The American Negro tried to talk at the same time and both of them endeavoring to make the other understand, increased the volumes of their tones until they were standing there waving their arms and shouting into one another's faces.

The American gave it up.
"'My Gawd', he said shaking his head as he recrossed the street and joined his comrades, 'this is sure some funny country.

They got the ignorantest colored people here I ever saw.'" It has been noted that the first Negro combatant regiment to reach France was the celebrated National Guard organization known as the 15th New York Infantry, rechristened the 369th when made a part of the 93rd division of the United States army.

This was such a well drilled and equipped regiment that early in the war it was permitted to go across with the first 100,000; all of which was due to the aggressiveness and insistence of its white commander, Colonel William Hayward.

He simply gave the war department no rest, stating that he was willing his men should unload ships, fell trees and build docks or cantonments so long as they were permitted to sail.
The regiment had been organized by Colonel Hayward at the suggestion of Governor Whitman of New York.