is a soldier with an
excellent record. He was born of French and American parentage in
Wyoming and enlisted in the Ninth Cavalry as trumpeter in 1882,
serving five years in that regiment. He then enlisted in the Tenth
Cavalry, and in 1892 became Sergeant-Major. Being desirous of
perfecting himself in the cavalry service he applied for an extended
furlough with permission to leave the country, intending to enter a
cavalry school in France. In this desire he was heartily endorsed by
the officers of his regiment, and was specially commended by General
Miles, who knew him as a soldier and who highly appreciated him as
such. The breaking out of the Spanish war soon after he had made
application prevented a full consideration of his case. In 1897
Sergeant-Major Baker published a specially valuable "Roster of the
Non-Commissioned Officers of the Tenth U.S. Cavalry, with Some
Regimental Reminiscences, etc.," which has been of marked service in
the preparation of the sketches of the enlisted men of his regiment.
He contributes the interesting sketch of his experiences in Cuba with
his regiment, which follows this chapter, and which will prove to many
perhaps the most interesting portion of my book.

The Twenty-fourth Infantry advanced in that line of attack on the
extreme left and reached the crest of the San Juan Hills in such
numbers as to lead the press correspondents and others to conclude
that there were more men of this regiment promptly on the ground than
of any other one regiment. It is certain they made a record for
heroism in that assault as bright as any won on the field that day;
and this record they raised to a magnificent climax by their
subsequent work in the fever hospital at Siboney. For their
distinguished service both in the field and in the hospital, the
colored ladies of New York honored themselves in presenting the
regiment the beautiful stand of colors already mentioned. As these
fever-worn veterans arrived at Montauk they presented a spectacle well
fitted to move strong men to tears. In solemn silence they marched
from on board the transport Nueces, which had brought them from Cuba,
and noiselessly they dragged their weary forms over the sandy roads
and up the hill to the distant "detention camp." Twenty-eight of their
number were reported sick, but the whole regiment was in ill-health.

These were the men who had risked their lives and wrecked their health
in service for others. Forty days they had sto