Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1898-05-24
WHY THEY DON'T ENLIST.

All explanation Dy Attorney BaSSette.
of This City.
In letter to the Daily Press At,or-
ney A. w. E. Bassette, speaking for
his race. gives the following explana-
ton of alleged apathy upon the part of
colored men In the matter of enlisting
in the army. He says:
They would enlist If they were to
receive any engagement from those
who are in q position to encourage
them. The colored man proved to the
United States government In the civil
war that he could fight, and there We're
no superior qualities possessed by any
nation not possessed by him. He was
quick to understand. quick to execute
commands. He went from the corn
fields and cottonfields to the battlefield.
not from the military schools to the
battlefields. He did not know how to
bout face but he did yeoman service
for his country in arms Now he is
told to stand aside with all of his Will
!ngness to do, and wait. even since he
can fill some Of the offices himself. he
Is discouraged by having it said that
the white soldiers will not fight by his
side. 1t would be shabby sight to see
the armies Of these United States in
battle on Spanish soil with the white
soldiers refusing to join a battle be-
cause of the presence of the colored
soldier.
The Kecoughtan Guards organized
before war was declared, and they are
loyal citizens. They may not all be
resolute; some may be faint hearted
and have excuses like the white troop !,
but others were created for that pur-
pose and would go and do as much
fighting as any soldier the government
has. These men will not enlist under
any such men as Colonel Austin. Oh
no. If they are to be sacrificed. they
do not want him to make the Offering
We are part of this soil Uhe greater
parO: we are natural born Americans
and cannot claim any other country as
ours. We love the flag and we arc
willing to protect 1t. ...
I'VE have no money with which to
uniform ourselves. and are obliged to
move cautiously along until we can
procure our uniforms. We are having
regular meetings and drills, and tax
ing in new members at every meeting.
Some of our men We're misinformeI
through some of the Hampton COM
pany about suits. which caused them
to drop off when they found out to the
contrary. We want to be mustered in
as soon as we can procure uniforms.
We have elected the officers already
and can furnish a list of one hundred
men. If called upon we can fight a1id
will fight. We do not expect any grand
ONallOH 10 Ue ConQeTeQ TO us, even IL we
do fight; but can only say to all who
are like Doubling Tom, stand aside
and the colored man will do his duty,
even If he is refused a cot i'll a sand
bar hospital The colored /. man in
America is no savage now. He knows
how to use L gun. He simply needs Il
show in this war. II the Spaniards
would say that they would not fight
the colored soldier. he would make him
fight. Still I can see no reason why
the colored man should be disgruntted
because he is not allowed to knock the
chip off Spain's head. The colored men
fought the American Indian and saved
their white brother, and mark you the
colored man Is very apt to be called
in to save him in this warfare. and We
stand ready. No. Mr.. Editor. we have
not given up yet. We are still jog
ging along In earnest. When I say we.
speak for the company. for they have
been tested
Respectfully.
"A. w. E. BASSETTE,
Captain Kecoughtan Guards"