Sioux City register. [volume] (Sioux City, Iowa) 1858-1871, 1863-04-25
A Negro tempt to ConsO-
lidHte Black and White soldiers.--
A HumiliaLinK scene. .'' .''

As the experiment of organizing negro
regiments has been instituted BY govern
ment, its progress and results are mat.
ter of great interest; and having had an
opportunity to witness the effort to enforce
the principle Of military equality Of such
regiments, will volunteer to give you its
history. .., .. ..# .-.
For several FONTS past the military post
Of ship Island has been garrisoned by TWO
companies of the 18th Maine regiment,
under command Of Col. Henry Rust Re-
Gently the I'd Louisiana regiment of Black
Volunteers was ordered to rendezvous at
this island, aud Col. Rust was ordered to
transfer the command of the post to their
commanding officer, Col. N. W. Daniels.
Col. Rust and staff, as ordered, repaired to
Fort jackson, leaving him on the island
the two companies Of the 18th Maine.
Upon assuming command of the post,
Col. Daniels issued orders commanding
the consolidation of the two companies of
whites with his regiment of blacks. He
ordered them to attend battalion drill, and
he consolidated at dress parade. la camp
and guard duties black captains were
placed over white lieute q ants, and thus
white officers and black, white priyates
and black, in one black column blent, OBJ
sequiously doing honor to black equals
and superiors, were to inaugurate the
reign OF ebony. The recognition requir.
ed was not merely the PASSING salute and
modes and forms Of military etiquette,
bat an equal military equality, with its
accompanying honors and obedience
Against the orders thus consolidating
them with blacks, the officers of the two
white companies earnestly but res pectfully
protested. But their protest being un.
needed and unanswered, after a suitable
delay, they 6nally refused to obey the
orders They refused to take their COM
panies to battalion drill or appear on dress
parade; they refused also to detail guard
to be commanded by negroes. They were
arrested, ana the command OF the compa--
MES finally desolved upon the orderly SER
gean.. by the sergeants Offering to de-
tail guard, the question was put directly
to the members Of the companies whether
they would do duty as guard under negro
o!hcers. Following the example Of their
officers, the men peremptoriiy refused
Whereupon the mon were ordered under
arrest their muskers and equipments taken
from them, and black guards stationed
around their appointed quarters.
The execution of the order for arrest.
ing these companies was one of the most
Illuminating scenes | ever witnessed. As
u precautlon against disturbance, the
black regiment was ordered under arms
and muskets loaded. Two companies of
blacks, and their black Officers, marched
to the quarters of the disobedent soldiers,
and called upon them to come forward
and surrender themselves as prisoners
Instead of resisting. the men obeyed the
summons in a spirit characteristic of the
intelligent New England soldier, who
knows how to obey, but knows, too, the
philosophy of resistance to injustice -
Silently they marched to the front of their
negro masters, stacked their arms, hung
their acceutrements upon their giittering
bayonets, and turned sadly away while
their black captors bore away their arms
with feelings and expressions Of glee, as
il they were trophies of conquest AS the
ebony band returned from their work.
their comrades in camp welcomed them
with shouts OF triumph. BY single word
or act on the part Of the white officers, a
scene Of riot and blood would have been
the sequel. But wiser couusels prevailed.
and officers and men quietly submitted
themselves as prisoners to those with whom
they would not serve as soldiers, or aek
nowiedse as equals Pensacola, Flor ida
Correspondence Of the Springfield (Mass.)
Republican. ..r .. b..
PRlNrER's TALK,--Every profession has
its, technical terms, aud Of course the
printers have u smatterlng,' which is
only Ineligible to the craft. The follow
ing is specimen. 1t don't mean, however,
as much AS it would seem to the unni.
tiatcd ;c .5,...-.... ..r. g.. ,.ro ..
,"Jim, put General Beauregaad on the
galley, aud then finish the murder Of that
nigger you commenced yesterday. Set
the ruins Of Guyandotte, distribute the
small pox; You needn't finish that mutiny J,
put the mumps in the paper this week.
Ptch the pi into hell. aud then 60 to the
devil, and he will tell you how to dispose
Of the dead matter.