Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1898-06-04
NO OFFICERS; NO FIGHT

Governor J. Hoes TYLER has asked
for permission TO muster in the two
colored battalions in this state and the
request has been granted.
The D1sPATcH's news columns is re-
sPonsible for the following;
"Ths question as 20 whether the Ne
gro companies and battalion will be al
lowed to retain their present colored
officers was at once raised when it was
known yesterday that the Negro troops
would De mustered in. There are
Tour regiments of colored troops in the
regular army. but all the commission
ed officers are white men. It is not
known whether the President will ac-
cept colCred officers, or whether the
white officers of the regular and volun-
teer armies would be willing to receive
Them"
And sgain:
"Alabama furnished several colored
companies as a portion of her quota.
but the Governor Of that State remov-
ed the NeSro officers and placed white
men in their places. This raised a
great uproar among the men, and it
seems probable they will not volunteer.
IL Is stated by one Of the men that
they would have been perfectly willing
to accept white officers had they only
been allowed to choose them. The
Governor OF Alabama appointed them
without any election.
The following Geographic report is
an answer to the above:
Mobile, Ala, May 81 The Gilmer
Rifles, Mobiles colored company, held
meeting tonight, aud refused to vol
unteer under Captain Robert Gage, ap-
| pointed by the Governor of Alabama.
They adopted resolutions aud petition
ed the Governor TO allow them to Sc
lect their own officers, as had been
done by the white companies.
The DIsPAToH continues:
80 far as could be ascertained, it is
the sentiment among officers here that
the company and battalion command
ers OF the Negroes should be white
men. but that the rank and file OF the
companies should at least choose the
former. 1t is not known what the
| Governor will decide in the matter,
but it is believed he favors white off.
GERS, whether by election or otherwise
cannot be known"
Well, the Governor will have an OPP
portunity to let it be known what he
favors. And again:
There is no reflection on the col
ored officers. but it is believed the com
panies could be handled much more
effectively by white officers. 1t is rec
| ognized that it requires a man of NOR
al stamina, sound Judgment, and con-
siderable practical business ability to
command company. independent of
a thorough knowledge OF tactics and
much physical courage"
The above requires no reply The
fact shat the present efficient corp Of
officers measure up to that standard is
too well known for comment.
The DIsPAToH very kindly remarks: :
'Major Johnson, who commands the
First Battalion is the ranking major in
the Virginia service. and has been for
sometime, bis commission bearing date
of June 20, 1892. The last annual re-
port OF the Acknowledgement discuss
ing the First Colored Battalion, says:
The major commanding is thorough
ly competent
We cannot get the colored officers to
talk. They are as ''dumb as oysters"
aud as ''silent as CLAIMS" but they know
the spirit of the men sufficiently we'll
TO state that they have no desire to,
and will not volunteer to fight Spain
unless they are commanded by the
present corp OF officers.
Their present efficiency is due to the
untiring efforts of their majors, no
ticeably in the case of ]. b. JOHNSON,
and they viii insist that he occupy the
position which he has capably filed
for SO many years with credit to his
command and honor to the state.