Captain Blackman by John A. Williams

Author:John A. Williams
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781504032643
Publisher: Open Road Media

14

Cadences

There was no doubt about it as the generals gathered at Chaumont, Haute-Marne; the German spring offensive had been broken. Now it was all up to the Allies to run the Germans back home and bottle up the war. Even now General Pershing was out on a tour of training camps to see if the A.E.F. was ready for the big push.

His generals found him too cautious, not a fighter, but a pacifist, a marrier of politician’s daughters. Pershing wanted a million men before commencing the A.E.F.’s push; there were now a million and a quarter in France, and obviously, the tide had turned in the Allies’ favor; peace rumors filled the streets every day; young boys were being captured in German trenches. Still, Pershing waited, pleading time for additional training for the Americans.

Now, in the Commander in Chief’s absence, they were trying to ascertain which American units had been blooded and could spearhead the A.E.F. attack, get it going before it was all over, before the promotions ran out. Experienced troops could get going now and as each training unit completed its work, it would be poured into line.

“How about CHARLOTTE and LEONA?”

There was a momentary silence. Each general knew the speaker meant the 92nd and the 93rd divisions.

“The niggers,” another general said with a sigh.

“They’ve done well with the French. Fairly well. Good enough for our purposes.…”

“Goybet loves them.”

“He doesn’t have much else to love, that’s why.”

“We ought to get them back. Use them as shock troops, the way the French do with their niggers, Algerians, Asians, Moroccans. They’d fight even better with us; they’re Americans!”

“Hah!”

“Well, look, if we want to get moving before this thing ends.…”

“Yeah. Guess so. Let’s kick it up to Black Jack. That’s where he got his name, you know, he served with them—”

“Everyone here knows that—”

“Well, let’s do it.”

Drumtaps

FOCH TO PERSHING

August 26, 1918

My dear General:

The Chief of the French Military Mission with the American Army has transmitted to me the request which you addressed to him on August 16, for the purpose of securing the return of the American 369th, 370th, 371st and 372nd Infantry Regiments (Colored) which are actually on duty with the French Second and Fourth Armies, to your command. At present, such a move would have serious consequences: in fact, two of those regiments form part, as combat units, of a French division, while the other two are similarly assigned to two of our divisions. If, therefore, your suggestion was followed through, the Commanders-in-Chief of the French Armies of the North and Northeast would be obliged to immediately withdraw two of his divisions because, at the moment, he would be unable to bring them up to strength again; something that is unthinkable at this time. After thus bringing the facts to your attention, I feel sure that you will agree with me that any change made this day in the employment of the colored regiments of the American 93rd Division, which have been trained and used as combat units, would

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