New-York tribune., 1919-02-10
History of Famous
Netp York Regiment
of Negro Warriors

of Negro Warriors
1t was IN June, 1916, That the negroes $
OF New York received their first formal
caii TO arms. Following the gallant fight
OF negro troopers of the 10th Cavalry
against Mexican bandits at Carrizal,
cltlzens interested in the organization
Oh negro regiment urged Governor
whitman to authorize the project. The
Governor named Colonel William Hay
vasd'. then Public Service Commits
sloncr, 80 supervise the task 1t was
found that there were more than two
hundred negro residents of the city
VINO mad seen service in the regular
Amy or IN the militia of other states
with these as nucleus the work Of
recruiting commenced on June 20. BY
october ten companies of sixty-1ive
men each had been formed, and the
regiment was then recognized by the
state and given its colors. BY April 8,
1917, the regiment had reached peace
strength with 1878 men and was rec
ognlzcd by the Federal government,
Two weeks later the organization was
authorized to recruit TO war strength
The 600 men needed were recruited in
five days after the applicants had been
subjected to physical examination more
stringent than that given in the reg
ular army. The first battalion Of four
companies was recruited in Manhat-
tan; the second battalion was COM
posed of Brooklyn men and the third
of negroes from Manhattan and The
Bronx.
Training the men presented some
drilled in Lafayette Hall, 132d Street
and Seventh Avenue. But the place
WAS altogether too small and many of
the fifty squads Which drilled nightly
had to take to the streets to carry out
the manwuvres Of their drill sergeants.
Later they went for three weeks to
Camp Whitman. An announced plan
to send the regiment to train at Camp
Wadsworth. Spartanburg S. c.. caused
a storm of protest from the citizens Of
the South Carolina town.
"The most tragic consequences, they
insisted, would follow the introduc-
ton of the New York negro, with
his Northern IDEAS" into the COM
munity life of Spartanburg. The
Spartanburg Chamber of Commerce
drafted resolutions protesting against
the training Of negro troops at Camp
Wadsworth. which were sent to New
York State officials. The resolutions,
however. had less weight than the
eXigcncies of war and. early in Octo-
ber, the 18th Negro Infantry de-
trained at Camp Wadsworth. The
"tragic consequences" did not mate
rlaNzc.
Looked for Early Voyage
While at Spartanburg the regiment
was supplied with the latest things
in trench shoes, heavy underwear and
other overseas supplies. This led the
men to expect immediate transfer
overseas. There was great disappoint-
mcnt, therefore, when, after a ten
the organization was ordered to Camp
Mills. Early in November came an
other order to move-not to France, as
was generally believed, but TO tents
III Van Cortlandt Park, whore drilling
was resumed. On November - the
} regiment was, at last, ordered to Ho-
boken to embark for France and on
November II the men sailed, singing
and signing for speedy passage.
the vessel was disabled by n bent
pistol rod and it had to put back to
the Brooklyn navy yard for repairs.
Four days later the ship put out again,
only to halt when fire was found in
the reserve coal bunker. Putting hack
to Hoboken, the sorely tried 10Th
counted the hours until new trans
port could be obtained. Hours became
days and days weeks, but still no ship
offered.
Finally, on December q, tho Navy
Department notified the transports s
commander to put to sea. But while
the pier lines were being cast off a
storm started to blow up, aud oy the
time the cahontas-namelcss at the
time-reached the outer Bay the great
est blizzard Of the year was raging.
Clouds Of snow, through which moth
ing could be seen, forced the Poca-
hontas to drop anchor. She had hard
ly done so when huge hulk, appear
ing suddenly through the murk, bore
down upon the Transports bow and cut
ten-foot hole in her side. Then the
storm abated in the Bay, but a new
one arose below decks, where 10000 odd
exasperated negroes were maintain ng
their belief that no such place as
France existed.
Il can see no reason for turning
back except that Of fear" said Colonel
Hayward to the captain.
The captain did not turn back. There
was an ambulance assembly unit on
board with electric drills. Ten hours.
1t was said, would suffice to make suf-
hcient repairs to enable the vessel to
proceed. The bent plates we're drilled
their place. Concrete was then poured
between the planks. The result was
not elegant, but tho ship was water
tight and, best of all, still bound for
France.
Brest was reached on December 27
without incident except for an cpl
demic Of German measles which at
tackled the crew Of the transport, but
which was escaped by nearly all Off
GERS and men of the 10Th.
From Brest the regiment was trans
ferred to st. Nazaire, where the troops
were put to work constructing a huge
railroad yard, buildingf roads and un-
loading ships.
Three weeks passed, and then the
Third Battalion received orders to join
tho re.t Of tho regiment at Givry-en-Ar-
gonne, there to be formally trans
ferred to tho French high command
and to be known az the 369th Reri-
ment dInfnntsrie, +. u. Actual nghtinr
was still afar off, it seemed to tho dus
Ky soldiers, for they were put to train
Ing undor French officcrs. One hundred
and twenty picked mon and number Of
officers were cont to the French Divi-
nonal Training School, whore they
were taught TO use tho French arms In