History, as made in France by the Negro soldier, falls naturally into two divisions; that which was made by the bodies of troops which had an organization prior to the war, and whether trained or not, could lay claim to an understanding of the first principles of military science; and that made by the raw selectives—­the draft soldiers—­to whom the art of war was a closed book, something never considered as likely to affect their scheme of life and never given more than a passing thought.

We have followed the first phase of it in the wonderful combat-records of the colored National Guard, its volunteers and recruits.  We have seen them like a stone wall bearing the brunt of attack from the finest shock troops of the Kaiser’s Army.  We have seen them undaunted by shot and shell, advancing through the most terrific artillery fire up to that time ever concentrated; rout those same troops, hold their ground and even advance under the most powerful counter attack which the enemy could deliver.  We have followed them from trench to plain, to valley and into the mountains and read the story of their battles under all those varying conditions.  We have pitied them in their trials, sympathized with their wounded and ill, been saddened by their lists of dead and finally have seen the survivors come home; have seen them cheered and feted as no men of their race ever were cheered and feted before.

Much of the nation’s pride in them was due to the fact that it knew them as fighting men; at least as men who were organized for fighting purposes before the war.  When they marched away and sailed we had confidence in them; were proud of their appearance, their spirit, their willingness to serve.  The country felt they would not fail to clothe with luster their race and maintain the expectations of them.  That they fulfilled every expectation and more; had come back loaded with honors; finer, manlier men than ever, increased the nation’s pride in them.

Now we come to a contemplation of the other class; the men who knew nothing of military life or military matters; who, most of them, wished to serve but never dreamed of getting the opportunity.  Many of them employed in the cotton fields or residing in the remote corners of the country, hardly knew there was a war in progress.  Some of them realized that events out of the ordinary were transpiring through the suddenly increased demand for their labor and the higher wages offered them.  But that Uncle Sam would ever call them to serve in his army and even to go far across seas to a shadowy—­to them, far off land, among a strange people; speaking a strange language, had never occurred to most of them even in dreams.

Then all of a sudden came the draft summons.  The call soon penetrated to the farthest nooks of our great land; surprised, bewildered but happy, the black legions began to form.

It already has been noted that with the exception of the 371st regiment, which went to the 93rd Division, the selectives who saw service in the fighting areas, were all in the 92nd Division.  This was a complete American division, brigaded with its own army, commanded through the greater part of its service by Major General Ballou and towards the end by Major General Martin.