Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1862-08-07

NEGRO SoLnIERs.-Gen. Lew. Wallace, in
his Cincinnati speech, said:-''In times of
great excitement, like the present, a simple
prejudice may do an immense amount of evil;
a creased cartridge produced the Sepoy re-
bcllion; but Notwithstanding all these preju-
tlices that have been instilled into the minds
OF some of our boys, when our troops are
worn out with fighting against superior forces,
when outnumbered and cut to pieces, with
every hope gone and nothing but destruction
staring them in the face, then l say, if white
men should happen to hear the sweet music
of the rifle, even though in niger hands, they
would like it amazingly, and be wonderfully
glad of it."
The Philadelphia Bulletin contains letter
from an officer now in the field to the secreta-
ry of war, offering, if relieved from duty for
the purpose. to enlist, under the act Of con-
| gress, in sixty days at farthest, a brigade of
| blacks. He asks that the brigade be kept
separate from the white army; that it be
sent down to Port Royal, or some other
point on the southern coast, with permis-
| sion to march direct to Vicksburg; from
thence to Richmond; from thence to Charles
ton; and from thence to Mobile via Savannah
| and Montgomery-adding to its numbers in
Tue all dUic-DOulGu lONdl men VI CblOT
who may choose TO Join its standards and to
all who thus join the command the boon of
freedom be offered and guaranteed from and
after the moment Of their enlistment Start
| ing with single brigade (ineludng, OF course,
proper proportion of cavalry and artillery
should expect to reach VickSburg with not
less than $4,000; Richmond with not less
than $4,000; Charleston with 100000, and
| Mobile with, probably, 100000 able-bodied,
| well-dlScipined troops, most Of whom, in adj
dition to their love of the Union, would have
the incentive of freedom for their action" He
| proposes to call this brigade the "Corner-
stone Brigade"
| A black regiment was organized in Rhode
Island in 1898 under the authority of the
| legislature. The blacks were slaves, but by
the act of legislature were to be freed upon
| their enlistment, and their owners to be paid
by the state according to the valuation of a
committee (of five, one from each county,,
one hundred and twenty pounds being the
| highest price for the most valuable slave.
| Mr.. Moore, in his valuable historical notes ON
the employment of negroes in the army of the
| revolution says;
'Six deputies protested against this act, on
the ground that there were not enough slaves
to make an effective regiment; that the meas
ure would be disapproyed abroad; that the eX-
pense wonld be greater and the owners be dis
satisfied with the indemnity offered by the
state. The preamble OF the act recites the
fact that history affords us frequent prece-
dents of the wisest, treest, and bravest ma
tons having liberated their slaves and enlist
ed them as soldiers to fight in defence of their
country
''Gov. Cooke, in reporting the result to
Washington, said:-Liberty is given to ev-
cry effective slave to enter into the service
during the war; and upon his passing muster
he is absolutely made free, and entitled to all
the wages, bounty, and encouragements Civ
en- by congress to any soldier enlisting into
their service The number
of slaves is not great, but it is generally
thought three hundred and upwards will be
enlisted
Ellis expectations were not disappointed;
and these slaves who were to win their own
freedom in fighting for American independ-
ence. took the field in force. Before the end
Of the year these men were tried and not
found wanting. In the battle Of Rhode Is
land, August %, I77S, said by Lafayette to
have been the best fought action of the whole
war this newly-raised black regiment, under
Col Greene, distinguished itself by deeds of
desperate yalor, repelling three times the
fierce assaults OF an overwhelming force of
HeSSian troops"