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The 24th Infantry - Wham Paymaster Robbery Heroes
By June of 1888 the Regiment, containing former members of the 38th and
41st U.S. Colored Troops moved into Arizona with parts of it still in New
Mexico at Fort Bayard. They were sent to Fort Huachuca in 1892 with
companies A, B, C, and H using the Fort as Headquarters. They were in the
area of San Carlos when the Wham Paymaster Robbery took place. This
robbery was a wester style ambush that brought about heroics among
the Military Escort as one man crawled along distance on his knees to
get help. Several men received medals for their bravery. The event took
place on May 11, 1889 and the payroll for the soldiers of Ft. Thomas,
Ft. Apache and San Carlos was taken from its Military Escort that was
commanded by Maj. Joseph W. Wham. The $29,000.00 was never recovered.
The 25th Infantry
(Black Bicycle Corps, Lt. Moss, Flag Day Originator)
The act of Congress of July 28,1866 that brought about the 25th by the
consolidation of the 39th and 40th U.S Colored Troops was spelled out
in general order 16 of the War Department on March 11, 1869.
This regiment spent ten years in Texas. By May 1888 it was sent to Fort
Missoula, Montana. It was there that the Black Bicycle Corps was
organized under Lt. Moss, a young white officer. One of their most
outstanding events was to make a 1900 bicycle ride from Montana to St
Louis, which began on June 14, 1897. Along the way people came out and
waved flags at Lt. Moss and his 20 black volunteer bike riders. This
young white officer was a west point graduate from Louisiana. By 1922
he retired as Colonel and he is one of the originators of Flag Day, which
takes place on June 14th.
This group could "Jump Fence" with their bikes. This was a special
technique that enabled the Corps to clear a nine foot fence in 20
seconds. In preparation for the long hike this group made other hikes to
Yellowstone Park, to Lake Mac Donald and other places around Fort Missoula.
While in Arizona, some were located around Nogales, Arizona at Camp
Stephen D. Little. and lived there. Some were a part of the
last Indian War at that area.
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