Soldier of the Tuentu-tourth-Lntantrp.
In 1917, while a debate over the
philosophy and administalton of milt­
tary criminal law was being heatedly
debated at th War Department. 13
African American soldiers were
hanged at Fort Sam Houston for mu­
tiny.
This case. and the dishonorable
discharge and imprisonment of a
·group of soldiers at Fort Bliss in San
Antonio have been referred to as the
. "Texas Mutiny Cases" which played
Significant roles in altering th Articles
of War. and reforming the military
justice system.
In the Ft. Bliss ca . court-martial
proceedings were instituted on a num­
ber of non-commissioned officers
while under arrest for minor infrac­
tions because they refused to att nd a
drill formation.
Although an Army regulation pro-.
vtded that a non-commissioned officer
while under arrest should riot attend
a drill, these men were brought up on
Charges of mutiny. found guilty, dis­
honorably di harged from the serv­
ice .. and s ntenc d to 10-20 year
terms.
However. the major ven t during
World War I that would for ast
Change in the review of court-martial
proceedings would occur at Ft. Sam
Hou ton in a make shift courtroom
which was the base's chapel.
It was the largest murder trial in the
history of the United States.
Althou h th Army. eventually
char 1 18 men. 63 African Arneri­
can soldi rs of the Tw nty-fourth In­
fantry R irn nt stood trial after the .
August 23. 1 17 Houston riot.
rea ted in March. 18 th
Twenty-fourth Regiment earn dts-
tinction in storming San Juan Hill, in
Cuba. They also fought in the Phtltp­
pines, and aft ran assi nm nt in New
Mexico headed to Texas for wh t th y
thought would b a stopov r for order
Camp Logan ourt-Martial proceeding
to 1 ht in World War I, but inst d
they rvcd uard. t h mp
Logan con tr uctton it outsld Hou .
ton.
The cond inciden t occurred wh n
a provost guard went to town to ques­
tion th first b tin. When h did not
return, rumors spr d th t he h d
been killed. Although. he did return to
the camp. this did not calm the 01-
dier . On that rainy. dark Augus ve­
rung, soldiers from th Tw my-fourth
loaded their rtfl sand haded to town.
In the aftermath. 15 white men. civil­
tans, pol1c officers and Na tional
Guardsmen w re ktll
Although the Army v ntu lly
char ed 11m n of the Twcn t - fourth
Infantry. 63 w nt on trial in th fir t
of three court-martial proc din s.
They pleaded "not ulllty" to 11
charges, and w r r pre nted b
stngl def n couns 1.
After 22 days of deliberation. 196
witnesses, 2,100 pages of testimony,
following adjournment on November
23, the panel of presiding officers con­
demned 13 men to death, 41 to life at
h d labor. four to shorter prison sen­
tences. and acquitted the remaining
five oldiers.
Th 63 oldlers were not told ofthelr
fate until December 9. Their only re­
qu st w s to be shot. not hanged. This
r qu st was turned down .
On December 11, they were loaded
in to truck early in the morning, and
driven to a hastily erected wooden
. affold where they were hanged.
Th ir gr ves were marked only with
their names, and numbered 1 through
13, nothing el was inscribed on their
tom bstones.
The ca ,which received national
cov r e. was not made public until
lmost 60 years later.
There was no appeal process within
the military judicial system at that
time.
To pr vent a recurrence of injustice,
th War Department on January 17,
1918. issued General Order No. 7
which required that execution in any
ca e of soldier be suspended pend­
in review and a determination of le­
gality by the Office of The Judge
Advocate G neral,
Today. the board of mil1tary review
set forth in General Order No. 7 i
h ded by an African American. He Is
Brl adi r General Kenneth O. Gray.
ommander of the U.S. Army Legal
rvi s Ag ncy, and Chief J udg
. . Army Court of Mil1tary Review.
(RepnntedfromNou imber 1991 is ue
of the National Bar As tation Magaztne)