New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1874-06-04
From Texas.

May -, 1874.
To he Eiitor Of he N'o National Era:
In your issue of the ODD ullimo, appears a
"nole" from some one of the coIorcd young
men i'll the army, and purportinS to have
come from this garrison.
Now, while that young man intrudes on
your columns, why not do so for some good
purpose: Why does he invite some of his
comrades to write communications interest
ing to HIM, when he does not do the same
for us: His mote is very good so far as it
goes, but in my opinion. it is like our cash
it does not go far enough in the right drec-
ton. / am in favor of reading communica
tons from colorcd soldiers when they are on
the right subject. Why not let them come
out in the colored press and argue for their
rights as other soldiers?
Very few of your readers, no doubt, are
aware that the colorcd regiments in the army
are ollcercd by white mcn-the only Offices
held by colorcd men are regimcntal, nom
commissioned-they do not even give them
non-commissioncd appointments Oh the gen.
cral staff, such as ordinance and commissary
sergcants and hospital stewards, but this
inequality is about to be checked should the
bill recently introduced in Congress by Gen.
Butler, to abolish distinctions on account of
color, become q law, and il is reasonable to
suppose it will.
Another great injustice being done the
colored soldier is keeping him on the extreme
frontier constantly; for example, will give
you the stations Of colorcd regiments as in
1867 and at the present:
Ninth Cavalry, 1867, Texas 1874, Texas.
Tenth Cavalry, 1867, Kansas and Indian
Territory; 1874, Texas and Indian Territory
In 1869, the Thrty-cighth and Forty first
which were serving in New Mexico and
Texas, respectfully, were consolidated and
formed the Twcnty-iourth Infantry which re-
mains at present in Texas, and in the same
year the Thirty-ninth and Forticth Infantry,
serving in Louisiana and North Carolina, re-
| spectivcly, were consolidated and formed the
Twcnty-liith Infantry, which rcmaincdin that
sickly State Q4ouislana) until June, 1870,
when ii came to Texas, since which time they
have been serving in Texas and Indian Ter
ritory. might here stale that the part o
TEXAS IN which troops are kept Is not very
desirable, as can be inferred from a remark
once made by Gen. Sheridan that if he
"owned hell and Texas, he would rent the
latter and live in the former"
| General Sherman in his evidence before
the House military committee, gave, among
other things, the stations Of troops by rcgi-
mcnts, and said that there was one regiment
in Texas that he desired to move, in case
Congress appropriated sufficient money.
That regiment must have undoubtedly been
the Twcnty-fourth Infantry, as it has been
out here twice rs long as any other infantry
/ regiment in the State. lie remarks, after
speaking of that regiment, "thc Twenty.
fourth reg imcnt is colorcd regiment. We
have two colorcd regiments of Infantry, the
same as we have of Cavalry. This one has
been in Texas ever since the clos, of the
civil war, on the theory that that race can
better stand that extreme. southern climate
than our white troops.' lie further said
while speaking of a colorcd regiment, "ant
that regiment has certainly fulfilled the bcs
expectations entertained by the friends o
the negro people; they arc good troops, they
make first rate scntinels, arc faithful to thei
trust, and are rs brave as the occasion call.
for. wish to bear this my tcstimony-my
willing testimony to their excellence
Now, since he admits that VIC have been Ou
here since the close of the late civil war
why not Congress appropriate sufficient funds
to move us, at Gen. Shcrman's desire : o
course we do not expect then to move the
cavalry to Detroit, or to any of the Southern
cities, as they are needed on the frontier al
tile time, but there is one thing we can expec
and that is, the transfer of one of the colorc(
infantry regiments Che one the longest OF
the frontier) to the posts occupied by cithe
the First, Second, Sixteenth, or Eighteenth
Infantry, in the States; this would give ;
: change that would be acceptable to the mem
bers of both regiments.
Since the regiment of which l am a mem
Der, and with which 1 have served sine,
1867, has been on the frontier, we hav
been called upon to perform duties Of tn
t most arduous nature, such as going ava
| into unsettled territory on scouts, for four O
five months, with cavalry, working on mill
tary roads from one post to another, guard
ing out-posts, stations, water-holes, and al
places likely to be frequented by Indians
besides this, those who remained at the sta
ton, proper, of the command, were perform
ing garrison duty of a very tircsomc nature
+ consisting of going on guard and fatigue dut
t every ether day, attending daily two drill
, and dress-parade, as well as the stated ro
, calls, etc., and all this while the members c
, the four regiments heretofore mentioned a
being in the Safes, are enjoying themselve
at will, going on guard once week, and gel
/, dom if ever, on fatigue. 1t is great mis-
take that Congress has never passed Ia,
making it obligatory to exchange regiment
D once in two years.
Last summer our then colonel Doubleday
T. went north on leave Of absence, his first stc,
= were directed to the National Capital, an
0 while there he urged the transfer of his reg
$ ment north, but failed in his efforts, so pla
| cOnld he see the inustice done ia that bo n