The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1862-07-12
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Port Royal. :. O., June - 1859.
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SlR: have the honor to acknowledge the
! receipt of q communication from the Adju-
| tnnt General Of the Army, dated Jun" Is,
1862, requesting me to fsr1ish You with the
information necessary to answer certain
| resol buttons iptroduced in the House Of
Rerres entativee, June 9. 1862, on motion
| OF sher HIM. .Ais. Fcliffe, of,ky.5 tshsir
suhstance being to inquire:
l. Whether had organised, or was or
sanising regiment sef iSgisives slssss.sin
:. Wieiher any authority had been given
me FIRM, ths War Department for soci or
gani1Aiion : and 4sss.es .slsls "a Is, 4sz'st
g. Whether had been furnished BY or
der Of the War Department, With clothing,
uniforms. arms equipments, &c., for such
force.
Only having received tho letter copcerp,
ing shese ipqa4fes ats late heofs on Saul.
day night, urge forward my answer in
time for the steamer sailing to-day Mon
u
ing as minutelv as cou'd wish upon many
points OF l]etaii, such as the paramonnt inn
portance Of the ubjecss calls fur.
But in view of the near Termination Of
the present session Of Congress, and the
wide spread interest which past have been
awakened by Mr. Wickllff's resolution, |
prefer sending even this imperfeos answer
to whiting the period necessary for the col
lection Of fuller and more comprehensive
data.
To the first question, therefore. l reply
that no regiment of fugitive slaves has been
or is being organized in this Department
There is, however, ine regiment Of per-
sons whase late masters ore ..fugitive .reb-
| els' - who everywhere fly before the
appearance of the Nation flag, leaving their
servants behind them to shift,as best they
can far themselves. ii j5IIff gllffS
81 far, indeed, are the loyal persons COM
posing this regiment, from seeking to avoid
the presence of their late owners, that they
are now, one and all, working with remark
able industry to place themselves 10 po-
sition to JON in full and effective pursuit
Of their tngacious and traitorous prorrie-
tors.
To the second, question have the honor
to answer that the instructions given to
Brigadier- General T. w. Sherman BY the
Hon. Simon Cameron, late Secretary of
War, and turned over to me, by succession,
for nv guidance, edo directly authorize me
to employ all loyal persons Offering their
service "a. defence Of the. Union, and for the
suppression of this rebellion, ID any man
ner might see fl, or that the circums tan.
ces might call for. af d bsa4 ssafa liz g !.
/ There is no restriction as to the charac
ter, or color Of the persons to be employed,
or the nature of the employment, whether
civil or military, in which their services
should be used. conclude, therefore, that
have been authorised to enlist fugitive
slaves as soldiers, could any such be found
in the department..
Such characters, however, yet appeared
within view of our most advance pickets,
the loyal slaves everywhere remaining on
their plantations to welcome Us, aid US, and
supply VS. with good labor and inf formation.
1t is the masters who have in every H.
stance been the fugitives, running away
from loyal slaves as we'll rs loyal soldiers,
and whom We have only partially been able
to see, chiefly with their heads over ram.
parts, or rife in hand lodging behind trees
in the extreme distance.
In the absence Of any fugitive master law
the deserted slaves would be wholly without
r,medy had not their time of treason given
the right to pursue, capture, and bring back
these persons, Of whose protection they
have been thus suddenly bereft.
To the third interrogation. it is my pain
full duty to reply that have never received
any specific authority for issues of uni.
forms, arms. equipments, &c.. to the troops
in question, my general instructions from
Mr.. Cameron to employ them in any man.
ner might end necessary, and the military
exigencies Of the Department and the coun
try being my only, and in my Judgment,
sufficient Justification.
Neither have had any specific authority
for supplying those persons with shoves.
spades and pick axes, when employing them
as laborers, nor with boats and oars when
using them rs lighter-men but these are
not points indicated in Mr.. Wickhfe's res
olution. s,.t.
To me It seemed that liberty to EN-
ploy them in any particular capacity, I'm
piled with it liberty also to supply them
with the necessary tools and, acting upon
his faith, have clothed, equipped, and
armed the only loyal regiment yet raised in
South Carolios.s ss - ,se
l must say in vindication of my OWL
conduct, that had it not been for the many
other diversified and imperative claims on
my time and attention, much more salts
factory result might have been hoped for
and that in place Of only one as at present.
at least FIVE or six we'll drilled, brave, and
thoroughly acclimated regiments should BY
this time have been added to the loyal for
ces Of the Union. 5ei
The experiment Of arming the blacks so
far rs have made it, has been complete,
and even marvellous success. They are
sober, docile, attentive, and enthusiastic,
displaying great natural capacities for ac-
quiring the duties Of the soldier. They are
eager beyond all things, to take the field
and be led into action; and it is the unani-
nous opinion Of the officers who have had
charge Of them, that in the pecuiarities Of
the climate and country they will prove val-
liable auxiliaries, fully equal to the similar
regiments so long and soccessfully vsed by
the. British authorities in the W est India ls-
lands. ad' Is
In conclusion, would say it 10 my hope,
there appearing no possibility Of reinforce