Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-11-17
THREE MORE RESIGN.
MORE WHITE OFFICERS QUIT THE
SIXTH VIRGINIA REGIMENT.
NEGROES MAY SUCCEED THEM.
1t is Thought the Governor VIII BE
Slow to Appoint Thcm-The Officers
Are DrendfulIy Disgusted With the
Negroes.
Negroes.

Less than a week ago there were ten
white officers in the Sixth Virginia Regi-
ment: to-day there are only four, II
an officer is not an officer after his
resignation has been sent in.
Less than a month ago Governor Tyler
made eight white officers glad by giving
them commissions I'm the Sixth Virginia;
to-day the Secretary of War could make
five Of them happy by accepting their
designations.
Information was received here yester-
day to the effect that three more Of the
officers had sent in their designations.
Two had resigned Tuesday. The three of
the last appointments by the Governor.
who still hold on, are Major Cabell and
Lieutenants Healy and Richardson. The
last two are on detached duty.
AT COL CROXTON'S SUGGESTION.
The officers who resigned did so at the
suggestion of Colonel Croxton-a sugges-
ton upon whic' they were quite ready to
act. They express themselves as disgust
ed. Conditions in the Sixth have not been
such since they went there as to make a
soldierly soldier anything else than sick.
Lieutenant-Colonel Croxton thought that
with white officers he would have a fine
command. The negro enlisted men seem
TO have determined that unless they had
colored officers there should be no COM
mand at all. on the first day of the white
officers in camp the men mutinied. They
were finally subdued by a promise that
their grievances should be laid before the
Governor.
The soldiers have not mutinied since.
They have obeyed their officers after a
fashion But they have been ugly So sui
len were they that il was found very un-
pleasant 10 command them.
THE COLOR QUESTION.
1t is also true that the colored major
Major Johnson-outranked everybody in
the regiment except Lieutenant-Colonel
Croxton. Furthermore, the white captains
were the juniors of the colored captains.
II was probably not pleasant to the young
Virginians to be meeting at every turn
and corner negroes whom they had to sa-
lutte as suDeriOrs.
Colonel Croxton is said now to be of the
opinion that a mistake was made when
white officers were appointed. They re-
quest. 1t is thought he will ask the Gov
ernor to commission negroes. He had
previously reported TO Governor Tyler,
however, that he did not think there were
any negroes in his regiment competent TO
command. The only white officers in the
regiment now are the commander, the
surgeon, one major, and two leutenants.
GOVERNOR WILL GO SLOW.
Governor Tyler went to Washington
yesterday, and did not return last night
Consequently his intentions regarding the
appointment of successors to the officers
who have resigned could not be learned.
From previous expressions Of the Gov
ernor. however, it is believed he will be
very slow in making appointments. He
commissioned negroes in the beginning
When the nine colored officers resigned
white men were appointed to succeed
them. Negroes would have been ap-
pointed by the Governor but for the fact
that Colonel Croxton declined TO recon-
mend negroes for promotion and desired
white officers The latter were appoint.
ed. Now they have resigned. Colonel
CroXton has already recommended a ne
gro to be appointed to the captaincy which
the Governor did not fill. Governor Ty-
Ter has said he would not appoint him.
IL is, therefore, presumed that he will
be slow in appointing other negroes who
may now be recommended.
II must not be overlooked that it will
probably be difficult 10 find white men
who wish commissions in the Sixth. even
should the Governor desire TO appoint
them.