presume too much upon MS
| own Judgment, which will never do IN
| time of war Orders must be implicit
| " obeyed, and these men know how to
do that to the letter. l ask for no bet
| ter men in my command.
| AT the battle of San Juan Hill we
| had a chance to test every man on the
| island, and l am sure If you Will con
suit the war reports you Will hnd that
!
any in the army
| THE battle of San Juan Hill began
on the list of July and continued for
| three days. During all that time in
strange land, with a brand new climate
| to contend with, our men worked like
| beavers with never a complaint or
| grumble. Captain Belts was wounded
at the first volley, and, according to
the best medical authority, he will car
| ~ that little souvenir of Spanish marks
| manship for the rest of his life. One
of these cute little Spanish bullets
slipped up his arm from the hand 10
the elbow joint. If you will step over
to the quarters he will show you a
beautiful photograph or that part of
his anatomy, taken by the X-ray proc
ess.
But the bravery of officers and men
during that battle is not to be COM
pared with what followed. Fighting
is all right in open warfare. and | think
most men enjoy it in a measure But
when it comes to yellow fever, it means
business. You cant dodge that. II
you run yourself into a yellow fever
camp you must take your chances. Pos
| sihly you may be called a fool after
wards. or you may be called a hero
That all goes in with the calculation OF
chances. Our men never stopped tC
consider.
Many newspapers have made q
grave mistake in saying that we were
not ordered to Siboney. hut that We
volunteered to go there to nurse tnf
sick. This is a mistake. for we were
ordered to the fever camp from head
quarters, but it was not stipulated that
our men We're to be detailed for thai
particular service which they afterwarC
| determined to do"
When the Twenty-F Fourth arrived II
the fever camp it was given out that {
number of the officers were stricken
| with yellow fever and that certain
number of the men would be asked tt
volunteer as nurses. Captain Eeus
says: 1T was a revelation to me Il
see how these men acted when tht
word was passed along the line that {
number would be called upon in thu
| morning to serve as nurses. ] had Id
idea, up to this moment, what human
devotion amounted to. Every sou
seemed anxious to be first on the list
When the day arrived to ask 70.
volunteers the order was made in tn
| 10 in spp m a n