Evening journal., 1898-07-25
NEGROES IN THE SERVICE.
WIN Soon Have Becn Mustered
Into the Army.


When the mastering in Of new organ
izations under the second call Is com |
pleted the volunteer army viii Include |
between 5000 and 10000 negro soldiers,
and more negro officers than ever be-
fore were In the service of the United
States.
Under the first volunteer cnll few col
ored troops wero offered by the states,
the restriction ot the call to tho nation
al guard having a tendency to Slut out
the colored men. When the second call
was issued the president let it be known
that he would like to have an oppor-
tunity given TO negro volunteers to en-
list when new organizations were to be
taken in.
In response TO this suggestion seven
companies of colored troops are 10 he
mustered in in North Carolina, which,
added to the three colored companies al
ready In service from that state. will
make a ten-company regiment of some
thing more than 1000 men. In Ala
bama battalion f negro troops was
taken In under the first call. Two bat
talions will be accepted under tho sec
oud so as 10 make a fun coloroa regi-
ment from tho state. Two battalions OF
negro troops win be accepted from Vlr-
gnia under tho second call.
There is now at Camp Aigcr a colorcd
battalion from Ohio, and ono OF the
Massachusetts regiments includes some
negro privates. In addition TO these
volunteers raised under tho regular
levies, four OF the so-called immune reg.
lments-tho Seventh, Eighth, Ninth and
Tenth-wlll be composed OF negroes.
In furnishing officers for these col
eyed commands tho war department
has had serious problem to deal with
II IL the presidents desire 70 give the
negroes representation as officers. IN
the last war, when thero were 01,780
negro tro0ps-three-yeaT men-in tho
federal army the officers were white
men. When tho proposition was made
TO place negro officers over some Of the
colored commands now being raised The
questionhow tho officers mess would be
arranged when thero were white and
colorcd officers in tho samo regiment
rnme up. That question remains to he
settled.
The experiment Of a negro regiment
wholly ohlcered by negroes IS TO DC tried
IN the case otithe North Carolina regi-
ment. whose colonel will be c1lortd
man IN the Mabama regiment the on
GERS wilrbe white men. In theimmuns
negro regiments therO viii be = mix
tdro. tho colonols and Other folh officers
and tho captains bolng whito and thc
lleuienants ana other lesser officers col.
ored.
Il "a in this combination Of Yhita and
colored officers that the color line X ek
peoted to cause trouble. A rggulds
army lieutenant who Is engaged ifmus
terlngin negro companies for one Of th'
immune regiments soid the men proln
sod 20 make good soldiers.
''They are all right physically" hi
said. "Os course most Of them GRO u
htsrate, and know nothing about mill
tary tsotics, but with good otIicors an
careful training they ought to fgh
= WELL Gus
Army experts regard tho ofIicerin,
o. negro regiments with negroes as a.
experiment which may or may not turi
out well. Tho negro n9cds 10 DO lo'
well, they say, 10 niake o good Fighter
and there Ia soma dou6t whether col
orcd troops wifi foilew one of their oVrV
race ss we'll as they would a white Off
cer.-Chicago Post.