Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-21
HAD GALLANT RECORD
Services of Men of the 25th In
fantry.
CHARACTERS RATED HIGH
Sergt. Sanders Affidavit REGARDING
the Brownsville Trouble.
HIS REGARDED AS A TEST CASE
Impression Growing That Soldiersi
Will Renter the Service Only
Through Legislative Action.
HIS REGARDED AS A TEST CASE

Interesting information regarding the 25th
| Infantry (colored) has been compiled at the
War Department in response to a Senate
| resolution of inquiry. 1t includes the indi-
vidual military record of the 167 soldiers
recently dismissed without honor by direc-
ton of the President and brief history Of
| the 18th Infantry.
These official records show that prior TO
| the final discharge of these soldiers the
character of As OF them was rated as "ex-
| cellent," the character of 43 was rated as
| very good" and the character of 81 was
rated as good" That accounts for Us OF
the dismissed soldiers. The remaining 30
members of the battalion were In their
first enlistment, and their record is not
stated
Sergt. Sanders Affidavit.
Probably the most interesting character
In the dismissed battalion is First Sergt
Mfngo s. Sanders of Company b, who 10
one or the few who have applied for re-
enlistment on the score that their past
military service has been honest and faith
full. In his affidavit regarding the midnight
raid at Brownsville August l3 last Sergt
Sanders tells the main events of his life
and his entire knowledge OF what occurred
at Brownsville in the following quaint but
honest way:
ne uepoSts ana says tnat he Is nffy
years old; that he has served for a period OF
twenty-five years six months and seven
days. being a commissioned officer for
a period of thirteen years and sergeant
for a period of six years; that he has
served in Cuba and the Philippines two
months. in Cuba and was continually on
the firing line. That upon the 18th day OF
June. about nine or ten miles from Siboney
in Cuba. Theodore Roosevelt came to him,
and at his special request his company
shared their supply of bareback with his
command. That in the Philippine cam
paign he charged up Comanche mountain
as first sergeant, North Luzon on January
s. 1900.
THAT on January 81 1901. he captured
first sergeant, corporal ! Mauser, W Rem
ington, near Cabangan: that on March IA
he captured fourteen rifles, i saber near
Wilkens camp.
"Afiant doeth further say that he was
garrisened at Fort Brown, Texas, on the
18th day of August. 1905. and a member
OF Company B, 25th United States In
fantry: That on August -. 1896, near
O'Clock, Lieut.. George c. Lawson and
company commander, said to him, Ser
geant, are there any men in town on
pass" to which he replied No. sir; no
men on pass Lieut.. Lawson said. Send
me two responsible men, Affiant obeyed
said order. and sent Sergeant Walter Nc
Curcy and Corporal Washington. Said
Officer Lawson told the men to go all over
BIS men to tell them to report at quarters
at once.
Said officer asked affiant to publish on
retreat that no man of the company would
be allowed in town after o'clock.
Called Roll in Ten Minutes.
"Affiant further says that on the evening
of the 18th of August, 1906, he retired to
his quarters, about 500 yards east of Com
pany BIS quarters; that he was aroused
about 1890 by his wife, and that he heard
firing. which, from his long army expert
ha L,anr hot y,,fva
being fired. He at once rushed to his com
pany's quarters, gave the order to fall In.
and proceeded to cad the roll. The time
when he first aroused and the calling
of the roll consumed about ten minutes.
That roll call only four men were alb
sent out of ffty-seven, and that the men
absent were Elmer Brown, detailed at Maj.
Penrose's stables as help; John Brown.
sistant baker at post bake house; William
Smith, who was upstairs in quarters,
asleep; Alfred n. Williams, on duty quar-
termaster corral; that as he called the roll
the firing was still going on down town.
After roll call he reported the result to
Company Commander Lawson. and company
was ordered around rear of quarters. where
orders were Issued to take position of de-
Tense to support c on walls. Company re-
manned in that position about one hour;
orders were then issued to form company
and call roll again, which he did, and men
answered to roll call except two men, Elmer
B. Brown and John Brown. Affiant then
received orders from Major Penrose to send
an officer after them. He sent Corporal
Harris, who returned with the two men,
which made the roll complete ard all men
accounted for. Company was dismissed and
ordered to remain on until further orders.
Company then to put away rifles and go to
bed. Next morning at Z o'clock, at drill,
rifles were inspected and company then re-
lieved Company c, 18th Infantry.
Every Gun Locked Up.
"Affiant further says, according to his
best knowledge and belief, that every gun
was intact and locked the previous evening.
Affiant further says that the men of Com
pany B who were called before Inspector
General Darlington were only seven men
out of the fifty-seven in the company. and
their names as follows, to wit: First
Sergt. NJ. s. Sanders, First Sergt. Luther
=. Thornton, Quartermaster Sergt. Walker
McCurdy, Corporal Wade E. |addngton,
Private John Cook Private Chas. W. john
son and Private Julius wilkins.
'.Affiant further says that majority of
company are now on their second and
third enlistment, and has about fifteen
men on long enlistment and service in the
United States army, and that this affiant
has only one year and five months before
retiring"
Regarded as a Test Case.
The case of Sergt. Sanders has been be-
fore the War Department for several
weeks and is regarded as a test case.
He applied for re-enlistment on the Presi-
dents promise that any soldier who could
prove his innocence of participation or
knowledge in the Brownsville affrav
would be restored to the army. He has
submitted all the evidence on that point
that he could obtain from his officers
and comrades, but the recruiting officers
have called for more affidavits" to es-
tablish his innocence. The impression Is
growing that neither Sergt Sanders nor
any of his fellow soldiers Will get back
into the service except through legisla-
tive enactment
Record of the Regiment.
The official record of the regiment is given
by the War Department. follows:
1.-The 25th Regiment of Infantry was
ganized April 20. 1869, by the consolidation
Io.,rr n