in command in France. Whenever any occasion arose where trouble had occurred between white and colored soldiers, the burden of proof always rested on the colored man. All discrimination was passed unnoticed and nothing was done to protect the men who were under his command. Prior to General Bullard's suggestion that some order be issued encouraging the troops for the good work that they had done on the Vosges and Marbache fronts, there had been nothing done to encourage the men and officers. It seemed that instead of trying to increase the moral of the division, it was General Ballou's intention to discourage the men as much as possible. His action in censuring officers in the presence of enlisted men was an act that tended toward breaking down the confidence that the men had in their officers. Ballou pursued this method on innumerable occasions.
On one occasion, Ballou referred to his division, in talking to another officer, as the "Rapist Division." He constantly cast aspersion on the work of the Black officers and permitted other White officers to do the same in his presence. One incident took place in the office of the Assistant Chief of Staff at Bourbon-les-Bains: The staff had just been organized and several General Headquarters officers were at Headquarters advising relative to the organization of the different officers. These officers were in conversation with General Ballou, Colonel Greer, the Chief of Staff, Major Hickox, and Brigadier-General Hay. In the course of the conversation, Brigadier-General Hay made the remark that "In my opinion there is no better soldier than the Negro, but God damn a `Nigger' officer!" This remark was made in the presence of General Ballou and was the occasion for much laughter.
After the 92nd Division moved from the Argonne forest to the Marbache Sector, the 368th Infantry was held in reserve at Pompey. It was at this place that General Ballou ordered all of the enlisted men and officers of the unit to congregate and receive an address to be delivered to them by him. No one had any idea as to the nature of his address. On the afternoon designated, the men and officers assembled on the ground, which was used as a drill-ground. At this time the officers were severely reprimanded relative to the operation that had taken place in the Argonne forest. The General advised the officers in the presence of the enlisted men, that in his opinion they were cowards. Furthermore, the Black officers had failed; and that "they did not have the guts" that made brave men. This speech was made to the officers in the presence of all of the enlisted men of the 368th Infantry and was an act contrary to all traditions of the Army.
When Mr. Ralph Tyler, the accredited correspondent of the War Department reached the Headquarters of the 92nd Division and was presented to General Ballou, he was received with the utmost indifference and nothing was done to enable him to reach the units at the front in order to gain the information which he desired. After Mr. Tyler was presented to General Ballou, the General walked out of the office of the Chief of Staff with Mr. Tyler walked into the office of the Adjutant, where all the enlisted men worked. Ballou and stood directly in front of the desk of the Black officer, who was seated in the office of the Adjutant, and in a loud voice said to Mr. Tyler. "I regard the Black officer as a distinct failure. He is cowardly and has none of the traits which go to make a successful officer." This expression was made in the presence of all of the enlisted personnel and in a tone of voice loud enough for all of them to hear.
General Ballou's Chief of Staff was a White Georgian. From first day his malign influence was felt and he openly sought political influence to antagonize his own troops. General _____, Commanding Officer of the _____ (92nd Division), said to Major Patterson (Black), Division Judge-Advocate, that there was a consorted action on the part of the White officers throughout France to discredit upon the men and officers and to withhold anything that would bring to these men praise or commendation.
