Americans of African descent possess the pride, courage and
   devotion of the patriotic soldier--one hundred and eighty
   thousand such Americans enlisted under the Union flag in
                         1863--1865.

             Heroism in War With Spain

  All of us recall the battles in the neighborhood of Santiago,
La Quasima, San Juan and El Caney.
  In the Spanish War, at La Quasima, in addition to the white
troops, was the Tenth Regular Cavalry, colored. Upon this oc-
casion General Leonard Wood reports that he found the forces
opposed to him very much greater than he had anticipated, and
that "HIS MEN CONDUCTED THEMSELVES SPLEN-
DIDLY AND BEHAVED LIKE VETERANS, GOING UP
AGAINST THE HEAVY SPANISH LINE AS THOUGH
THEY KNEW NO FEAR"
  The colored troopers, the Tenth boys, were among the fore-
most in standing their ground or in dashing forward, and their
gallantry was a source of great pride and satisfaction to their
officers and of complimentary comment by the little force whose
dash and pluck had caused it to be greatly magnified by the de-
feated Spaniards.
  Again at San Juan we find the Ninth and Tenth Cavalry dis-
mounted with the colored infantry to their right. San Juan, on
heights defended by strong fortifications-block houses, intrench-
ments, batteries and barbed wires-faces the center and left
wing adjoining it, and El Caney also on an eminence, strongly
protected by block houses, rifle pits, and various obstructions,
faces the right wing. Against these strong positions the Ameri-
cans began their advance and moved forward against the enemy,
receiving a steady, destructive fire, but not stopping to count the
fearful cost of the assault. Under the burning sun, sweltering
and staggering ahead, almost blinded by the heat, the Americans
carried the rifle pits, mounted the hill and charged the Spaniards,
driving them, and capturing or destroying their block-houses. By
nightfall they had won a position which enabled them on the
next day to capture El Caney and drive the enemy closer to
Santiago.
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OHS Archives/Library Pamphlet Collection

Progress of the Negro Race: Address at a Patriotic Race Service, Philadelphia