Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1863-12-17

mpJor Gen BUTLER, IN command OF the military depart
ment Of Virginia aud North Carolina whose headquarters
long General Order relating the recruitment of negro
soldiers aud the management and of such other
negroes as are unfit for military service.
We can make room for only portion of this order,
which opens with the following paragraph;
q The recruitment of colored troops has become the
settled purpose Of the Government 1t therefore, the
duty OF every officer and soldier to aid carrying that
purpose by every proper means irrespective of personal
prediction 10 do this eectualy the former condition
OF the blacks, their change of relation the rights
acquired by them, tha obligations imposed upon them,
the duty OF the Government to Them the great stake they
have In the and the claims their ignorance and the
heplessness Of their and children make upon each
OF US who hold higher grade in social and political fe
must all be carefully considered"
The order proceeds to direct that from the st of De-
oeHber instant and until otherwise ordered every able
bodied coored who shall enlist and be mustered into
the service Of the United States for three years during
the war; shall be paid bounty of ton dollars 1t further
directs as follows:
ITO the family of each colored soldier enlisted and
mustered long he shall remain in the service and
behave WE'LL shall be furnished suitable subsistence under
the direction of the Superintendent Of Negro Affairs
their assistants and each soldier shall be furnished with
certificate of subsistence for his family as soon as he
mustered; and any soldier deserving whose pay and
are forfeited by court martial shall be reported
oy his captain to the superintendent of the district where
SuD6eCenC6
vded that such subsistence shall be continued for at least
SIX months to the family of any coored soldier who shall
die IN the service by disease, wounds, or battle"
The order further directs that officer or other per-
son on behalf of the Government to be paid by the
Government land in this department shall employ
hire any coored man for greater rate of wages than ten
dollars per month without raons except that mechanics
and skilled aborers may be employed at other ratesre-
gard being had however to the pay the soldier in fixing
such rates. The reasons for this order are thus set
forth
"The best use during the for able-boded col.
Ored man, as well Tor himself the country s to be
soldier 1t is therefore further ordered that colored
between the ages Of eighteen and ortyfve who
pass the surgeons examination for soldier shall be en-
pOyed land by any person ia behalf of the Govern
ment (mechanics and skilled laborers alone excepted
And it shall be the duty Of each officer other person
employing colored labor this department to be paid by
behalf Of the Government to each aborer
be examined by the surgeons detailed to examine coored
recruits who shall furnish the laborer with certificate
of disability or ability as the may be- and after the
lst day OF January next employment rolls of cOored
aborers will be certified passed these headquarters
wherein this order has not been complied with and
not vouched for by such certificate of disability of the
employees"
No subsistence is to be furnished to the families of
groes employed by the Government at labor except at
their cost and the amount thereof is to be deducted
from their wages the fret day of each month 1t is
furnish subsistence for all the negroes who are able
work, and such will not work TO receive subss
ence but to be arrested and made work on the fort
cations To this effect the order says:
Political freedom rightly defined, is liberty to work
and to be protected in the full enjoyment of the fruits of
labor, and with ilty to work should enjoy the
fruits of anoher's labor Therefore, no subsistence will
be permitted to any negro his family with whom he
lives who able to work and does not work 1t is there
FORE the duty Of the Superintendent Of Negro Affairs to
furnish employment to all the negroes able labor and
that their families supplied with the necessaes of
elects his family will be arrested and reported to these
headquarters to be sent to labor the Notifications
where he will be made to work"
Officers and soldiers are forbidden to compel the labor
of negroes for any private purpose whatever and
labor not to be impressed forced for any public SER
vice, unless under orders from the Generals headquarters
or because of imperative military necessity where the
labor of white citizens would be compelled If present
Any officer Tending in this respect to be dismissed the
service subject to the approval of the President 1t is
further ordered:
That every officer and soldier of this command shall
aid by every means IN his the coming of all coored
people within the Union lines that all officers command
ing expeditions and raids shall bring in with them all the
negroes possible, aordng them transportation aid pro-
lection, end encouragement Any officer bringing ad
mttDg negroes within bis lines shall forthwith report the
to the Superintendent Of Negro Affairs within his
district they may be cared for and protected enlisted
or set to work Any officer, soldier citizen who shall
dssuade hinder prevent endeavor to hinder
any negro from coming within the Union lines shall
dssuade hinder prevent endeavor to prevent hinder
any negro from enisng or who shall insult abuse rdi-
cue, interfere with for the purpose of casting rdcue
contempt upon colored troops individual soldiers,
because they coored shall be deemed to be and held
liable under the several acts of Congress applicable
subject and he punished with military severity for OBJ
structing recruiting"
The order proceeds say that consideration OF the
ignorance and hepessness of the negroes arising from
the condition in which they have been heretofore held
becomes necessary that the Government should
more and peculiar and protection over them than
over its white citizens accustomed to selfcontrol and
sefsupport so that their susteuance may be assured
their rights respected their hepessness protected and
their wrongs redressed and that there be system Of
management of negro affairs" 1t is therefore ordered
That Lieut.. Col. j. Barnhsm Kinsman, A. D. C be
detailed to these headquarters General Superintendent
of Negro Affairs 10 this department. to whom all reports
and communications relating thereto required to be
to these headquarters shall be addressed He shall have
general superntendence all the colored people Of
this department. and all other supernendents of negro
affairs shall report to Lieut. Col Kinsnan who acting
for the commanding General in this behalf.
A the territory of Virginia south OF the James river
shall be under the superintendence of Capt Orlando
Brown assistant quartermaster. All the territory north
of James river shall be under the of Capt
Charles b Wilder, assistant quartermaser. The district
of North Carolina shall be under the superintendent Of
Rev. Horace James, chaplain
Each superintendent shall have the power to select
and appoint such assistant supernendens for such sub
he 10 aa