Sidelights on Negro Soldiers

by Charles H. Williams

The allotment for Illinois under President McKinley’s call for 175,000 men was seven regiments of infantry and one of cavalry. When these eight regiments left for camp and the Ninth Battalion was not called to the colors, the Negro people felt that they were wilfully being kept out of the war with Spain. Shortly afterwards, however, John R. Tanner, who served as governor of the state during the Spanish-American War, called John R. Marshall to his office and suggested that he organize a regiment of Negro men, in which case he would be the first man of his race to bear the military title of Colonel; and the work of organization accordingly began.

President McKinley’s second call for 75,000 men on May 25, 1898, gave Governor Tanner an opportunity to carry out his promise to put the regiment into service. He ordered it to Springfield, where the work of recruiting continued until it reached war strength with 1195 men and 76 officers, and on July 23 John R. Marshall was sworn in as Colonel. While every other Illinois regiment had gone to Cuba and soldiers from all parts of the country were constantly embarking, the 8th remained at Camp Tanner in Illinois; and just about the time the Negro soldiers were getting discouraged over their prospects of taking part in real war, Governor Tanner visited the camp and in a speech said: “Even from the doors of the White House have I received letters asking and advising me not to officer this regiment with colored men, but I promised to do so, and I have done it. I shall never rest until I see this regiment, my regiment, on the soil of Cuba battling for the right and its kinsmen.”

It was not Spanish shot and shell that sent many Americans to their graves, but the hot climate of Cuba and its fevers; in some camps the sick and dying were found in every tent and the dead march was heard at every mess call. Yet when the men of the 8th were asked to go to Cuba to relieve the 1st Illinois whose men were dying daily, they readily said “Let’s go”; and their volunteering under the circumstances was especially commended by President McKinley.

On August 14, 1898, the regiment arrived in Cuba and immediately it attracted attention by its military precision. Some very efficient men were officers, among them Major Franklin A. Dennison, who served as judge of claims in Santiago. When the regiment returned on March 17, 1900, and marched down Michigan Avenue, it was given a great ovation by the citizens of Chicago. Much of its success had been due to the hard work of Colonel Marshall, who served until January 1, 1914. He was succeeded by Major Dennison, who took command January 12. During the next year the state legislature appropriated money for the erection of a new armory. The corner-stone of this was laid in 1915, and it was the first building of its kind for Negroes in America. In the course of the trouble with Mexico the 8th was sent to the border.

When war was declared against Germany, April 6, 1917, the regiment was sent to Texas for preparation. It was in Houston during the riots between the citizens and the soldiers of the 25th Infantry, but its record for discipline was upheld. For a while after the riots it was not thought safe for it to remain at Camp Logan, but the soldierly bearing of its officers and men demonstrated that such fears were unwarranted; and when the regiment left Texas for Newport News the citizens of Houston turned out to do it honor. Its arrival at Newport News, with a Negro colonel who placed Negro military police on the streets, created something of a sensation. On Washington’s Birthday, 1918, three companies, led by Colonel Dennison and the regimental band, went to Norfolk to take part in a demonstration to stimulate interest in the sale of war stamps, and for the first time in the history of the city Negro troops marched at the head of a procession of several thousand American soldiers, sailors, and marines.

The regiment did intensive training at Newport News until it sailed for France. It arrived in Brest April 22, 1918, spent two days in the barracks at Pontenazen, and then journeyed for three days to Grandvillars, a village near the town of Belfort and within three miles of the Swiss border. Here it received intensive training under French officers for six weeks. The regiment made excellent progress and was complimented on numerous occasions. It was supplied with French equipment, and during the training period and the time spent in quiet sectors it was attached to four different French divisions.

At the end of the first training period the regiment marched on June 12 and 13 to Morvillars, where it entrained for Ligny en Barrois (Meuse). It then moved near the town of Bar-le-Duc in the department of the Meuse. Here it was declared fit for active service, and on June 21 it was placed on the front line in a quiet sector in the St. Mihiel district for fourteen days. Leaving for the Argonne on July 19, it was placed in the Verdun sector on the plateau of Gorgia and at Hermont and Mont des Allieux. At the last named place, on July 24, the first casualty in action took place when Private Robert M. Lee of machine-gun company No. 2 was killed. The only other operation except the usual routine work was the raid of a Stokes mortar platoon, commanded by Lt. Robert A. Wood, on August 4. This was in the sub-sector of Vauquois. Three hundred rounds of ammunition were fired, the object being to fill up the gaps of the artillery barrage.

On August 15 the 370th was placed at the disposal of General Mangin, who was commander of the 10th Army and who ordered the regiment in reserve along the Curcq River. From this position it was taken on September 15 to the Soissons sector with the 59th Division in the area of Vauxaillon with the Ailette Canal and Alizy Château as its strong salients. The Third Battalion, commanded by Colonel Otis B. Duncan, succeeded in taking the southern boundary of the canal. Four rifle companies were detached with two French regiments and assisted in taking Mont des Singes. The fighting was severe. The 370th was usually in close support, but it also participated in several attacks, in all of which the objectives were gained.

For the first time, on September 22, the regiment was given a full sector extending from L’Écluse to a point 300 meters west of the crossing of the Pinon Braucourt road. The First Battalion went into a position on the Oise-Aisne Canal and the Farm Guilliminet, the Second into a support position at Mont des Tombs and Les Tueries and the slopes west of Antioche Farm, and the third into reserve at Tincelle Farm. The headquarters company was stationed at Levilly and the supply company at Monte Couve.

In the midst of the relief of the First and Second Battalions on the front line during the night of September 27, an attack was ordered at dawn. By the greatest effort the relief was completed and the Second Battalion, which was ordered to work, began offensive operations. These lasted three days. During the night, while the relief was being conducted, there was considerable mixing of units. It was difficult to maintain liaison and as a result one company advanced too far and a number of casualties resulted.