The daily Evansville journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1862-1863, 1863-02-05
From the Madison Courier, 26th. /
Negroes as Soldiers.

Inc American people having been ac-
customed to associate the idea of slavery
with that of Negro, have been blinded
to his good traits of character, and have
done great injustice to the capacity of
the race. When we reflect that portions
OF all races, have been, at different peri
DDS of the worlds history, held in slave
ry, and consider that slavery is not Pc
culiar to the Negro, we are better pre-
pared to form a correct estimate of his
capacity. We cannot form a correct
| Judgment until we throw aside our preiu-
dice, and estimate his qualities as a
man, not as a slave AS our govern
ment is about organizing regiments of
negroes for the army, it may be we'll
enough to consider, in view of known
facts the fitness of negroes for the duties
of soldiers. In ancient times they were
considered good fighting men. In the
wars between the Romans and Cartha-
genians, the negroes employed proved
themselves to be equal to any soldiers in
the world; and as cavalrymen were supe-
rior to any. In.the wars, of which we
have any account, waged among them
selves, they exhibited powers of endur-
ance, bravery, and contempt of death. as
great as were exhibited by the European
races. During the Revolutionary War
IN our own country, negroes fought side
thSrfSalaaff hH fSalaaff E9ltb nn5E nn5Ern ranfess cu9 7rassarnu
setts Historical Society, by Mr.. George
Livermore, we learn the following facts:
Cuspus Attucks, at one time slave,
on the 5th of March, ITO, rallied wa
vering crowd of citizens, and leading
them against the British soldiers, fell,
the first martyr in the Boston massacre,
of which Daniel Webster said: "From
that moment we may date the severance
of the British Empire" Attucks was
buried with public honors, and the stone
placed over the four victims of the mas
sacre had this inscription:
"Long as in Freedoms cause the wise contend,
| Dear to your country shall your fame extend;
While to the world the lettered stone shall tell
When Caldwell, Attucks, Gray and Moonish FELL
At the battle of Bunker Hill, negro
soldiers fought side by side with our an
cestors. "Samuel Lawrence, of Groton,
at one time commanded a company
whose rank and file were all negroes, of
whose courage, military discipline and
fidelity he always spoke with respect
On one occasion, being out reconnoiter-
ing with his company, he got so far III
. advance of his command that he was
surrounded, and on the point of being
made prisoner by the enemy. The men
soon discovering his peril, rushed to his
rescue, and fought with the most deter
mined bravery till that rescue was effect
. ually secured.
" At the commencement of the war,
says Mr.. Liyermore, ait appears to have
, been the custom for the free negroes tC
be enrolled with the white citizens as
militia. In many instances slaves also
stood in the ranks with freemen, but
p. shortly it was ordered that only freemer
should be admitted to the army, and by
!. various regulations of most of the States
it became rule that man who haC
: served the country against the enemy
was by that act made free"
Congress, at the motion of Southern
members, determined, in l775, that ne
rroes be rejected from the army, bu
s. they were there already, it would seem
in considerable numbers. Gen. Wash
3 ington wrote to Congress demonstrating
against their action; and Mr.. Spark
saws: "The resolve was not adhered to
many blacks were in service during a.
- stages of the war"
On the 23d of October, l777, a He'
- sian officer, who was with Burgoyne a
d; the time of his surrender, wrote in hi
ay journal of our army:
IL 1.-THE negro can take the field instea
at of his master; and therefore no reg
ment is to be seen in which there al
not negroes in abundance. Anon
- them are able-bodied, strong, and braV
fellows"
The capture of the British Gener
Ea. Prescott, near Newport, in l777, W;
"a performed by Colonel Barton, neg
g named Prince, belonging to his fore
y butting in with his head the door of Il
Generals chamber.
nd, Negroes were enlisted as subs
tutes in the army in Connecticut to t
. number of some hundreds. The Rho
Island Assembly, in l77S, authorized t
enlistment of slaves, who were freed
: enlisting, and received the same pay
IR white soldiers.
hes, When COL Green was surprised a
cts murdered near. Points Bridge, N
md. York, on the l4th of May, 1881, his c
Wax ored soldiers heroically defended h
=. until they were cut to pieces, and
enemy reached him over the dead bod
AR r fo:4bf,l