That rushing line of dismounted cavalry, so ably directed by Sumner, did not get to its goal without loss.  As it swept across the open to reach the heights, it faced a well-directed fire from the Spanish works, and men dropped from the ranks, wounded and dying.  Of the officers directing that advance 35 fell either killed or wounded and 328 men.  These numbers appear small when hastily scanned or when brought into comparison with the losses in battle during the Civil War, but if we take time to imagine 35 officers lying on the ground either killed or wounded and 328 men in the same condition, the carnage will not appear insignificant.  Woe enough followed even that one short conflict.  It must be observed also that the whole strength of this division was less than 3000 men, so that about one out of every eight had been struck by shot or shell.

Several enlisted men among the colored cavalry displayed high soldierly qualities in this assault, evidencing a willingness to assume the responsibility of command and the ability to lead.  Color-Sergeant George Berry became conspicuous at once by his brilliant achievement of carrying the colors of two regiments, those of his own and of the Third Cavalry.  The Color-Sergeant of the latter regiment had fallen and Berry seized the colors and bore them up the hill with his own.  The illustrated press gave some attention to this exploit at the time, but no proper recognition of it has as yet been made.  Sergeant Berry’s character as a soldier had been formed long before this event, and his reputation for daring was already well established.  He entered the service in 1867 and when he carried that flag up San Juan was filling out his thirty-first year in the service.  All this time he had passed in the cavalry and had engaged in many conflicts with hostile Indians and ruffians on our frontiers.

Perhaps the most important parts taken by any enlisted men in the cavalry division were those taken by Sergeants Foster and Givens.  The former was First Sergeant of Troop G and as the troop was making its way to the hill by some means the Spaniards were able not only to discover them but also the direction in which they were moving and to determine their exact range.  Sergeant Foster ventured to tell the Lieutenant in charge that the course of advance should be changed as they were marching directly into the enemy’s guns.

“Silence,” shouted the Lieutenant.  “Come on, men; follow me.”  “All right, sir,” said the Sergeant; “we’ll go as far as you will.”  The next instant the Lieutenant was shot through the head, leaving Sergeant Foster in command.  Immediately the troop was deployed out of the dangerous range and the Sergeant by the exercise of good judgment brought his men to the crest of the hill without losing one from his ranks.  At the time of this action Sergeant Foster was a man who would readily command attention.  Born in Texas and a soldier almost continuously since 1875, part of which time had been passed in an infantry