Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1862-07-11
Gen. Hunter aud tho Negro Regiments.

Gen. Hunter aud tho Negro Regiments.
Secretary Stanton last week sent TO the House
of Representatives the following report from
Gen. Hunter in relation to the formation of ne
gro regiments in South Carolina:
"Hoddguartcrs Department Of Mc South,
PoRr ROYAL, s. c., June %, 1862
Hon. Il, W. SdhtoH, Secretary Of Var:
SIR: have the h nor to acknowledge the re-
ceipt Of communication from the Adiutant
General of the Army, dated June 49, 1869, re-
questing Inc to furnish you with information
necessary to answer certain resolutions introdu-
ced in the House of Representatives June 9,
1862, ON motion Of the Hon. Mr.. Wicklilfe, of
Kentucky their substance being to inquire:
| l. Whether had organized, or was organizing
a reglmcnto OF fugitive slaves in this department;
2. Whether any authority had been given me
| and,
! 3. Whether had been furnished by order of
the War Department with clothing, uniforms,
arms, equipments, DC, for such force
Only having received the letter concerning
these inquiries at a late hour on Saturday night.
| l urged forward my answer in time for the stea-
mer sailing to-day, (Monday) this haste pre-
venting me from entering as minutely as could
wish upon many points of detail such as the
paramount importance Of the subject calls for.
! But in view of the near termination Of the
present session of Congress, and the wide spread
| interest which must have been awakened by
| Mr.. Wickliffe's resolution, prefer sending even
this imperfect answer to waiting the period nee
essary for the collection of fuller and more COM
/ prehensive data.
! To the first question, therefore reply that no
| regiment of fugitive slaves has been or is being
organized in this department.. There is, hoocver
a me regiment Of persons lohose Tate masters are
| 'J"gitiUc rebels men who everywhere fly before
the appearance of the national flag, leaving 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 pres
ence of their late owners, that they are now one
and all working with remarkable industry to
place themselves in position to join in full and
effective pursuit Of their Hgdcioas and tratorous
propret0rs.
/ 10 the second question have the honor to
answer that the instructions given to Brigadier
General I. w. Sherman by the Hon. simon
Cameron, late Secretary Of War, and turned over
to me by succession for my guidance do dis
tinctly authorize me to employ all loyal persons
! offering their service la defence of the Union,
aud for the suppression of this rebellion, in any
manner | might see fit, or that the circumstances
might call for.
There is no restriction as to the character or
color of persons to be employed, or the nature
of the employment, whether civil or military,
in which their services should be used. con
clude, therefore, that have been authorized 10
enlist fugitive slaves, could any such be found
in the department
No such characters, however, have yet appear
| ed within view of our most advanced pickets,
the loyal slaves everywhere remaining on their
| plantations 10 welcome us, aid US and supply us
with good labor and information.
1t is the masters who have in every instance
been the fugitives, running away from loyal
slaves well as loyal soldiers, and whom we
have only partially been able to see, chiefly with
| their heads over rainpars, or rifle in hand dodg
ing behind trees III the extreme distance.
Il In the absence of any fugitive master law the
deserted slaves would be wholly without REM
edy, had not their crime of treason given the
= right to pursue, capture, and bring back these
persons, of whose protection they have beer
2 thus suddenly bereft.
To the third interrogation it is my painful di.
ty to reply that have never received any spe-
cific authority for issues of uniforms, arms,
equipments, DC, to the troops in question: my
general instructions from Mr.. Cameron to employ
them in any manner might find necessary and
the military exigences of the department and
the country, being my only, and in my judg-
ment, sufficient justification.
Neither have had any specific authority for
supplying those persons with shovels, spades
and pick-axes when employing them as labor
ers nor with boats aud oars when using them
as lighter-men; but these are not points indica-
ted in Mr.. Wckliffe's resolution.
To me it seemed that liberty to employ them
in any particular capacity implied with it liber-
ty also to supply them with the Necessary tools;
and acting upon this faith, have clothed, equip
ped, and armed the only loyal regiment yet
raised in South Carolina.
/ must say in vindication of my own con-
Duct that, had it not been for the many Other
diversified and imperitive claims my time
and attention, much more satisfactory result
might have been looked for; and that in place
of only one, MS at present, at least five or six
well drilled, brave and thoroughly acclimated
regiments should by this time have been added
to the loyal forces of the Union.
The experiment of arning the blacks far
as have made it, has been a complete and euer
marvelgoas success. They are sober, docile, at
tentive and enthusiastic, display ing great natur-
al capacities for acquiring the duties of the sol
der. They are eager, beyond all thugs, to take
the field and be led into action; aud it is the
unanimous opinion of the officers who have hao
! charge of them that in the peculiarities of tht
: : climate and country they will prove invaluable
> auxiliaries, fully equal TO the similar regiment
. - 50 long and successfully used by the British au
= thnries in the West Iudia islands.
: Iii conclusion, would say it is my hope, tber
: appearing no possibility of other reinforcement
!, owing to the exigencies of the campaign in tii
= Peninsula, to have organized by The end ofnex
from forty eight thousand to fifty thousand Q
these hardy and devoted soldiers Trusting
that this letter may form part of your answe
> TO Mr. Wckliffe's resolution,
have the honor to be, most respectfully,
Your obedient servant
d. HUNTER, Major-Gen. Commanding"