Sackett's Harbor. Two battalions composed of 500 Negroes distinguished themselves at the battle of New Orleans. Three months before the battle, General Andrew Jackson issued a proclamation "To the Free colored inhabitants of Louisiana." As sons of freedom, you are now called upon to defend our most inestimable blessing. As Americans, your country looks with confidence to her adopted children for a valorous support, as a faithful return for the advantages enjoyed under her mild and equitable government. As fathers, husbands, and brothers, you are summoned to rally around the standard of the Eagle, to defend all which is dear in existence. To every noble-hearted, generous freeman of color volunteering to serve during the present contest with Great Britian, and no longer, there will be paid the same bounty, in money and lands, now received by the white soldiers of the United States, viz.: one hundred and twenty-four dollars in money, and one hundred and sixty acres of land. The non-commissioned officers and privates will also be entitled to the same monthly pay, and daily rations, and clothes, furnished to any American soldier. On the eve of the battle, General Jackson reviewed the white and colored troops and had read to them his famous address. To the colored troops he said: "To the Men of Color.-Soldiers! From the shores of Mobile I collected you to arms,-I invited you to share in the perils and to divide the glory of your white countrymen. I expected much from you; for I was not uninformed of those qualities which must render you so formidable to an invading foe. I knew that you could endure hunger and thirst, and all the hardships of war. I knew that you loved the land of your nativity, and that, like ourselves, you had to defend all that is most dear to man. But you surpassed my hopes. I have found in you, united to these qualities, that noble enthusiasm which impels to great deeds. "Soldiers! The President of the United States shall be informed of REFERENCES: Livermore, Opinions of the Founders of the Republic on THE CIVIL WAR Something like 178,975 Negro soldiers were employed in the Civil War. These made up 161 regiments, of which 141 were infantry, 7 were cavalry, 12 were heavy artillery, and one light artillery. The first colored regiments to be organized were the First South Carolina, in which the first enlistments were made May 9, 1862; the First Louisiana Native Guards, September 27, 1862; the Fifty-fourth Massachusetts, February 9, 1863; the Second Carolina Volunteers, February 23, 1863. Under the direct authority of the General Government, and not credited to any State, Negro soldiers were recruited as follows: "There were also 5,896 Negro soldiers enlisted at large or whose credits are not specifically expressed by the records." The Negro troops were engaged in many of the bloodiest battles of the war. The engagements in which they particularly distinguished themselves were the battle of Milliken's Bend, on the Mississippi, near Vicksburg, July 6, 1863; the assault on Port Hudson (near Baton Rouge, La.), May 27, 1863; the assault on Fort Wagner, a defense of Charleston, S. C., July 18, 1863; the assault on Petersburg, Va., June 15, 16, and July 30, 1864, and at the battle of Nashville, Tenn., December 15 and 16, 1864. NEGRO SOLDIERS IN THE CONFEDERATE ARMY The use of slaves as soldiers with the reward of freedom to those who survived, was strongly advocated at different times by members of the Confederacy during the Civil War. Slaves were employed as laborers on the fortifications in all parts of the Con federacy. Both slaves and free Negroes offered ther services. A considerable number of the latter enrolled themselves. The Charleston Mercury of April 30, 1861, said; "Sixteen welldrilled companies of volunteers and one Negro company of Nashville offered their services to the Confederate States." The Memphis Appeal of May 9, 10, and 11, 1861, contained the following notice: "ATTENTION, VOLUNTEERS: Resolved by the Committee of Safety, that C. Deloach, D. R. Cook, and William B. Greenlaw be authorized to organize a volunteer company composed of our patriotic free men of color, of the city of Memphis, for the service of our common defence. All who have not enrolled their names will call at the office of W. B. Greenlaw & Co. “F. W. FORSYTHE, Secretary." In June 1861, the Legislature of Tennessee passed an act authorizing the Governor to receive into the military service free persons of color between the ages of eighteen and fifty. Pay and rations were assigned them. November 23, 1861, there was a review in New Orleans of 28,000 Confederate troops. Among these was one regiment composed of 1,400 free colored men. On the 9th of February, 1862, there was another grand review of Confederate troops in New Orleans. The Picayune contained the following paragraph concerning this review: "We must also pay a deserved compliment to the companies of free colored men, all very well drilled, and comfortably uniformed. Most of these companies, quite unaided by the administration, have supplied themselves with arms without regard to cost or trouble. One of these companies, commanded by the well-known veteran, Captain Jordan, was presented, a little before the parade, with a fine war-flag of the new style. This interesting ceremony took place at Mr. Cushing's store, on Camp, near Common Street. The presentation was made by Mr. Bigney, and Jordan made, on this occasion, one of his most felicitous speeches." In February, 1864, the Confederate Congress passed an act making all male free Negroes (with certain exceptions) between the ages of eighteen and fifty liable to perform such duties in the army, or in connection with the military defences of the country in the way of work upon the fortification, or in government work, etc., as the Secretary of War might from time to time prescribe, and providing them rations, clothing and compensation. The Secretary of War was also authorized to employ for similar duty 20,000 male Negro slaves. In February, 1865, at a meeting held in the African Church in retary of State, proposed that legislation by the States be immediately effected so that the slaves could be armed. The next dav a bill was presented in the House to give effect to Mr. Benjamin's suggestion, and providing for the volunteer enlistment of slaves for military service. A motion to reject was lost by ayes 21, nays 53; a motion to postpone the matter indefinitely was also lost; another to refer it to the Military Committee was also lost, and the motion of the original mover for a select committee passed. A resolution had already been offered in the Senate instructing the committee on military affairs to report a bill with the least possible delay to take into the military service of the Conference States, by volunteer enlistment with the consent of the owners, or by conscription, not exceeding 200,000 Negro soldiers. The resolution was defeated. Dr. A. T. Augusta.-October 2, 1863, he was appointed surgeon of the Seventeenth Regiment U. S. Colored Volunteers. He is said to have been the first colored man commissioned in the medical department of the United States Army. Andrew W. Abbott.-Born 1840. Died December 30, 1913. One of the first colored men to be admitted to the army medical service. Dr. Abbott was a graduate from the Medical Department of Toronto University about the beginning of the Civil War. He enlisted in one of the colored regiments. After the war he returned to Toronto, Canada, and practiced his profession. He was successful and when he died left an estate valued at $61,000. Henry M. Turner.-Eminent Bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. First Negro chaplain in the United States Army. Born February 1, 1833, near Newberry, South Carolina. Appointed chaplain, 1863. Elected Bishop in 1880. REFERENCES: Williams, History of the Negro Troops in The War of the NEGRO SOLDIERS IN REGULAR ARMY July 28, 1866, Congress passed a law that Negro regiments should be a part of the regular army. Under this act the Ninth and Tenth Cavalry and the Thirty-eighth, Thirty-ninth, Fortieth, and Forty-first Regiments of Infantry were organized. March 3, 1869, a consolidation act was passed and the Thirty- ments were stationed on the frontier and rendered valuable service IN THE SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR At the outbreak of the Spanish-American War in 1898, the four Negro regiments were among the first troops ordered to the front. Negro soldiers took a more conspicuous part in the SpanishAmerican War than in any previous war waged by the United States. At the first battle in Cuba, Las Guasimas, the Tenth Cavalry distinguished itself by coming to the support of Colonel Theodore Roosevelt and the Rough Riders. The Twenty-fifth Infantry took a prominent part in the Battle of El Caney. The Ninth and Tenth Cavalry and the Twenty-fourth Infantry rendered heroic service in the famous battle of San Juan Hill. NEGRO VOLUNTEER REGIMENTS IN SPANISH-AMERICAN Indiana raised two companies of colored troops, which were attached to the Eighth Immunes and officially designated as First Regiment Colored Companies A an B, colored officers. No one of the Negro volunteer regiments reached the front in time to take part in a battle. The Eighth Illinois formed part of the Army of Occupation and distinguished itself in policing and cleaning up Santiago. After the close of the Spanish-American War two colored regiments, the Forty-eighth and Forty-ninth United States Infantry were enlisted and served in the Philippine War. Captains and Lieutenants colored. Other officers white. In 1907 the white Cavalry detachment on duty at the Military Academy at West Point was replaced by a Negro Cavalry detachment. It is called the United States Military Cavalry Detachment. It is used in teaching the cadets cavalry tactics. NEGROES AT WEST POINT Three Negroes have graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York. Henry O. Flipper, 1877, the first to graduate, served for a time in the regular army, but because of difficulties resigned and went to Mexico. John H. Alexander, the second graduate, died while serving as military instructor at Wilberforce University. Charles Young, the third Negro to graduate, is a major in the Ninth United States Cavalry. He is now on special duty in Liberia. |