The news & observer., 1898-05-09
BUT THEY DON'T REGRET
\ DROP IN THE PATRIOTISM OF
THE NEGROES.
THEY ooNr LIKE THEwHIrE-OFnCERIDEA
Uncle Sam Objects TO Being Made Political
Cat's-Paw Of by Russell and Pritch-
ard---Anot er Dreary Day at
Camp bryan Grimes

IldilA Oh JHc iltil Nohc up ~ d Lui It''ii
zation of the meaning of the oath they
have taken That they must, for two
years. go wherever Uncle Sam tells them
to go; that there are now only two roads
out of the scrvice-discharge or death.
what a fool | was to get into this"
said young Governors Guardsman
yesterday when l found him lying on
his back, gazing meditativcly ut the
ridge pole of his tent.
And yet 1 don't regret it, he added
slowly, rising to his feet
His case is a typical one. lie left a
home Of luxury and refinement III this
city to enlist. 1t was patriotism alone
that caused him to go to the front.
There was nothing 10 gain by it from
a commercial or social standpoint, an0
much to lOse-and yet ne doesn't regret
it. He gives up Il lucrative profession
and the rehnemcnts of life for ID Il
month and Il chance to get full of lead;
and all because he's ready to fight for his
when she needs him.
And he doesn't regret it.
But there are some. not so philosophlc,
who do regret it and yesterday morning
when they crawled out Of their tents
numb and sore they heartily wished
themselves back home. But now that
they are into it they'll not do the thina
by halves.
Perhaps two dozen men, altogether,
have flown the coop after arriving here.
before taking the oath. This they have
Il right TO do, though they go away OBJ
jects of contempt in the eyes Of their
comrades. But once they are mustered
in and subscribe to the oath
they become members of the t'ni-
ted States Army ana il they
leave they are deserters. and woe be t.
the man who deserts and gets caught.
The oath taken by the men as they are
i'm is as follows:
Il do Solemnly swear that / will bear
true faith and allegiance to the United
States of America, and that / will serve
them honestly and faithfully against all
their enemies whatsoever, and will obeS
the orders of the President and of thu
officers appointed over me according t,
the rules and articles of war, so help
me God"
This oath will this week be taken by
just / ,00S more North Carolinians. for
company the Second Volunteer regiment
will mobilize here and be mustered into
the United States service
Two of the four companies of this
regiment already here have been exam
med and as fast as the other eight com
panies come the work of examination
win proceed As soon as enough men
have been passed by the doctors to fill
h.. or
can he sworn in. There must be bat
TALON of four full companies before a
ma jor can be sworn in. and a regiment
of three battalions before the colonel can
be sworn in.
The two companies that have been
examined arc Greensboro and Whining
ton Oxford and Washingtonhave not
been examined for the reason that theA
have not their full complement of men,
and since the examination both the other
companies on account of failure of meh
to pass. lack some ten men each of hay
ing the required number.
This last, though, Captains McRae
and Gray say they can easily make up,
and it is probable that by next Saturday
night North Cardinals quota of troops
with the exception of the hospital corps
and the negro battalion, will be com
plete. The formation of the hospital
corps has not yet begun and the plans
for the organization and mobilization of
the colored troops are so mixed mp with
politics that any news concerning 1t is
the merest speculation.
SO far Governor Russell, Senator
Prtchard and Jim Young (col) have
been playing a game Of political bum
combe, which Uncle Sam now threatens
to pull" Your uncle is not engaged
in that sort of business just at present.
So he will take Jim by the napc of
the neck and the seat of his trousers and
tossing him over the backyard fence, III
will put in command a West Pointer who
ut least knows a military company when
he sees it.
1t has always been the custom to Off
Ger negro companies with white officers,
and it is not probable that any exception
will he made in this instance. If the
usuagc is adhered to the commissioned
officers will be white and the non-cOm
missioned officers coored.
Under these circumstances the negroes
are not so anxious to volunteer as they
were. Indeed much of their anxiety all
along, 1t is said, has been the result
of persistent work among them by poll
ticians who hoped thereby to get com
as officers.
There was nothing of special interest
occurring at Camp Crimes yesterday.
There was no drilling or paradng In
deed the cold drizzling rain gave the
camp sorry appearance of dreariness.
The BOYS We're mostly hid away in the
tents, except those that were on guard
and others who were out of the camp
on leave All the company cooks pre-
pared somewhat special Sunday dinners
for the boys, and they were much en-.
Joyed. a number of the fellows had been
remembered by their friends, and there
were baskets and boxes of home-prc-
pared dainties in lots of the tents. The
nome bows were handsomely remember
ed by Mr.. Thos r. Jones. who sent
rhem ten gallons of the finest turtle
SOM for their Sundly dinner
!, inc following acknowledgement. from
the entire company, of Mr. Jones kind
ness @ was handed to the reporter:
: rare that soldiers in camn en-