The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1906-11-15
Dismissed in Disgrace.
Battalion Of Negro Troops Dis
charged by the President.


army of the United States is the ac-
tion of the President. just announced,
in dismissing in disgrace from the
army an entire battalion of colored
troops because of their failure to dis
close the identity of some of their
number who had been guilty of yio-
lpnce and murder. As an evidence,
however, Of his intention to be fair to
the colOred troops, the President has
accompanied the action by an order
which amounts to the cOurt-martial
of a white army officer of high grade
| who was charged with having cast
slurs upon the colored troops.
The report of an investigation
made by Brigadier General, E. A.
Darlington, inspector general of tho
| army, relative to the riotous disturb
ance that occurred at Brownsville,
Texas, on the night of August 18th.
1906, and that resulted in the death
of one and the wounding Of another
citizen of that city has been consid-
-red and acted upon by the Presi-
dent. Following are his Instructions
with regard to the matter.
1.-The White House, Washington,
November 5, 1906.
''The Secretary of War-I have
read through General Garlington's
report, dated October %, submitted
70 me by you. ] direct that the rec
| Dmmendation of General Darlington
be complied with, and that at the
same time the concluding portion OF
his report be published with our
sanction as giving the reasons for the
,ctiCn
THEODORE ROOSEVELT"
Followingis the concluding portion
# General Garlington's report, which
'mbodies the recommendation that
by direction OF the President, will be
'nrried into effect Immediately by
| he War department.:
81 recommend that orders be is
sued us soon as practicable, dis
| charging, without honors, every man
in companies B, E. and ID. of the
rwenty-fifth infantry, serving at Fort
Brown, Texas, on the night of August
l3, 1906, and forever debarring them
from re-enlistingin the army or navy
Of the United States, as we'll as from
employment in any civil capacity
| under the government. In making
his recommendation, recognize the
TACT that a number of men, who
have no direct knowledge as to the
identity of the men Of the twenty
fifth infantry who actually fired the
shots on the night of the 18th of
August, 1906, will incur this extreme
penalty.
at has been established by careful
investigation beyond reasonable
doubt that the firing into the houses
of the citizens of Brownsville while
the inhabitants thereof were pursu-
ing their peaceful vocations or sleep
ing, and by which one citizen was
killed and the chief of police SO seri-
ously wounded that he lost an arm,
was done by enlisted men of the
twenty-fisth infantry, belonging to
the battalion stationed at Fort
Brown. After due opportunity and
notice the enlisted men of the twenty
fifth have failed to tell all that it is
reasonable to believe they know con-
cerning the shooting. Ii they had
done so; if they had been willing to
relate all the Observation-Disclosures
preliminary to the trouble-it is ex-
tremely probable that a clue sutfi-
GENTLY definite to lead to results
would have been disclosed. They ap-
pear to stand together in determi-
| nation to resist the detection of the
guilty; therefore, they should stand
together when the penalty falls. A
forceful lesson should be given the
army at large and especially to the
non-commissioned officers, that their
duty does not cease upon the drill
grounds, with the calling of the COM
pany rolls, making check inspections
and other duty OF formal character;
but that their responsibilities OF office
accompany them everywhere and at
all times; that it is their duty to be-
come thoroughly acquainted with
the individual members OF their re-
spective units, to know their charac-
teristics; to be able at all times to
guage their temper, in order to dis
cover the beginning of discomfort or
OF mutinous Intentions, and to antici-
pate any organized act OF disorder,
| that they must notify their officers
at once of any such conditions.
Moreover, the people of the United
States, wherever they live, must feel
assured that they are their protec-
tors, and not midnight assassins or
riotous disturbers of the peace OF the
community in which they may be
stationed