28 



ARMY OF THE UNITED STATES. 



eminent." An order issued by him at Vicks- 

 burg, on August 18th, developed the adoption 

 of a new policy by the Government, the effect 

 of which would be to very largely increase the 

 number of colored troops in the service, and 

 to make the negro, in a degree, work out his 

 own emancipation. The practice of receiving 

 all 'negroes who sought the protection of the 

 Government, and allowing them to remain, in 

 many instances, in a state of almost complete 

 inactivity, was thenceforth to be abolished, ex- 

 perience having shown that it was " not only 

 injustice to the service, but to the welfare of 

 the negroes themselves, resulting in habits of 

 idleness, sickness, and disease." Hence the 

 following clause : 



In future all able-bodied male negroes of the above 

 class will at once be organized by such officers as 

 may be detailed for that duty, into the military ser- 

 vice of the United States, when they will be assigned 

 to regiments composed of persons of African descent 

 now in process of formation or to be formed hereafter. 



Suitable provision was also made in other 

 parts of tLe order for male negroes incapacitated 

 by age or sickness, and for women and chil- 

 dren. The enlistment of negroes in the rebel 

 States, or of colored refugees from such States, 

 was attended with little or no difficulty in re- 

 spect to claims of service or labor from such 

 persons. The owners were, for the most part, 

 enemies, and after the Emancipation Proclama- 

 tion of the President the question of property 

 was considered definitively settled. When, 

 however, the Government determined to make 

 requisitions upon the colored population of the 

 border slave States, or upon those portions of the 

 seceded States expressly excepted from the 

 operation of the Emancipation Proclamation, it 

 became necessary to adopt some rule of compen- 

 sation for slaveholders, whose rights might be 

 affected. "With this view an order was issued, 

 on Oct. 3d, from the "War Department, direct- 

 ing the establishment of recruiting stations in 

 Maryland, Missouri, and Tennessee, and pre- 

 scribing the method of enlistment. "All able- 

 bodied free negroes, slaves of disloyal persons, 

 and slaves of loyal persons, with the consent of 

 their owners," were declared eligible for mili- 

 tary service, and the State and county in 

 which the enlistments were made were to be 

 credited with the recruits thus obtained. 

 Loyal slave owners offering slaves for enlist- 

 ment were to receive $300 for each recruit ac- 

 cepted, upon filing a deed of manumission for 

 him, and making satisfactory proof of title. 

 But if within thirty days from the date of 

 opening enlistments, a sufficient number of re- 

 cruits should not be obtained to meet the ex- 

 igencies of the service, then enlistments might 

 be made by slaves, without requiring the con- 

 sent of their owners, the latter to receive the 

 same compensation, and, upon the same terms, 

 provided for owners offering their slaves for en- 

 listment. Special boards were also appointed 

 for each State to determine all claims of own- 

 ers, and to further the objects of the order. 



The number of colored soldiers obtained 

 from the sources above described has been 

 variously stated, but it appears by the report 

 of the bureau of enlistments, created in May, 

 that, by December, over 50,000 men had been 

 organized and were in actual service. Not- 

 withstanding the declarations of Governor 

 Andrew and others, that they would be placed 

 on an equal footing with white troops, in re- 

 spect to bounty, pay, etc., they have been al- 

 lowed no bounty from the General Govern- 

 ment, and under the construction given by the 

 "War Department to the act of 1862, they can 

 only receive the pay of $10 per month while 

 other soldiers are paid $13 per month, with 

 clothing and daily rations. As colored men 

 are subject, like white men, to be drafted un- 

 der the Conscription Act, and no discrimina- 

 tion in color is recognized by the President's 

 call for volunteers in October, this distinction 

 was strongly urged upon the Government as 

 unjust, and the Secretary of "War, in his annual 

 report, recommended that their bounties and 

 pay should be made the same as for other 

 troops. " As soldiers of the Union," he added, 

 " fighting under its banner, exposing their 

 lives to uphold the Government, colored troops 

 are entitled to enjoy its justice and benefi- 

 cence." 



The apprehensions entertained in some quar- 

 ters that negroes would be found unfitted for 

 military service have not been justified by 

 events. Officers competent to judge have con- 

 curred in describing them as, for the most part, 

 obedient, patient, orderly, and temperate ; apt 

 in learning drill ; proud of their occupation, and 

 when well led, gallant soldiers. The habit of 

 implicit obedience acquired during their long 

 subjection to the dominant race in the South 

 has rendered them peculiarly amenable to dis- 

 cipline, and not a few officers who have had 

 experience of colored regiments, have declared 

 their preference to command that class of 

 troops. Some cases of insubordination have, 

 nevertheless, occurred; a notable one being 

 that of the 4th regiment of the Corps d'Af- 

 rique garrisoning Fort Jackson, on the Missis- 

 sippi. But these can be generally traced to the 

 neglect or bad conduct of commanding officers. 

 The Secretary of "War cites instances of their 

 efficiency as infantry, artillery, and cavalry 

 soldiers, and the following extract from Gen. 

 Banks's official report of the assault on the 

 fortifications of Port Hudson, on May 27th, 

 illustrates their bravery under trying circum- 

 stances : 



On the extreme right of our line I posted the 1st and 

 3d regiments of negrc troops. The 1st regiment of 

 Louisiana engineers, composed exclusively of colored 

 men, excepting the officers, was also engaged during 

 the operations of the day. The position occupied by 

 these troops was one of importance, and called for the 

 utmost steadiness and bravery in those to whom it was 

 confided. 



It gives me pleasure to report that they answered 

 every expectation. In many respects their conduct 

 was heroic, no troops could be more determined or 

 more daring. They made, during the day, three charges 



