Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1862-10-22
A Regiments of Free COlOred
Men in New Orleans.


We extract the following from 4 re-
cent letter from New Orleans to the New
York Times
This evening / rode down to what Is
called the Judah Turo Building, large
unfinished edit e just on the suburbs OF
the lower part of the town, intended
when finished to be refuge for INDECENT
women aud children. The building is
very large and very incomplete, but it is
rooted in, ond affords most excellent &C
eommodation as barracks. Here is to be
witnessed a scene which of all others WAS
least expected by the priests of rebellion.
a!ude to regiment and moro of free
colored men, who daily go through com
pauy dri!ls..a on each evening have
dress parade, ut which. twelve hundred
stout men perform the duties Of soldiers,
with an aptitude and precision that would
do credit to men of whittier faces, though
not necessarily Of Drawer hearts.
The first thing | noticed was guard
who passed in front Of the square. His
gun was an old single barreIled fowling
piece, without q bayonet, and he was
without belt or cartridge box, still he
| played the sentinel with becoming excel
Ience, and stopped US promptly, and with
out hesitation, and called for the |" officer
of the guard"
A nula,to man of rather a light COM
plexion, sword at the side, and wearing
the shoulder straps of a second Lieutenant.
presented himself. ard after some general
questions. SAID he would conduct us {" to
Headquarters" wound my vay among
tue i.iiers, and numbers of squads under
tie charge Of drill sergeants, until l
reached small tuil ing Oh one side Of
the square, where, much to ny surprise, |
found Acting Aljutant Thomas A. Sears,
formerly of the 18th Massachusetts, Vol
unteers. He expressed much pleasure at
meeting me, and | frankly confess that
his face was bronzed darker than many
of his soldiers. With Adjutant Sears |
went through the entire building, and |
was much surprised to see how comfort.
ably 1900 men had found themselves. l
was informed that these native soldiers,
as they are termed, manage with the or
binary rations to live better than do q
majority of our soldiers. Thisis account
cd for by the fact that a large number of
the natives have been professional cooks,
and from their youth had been compelled
to take care of others as we'll as them
selves. These free mulatto men learn the
drill easily and take great pride in the
business. | saw some of their squads go
through their exercises, and they deserve
much commentator. 1t WAS impossi
bic for me to wait and see the regimental
drill.
The Chasseurs d Intrigue, as the men
are fond of calling themselves, are at
present pressed in the United States in
tantry uniform, with the cavalry hat.
The Zouaye dress should be adoptet. ;
at all events. the red cap and tassei. Inc
mulatto and negro do net need broad
brimmed hat to shade their faces, and it
looks out of place and anamolous. Gen.
Butler takes great deal of interest in
this body of men, and think is anxious
ly waiting to know if they viii be mus
tered into service. What course the
Government will pursue, | cannot say,
but think it could dispose of them both
profitably and practically.
would send six hundred to Fort Jack
son, three hundred to Fort St. Ppillp,
six hundred to Fort Pickeus, and the re-
mainder, with two or three hundred more,
should be the occupiers of Surnpter and
other Southern forts.
History goes to show that the negro
man s good artilerist; in naval war
fare they have always distinguished them
selves, not only rs active gunners, but
fierce and determined boarders. On our
gunboats now in front of the city, the ne
gro sailors are great favorites, and are
equal to any in doing duty Let our
Southern forts thus be defended, having
only few white men as special guards
and white officers throughout. We
should then be relieved Of the sad de-
struction universally taking place among
unaccli,nated white men doing duty in
Southern forts.
With such soldiers, we should neither
fear an outside enemp or the more insid-
uous foe, ma.arias, fevers, aud epidemics
The commanding officer Of this regiment
is Col. Stafford, / believe once attached
| to the New York Fire Zouaves. and
Lieut. Col. J. A. Nelson, of ono of the
New England regiments.
A BAD BARGAIN. -Commentin or