I remonstrated with him without avail and was only able to keep him from going by informing him of the Colonel's threat of the day before.
There was no desire on the part of this soldier to shirk duty.

He simply didn't know that he should not leave any part of the firing line without orders.

Later, while lying in reserve behind the firing line, I had to use as much persuasion to keep him from firing over the heads of his enemies as I had to keep him with us.

He remained with us until he was shot in the shoulder and had to be sent to the rear.
I could give many other incidents of our men's devotion to duty, of their determination to stay until the death, but what's the use?
Colonel Roosevelt has said they shirked, and the reading public will take the Colonel at his word and go on thinking they shirked.

His statement was uncalled for and uncharitable, and considering the moral and physical effect the advance of the Tenth Cavalry had in weakening the forces opposed to the Colonel's regiment, both at La Guasima and San Juan Hill, altogether ungrateful, and has done us an immeasurable lot of harm.
And further, as to lack of qualifications for command, I will say that when our soldiers, who can and will write history, sever their connections with the Regular Army, and thus release themselves from their voluntary status of military lockjaw, and tell what they saw, those who now preach that the Negro is not fit to exercise command over troops, and will go no further than he is led by white officers, will see in print held up for public gaze, much to their chagrin, tales of those Cuban battles that have never been told outside the tent and barrack room, tales that it will not be agreeable for some of them to hear.