Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-07-06
COLOR ROW IN CAMP
virginians and Negroes Clash
at Gettysburg.
REGULAR UNDER ARREST
Colored Soldier Said to Have Tried
to Brighten OF Sentries
When Challenged.

CAMP OF INSTRUCTION. Gettysburg.
Pa. July 6--The fires OF hate against
negro soldiers which have been burning
in the hearts Of the Virginia troopers
since coming to camp have assumed such
shape that the necessity OF Immediate
action on the part of the commanding
general seems almost imperative.
While nothing definite has been done in
the way OF threat TO the virginians.
there is a disposition on the part of this
STAFF OF Gen Wotherspoon 10 adopt dras.
tic measures unless peace is preserved.
The arrest OF Thomas Carroll. a private
on duty with the negro detachment from
the War College. for an alleged attempt
to brighten off several sentries and the
ofhcer of the guard i'm the LIST Virginia
Regiment when challenged for crossing
the sentry lines is now the subject of an
investigation by Lieut.. Samuel r.
Gleaves Of the LIST Cavalry, one OF the
assistants of the provost marshal Lieut.
Gleaves has been taking testimony In the
case and when ii is completed il will be
turned over to Mai Daniel H. Boughton
or the general staff. the provost ma rshal.
The major will consider the evidence and
make a recommendation to Gen. wother-
spoon. who then will decide whether
there shall he court-mariial.
Says He Was Threatened.
There is a conflict of testimony In the
case which seems difficult Of solution
The negro's side OF the case is that the
Nirginians have been after him for sew
eral days; that they have blackguarded
him and threatened several times TO do
him severe bodily harm. AS he passed
by the 1st Regiment on his way back to
his detachment he admits that he stepped
a few feet over the line, but did not hear
the challenge Of Sentry Ernest NJ. Handy
of Company b.
He says he continued down the hne
which is steep hill. and that the first
thing he realized was that four men were
after him with drawn bayonets. They
came right up to him. he declares. ami,
thinking that he was about to be stabbed.
he drew his pistol and threatened to fire.
He was placed under arrest by the officer
Of the guard.
On the other hand, Sentry Handy and
Corp. J. z. Truehart, Sentry Howard
and Sentry Calvert say the man refused
to halt when challenged, and after calling
the off1cer of the guard and giving clfase
to Carroll he said, Come on and get ME
if you can" and turned on them with
drawn pistol. The men say Carroll was
insolent and that they had strict orders
to challenge any one who crossed their
lines
Think Challenge Unheard.
Witnesses in other organizations say
more than hundreds of others who have
passed the same point, and they believe
that the challenge was given in such q
low tone that 1t was not heard. How
ever that may be, 1T is a serious offense
for a regular to draw his gun on another
soldier and it is very likely to 60 hard
with the negro.
The question of policing the camp is
giving the staf a great deal OF trouble.
Gen. Wotherspoon made arrangements
with all the saloons Of Gettysburg TO
close their places promptly at IL O'Clock
with, and the general is disposed to think
that the change will be beneficial A pro
vost guard has been on duty here since
the trouble last Saturday night. and while
they have had little trouble in getting
the men back to camp the hour has been
so late that the general thinks the men
are unfit for good service the next day.
As a sequel to recent ill feeling between
the negroes and the Virginians a. regular
cavalryman. who was seen in local sa-
loon Monday, was badly beaten up by
several of the militiamen from the Old
Dominion, who said he was one Of the
fellows who took up for the negroes On
the previous occasion. He was cut on
the head with a bottle and badly battered
with fists. 1t is said the man was drunk
and could not defend himself. The men
were not arrested. as they escaped i'm time
from the provost.
Gen. Wotherspoon has given almost
every one to understand that order must
derstand this, and the great majority OF
the men are frowning upon the DISPOSE
ton of their brother soldiers to pick
fights with the negroes in the streets.