Several references have been made to efficiency boards and their
efforts to remove colored officers from the 92nd Division and other
colored organizations. In order that a clear idea may be conveyed as
to the type of men who suffered from these injustices, as well as how
these boards operated, the life, training, and experience of the first
officer of the 92nd Division to undergo such an ordeal, follows in
detail:
Captain Matthew Virgil Boutte was born in New Iberia, Louisiana, of
Creole parentage; his father was a sugar planter, of the type that
used to strap his gun on his saddle girth for protection, and go to
the poles and vote, in the days when guns were used to maintain white
supremacy in that State.
He sent his son to Straight University, New Orleans, from 1898 to 1903,
where he received the rudiments of an education. Afterwards young
Boutte went to Fisk, where he finished a high school course, and a four
years’ college course; thence to the University of Illinois, where he
graduated as a chemist and pharmacist; he then taught quantitative
chemistry at Meharry Medical College, and opened a drugstore in
Nashville, Tenn. This he disposed of after receiving his commission
at the Des Moines Training School. While in Nashville, he joined the
Tennessee National Guard, the only Colored National Guard Company in
the South. With six months’ training there as a private, he entered the
Des Moines School, and was one of the few who received the commission
of captain.
On November 1, 1917, he went to Rockford, Ill., where he attended
Machine Gun School at Camp Grant, and organized Company 350, Machine
Gun Battalion. His company was well trained not only in military
tactics, but also to such a high degree of athletic efficiency, that it
received a loving cup for winning a cross country run; also won cup for
individual running in whole brigade. The winner, Sergeant Bluitt, was
afterward commissioned lieutenant.
On June 6, 1918, Captain Boutte sailed for France, with the advance
officers’ party of the 92nd Division. They landed at Brest where the
colored officers received a taste of the American segregation that
afterwards became so annoying in France. Rooms for the entire party,
white and colored, had been reserved at the Hotel Continental, but the
colored officers were told to go to Camp Pontanezen, where they would
find barracks; there they were to sleep on boards with no mattresses,
and only one blanket apiece. Captain Boutte protested, and the party
returned to Brest, where they discovered that the white officers had
not made the French people understand that the rooms held in reserve
were for them, and consequently had gone elsewhere. Captain Boutte,
being able to speak French quite fluently, was able to get the reserved
rooms for the six colored officers. He was sent from Brest to Bourbon
les Bains to serve as billeting officer. Here he was told not to take
the French people’s kindness for friendship, but to treat them just as
he had been taught to treat white people at home. When they found that
his ability to speak French gave him ready _entrée_ into French homes,
they relieved him of all work as billeting officer, so that he would
have no occasion for going among the French people.
On July 7 he was returned to his company. He instructed his men to
such a point of efficiency that the inspector of machine-gun tactics
commended his work. On July 24 he was placed under close arrest. While
under arrest he was forced to ride from one town to another in an open
wagon, and between two armed guards, in order that his spirit might be
thoroughly crushed, and his humiliation made complete. Twenty-three
specifications under the 96th Article of War were placed against him.
These dealt with duties imposed upon the Commanding Officer of the
Company by the Commanding Officer of the Battalion. After he had been
under close arrest for eight days, the charges were submitted to him;
following are samples of specifications:
“Why did you command your first sergeant to remain at home instead of
having him on the field of drill, as commanded from headquarters?”
“Why did your mess sergeant not have his bill of fare posted on a
certain day?”
[Illustration: GROUP OF OFFICERS OF 92ND DIVISION
1. Capt. Matthew Virgil Boutte. 2. Lieut. J. Williams Clifford. 3.
Lieut. Benjamin H. Hunton. 4. Lieut. Frank L. Drye. 5. Lieut. Frank L.
Chisholm. 6. Lieut. Ernest M. Gould. 7. Lieut. Victor R. Daly.]
Boutte’s answer was that in order to be responsible for his company he
must have full control of his officers, as was his military right; and
as for the mess sergeant’s bill of fare, it could easily have blown
away after having been put in its accustomed place. In due time he was
called before the Efficiency Board, in order that reasons might be
given why he should not be court-martialled. At the trial Major Raborg
withdrew all specifications but six, saying that he had found that the
others were not true. Subsequently it was learned that he had written
a letter to the commanding officer, asking that all colored officers
be removed. Upon being questioned as to the efficiency of Captain
Boutte, he replied that he was mentally and morally efficient, but
otherwise he was not. It then became evident that it was such a clear
case of prejudice, that Captain Boutte was returned to his company,
and Major Raborg removed as commander of the battalion. But a number
of officers became victims of this now notorious efficiency board,
and while no one would suppose that all colored officers were above
criticism, and must know that some of them were justly removed, still,
there is no doubt that many of them were as innocent as the subject
of this sketch. Captain Boutte retained Captain Leroy Godman, of
Columbus, Ohio, as his attorney, and says he owes much to him for his
acquittal and exoneration. All officers on trial were not so fortunate
in being able to secure a good colored lawyer, while others were simply
condemned as inefficient, and removed, without being given a chance for
defense. Capt Boutte was afterwards for six months a member of General
Pershing’s staff, with headquarters in Paris.