The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1862-08-22
have directed will probably need consider.
able force to guard them against similar at.
tacks.
]. w. PHELPS, Brigadier General.

J. W. PHELPS. Brigadier General.
HEADQUARTERS DEPARrMENr OF TIE GULF,
NEW ORLEANS, August 2, 1862.
General--By the act of Congress, as
understand it, the President of the United
States alone has the authority to employ
Africans in arms as part Of the military
forces of the United States.
Every law up to this time, raising volun.
teer or militia forces, has been opposed to
their employment. The President has not
as yet indicated his purpose to employ the
Africans 10 arms.
The arms, clothing and camp equipage
which have here for the Louisiana volun-
teers are, by the letter of the Secretary of
War, expressly limited to white soldiers;
80 that have no authority to direct them,
however much 1 may desire so to do.
do not think you are empowered to Or
ganize into companies negroes, and drill
them as military organization, as am I'm.
expectedly informed you have done. l can.
not sanction this course of action, as at
present advised, especially when we have
need of the services of the blacks who are
being sheltered upon the outskirts of your
camp, as you will see by the orders for their
employment sent you by the Assistant ADJ
jutant General.
send your application to the President /;
but, in the meantime, you must desist from
the formation of any negro military organs
Zation.
BENZ. F. BUTLER,
Major General Commanding.
Brlgadier General Phelps, C commanding forces
at Camp Parapet.
HEADQUARTERS, DEPARTMENT OF THE GULF,
New ORLEANS, August 2, 1861.
GENERAL Il was somewhat surprised to
receive your resignation for the reasons
stated.
When you were put in command at Camp
Parapet, sent Lieut.. Weitzel, my chief
engineer to make q reconnaissance of the
lines of Carrolton, and understand it was
agreed between you and the engineer that
removal of the wood between Lake Pont.
chartrain and the right of your entrench-
ments was necessary military precaution.
The work could not be done at that time
because of the stage of the water and the
want of men. But now both water and
men concur. You have five hundred Afri-
cans organized into companies. You write
me this work they are fitted to do. 1t must
either be done by them or my soldiers, now
drilled and disciplined. You have said the
location is unhealthy to the soldiers-it is
not to the negro. Is it not best that these
unemployed Africans should do the labor.
My attention is especially called to this mat.
ter at the present time, because there are
reports of demonstrations to be made on
our lines by the rebels; and, in my judge
ment, it is matter of necessary precaution
thus to clear the right of your line, so that
you can receive the proper aid from the
gunboats on the lake, besides preventing the
enemy from having cover. To do this the
negroes ought to be employed, and in 80
employing them see no evidence of slave
driving or employing you as slave driver.
The soldiers of the army of the Potomac
did this very thing last summer, in front of
Arlington Heights. Are the negroes any
better than they? Because of an order to
do this necessary thing to protect your
front, threatened by the enemy, you tender
your resignation and ask immediate leave
of absence. assure you did not expect
this, either from your courage, your patri.
otism or your good sense. To resign In the
face of an enemy has not been the highest
plaudit to soldier, especially when the
reason assigned is that he is ordered to do
that which a recent act of Congress has
specially authorized commander to do
i. g. employ the African to do the necessa-
ry work about camp or upon a fortifi-
cation. General, your resignation will not
be accepted by me; leave of absence will
not be granted, and you will see to it that
my orders, thus necessary for the defense of
the city, are faithfully and diligently exc.
cuted upon the responsibility that soldier
in the field owes to his superior. l will see
that all proper acquisitions for the food,
shelter and clothing of these negroes at
work, are at once filled by the proper de-.
partment. You will also send out proper
guard to protect the laborers against the
guerilla force, if any there may be in the
neighborhood.
BENZ. F. BUTLER,
Major General Commanding.