and patronizing tones, and
"sought to restrain the people of their section from compromising
their brilliant display of patriotism by contemptuous flings at the
nation's true and tried soldiers.

The 24th Infantry and the 9th Cavalry soon left for Tampa, Florida,
whither they were followed by the 10th Cavalry and the 25th Infantry,
thus bringing the entire colored element of the army together to
prepare for embarkation. The work done at Tampa is thus described
officially by Lieutenant-Colonel Daggett in general orders addressed
to the 25th Infantry, which he at that time commanded. On August 11th,
with headquarters near Santiago, after the great battles had been
fought and won, he thus reviewed the work of the regiment: "Gathered
from three different stations, many of you strangers to each other,
you assembled as a regiment for the first time in more than
twenty-eight years, on May 7, 1898, at Tampa, Florida. There you
endeavored to solidify and prepare yourselves, as far as the
oppressive weather would permit, for the work that appeared to be
before you." What is here said of the 25th might have been said with
equal propriety of all the regular troops assembled at Tampa.

In the meantime events were ripening with great rapidity. The historic
"first gun" had been fired, and the United States made the first naval
capture of the war on April 22, the coast trader Buena Ventura having
surrendered to the American gunboat Nashville. On the same day the
blockade of Cuban ports was declared and on the day following a call
was issued for 125,000 volunteers. On May 20th the news that a Spanish
fleet under command of Admiral Cervera had arrived at Santiago was
officially confirmed, and a speedy movement to Cuba was determined
upon.

Almost the entire Regular Army with several volunteer regiments were
organized into an Army of Invasion and placed under the command of
Major-General W.R. Shafter with orders to prepare immediately for
embarkation, and on the 7th and 10th of June this army went on board
the transports. For seven days the troops lay cooped up on the vessels
awaiting orders to sail, a rumor having gained circulation that
certain Spanish gunboats were hovering around in Cuban waters awaiting
to swoop down upon the crowded transports. While the Army of Invasion
was sweltering in the ships lying at anchor off Port Tampa, a small
body of American marines made a landing at Guantanamo, and on June
12th fought the first bat