ot
given that cordial welcome by their brother officers, becoming an
"officer and gentleman," both to give and to receive. Of course there
were some noble exceptions, and this class of officers seems to be
steadily increasing, so that now it is no longer necessary, even on
the ground of expediency, to strive to adhere to the rule of only
white men for army officers. Of Alexander and Young it can be said
they have acquitted themselves well, the former enjoying the
confidence and esteem of his associates up to the time of his early
death--an event which caused deep regret--and the latter so impressing
the Governor of his State and the President as to secure for himself
the responsible position which he, at the time of this writing, so
worthily fills. Besides these line officers, five colored chaplains
have been appointed, all of whom have served successfully, one,
however, being dismissed by court-martial after many years of really
meritorious service, an event to be regretted, but by no means without
parallel.

Brief sketches of the history of these four colored regiments, as well
as of the others, have been recently made by members of them and
published in the Journal of the Military Service Institution and
subsequently in a large and beautiful volume edited by
Brigadier-General Theo. F. Rodenbough and Major William L. Haskin,
published by the Institution and designated "The Army of the United
States," a most valuable book of reference. From the sketches
contained therein the following summary is given.

The Twenty-fourth Infantry was organized, as we have seen, from the
38th and 41st Regiments, these two regiments being at the time
distributed in New Mexico, Louisiana and Texas, and the regiment
remained in Texas from the time of its organization in 1869 until
1880. Its first Lieutenant-Colonel was William R. Shafter. It was
from this regiment and the Tenth Cavalry that the escort of Paymaster
Wham was selected which made so brave a stand against a band of
robbers that attacked the paymaster that several of them were given
medals for distinguished gallantry, and others certificates of merit.
The Twenty-fifth Infantry was organized in New Orleans out of the
39th, that was brought from North Carolina for that purpose, and the
40th, that was then in Louisiana. It was organized during the month of
April, 1869, and early in 1870 moved to Texas, where it remained ten
years. In 1880 it moved to the Department of Dakota and