North Branch democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Pa.) 1854-1867, 1863-06-17
Arming the Negroes.

negroes 10 Il%HL GuI OdtliSS dioI 'hS ~
bellous South demands searching ventila-
ton, which it has never yet received before
the conscience and heart of the people. The
possible influence of this step on social order
on this continent, and upon each of the two
races involved in the issue, has never been
fully looked in the face, nor have we ever
ventured thoroughly to ask ourselves what
effect upon the international aspects of our
position may be nationally expected from
the spectacle which no distant, future may
reveal of vast and internecine war of races
upon southern soil, war recalling that hor-
ribie conflict between Carthage and her ner-
cenares, viii lives in history by the dread
full name Of the inexpiable war" 1t is
surely inconceivable that the Christian civil
ization of the nineteenth century should re-
main permanently indifferent to such a spec
tace !; and practical craftsmanship would
have insisted that these remoter contingent
cies OF so important a step should be fully
and dispassionateIy weighed before the coun-
try was so hopeIesslv committed as TO make
"returning tedious as go Ger"
But this has not been done, and all that
we can do is to appeal to the good sense, the
humanity and the honor Of the nation against
the fate which our own commanders, under
our own flag, seem Fastening to inffict upon
the wretched victims of policy which they
have had no share in framing. The execra
tion IF the world has been feared for us here
trfore by those who saw in the armed negro
the instrument of barb rous and cxtermi.
mating vengeance upon men, of our own race,
color aud religion. What shall we not look
forward to Of Ioathing and contempt if we
are to bn made to appear in the odious light
Of hurling the ignorant slaves of the South
upon certain death, simply to spare ourselves
the worst risks Of battle, and to rid our
Ives Of costly incumbrance These men
never asked us to free them they never ask
ed US to put them into the field. We went
to their homes, broke up the system under
which they We're living, and then compelled
them. partly by starvation and partly by
t"rcc, to enlist unler our flag. And having
SO arrayed them, we proceed upon the first
adequate occasion to deal with them in
fashion which makes the quaint speech o. the
old Cincinnati negro a piece of grim and
bloody prophecy.
The New York Times publishes an elabo.
rate account of the assault made by General
Banks upon Port Hudson, on the 9th of
May, which it is impossible to read without
a shudder of pity and indgnat,on-pty for
the helpless creatures hurled upon certain
death in that wild onslaught, and indigna
ton against the officers whose ignorance or
whose recklessness broug hit on this A" murder,
grim and great" When the attack was or
dered, we are :oId, it was determined that
the black regiments should occupy the fore
front Of the battle. They were new troops,
who had never seen a shot fired in anger, but
the post Of honor and of danger was given
them on the right Of our line. With the
bayones Of Their white friends behind them,
the batteries Of heir white foes before, they
were TO be driven into the settlement of the
important question:, "will negroes fight %
The cynical ealmness with which this. reason
for so extraordinary q disposition of our for
ces is given might amuSe if it did not dis
gust The consequences Of the experiment
we will allow the chronicler of the Times
himself to recite:
Nobly, indeed, have they acquitted them.
selves, and proudly may every coIored man
hereafter hold up his head, and point to the
record nf those who fell on that bloody .iel d,
Gen Dwight, at least must have had the
idea not only that they were men, but some
thing more than men, from The terrific test
To which he put their valor. Before anu
impression hdd been made upon the EARTH
u0rks of the enemy, and fiji taee OF bat
teries betchi g forth their 62 Founders, these
deroted deopte reIe rushed torpdId to en-
counter grdpe canister shell, and musAetrU,
1rih no aJtiheny but tlcO small hop,tzers =
that Seemel mere pep guns TO their adrersa
ries-dnd no IeSerre Uhdterer.
Their t"rceS Consisted OF the First Louisi
ana Naive Guards, (wlth colored field off
GERS. under Lieutenant Colonel Bassett, and
the Third Louisiana Native Guards, Colonel
Nelson, with white field officers the whole
under the charge ofthe latter officer.
On going INTO action they were 1850
strong, and formed into four lines, Leuten-
ant Colonel Ba>sett, First Louisiana, for4aing
the first line, and Lieutenant Colonel Henry
Flnngas the second. When ordered to
charge up to the works, they did so with
the skill and nerve of old veterans, (back
people, be it remembered, who had never
been in action before. but the fire from the
rebel guns was SO terrible upon the unpro-
tected masses, that the first few shots NOW
ed them down like grass, and so continued.
Col Bassctt being driven back, Col FunnI-
gas took his place, and his men being srmll-
arIly cut to pieces, Col. Blsse't reformed and
recommended and thus these brare peop e
aocnt on, from mo ming until 81 NJ, under
the most hideous c TN, ge that men erer had
to uiihstund. and that rery tew achife ones
w0utd hare had nerre enough to encounter,
eren If ordered 10. During this time, they
rallied, and lcere "rdered TO make sic distinct
charges, losing 81 killed and had l55 wound