St. Cloud Democrat. [volume] (Saint Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1858-1866, 1862-07-24

persons. to b. employed, or the nature Of
the employment, whether civil or military,
in which their services shall be used. |
conclude, therefore, that have been au-
thorized to enlist fugitive slaves as soldiers,
could any such be found in this depart.
ment. No such characters, however, have
yet appeared within the view Of our most
advanced pickets, the loyal slaves every
where remaining on their plantations to
welcome US, aid us, apd supply US with food
labor and information. 1t is the masters
who have, in every instance, been the fugi-.
+ tives running away from the loyal slaves as
we'll as the loyal soldiers, and whom we
have. only partially been able tosee, chiefly
their heads over ramparts, or rife in hand,
dodging behind trees in the extreme dis
tance. In the absence of any fugitive,
master) law, the deserted slaves would be
wholly without remedy, had not the crime
OF treason given them the right to pursue,
capture and bring back, those persons of
whose protection they have thus been sud-
denly bereft.' .
To the third intcrrogatory, it is N, pain
full duty to reply that have never receiv-
ed any specific authority for issues of cloth
ing, uniforms, arms, equipments, and SO
forth, to the troops in question my gene.
raj instructions from Mr.. Cameron to em:
ploy them IN any manner I might find me-
cessary, and the military exigencies OF the
department., being my only, but in my
Judgment sufficient justification. Neither
have | had any specific authority for sup.
plying these persons with shovels, spades
and pickaxes upon employing them as Ia
borers-with boats and oars, when using
them as lighter men but these are not
points included in Mr. Wickliffe's resolu-
ton. '>:. !:
To ME it seemed that the liberty to en-
ploy men in any paticular capacity implied
with it liberty, also, to supply them with
the necessary tools, and acting upon this
/ faith, [ have clothed, equipped and arm
! cd the only loyal regiment yet raised in
South Carolina. I must say. in vindica-
tlon OF my own conduct that, had it not
been for the many other diversified and
imperative claims on my time and atten-
ton, much more satisfactory result mi ght
| have been hoped for, and tiat>in place of
only one, as at present, at least five or,six
well drilled, brave and thoroughly accli.
mated Regiments should by this time, have
been added to the loyal forces Of the Unc
ion. The experiment of tar,nibg blacks; SO
far as lhave made il, has been complete
al even marvellous success. They arc so.
Der, docile, attentive and enthusiastic, dis
playing great natural capacities for 'acquir-
ing the duties of the soldier. They are eager,
beyond all things; to takethe field and Dbe
led into actior;; aud it is the. unanimous
opinion Of the officers. who have had charge
of them, that. ia the peculiarities. of this
climate and country they will prove iniv;al
liable auxlliaries, fully equal to :tlle similar
arguments SO long and successfully usedby
the British authorities in the West India
Islands.
In conclusion, I would say it is my hope
there appearing no possibility Of other re-
inforcements, owing to the exigencies~ of
the campaign in the Peninsula, to have
organized by the end of next fall, and to
be able to present the government from
$4,000 to $4,000 .rof these; ;hardye and de-
voted soldiers. ;. >, :.,... T..
Trusting that this letter may form part
of your iadswcr to Mr.: Wickliffe's resolu-
| luton, v37 t'p :i>i; -:
- I have the honnor to be-, ii 'tt}:', ''t't::
| :"''' D. HUNTER. -