, 1863-02-10

....... &c 2 g. |
Nixon Si,,n.o; ;;s'.....-.. 2; :, i e
Late Lcatned-..., q 90
ioof- f-.....--...... l6 II |
Total. .....,..5N os Il rs
ALEX. ScANME1L, Adiutant General.
This return embraces the negroes with the |
main army. under Gen. WashiDgtoa's i1nme-
<iiate command, two months after tho battle !
Of Monmouth
Similar returns from, the other armies in I
other departments would doubtless show \
larger proportion IL l1any brigadcs. The
black regiment Of Rhode Island slayes is not
included III the above return, although 1t had
been already organized. 1ts history is as re-
lEarkabic as any part Of the subject under
consideration.
Early in IT'S it was proposed by Gen. VAR
mum to Washington thai The Two Rhode Is
land battallone in camp at Valley Forge should
be united, and that the officers of one. Col.
Greene, Lieut.. Col. Olncy, a3d Major Ward,
with their sulaltcrns, be Eent to Rhode Island
to enlist a battalion Of negroes for the Conti-
mental service. The plan was approved, and
the officers were sent home for that purpose,
The Rhode leland Assembly accordingly
resolved to raise regiment Of slaves, who
were to be frucd upon their enlistment, and
their oWncrs to be paid By the State, accord
l,s to the valuation Of n committee (of
five, one from each county)-onc hundred
and twenty pounds being the highest price for
tl.c most valuable slave. Six deputies pro-
tested against this act, on the ground that
there were lot enough slavcs to make m
effective regiment; that the measure would
be disalproyed abroad; that the expense
would be greater, and the owners be diss.sis-
fled with the indemnity offered by the State.
The preamble OF The act recitcs the fact that
"hsetory affords US frequent precedcnts Of the
ElseSt, frccst, and hraycst nations haying lib
ct:,ted their slaves and enlisted them as SOL
diers to fight in defence Of their country
Governor Cooke, In reporting the result to
effective slave 10 enter into the service during
the var; and upon his passing muster he i
absolutely made free, and entitled to all the
wares, bonntlcs, and ercpurageinents given
by Congress to any soldier cn1isting into their
service. = The number OF slaves IA
not great, but IL is generally thought that 800
and upwards will bc cnlis!ed.''
lis expectations were not disappointed;
and these Slaves who were TO win their own
freedom in fighting for Amcricgn Indcpen-
tsence took the field In f,,rcc. Before the end
ot the year, thesc,ncll were tr!ed aud not found
~, IT'S, raid by Lafayette to have been "thc
best fought action Of the whole war; this
newly raised black regiment, Under Colonel
Greene, distinguished itself hy deeds Of dcs-
peTate ralor, rcpclliny three times The fierce
assault Of an overwhelming force Of Hcssian
troops. And 40 they continued to discharge
their duty with zeal aud 1idc!ity-nevcr losing
airy If their first laurris 50 ga1lant!y won. Il
is not i,unrobabse That Col. John Laurcns wit
messed and drew some of bis inspiration from
tic scene Of their first trinl III the field.
il will 10 na:!rr,i t1,at. III the absence Of I
formal system Under Continental authu.ity,
b!ack 1Ecn continued to find their way into
tile service, under various laws, md some.
tinlrs ulidcr 10 law, or III defiance Of law.
Probably every State had lis colored rrprssen-
1ativcs among The soldicry-and there hc-
acknowledgements Of services expected or rem
sicrcd, among The records Of nearly all the
States.
In New Hampshire, those blacks who en-
listed into the army for three years, were en-
tilted to the same bounty rs the whites.
This bounty their masters received rs the
price Of their liberty, and then delivered up
their bills Of eaIc, and gave them certificate
Of nlanumission. Most Of t}.c slaves in New
Hampshire were cln:tncipated by their owners,
will the exception of s1cl1 as Ind grown old
in s,r7ic ice, and refused to accept their free
dom, rcnlaining will their masters, or as PEN
siouers on the families Of their descendants.
In Massachusetts, whose earlier action has
been noted, n committee OF the Legislature,
il, IT'S, reported In favor Of raising regiment
/ Of negroes. nlulattoes, or 1ndians"-in which
! one sergeant in each company, and all The
| higher officers we've to be while men.
Connecticut, too, Is said to have rcsortca to
the vxpcdcnt Of forming a corps of colorcd
| 4oidicrs when the difficulties Of recruiting be-
| came pressing, and tho late Gen. humphreys,
! who was attached to the military family Of Inc
| comnandc1.in-clief, like lauEens, accepted
| tilc command Ut 4 company Of these men, who
arc said 10 have 'tconilucted themselves with
| fidelity and efficiency throughout the war;
! In New York, where tht system Of domestic
| slavery wns as firmly and vigorously cstab.
t lishcd az In any part of the country, under
| colonial loWs-ccrta:nly with moro severity
| than in either Massachusetts, OF Connecticut
the first act that vent to relax The sy6te'n was
| the act Of 1.51. Which gave freedom 10 MI
slaves who shnu!d Fcrrc in the army for the
term Of three years, OF until regularly dis
charged. The enlistment WAS to be with the
consent of the OWNER, who received the land
bounty, md was discharged from any fusure
maintenance ef the slave.
1t is Il singular contrast that, in New Jcr
Fey, thu enlistment Of slaves Nas prohibited
III the Eamc year, 1iS1.
In 1TS0, ~. act WAS passed In Maryland Il
procure Geo men to scEve three years. Th'
property In the State was divided into classe
Of Elt;, ECO, each Of which was, witlliE twcnt
days, to furnish one recruit, who might b
either freeman VI slayc. In ISL the Leg
i>laturc resolved 10 raiEc immediately $50 nc
gIocs to he incorporated with lhc otler troops
Among the inducements offered torecruit
i'll The Southern States, ~ healthy. sound ne
gro, between the ages Of ten aad thirty year,
or sixty pounds in gold or silver, at the ol
. ton Of the soldier, Il. lien thereof,''a as We
as tlc land bounty, were given lin vir@ini,
I to soldiers ALREADY enlisted. or wllo should c,
LIST and serve to The end Of the war.
South Carolina gayc similar bountE-"o
sound negro. between the age Of Ten and 10
ty," .tfor each and every years. service"
. soldiers enlisted for three years, or during IL
war.
The idea that the negroes mig hit be put to
: tsttrr use did not cecapc all tho statesmen
Virginia. James Madison, at that time
= member Of thc Continental Congress. c
pressing 1,;s satisfaction with the dctermin
lion Of the Legislature Of TINT State to rccru
their line oi tic army for tue wa7, refers
Tie tsncgro bounty" as follows.
.NitAont deciding on tho cxredtency Of t
mode under their consideration. wonld il Ii
he rs well to libcr,tc and mako soldiers
> once Of the blacks themselves, as to ma
them Instruments for enlisting white soldier
I. would ccrtainly he moro consonnn: TO I
=, principles Of liberty, which ought neger to
~ fost sight of in IL contest for liberty; n
Il with willie officers and 4 majority Of VIII
< soldiers, no Imaginable danger could be fear
from themselves, as there certainly could
none from effect of tie example on those u
" should remain in bondage; experience liari
- shown that freedman Immediately loses
= attachment aud sympathy with his former
low slaves"
Ii, Virginia, an act vas passed in lit, t
no negro should be enlisted Without . ccrt
cate offredo1n, tho preamble to which deela
that slaves had deserted tAcif mas.ers.
), ,.ndcr prctencc Of being frccmcn had cnlis
=, as soldiers. ........ .......
In the "O1d Dominion" too, many per:'
curing tic course Of the war caused II
slaves; tn enlist, having rendered them to
recruiting officers as substitutes fuF lrce |
IS, sens, whose lot or duty it was to ecryc in
a11nv at tho eamc limo representing That tn
slaves we're frcemen. On the expiration
tic term OF enlistment. The former owners
TEMPTED to force tlsem to return to stats
thu scryitudc, with equal disregard Of tho pEi
Piles Of juaticc ard their own solemn prom
The iufhmy Of such proceedings arouse
Just indignation, and led to All act Of culanc
ton If ali slaves who had been thus cnIis
I. and served their term faithfully. The net
: knowlcd6ed that euch persons having ~
!" tril,utett low ards tho establishment ot Am
- cali liberty and Independence, should el
the blessings Of freedom :s IL reward for t
| tells and lab,rs - and authorized them fl
o-+ i: fn1n.a ;3anp:rix and to recover damage
GOV II detained in slavery. .-... ...
~. W. Eycl In South Carolina, Al! act was t':1
an; in l7>a, cnfrancaising The Wifi and child
negro slave, who had been employed by
~. ernar Rut!cdgc as = spy during the war;
diligence md fidelity which he displayed II
- ccutiEE tho commissions with
da. lie wBs intruhted, and the impoi
Information Which l.c obtnsncd from n
thc cneuy's lines, frequently ut tho ri: