The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-02-05
is EXPERIMENT ENDED (?
PORTIONS OF RUSSELL'S BLACK
BRIGADE HAVE RETURNED
TO RALEIGH.
PROF. MESERvE SEES TROOPS IN CAMP
The Editors and Reporters do not Find the
Black Brigade as Good and Pious as
they Were on Occasion of
Or.sMeserve's Visit,

Although Col. James Ii. Young, The
boss of Russell's Black Brigade, has
not returned to the city, there were seen
on the street yesterday quite sprink-
ling of the priyates who have returned
home from camp. They were gladly
received by their relatives, who well
coined them with many demonstrations
of JOY. The first Raleigh company will
reach Raleigh next Thursday.
How have they demeaned themselves:
There are two answers. Iha following
letter, written by Dr. Chas. Il. Meserve,
President of Shaw University, tells how
he saw them in camp:
To the Editor: 1 spent part of two
days the latter part of December at
Camp Haskell, near Macon, Ga, in
specting the Third North Carolina color
ed regiment and its camp and surround
ings. The fact that this regiment has
colored officers, and the knowledge that
the colonel and quite a number of the
other officers, as well as many of the
rank and file. were graduates or former
students of Shaw University. led me to
make visit to this regiment. unherald-
ed and unannounccd. / was lust cross
ing the lines into the camp when / was
stopped by guard, who wanted to know
who l was and what i wanted / told
him | was a very small piece of Shaw
University, and that | wanted to see
Col. Young. After that sentence was
uttered, and he had directed me to the
headquarters of the colonel. the regiment
and the camp might have been called
mine, for the freedom OF everything was
granted me.
The camp is admirably located on a
sandy hillside, near pine woods, and is
dry and well-drained. 1t is well laid
out, with broad avenue in the center
intersected by number of side streets
On one side of the avenue are the tents
and quarters of the men and the canteen,
and on the opposite side the officers
quarters, the hospital, the quartermas-
ter's stores, the Y. M. G. A. tent, etc.
Although the weather was unfayorable,
the camp was in the best condition, and
from the standpoint of sanitation was
well-nigh perfect. / went everywhere
and saw everything even to the sinks
and corral. Part of the time | was
alone, and part of the time an officer at
tended me. There was an abundant sup
ply of water, from the Macon water
works, distributed in pipes throughout
the camp. The clothing was of good
quality and well cared for. The food
was excellent, abundant in quality and
we'll prepared. The beef was fresh and
sweet, for it had not been "embalmed. -
The men were not obliged to get their
fresh meat by picking maggots out of
dried apples and dried peaches as has
been the case sometimes in the past on
our "Wild West Frontier There were
potatoes, Irish and sweet, navy BEANS
onions. meat, stacks of light bread,
canned salmon, canned tomatoes, etc
These were not all served at one meal,
but all these articles and others go to
make up the army ration list
The spirit and discipline OF officers and
men was admirable. and reflected great
credit upon the Old North State. There
was an enthusiastic spirit and buoyaney
that made their discipline and eyolutions
well nigh perfect. The secret of it all
was confidence in their leader. They be-
fieve in their colonel, and the colonel in
turn believes in his men. Col. James III.
Young possesses in a marked degree a
quality of leadership as important as it
is rare. He probably knows by name
at least three-quarters of his regiment,
and is on pleasant terms with his staff
and the men in the ranks, and yet main
tains proper dignity, such as BELTS his
official rank.
On the last afternoon of my visit of
inspection Col. Young ordered the regi-
mcnt drawn up in front Of his head
quarters. and invited ME to address
Them. The Colonel and his staff were
mounted, and the regiment was at parade
rest, and / was given a position of
honor on a dry goods box near the head
of the beautiful horse upon which the
Colonel was mounted Besides Colonel
James H. Young, of Raleigh, were near
me Lieutenant Colonel Taylor, of Char
lotte; Major Walker. of Wilmington;
Major Hayward, of Raleigh; Chief Sur
geon Dellinger of Greensboro; Assistant
Surgeons Pope. of Charlotte, and AL
ston, of Asheyille; Capt. Durham, of
Winston; Capt. Hamlin, Of Raleigh:
Capt. Hargrayes, of Maxton; Capt. Me
bane, of Elizabeth City; Capt. Carpenter,
of Rutherfordton; Capt. Alexander, of
Statesville; Capt Smith, of Durham;
Capt Mason, of Kinston, who served
under Col. Shaw at Fort Wagner; Capt.
Leatherwood, of Asheyille Capt. Stitt.
of Charlotte; Capt. York, of Newbern;
and Quarter Master Lane, of Raleigh.
That highly respected citizen of Fayettc-
vile, Adjutant Smith, was in the hos
pital suffering from broken leg. / told
them they were on trial, and the sue
cess or failure of the experiment must
be determined by themselves alone; that
godliness, moral character, prompt and
implicit obedience. as well as bravery
and unfiinching courage, were necessary
attributes of the true soldier.
The Y. NJ. G.. A. tent is great bless
ing to the regiment, and is very popular,
and aids in every possible way the worl;
Of Chaplin Durham.
The way Col. Young manages the can
teen cannot be too highly recommended.
Ordinarily the term canteen is another