Richard Walter Thomas, black scholar of race relations, observed that the relationship between white and black soldiers in the Civil War was an instance of what he calls "the other tradition": "… after sharing the horrors of war with their black comrades in arms, many white officers experienced deep and dramatic transformations in their attitudes toward blacks." We do not know Chase's personal views, but in 1865 Chase started service in another black soldier unit. He was promoted to captain and commanded Company D of the 104th United States Colored Infantry. That unit was organized at Beaufort, S. C., April–June, 1865, and did guard duty at various points in South Carolina through February, 1866. Meanwhile news of the surrender of Lee and days later of the assassination of Lincoln arrived in late April. Chase's resignation from the military was accepted November 7, 1865, in Beaufort, SC, and thus honorably discharged and because of the manner of his resignation from service he was later denied pay for returning home which was restricted to being discharged from service by the military, (though he was given "in kind" travel back to New York.)