Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1862-07-08
Gen Hunters answer to Congressman WICK
life Resolutions

ton into the House lnquiring II zen. Hunter
had armed any negroes The Secretary O
War transmitted the resolutions 10 Gen Hun
ter asking him for the information called tor by
the resolution Below is Gen. Hunters pun
gent response, which will be read with interest,
as presenting sharply ami strongly the reasons
for putting arms INTO the hands Of loyal ne
groes
PoBI ROYAL, june %, 1862
IN Hon Il. VI. Stanton, Necretwy0j War:
Sl | have the honor to acknowledge the
lecelp. Of II communication from the Adjutaut
GqueiAl VI HE army, dated june Is, !6O2, re-
qupotug me to furnish you with the lnormA'
ton necessary to answer certain resolutions in
trJduced IN me House Of Representatives June
J on motion Of Hon Mr. Wlckhhe Ol Ken.
tuckl, Their sub lance being to inquire st.,
whether had Or .anzed or was organizing "a
regiment Of fugitive slaves IN this department ;
% whether any authority had been given u
me from the War Department for such orgauiza.
non Sd, whether had been furnished by or.
der Of the War Department with clothing, uu-
lormo, arms, equ pments etc. for such a force
Only having received the letter covering these
inquiries ut a late hour Saturday night, and be-
lug obliged to urge forward my answer in time
for the steamer sailing to-day (MOnday), this
haste prevents IN from entering as mnulely AS
could wish upon many points OF details, such
as the paramount Importance OF the subject
! calls for. But IN view Of the near termination
VI the present SESSION OF Congress, and the wide.
spread interest which must have been awakened
| by Mr. NEktie resolution, prefer sending
even this imperfect answer to waiting the period
necessary Tor ths COLLECTION OF fuller dud more
comprehensive data
~ The first question, liner, fore, reply that
no regiment oil fugitive slave has been Or If being
olsaulzed IN tins department There Is, how
ever, a line regiment OF cJlJred persons whose
late masters arr tugInyerebels-- men who every
where ly bc0r tae appearance Of the national
hag leaving their servants behind them ~ shift
as Dyst thty can lJr themselves. 81 lar, indeed
are the loyal persons composing TINS regiment
from seeking 20 avoid che presence Vi ther late
owners that they are now, one aud all, working
with remarkable industry TO place lnemavlye.
in position to JON in tuil anu Elective pursuit
Of their tugaceous and uaitor0us propriotors.
10 the second question nave the honor 10
answer, that the instructions gwen to Brgader
l. " Sherman, by lIOr. simon Cameron, late
Secretary Of War turned over 10 me by sue
cesssOn tor my guidance, do distinctly author
ne me 80 employ all loyal persons Offering their
services IN defense OF the mon and Tor the sup
preston Of this rebellion III any manner might
see tit, OF that the circumstances might cal, Tor.
There is no restrictions AS to the character ut
- Is -, b, ar hn
ture Of the employment whether civil Or mill
tary, IN winch their services shall be used.
conclude therefore, that | have been authorized
to enlist fugitive slaves rs soldiers, COULD any
such be found in the Department.
No such characters, however, have yet APP
peared within view OF our most advanced pcK-
els the loyal slaves everywhere remaining on
their plantations to welcome as, aid US, aud
supply US with food, labor and information. 1t
is the masters who have in every instance beer
the tugitlves, running away from loyal slaves Al
! W II as loyal soldiers, and whom we have Only
partially been able to see with their heads over
ramparts or rifle in hand lodging behind tree
in the extreme distance.
In the absence Of every fugitive masteT-lAw,
the d, serted slaves would be wholly wlthou
remedy had not their crime OF treason given tn
right to pursue, capture and bring back thes
persons, ui whose protection they have beef
tnus suddenly bereit
10 the third lnterrogatOry 1t IS my painful
duty to reply that | never have received an,
specific authority Tor issues Of clothing, uni
forms, arms, equipments, etc, to ;he troops II
question, my general instructions from Mr.
Cameron to employ them In any manner NIGH
lind It necessary in the military exgences OF th
department, and the country being my only
but in my Judgment sufficient, Justification
Neither have had any specific authority fol
supplying those persons with shoyels, spade
and plcKaxes when employing them as laborers
nor with boats and oars when using them u
hghtermen. But these are not the points lndI
Gated in Mir WickliIles resout on 10 me
seemed that liberty 10 employ men IN any par
ucular capacity, implied with it liberty also t
supply them with the necessary tools, ana act
ing upon tins fact have clothed, equipped, an,
armed the only loyal req neut yet raised il
South Carolina.
must say, IN yindication OF my own conduct
that had 1t not been iOr the many other diver
shcd ami imperative claims on my time and al
tentiom, a much more satisfactory result nigh
nave bttn HulCu III anu sAAA III plh's Va Jul.
one. as ut present, ut least five or six well drilled
brave and thoroughly acclimated regiment
should by this time have been added 10 the loya
forces OF the Union The experiment OF arm
Ing tho blacks, so tar us have made it, hu
been complete and marvellous success. The
are sober, docile, attentive and enthusiastic
displaying great natural capacity tor acqulrln
the duties OF the soldier. They are eager, b,
yond all things, to take the held and be lie
into action, and it is the unanimous opinion {
the officers who have had charge OF them, tha
in the peculiarities of this climate and countr
they will prove invaluable auxllaries, tull
equal to the similar regiments so long and ell,
cessluly used by the British authorities in III
Yves; India Islands.
In conclusion would say that it is my hops
there appearing 10 possibility OF other relI
iorcenents, owing to the exigencles OF the can
pOign on the peninsula, to have organized b
thp and AT npXf fall and 10 be- able To present