The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1908-01-23

on that side. 1t embraces not only the
legislation proposed or enacted by the
Confederate Congress, the reports and
orders of the military authorities of
the Confederacy relating to the employ
ment of negroes In the actual or auxil-
iary military service, but there are
many reports that testify TO their sue
cess and efficiency.
Although the Confederates antici-
pated the Federal government in the
employment of negroes as military
forces. they exhibited a good deal of
Indignation when their example was
followed, and the records of the Con-
federate Congress show some sensation
! al measures Of retaliation threatened
against the government of the United
States on this account 1t was pro-
posed. among other things, to raise the
black flag against negro soldieN and
white officers who commanded them,
and in some cases this retaliation was
enforced, as at Fort Pillow, but finally
the Confederate Congress formally rec
a soldier as well as laborer and au-
| thorized President Davis to enlist an
unlimited number of colored troops.
This fact was commented upon by
| Gov. Yates. of Illinois, in message he
sent to the legislature of that State as
a most extraordinary phenomenon in
history. He said the leaders OF the in
surrection had called upon the cause
of the instruction to save 1t, and had
recognized the intelligence and man.
hood of the despised race by lifting it
| to a level with themselves. A wise
providence, he said, was directing the
! destiny of the Confederates so that
they will terminate the very evil they
are fighting to maintain. Slavery was
| to be the cornerstone of their new
Confederacy, but, says Gov Yates, a
man who has been a soldier will never
| be slave.
The first negroes were landed upon
| the soil of America in 1865, by the
Spaniards. In 1919 or 1920 they were
brought into the British colony of vir-
ginia. Sir John Hawkins, the famous
buccaneer, was interest in their impor-
| tation from Africa. and it is supposed
that Queen Elizabeth, with whom he
was a great favorite, shared the profits
with him.
The first reverence in American his
tory to negroes as soldiers is found in
the records of 1862. where it appears
that negroes. Indians and Scottish
men" were permitted to train with the
militia. Four years later, however,
negroes and Indians were exempted
from militia service. In 1860 colonial
law was passed requiring every person
above the age of 16, excepting classes
specifically mentioned, to train with
the militia. Negroes are not included
among those classified as exempts. In
1850 there is a record of the death of
"a negro of Col. King" who was
wounded while CALAMITY fighting in
the skirmish with the Indians. In 1903
South Carolina specifically required ne
groes to enter the military service of
the State, and freedom was offered to
every slave who killed an enemy In
battle. The colonial records for 1747
recite that several negroes and other
slaves" had rendered efficient service
In repelling the attack of Ibis males
| tvs enemies"
There was one negro at the battle of
Lexington. A negro soldier shot and
killed Maj. Pitcairn of the British
army as he led his forces in an assault
upon the American works, on Bunker
| Hill. His name was Peter Salem.
Crispus Attacks, colored man, who
was killed in the streets of Boston
March 3, ITO, has been called the first
martyr TO the cause of American indie
J pendence, and a monument has been
/ erected to his memory which bears an
| inscription to that effect In 1887 the
legislature of Massachusetts appropri-
ated money for a more pretentious
monument in his honor. Nevertheless.
seven days after he took command of
the army Washington issued an order
prohibiting the enlistment of negroes.
1t does not appear to have been obey
ed, and must have been revoked, for
shortly after he approved of the for
nation of a battalion of slaves in
Rhode Island, and afterward in several
of the southern colonies. There are
many evidences, however, that Wash
ington did not take kindly to the en-
| ployment of negro troops, and was par
ticularly opposed to having them mix
with the whites. But there was never
any discussion or difference of opinion
as to the capacity of the negro as a
soldier.
In the war of 1912 negroes were or
ganized and employed as military
! force in various parts of the country.
After the battle of New Orleans Gen.
Jackson issued an order highly COM
plimentary to their valor. Immediate
ly after the close of the war of 1912,
however. negroes who had been enlist
ed in the regular army were discharged
as unfit to associate with white Ameri-
can soldiers, and a paragraph was in
serted In the army regulations prohib-
| iting their enlistment.
At present there are four regiments
of colored men In the regular service,
two of cavalry and two of infantry.
They are commanded by white officers,
and have done very good service in In
| dian warfare Their constitutions en-
drre the heat of the Southern States
much better than those OF white men,
and they have been particularly valua-
BILE along the Mexican border.-William
E. Curtis In Chicago Record-Herald
Several Subjects.
The handmade watch trade of Eng
| land is langulshing.