Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1891-03-12
FORT AFRICA.
How the CoIored Troops Fought in TIA,
Usage Valley.


Usage Valley.
A march of forty or fifty miles brought
the detachment t. its destination In
stead of nest Of less than a hundred
bushwhackers, Island Mound, in the
Usage Valley. was occupied by camp
of Confederate recruits, numbering no
less than 800 men, under regular Con-
federal officers. General Coclreu, who
was home on recruiting visit, was in
the camp. Not until they had gone too
far to draw back did the officers of the
colored volunteers realize their position.
Captain Dlcll Ward. as senior captain,
was in comm nd He and Hinton con
suited, and decided that it would never
do To retreat. The eyes of the whole
country were on the ex-slaves. Mes
sengers were sent back TO Paola and
Fort Scott, to explain the situation and
to suggest reinforeements The colorod
troops took possession Of high ground
overlooking the valley, threw up light
earthworlls raised the flag, and called
the place Fort Africa The first day
there was slIirmishipg, and the ex-
slaves got their noses full of the smoke
of battle and saw some caucasian blood
flow. The next day there was some
more fighting ind the ex-slaves had the
best Of it, he third day firing of a
Fabian policy, part Of the command,
which had been sent out TO hold a bluff.
pushed forward into the valley and
brought on genuine battle The Con
federates advanced and fell ON the
LITTLE party in advance. Then the whole
force of eX-Slaves was brought forward
on run and the fighting was general
The crucial test Of black courage came
when Adjutant. Hinton got i4O of these
ex-slaves into line and prepared for
charge down into the valley upon the
Confederates. AS he ran his eye along
the line the Adiutant thought he saw
signs of wavering.
Bette be dead freemcn than live
slaves, he shouted with a mighty oath.
Come on
Yves comm was the reply in
chorus.
As lac plunged down the hill the Ad-
jutant looked back over his shoulder
and saw the blacl, line following with
out n break The black line and the
white column met 1t was hnnd-to-
hand the Missouri Shareholder and the
Missouri cX-slave As bail plowed
through the Adjutants thigh he scarcely
knew it, for his attention was absorbed
by % scene he never forgot \ great
coal-blacll negro had come face to face
with Confederate officer. The excite
ment had hrocpht nut some loug-for-
gotten strain of b4rburic battling in the
negro As he moved along his eve
balls rolling and his teeth cleaning,
this negro chantod in his deep bass
voice, slowly and 81 lemnly.
Surrender, YOU black scoundrel,
shouted the Nilsson ian.
''Nev- blythe good--Lord. " sang
the ex-slave with all the emphasis OF
registering "A solemn vow
And plunging forN ard he drove the
big saber- bayonet through the white
mans breast, twisted the blade, and
made horrible wound enough to let
out a dozen lives.
Still chanting the ex-slave looked al
his bloody bayonet and then turned te
seek another victim. As he did 50 hi
saw the Adjutant's eyes upon him. an,
he sang in his deep. drawing tones. ex
ultantly;
got him -Mr.-Adj ton /
got him"
The cx-slaves were armed with tn,
old Belgian muSllets which had beer
left in the department as a legacy o
Fremont's brilliant but not altogethei
practicable management The Belgian
muskctS had been thrown aside rs IN
fit for use by white soldiers. But the,
were good enough for eN-slaves to dr.l
with. They had been issued to thcs,
negro companies by some officer VIII,
had no idea they would ever get int,
battle. They failed as firearms after
few rounds, and then their owner
seized them by the barrels and mad,
clubs Of them in the hand to-hand fight
ing When the Union officers wen
over the battle-ground :, da'
they found the remnants of forty
these muskets which had been smashe,
in the conflict before they were thrown
away.
As the battle was waning aud tn,
Confederates were retreati&g the Adju
rant of the ex-slayes saw ono Of his mel
staggering back. The negro had beer