Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1863-07-24

the following;
Mr.. Field, benevolent gentleman of St.
Louis, seeing the pitisble and neglected
condition Of the negroes aud the abuse to
which they we're subjected, went to Wash
ington and laid the matter before secre-
tary Stanton. This resulted in develop
ing and defining policy on the part of
the Government and in sending General
Thomas to the Valley, to put the policy in
operation.
On his arrival at Cairo. he found the
black people huddled together, abused and
neglected by those who had charge of
them, and all sorts of spiteful expressions,
among which was ON the niggerP
used towards them. They were dying
like sheep-2,5OO had already died from
various diseases.
He made speech, developing the new
policy of the Government in regard to he
blacks. He knew Of the abuses that had
been hesped upon them, and declared that
they must end-thst black men should be
encouraged to come into the lines, should
be kindly treated, fed, clothed, and armed
and put in military organizations He
told them that whoever stood in the way
of this policy, whatever his rank, he
would dismiss him from the service on the
spot. The rebels we're making use Of the
negroes, and every black man that came
into our lines, weakened them and
! strengthened US. He would have them
organized into regiments, and white Off
GERS placed over them-men whose hearts
we're well in the work. He would select
the hest men, good men for officers, even
il he had to take all, from Colonel down,
from the ranks.
The enunoistiOn of these purposes pro.
duced revolution at once.
The more he saw, and the more he re-
fected, the more huge did his task appear.
These people were coming in in large num-
bers. They knew perfectly well (fOr the
intelligence spread like wild fire among
them) that the President had declared
them free. He made report to the secre-
tary Of War saying it would not do to send
them NOrth-sOme States had passed lsws
against their reception, and the prejudice
Of certain classes, where laws had not
been passed-especially the German and
Irish-was too great to think of sending
them there. They could not be sent to
the Border States, for they would be kid
mapped and carried back to slavery. 1t
would not do to let them be huddled to-
gether and become idle and good for
nothing. No, they must be employed in the
land which gave them birth. Possessed
with these ideas, aud this plan, he went
on. .I.
He went to Columbus, KY. General
sohribsr, fine officer, was in command.
General Thomas addressed the troops /;
thought that there was material there for
a cOlOred regiment, and declared his pur-
pose to organize one.
He passed on to Helene, Ark General
Prentiss, who vas in command, entered
heartily into his plans. A cOlOred regi-
ment was organized, called the First Ar
kansas. This regiment was ordered down
at the time Lake Providence was threat
ened, and departed with the greatest zeal
aud alacrity. He organized second reg
iment at Helena, from the negroes who
came in there. and before leaving author
lied Colonel Pike, a MissOurian, land
those Missourians enter heartily into the
work, to organize I've additional regi-
ments from the negroes as they came in.
At Young's Point he met General Logan
who entered heartily into the work and
was for avsiling ourselves of the services
of the negroes to the fullest extent. He
organized two cOlOred regiments in Logan's
corps.
After we took possession of Grand Gulf,
thousand negroes came in, and Shepard,
of the Third Missouri volunteers offered to
take charge Of a regiment, He was so much
pleased with his zeal, that he told him to 60
on and raise brigade, and he would insist
upon his being made Brigadier- General.
Three of those regiments are already or
ganized
He visited and held long interviews with
General Grant. From General Grant down
he did not meet with any opposition, but
every one gave his hearty cooperation in
carrying out the new policy of the Gov
ernment
Milliken's Bend, shipping port in that
part Of the country, would certainly have
been captured, had it not been for two in
complete cOlOred regiments, one of which
had not been mustered into the United
States service The men are said to have
fought like devils. Ea.'
At Memphis he authorized General Hurl-
but to organize regiment of heavy artil-
lery. Twelve companies he has already
organized. sF '
General Thomas intended, at first 10
rails, only force Of 10000 cOlored men,
but before he left had completed arrange
ments for raising tt0enty regiments, and on
the fall Of Vicksburg, he expected to raise
SIS many regiments as might he wanted.
General Thomas said:
al was compelled to speak to the troops
along the route-speaking one day some
seven or eight times. During my tour
met with an Irish regiment, the Ninetieth
Illinois, from Chicago-men who Tead,the
Chichago Times. Alter talking 10 them a
while, proposed three cheers for the Pres
ident Of the United States. These were