AEMY OF THE UNITED STATES. 



29 



upon the batteries of the enemy, suffering very heavy 

 losses, and holding their position at nightfall with the 

 other troops on the right of our lines. The highest 

 commendation is bestowed upon them by all the officers 

 in command on the right. 



Whatever doubt may have existed heretofore as to 

 the efficiency of organizations of this cnaracter, the 

 history of this day proves conclusively to those who 

 were in condition to observe the conduct of these regi- 

 ments, that the Government will find in this class of 

 troops efficient supporters and defenders. The severe 

 test to which they were subjected, and the determined 

 manner in which they encountered the enemy, leave 

 upon my mind no doubt of their ultimate success. They 

 require only good officers, commands of limited num- 

 bers, and careful discipline to make them excellent 

 soldiers. 



The following testimony to their general 

 good conduct, both in and off the field, was 

 contributed by Gen. Hunter, while command- 

 ing the Department of the South. 



HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OP THE Soimi, HILTON I 

 HEAD, POET ROYAL, S. ., May 4t/i, 1863. f 

 To his Excellency the Governor of Massachusetts : 



I am happy to be able to announce to you my com- 

 plete and eminent satisfaction with the results of the 

 organization of negro regiments in this Department. 

 In the field, so far as tried, they have proved brave, 

 active, enduring, and energetic, frequently outrunning, 

 by their zeal and familiarity with the Southern coun- 

 try, the restrictions deemed prudent by certain of their 

 officers. They have never disgraced their uniform by 

 pillage or cruelty, but have so conducted themselves, 

 upon the whole, that even our enemies, though more 

 anxious to find fault with these than with any other 

 portion of our troops, have not yet been able to allege 

 against them a single violation of any of the rules of 

 civilized warfare. 



These regiments are hardy, generous, temperate, 

 patient, strictly obedient, possessing great natural 

 aptitude for arms, and deeply imbued with that re- 

 ligious sentiment call it fanaticism, such as like 

 wnich made the soldiers of Cromwell invincible. They 

 believe that now is the time appointed by God for their 

 deliverance ; and under the neroic incitement of this 

 faith, I believe them capable of showing a courage and 



Eersistency of purpose which must in the end extort 

 oth victory and admiration. 



In this connection, I am also happy to announce to 

 you that the prejudices of certain of our white soldiers 

 and officers against these indispensable allies are rapid- 

 ly softening or fading out ; and that we have now open- 

 ing before us in this Department, which was the first 

 in the present war to inaugurate the experiment of em- 

 ploying colored troops, large opportunities of putting 

 them to distinguished and profitable use. 



The important subject of the treatment of 

 colored soldiers whom the fortunes of war 

 have thrown into the hands of the enemy, will 

 be treated under the head of PRISONERS ; also 

 see FREEDMEN. 



An important element of usefulness was in- 

 troduced into the army during the year by the 

 organization, under the direction of the provost- 

 marshal-general, of the invalid corps. Its ob- 

 jects were: 1. To give honorable employ- 

 ment, with suitable compensation, in garrison, 

 hospital, or provost duty, to that nnmerous 

 class of deserving officers and men who, from 

 wounds received in action, or disease contract- 

 ed in service, were unfit for further duty in 

 the field ; and to bring back, for like purposes, 

 those who had been previously discharged on 

 similar grounds, and were still unfit for active 

 duty and not liable to draft ; and, 2. To in- 



crease the strength of the armies in the field 

 by relieving able-bodied soldiers now employ- 

 ed in the duties about to be assigned to this 

 new organization. The corps, on November 

 1st, consisted of 491 commissioned officers, and 

 17,762 enlisted men, organized as infantry and 

 comprising 203 companies, of which 160 had 

 been formed into 16 regiments. Each regi- 

 ment contains 6 companies of the 1st battalion, 

 and 4 companies of the 2d battalion, the former 

 only being armed with muskets, and assigned to 

 garrison duty, while the latter are armed with 

 swords and pistols, and are on duty as guards, 

 cooks, nurses, etc. The report of the Secre- 

 tary of "War, presented a month later, estima- 

 ted the whole number of men in the corps at 

 22,000. At the close of the year it was in the 

 full performance of the duties for which it was 

 organized, and had rendered efficient service 

 in arresting deserters, beside releasing for ac- 

 tive duty a corresponding number of able- 

 bodied men. The officers were selected on the 

 recommendation of the military superiors un- 

 der whom they had experience in the field, and 

 were assigned to duty without regard to the 

 States from which they were appointed. A 

 similar plan was adopted in assigning the men 

 to companies. 



In connection with this subject it may be 

 stated that during the year two boards have 

 been in session one at Annapolis and the other 

 at Cincinnati before one of which all officers 

 who have left their commands in consequence 

 of ill health are ordered to appear as soon as 

 they are able to travel. They undergo an ex- 

 amination by the board, and are recommend- 

 ed, according to their condition, for light duty, 

 for further leave of absence, or for medical 

 treatment in a general hospital of the city 

 where the board is in session. But if found 

 fit for duty, the president of the board orders 

 them forthwith to their regiments. The re- 

 ports of the board are a guide to the adjutant- 

 general in making details for mustering, re- 

 cruiting, or other light duty, and in recom- 

 mendations for leave of absence or discharge 

 where the nature of the disability requires. 

 The reports of the boards, taken in connection 

 with regimental reports of absent officers, and 

 the surgeons' certificates from such officers, 

 form a complete system of accountability for 

 absence from duty. 



During the 2d session of the 37th Congress, 

 a bill was introduced for the organization of a 

 special ambulance corps, the duties pertaining 

 to which had previously been performed by 

 officers and men detailed from other branches 

 of the service, and not by men enlisted for the 

 purpose. On Feb. 24th, the Senate Military 

 Committee, to whom the matter had been re- 

 ferred, after consultation with army officers 

 and medical directors from all parts of the 

 country, with members of the sanitary commis- 

 sion, and with other competent persons, re- 

 ported that it was inexpedient to make any 

 change in the system then in operation, which 



