The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-01-06
HONORED IN HISTORY
Negro Troops Won Esteem
of Greatest Commanders.
THEIR DEEDS ARE RECALLED
Archives of the Nation and the Writ
fngs Of Famous Men Record the
Brnve Conduct of COlOrcd Soldiers.
They Are Praised by Washington,
jackson, Green, and others.

islltfA Atlt ht1itll.tttH AaNAH-N.
Your issue Of Monday, December q,
1906 containing an article, entitled Bar
Out All Blacks. and. in substance. con-
tanning remarks purported to come from
Senator John T. Morgan. of Alabama, has
been read with interest by us.
We know that If Spain in the late war
had possessed the black troops Of the
United States the termination of that war
would have been. at least. prolonged.
II was the part Of these inferior
troops. referred TO by the Senator. TO
charge the works on the left of Peters
burg. Maj. Gen. Warren. commanding the
Fifth Corps. had charged said works re-
peatedly, being repulsed and driven back
at each charge. When he was ordered by
Gen. Grant to continue to charge with his
men until he captured the breastworlIs,
Maj. Gen. Warren refused point-blank to
charge. on the ground that his men were
exhausted and that he could not rally
them. Gen. Warren was ordered to slr-
render his sword which he did there and
then Mai. Cen Birney with his "infe-
rior' corps, was ordered to charge his ne
grOes on said fort. and in less than fifteen
minutes we had swept the whole OF the
work before Us.
Be it said for Col William Jennings
Bryan. that in all of his many trying or
deals, in campaign fights. he has always
been able 20 find sufficient language to
defend his cause without making the
negro the bone Of contention in any of his
addresses. Let Senator Morgan and his
coadjutors pass a resolution barring the
negroes forever from bearing arms in this
country's defense The moment that is
done, the cable which holds the great
ship of state TO her moorings win be
broken, for but two classes Of people in
this country can be relied on in time Of
an invading fee. and these are the negroes
and the Irish.
Morgnn's Idea Different.
Mr. Morgan's idea Of negro soldiers is
quite different from that Of Cen Wash
ever. there were men of the revolutionary
period who offered resolutions TO put the
negro soldiers out Of the army Gen.
Washington. standing for fair play adj
vised them 70 table the resolutions and
continue the service OF these cOIored men.
giving them the same compensation and
bounues that white men received. and this
was done
! offer the following abstracts OF letters
Of Gen. Washington. Gen Andrew Jack
son, Green, and others
Bancroft in speaking of the battle Of
Bunker Hill vol vii, page 421, History Of
the United States, says:
Nor should history forget to record that as in
the army az Cambridge. also IN tins gallant
band she free negroes u the colony had their rep
rCscntatiTcs. Fer the right Of the free negroes to
bear arms in the prsbc defense was al that day as
little disputed in New England As ;heiT other
rights They took their places, not Ia separate
cirus but In the ranks with the white men. and
their names may b. read the pension rolls q the
country side By side with those OF other soldiers q
the Revolution.
In the memoir of Mai. Samuel Law
renee tby Rev DIT. LOthrop, PIP. SO the
following words occur:
At one time he commanded a company whose
rank and ME were all negroes Il whose couIag 81.
military discipline and fidelity be always spoke
with respect. on cue occasion, being ont recon
uoitering with this company. he got 80 far IN adj
vance 1i his command Jlat he Was surrounded and
on the point u being made prisoner bT The
enemy The men, soon discovering his peril, rushed
bravery till that rescue was effectualB secured
Refuses TO Discard Them.
When the committee of conference on
the condition Of the army agreed that ne
gro soldiers should be rejected altogether,
Washington. on the 31st of December
I775. wrote from Cambridge to the Presi-
dent of Congress. as follows:
It has been represented 10 me that the free
NEGROES who have served in this army very much
dissatisfied at being discarded As it Is 10 be apTre
hendcd that they may seek employ III the ministerial
army have presumed 10 depart from the restitution
respecting them, and have given license for then
being enlisted II this Is disapproyed by Congress
] will nut a stop TO it-Sparks' Life Of Washington,
Vol. III, PIP. Us, 2l9.
Congress sustained Washington in dis
regarding the resolution The secret jour
nails Of Congress, March 20, 1919, show
that the States of South Carolina and
Georgia were recommended TO raise i'm
mediatelv 5000 able bodied negroes. That
every. negro who shall well and faithfully
serve as d soldier to the end of the pres
ent war, and shall then return his arms
be emancipated and receive the sum OF
fifty dollars"
Washington, Hamilton, Greene, Lincoln
and Lawrence warmly approved of the
measure. In I7S3 the general assembly
Of Virginia passed An act directing the
emancipation OF certain slaves who have
served as soldiers in this war"
Praised by Arnold.
Arnold. in his History of Rhode Isl
and" describing the battle Of Rhode
Island, fought August @, MS, says:
third time the enemy, with desperate couagC
and increased strength. attempted 10 asail tho re
doubt and would have carried it but FOR the timell
aid Of two Continental battaliOns dispatched by Sui
liyan to support his almost exhausted troops. Il
in repelling these furious onsets that the newlS
raised black regiment under Col Green diSfin
g-Iished itself By deeds Of desperate Talor Posted
behind thicket in the valley they three times drove
back the Hessidns who charged repeatedly down the
hill to disodge them
Negroes have always been favorites in
our navy and their names always entered
or the ships book without distinction
Commodore Chauncey thus speaks
l regret that you are not pleased with the mer
sent you BY Messrs. ChampIin and Forrest for. tC
my knowledge. a part Of them are not surpassed by
any seamen have in the feet and have vet tr
learn that the color Of the skin, or the CIT and
trimmings Of the coat can affect a mans qualihca
tions usefulness. I have nearly fifty blacks on
board Of this ship. and many Of them are among
my best men
In October, 1914, the State of New York
passed an act 10 authorize the raising OF
two regiments of men of color
The following extract from the procla-
nation and address of Gen. Andrew Jack
son covers the whole ground, and
breathes the magnanimous spirit Of that
herO-patriot:
Headquarters. Seventh Military District
Mobile Sept. p, 1914
To the Freed Colored Inhabitants of Louisiana:
Through a mistaken policy you have heretofore
been deprived Of participation in the glorious
struggle for national rights in which our country is
NIL