The colored American., 1901-01-26

To The COIOr0U AUoIIC6bS Ii yOu
,ssue Of the 18th, there appeared let
+sr from Mr.. Sherman Harvey asking
fyr recCgnitiOn for the cOlOred VOlun
tsars In the re6rgsnIz atiOn OF the ar
rov One reason for asking for cOlOreC
officers for cOloTed troops is, that We
bsve vOuug men to day with the abil
j-v and experience (bO,h of which have
b9an demonstrated) 10 command trO Dps
N all situations Another ia, white
line Cfficers Ommanding cOlOred troops
do not do them Justice in making their
reDOlt after hard fought battle. !
know this TO be p fact from my ex
nerIence in many Indian fights and IN
Cuba [ was the Right Guide of the
leading battalion in the charge on San
Imam Hill. and my co mpany command
or did not mention 1t in his report Rf'
fer the fight, although led to point
where no white sergeant would attempt
to go. Another is, we form nearly one
tenth Of the population of this cOun
try and It is essential to do an equal
shsre of the duty that is required in
the defense of the nations honor
When the Army was TeOrganIZed in
1866 after the civil war, the claim for
cOlOred soldiers grew out OF the col
ored mans merit aa q soldier; but the
act approved July 28th. 1866, provided
that the c0lOred regiments should be
0fficered Dy white men, because there
were 80 cOlOred men able to fill those
positions at that time. But time has
changed, and Hams hOys have kent
pace with it and they are just as able
tn bo regimental rank to day a. any
mn on earth. II asking 10 have the
4S b aud 49 regiments mede part Of
the regular establishment we will not
be asking a favor, but only for that
which belongs to us-purchased by
ability and merit But everything in
G ,ngress is done by or through 90
h.IcaI il f1uence, and if our political
LADDERS do not take hold Of this ques
ton it IL amount to nothing regard
less of our ability and merit. The suc'
cess of this eff )rt Is calculated to es.
tabIish in the public mind a higher
and a ore just estimate OF the bra
very, fitness, ability, character Of the
Aff0'Americ4n IS a sOldier-fOr all that
which has been held back heretofore
In rapntlng the conduct of cGlOred
soldier in line Of battle, will C me out
when these reports are made by co
rrsd officers, as il did in the Las Pinss
fight.
rhe fact thst there Is some preiu
dice to the cOlOred man as an officer
in the army il no reason why you
should give up the attempt to obtain
commission. But on the other hand
the OppO-iliOn shows you exactly how
much force you mCs5 put in your effort
10 win. He who r. coils from OppCsi
tjoD in the Rattle OF life ls sure to be
fOu1d In the rear ranks Of progress and
success. To achieve this in the first
year Of the new century would, indeed;
be a grand beginning, and show die
[ net lntentI,n II to take the century or
time hV the fOEelOck and keep pace with
him tn ,Ough tie years. Gentlemen of
the political pePsua 'IOn, the question is
up to you and the result will show how
many gram of determination you put
IN your effort to obtain commissions
for cOlOred men in the regular army |
or have the 4Sth and 49th made part |
OF the regular establish hment. The race |
will learn the unity of effort more g I'd E
lily than in shorter time, through 8 |
training Than it can in any |
other business. I believe [ have said |
enough to give you an inkling of what |
l mean, so | will will stop here, and |
nold my ear to the ground.
Yours with race pride.
E. D. GIBSON,