Washington, D.C., August 17, 1898.
Editor Colored American: The Star of this city published the following dispatch in its issue of the 16th inst. The Washington Post next morning published the same dispatch, omitting the last paragraph; and yet the Post claims to publish the news, whether pleasing or otherwise. The selection of the 8th Illinois colored regiment for this important duty, to replace a disorderly white regiment, is a sufficient refutation of a recent editorial in the Post, discrediting colored troops with colored officers. The Eighth Illinois is a colored regiment from Colonel down. The Generals at the front know the value of Negro troops, whether the quill-drivers in the rear do or not.
CHARLES R. DOUGLASS.
The following is the dispatch referred to by Major Douglass. The headlines of the Star are retained.
Immunes Made Trouble--General Shafter Orders the Second Regiment Outside the City of Santiago--Colored Troops from Illinois Assigned to the Duty of Preserving Order and Property.
Santiago de Cuba, Aug. 16.--General Shafter to-day ordered the Second Volunteer Regiment of Immunes to leave the city and go into camp outside.
The regiment had been placed here as a garrison, to preserve order and protect property. There has been firing of arms inside of the town by members of this regiment, without orders, so far as known. Some of the men have indulged in liquor until they have verged upon acts of license and disorder. The inhabitants in some quarters have alleged loss of property by force and intimidation, and there has grown up a feeling of uneasiness, if not alarm, concerning them. General Shafter has, therefore, ordered this regiment into the hills, where discipline can be more severely maintained.
In place of the Second Volunteer Immune Regiment, General Shafter has ordered into the city the Eighth Illinois Volunteer Regiment of colored troops , in whose sobriety and discipline he has confidence, and of whose sturdy enforcement of order no doubt is felt by those in command.
SKETCH OF SIXTH VIRGINIA VOLUNTEERS.
The Sixth Virginia Volunteer Infantry, U.S.V., consisted of two battalions, first and second Battalion Infantry Virginia Volunteers (State militia), commanded respectively by Maj. J.B. Johnson and Maj. W.H. Johnson. In April, 1898, the war cloud was hanging over the land. Governor J. Hoge Tyler, of Virginia, under instructions from the War Department, sent to all Virginia volunteers inquiring how many men in the respective commands were willing to enlist in the United States volunteer service in the war against Spain.