The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-04-05

men" And ari1 cheers scores arose enA
stood forth to Be nea-
Accepting tire theory Of rrsoch milS-
tary writer's tina. good commanders ana
0scipiine 30 fAr toward making efscient
soidiers. Gov. Andrew was ever solicfsous
TO secure the best officers for the coiorsd
regiments. He commissioned Robert @.
snav. gallant. experienced soldier. man
OF nigh social position. elassmafs Of De
SPEAKERS. by whose side he had sat FOR
tnree years ~ Harvard college. ana sent
MIN forth In command Of the Fifty-feurth
2asaachusefts. Whittier Witnessed Shaw
marshaling his troops through Boston to
embark for the South. and wrote the cal
o0efs mother that her son seemed IKE
An angsi Of light. ane nauxht but his dread
OF making war glorious restrained his pen
nom describing the scene and hts own
emotions. II vas the 18th Of the foilowsag
July that. leading his regiment in the Cd
vance Of the whole brigade IN an unsuc-
cessful night assault on Fort Wagner, that
Shaw fell At the head Of lis column Bur-
led ~ his body was. according to the re-
port OF . rebel oficer. buried with his
not only Inscribed on the tablet Of the Har.
ward Memorial hall IT Cambridge. but en-
shrined in the heart OF Massachusetts ana
Of the coIofed race.
In Louisiana in 1872 Gov. Moore ana 0aa.
Phelps had made earnest efforts 10 or
cepted as part OF the Federal army, but Il
was not until 1850 that Gen. Banks formed
the Corps Antique" which rendered enic-
lent service In his unfortunate Red River
expedition and At the siegs Of Port Hud-
son.
shaled past the reviewing stand u
President lincoln his famous Ninth Army
corps through Washington City on its way
to the front in support OF Grant, and mis-
fourth division was composed Of s.0e
cheering colored troops They partics-
pated in many Of the engagements OF tina.
summer. acauisting themselves Ike men.
The Tventy-ffth Army corps. under COM
mand OF Gen Weitxel. who had previously
refused to command colored troops In
louisiana participated In the siege Of
Petersburg and was among the FIRST 20
enter that city, and finally to enter Rich
mond in the hour Of ultimate triumph In
April, 1865
The repugnance At the use OF cciored
troops early in the war was 20 wide ex-
tended that great difficulty was met in GET
ting om7etent Officers TO consent 10 drill
or lead them. But as time removed the
repugnance the difficulty also vanished.
and experienced non-commissoned officers
were commissioned. and even West Point
ers becams willing, eager. for promotion to
this service. Commissions were not issued
10 coiored men, and hence that race has
never had the pride and glory of shoulder
straps and military titles. Wendell Phil
lips oratory has immortaiized the black
Haytiar general Toussant Loverture as
unsurpassed In craftsmanship and gener-
alship, esen when compared with Crom-
well or Napoleon. but the participation and
assistance OF negroes In our civil war was
only In the ranks. They engaged in all
branches of the service. infantry, cavalry
and artillery. and fourteen as enlisted men
received medals OF honor from the United
States for heroic conduct on the field OF
battle. They often confronted the black
flag and cry OF mo quarter" from the Con-
federates. notably at Fort Pillow, but such
extremes on the part OF the enemy instead
Of Intimidation only neryed them to greater
courage and valor In contest. Among the
battles In which colored troops took part
those especially known In history with
which they were identified were: MILL
ken's Bend, Port Hudson. Fort Wagner.
Olustes. Bovkin's Mil. Nashville and the
siege and assault OF Petersburg. To a
proposition that the return of slaves would
conciiiate their masters. Lincoln emphati-
cally declared that II ne should return the
men who fought 50 bravely for the Union
at Milliken's Bend and O!ustee he would
deserve to be damned both for time and
eternity.