The daily gazette., 1877-09-26
CAN THIS BE TRUEq
wHoLEsAL CHARGES AGAINST THE
BLACK REGIMENTS OF THE ARMY.
From the (nicaa0 TInies

wHoLEsA CHARGES AGAINST THE
BLACK REGIMENTS OF THE ARMY.
From the Chicago Times.
SAN ANTONIO. Texas, Sept lin one
of my former letters-from Eagle Pass,
think-some mention was made of the
negro soldlery posted along the Rio
Grande. That mention was not compli-
mentary. l regret that l have nothing
to take back In reference to it. Our four
regiments of blacks, namely, the Ninth
and Tenth cavalry and the Twenty-fourth
and 1wenty-tfth infantry, are next door
TO useless. The Ninth cavalry is now
serving in another department. The
other three organizations are at the dis
posal of Gen. Ord. / am glad TO see the
negro free. like to see him respectable
and useful-when he succeeds in making
himself so-but his place is not the army.
As a soldier he is, generally speaking,
the least warlike, the most corrupt, the
most ignorant, and the most dishonest
defender that ever disgraced the uni
form of nation. This may be said,
with the customary reservations, of the
average negro who enlists in the four
regiments of our national army devoted
TO his nse and benefit. He is forever pc
culating. His officers cannot trust him
with Government property. Not alone
clothes, to procure whiskey. In his
hquor he Is beast. No woman-white
or black, brown or yellow-is safe in his
neighborhood. He prefers the white, and
when properly reused and fired by drink
and stimulated by opportunity, his off,
GERS wives would hardly be held sacred
by him, although watchfulness and the
special interposition of Divine Provi-
dence have, so far, prevented him from
consummating outrage upon them. No
sensible officer would leave his wife un-
protected at post guarded solely by
black soldiers. Sent upon a scout and
lying around the ranches looking after
cattle thieves, the drunken military sold
lers hrst impulse is to ravish some unfor-
tunate woman. As a natural result he
gets shot or stabbed, or creates some ter
rible disturbance which necessitates a
court martial, Some of his officers are
afraid of the military negro. When IN
toxicated he is often mutinous and cases
have been known where commanders
were compelled to shoot black sergeants
down ike dogs by way of example. The
| negro causes more courts martial than
any other element in the army. The In.
spector-General of this department, un.
| der Gen. Augur, made report to the
| secretary of War which showed that the
Dlack regiments committed three times
as many crimes, in proportion to their
numbers, as the white. l do not make
these stateme nts on doubtful authority
Nearly all military men know how the
matter stands. Officers placed in negro
regiments feel themselves, in many cases
shghted. They have to make the best oi
1t, however. Some officers of white regi
ments frequently speak of "nigger OH
| GERS" with sneer Decent blacks do no
| often enlist, and those who do are yer,
soon corrupted by the others. 1t Is di
hcult 10 keep the regiments filed up, ,anC
no standard of good moral character ap
pears to be required. They are, general
~ speaking, pack of sneak thieves, ,anC
are OF low sensual instincts, who ar
neither ornamental nor useful on tn
southern frontier