The Twenty-fourth took the brunt of the fight, and all through it,
even when whole companies were left without an officer, not for a
moment were these colored soldiers shaken or wavering in the face of
the fierce attack made upon them. Wounded Spanish officers declare
that the attack was thus directed because they did not believe the
Negro would stand up against them and they believed there was the
faulty place in the American line. Never were men more amazed than
were the Spanish officers to see the steadiness and cool courage with
which the Twenty-fourth charged front forward on its tenth company (a
difficult thing to do at any time), under the hottest fire. The value
of the Negro as a soldier is no longer a debatable question.

It has been proven fully in one of the sharpest fights of the past
three years.

* * * * *

"OUR BOYS," THE SOLDIERS.

"What Army Officers and Others Have to Say of the Negroes Conduct in
War"--"Give Honor to Whom Honor is Due"--"Acme of Bravery."

It has been said, "Give honor to whom honor is due," and while it is
just and right that it should be so, there are times, however, when
the "honor" due is withheld. Ever since the battle of San Juan Hill at
Santiago de Cuba nearly every paper in the land has had nothing but
praise for the bravery shown by the "Rough Riders," and to the extent
that, not knowing the truth, one would naturally arrive at the
conclusion that the "Rough Riders" were "the whole thing." Although