Originally Posted by
jon_norstog
Here is a statement written by one of the Rough Riders (1st US Volunteer Cavalry)... I found it on the SpanAm War website.
Carl Lovelace, Troop D, 1st NY Volunteer Cavalry (sic. It was US Volunteers, not NY Volunteers)
"One thing I noticed; one great thing; one thing, that if the colonial policy is adopted by our people, ought to be an large factor in solving the ever recurring race problem. Get it out of your head that Negroes can't fight. They can. That Tenth cavalry. Will I ever forget one charge I saw them make. They were on our left, and in taking one hill, moved out about two minutes before we did. Amidst a hall of bullets I saw them deploy and move up the hill as if on dress parade with a grand stand attachment. At every step some of them fell but the line never even wavered. They simply closed up to all the gaps, and kept advancing, shooting and cheering as they went. We made some good charges ourselves, but we don't make them with the exquisite mechanical perfection of the Tenth Cavalry Colored. They surprised us all, and I've got more respect for the colored soldier and citizen than I ever had before. If we are going to keep all these tropical islands, we have got to keep troops in every one of them. The Negro soldier is the equal of any, and he stands this climate better than the white man; a place in the regular army betters his conditions, and it seems to me that when our standing army is increased, the Negro should be given a chance. At present there are only four colored regiments in the service... "
Reply With Quote