Blacks Serving in the Military-- Part 4: Spanish American War and Aftermath

In April 1898, following a period of rising tension over Spanish treatment of native Cubans, the United States declared war on Spain.

The Navy had enough manpower, but the Army only had 28,000 soldiers.  Enlistees, volunteers and National Guard units soon added 220,000 more, including 5,000 black men, but the only black troops to fight in the war were the Buffalo Soldiers.

The bloodiest and best-known battle in Cuba was the Battle of San Juan Hill, during which the most difficult fighting was by the Buffalo Soldiers, five of whom received the Medal of Honor for that action.

They would go on to achieve fame and distinction in the Philippine Insurrection (1899-1903), Mexico (1914), World War I (1916-1918) and World War II (1944-1945).

Mexican Campaign 1914

I'd never heard of it before, except for the Medal of Honor won by Henry Nickerson in the earlier post from today. So, I had to look it up.

It dated back to the Tampico Affair, April 9, 1914, where a group of US sailors and Mexican forces loyal to Victoriano Huerta faced off during the Mexican Revolution. In response, President Wilson ordered the US Navy to Vera Cruz, Mexico.

On April 21, 1914, Wilson ordered the immediate occupation of Vera Cruz upon hearing that a German ship was headed there with a huge arms shipment for Huerta... Ninety Americans and 300 Mexicans were killed.

This united a divided Mexico with Venustiano Carranza and Huerta demanding an immediate American withdrawal. Wilson later accepted mediation from the ABC Conference with Argentina, Brazil, and Chile.

The occupation lasted six months and did nothing to improve Mexican-American relations.

Thanks Wikipedia and Wilson Foreign Policy.