During the next eleven days men worked like ants, digging trenches, for they had learned a lesson of fighting in the open field.

The work went on night and day.

The 25th Infantry worked harder than any other regiment, for as soon as they would finish a trench they were ordered to move; in this manner they were kept moving and digging new trenches for eleven days.

The trenches left were each time occupied by a white regiment.
On July 14th it was decided to make a demonstration in front of Santiago, to draw the fire of the enemy and locate his position.

Two companies of colored soldiers (25th Infantry) were selected for this purpose, actually deployed as skirmishers and started in advance.
General Shafter, watching the movement from a distant hill, saw that such a movement meant to sacrifice those men, without any or much good resulting, therefore had them recalled.