The American colored men had very small opportunity to get training
that would fit them for officers before going overseas; there was
only one graduate of West Point available, Col. Charles Young, of
Wilberforce, Ohio; unfortunately the army found him physically unfit,
and retired him from active service just one day before a long list
of brigadier generals was made, among whom he was sixth in line for
promotion. He was finally called back into active service, and since
the war has ended has been sent to Africa. A white colonel remarked in
his introduction of Colonel Young to a large meeting held at St. Mark’s
M. E. Church, 53rd Street, New York City, in December, 1919, and in the
hearing of the writer, that it was very plain that the only reason why
this dark-skinned military officer had been retired, was that the army
did not want a black general.
For a number of years preceding our entrance into the war, no colored
students had been admitted to West Point, and no colored man had
ever entered the Naval Academy at Annapolis. One colored school,
however—Wilberforce University—had maintained for a number of years
a department of military tactics supported by the government. Here
Colonel Young, and other regular army officers had been kept from
time to time as instructors. During the war 65 men, graduates and
undergraduates of the school, received commissions as officers.
The small number who had received limited training here, however, was
quite inadequate to be of much service among any considerable number of
troops; and the problem of how to train colored officers became quite
a vexation; the camps that gave six weeks’ training to white men did
not wish to admit them, and there were many who argued that colored
men should not be allowed to become soldiers, and that therefore there
would be no need for colored officers. Southern congressmen were
particularly alarmed over any prospects of colored men learning to use
guns.
After some weeks of agitation, however, the war department decided
to establish a training camp at Des Moines, Iowa, where about 1,100
men entered for the three months’ course. Over six hundred received
commissions as 2nd Lieutenants, 1st Lieutenants, or Captains. There
seemed to be a rule that no colored man in training should receive a
commission higher than that of captain. Most of these men were college
graduates, and on the whole were of a very high type.
They were assigned to the 92nd Division, and to any other units where
colored officers were allowed to serve, and were needed; but the record
of the 92nd Division shows more than that of any other organization the
ability of the officers of the Des Moines Training School.
The 92nd Division was composed of the 365th and 366th Infantries, and
the 350th Machine Gun Battalion, which made up the 183rd Infantry
Brigade, commanded by General Barnum; and the 367th and 368th
Infantries, together with the 351st Machine Gun Battalion, which
made up the 184th Infantry Brigade, commanded by General Hay. These
two Brigades, commanded by colored officers as high as the rank of
captain, together with the 167th Artillery Brigade, commanded with few
exceptions, by white officers, made up the 92nd Division, which was
under the command of Major General Ballou.
Major General Ballou had had charge of the Training School at Des
Moines, at which time his rank was that of colonel. Through the
influence of friends, some colored men included, he was promoted, and
given charge of this large body of colored troops; but before he left
for France, even, he caused an order to be issued, known as Bulletin
No. 35, which must have operated in no small degree to destroy his
influence with his men, and cause a humiliation of spirit among them
which would take away whatever desire they might have had to lay down
their lives that Democracy might live. The following is the text of the
Bulletin:
HEADQUARTERS 92ND DIVISION,
CAMP FUNSTON, KAN.
March 28, 1918.
_Bulletin No. 35._
1. It should be well known to all colored officers and men that
no useful purpose is served by such acts as will cause the “Color
Question” to be raised. It is not a question of legal rights, but
a question of policy, and any policy that tends to bring about a
conflict of races, with its resulting animosities, is prejudicial
to the military interests of the 92nd Division, and therefore
prejudicial to an important interest of the colored race.
2. To avoid conflicts the Division Commander has repeatedly urged
that all colored members of his command, and especially the officers
and non-commissioned officers should refrain from going where their
presence will be resented. In spite of this injunction, one of the
sergeants of the Medical Department has recently precipitated the
precise trouble that should be avoided, and then called on the
Division Commander to take sides in a row that should never have
occurred, and would not have occurred had the sergeant placed the
general good above his personal pleasure and convenience. This
sergeant entered a theatre, as he undoubtedly had a legal right to
do, and precipitated trouble by making it possible to allege race
discrimination in the seat he was given. He is entirely within his
legal rights in the matter, and the theatre manager is legally wrong.
Nevertheless the sergeant is guilty of the greater wrong in _doing_
anything, no matter how legally correct, that will provoke race
animosity.
3. The Division Commander repeats that the success of the Division
with all that that success implies, is dependent upon the good will
of the public. That public is nine-tenths white. White men made the
Division, and can break it just as easily as it becomes a trouble
maker.
4. All concerned are again enjoined to place the general interest
of the Division above personal pride and gratification. Avoid every
situation that can give rise to racial ill-will. Attend quietly and
faithfully to your duties, and don’t go where your presence is not
desired.