The Nashville globe. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1906-193?, 1912-01-05

ed their subordination, bravery ard
power of endurance" Washington,
the Father of his Country, solicited
the military services of Negroes in
the Revolutionary War Jackson
did the same in the war of 1912. I'm
der both these great captains the Ne
gro troops fought so we'll that they
received unstinted praise. But it
was in the Civil War, the War Of the
Rebellion, that the Negro soldiers
fought so nobly that they i'm
mortalized their names. The rec
ords of the War Department
show that there were 1855 colored
men regularly enlisted as soldiers in
the Union army during the rebellion.
From the beginning there was great
opposition to enlisting the Negro in
the army. The New York Times of
February 16, 1868, said editorially:
THE objections to enlisting the Ne
groes are as follows: First, that the
Negroes will not fight. Second, it is
said that the whites will not fight
with them. Third, that the prejudice
against them is so strong that our
citizens will not enlist or will quit
the service if compelled to fight by
their side, and thus we will lose two
white soldiers for one black"
To General David Hunter is given
the honor of organizing the first
Southern colored regiment. He was
in sore need Of men. He could not
get white recruits; he was forced to
organize a colored regiment. The ex-
pertinent was complete and marvel
GUS success. The Negro soldiers
fought bravely General Hunter tes-
titled t. their worth in the following
words. "They are sober, docile, atten-
tive and enthusiastic, displaying great
natural capacities for acquiring the
duties of the soldier"
The fifty-fourth Massachusetts,
commanded by Colonel Shaw, was the
first colored regiment organized in
the free states. They fought like he
roes at Fort Wagner. Having
marched for night and day, through
swamps and drenching rains, hungry
and almost exhausted, they reached
General Strong's headquarters on
that memorable morning just as the
enemy was forming in line of bat
tie.
This was most desperate and gal
liant fight. AS the colored soldiers
ascended the wall of the fort their
ranks were full, but as soon as they
reached the top, they melted away be-
fore the enemy's fire. The color
bearer, John Wall, was killed. An
other colored man, William H. Car
ney, caught the falling flag, and
pressing forward over the dead and
dying to the front rank near Colonel
Shaw, kept the colors flying. Having
received two very severe wounds, one
in the thigh and one in the head, he
fell, but held to the flag. When his
regiment retired, he followed, creep
ing upon one knee. AS he entered the
field hospital where his wounded com.
rades were being brought in, they
cheered him and saluted the flag.
Though nearly exhausted from the
loss Of blood, he said, Boys, the old
flag never touched the ground"
Shall a race that has poured out its
life's blood like water on every battle |
field where Americas interest were in |
danger remain forever the victims |
OF race prejudice? Shall our proper |
ty remain forever subject to the
Whims and avarice of the midnight as
sassin? For nearly fifty years we
have implored those who make and !
enforce the laws to give us Justice,
and fair chance in the race of life. |
but with what success; Let the re-
cent outrages perpetrated upon our
people both at the North and in the
South answer. My friends, the ballot
is the uniform weapon with which
free men protect themselves. This
we must have and exercise before il
will be possible for us to enjoy ou
rights as American citizens.
A higher type of intelligence and
moral worth is the crying need Of
the masses of our people. The intel
liSent whites viii never suffer the
ignorant and vicious members Of on
race to act as their political EQUALS
Intelligence is power, ignorance ie
weakness; wherever the two come 10
gether intelligence must rule. The
missionary schools fostered by our
white friends at The North and IN,
system of public instruction supported
by popular taxation here in the SouH
have done and are still doing much |
to solve the problem of Negro citizen
ship.
I fear that the majority of ou
young people are leaving school too