The Washington bee., 1886-08-07
A NATIONAL MONUMENT TO
THE COLORED SOLDIERS.

A NATIONAL MONUMENT TO |
THE COLORED SOLDIERS.
We take the following from the
advanced sheets of Col. Williams
Military History of the Negro |
Troops in the Rebellion. The fol. |
lowing is from chapter XVI.
In passing in review the supurb
military services of the Negro |
Soldier it is apparent that there
are lessons to be drawn there from.
Hamlets, and villages, towns and
| cities, counties and states have !
erected monuments and cenOtaphs |
to commemorate the valOr of their
citizens. The ineffable, mute elo-
quence OF these soldiers monuments
is invaluable to the cause of Nation
al unity, while the story of the civ
il war is forever an object lesson.
Tue songs of a Nation are the
heart-beats of patriotism; but the
surest way to teach National histO-
ry is in monumental marble and
brass. The deathless deeds of the
white soldiers valor are not only
embalmed i'll song and story but
are carved i'll marble and bronze.
But no where in all this free land
is there d monument to brave Ne
gro soldiers, 36,84 of whom gave
up their lives in the struggle for
National existence. Even the ap-
pearance of the Negro soldier in
the hundreds of histories of the
war has always been incidental.
These brave men have had no cham
pion, 10 one to chronicle their rec
ord teeming with interest and in
st ct with patriotism.
A government of proud pa
triotic, pOsperOus and free people
would make a magnificent invest
ment by erecting, at the Capital of
the Nation, a monument dedicated
7 to it's brave Black soldiers. The
e large aud beautiful Government
: Park, Immediately in front of How.
= ard University, would be All ad-
J.. mirable place for a monument to
! the 36,S47 Negro soldiers who fell
in their cOuntry'S cause. A COM
> manding monument made of south
'' ern granite surmOunted by a pri-
;, vate soldier in his great coat,
=. equipments, fixed bayonet, gun at
}. parade rest, looking south toward
: the Capital, would be most impress.
i sive. At the four corners the three
j. arms of the field service and the
h Navy would be represented. First
figure, Negro artilleryman in full
= dress uniform, with folded arms
standing by field piece. Secoud
) figure, cavalryman in full-dress
u uniform, with spurs and gloves and
. saber unlocked at his left side
Is Third figure, an infantryman in
IS full-dress uniform, accOutrements
e and musket in place rest. Fourth
a figure, a Negro sailor in uniform
: standing by an anchor or mortar
r On the First side OF the moDu
q ment,-A grateful Nation cOnse
20 crates this monument to the
36,S47 Negro soldiers who died il
the Service of their country. THE
Colored Troops fought nobly."
u On the Second side of the monu
20 ment,-They earned the right to b.
- free by deeds of desperate valOr
- and in the 449 engagements, il
u which they participated, the.
ie proved themselves worthy to b
l. intrusted with Nations flag an,
y honor.
II On the Third side of the monu
le ment, During the Civil War i
q America, from 1S6i to 1863, there
,e were 17S,975 Negro soldiers enrol
i. led in the United States Volnn
teer Army. Of this numbe
49, 99,337 were enlisted by authorit
8 OF the Government, and 1876
" were enlisted by the several State
'h and Territories. On the Fourt
~ side of the monument, ---Por
Is Hudson, Fort Wagner, Honey Hill
ds New Market Heights, Poiso
a Springs, Deep Bottom, Fort Pillo,
hs Chapin's Farm, Millikin's Ben,
to Olustee, Fair Oaks, Petersbur.
Nashville, Fort Fisher, Fort BlaI
| lpv HatchnrIS RIM