s before a mass
convention of colored citizens of Ohio, held in Cleveland, in which he
spoke principally of the colored soldier. During the convention the
"Cleveland Light Artillery" fired a salute, and on the platform were
seated several veteran colored men, some of them, particularly Mr.
John Julius, of Pittsburg, Pa., taking part in the speech-making. Mr.
Nell says: "Within recent period several companies of colored men in
New York city have enrolled themselves a la militaire," and quotes
from the New York Tribune of August, 1852, as follows:

"COLORED SOLDIERS.--Among the many parades within a few days
we noticed yesterday a soldierly-looking company of colored
men, on their way homeward from a target or parade drill.
They looked like men, handled their arms like men, and
should occasion demand, we presume they would fight like
men."

In Boston, New Haven, New Bedford and other places efforts were made
during the decade from 1850 to 1860 to manifest this rising military
spirit by appropriate organization, but the efforts were not always
successful. In some cases the prejudices of the whites put every
possible obstacle in the way of the colored young men who attempted to
array themselves as soldiers.

The martial spirit is not foreign to the Negro character, as has been
abundantly proved in both ancient and modern times. Williams, in his
admirable history of the Negro as well as in his "Negro Troops in the
Rebellion," has shown at considerable length that the Negro has been a
soldier from earliest times, serving in large numbers in the Egyptian
army long before the beginning of the Christian era. We know that
without any great modification in character, runaway slaves developed
excellent fighting qualities as Maroons, in Trinidad, British Guiana,
St. Domingo and in Florida. But it was in Hayti that the unmixed Negro
rose to the full dignity of a modern soldier, creating and leading
armies, conducting and carrying on war, treating with enemies and
receiving surrenders, complying fully with the rules of civilized
warfare, and evolving finally a Toussaint, whose military genius his
most bitter enemies were compelled to recognize--Toussaint, who to the
high qualities of the soldier added also the higher qualities of
statesmanship. With Napoleon, Cromwell and Washington, the three great
commanders of modern times who have joined to high military talent
eminent ability in the art of civil