With a population of 12,000,000 Negroes to draw from; the majority of those suitable for military service anxious to enlist, it readily can be seen what a force could have been added to this branch of the service had there been any encouragement of it.

There was not lacking a great number of the race, many of them college graduates, competent to act as officers of National Guard units.

Many of those commissioned during the Spanish-American war had the experience and age to fit them for senior regimental commands.

The 8th Illinois was commanded by Colonel Franklin A.Denison, a prominent colored attorney of Chicago and a seasoned military man.

He was the only colored man of the rank of Colonel who was permitted to go to France in the combatant or any other branch of the service.