The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1919-02-15
"BLACK DEVILS" OF
OLD STH KNOCK
EN- COLD In N. Y.
1860 Negro Heroes Of $500
Who Went Over Sing
Way Up HarbOr.
FROM THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE.

FROM THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE.
New York, Feb. 10.-The old Eighth
Illinois is back Chioago's fighting
BLACK Devils" back in the United
States to create a stir, and they did
it even in New York, where returning
soldiers have long since ceased to be
a novelty.
By thy rivers gently flowing, Illinois,
Illinois.
Ger thy prairies verdant growing,
Illinois, Illinois.
Over the water of New York harbor
the notes came floating; they set ones
nerves a-tingle.
Till upon the inland sea, stands Chi
cago great and free,
Turning all the world to thee, Illinois,
Illinois.
A band was playing out on the water
and Negro voices were softly singing
heroes of today singing of heroes Of
the past:
Some encamped at Chickamauga, Illi-
nois, Illinois,
Others fell at Santiago, Illinois, 1lli-
nois.
They are heroes, heroes all, Illinois.
The plaintive notes diminished as
the big ocean liner La France swung
into her moorings. A wild cheer broke
4from a Thousand dusky throats, "a
.gangplank dropped and the first fight
ing regiment from Illinois that has
returned from overseas was back in
the United States.
Greeted With "Hot Time"
BY this time band on the pier had
opened up with "There'll Be a Hot
Time in the Old Town Tonight" and
the Negro band on the ship, which
had played the songs of liberation in
the stricken villages of France, had
caught it up and joined in the strains.
With oiled steel helmets cleaning
above brown, shining faces; with
white teeth flashing and sleeves a-glit-
ter with gold wound and service
stripes, with hard won medals and
decorations upon their coats, the regi-
ment from Chicago's south side came
swinging down the gangplank with
that smooth rhythm of stride that only
a Negro regiment can attain.
bIdCk OcNio on aOCs
BLACK Devils" the Prussian guards
who faced them called them, and they
looked it. "The Partridges," their
French comrades called them, and they
looked that, too, for no cock partridge
ever promenaded before his admiring
harem with more class than did those
fighting black boys from Illinois be
ha xin
the pier-and before the hundred dus
ky New York maidens who packed the
entrance to the pier.
THE Partridges" had reason to be
proud, for here's fact that may well
thrill the old South Side: The Eighth
Illinois came back with twenty-five
men among them wearing the Amer
lean d. S. c., while sixty-eight wore
the croix de guerFe. Army Officers
who met the ship said there were more
decorations visible among the Eighth
or Three Hundred and Seventieth in
fantTy, as it is now designated, thai
In any regiment which had SO far re
turned to the United States.
They are wild to get back to Chi
cago and they are eager to marcl
through its streets. Just now a fea
exists that they will not be able to d.
So Their fear is shared by thei
commander, Col. Thomas A. Robert
of 112 North Walnut street, Spring
field, ILL.,, one of the three white off
GERS of the regiment.
Deserve Chicago Parade.
81 understand there is q bossibilit
that these boys may not get the OF
portunity to parade in Chicago" h
said. hope something will be don
to make that parade possible. If eve
set of men deserved welcome HON
it is these boys. They've had thei
noses to the grindstone for months
They've fought and they've worke
and they have seldom been on leavt
They had been a patient lot, glor
GUS lot, and 1 hope it will be mad
possible for Chicago to give them tn
welcome they deserve"