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 anywhere in or out of this country, and when
vacancies occurred we expected and looked for promotion as was the
policy of the Governor of Virginia toward other Virginia Regiments."
He was told that if the men had any grievance they could present it
through military channels and it would be looked into.
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