But it was also an
advance singularly inadequate and embarrassing. In one of these
colored volunteer, commonly called "immune" regiments, of the twelve
captains, but five had previous military training, while of the
twenty-four colored lieutenants, eighteen had previous military
experience, and three of the remaining six were promoted from the
ranks, so that at the time of their appointment twenty-one lieutenants
had previous military training. Of the five captains with previous
military experience, one, years ago, had been a lieutenant in the
Regular Army; another was promoted from Post Quartermaster-Sergeant; a
third at one time had been First Sergeant of Artillery; the remaining
two had more or less experience in the militia. Of the eighteen
lieutenants with previous military experience, twelve had served in
the Regular Army; eight of these, not one with a service less than
fifteen years, were promoted directly from the ranks of the regulars
for efficiency and gallantry. At the time of their promotion two were
Sergeants, five First Sergeants and one a Post Quartermaster-Sergeant.
The four others from the Regular Army had served five years each. Of
the six remaining Lieutenants with previous military experience, four
had received military training in high schools, three of whom were
subsequently officers in the militia; fifth graduated from a state
college with a military department; the sixth had been for years an
officer in the militia.
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