CORPS D’AFRIQUE.
As early as October, 1861, Dr. Delany, when _en route_ to Chicago,
stopped at Adrian, Michigan, for the purpose of seeing President Mahan,
of the Michigan College. The subject of the war, which was then being
earnestly waged, instantly became the theme of conversation, and the
rôle of the colored American as an actor on its board was the principal
feature therein. How and what to do to obtain admission to the service,
was the question to which Dr. Delany demanded a solution. He stated
that it had become inseparable with his daily existence, almost
absorbing everything else, and nothing would content him but entering
the service; he cared not how, provided his admission recognized the
rights of his race to do so.
To this President Mahan assented, and expressed himself as willing to
sacrifice his high social position and literary worth for the cause of
his country and humanity. He further expressed himself as being willing
and ready to enter the service on conditions that should be specified,
he having received a military education in his youth.
He proposed to apply to President Lincoln for a major general’s
commission, with authority to raise a division of blacks. Dr. Delany
at once proposed that the application be made specially for a corps
d’Afrique for signal service from the white division of the army. This
was prior to the application of Dr. Gloucester to Mr. Lincoln for such
an organization for Major General Fremont, or the order to General N.
P. Banks.
His main reason in urging the corps d’Afrique was, he claimed, with his
usual pride of race, that the origin and dress of the Zouaves d’Afrique
were strictly _African_.
To President Mahan, on that occasion, he gave the following history of
their formation:--
“That it was during the Algerine war waged by the Duc
d’Orleans, eldest son of Louis Philippe, against Abdel-Kader,
the Arab, the Zouave obtained that fame which recommended it to
civilized nations.
“The French had their three grand armies of ten thousand; the
struggle had been long, desperate, and costly to the French,
both in men and materials of war, and the campaign began to
wane, till
‘A Moorish king went up and down,
Through Granada’s royal town,’
and the services of the African warriors were tendered to the
Duc d’Orleans by an African prince.
“When, in a terrible charge, the duke, receiving a shot through
the thigh, was unhorsed, and fell bleeding to the ground, the
desperate Arabs, amid the wild shouts of their leaders, charged
on their steeds with open mouths and distended nostrils, their
javelins drawn for the fatal thrust, those faithful black
Zouaves, eighteen hundred, mounted upon jet stallions, rushed
to the conflict, in turn charging, and turned the front of
their antagonists with double-edged sabres, cut through the
ranks of the shrieking enemy, covered the duke with their
shields, and bore him away in triumph from the field.
“It was for services such as these in a long and bloody
struggle, that could not have been brought to a close without
such aid, that the African Zouaves, who served in the Algerine
war, were taken as veteran troops with the French to Europe,
and their dress and tactics introduced as a part of the
military service of the French.
“It was observed years ago by persons visiting Hayti, without
their comprehending it closely, perhaps, that the soldiers of
that island had peculiar tactics,--‘throwing themselves upon
the earth,’ and, as one writer observed, turning upon their
backs, then upon their sides, so swiftly that it was hard to
determine what they were, all the time keeping up a continual
‘load and fire.’ This was, doubtless, nothing but the original
Zouave tactics introduced long years ago by native Africans
among these people.”
Before leaving, President Mahan proposed to make the application, as
previously agreed upon between them, and, if successful, to give Dr.
Delany an appointment compatible with his desires. The latter proposed
to avoid encroaching on army regulations as then being the policy;
that he should receive the position of private medical adviser and
confidential bearer of despatches, which would not interfere with any
official position of army officers, and at the same time giving him the
opportunity of being near the general’s person, to obtain the military
experience he desired, which he knew would render him of service in the
event of the government accepting the aid of the colored troops, by
admitting those fitted to proper positions.
With this understanding he left President Mahan, confident, if it was
possible for his desires to be accomplished, that all endeavors would
be used. Instead of hearing of the success of his plans, he soon saw
them fade before him, like a dream before awakened realities, by seeing
the order published giving authority to Major General N. P. Banks to
raise a corps d’Afrique immediately for the service.
But this did not prevent him from looking to a brighter prospect for
his race.
“As this placed us fairly in the war,” he said, “thanking God, I became
satisfied, and took courage.”
Thus, while it proved an individual failure for his plans, as it was
a gain to his race, it was as to himself, and his unselfish nature
received fresh stimulant to labor to promote further recognition for
them.