2nd Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment (1898) 2nd Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment (1898) The 2nd Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment was an infantry unit of the United States Army, mustered into Federal service during the Spanish–American War. It was one of three state volunteer regiments that fought in the Santiago Campaign in Cuba, and the only volunteer unit at the Battle of El Caney. The regiment participated in the Siege of Santiago until the city surrendered, spent several weeks in Cuba, and was moved back to the United States as a result of disease in August. After the end of a quarantine period the regiment was placed on
Battle of Santiago de Cuba and later research by historians, have suggested that nearly 85% of the Spanish ammunition at Santiago was utterly useless, either defective or simply filled with sawdust as a cost-saving measure for practice firing. The American ammunition had no such issues of lethality. "Vizcaya" continued the fight until overwhelmed, and by the end of the engagement she had been struck as many as 200 times by the fire from "Brooklyn" and "Texas". "Brooklyn" had closed to within when she finally delivered an round which, according to witnesses, may have detonated a torpedo being prepared for launch. A huge explosion ensued, "Vizcaya"