Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-07-14
WAR DEPARTMENT, !
Va ashinrfnn City Inlv > (


the House to-day, the reading of some parts oi
which occasoned much merrment:
WAR DEPARTMENT,
Washington City, July ?.
SIR: On reference to the answer of this De
partment of the 18th ut. to the resolution of the
House of Representatives of the 9th of last
month. calling for information respecting the Or
ganization by General Hunter, of a regiment OF
volunteers for the defense of the Union composed
of black men, fugitive slaves, &c, it will be seen
that the resolution had been referred to that off
GER with instructions to make an immediate re
port thereon. | have now the honor to transmit
herewith the copy of communication just re
ceived from Gen. Hunter, furnishing information
as to his action touching the various matters in
dica.ed in the resolution.
have the honor to be, very respectfully,
Your obedent servant
EDWIN NJ. STANTON.
Hon. G. A. Grow, Speaker of the House of Rep
resentatives.
HEADoUARTERs DEPARTMENT OF THE SorTHl
Port Royal, S. c., June %. !
Hon. Z. NJ. Stanton, Secretary of War:
SIR: have the honor to acknowledge the re-
ceipt of communication from the Adiutant
General of the army, dated June l3, 1862, re-
questing me to furnish YOU with the information
necessary to answer certain esoutions introduced
in the House of Representatives of June 9, 1862
on motion of Hon Mr. Wickliffe, of Kentucky,
their substance being to inquire
First. Whether had organized, or was organ
izing. regiment of fugitive slaves in this De-
partment.
Second, Whether any authority had been given
to me from the War Department for such organi-
zation; and
Third, Whether | had been furnished, BY
order of the War Department, with clothing,
uniforms, arms, equipments, &c, for such a
force?
Only having received the letter containing
these inquiries at late hour on Saturday night,
| urge forward my answer in time for the steam
er sailing to-day (Monday.) This caste prevents
me from entering minutely as / could wish
upon many points of detail, such as the para
mount Importance of the subject calls for; but in
view OF the near termination of the present ses
sion of Congress and the wide spread interest
which must have been awakened by Mr.. Wick
lffes resolution, l prefer sending this i'm
perfect answer 10 waiting the period necessary for
the collection of fuller and more comprehensive
data
To the first question: therefore, / reply that no
regiment of fugitive slaves has been, or is being,
organized in this department. There is, howey
er, fine regiment of persons whose late masters
are Fugitive rebels" men who everywhere fly
before the appearance of the national flag, leav-
ing their servants behind them to shift as best
they can for themselves So far, indeed, are
the loyal persons composing this regiment from
seeking to avoid the presence of their late
owners, that they are now one and all work
ing with remarkable industry to place them
selves in position to join in full and effec-
tive pursuit of their fugacious and traitorous
proprietors.
To the second question / have the honor to
answer that the instructions given to Brig Gen.
T. W SheIm by the Hon. Simon Cameron,
late Secretary of War, and turned over to me by
succession for my guidance do distinctly author
ize me to employ all loyal persons offering their
services in defense of the Union and for the sup
preston of this rebellion, in any manner l might
see fit or that the circumstances might call for.
There is restriction as to the character or color
of the persons to be employed, or the nature of
the employment, whether civil or military, in
which their services shall be used. | conclude,
therefore, that have been authorized to enlist
fugitive slaves as soldiers. could any such be
found in this department. No such characters,
however, have yet appeared within the view of
our most advanced pckets, the loyal slaves
everywhere remaining on their plantations TO
welcome US, aid US, and supply US with food,
labor, and information. 1t is the masters who
have in every instance been the fugitves, run
loyal soldiers, and whom we have only partially
been able to see, chiefly their heads over ram
parts, or, rife in hand. dodeing behind trees in
the extreme distance 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 been thus suddenly bereft.
To the third nterrogatory il is my painful du-
ty to reply that have never received any speci-
B.; authority for issues of clothing. uniforms,
arnis, equipments, &c., to the people in question.
My general Instructions from Mr.. Cameron to
employ them in any manner might find neces-
sary, and the military exgencies of the Depart
ment being my only, but in my judgment suffi-
cent justification. Neither have had any speci-
ic authority for supplying those persons with
shovels, spades, and pickaxes, when employing
them as laborers; with boats and oars when using