Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-05-28

CoLor,Ep SOLDIERS.

| rniscopal Church Bishop Abram Grant
! delivered his annual message. In speak
ing OF the war, he said that when Presi-
| dent Lincoln called for troops In 1851 nv
| ono OF their race was allowed TO enhst
| .sbecause Of the fierce prescription which
| was exercised against them. but now
| when troops are wanted 10 fight SPAIN
oolored soldiers we're the very first called
! TO 20 10 Tampa for service-and were
| found ready and willing
LET us hope" added the Bishop, "that
this nation will be led by the contempia-
! ton of this fact 10 forget the color OF AL
| its citizens.'
The colored soldiers that Bishop Grant
referred TO as having been called upon TO
| on "a TAMPA are regulars. He should
have said that they were among the
| first. not the first, to be ordered to the
! front. All the regulars that could DO
SHARED from the interior were simuitane-
| ously ordered TO the front--that Is to shy,
| 10 Tampa, 10 San Francisco, or to oar
| coast defences.
/ SO far as the enrolment OF colored VOL
unteers is concerned, there has been hesi-
tation on the part of the governors OF
most OF the States TO make use OF them
under the first call. There is colored
company attached TO the Sixth Massa-
chusetts Regiment. and some time ago
coIored volunteer company was recruit
ing In Philadelphia.
We remember no other colored COM
mands whose services have been accept
ed under the first call. But now Cover
nor Bradley, OF Kentucky, announces that
that state will furnish a colored regi-
ment of infantry under the second call.
Like announcements have been made ny
the governors Of North Carolina ana
Missouri, and, no doubt, similar news
will come from other States. 1t IS quite
likely, too, that here in Virginia the SER
vices of some colored troops will be ac-
cepted Further, the Secretary of War
has issued an order saying that or the
ten regiments Of "immunes' authorized
by the special act of Congress, 1--WE VIII
be white and five colored regiments. Inc
coloreG regiments in the regular army
are also in need OF recruits. 80, no COL
ored man who wishes to do soldiers
duty for his country need be alarmed
about not having an opportunity aford-
ed him TO do so.
During the war for southern independ-
ence the United States Government had
in its service, first and last, $4,000 col
ored soldiers. All, or nearly all, OF these
were Differed by white men, we believe
But now all colored companies troops
or batteries that offer for service as vol
unteers will choose their own offlcers
They not only wish their company OIL
GERS. but all their battalion or regimental
officers to be of their own color.
There would be less objection to this
ARRANGEMENT if it were not possible that
these officers might sometimes have
white men under them. 1t would not be
pleasant for white men of the North. or
Of the South, either to be under the COM
mand of negro officers. And, therefore, |
the serious problem is to make use of as
many colored companies as possible.
without mourning too much risk in that
respect.
All old soldiers know from experience
that there often may be occasions when
a captain may have command OF regi-
ment, or colonel Of a brigade. Again,
when details are made for camp or picket
duty, men are drawn from many regi-
ments. So. too, are the officers needed
for this special service, and the ranking
officer would have command, no matter
whether he were white, or black.
These are real difficulties, and they de-
serve consideration.
If all the general officers of the army
were southern men, we doubt not that
the matter would be arranged so as TO
cause little friction anywhere. AS 1t Is,
we shall have to trust TO the saving COM
mon sense of both the white and black
officers and men. We know OF an oc-
casion where, on parade, the two hlsn-
est officers were Virginia infantry majors
the one white, the other colored. Ana
the colored majors commission ante
dated the white majors; but the former
was prompt 10 waive his rights, ana
thus what might have been very disa-
rreeable situation was promptly relieved. |