On February 15th, 1898, 260 American sailors were killed when the battleship Maine blew up and sank in Havana harbor. The war with Spain began in April 1898, when Major General William Shafter, a former commander of the 24th Infantry led an expeditionary force of over 17,000 men, including nearly 3,000 Black regulars, into Cuba. (11) Although the Spanish American War was ostensibly fought to liberate Caribbean and Philippine islanders from Spanish oppression, the participation of Buffalo Soldier and Black volunteer regiments in this war was not without controversy. African Americans questioned whether they, who were deprived of civil rights by federal and state laws and were being lynched and terrorized in the South, should fight for a government that recognized them as a citizen in name only. Articles in the Black press during the war showed a diversity of opinion in the African American community.

Editorials For Fighting

"What if War Comes"

"War Has Been Declared by the United States Against Spain"

Credit: Library of Congress

In four months of fighting the Spanish under these adverse conditions, the Buffalo Soldiers were described as "most gallant and soldierly." (14) During one landing at Tayabacoa, Cuba, 10th Cavalry Privates William H. Thompkins, Fitz Lee, Dennis Bell, and George Wanton voluntarily went ashore in the face enemy fire to rescue wounded U.S. and Cuban comrades. After several failed attempts they succeeded, resulting in their each being awarded the Medal of Honor. (15) A career soldier, Thompkins was eventually buried at the Presidio's San Francisco National Cemetery, along with another 450 Black veterans of the 9th and 10th Cavalry and the 24th and 25th Infantry.

Called the most integrated battle force of the 19th century, the troops of the 24th Infantry and the 9th and 10th Cavalry fought up the slope of San Juan Hill along with White regular army regiments and the 1st Volunteer Cavalry (the Rough Riders) led by Lieutenant Colonel Theodore Roosevelt. Twenty-six Buffalo Soldiers died that day, and several men were officially recognized for their bravery. Quarter Master Sergeant Edward L. Baker, Jr., 10th Cavalry emerged from the battle wounded by shrapnel, but was awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroism. (16) After the Battle of San Juan Hill, Rough Rider Frank Knox said, "I never saw braver men anywhere." Lieutenant John J. Pershing wrote, "They fought their way into the hearts of the American people." (17) Theodore Roosevelt commented "… no one can tell whether it was the Rough Riders or the men of the 9th who came forward with the greater courage to offer their lives in the service of their country."(18) Despite this platitude, Colonel Roosevelt wrote the following year that "Negro troops were shirkers in their duties and would only go as far as they were led by white officers." Tenth Cavalry Trooper, Presley Holliday wrote in response, "His (Roosevelt's) statement was uncalled for and uncharitable, and considering the moral and physical effect the advance of the 10th Cavalry had in weakening the forces opposed to the Colonel's regiment, both at Las Guasima and San Juan Hill, altogether ungrateful and has done us an immeasurable lot of harm…not every troop or company of colored soldiers who took part in the assaults was led or urged forward by a white officer." (19)

For many African Americans it was felt that the deeds of the soldiers in the battles of Cuba, and later in the Philippines would perhaps lead to "a new era for the Negro race" in obtaining equal rights and privilege as Americans. They honored the soldiers' valor and service to the United States with books, pictures, orations, poems and editorials. One newspaper editor stated the general feeling of African Americans, "we are proud of our colored troops, the heroes of the day." (20)

Troops catch up on the news in Cuba.
C redit: Bob Bowen Collection