African Americans in the Military, Revised Edition
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AfricAn AmericAns in the militAry Revised Edition Catherine Reef Note on Photos Many of the illustrations and photographs used in this book are old, historical images. The quality of the prints is not always up to current standards, as in some cases the originals are from old or poor quality negatives or are damaged. The content of the illustrations, however, made their inclusion important despite problems in reproduction. African Americans in the Military, Revised Edition Copyright © 2010 by Catherine Reef All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage or retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the publisher. For information contact: Facts On File, Inc. An imprint of Infobase Publishing 132 West 31st Street New York NY 10001 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Reef, Catherine. African Americans in the military / Catherine Reef.—Rev. ed. p. cm.—(A to Z of African Americans) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-0-8160-7839-4 (acid-free paper) ISBN 978-1-4381-3096-5 (e0book) 1. United States—Armed Forces—African Americans—Biography—Dictionaries. 2. African American soldiers—Biography—Dictionaries. I. Title. U52.R42 2010 355.0089’96073—dc22 2009031298 Facts On File books are available at special discounts when purchased in bulk quantities for businesses, associations, institutions, or sales promotions. Please call our Special Sales Department in New York at (212) 967-8800 or (800) 322-8755. You can find Facts On File on the World Wide Web at http://www.factsonfile.com Excerpts included herewith have been reprinted by permission of the copyright holders; the author has made every effort to contact copyright holders. The publishers will be glad to rectify, in future editions, any errors or omissions brought to their notice. Text design by Joan M. Toro Composition by Hermitage Publishing Services Cover printed by Sheridan Books, Ann Arbor, Mich. Book printed and bound by Sheridan Books, Ann Arbor, Mich. Date printed: June 2010 Printed in the United States of America 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 This book is printed on acid-free paper. CONTENTS List of Entries v Acknowledgments vii Introduction ix A-to-Z Entries 1–256 Bibliography and Recommended Sources 257 Ranks in the U.S. Military 259 U.S. Military Decorations in Order of Precedence 261 Entries by Branch of Service 262 Entries by Year of Birth 264 Index 266 LIST OF ENTRIES Adams-Ender, Clara Leach Cadoria, Sherian Grace Gaston, Mack Charles Alexander, Clifford Leopold, Jr. Cailloux, Andre Gooding, James Henry Alexander, John Hanks Carney, William Harvey Goodman, Robert Oliver, Jr. Allensworth, Allen Carter, Edward Allen, Jr. Gorden, Fred Augustus Anderson, James, Jr. Cartwright, Roscoe Conklin Goyens, William Anderson, Michael Philip Cary, Mary Ann Shadd Gravely, Samuel Lee, Jr. Archer, Lee A., Jr. Chambers, Lawrence Gregory, Frederick Drew Armistead, James Cleveland Hacker, Benjamin T. Armour, Vernice Charlton, Cornelius H. Hall, Charles B. Attucks, Crispus Cherry, Fred Vann Hall, William Edward Augusta, Alexander Thomas Cochran, Donnie L. Harris, Marcelite Jordan Austin, Lloyd James, III Cooper, J. Gary Hastie, William Henry Baker, Vernon Joseph Cromwell, Oliver Haynes, Lemuel Barnes, Samuel Edward Dabney, Austin Healy, Michael A. Beaty, Powhatan Davis, Benjamin O., Jr. Howard, Michelle J. Becton, Julius Wesley, Jr. Davis, Benjamin O., Sr. Huff, Edgar R., Jr. Bivins, Horace Wayman Davison, Frederic Ellis Hull, Agrippa Black, Barry C. Delany, Martin Robison James, Chappie Bluford, Guion S., Jr. Denison, Franklin A. Joel, Lawrence Bolden, Charles F., Jr. Dorman, Isaiah Johnson, Gilbert H. Bowser, Mary Elizabeth Doughty, Gene Johnson, Henry Branch, Frederick C. Earley, Charity Adams Johnson, Shoshana Nyree Brashear, Carl Maxie Europe, James Reese Johnson-Brown, Hazel Brooks, Vincent K. Fields, Arnold Winifred Brown, Erroll M. Fields, Evelyn J. Jordan, George Brown, Jesse Fishburne, Lillian Elaine Law, Oliver Brown, Jesse Leroy Fleetwood, Christian Lawrence, Robert Henry, Jr. Brown, Roscoe Conkling, Jr. Abraham Lew, Barzillai Brown, Wesley Anthony Flipper, Henry Ossian Louis, Joe Bryant, Cunningham C. Forten, James Miller, Dorie Bullard, Eugene Jacques Gaskin, Walter E., Sr. Mulzac, Hugh Nathaniel v vi African Americans in the Military Newton, Lloyd W. Rogers, Charles Calvin Tye Olive, Milton Lee, III Salem, Peter Vashon, John Bathan O’Reilly, Salaria Kee Savary, Joseph Waddy, Harriet West Penn, Robert Scott, Emmett Jay Waller, Calvin Agustine Petersen, Frank Emmanuel, Jr. Simmons, Bettye Hill Hoffman Pinchback, Pinckney Benton Sissle, Noble Lee Walley, Augustus Stewart Smalls, Robert Ward, William Edward Pitts, Riley Leroy Stance, Emanuel Watson, George Plummer, Henry Vinton Stowers, Freddie West, Togo Dennis, Jr. Poor, Salem Sweeney, Robert White, William Andrew Powell, Colin Luther Taylor, Susie Baker King Williams, Cathay Prioleau, George Washington Theus, Lucius Wilson, Johnnie Edward Reason, Joseph Paul Thomas, Charles Leroy Woodward, Luther Rivers, Prince Thompson, William Henry Wright, Bruce McMarion Rivers, Ruben Trowell-Harris, Irene Young, Charles Robinson, Hugh Granville Tubman, Harriet Ross Zimmerman, Matthew Robinson, Roscoe, Jr. Turner, Henry McNeal Augustus, Jr. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS wish to thank General J. Gary Cooper, U.S. Marine Corps, retired; I General Fred A. Gorden, U.S. Army, retired; and Dr. Roscoe C. Brown, Jr., for their assistance and interest in this book. All three were generous with their time. vii INTRODUCTION n 1898, the actor Mason Mitchell became a fight against a biased majority for recognition. In Inational celebrity when he left the New York times of war, blacks in uniform hoped that prov- stage to enlist in the Rough Riders, Teddy Roos- ing themselves equal to their white comrades evelt’s regiment of cowboys and aristocrats that would gain them opportunities in civilian life. fought in the Spanish-American War. Mitchell Although such expectations were repeatedly frus- was wounded in the July 1 assault on a Spanish trated, the heroism of African Americans was stronghold, the village of El Caney, Cuba; but by essential to building and defending the United December 26 he had recovered enough to regale States. an audience in Richmond, Virginia, with tales of Americans honor a fugitive from slavery, Cris- his wartime adventures. pus Attucks of Boston, as the first person to die in The crowd that packed the Academy of Music the struggle for independence. On March 5, 1770, that afternoon cheered vociferously as Mitchell Attucks led an angry protest against the presence described his unit’s gallantry at El Caney and at of British troops in his city. The crowd’s taunting San Juan Hill, site of a second and more impor- drew gunfire from the red-coated British soldiers, tant U.S. victory. Then the actor paused in his and Attucks and several of his followers met their rousing account to pay tribute to the 10th Cav- death. alry, an African-American regiment that per- Despite the fact that African Americans fought formed heroically at San Juan Hill, and there were at Lexington and Concord in April 1775 and no more hurrahs. Instead, hisses filled the audito- helped to win other early battles, George Wash- rium, and there were shouts of “Stop him” and ington and his generals were reluctant to accept “Put him out.” No longer able to make himself their services. On July 9, 1775, Washington’s heard, Mitchell rang down the curtain and left recruiting officer issued an order barring “any the stage. stroller, negro, or vagabond” from enlisting in the What happened in that lecture hall more than Continental army. Washington confirmed this a century ago reveals much about the challenges policy four months later, on November 12, when faced by African Americans in the armed forces, he again ordered blacks excluded from enlistment. not just in the 1890s, but from the time of the He soon learned, however, that Lord Dunmore, Revolutionary War through the middle of the the governor of Virginia, was increasing the Brit- 20th century and perhaps beyond. Throughout ish ranks by granting freedom to slaves who fought much of U.S. history, African Americans moti- for the Crown. On December 31, Washington vated by patriotism to serve their country had to therefore amended his policy and allowed free ix x African Americans in the Military African Americans to enlist. By 1778, most states included 100 African Americans. Chauncey took and the Continental Congress were also welcom- him to task, telling him, “I have yet to learn that ing enslaved African Americans into their armies the color of a man’s skin or the cut and trimmings with the understanding that military service of the coat can affect a man’s qualifications or would gain them their freedom. usefulness.” Indeed, those 100 black seamen African Americans, numbering roughly helped Perry defeat the British fleet in one of the 500,000 in a population of 2,600,000, were a most important armed conflicts of the war, the valuable source of manpower, and as many as Battle of Lake Erie, fought on September 10, 8,000 men of African descent fought for Ameri- 1813. can independence, most of them serving in In the fall of 1814, with a British force recently racially mixed units. They fought in nearly every landed at the mouth of the Mississippi River, Gen- battle of the war, from the first exchange of gun- eral Andrew Jackson appealed to the blacks of fire at Lexington to the siege of Yorktown in New Orleans to defend their city from capture 1781. African-American heroes of the Revolu- and promised them the same financial compensa- tion included Peter Salem, who is credited with tion that white soldiers received. He promised killing British major John Pitcairn in the Battle them as well “the applause and gratitude of your of Bunker Hill on June 17, 1775.