The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-12-19
Glad to Give Facts.


in the following abstract:
In response to senate resolutions of
Dec. 3 addressed to- me, and to the two
senate resolutions addressed to him,
the secretary Of war has, by my direc-
ton, submitted to me report which
I herewith send to the senate, together
with several documents, including a
.randa as to precedents for the sum
mary discharge or mastering out OF
regiments or companies, some or all of
the members of which had been guilty
of misconduct "a
I ordered the discharge of nearly
all the members Of Companies B, &
and D of the Twenty fifth infantry by
name, in the exercise of my constitu.
fiOnal power and in pursuance of what.
after full consideration, l found to be
my constitutional duty as commander
tn-chief of the United States army. T
am glad to avail myself of the oppor-
tunity afforded by these resolutions
to lay before the congress the follow
ing facts as to the muraerous conduct
1n question and as to the conspiracy
by which many of the other members
of these companies saved the criminals
from Justice, to the disgrace, Of the
United States uniform. ~ -4z 49,
No Difference as to Color. 1. Il,
An effort has been made to discredit
the fairness of the investigation into
the conduct of these colored troops by
pointing out that General Darlington
Is southerner. Precisely the same ac-
ton would have been taken had the
troops been white-indeed the dis
charge would probably have been made
in more summary fashion. #-
AS it happens, the disclosure Of the
guilt of the troops was made in the re-
port Of the officer who comes from
Ohio major Blocksom) and the efforts
of the officer who comes from South
Carolina were confined to the endeavor
to shield the innocent meh of the COM
panies in question, if any such there
were, by securing information. which
would enable us adequately to punish
the guilty. ... So.
But 1 wish it distinctly understood
that the fact of the birthplace of either
= officer is one which / absolutely refuse
sional honor and Of loyalty to the flag
and the service is the same for all Of
GERS and all enlisted men Of the United
States army, and I renst with the
leenest Indignation any effort to draw
\ any line among them based upon birth
place, creed, OF any other consideration
of the kind. -.
Soldiers the Aggressors. T.
- Major Blocksom 8 report is most
careful, is based upon the testimony OF
scores of eyewitnesses-testim
which conhicted only in non-essentials
and which established the ESSENTIAL facts
beyond chance Of successful contradic
ton. Not only has no successful effort
been made to traverse his findings in
any essential particular, but, as mat
ter of fact, every trustworthy report
from outsiders amply corroborates them
by far the best of these outside reports
being that of General A. B. Nettleton
made in letter to the secretary OF
war, which [ herewith append; Genera
Nettleton being an ex-union soldier, {
consistent friend of the colored MAJ
q thruout his life, lifelong republican
citizen of Illinois, and assistant secre
tary Of the treasury under Presiden
Harrison
The townspeople were completely sur
Gus savagery Of the attack. The sol
diers were the aggressors from star
to finish. They met with no substan
tlal resistance, and one and all who tool
part in that raid stand as deliberat
murderers, who did murder one man
who tried to murder others, and VIII
tried to murder women and children
and so far as / am aawre, unparallele
for lnfamv in the annals Of the Unite
States army.
The white officers of the conpanie
were completely taken by surprise, an
| at first evidently believed that the fiji
ing meant that the townspeople wer
attacking the soldiers. I have directe
careful investigation into the cor
duct CT the officers. to see if any 0
them were blameWorthY, and I have al
proved the recommendation of the wa
department that two be brought befor
g. courtmartiai &
As to the non-commissioned officer
and enlisted men, there can be n
doubt whatever that MANY were niece.
sarily privy, after if not before the Al
tack, to the conduct of those who too
actual part in this mllrderous riot.
refer to Major Blocksom's report fe
proof of the fact that certainly som
and probably I'll Of tho non-com,ni
stoned officers in charge of quarter
who were responsible forthe gunracE
and had keys thereto IN their person;
possession knew what men were Ell
gaded in the attack.
Major P enrose, in command of th
s 81 (,nntin,ied on Cd Pace Sill Column Z