McCaw, Melvin, 1867-

Born in Columbia, Tennessee, in 1867, Melvin McCaw was a veteran of the Spanish-American wars in Cuba and the Philippines, and a non-commissioned officer in the 9th Regiment of U.S. Cavalry, the first detachment of African American troops assigned to West Point in 1907.

McCaw participated in the battle of San Juan Hill and the siege of Santiago de Cuba, as well as the U.S. occupation of the Philippines in 1900. African American troops were introduced into West Point because of the high level of desertion among their white counterparts. A 1907 military report found that they "performed few duties of the soldier, but are required to perform much work of every other character and received no extra pay." The segregated 9th and 10th Regiments of U.S. Cavalry were called "Buffalo Soldiers" because of their earlier participation in the Indian wars of 1867-1891, and their patrolling of the "Wild West" at the end of the 19th century. McCaw was a qualified marksman and a sharpshooter. He was invariably listed as an intelligent and loyal soldier of good character. A married man with two children, he retired from the army after 30 years of uninterrupted service.

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