The McDowell times. [volume] (Keystone, W. Va.) 1904-1941, 1917-05-18
PATRIOTISM OF
THE NEGRO"

wherever found ont.
The excitement from tits insulting af- |
tair had not cooled down when 10, ON
the morning Of February l6, 1898, Ia.
shole country Was driven wild with er-
iternent on learning that 1t y ~ O'Clock
he evening previous, that the battleshi,
Maine had been blown up in Havana
lsrbor, killing or MORALLY wounding tive
officers aud "a men. Notwithstanding
Captain Sigsbee's plea for o SUSPENSION
II Judgment, the incident famed the
'moulderlng embers of war into q fam
ing outburst of righteous indignation,
until April ~, ls,s: When both houses
II Congress passed resolutions declaring
The people Of Cuba free and independent,
demanding that spain relinquish author
lty IN Cuba and directing President Nc
kinley to Use all the land and nsva
forces TO carry the resolutions into effect;
and specifically stating that this countr,
entered upon the task, not for it own
ACKNOWLEDGMENT, but expecting To leavs
centrol and government OF the island OF
Cuba To its own people. - soon - il wa
Pacined. The President signed thess
resolutions April 3Uth and sent . copy by
cable 10 our minister in Spain, General
Woodford, who Was TO wait two days for
reply. The Spanist Governments had
received copy from its Minister, Polo y
bernabe in Washington. and without
waiting to hear from our Minister. Gen.
"oodiord, sent him his passports lie
turned oyer the Legation 10 the Britisl
embassy and left for his home the sam.
lay. Thus SPAN actually began the war
On tile End of Appl President Nc
hinley issued an order block aiding nearl,
all the ports of Cuba. At daylight OIL
the 2ird the U. ;. fleet. which had col
'ected at hey West under command OF
Acting Rear Admiral sampson, sailed for
Cuba and the blockade was begun.
On the 18th, in reply to q message @,
the President, Congress passed rcso-
ution. declaring that war existed will
spain since the 2lst day of April, Isss
the day Spain broke off diplomatic ~
latiOns.
ON the ZSrd of April President McKin
ley issued a call for 5000 volunteers 70,
var. At this juncture the whole countr,
sss amazed at the patriotism of the Ne.
yro race. who from one end Of the coun.
try TO the other began 10 volunteer 70
he defence OF their country's outrage
honor ard the protection OF it, Grand
Old Flag They We'd with any othe,
class OF citizens in rushing TO their coun
try's cali, and offered the best they had
upon the altar Of sacrifice In the hour O,
tie nations need. How shall the coup
Try ever forget the following list OF col
Ored regiments that volunteered from the
following states, viz
The Third North Carolina, the Nintf.
Battalion of Ohio, the Twenty-thir Of
Kansas, the Sixth Virgins. the Third
Alabama, the 9Th, sth, 9Th and 10Th
United states Volunteer Immunes and
he Eighth Illinois Army of Occupation.
shich policed and cleaned up Santiago
md the two companies of troops from,
Indiana; and strange 70 say not one Of
the above Negro volunteer regiments vas
.ent to the front in time 70 take part in .
single battle. But among the u. :. Reg
ors. the Ninth and Tenth Calvary am
the Twenty fourth and Twenty fifth In
i'ntry were the first trcor~ ordered 4
the front, and under that grizxled old
var dog. Shafter who turned them loo--
poo the PRIDE Of the Spanish armies
aid tell you that it was not long befor
pain realized that something was going
n. AZ the very first battle in Cuba n
the place known a. Las Guxsimas. tbs
famous Tenth Calvary distinguished a.
ell by coming TO the support Of Colonel
Theodore Roosevelt and hi. fsmous
Rough Riders and quickly helped them
20 change apparent defeat into one Of u .
nost glorious victories Of the whole war
and place Old Glory over the spani.b
smparts. The famous 18th Infsntry u,
ne world know that 10 vas present
e ihc battle Of ~ Csney sod gave old
pain such an introduction 70 Negro ps-
: iotism that the she has never since de-
n I'd any further scqusintsnce.
The oh and IOth Calvary and the oath
lof&ntry along with the rrss Of SKATER.
army turned themselves loose 1t San Juan
Hi, and when our valiant White troop-
began hsmmerins the Spanish army on
ne end, while our valiant black troou-
oegsn hsmmering on the other end.
SPAN realized sheecould stand no more
ADD sang out for peace. That 10 why the
volunteer regiments did not get into is
Nov, 4 repeat again what said in the