The bystander., 1919-02-14
FIGHTING QUALIFY or NEGRO
TROOPS VERY HIGHEST.
Says Ballou Of Old Ninety-second-
Commander Of All Colored Division
Praises Spirit Of Men Under
rire-Here to Command
Soldiers at Dodge.

soldiers OF the Ninety second division
4 fighting their way towards the German
stronghold of Metz when the armistice
was signed.
The first detectives had been taken
and footing had been obtained by the
colored fighters on the second objective
when hostilities ceased.
j Maj. Gen. C. G. Ballou, division com
mander of the only all-Negro division
of the American expeditionary forces,
| and probably better qualified to tell Of
the part colored fighters took in the
world war than any other officer in the
country, arrived in Des Moines this
morning.
Since Aug. 26 last, when the Ninety
second went into the line in the Vosges
mountains, General Ballou was in com
mand of the Negro soldiers.
From Oct. % until after the armis-
tice was signed he was acting com
mander Of the Sixth army corps, of
which the Ninety second was a part.
Negro Troops Brave.
OF the Negro troops General Ballou
says:
It was conclusively demonstrated
differences in the fighting quality of
the blacks and whites. This was en-
tirely matter of training, education
and 1eadershipA Colored troops are just
as brave as white troops. They have
never had industrial equality or equal-
ity of opportunity for the development
Of the qualities of leadership.
'sBoth colored officers and men have
been born and reared in an atmosphere
of white domination. Nevertheless
many excellent officers were developed
ar the, training camp at Fort Des
Moines; officers who have shown splen-
did qualities in battle, who have been
commended by me in orders for their
bravery in action and who have re-
ceived the distinguished service cross
awarded by the commander in. chief for
distinguished gallantry in action.
Fought to the Last.
Most significant of all,'' General
Ballou says, twas the fact that the
division was constantly progressing and
it's last fight was most commendables
of all.
In many things m inclined to
think, without rejecting on other divis-
ions, that the Ninety division
was superior in some. things. I believe
it was better disciplined. That was the
general comment. The division re-
ceived as hard service as any, but by
reason of being better cared for, was
in the best condition of any in the
army
Casualties in the Ninety-second diyis-
;r,, Il s.rb ,r<r ~ ha ltxyia nm,
commander.
81 do not know just what they
were,'' he said, "''but they were quite
high.''
General Ballou bestowed more than
dozen distinguished service crosses on
men and officers of his division. In
stances Of exceptional bravery, he said,
were numerous. E
All Crosses Garner.
''I was very careful in the awarding,
OF these crosses,'' General Ballou said.
t There is no man or officer of the
Ninety second wearing distinguished
service cross who is not entitled to it
and who did not win it by displaying
exceptional gallantry.
The last cross, he said, was awarded
W al SItlIStSN HuN VI tiS 1hISC
dred Sixty eighth infantry for carry
ing wounded comrade. back to safety
while shells rained about him.
The Ninety-second division was as
sembled at Camp Upton. The Three
Hundred Sixty-sixth infantry, trained
at Camp Dodge, was part Of the divis-
ion. The division landed at Brest and
then went to Bourbon les Baines, where
it stayed for six weeks until Aug. II,
when it went into the front line on the
Meuse river in the Yosges mountains.
Stubbornly Held Front.
The sector had lost its character
istic quiet as a result of occupancy by
two or three American divisions prior
to our arrival General Ballou said
One of the divisions had cut off the
village of Frapelle, generally consid
cred by the Germans to belong to them,
and the enemy vented their wrath on
the Negro soldiers, according to the Of
fcer. The Ninety-second organized the
front and held it.
No Man 8 Land was ours from
shortly after we arrived General Bal
lou said
When the fighting stopped Nov. !,
the division was on the extreme right
Of the American forces and astraddle Of
the Moselle river between Nancy and
Metz and slowly fighting its way toward
the German stronghold
Distinguished at Argonne.
From Sept. % to 26 the division
fought in the famous battle Of the Ar
gonne forest. Ballou says this was the
seyerest test Of the fighting ability Of |
The men.
The nature of the ground made the
Fighting extremely difficult ends hazard