field of honor, and their readiness to be to the front and to
take prominent part in all service was so marked that opportunity
could not be withheld from them. As the army advanced toward Santiago
these regiments became more and more the mark of observation by
foreign military men who were present, and by the great throng of
correspondents who were the eyes for the people of the civilized
world. And hence, when the lines of assault were finally determined
and the infantry and cavalry of our army deployed for its perilous
attack upon the Spanish fortifications the black regiments were in
their places, conspicuous by their vigor and enthusiasm. In them were
enlisted men whose time of service had expired a few days before, but
who had promptly re-enlisted. In at least two cases were men who
served their full thirty years and could have retired with honor at
the breaking out of the war. They preferred to share the fortunes of
their comrades in arms, and it is a comfort to be able to record that
the two spoken of came home from the fight without a wound and with
health unimpaired. How many others there were in the same case in the
army is not reported, but the supposition is that there were several
such in both the white and colored regiments.

Recalling the scenes of that memorable first of July, 1898, we can see
the Twenty-fifth Infantry advancing steadily on the stone fort at El
Caney at one time entirely alone, meeting the fire of the fort even up
to their last rush forward. Captain Loughborough, who commanded
Company B, of that regiment, and although his company was in the
reserve, was nevertheless under fire, says: "The hardest fighting of
the Twenty-fifth was between two and four o'clock," at which time all
the other troops of the attacking force, except Bates' brigade, were
under cover and remaining stationary, the Twenty-fifth being the only
organization that was advancing. The official reports give the
positions of General Chaffee's brigade during the two hours between
two o'clock and four of that afternoon as follows:

The Seventh was under partial cover and remained in its position
"until about 4.30 p.m." The Seventeenth remained with its left joined
to the right of the Seventh "until the battle was over." The Twelfth
Infantry was in its shelter within 350 yards of the fort "until about
4 p.m." Ludlow's brigade was engaged with the town, hence only Miles'
brigade, consisting of the Fourth and Twenty-fifth Infa