Thomas Mack Discharge papers

Discharge papers of Pvt. Thomas Hicks, a McDowell County resident, Post member, and Army veteran of the Spanish American War. He served with Company "D" of the 9th Battalion (Colored) of the Ohio Volunteer Infantry. The discharge paper is signed by Major Charles Young, the third black graduate of West Point, the first National Park superintendant, and the highest ranking regular Army officer (Lt. Colonel) at the outbreak of WWI. Because the racist policies of the Army stipulated that there should be no African American officers above the rank of Captain, Army command retired Young at the start of the war, citing failure to pass his physical. In protest, Young rode his horse "Dolly" from his home in Xenia, Ohio to Washington, D.C. in 16 days to prove his fitness for duty. As the war was winding to an end, he was finally reinstated, but sent to Camp Grant Illinois, and later served in Liberia as military attache.