Weekly national intelligencer., 1863-02-26
THE ARMY's AVERSION TO NEGRO SOLDIERS

THE ARMY's AVERSION TO NEGRO SOLDIERS.
The late arrival from New Orleans mentioned the fact
that there was growing feeling Of hostility among the
white soldiers in the army at Baton Rouge against the
gro volunteers enlisted in New Orleans letter to the
New York Tribune under date of The 10Th instant says
Three weeks ago there was sent up to Baton Rouge
the Third Louisiana Native Guards, colored regiment
commanded by Col j. A. Nelson formerly Captain in the
Thrtyrst Massachusetts, and Provost Marshal of Ship
mens this cer became satisfied Of their usefulness aud
efficiency, and himself accepted command Of third The
men principally recruited in New Orleans, and did
good service in the Bayou Teche tight ending in the de-
srucion of the rebel gunbost Cotton and the death of
Commander in throwing up defen
sve earthworks kind Of labor always uuwiney per-
formed by white troops So satisfactory was their beha-
vor that il is known t0 have won the approval OF Gen
Weitzel. himself any thing but believer in the military
capacity of the race
Well, the men were sent to Baton Rouge-the regi-
ment being full thousand strongten coored persons
four captains and commissioned officers, forming
part of the command They drilled we'll marched well,
kept themselves clean, performed all their duties sol
diers Nothing in the world is alleged against them but
that they negroes and have negro officers hence the
ill-will the detestaoD with which they regarded
lam informed that Gen Grover will not recognise
the egment that he has asserted that in he shall be
officially required to do the United Stat Government
s welcome his commission; that the regiment nei
ther draw clothing, blankets pay consequence that
the officers of certain white regiments vndicate the purity
colored that (of the former have resigned
that the Colonel Of the 1884 New York-an Engshman-
has distinguished himself by ssung address exhortDg
his to continue in the performance of their duty
the negroes by guard duty drs or otherwise when he
trusts that his have that confidence in him to bseve
that he will not suffer their serespect manness to be
lowered BY contact with inrror race &c and gene
rally that the Union soldiers rank and e doing their
meanest TO induce the negroes to regret their old normal
state Of chattesm and their Southern Owners"
letter dated at st. Philip below New Orleans on the
9th instant and addressed to the Boston Courier thus
fers to the effects Of placing negro battalion duty at
that place:
taking the organization (of the first regment) from the
State designed to embrace free cOored persns the field
and staff officers white, the line officers colored Some
slaves enlisted in that regiment while the second,
and third and battery mostly all slaves field ha ds.
and Of the rough sort They sent out into the
try with Gen. Wetzel. and used guard for the rail
road Recently Gen. Banks has ordered them in Ostens-
bly, to garrison the forts here and back Of New Orleans
where it s deemed mpractcabe to keep white tr0nps
account of malariOus influences.
1.-The order given for the first regiment to relieve
the Thirteenth Maine which, you know has been stationed
follows two companies at Ship Island under Colonel
Rust two at Fort Mac0mb, and six at Fort ST. Philip.
Before the order was executed Gen. Banks deemed it
advisable to send the negroes but leave the white soldiers
that the forts rsinolcsd instead of being gar
ris0ned by negroes Col Rust ordered to take
mand at Fort Jackson leaving his two companies at shp
Island, undcr COMMAND UI cOlOnel OF
lana Native Guards (negroes Col Rust requested that
his troops might be allowed to do large share of the duty
of the island and be permitted to do it separate from tbs
negroes which the colonel of the negroes agreed to but
before Col Rust had quilted the island order issued
that the troops of the Thirteenth Maine appear at guard
mounting dress parade aud battalion drill with the negro
battalion aud part Of it, The captains respectfully
protested but appeared No notice taken of the
protest. but the next day detail made Of lieutenant
and squad Of men for guard to report to negro captain
The captains of the companies March, of Portland, and
Varney, Of Brunswick) declined making the detail,
they did not to compel their eutnants to salute
negro If he did shoulderstraps The captains
Immediately put under arrest and the command devoved
succesvey upon the first and second eutenants Of the
companies who respectively refused to make the detail
and likewise put under arrest that the companies
are without any commanding officers
These officers to be tried by courtmariia unless
somebody backs down. and will of be sent home in
dsgrace. The issue has and must be met and
not sorry it has thus where it has for regiment
show inspection record by regular army officer
that will compare with this regiment He says that for
all that constitutes good soldier they equal to regu
ars The question ia, whether the Government is to
spect this prejudice that all know exists against this
making the negro equal believe the result must be
that we them soldiers they must have duties
parate from white This is nature and until you
change nature you cannot do away with the udce As
friend of mine has it, cannot reconcile the idea that
slave to-day be than citizen Tomorrow