The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1903-04-09
ORGANIZING rae I'M u.s. CT.
First Ragimsnt Of TIA colorsd .RrisAAs Can
manded By Col. chas. B. Thompson.

k211t RAgtment Of Tia colofo6 .k43eA6o CAM
manded By Col. chas. B. Thompson.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBCNE: was
much interested in Capt. II. X. Beecham's
Adventures of On Iron Brigade Man."
especially in his experience in obtaining
promotion. will give my experience in
securing promotion in the Western Army.
After the advance of the Army of the
Cumberland, June, 1862, which resulted in
driving Gen. Bragg out of Tennessee. col
ored people focked to our lines by the
thousand. Capt. Chas. r. Thompson, on
Gen. Rosecran's staff, proposed to organ
ize regiment, if he could secure COM
mission as its Colonel. The consent OF
the War Department was obtained. An
order was issued, calling on regimental
commanders to recommend enlisted men
worthy Of promotion, these men to go
before the Board of Examiners to deter
mine their qualifications for commissions.
l had served as Orderly Sergeant and
Acting Lieutenant nearly two years in
Co. X, 18th Ohio. Our Colonel Joshua
Given) came to me and said that he had
colored regiment about to be organized ut
Winchester, Tenn, instructing me to apply
to the Adjutant, who would give me q
pass, that l might 60 before the Examin-
ing Board. Col. Given also instructed me
to pick nine men and Corporal to go to
Ohio and bring on our quota of drafted
men to fill out the 74th Ohio, telling me
that if he succeeded in filling the ranks
of the regiment he would secure me n
Lieutenant's commission and that might
remain with the command.
l did not object to being commissioned
in the 18th Ohio, but did not feel fattered
at the prospect of receiving commission
with the cOlOred regiment. l had no
knowledge of negro character, and was
afraid that in the attempt to make soldiers
of them l would be failure, and so in
formed the Colonel, stating that it would
be humiliating to me to take command of
negroes. Col. Given replied: "There is
no humiliation in the matter. 1 would be
willing to train mad bulls if they could be
used to fight rebels"
l went before the Examining Board. A
few days later l started to Ohio with my
squad, in company with Col. Given and
Lieuts. Mcmillan and Peters, for our
quota of drafted men. On arriving at
Cleveland we found that the draft had
been suspended, but received orders to so
to the original rendezvous of the regiment
and open a recruiting office. Soon after
we had started recruiting l received an
order to report to Col. G. r. Thompson
at Estelle Spring, Tenn, to take COM
mand of Co. A, 18th u. S. c. T.. Arriving
at Estelle Springs 1 found the regiment
fully organized, with all line officers IN
charge of their respective commands. The
Colonel and Lieutenant Colonel were also
present, but the Major had not yet ar
rived. This was about Oct. Is, 1868.
The first duty performed by the regi-
ment was guarding an engineer regiment
under Col. Ennis, then engaged in rebuild,
ing the bridge across Duck River, which
had been destroyed by Wheeler during his
raid the previous Summer.
/ think it doubtful whether any other
regiment was organized, equipped and
brought into service in SO brief a time, but
this is only an example of the dispatch
which characterized the operations of the
Western Army during the entire war.
Soon after two other regiments of col
ored troops were organized, which after.
ward were formed into brigade and
placed under command of Col. Thompson,
and fought valiantly at Nashville in the
Winter of 1S64.-B. r. BARR, Maroa, Ill.