History of Negro Soldiers in the Spanish-American War, and Other Items of Interest Part 10

Adjutant-General's Office, Richmond, Va., April 19th, 1898.

General Order No. 8.

I. Commanding officers of companies of Virginia Volunteers will, immediately, upon the receipt by them of this order, a.s.semble their respective companies and proceed to ascertain and report direct to this office, upon the form herewith sent and by letter, what officers and enlisted men of their companies will volunteer for service in and with the volunteer forces of the United States (not in the regular army) with the distinct understanding that such volunteer forces, or any portion thereof, may be ordered and required to perform service either in or out of the United States, and that such officer or enlisted man, so volunteering, agrees and binds himself to, without question, promptly obey all orders emanating from the proper officers, and to render such service as he may be required to perform, either within or beyond the limits of the United States.

[Ill.u.s.tration: MAJOR JOHN R. LYNCH, PAYMASTER IN U.S. ARMY]

II. The Brigade Commander and the Regimental and Battalion Commanders will, without delay, obtain like information and make, direct to this office, similar reports, to those above required, with regard to their respective field, staff and non-commissioned staff officers and regimental or battalion bands, adopting the form herewith sent to the regiments.

III. By reason of the necessity in this matter, this order is sent direct, with copies to intermediate commanders.

By order of the Governor and Commander-in-Chief. WM. NALLE, Adjutant-General.

The companies of the First Battalion of Richmond and Second Battalion of Petersburg and Norfolk were the first to respond to the call and express a readiness to go anywhere in or out of the States with their own officers, upon these conditions they were immediately accepted, and the following order was issued:

COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA, Adjutant-General's Office, Richmond, Va., April 23, 1898. General Orders No. 9.

The commanding officers of such companies as will volunteer for service in the volunteer army of the United States will at once proceed to recruit their respective companies to at least eighty-four enlisted men. Any company volunteering as a body, for such service, will be mustered in with its own officers.

By order of the Governor and Commander-in-Chief. (Signed) W. NALLE, Adjutant-General.

Under date of June 1, 1898, S.O. 59, A.G.O., Richmond, Va., was issued directly to the commanding officers of the First and Second Battalion (colored), who had been specially designated by the President in his call, ordering them to take the necessary steps to recruit the companies of the respective battalions to eighty-three men per company, directing that care be taken, to accept only men of good repute and able-bodied, and that as soon as recruited the fact should be reported by telegraph to the Adjutant-General of the State.

July 15th, 1898, Company "A," Attucks Guard, was the first company to arrive at Camp Corbin, Va., ten miles below Richmond. The company had three officers; Capt. W.A. Hawkins, First Lieutenant J.C. Smith, Lieutenant John Parham.

The other companies followed in rapid succession. Company "B" (Carney Guard), Capt. C.B. Nicholas; First Lieutenant L.J. Wyche, Second Lieutenant J.W. Gilpin. Company "C" (State Guard), Capt. B.A.

Graves; First Lieutenant S.B. Randolph, Second Lieutenant W.H.

Anderson. Company "D" (Langston Guard), Capt. E.W. Gould; First Lieutenant Chas. H. Robinson, Second Lieutenant Geo. W. Foreman.

Company "E" (Petersburg Guard), Capt. J.E. Hill; First Lieutenant J.H. Hill, Second Lieutenant Fred. E. Manggrum. Company "F"

(Petersburg), Capt. Pleasant Webb; First Lieutenant Jno. K. Rice, Second Lieutenant Richard Hill. Company "G," Capt. J.A. Stevens; First Lieutenant E. Thomas Walker, Second Lieutenant David Worrell.

Company "H," Capt. Peter Shepperd, Jr.; First Lieutenant Jas. M.

Collins, Second Lieutenant Geo. T. Wright. The regiment consisted of only eight companies, two battalions, commanded respectively by Major J.B. Johnson and Maj. W.H. Johnson, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Rich'd C. Croxton, of the First United States Infantry. First Lieutenant Chas. R. Alexander was Surgeon. Second Lieutenant Allen J.

Black, a.s.sist Subsistence.

Lieutenant W.H. Anderson, Company "C," was detailed as Adjutant, Ordinance Officer and Mustering Officer.

Lieutenant J.H. Gilpin, Company "B," was detailed as Quartermaster and Commissary of Subsistance.

On Monday, September 12, 1898, the command left Camp Corbin, Va., and embarked for Knoxville, Tenn., about 10 o'clock, the men traveling in day coaches and the officers in Pullman sleepers. The train was in two sections. Upon arrival at Knoxville the command was sent to Camp Poland, near the Fourteenth Michigan Regiment, who were soon mustered out. A few days after the arrival of the Sixth Virginia the Third North Carolina arrived, a full regiment with every officer a Negro.

While here in order to get to the city our officers, wagons and men had to pa.s.s the camp of the First Georgia Regiment, and it was quite annoying to have to suffer from unnecessary delays in stores and other things to which the men were subject.

After the review by General Alger, Secretary of War, the Colonel of the Sixth Virginia received permission from headquarters of Third Brigade, Second Division, First Army Corps, General Rosser commanding, to move the camp to a point nearer the city, which was granted. Soon after the arrival of the Third North Carolina Regiment the First Georgia seemed disposed to attack the colored soldiers, so on a beautiful September evening some shots were fired into their camp by the First Georgia men and received quick response. After the little affair four Georgians were missing. The matter was investigated, the First Georgia was placed under arrest.

After the removal to a new portion of Camp Poland orders were received from the headquarters First Army Corps, Lexington, Ky., ordering a board of examiners for the following officers of the Sixth Virginia: Maj. W.H. Johnson; Second Battalion, Capt. C.B. Nicholas, Capt.

J.E. Hill, Capt. J.A.C. Stevens, Capt. E.W. Gould, Capt. Peter Shepperd, Jr., Lieutenants S.B. Randolph, Geo. T. Wright and David Worrell for examination September 20, 1898, each officer immediately tendered his resignation, which was at once accepted by the Secretary of War.

[Ill.u.s.tration: MAJOR R.R. WRIGHT, PAYMASTER IN U.S. ARMY.]

Under the rules governing the volunteer army, when vacancies occurred by death, removal, resignation or otherwise, the Colonel of a regiment had the power to recommend suitable officers or men to fill the vacancies by promotions, and the Governor would make the appointment with the approval of the Secretary of War. Many of the men had high hopes of gaining a commission; many of the most worthy young men of the State, who left their peaceful vocations for the rough service of war, for they were, students, bookkeepers, real estate men, merchants, clerks and artists who responded to their country's call--all looking to a much desired promotion. But after many conflicting stories as to what would be done and much parleying on the part of the recommending power, who said that there was none in the regiment qualified for the promotion. And thereupon the Governor appointed white officers to fill the vacancies created. A copy of the following was sent to the Governor of Virginia through "military channels" but never reached him; also to the Adjutant General of the army through military channels:

Sixth Virginia Volunteer Infantry, Second Battalion, Colored, Camp Poland, Tenn., October 27th, 1898.

To the Adjutant General, U.S. Army, Was.h.i.+ngton, D.C.

Sir--We, the undersigned officers of the Sixth Virginia Volunteer Infantry, stationed at Camp Poland, Knoxville, Tenn., have the honor to respectfully submit to you the following:

Nine officers of this command who had served the state militia for a period ranging from five to twenty years were ordered examined. They resigned for reasons best known to themselves. We the remaining officers were sanguine that Negro officers would be appointed to fill these vacancies, and believe they can be had from the rank and file, as the men in the various companies enlisted with the distinct understanding that they would be commanded by Negro officers. We now understand through various sources that white officers have been, or are to be, appointed to fill these vacancies, to which we seriously and respectfully protest, because our men are dissatisfied. The men feel that the policy inaugurated as to this command should remain, and we fear if there is a change it will result disastrously to one of the best disciplined commands in the volunteer service. They are unwilling to be commanded by white officers and object to do what they did not agree to at first. That is to be commanded by any other than officers of the same color. We furthermore believe that should the appointments be confirmed there will be a continual friction between the officers and men of the two races as has been foretold by our present commanding officer. We express the unanimous and sincere desire of seven hundred and ninety-one men in the command to be mustered out rather than submit to the change.

We therefore pray that the existing vacancies be filled from the rank and file of the command or by men of color. To all of which we most humbly pray.

(Signed)

J.B. JOHNSON, Major 6th Va. Vol. Inf. PLEASANT WEBB, Capt. 6th Va. Vol Inf. BENJ. A. GRAVES, Capt. 6th Va. Vol. Inf. JAS. C. SMITH, 6th Va.

Vol. Inf., 1st Lt. L.J. WYCHE, 1st Lt. 6th Va. Vol. Inf. CHAS. H.

ROBINSON, 1st Lt. 6th Va. Vol. JOHN H. HILL, 1st Lt. 6th Va. Vol. Inf.

JNO. K. RICE, 1st Lt. 6th Va. Vol. Inf. EDWIN T. WALKER, 1st Lt. 6th Va. Vol.. C.R. ALEXANDER, 1st. Lt. and Sarg. 6th Va. Vol. Inf. JOHN PARHAM, 2nd Lt. 6th. Va. Vol. Inf. JAS. ST. GILPIN, 2nd Lt. 6th Va.

Vol. Inf. W.H. ANDERSON, 2nd Lt. 6th Va. Vol. Inf. GEORGE W. FOREMAN.

2nd Lt. 6th Va. Vol. Inf. FREDERICK E. MANGGRUM, 2nd Lt. 6th Va. Vol.

Inf. RICHARD HILL, 2nd Lt. 6th Va. Vol. Inf. JAMES M. COLLIN, 2nd Lt.

6th Va. Vol. Inf. FIRST ENDORs.e.m.e.nT. Headquarters 6th Va. Vol.

Inf. Second Battalion, Colored, Camp Poland, Tenn., Oct. 28, if Respectfully forwarded.

I have explained to the officers who signed this paper that their application is absurd, but they seem unable to see the points involved.

The statement within that 791 men prefer to be mustered out rather than serve under white officers is based upon the alleged reports that each First Sergeant stated to his Captain that all the men of the company were of that opinion. The statement that the men "enlisted with the understanding that they would be commanded entirely by Negro officers," seems to be based upon the fact that when these companies were called upon by the State authorities they volunteered for service, etc., "with our present officers." These officers (9 of them) have since resigned and their places filled by the Governor of Virginia with white officers.

These latter have not yet reported for duty.

Further comment seems as unnecessary as the application itself is useless.

(Signed) R.C. CROXTON,

Lt. Col. 6th Va. Vol. Inf. Com'd'g.

SECOND ENDORs.e.m.e.nT.

Headquarters Third Brigade, Second Division, First Army Corps, Camp Poland, Tenn., Oct. 29, 1898.

Respectfully forwarded. Disapproved as under the law creating the present volunteer forces the Governor of Virginia is the only authority who can appoint the officers of the 6th Va. Vol. Inf.

(Signed) JAMES H. YOUNG.