The 167th Field Artillery Brigade was composed of the 349th, 350th, and
351st Regiments of Artillery; the first two handled light equipment,
and received their training at Camp Dix, while the latter had heavy
equipment and was trained at Camp Meade. They also had attached to them
the 317th Ammunition Train, whose 36 officers were all colored but
three. In this organization there were several officers promoted, among
them being Major Milton Dean, of Washington, D. C., the only colored
man to be promoted to such a rank overseas, with the exception of Major
Joseph Ward, of Indianapolis, Indiana, whose ability and services as a
physician were thus recognized; very few other promotions of colored
officers were made in France; a small number of dental lieutenants
were made captains after the signing of the Armistice, when they were
relocated in the Service of Supply sections; but the majority came back
with the same rank with which they went over, even though they had
shown marked ability, and had been cited and decorated for bravery.
Early in October, 1918, 33 colored officers, who were to have been
attached to the 167th Field Artillery, landed in St. Nazaire; they
were second lieutenants, who had been trained to take the places of
some of the white officers of that organization; but instead, they
were first sent to La Corneau, near Bordeaux, where they remained
about a week; they were then ordered to leave there, and after about
three weeks’ junketing about they became stationed at Camp Meurcon,
near Vannes. At this place they were attached to the 63rd American
Artillery Brigade, composed altogether of southern white men; they
were required to drill these men, even though their prejudices were so
strong that they would not salute their colored officers if there was
any possible way to avoid it; but the officers stuck to their task,
and had started to the front with the regiment when the Armistice was
signed. They were then ordered to Brest to embark for home; here they
were detached from the regiment and returned to Camp Meurcon, near
Vannes, where they were attached to another white outfit; they remained
there another three weeks, and were then sent to Nancy in search of the
167th Artillery, to which they were originally to have been attached;
finding that the Brigade had left, they proceeded to the Evacuation
Camp at Le Mans, where they found the organization stationed in camps
located in the neighborhood of the city; they then became a part of
the official family of the Brigade, but some were detached on the eve
of their return to the States, and made to return home as casuals;
this seemed to be a part of the policy of those who had charge of the
transportation of troops. The writer remembers several incidents
during her period of service at Brest, where colored officers had made
all preparations to return with their organizations, and within a few
hours of sailing would be detached; some contended vigorously for what
they considered their rights, while others resigned themselves to their
fate; then frequently when they would have sailing orders to return
home as casuals, they would be turned back, when it would be discovered
that they were colored; sometimes this occurred even after they had
gotten on the gang plank. On July 16, 1919, the 184th Casual Company,
together with the 323rd Ordinance Battalion, about 300 in number, were
sent back after half of them had gotten aboard the boat, as a result
of a protest against their color. Some of these men came to the writer
sick at heart, and said that such treatment seemed more than they could
bear.
The 167th Field Artillery, the first of its kind that was ever
organized, was under the command of Brigadier General Sherburne, of
Massachusetts, who seemed in every way to have the interest of the
troops at heart; they landed at Brest, June 26, 1918, and after being
attached to the 92nd Division, were engaged in action at Pagny, Bois
Frehart, Cherimo, and Bois La Cote; and it was under the barrage of
this Brigade that the Division while on the Lorraine Front, between
Toul and Nancy, was able to advance, capture a number of towns, and
stand ready to enter the coveted stronghold of Metz, when the Armistice
was signed.
During their period of action, they gave excellent service, and the
following words of commendation were given the 351st Regiment by their
commander: