Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1861-08-16
Fremont Journal.
on. nn,lor nn ,hn rnntrnhnnd Ones,ion

BY an order received on the morning ot the Sbth |
July from Major General Dix, 10y telegraphic
order from Lieutenant General Scott, | was COM |
manded to forward, of the troops Of this de-
partment four regiments and half, including
Col Bakers California Regiment to Washing
ton via Baltimore. This order reached me at
9 o'clock a. m. by special boat from Baltimore
Believing that it emanated because of some
pressing exigency for the defense of Washing
ton, issued my orders before daybreak for the
embarkation of the troops sending those who
were among the very best regiments had. In
the course of the following day they were all
embarked for Baltimore, with the exception Of
some 400, for whom l had not transportation,
although had all the transport force in the
hands of the Quartermaster here, to aid the Bay
line of steamers, which, by the same order from
the Lieutenant General, was directed to furnish
transportation. Up TO and at the time of the
order had been preparing for an advance move
ment by which hoped TO cripple the resources
of the enemy at Yorktown, and especially by
seaing a large quantity of negroes who were
being pressed into their service in building the
entertainments there. lhad five days previous
ly been enabled to mount for the first time. the
first company of Light Artillery, which had
been empowered to raise, and they had but
single rhed cannon, an iron six FOUNDER. or
course every thing must and did yield to the
supposed exigency and the orders. This order
it weakened the posts at Newport News, neces-
STATED the Withdrawal of the troops from Hamp-
ton where / was then throwing up entrenched
works to enable me to hold the town with
small force, while / advanced up the York or
James river. In the village of Hampton there
were a large number of negroes composed in a
great measure of woman and children of the men
who had fled thither within my lines for pro-
lection, who had escaped from marauding par
ties of rebels who had been gathering up able
bodied blacks to aid them in constructing their
batteries on the James and York rivers. / had
employed the men in Hampton in throwing up
entrenchments, and they were working zealously
and efficiently at that duty, saving our soldiers
from that duty under the CLEAN of the midday
sun. The women were earning substantially
their own subsistence in washing, marketing
and taking care of the clothes of the soldiers
and ratiOns were being served out to the men
who worked for the support of the children
But by the evacuation of Hampton, rendered
necessary by the withdrawal of troops, leaving
me scarcely 5000 men outside of the Fort, in
cludng the force at Newport News, all these
black people were obliged to break up their
homes at Hampton, fleeing across the creek with
in my lines for protection and support. Indeed
it was most distressing sight to see these poor
creatures, who had trusted to the protection OF
the arms of the United States, and who had al
ded the troops of the United States in their en-
terprise, to be thus obliged to flee from their
homes and the homes Of their masters, who had
deserted them, and become fugitives from
fear of the return of the rebel soldery, who had
threatened to shoot the men who had wrought
for US, and to carry off the women who had SER
we'd us TO a worse than Egyptian bondage. l
have therefore now within the Peninsula, this
side of Hampton Creek, 900 negroes, 300 of
whom are able bodied men, 80 of whom are men
substantially past hard labor, l75 women, 225
4,
40 between 10 and Is years, and many more
coming in. The questions which this State of
facts present are very embarrassing:
"FsrSt-What shall be done with them2 and
Second-What is their state and condition.
upon these questions desire the instruc-
tions of the Department.
"The first question, however, may perhaps be
answered by considering the last. Are these
men, women and children slaves2 Are they
free? Is their condition that of men, women
and children or of property, or is it a mixed re-
laton2 What their status was under the con.
stitution and Laws, we all know. What has
been the effect of rebellion, and a state of wal
upon that status? When l adopted the theory
of treating the able-bodied negro fit to work il
the trenches, as property liable to be used in
aid of rebellion, and so contraband of war, that
condition of things was in so far met as | then
and still believe, on a legal and constitutional
basis. But now new series Ofquestions arise.
| Passing by women, the children certainly can
not be treated on that basis; if property, they
must be considered the incumbrance, rather
than the auxiliary of an army, and, of course
in no possible legal relation could be treated as
contraband. Are they property2 If they were
so, they have been left by their masters and
owners, deserted, thrown away, abandoned like
| the wrecked vessel upon the ocean, Their for
mer possessors and owners have carelessly
traitorously, rebelliously, and to carry out the
| figure practically abandoned them to be swal-
lowed up by the Winter storm of starvation. /
property, do they not become the property o
| the salvors7 But we, their salvors, do not neeC
and will not hold such property and will as
sumo no such ownership; has not therefore all
proprietary relation ceased2 Have they not
become thereupon men, women and childrenl
No longer under ownership of any kind, the
fearful relicts of fugitive masters, have they moi
by their masters acts and the state of war, as
sumed the condition which we hold to be the
normal one, of those made in God image? Is
not every constitutional, legal and moral re-
quirement as well to the runaway master as
their relinquished slaves, thus answered? |
confess that my own mind is compelled by this
reasoning to look upon them as men and wo-
men. If not freeborn, yet free, manumtted,
sent forth from the hand that held them never
to be reclaimed.
"Of course if this reasoning thus imperfectly
is very plain. l should take the same care OF
these men, women and children, houseless
homeless and unprovided for as / would of the
| same number of men, women and children, who
for their attachment to the Union had been dri.
ven or allowed to flee from the Confederate
States. should have no doubt of this ques-
ton had | not seen it stated, that order had
been issued by Gen. Mcdowell in his depart
ment, substantially forbdding all fugitive slaves
from coming within his lines or being harbOred
there Is that order to be enforced in all Mill
tary Departmental If so, who are to be con-
sidered fugitive slaves? Is slave to be con-
sidered fugitive whose master runs away and
leaves him2 Is it forbidden to the troops to aid
or harbOr within their lines the negro children
who are found therein; or is the soldier, when
his march has destroyed their means of subsis-
tence, to allow them to starve because he has
driven off the rebel master2 Now shall the
commander of n regiment or battalion sit in
| Judgment upon the question, whether any given
! black man has fed from his master, or his mas.
ter fed him2 Indeed, how are the free born tc
be distinguished Is one any more or less
| fugitive slave because he has labored upon the
frebel entrenchments2 If he has so labored If
understand il, be is to be harbored. By the re-
eeption of which are the rebels to be distressed
by taking those who have wrought all theil
rebel masters desired, masked their battery, OIL
those who have refused to labor and left the
battery unmasked.
"Ihave very decided opinions upon the sub,
| iect of this order. 1t does not become me tC
criticise it, and write in no spirit of criticism
but simply TO explain the full difficulties thai
surround the enforcing it. If the enforcement
of that order becomes the policy of the Gov
ernment, J. as a soldier shall be bound TO en-
force it steadfastly, if not cheerfully. But i
left to my own discretion, as you may have