Sergeant James Thompson joined the regiment in 1888, and has passed the ten years in the one troop, and proved himself at Las Guasimas a soldier worthy his regiment.

The first battle gave the Tenth a reputation in a new field, corresponding to that which it had gained in the West, and this was not allowed to fade during its stay in Cuba.  The fame of this first action spread rapidly through the army and inspired the other regiments of colored men with a desire to distinguish themselves on this new field of honor, and their readiness to be to the front and to take prominent part in all service was so marked that opportunity could not be withheld from them.  As the army advanced toward Santiago these regiments became more and more the mark of observation by foreign military men who were present, and by the great throng of correspondents who were the eyes for the people of the civilized world.  And hence, when the lines of assault were finally determined and the infantry and cavalry of our army deployed for its perilous attack upon the Spanish fortifications the black regiments were in their places, conspicuous by their vigor and enthusiasm.  In them were enlisted men whose time of service had expired a few days before, but who had promptly re-enlisted.  In at least two cases were men who served their full thirty years and could have retired with honor at the breaking out of the war.  They preferred to share the fortunes of their comrades in arms, and it is a comfort to be able to record that the two spoken of came home from the fight without a wound and with health unimpaired.  How many others there were in the same case in the army is not reported, but the supposition is that there were several such in both the white and colored regiments.

Recalling the scenes of that memorable first of July, 1898, we can see the Twenty-fifth Infantry advancing steadily on the stone fort at El Caney at one time entirely alone, meeting the fire of the fort even up to their last rush forward.  Captain Loughborough, who commanded Company B, of that regiment, and although his company was in the reserve, was nevertheless under fire, says:  “The hardest fighting of the Twenty-fifth was between two and four o’clock,” at which time all the other troops of the attacking force, except Bates’ brigade, were under cover and remaining stationary, the Twenty-fifth being the only organization that was advancing.  The official reports give the positions of General Chaffee’s brigade during the two hours between two o’clock and four of that afternoon as follows: 

The Seventh was under partial cover and remained in its position “until about 4.30 p.m.”  The Seventeenth remained with its left joined to the right of the Seventh “until the battle was over.”  The Twelfth Infantry was in its shelter within 350 yards of the fort “until about 4 p.m.”  Ludlow’s brigade was engaged with the town, hence only Miles’ brigade, consisting of the Fourth and Twenty-fifth Infantry, was advancing upon the fort.  The Fourth Infantry was soon checked in its advance, as General Daggett especially notes in his report, and the Twenty-fifth was thus thrust forward alone, excepting Bates’ brigade, which was making its way up the right.