The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1863-01-31
Carrying out the Proelamatlon In Gen.
Ouftet OepaFsmont..ORganl Negro

u
ST. LOUIS, No., Jan. path 1858.
The people have been looking in VAIN for the
past six months for the organization of the thou
sands Of contrabands that have swarmed around
the camps Of the army Of the Potomac 10 its
msrchings and counter marchings, for the plac-
ing of the said contradands ia position where
they could render the country come service
But up to this present moment, after the proc
lamation of the President has been iesued, and 4
new policy supposed to be iraugurated in this
particular, the same Indifference is manifested
% before. There are some portions of the coun.
try whore it is different. Foremost in the great
movement ofstriking the sbackels from the
hands Of the slaves, and turning their labor to
the benefit of the Government. which We are try
ing to maintain, the next day after the emanci-
patton proclamation was published, Gen. Curtis
issued orders for the mastering into the service
of the United States, Of two negro regiments,
which had been organized in Kansas These
regiments are composed of the slaves, in great
part, of rebel owners, who had gone South
They are Offered to considerable extent BY
men Of their own color, have proved themselves
good soldiers already BY their endurance,
their perseverance,, their cheerfalness and the
aptness with which they acquire military prof
peisncyY Several attempts had been made to have
them mustered into the United States service
prior to the issuing Of the Proclamation, but
they were unsuccessful But the moment that
was published, oil doubts and all eqsivocations
were removed, and peremptory orders we're q
once sent forward By GEN. Curtis, to have them
ranged under the banners of the Unioo.> They
are now ct Fort Seott. They are called the ist
and - Kansas colored regimenta =,
The Drum Major Of lie lot is IN old, almost
white headed darkey, Who went through the
Seminole war a. body servant Of Gen. Jackson.
One company in the list is Offered entirely
from it's own ranks, and one o. two ofits officers
are graduates Of Oberlin College. 1t is the best
drilled company in the notwithstanding cot
only the usual drills with precision, but also the
more difficult movements in the drill Of The
Zo,savs d Afr;qus.< They were reviewed by Col.
Chapman, chief Of stat, on recent visit to Kan
sae, and highly complimented for their soldierly
bearing and conduct. as4 -
. They were undoubtedly the first negro regi-
ments mustered into the servsce Of the govern
men under the Proclamation Of tie President
Arrangements we're also made few days after
the first of January, for raising negro brigade
at Helena, Arkansas For this purpose, Col.
Shaw, of the 18th Iowa, was empowered with
necessary authority to proceed to that point,
and organize and "mustsr in troops to be raised
from persons enane;pated from serv;tude for gar
risoa or other duty, as contemplated in the
Proclamation of his Excellency the President Of
the United States, of the lst Of January, 1868"
After the arrival of Gen. Curtis's army at Hell
ena, slaves focked in from all quarters
Greatly to the disgust of Gov. Phelps and Gen.
Steele, Gen. Curtis liberated them and put them
to work on the Notifications on that point. He
even went 60 far as to have the cotton which
had been seized upon BY spectators. taken away
from them, and sold, and the proceeds turned
over to the darkies who raised it This, Of
course, was most high.handed and outrageous
proceeding, in tho eyes Of pro.slavery cotton
spectators. q at~ 4
Large numbers Of contrsbands have been en-
ployed there for the past year, in various ca
pacities, Is tesmsters, laborers, nurses and
guides. rendering much valuable assistance.
They are now to have an opportunity to strike
q blow in behalf Of the freedom which has Deen
80 readily given them, and every patriot will
approve the policy which has inangurated the
movement, and the promptness with which the
General commanding this Department proceeds
to their organization. There can easily be or.
ganized and equipped . dozen brigades Of coll
ored men in this Department, who would be Of
vast benefit to the Government, in gsrrisoning
basis Of supplies, driving out guerrillas, guard
ing trains. or even in the more responsible post
Of danger and duty on the field. If such . plan
we're adopted, We should see no more such raids
in the rear Of our armies Is have been permitted
lately. And 20 far ~ it can be done in this
Department, (part (which, it must be borne in
mind, is not included in the Presidents Proc.
lamstion) Gen. Curtis is determined it shall be.
There has been strong effort made lately, BY
the ''sympsthizers" in this State, to have it de.
vered over to the rule Of the civil tribunals, in
order that the ''institution" might be shielded
~ much a. possible, and rebel owners screened.
It has not succeedsd yet.
Brig. Gen. 1cKean, Of Iowa, who has served
with much distinction in the army Of the Mis-
sissippi for q year past, has been transferred to
this Department and has reported for duty to
Gen. Curtia He will have a command in &C.
cordance with bis ability and deserts
T. b.. s..
From the salmon River Country.
EDITOR HAwK.KYE The almost innumerable
number of my friends in Iowa who are incessant-
" calling for letters from me induces me to
write once more to your columns, but this time
60 lofx Me- TnoIo,, m tho 0Ktb of