and infantry, and it was
pleasing to see the fraternity that prevailed among black and white
regulars. This was especially noticeable between the Twenty-fifth and
Twelfth. In brigading the regiments no attention whatever was paid to
the race or color of the men. The black infantry regiments were placed
in two brigades, and the black cavalry likewise, and they can be
followed through the fortunes of the war in the official records by
their regimental numbers. During their stay in Chickamauga, and at Key
West and Tampa, the Southern newspapers indulged in considerable
malicious abuse of colored soldiers, and some people of this section
made complaints of their conduct, but the previous good character of
the regiments and the violent tone of the accusations, taken together
with the well-known prejudices of the Southern people, prevented their
complaints from having very great weight. The black soldiers held
their place in the army chosen for the invasion of Cuba, and for that
purpose were soon ordered to assemble in Tampa.

From the 10th of April, when the war movement began with the march of
the Twenty-fifth Infantry out of its Montana stations, until June
14th, when the Army of Invasion cleared Tampa for Cuba--not quite two
months--the whole energy of the War Department had been employed in
preparing the army for the work before it. The beginning of the war is
officially given as April 21st, from which time onward it was declared
a state of war existed between Spain and the United States, but
warlike movements on our side were begun fully ten days earlier, and
begun with a grim definiteness that presaged much more than a practice
march or spring manoeuver.

After arriving at Chickamauga all heavy baggage was shipped away for
storage, and all officers and men were required to reduce their field
equipage to the minimum; the object being to have the least possible
amount of luggage, in order that the greatest possible amount of
fighting material might be carried. Even with all this preparation
going on some officers were indulging the hope that the troops might
remain in camps, perfecting themselves in drill, until September, or
October, before they should be called upon to embark for Cuba. This,
however, was not to be, and it is perhaps well that it was not, as the
suffering and mortality in the home camps were almost equal to that
endured by the troops in Cuba. The suffering at home, also, seemed
more disheartening, be