Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1863-05-15
From the 36tll IOvva-AmOther Wis.
1t from Adiutant Gen. Thomas
ArlnimS NegrOes-A word to Cop
perhe1Is. U-i.' nt3GHoe of4 d 9
Ducks LANDING, La, April 21, 1863.

4 DCSA AANDANd, A1.3 n PHI 1OUO.
FRIEND MAHrN - Yesterday was fine day
and the contending armies here improved tn
time in throwing shell at each other, will
what result am unable to say. All tn,
troops at this place, at o'clock last evening
were ordered to report at Gen. Tuttle's head
quarters, to receive Adjt. Gen. Thomas ant
hear speech from him. Subject-The ne
gro, connected with the rebellion. His re
marks were but few and to the point. His
arguments were unanswerable. He assumed
that the negro was a species of prop
erty owned by the South and was used by the
rebels so as the more effectually to enable
them to prosecute the war against the Gov.
ernment of the United States, and that we, as
defenders of the Government, have perfect
right to take this property and use it to the
very best advantage in crushing this rebel.
lion. And in accordance with this view of the
subject, the Commander-in-C Chief of the army
of the United States has issued an order that
all this unfortunate race coming within our
lines and capable of bearing arms should be
organized into companies, regiments and bri-
gades, and thoroughly armed and equipped,
differed by whites, and put into the field
and that all the officers Of the army are re-
quired to assist in putting this order in force,
and whoever shall refuse so to do, shall be
here, a special agent of the President, to car
ry out this order, and do it With feelings Of
satisfaction, because believe it to be the best
disposition that could be made of the slaves
Of rebels. But it has been said by some who
have opposed the measure, that to arm the
blacks would be to degrade the whites. Now,
fellow-soldiers, l appeal to you, and, while 1
put the question, examine your hearts and
tell me if you really think that TO arm the ne
gro would bring you the least particle lower
in the scale of existence. You answer, no.
Well, then, the objection becomes worthless,
and should be set aside - f ..s ..... I,
After Adjt. Gen. Thomas had finished
speaking, Gen. Tuttle was loudly called for,
when he took the stand and spoke warmly in
favor of arming the blacks and that he had
entertained these sentiments ever since the
battle of Shiloh. He said that some might
be surprised at his holding such sentiments,
from the fact that he had always been Dem
ocrat heretofore. "But," said he, 81 am in
earnest in my endeavors to crush this REBEL
ion. and believe we should make use of every
means, no matter what, to accomplish the
great aim of the Nation, to-wit: the preserva-
ton Of the Government If this were not
the case, should not be here, but at my own
loved home in Iowa, enjoying the society of
friends"
Gen. Tuttle is becoming very popular with
US. The better we become acquainted with
him the more we love him, and the reason
why we admire him is because he shows to
us that he is one of those noble patriots who
hold dearer to his heart than all other objects
the preservation of of those principles of lib
erty bequeathed to us by our revolutionary
sires. ass ,
After Gen. Tuttle had finished speaking, we
were addressed by Major O OConnor and many
other officers, who expressed their confidence
in the President and their determination to
carry out every order that has been or may
be issued by the Commander-in-Chief of tho
United States army. After the speaking was
done there We're proposed three cheers for the
President, when there went up from the troops
here three as hearty hurrahs as you ever
heard. Therefore you will be justi6able in
telling those men in Iowa, and every other
State, who advocate peace on any other
terms than compliance on the part of the
rebels with the demands of the United States
Government, that they are looked upon by us
with contempt, and should they succeed in
our absence in getting possession of the Gov
ernment so that they should procure peace on
! any other than an unconditional surrender of
the so-called Confederate States, to the Gov
ernment of the United States-that before
they can take US from the field they will have
to do it at the point OF the bayonet, for we
are determined that not one foot of the terri
tory belonging to the United States shall be
separated therefrom, and that her laws must
and shall be rigidly enforced. nj
Yours IN friendship,
ID, 35th Iowa .