Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1862-10-03
A Regiment of Free ColOFsd Men in New

OFiednat
|. We extract the following from 8 recent
letter from New Orleans to the New York
Times:
This evening rode down to what is call
ed the Judah Turo Building, large un-
furnished edifce just on the suburbs of
the lower part Of the town, intended when
finished to be refuge for INDECENT women
and children. The building is very large
and very incomplete, but it is rooted in,
and affords most excellent accommodations
as a barracks. Here is to be witnessed a
scene which of all others was least expee-
ted by the priests of rebellion. 1 allude
to regiment and more of free colored cit-
liens, who daily go through company
drills, and on each evening have dress
parade, at which twelve hundred stout men
perform the duties Of soldier, with an
aptitude and precision that would do credit
to men Of whittier faces, though not neces-
sarily Of braver hearts.
The first thing I noticed was the guard
who paced in front Of the square. His
gun was an old single-barrelled fowling
piece, without bayonet, and he was with
out belt or cartridge-box, still he played
the sentinel with becoming excellence, and
stopped US promptly, and without hesita-
ton called for the "officer of the guard"
A mulatto man, of rather light complex
ion, sword at the side, and wearing the
shoulder-straps of a second lieutenant
presented himself, and after some general
questions, said he would conduct US "to
headquarters" I wound my way among
the idlers, and numbers of squads under
the charge of drill sergeants, until l
reached a small building on one side of
the square, where much to my surprise,
found Acting-Adjutant Thomas A. Sears,
formerly of the 18th Massachusetts Volun-
teers. He expressed much pleasure at
meeting me, and I frankly confess that
his face was Dronzed darker than many of
his soldiers. With Adjutant Sears 1 went
through the entire building, and 1 was
much surprised to see how comfortably
LOO men had found themselves. was
informed that these native soldiers, as
they are termed, manage with the ordina-
ry rations to live better than do a majority
Of our soldiers. This is to be accoun ted
for by the fact that a large number Of
these natives have been professional cooks,
and from youth up had been compelled to
These free mulatto men learn the drill ca
silly, and take great pride in the business.
I saw some of the squads 90 through their
exercise, and they deserve commendation.
It was impossible for me to wait to see the
regimental drill.
The ChGgSslirs d Afriqus, as the men are
fond of calling themselves, are at present
dressed in the United States infantry uni
form, with the cavalry hat. The Zouave
dress should be adopted at all events, the
red cap and tassel. The mulatto and ne
gro do not need broad brimmed hat to
shade their faces, and it looks out of place
and anomalous. Gen. Butler takes a great
deal Of interest in this body of men, and
think is anxiously waiting to know if
they will be mustered into service. What
course the Government will pursue can
not say, but think it could dispose of
them both proftably and practically. I
would send six hundred to Fort Jackson,
three hundred to Fort st. Phillip, six hun
dred to Fort Pickens, and the remainder,
with two or three hundred more, should be
the occupiers of Sumter and other South
ern forts.
History goes to show that the negre man
is a good artillerist; in a naval warfare
they have always distinguished themselves,
not only as active gunners, but fierce and
determined boarders. On our gunboats
now in front of the city the negro sailors
are great favorites, and are equal to any
in doing duty. Let our Southern forts
thus be defended, having only few white
men as special guards, and white officers
throughout. We should then be relieved
of the sad destruction universally taking
place among unacclimated white men do
ing military duty in the Southern forts
With such soldiers we should neither fear
an outside enemy OF the more insidious
foe, malarias, fevers and epidemics. The
commanding officer of this regiment is
Col Stafford, believe once attrched to the
New York Fire ZOuaves, and Lieut.. Colonel
J. A. Nelson, Of one of the New England
regiments.