The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-11-15
FORTY-E|GHTH'S
LINE OFFICERS
ARE COLORED
Arrival of the Fort
Thomas Regiment.
CROWD OF HAPPY FIGHTERS
THEY BOAST OF A BAND THAT
HAS NOT BEEN BEATEN.
CROWD OF HAPPY FIGHTERS

The Forty-eighth Infantry marched out
TO the Preside yesterday and took the
place of the Forty sixth, that earlier in
the day had left the camp and started for
the transport dock. The two regiments
passed each other on the way and before
night the Forty-sixth was well on its
way to Manila. and the Forty eighth was
enjoying itself at the Preside.
The Forty-eighth is one of the two
colored regiments mustered in under the
second call 1t was rendezvoused at Fort
Thomas. Kentucky, and was recruited all
through the Southern and Eastern
States. Colonel Duval, who was lieu
tenant colonel Of the Twenty is in
command.
The regiment is something Of a novelty
aside from the fact that It is made up of
negroes. 1t is the first regiment coming
here with colored officers, and 1t created
a great sensation on that account. All
the line officers, the captains, first lieu
tenants and second lieutenants of the
companies are colored. The field and
staff officers are white. The colored Of
fcers We're drawn from the regular army.
the best Of the Sergeants of the colored
cavalry regiments and few from the in
fantry being chosen. Their colonel speaks
we'll of them and says they will make
capable officers. The regiment has not
been more than seven weeks N existence
ana OF necessity QfllI mas Deen SuD-
ordinated to target practice, so there are
many of the recruits who are a bit green,
but before they leave for the Islands the
colored Forty-eighth will be up with the
best.
In one thing it is far ahead OF anything
in the volunteer line that has so far
struck the Preside; it has a band that
plays music. 1t is not a vehicle for
brazen boisterousness, but one that plays
as If it were pleasure, not duty. Be-
fore the regiment started from he ferry,
and while the band and headquarters
were waiting for the column to form, the
band played for the people coming TO and
going from the ferry. and there was not
one out recognized that the colored band
was worth stopping TO listen to. The man
were picked up here and there just as the
regiment was, and in the few weeks they
have been together they have made re-
markable progress They have for leader
the former bandmaster of the Twenty
fifth Regiment, another cClored COM
maud, and they have taken hold of their
work with true negro ear for music.
Already the question is going the rounds
among the men at the post as to whether
or not the negro officers should be saluted
by the white privates, but 1t is only those
waste moment discussing it, The white
soldiers will have to accord the colored
officers the Courtesies due to their rank.
In military law the man is not recognized;
it is the rank and the commission. The
colored officers have been commissioned
by the President and no matter what the
must recognize the uniform and the
shoulder strap. The white officers are
compelled to do it when they meet a col
ored man superior to them in rank, and
they lose nothing of their dignity in doing
so, and the same rule must apply to the
white soldiers.
The regiment is as happy go lucky a
set of men as might well be found. There
were no prospects of supper last evening,
but there was no growing and no moping.
The men stood around and played games
and jumped and laughed and sang, ana
then when the call for guard mount came
they all trooped up the hill to watch the
next week or so viii be drilling on the
hills. with two or three companies con-
stantly at the range.
The Nevada cavalry will be mustered
out to-day. The men have four months
and half in pay coming to them, two
given by the Government Rev. f. Vernon
Jones, a prominent clergyman of Reno,
arrived a the camp yesterday as a rep
resentative of the citizens of Nevada to
make arrangements for the transportation
of the troops home and to escort them
there. The men will have a special car
attached to the overland, which will leave
here Friday evening.
Miss Agnes Shaw, Miss Sarah Shaw,
Miss Ida D. Starr, Miss Ada c. Towne
Miss Mary F. Darling and Miss Amy
Holmes. trained nurses of the Red Cross
Auxiliary, have been given transportation
by the quartermaster's department 10
New York Miss Ann Stirk has been given
transportation to Philadelphia.
Acting Assistant Surgeon c. H. Stearns,
recently returned from Manila on the
transport Indiana. has been detached
from that vessel and has been ordered to
duty again at the general hospital.