Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1915-02-05

4 - ~
In ths article OF Mr.. James Croggor
IN the sunday Star. It IL stated tha
ONE hundred years ago the first Co
ored troops who ever served in tn
Army OF the United States won tn
recommendation OF General jackson II
the battles In and around New o.
leans" This statement rs to wheel
the first colored troops served In tn
army OF the United States is incorrect
n writes Albert N. Seip in communi
cation TO the Washington Star. Ban
\ croft's History. volume fve. pages
\ I6z,, 1853. says: Con the first of Janu
ary, TITS, the tricolored American bar,
ner. not yet spangled with stars. but
showing Is stripes OF alternate red
\ and white In the field. and the united
red and white crosses Of Saint George
and Saint Andrew on blue ground In
the corner. was unfurled over the
new continental army around Boston
I which. at that moment Of It's greatest
4 weakness. consisted Of but $3.50 men.
7 on that day. free Negroes stood in the
ranks by the side OF white men. In the
beginning Of the war they had en-.
tered the provincial army; the first
\ general order which was issued by
General Ward had required q return.
I among other things, Of the complex
ion" Of the soldiers: and black men.
like others, were retained In the sery-
Ice after the troops were adopted by
the continent
We have seen Edward Rutledge de-
feated In his attempt to compel their
discharge. In October, the conference
ct the camp. with Franklin. Harrison
and Lynch. thought it proper to ex-
clude them from the new enlistment;
but Washington. at the crisis OF his
distress. finding that they we're very
much dissatisfied at being discarded,
reversed the decision and asked the
approval OF congress. That body ap-
pointed Wythe, Samuel Adams and
Wilson to deliberate on the question;
and. on the report OF their able COM
mittee, they voted that the free Ne
aroes who had served faithfully In the
army 1t Cambridge might be re-en-
listed therein, but no others" The
right OF free Negroes to take part in
the defense Of the country having thus
been partially admitted by the high
est power, the limitation was lost sight
d, and they served in the ranks Of the
American armies during every period
OF the war.
When IN IT'S the army was reduced
to its lowest point In numbers, Ban
croft states, in volume six, page As,
that HVarnum. . brigadier of Rhode
Island. proposed the emancipation OF
alaves In that state, on condition OF
their enlisting In the army for the war. |
The scheme. approved by Washington.
;aaA ~ hin referred to Cooke. the
governor 0f the state, was accepted. Ev-
~ ablebodied slave in Rhode Island !:
received law liberty to enlist in the
army for the war. On passing muster
Ne became free and entitled to all the |
TX EE t - Il
wages and encourasements given by
congress to any soldier. The state i
nnade some compensation to their mas
ters.
AZ the object Of this communication
r. simply to correct the error Of Mr..
Croggon - to when the first colored
troops served in the army OF the Unit.
ed States. It 10 not necessary to refer !
70 the well-known fact that Negroes
fought at the battle Of Bunker Hill.
taking part in common with the white
yeomanry Of Massachusetts, and other
states. Their services In the Union |
army during the Civil war are well |
known
Kansas City has 40 miles OF boule-