Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1862-01-14
lCOrrespOndence Of the New York wOrld.l
The BIaves OfLane'a Brigade.
FoRr scorr. Knnsas. Deo. rs. 1s6

tNNAANNfNANNAAsN "
The Slaves OfLane's Brigade.
Fort scoTT, Kansas, Dec. 25, 1861.
With the approach of cold weather the
question will arise in many minds "What
is the condition of the slaves who have been
liberated in the summer campaignp And
the consideration Of il will bring out grave
objections from those who are opposed to
emancipation. Many who abhor the system
of slavery for its adherent injustice are yet
| beset with shrinking fear Of the results of
emancipation from Its supposed injurious
effects upon the physical condition of the
negro. The fugitive, their fancy suggests
/ is trembling wretch fleeing from present
| ills to those he knows not Of. They see him
with q little bundle on his back, running
| from a comfortable home, warm climate,
probably from kind master, to cast him
self upon the cold charities of frozen
Nortb-his ultimate fate starvation OF o
| workhouse. ....
am happy to be able to put my expert
ence-an extensive one with Lanes Brig.
ade-in opposition to this popular idea of
"contraband," and 1 propose to state the
present condition Of the two thousand liber-
| ated by the march of the Kansas army.
These negroes were owned principally by
Secessionists but where the question was Of
freedom or slavery for themselves the ne.
groes failed to make any such distinction
and when they sought our camp they were
protected, and no questions were asked as
to the political status of their former mas
ters. Families came in-sometimes three
generations in single wagon; sometimes
a man or woman fled away, leaving all fam
lily ties to secure personal liberty, daring
untold dangers, enduring fatigue, starva-
ton, perils by night and greater dread by
day, never feeling safe till they knew they
were in the Kansas camp. One day, as we
marched from Osceola, we saw three men
riding at full speed across the prairie. As we
approached we saw that one was negro
and the others white mon in pursuit. Fast
came the slave, but the whites steadily
gained, and one was in the act of catching
the bride of the fugitive when borderer
|, dashed out from the column and raised his
,, Sharpe's rifle. "About face" went the slave
! catchers, and a rifle ball sang an ominous
: warning in their ears as they made off,
But night is their great time. Sixty came
to camp in one evening" and as General
l Lane observed, at WASH much of a nigh
t for niggers either" We put the able mer
grooming the horses, and doing all the extrt
|
|, = one as body servant, instead of taking
= soldier from his duty. In this manner they
Il earned from eight to ten dollars q month.
L Parsons, Moore, Fisher and Fish, Chap
e lains of the brigade, started last month will
q train of negroes to establish them on Kan
Vt sas farms. After three weeks these gentle
u men returned to headquarters, havin
. found comfortable situations for every maj
lS woman and child under their charge. Man
. were hired as farm hands, house servants
q etc., at wages from eight to twelve dollar
/, per month, and the least effective secure
b places for the winter where they will be sur
i; of food and clothing, with good chances fC
n lucrative employment when spring open;
j, The fugitives are generally shrewd and in
n dustrious and the farmers of Kansas gladl
IS avail themselves of this supply of laborer
is is This is an assertion generally at varianc
" with the general impression, 1t is never
53f theless literally true. In slavery one ca
v, hardly imagine more shiftless, indoleI
a being, than a Missouri negro But I'll
change from slavery to freedom effects an il
i'd stantaneous and complete revolution in h
at character. With the consciousness of libert
al comes the necessity for exertion, and effol
q is born of necessity. The slave that worke
~ careesgly felt that he had no interest in tn
II result of his laborE no amount of indu:
m try would benefit him, and he naturally di
ill as little as he could consistent with safet,
90 But when he is free man he rises equal
he the emergency. This has been the ca'
lis wherever my experience has extende
y, There is not man who has been liberatt
ID by this brigade but is abundantly able ar
u, willing to take care of himself. In eve
Gu case we hare found the SLaVe fit for freedol
Of ba ho do of fha II
bo sas army proves them to be possessed Of a
IN. tributes that would do honor to the mo
ts favored race. That the establishment
Fy. these men as a free working population
d, Kansas will be blessing to the your
n State is not doubted even by the most pr
he judiced who have had an opportunity to o
ast serve them during this campaign.
JIG A week or so ago, we received info
20 nation that body Of rebels several tho
he sand strong, with five pieces of artilleI
ln- were advancing to attack us. Colon
. a Montgomery again resolved to be the fiji
are to strike. One hundred and fifty men we
of sent off at night-the infantry in wagoI
lot escorted by company of cavalry. Befo
it morning, they had burned Pipinsvil
.en and every Secesh farm -honse on the rou
Is Hearing of camp Of rebel recruits, tn
'hn Inn attacked and scattered them, marched
'H' Butler and burned it, after sharp SIX
on mish, returning to Fort Scott, having K
an five men killed and several wounded. 81
ISL teen rebels were buried by our men q
the several captured. Over $4,000 of rel
at stores were destroyed, beside bringing
sh; one hundred head of cattle, mules a
md horses. The rebel commander, supposi
nee NE us to be in large force, retreated sudder
jT,1 itv eastward, leaving US undisturbed. I
de- President says Missouri is quiet. tits I
Gu true' Inc Secesn are mole quarteiso
ton than ever, and nothing put the most SUI
lat gent measures will keep them In supJecu
VA. |