ent north and the
hospital closed as soon as possible. On August 8 Major La Garde, more
entitled to the honor of being classed among the heroes of Santiago
than some whose opportunities of brilliant display were vastly
superior, succumbed to the disease. The fact should be borne in mind
that all of these men, officers, soldiers and surgeons, went upon this
pest-house duty after the severe labors of assault of July 1-2, and
the two weeks of terrible strain and exposure in the trenches before
Santiago, and with the sick and wounded consequent upon these battles
and labors--none were strong.

On July 16th, the day after the Twenty-fourth left the trenches, the
surrender was made and on the next morning the final ceremonies of
turning over Santiago to the American forces took place, and the
soldiers were allowed to come out of their ditches and enter into
more comfortable camps. The hardships of the period after the
surrender were not much less than those experienced while in the
lines.

On the 26th of August the Twenty-fourth Infantry, having obtained an
honorable release from its perilous duty, marched out of Siboney with
band playing and colors flying to go on board the transport for
Montauk; but of the 456 men who marched into Siboney, only 198 were
able to march out, directed by 9 out of the 15 officers that marched
in with them. Altogether there were 11 officers and 289 men who went
on board the transport, but all except the number first given were
unable to take their places in the ranks. They went on board the
steamer Nueces, and coming from an infected camp, no doubt great care
was taken that the transport should arrive at its destination in a
good condition. Although there was sickness on board, there were no
deaths on the passage, and the Nueces arrived in port "one of the
cleanest ships that came to that place." The official report states
that the Nueces arrived at Montauk Point September 2, with 385 troops
on board; 28 sick, no deaths on the voyage, and not infected. Worn out
by the hard service the regiment remained a short time at Montauk and
then returned to its former station, Fort Douglass, Utah, leaving its
camp at Montauk in such a thoroughly creditable condition as to elicit
official remark.

While the Twenty-fourth Infantry had without doubt the hardest
service, after the surrender, of any of the colored regiments, the
others were not slumbering at ease. Lying in the trenches almost
constantly for