The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1893-08-10
COLORED TROOPS.
Capt. Moss Makes Statement Concerning
the Muster of Certain Organizations.

4
| the Muster of Certain Organizations.
TN the issue of July 90 Capt. Edward
/ Webster, Co. B, I'd Tenn. H. A: (4th
- q. S. C. II. Al, gives in detail the
rations drawn by the regiment during
the month of June, 1868, and as l was in
command of the detachment forming the list
battalion, Cos. A, B, c, and D, the most of the
| time during the month, will make state
ment in full in regard to the muster-in OF
those companies.
In May, 1863, Brig.-Gen. Asboth was in
command of the District of Columbus Sixth
| Division, Sixteenth Corps, Headquarters at
| Columbus, KY. Capt. Z. III. Harris was
Assistant Adjutant- General on his staff and
/, a private of Co. X, 111th ILL.,, Serg't VIM.
| LambOrn and Corpl Joseph II. Wickliffe, of
Go. +, 117th ILL.,, were clerks at District
Headquarters. | had immediate charge of
the telegraph dispatches; Wickliffe of re-
| ports. and Lamborn of orders.
Adjt-Gen. Thomas, after going south re-
turned on the Rocket, and / was detailed to
attend him and write up the organization of
colOred troops, which was committed 10 the
| immediate supervision of Gen. AsbOth, in
the district which included the posts and
territory within Fort Pillow, Hickman
Island No. 10, Cairo, Columbus; Union City,
Tenn; Clinton and Paducah, KY, and Forts
Henry, Holman, and DonelsOn.
On the 1st of June, or thereabout, Serg'ts
w. II. H. Adams of Co. A, 111th H., and
Thomas 4. Baker, Of the Sd Mimi, arrived at
Columbus from Fort lehman with about 100
recruits for the new organization. 1t was
on the 9Th of June, 1863, that Gen. Asboth's
order was issued designating the officers of
the 1st battalion, Cos. A, b, C., and ID, and |
took command of the recruits. Lieut.-COl.
Adams, of the Isl III. L. A., was designated
by Gen. Grant as the Colonel, and Capt w.
Il. Roberts, of the 2Sth ILL.,, as Lieutenant
Colonel, and Baron Peter p. d Jbozy, who
had just arrived from Italy, where he had
served as Lieutenant in the Hungarian Lee
gion under Garibaldi, was designated as
Major Of the 1St battalion.
The General commanding and Col. Adams
were anxious to have field officer mustered
in. The muster-in rolls were prepared so
that four companies could be mustered, in
order to have Major also mustered in, and
we had on the 18th of June enough recruits
after examination to muster in Co.'S A, B,
and c, on a minimum of 81 enlisted men to
the company, which was the limit of infantry.
As cOlored heavy artillery was an entirely
new thing III the army, Lieut.. F. J. James,
Sd u. S. Cav, refused TO muster any OF the
officers until he had instructions from Wash
ingtOn, he holding, as the case subsequently
proved, that the minimum was the same as
that OF light artillery, or 105 enlisted men TO
the company. When he finally received
orders some time had lapsed, and on the Goth
of July Co. ID, with Edward Ruttkay Ia
nephew of Louis KOssuth) as Captain, was
mustered in with its officers, being the frat
company filed to the minimum of artillery.
Considerable feeling was manifested, as this
made Capt. Ruttkay and his company officers
the ranking officers of the line
On the 9th day Of August, 1868, recruits
enough were received TO complete the or
ganizatiOn of the LIST battalion, and the Off
GERS of Cos. A, B, and G were then mustered
in, the mastering officer refusing to mus er
the officers back to the date of the muster-in
OF the first enlisted men, although they were
on duty and responsible for Government
property from the 14th of June.
By the Adjutant- General of the Army, and
in obedience to an act of Congress and the
assistance of Hon. r. w. Townshend, of Hi
nois (who was always the soldiers friend,
was about the year 1874 remustered to date
from June a. 1863 the date of the muster
in of the first "a enlisted men of my COM
pany. Reference to the muster-in rolls of
inc IcSlmenG III the auJ uIdnI-UonelaIS
Office win, am sure, show that i am cor
rect All of which saw, and part of which
l wasn
In Capt Webster's article in THE Ma
TRIBUNE of this date he says that
Capt. lockwood, c. S., paid Capt. E. Mat
son should be Madison-$24.04 on &C
count of company savings.
Capt. Dan Matson was not in the regiment
at that date and commanded another conn
pany in the I'd battalion. Thanks TO Capts.
MatsOn and Webster, as well as many others,
who have kindly written me in regard TO the
4th u. S. Art.-R. A. Moss, Captain, Co. A, |
4th .. S. G. A, Fredonia, Kan.