The national Republican., 1862-08-05
Tuesday, August 5, 1852.
r,,n OPINION or an EXPERT.


Col. }. W. Revere, Of the Seventh New Jer-
sey volunteers, who has most varied military
experience and observation Of thirty years in
all parts OF the world, has addressed very
interesting letter (July ny to the New York
Tribune. Col. Revere says:
ITO question which Ia at present under
discussion AS 10 whether or no the blacks can
he made effective in this war, having seen and
examined personally, In the course Of my ex.
periencs, Sepoys, halays, the black troops Of
the Mohammedan princes Of the East, and
those Of the French in Algeria, and the British
question of policy 10 men who may be far
better judges, and in military aspect alone,
they can"
And again:
MY conclusions are that, having seen the
marvels worked by discipline in the Sepoys,
the Dutch Malay soldiers, tho Turkish troops
IN Egypt and Syria-many Of whom are blacks
from Nubia-the black West India regiments
and some others In the French service-the
chdsseurs ind,geaes-and having served with
the lndo.Spanish troops In campaign, while In
the Mexican service, az instructor Of artillery
with the rank of lieutenant colonel Of the GER
eral staGAbesdes having seen troops OF every
nation. civilized and uncivilized, my concu.
sions, saw, are that any combination of bone
and timely application of discipline.
"Who can doubt that our Southern c0lored
men, under good discipline and eficient officers,
can be converted into powerful weapon of mil.
iiary offence, that have seen, as all naval Off.
GERS have, the heavy guns Of mau.of.war, in
the heat of combat, manned by crew OF stal.
wart Africans. stripped to the waist, at their
work. amid smoke and IRE, begrimed with pow.
crews in the same battery, or, the same men
handling musket or outiassSts boarders, or in
Upon the point of the ofiicering of black reg
imen,s, Colonel Revere says:
lone Indispensable condition is necessary.
and that is that the commissioned officers OF
colored regiments should without exception be
white men.
IAN the British and French Indigenous troops
III India and Africa are thus organized. Indeed.
Il Sepoy or the black West Indian regiments
would not serve under officers Of their own
color; aud the sepoys in the late rebellion, hav
ing been commanded by their own officers, were
easily crushed by the white regiments in far
inferior force, while so long as they were off
cered bv natives Of tho British Isles, they we
lnvincible in the field in all the wars of British
India.
"The most magnificent military spectacle
ever saw-nOt excepting the grand reviews In
Russia and France-was the splendid native
army of Lord kean break camp and march on
the III fated Cabu expedition in 1887"
We are aware OF the popular prejudces
against the employment Of black soldiers
These prendices are not, however, universal
do they exist anywhere against the employ
mant OF black soldiers in certain places where
the climatic necessity Tor using them is seen tc
be overwhelming. There are Southern forts to
the garrisoning Of which by black troops no
body objects. And there are Southern States
in respect to which the same thing is true. so
tar as we understand, the organizing Of black
troops at Hilton Head, by Gen Hunter. is not
objected TO. except by persons whose sympa
ihies with the rebels are 30 well known to the
omntry that their objections constitute very
good recommendation Of almost any measure.
Atln''-ent the number ot negroes within our
lines is lar -hort Oi what may be used for The
various duties about camps and armies which
are not strictly military. There is no difficulty
IN popular prcjudices about the employment of
nagr0e, M labOrers, and as yet the question of
employing them rs soldiers is not u particu
larIy pressing one. But it win become so 10
um-, and it is not too soon to begin 10 consider
and discuss it. Col Revere discusses IL, with
the aid OF great experience and observation,
and what he writes will be read with great in
tsrest.
We take it to be altogether certain that n
long war cannot he waged in the cotton States
without the participation, on one side or the
other, OF the blacks, who constitute half the
population, II We do not Use the blacks AZ
soldiers, the rebels will, just as soOu ~ W.
drive them tn the wall Emancipation may
b- their last card, but they will certainly piay
1t before they will give up tn. game. II the,
cannot save their slaves, they will save wha
they can. their lives, their liberties, their land'
aud their political power. Whoever think
otherwise, is too foolish to he reasoned with