and lost his own.
A comrade of the Seventeenth Infantry gave his testimony. Said he:
"I shall never forget the 1st of July. At one time in the engagement
of that day the Twenty-first Infantry had faced a superior force of
Spaniards and were almost completely surrounded. The Twenty-fourth
Infantry, of colored troops, seeing the perilous position of the
Twenty-first, rushed to the rescue, charged and routed the enemy,
thereby saving the ill-fated regiment."
Col. Joseph Haskett, of the Seventeenth regular Infantry, testifies to
the meritorious conduct of the Negro troops. Said he:
"Our colored soldiers are 100 percent superior to the Cuban. He is a
good scout, brave soldier, and not only that, but is everywhere to be
seen building roads for the movement of heavy guns."
Among the trophies of war brought to Old Point were a machete, the
captured property of a colored trooper, a fine Spanish sword, taken
from an officer and a little Cuban lad about nine years old, whose
parents had bled for Cuba. His language and appearance made him the
cynosure of all eyes. He was dressed in a little United States uniform
and had pinned to his clothing a tag which read: "Santiago buck, care
of Col. C.L. Wilson, Manhattan Club, New York." His name is Vairrames
y Pillero.
He seemed to enjoy the shower of small coin that fell upon him from
the hotels. His first and only English words were "Moocha Moona."
These fragments were gathered while visiting at Old Point Comfort
recently. They serve to show the true feeling of the whites for their
brave black brother.
A.E. MEYZEEK, in the Freeman.
Louisville, Ky.
BLACK SOLDIER BOYS.
The following is what the New York Mail and Express says respecting
the good services being rendered by our black soldier boys:
"All honors to the black troopers of the gallant Tenth! No more
striking example of bravery and coolness has been shown since the
destruction of the Maine than by the colored veterans of the Tenth
Cavalry during the attack upon Caney on Saturday. By the side of the
intrepid Rough Riders they followed their leader up the terrible hill
from whose crest the desperate Spaniards poured down a deadly fire of
shell and musketry. They never faltered. The tents in their ranks
were filled as soon as made. Firing as they marched, their aim was
splendid, their coolness was superb, and their courage aroused the
admiration of their comrades. Their advance was greeted with wild
cheers f
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