are soldiers." "They know we are soldiers," was his reply.
When the people of this country, like the members of that
Massachusetts regiment, come to know that its black men in uniform are
soldiers, plain soldiers, with the same interests and feelings as
other soldiers, of as much value to the government and entitled from
it to the same attention and rewards, then a great step toward the
solution of the prodigious problem now confronting us will have been
taken.

* * * * *

Note.--"I had often heard that the physique of the men of
our regular army was very remarkable, but the first time I
saw any large body of them, which was at Tampa, they
surpassed my highest expectations. It is not, however, to be
wondered at that, for every recruit who is accepted, on the
average thirty-four are rejected, and that, of course, the
men who present themselves to the recruiting officer already
represent a physical 'elite'; but it was very pleasant to
see and be assured, as I was at Tampa, by the evidences of
my own eyes and the tape measure, that there is not a guard
regiment of either the Russian, German or English army, of
whose remarkable physique we have heard so much, that can
compare physically, not with the best of our men, but simply
with the average of the men of our regular army."--Bonsal.

FOOTNOTES:

[9] The army has been reorganized since. See Register.

[10] "My experience in this direction since the war is beyond that of
any officer of my rank in the army. For ten years I had the honor of
being lieutenant-colonel of the Ninth Cavalry, and during most of that
service I commanded garrisons composed in part of the Ninth Cavalry
and other organizations of cavalry and infantry. I have always found
the colored race represented in the army obedient, intelligent and
zealous in the discharge of duty, brave in battle, easily disciplined,
and most efficient in the care of their horses, arms and equipments.
The non-commissioned officers have habitually shown the qualities for
control in their position which marked them as faithful and sensible
in the discharge of their duties. I take pleasure in bearing witness
as above in the interest of the race you represent." WESLEY MERRITT.

[11] See chapter on Colored Officers.

[12] Young is now captain in the Ninth Cavalry.--T.G.S.

[13] The colored regulars were embarked on the fol