An extraordinary presentation sword given to Capt. William R. Staff, a hero of the Battle of San Juan Hill who served with the 24th U.S. Infantry from 1892 to 1897 and re-enlisted in 1897, joining the 49th U.S. Volunteer Infantry.  Staff’s full records are also included, including an 1895 enlistment document indicating him initially as being a “Negro”, later changed to “Light mulatto” with a citation noted at the change. Other records show Staff enlisted in Co. C, 24th Infantry (Colored) at Fort Leavenworth on June 30, 1892 and re-enlisted in June, 1897 at Fort Douglas, Utah as a private. Promoted to captain in the 49th U.S. Vols (Colored), he served during the Philippine Insurrection, at the siege of San Juan and at San Juan Hill. Major A. C. Markly, commander of the regiment, commended Staff for bravery at San Juan Hill: “Srgt. Staff… cutting the wire entanglements under fire, and afterwards commanding a squad of the thin line holding the hill to the right of Fort San Juan with no intrenchments… is suitable for a commission in the U.S. volunteers…” A copy of a full-length photo of Staff in uniform is also provided, with additional extensive records.

The Battle of San Juan Hill (Spanish: Batalla de las Colinas de San Juan), also known as the Battle for the San Juan Heights, was a major battle of the Spanish–American War fought between an American force under the command of William Rufus Shafter and Joseph Wheeler against a Spanish force led by Arsenio Linares y Pombo. The battle proved to be one of the most significant battles of the war and, along with the Siege of Santiago, a decisive battle in deciding the fate of the United States Army campaign in Cuba. The American forces, outnumbering the Spanish defenders 16-to-one, charged upon the heights and dispersed the Spanish after suffering heavy casualties. The battle also proved to be the location of the “greatest victory” for the Rough Riders, as stated by the press and its new commander, Theodore Roosevelt, who eventually became vice president and later president of the United States, and who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor in 2001 for his actions in Cuba and became the only U.S. president to receive the award. The American assault line consisted of the following regiments: From the far left, attacking what later became known as San Juan Hill, was the 6th Infantry, the 9th Infantry, the 13th Infantry, the 16th Infantry, the 24th (Colored) Infantry, the 10th (Colored) Cavalry (the 10th was the only unit that assaulted both high points on the San Juan heights), with the 3rd Cavalry, 1st Volunteer Cavalry on the far right, attacking what later became known as Kettle Hill.