Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1923-03-10
BIRTHDAY OF COLONEL
CHARLES YOUNG IS
NATIONALLY HONORED

Washington d. c., March Son
March 11th and 18th, in the principal
institutions of learning and in many
cities throughout the country, local
Chapters of the Omega Psi Phi Fra
ternity and Veteran and other organi-
cations will hold memorial services III
honor Of the late Colonel Charles
Young, u. S. A.. who died at Lagos
Nigeria, January 8, 1922.
Col. Young was born at MaysIick
Kentucky, March IL. 1864 but received
his early education in Ripley, Ohio.
where his parents moved when he was
nine years old. After graduating from
the Ripley High School at the age of
sixteen Young taught school until ne
received his appointment to the Mill.
tary Academy at West Point in 1884.
From this time until his death Colo
ne! Young was public figure and was
often spoken Of as the embodiment OF
the military spirit of his race.
After a period OF frontier duty
Young was detailed to WiIberforc,'
University as Professor of Military
Science and Tactics in 1894 From n
very helpful tour of duty at this insti
tuition where he taught French, Ger
man and Mathematics in addition to-
his military subjects. he was sent to-
military camps along the Atlantic
Coast. Again he went to the Western
frontiers
Young was made Capta IN in 1901
and sent to the Philippines where he,
commanded troop at Samar, Blanca
Aurora, Daraga, Toacca, Rcsana, San
Joaquin. Upon his return to the States
his service included administration
of Sequoia and General Grant Memcr
ial Parks, California. The War Depart
ment commended Captain Young Off
cially for his excellent work on this de
tail.
In May 1904 Young was sent as Mill
tary Attache to Haiti and remained
four years. During this period he made
an accurate map of the country. 1t is
said that the American Marines would
not have been able to find their way
into Haiti so easily had not Captain
Young done his work SO we'll In per-
forming his duties as Attache he
found time to write "Toussaint DOuv-
erture," a drama of which only few
copies are in print.
Rapidly from this point the scenes
OF Young's service shifted from this
country to the Philippines to Africa
and back to Mexico where he was
when it became probability that this
country would become involved in the
European holocaust. He was now
Lieutenant Colonel and in command
or the famous Tenth Cavalry.
1t Col. Young's keen foresight and
MS eagerness to serve his people led
MIN to establish a school for enlisted
men at Fort Huachucfua in order to
get black soldiers ready to enter apv
training camp which might be opened
to coiored officers. AS this was done uu
der opposition and great hindrances
from higher ctIImand, IL thought that
that service to his people might have,
had something to do with subsequent
events.
The Colored race has not yet recov-
cred from the shock received when
the news flashed across the country,
that 1t. Col. Charles Young had been
retired as Colonel on June %. 1912.
The hopes Of IL 900 900 people that.
they would have a black Major Gener
al leading black Division on the
fields OF France were shattered.
1t may be that this broke Young's
heart but the greatest Of the man je,
clearly shown by the fact that he nev.
or complained. Later when the wa-
had passed and his country said it
needed him to go hack TO Africa. he
eagerly grasped the opportunity il is
""ht TO go with his disapppoint-
ments to the land of forgetfuIness.
IT was there that his eventfur life
came to an end
The War Department has re. >