Fort Bliss Monitor

100 years later, Army redresses wrong to African-American chaplain

Eric Cramer
Army News Service

Capt. Henry Vinton Plummer, who was among the first African American chaplains in the U.S. Army, received an honorable discharge this week. He was dismissed from service in 1894.

WASHINGTON – More than 100 years after the court-martial of Chaplain Capt. Henry Vinton Plummer, the Army redressed a wrong and issued an honorable discharge to the one of the first African-Americans to be commissioned a chaplain in the Army.

Maj. Gen. David H. Hicks, U.S. Army chief of chaplains, said it was time the Army corrected its error.
“I am personally gratified that the Army Board for the Correction of Military Records, after 114 years, has restored Chaplain Capt. Henry Plummer to his rightful and deserved place in the history of the United States Army Chaplaincy,” Hicks said. “This action makes me proud of the Army in its willingness to right former injustice by granting his honorable discharge in recognition of his many years of selfless service, both before and after 1894.”

Hicks said Plummer was a historic figure in the Army, “I am especially proud of Chaplain Plummer's service to our Soldiers on America's frontier as a black chaplain whose heritage I share. I extend my congratulations and gratitude to Chaplain Plummer's descendants who brought this case to the Army's attention.”

Plummer’s military career actually began 30 years before the events that led to his dismissal from service. Born a slave in Prince George’s County, Maryland, in 1844, he joined the United States Navy in 1864, during the Civil War, serving as a Sailor aboard the USS Coeur de Lion.

Upon leaving the Navy at the end of the war, Plummer taught himself to read and write, and attended the Wayland Seminary, where he became a Baptist minister. He served as pastor of several churches in the District of Columbia before accepting a commission as an Army chaplain in 1884.
He served with the 9th Cavalry Regiment, the famous Buffalo Soldiers, as a chaplain for 10 years before he was dismissed from service.

“Plummer was an American pioneer,” said U.S. Army spokesman Dov Schwartz. “His actions were selfless.”
Plummer was responsible for the pastoral care of the regiment’s troopers and for the education of the troopers and their families, as many had not had prior schooling.

Plummer was dismissed from service in 1894 after facing a court-martial on the grounds of conduct unbecoming an officer. A dismissal for an officer is the equivalent of a dishonorable discharge for an enlisted Soldier.

The facts of his case are largely undisputed, said Schwartz. In 1894, Plummer, who was serving as the chaplain for the 9th Cavalry Regiment, joined the regiment’s sergeant major and two other non-commissioned officers to celebrate a sergeant’s promotion. There was general agreement that Plummer and the non-commissioned officers toasted the promotion with alcohol and that Plummer had an altercation with a noncommissioned officer.

In the resulting court-martial, all witnesses agreed that Plummer had consumed alcohol with enlisted troopers and had provided enlisted troopers with alcohol, both activities considered offenses as conduct unbecoming an officer under the Articles of War in use at the time. President Grover Cleveland approved Plummer’s dismissal in November of 1894.

Plummer requested that his commission be reinstated several times, volunteering for service in combat during the Spanish-American War in 1898, and to serve in the Philippines following that war. His requests were denied.

Schwartz said Plummer faced discrimination because he was the only African-American officer in the regiment. In the military tradition of the period, officers of European ancestry commanded African-Americans.
In 2004, Plummer’s great-grand nephew requested that the Army review his ancestor’s case, asking that the records of the Army be corrected to show the court-martial was overturned and expunged and that Plummer be issued an honorable discharge.

The Army Board for the Correction of Military Records reviewed the case. While it did not overturn the court martial, it concluded that racism extant at the time contributed to Plummer’s treatment and the characterization of his service that led to the dismissal. The board determined Plummer deserved an honorable discharge to restore equity.

“He had honorable service to his country during the Civil War, and for 10 years in the 9th Cavalry,” Schwartz said. “He was a conscientious and well-respected officer, and his post-service conduct as well as his patriotism and love of country was taken into account.”

Plummer’s descendents will receive his honorable discharge certificate this week.



www.bliss.army.mil	Published for the Fort Bliss/El Paso, Texas Community	February 17, 2005

	100 years later, Army redresses wrong to African-American chaplain Eric Cramer Army News Service Capt. Henry Vinton Plummer, who was among the first African American chaplains in the U.S. Army, received an honorable discharge this week. He was dismissed from service in 1894. WASHINGTON – More than 100 years after the court-martial of Chaplain Capt. Henry Vinton Plummer, the Army redressed a wrong and issued an honorable discharge to the one of the first African-Americans to be commissioned a chaplain in the Army. Maj. Gen. David H. Hicks, U.S. Army chief of chaplains, said it was time the Army corrected its error. “I am personally gratified that the Army Board for the Correction of Military Records, after 114 years, has restored Chaplain Capt. Henry Plummer to his rightful and deserved place in the history of the United States Army Chaplaincy,” Hicks said. “This action makes me proud of the Army in its willingness to right former injustice by granting his honorable discharge in recognition of his many years of selfless service, both before and after 1894.” Hicks said Plummer was a historic figure in the Army, “I am especially proud of Chaplain Plummer's service to our Soldiers on America's frontier as a black chaplain whose heritage I share. I extend my congratulations and gratitude to Chaplain Plummer's descendants who brought this case to the Army's attention.” Plummer’s military career actually began 30 years before the events that led to his dismissal from service. Born a slave in Prince George’s County, Maryland, in 1844, he joined the United States Navy in 1864, during the Civil War, serving as a Sailor aboard the USS Coeur de Lion. Upon leaving the Navy at the end of the war, Plummer taught himself to read and write, and attended the Wayland Seminary, where he became a Baptist minister. He served as pastor of several churches in the District of Columbia before accepting a commission as an Army chaplain in 1884. He served with the 9th Cavalry Regiment, the famous Buffalo Soldiers, as a chaplain for 10 years before he was dismissed from service. “Plummer was an American pioneer,” said U.S. Army spokesman Dov Schwartz. “His actions were selfless.” Plummer was responsible for the pastoral care of the regiment’s troopers and for the education of the troopers and their families, as many had not had prior schooling. Plummer was dismissed from service in 1894 after facing a court-martial on the grounds of conduct unbecoming an officer. A dismissal for an officer is the equivalent of a dishonorable discharge for an enlisted Soldier. The facts of his case are largely undisputed, said Schwartz. In 1894, Plummer, who was serving as the chaplain for the 9th Cavalry Regiment, joined the regiment’s sergeant major and two other non-commissioned officers to celebrate a sergeant’s promotion. There was general agreement that Plummer and the non-commissioned officers toasted the promotion with alcohol and that Plummer had an altercation with a noncommissioned officer. In the resulting court-martial, all witnesses agreed that Plummer had consumed alcohol with enlisted troopers and had provided enlisted troopers with alcohol, both activities considered offenses as conduct unbecoming an officer under the Articles of War in use at the time. President Grover Cleveland approved Plummer’s dismissal in November of 1894. Plummer requested that his commission be reinstated several times, volunteering for service in combat during the Spanish-American War in 1898, and to serve in the Philippines following that war. His requests were denied. Schwartz said Plummer faced discrimination because he was the only African-American officer in the regiment. In the military tradition of the period, officers of European ancestry commanded African-Americans. In 2004, Plummer’s great-grand nephew requested that the Army review his ancestor’s case, asking that the records of the Army be corrected to show the court-martial was overturned and expunged and that Plummer be issued an honorable discharge. The Army Board for the Correction of Military Records reviewed the case. While it did not overturn the court martial, it concluded that racism extant at the time contributed to Plummer’s treatment and the characterization of his service that led to the dismissal. The board determined Plummer deserved an honorable discharge to restore equity. “He had honorable service to his country during the Civil War, and for 10 years in the 9th Cavalry,” Schwartz said. “He was a conscientious and well-respected officer, and his post-service conduct as well as his patriotism and love of country was taken into account.” Plummer’s descendents will receive his honorable discharge certificate this week.