Thomas.
The stay of the colored regulars at Camp George H. Thomas was short,
but it was long enough for certain newspapers of Chattanooga to give
expression to their dislike to negro troops in general and to those in
their proximity especially. The Washington Post, also, ever faithful
to its unsavory trust, lent its influence to this work of defamation.
The leading papers, however, both of Chattanooga and the South
generally, spoke out in rather conciliatory and patronizing tones, and
"sought to restrain the people of their section from compromising
their brilliant display of patriotism by contemptuous flings at the
nation's true and tried soldiers.
The 24th Infantry and the 9th Cavalry soon left for Tampa, Florida,
whither they were followed by the 10th Cavalry and the 25th Infantry,
thus bringing the entire colored element of the army together to
prepare for embarkation. The work done at Tampa is thus described
officially by Lieutenant-Colonel Daggett in general orders addressed
to the 25th Infantry, which he at that time commanded. On August 11th,
with headquarters near Santiago, after the great battles had been
fought and won, he thus reviewed the work of the regiment: "Gathered
from three different stations, many of you strangers to each other,
you assembled as a regiment for the first time in more than
twenty-eight years, on May 7, 1898, at Tampa, Florida.
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