Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1862-07-11

PORT ROYAL, jaime 25.
10 Edafn NJ. .SaRton: Sri have th,
Honor to acknowledge the receipt of con,
munics'ion from the adjutsnt general of tn,
sarmy, dated 5une 18th, 1862, requesting m,
TO furnish you with the Information neces
-essary,to answer certain resolutions intro
'duced into the House of Representatives
June 9th, on molten of Mr. Wicklife OF
Kentucky, their substance being to enquire,
first, whether had organized or was or
ganizing reg;ment Of fugitive slaves in
this department; second, whether any at-
thority had been given to me from the war
department for sich organization; third,
whether had been furnished, by order of,he
war department, with clothing, uniforms,
arms equipments, &C., for such fierce. On
~ having received the letter covering these
inquiries at a late hour Saturday night, and
urged to forward my answer in tirne for
she steamer sailing to-day (Monday,) this
haste preventing me from entering as mir
s.utely as could wish upon many points of
detail, such as the paramount importance of
the subject calls for. But in view of the
near termination Of the present session of
Congress, and the wide spread interest
which must have been awakened by Mr.
Wickliae's resolution, prefer sending even
the imperfect answer to waiting the period
necessary for the collection of fuller and
more comprehensive data.
10 the first question, therefore, reply
that no regiment offugitives slaves has been
or Is being organized in this department.
There is, however, fine regiment of per-
sons whose late masters are fugitive rebels,
men who everywhere fly before the appear
ance of the national flag, leaving their serv-
ants behind them TO shift as best they can
for themselves. So far, indeed, are the loy- h
al persons composing this regiment from f
seeking to avoid the presence of their late r
owners, that they are now working with re- G.
markable industry to place themselves in a IL
position to join in full and effective pursuit d
OF their fngacicus and traiorous proprie- al
tors. 10 thesecond question, l have the "
honor TO answer that the instructions given Ut
10 Brigadier General t. w. Sherman. BY T
Simon Cameron, late secretary of war, and fe
turned over to me by succession for my he
guidance, do distinctly authorize me to en- We
ploy all loyal persons offering their service ua
In defense of the Union, and for the sup nu
preston of this rebellion, in any manner ey
that might see Git, or that the circum- an
stances might call for. There is no restric- aw
lion as to the character or color of The per- we
sons to be employed, or the nature of the If
employment, whether civil or military, in yer
which their services shall be used. / con- uof
siude, therefore, that have been authoriz. pro
I'd to enlist fugitive slaves as soldiers could eac
any such be found in the department. No gre
such characters, however, have yet appear. -
cd within view Of our most advanced pick III
cts, the loyal slaves everywhere remaining
% their plantations to welo ONE us, aid us,
and supply US with food, labor and infor- :
NATION. 4 Is the masters who have in every
instance been the fhgtives, running away
from loyal slaves, as well as loyal soldiers, \
and whom we have only partially been able u
to see, chiefly with their heads over ram
parts, or, rifle in hand, lodging behind trees
N the extreme distance. In the absence of
any fugitive master law, the deserted slaves
would be wholly without remedy, had not A
their time Of treason given the right to pur- the
sue, capture and bring back these persons of j
whose protection they have been thus sud- aba
denly bereff. rea !
To the third interrogatory, 1t is roy pain p pni
ful duty to reply that never have receiv- s sh
ed any specific authority for issues of cloth mel
ing, uniforms, arms, equipments, &C., to the fro,
troops in question. My general instructions ton
from MIR. Cameron we're to employ them in "A 4
any manner might find necessary, and the Il
military exigencies of the department and
The country being my only, but in my iudg.
ment sufficient justification. Neither have III
had any specific authority for supplying
these persons with shovels, spades and pick
axes, when employing them as laborers, nor n.
with boats and oars when using them as r.,
hghtermen. But these are not points in !
Dictated in Mr.. Wickliffs resolutions To YEA YEA
me i seemed that liberty to employ men in Oh
particular capacity implied with il liberty
also to supply them with The necessary rr
tools, and acting upon this faith l have
clothed, equipped and armed the only loyal
regiment yet raised in South Carolina. I por
:. eye
must say in vindication of my own conduct, iasi
that had it not been for the many other
diversified and imperative claims on my VII
time and attention, much more satisfacto- reg
ry result might have been hoped for and fail
that In place of only one, as at present, at
least five or six well drilled, brave and
thoroughly acclimated regiments, should by
this time have been added to the loyal fore Il
es OF the Union. The experiment of arm IT
ing the blacks, so far as / have made II bee
S ~, wh
has been complete and even marvellous y
success. They are sober, docile, attentive I
and enthusiastic d,splox,;,.. -