So Hoge had cast the die. The 93rd would build the 70-mile supply road from Carcross to the Teslin River. And, ironically, Hoge’s racism handed the men of the 93rd an opportunity.
The Army expected little of its black soldiers; typically gave them the least demanding jobs around. But Hoge had given the 93rd a mission that would demand a very great deal—in skill, endurance, ingenuity and just plain guts. And, given a chance to prove themselves, the men of the 93rd would do so—and then some.
On May 1 Col. Johnson, commander of the 93rd, accepted the loan of two bulldozers from the 18th Engineers and aimed his regiment at the WP&YR. The black soldiers of the 93rd moved out of Skagway, on to Carcross and out into the wilderness. And the race problem left town with them. For more on the 93rd–and other regiments on the Highway click here
Lt. Price led a platoon of the 93rd out of Skagway and up to Carcross on April 27.
By May 1, the whole regiment was on its way. A rail car held sixty men and each train hauled four to five cars. Moving the regiment required several trains and each took seven to ten hours to make the trip.
For more on the WP&YR click here
Sgt. Bollin, Company F, remembered his trip over the pass. “To see a mountain close up, and to go up it, it’s a thrill of a life time. And you get to wherever you think the top is, and there’s more snow up there than you’ve ever seen.”
The men of the 340th, stuck in Skagway, occupied themselves with community projects. Some improved the Dyea Road using shovels, picks, wheelbarrows and a few trucks. Others improved sidewalks, streets and the general appearance of Skagway.
Colonel Lyons even assigned some soldiers to help the ladies of Skagway prepare and plant their spring gardens. “It’ll help keep the boys in shape.” Scraping at the thawing ground, soldiers planted seeds and bulbs.
Young men on a great wartime adventure—one wonders how they felt, helping the ladies of Skagway tend their flowers.