The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-07-06
NO COLORED MILITIA.
The Lust of the Connecticut toioreo
Militia Companies Disbanded.

dispatch from Hartford yesterday
afternoon saws: In special orders issued
from the office of the adjutant general
to-day the following is announced: In
view of the fact that the best interests
of the service demand compact ana
efficient brigade, and the First Separate
company, Captain Daniel $. Lathrop
commanding, being the only unattached
organization in the Connecticut Nation
al Guard the commander in-chief di-
reefs that said company be diebanded.
In accordance Herewith the First Sep
arate company, c. N. G., is hereby dis
banded, and officers and enlisted men
will be granted honorable discharges
from the military service of the state.
Part 1.-The quartermaster general
will at once take possession of the state
property of the First Separate company,
make necessary arrangements for the
proper care of the same and forward all
records, books, and papers to this office.
Louis N. Van Keuren,
Adjutant General.
Official: William f. Landers,
Assistant Adjutant General
Lewis p. Wood, Second Lieutenant.
The first intimation of the order of
disbandonment known outside the gov
crnor's military cabinet, came from the
above quoted order and to say it has
created great surprise is to state the
situation mildly. Much indignation nat
urally prevails among the colored ciu-
zens, who have been proud of the TACT
that they have been represented in the
National Guard 1t is said in justitica-
tion of the order of disbandonment that
it was unwise to have any separate or
detached organizations of the National
Guard: also that the company's drill
| record is not good. These explanations
have little of the element that VIII con-
vince them. The colored men have been
represented in military organizations OF
| this state over score of years.
Ex-Adiutant General A H. Embler,
| on being inquired of last evening re-
| garding this matter, said that he was
unacuuainted with the exact circum-
| stancet, of the case which led to this
order and therefore was unprepared to
| pass upon the merits of the case. Ol
| his own experience when adjutant gen
eral he was cognzant of the breaking
IN of the fifth battalion out of which
| the separate companies were formed
| with a field major. The attendance
kept dropping off in these separate
companies and there was lack OF atten-
ton to drills, and finally the battalion
was broken up. After that there re-
NAMED only the two separate compan-
les, one in Hartford and the other one
in New Haven. Finally after his adj
ministration as adjutant general the
Hartford company broke up. LAS l
have said" General Embler continued,
81 do not know of the reasons which
led to the disbandment of the New Ha-
ven company, but | assume that they
had sufficient reasons. This action OF
| course leaves the colored people with
| out any representation in the militia OF
fine state, The action viewed politically
! NAV be poor politics, but at the same
time may be good military judgment
CAPTAIN Lathrop of the New Haven sep
arate company is d very competent man
but has not been able to give as much
attention to the company lately owing
to his business being in Ansonia. He
is, however undoubtedly one OF the bes
CAPTAINS in the state of Connecticut
and has not a superior in the militia"
General Henry S. Peck enquired of OF
thr subject and deprecated strongly thu
| obliteration of the coored people of tn,
state from representation in its militia
forces. He said this action would caus'
intense feeling among the colored PEG
ple who already have various burdens
to bear and it was fair to presume tina
if would be looked upon as a slight t.
the colored race General Peck recall
ed the records of efficient and gallan
work done by the Twenty ninth ant
Thirtieth Connecticut colored regiment