8th_illinois_volunteer

Spanish-American War
1898-1899
The 8th Illinois Volunteer Infantry

When the United States declared war against Spain in the spring of 1898. It was
a common belief up until and including this time, among the white political and
military establishment, that negro soldiers were not capable of being commanded
by negro officers. The 8th Illinois was one of a few regiments that consisted of
all negro soldiers and officers. None of these regiments had the opportunity to
prove that they could in fact command their own.

Governor Tanner of Illinois had promised Col. John R. Marshall, a negro
officer previously of the 9th Battalion, that he would send the all negro 8th Illinois
Regiment to Cuba to fight. But when the Regiments were called up for service,
the 8th were not included. Again, the negro soldiers and officers were overlooked.

When Governor Tanner got word that the 1st Illinois Regiment of Chicago, aka the "Dandy First", a white Infantry, were suffering great losses from malaria, dysentery, insufficient food supplies and exposure, he called upon Col. Marshall to ascertain
if the 8th Illinois would be willing to relieve the 1st Illinois in Cuba.

Springfield, Aug. 4
H. C. Corbin, Adjutant General, "I called the officers of the 8th Illinois, colored, in
conference and they are unanimously and enthusiastically in favor of being sent
to relieve the First Illinois at Santiago." This message was sent in a full realization
of its import, the Eighth was volunteering to be sent to the exact spot where their
old companions in arms were dying like sheep in a plague, and not a man
objected to the dispatch of that message.

The next day, the Adjutant General sent this answer: "The Secretary of War appreciates very much the offer of the 8th Illinois Volunteer Infantry for duty in
Santiago, and has directed that the regiment be sent there by steamer Yale,
leaving New York next Tuesday. The main trouble with our troops now in Cuba
is that they are suffering from exhaustion and exposure incident to one of the
most trying campaigns to which soldiers have ever been subjected."
Adjutant General. (86-87)

The troops were subjected to the same unbearable conditions and pestilence
as their fellow comrades that preceded them.

The 8th Illinois under the command of Col. John Marshall were successful in
their mission. Upon inspection, the commanding General found the city as well
as the camp in safe and good sanitary condition. The experiment was a success. Negro soldiers could be commanded by negro officers just as they could by
white officers and negro officers could independently carry out military missions successfully.

On March 10, 1899, the 8th Illinois boarded the steamer Sedwick and the
repatriation was in motion. On March 16, the Sedwick dropped anchor in
Virginia. Two more days by rail and the 8th Illinois arrived in Chicago. They were greeted with parade and banquet and were the pride of not only the negro citizens
of Chicago, but of all the negro communities throughout the country who had
heard of the 8th Illinois and their success.

President McKinley said when the Eighth volunteered to relieve the fever-stricken First, "that it was the proudest moment of his life." Now that the Eighth has served,
and has been mustered out with a most excellent record, his pride is shared by all
who know the regiment, and what was once an experiment is now an assured success. The last of the 8th Illinois including David A. Millen were mustered out
on April 3, 1899. (96)

Note: To see the officers, staff, companies and stories, visit the link below.
Unfortunately, Company D (David Millen's) is the only one without a photo of
the soldiers.

References

McCard, Harry Stanton, B.S., Turley, Henry, History of
the 8th Illinois U.S.V. (E. F. Harman & Co., Publishers,
Chicago, 1899) University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
11-30-10

Military Pension File of David A. Millen

Bugle Calls