The National tribune., 1903-07-23
OFFICERS OF cOLORED TROOPS.
Veterans Who Had Shown Ability, and
Passed the Examination Before the Casey
Board

Board.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: For long
time l have desired to put on record my
testimony as to the character of the off,
GERS of the cOlored troops in front of Pc
tersburg, Va, 1S64-5. In view of some
statements which have of late appeared in
your valuable historical paper in reference
to them and the sad disaster of the Bat
tie of the Crater" l consider this a more
appropriate time to do so than will prob
ably occur again.
First, they were white men-and simply
stated as one fact in the case-who had
served as officers and soldiers, and had
already shown the ability and qualities
which procured for them the required rec
OmmendatioE of their superiors to appear
before the Casey Board" of examination
for further advancement or promotion. 1t
is perfectly safe to state that good num-
ber OF these men, with such an experience
behind them, in 1860 or 1861, would have
been sought after and been given import
ant positions of command. At that date
there was not in the whole country the
same number of men SO competent and
qualified for positions of command. II
simply illustrates what we had gained by
the rough-and-tumble school of war from
1861 to 1864, and how much more ex-
acting the required qualifications had be-
come. Also, the time had passed when
mere political or social influence would
PROCURE IL COluullSSlOu lOE auyO as Tile
game had become too stern and tough for
any but skilled and hardened players, and,
moreover, the supply was available. The
Casey Board" as it was called, before
which they appeared, carried out its work
on the same lines, and probably there will
never be a braver and better qualified body
of company officers ever passed for COM
missions than by this board.
My personal knowledge of these officers
and the cOlored troops to which they were
assigned, was on the occasions when had
charge of them for fatigue duty in the
construction of the fortifcations before
Petersburg, Va, 1864. One night l had
an entire brigade, and they worked like
good, faithful men the whole night long.
Their officers were right with them, sober,
practical and energetic in the task they
had to perform. l had charge of such de-
tails from all the branches of the service,
Regulars and volunteers, and although
they were without exception faithful and
Industrious, yet the colored troops take the
palm.
May be allowed few words more. in
regard to the disaster of the Crater bat
tle?" When it was decided what troops
were to make the assault they should have
been fully instructed as to all the possible
contingencies of such an attack. The col
Ored troops were worked down and were
more worn out than the rest of the army,
and yet We're to be called upon for n su-
preme effort, and for which the select
troops of an army in spirit, courage and
strength are always chosen; and. more
over, always under a general leader of
great ability and personal qualities. And
right here ends the dispute with me, as
whether the white or colored troops should
have led the assault. In either event a
general leader was not present, and brave
officers and brave men with the way clear
before them, stood waiting and huddled
together until they We're shot down OH
their own vantage ground, and the saddest
and most sickenins scenes of the whole
war soon followed. But l shall never
change my opinion but that the officers of
the colored troops did all that was possi-
bic under the circumstances in that at
tack.
Gen. Grants interest and true concep-
ton of the occasion and opportunity came
too late. Meade and Burnside indulged in
recriminations. but Burnside was in imme-
diate command, and had made no ade-
quate preparations, and at the critical
moment did not lead.
l believe the unwritten history of the
investment of Petersburg to be that it was
to be carried on so as to extend and
threaten the lines of the Richmond de-
would be retained there from the front
of Gen. Sherman as possible, and the real
anxiety of Gen. Grant was that Gen. Lee
and his forces would abandon the Rich
mond position and join other commands
farther southwark. Grant did not care
for Richmond, except that its retention
would hang the Shareholders rebellion.
Therefore, we can understand why Col.
Peasants enterprise at first and even
at the last did not receive the attention it
deserved and probably was regarded as an
Interruption, whereas. if the whole army
by Grants own orders was not to support
it, and force the evacuation of Richmond
at that moment, then he should have
stopped it, except to have simply explod-
ed the mine, as it meant all this or a dis
THOMPSON. U. S. Engi~
neer Battalion, Washington. d. c.