enant A.L. Moncure to Company "G."
Second Lieutenant Geo. W. Richardson, Company "G." First Lieutenant
Edwin T. Walker transferred to Company "C." November 1st officers
attempted to take charge of the men who offered no violence at all,
but by their manner and conduct it appeared too unpleasant and unsafe
for these officers to remain, so tendered their resignations, but they
were withheld for a day.

The next day, November 2, 1898, it was thought best that the colored
Captains and Lieutenants would drill the companies at the 9 o'clock
drill. While on the field "recall" was sounded and the companies were
brought to the headquarters and formed a street column. General Bates,
commanding the Corps and his staff; Col. Kuert, commanding the Brigade
and Brigade staff; Maj. Louis V. Caziarc, Assistant Adjutant-General:
Lieut. Col. Croxton and Maj. Johnson were all there and spoke to the
men. Colonel Kuert said: "Gentlemen, as commanding officer of the
Brigade, I appear before you to-day asking you to do your duty; to be
good soldiers, to remember your oath of enlistment, and to be careful
as to the step you take, for it might cost you your life; that there
are enough soldiers at my command to force you into submission should
you resist. No, if you intend to accept the situation and submit to
these officers placed over you, at my command, you come to a right
shoulder, and if you have any grievance imaginary or otherwise
present through proper military channels, and if they are proper, your
wrongs will be adjusted."

"Right shoulder, Arms." Did not a man move. He then ordered them to be
taken back to their company street and to "stack arms."

Before going to the company streets Major Caziarc spoke to the men as
follows: "Forty years ago no Negro could bear arms or wear the blue.
You cannot disgrace the blue, but can make yourselves unworthy to wear
it."

Then Maj. J.B. Johnson spoke to the men and urged upon them to keep
in mind the oath of enlistment (which he read to them), in which they
swore that they would "obey all officers placed over them;" that since
the appointments had been made there was nothing for them to do but to
accept the situation. At the conclusion of Maj. Johnson's talk to the
men, Private Badger, Regimental Tailor, stepped to the front and gave
the "rifle salute" and asked permission to say a word. It was granted.
He said: "When we enlisted we understood that we would go with
our colored officers anywhe