Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1863-09-15
From the Portland Argus.
Negro Better than the White
Man,

1t is strange how much is thought of The
negro by some and how little Of the white
mea-even white soldiers.
When one Of the Maine nine months
regiments was az Vicksburg on their Way
home. some of the men were a little late in
getting to the wharf. The Captain of the
steamer wae going to put back and let them
get aboard, but the Colonel Of the regiment
forbade bin and ordered him to 90 ahead.
leaving the men behind.
But when they arrived at Cairo and were
aboard the cars, the train etarted of and
the same Colonel missed his negro. He
ordered the train to be stoned and run
back to get bis dear contrsband, The me-
gro must be taken along at apy ipconye.
nience If soldiers, who fought the battles
of their country, and on their way to their
homes, were left behind.
Again 10 another nine months regiment
returned from Port Hudson, there was
Captain who had son 10 the ranks The
cars were crowded. The Colonel had ne>
gro who occupied seat in. the car used as
6fhcers' quarters. Being unused to rail-
road travelling be stepped out of the car
when the train was at full speed, and the
negroes seat was vacant.
The Captain applied to the Colonel for
permission to place bis sick son 10 that seat
to make him more comfortable than he
could be in the crowded car where he was.
The reply was an offensive denial, even
prOfane and brutal, not proper for ears po-
lite.
The poor sick suffering soldier was not
allowed to occupy the place made vacant
by a negro, even at the request of the faith.
or who was Captsio in the service and
on the pretext forsooth that the car was for
the officers aud the men were not allowed
TO enter it:
On the return of another regiment, among
the soldiers that arrived at o certain town,
was tall man. young, sick and but little
more than living skeleton. There were
many gathered to greet them. This sick
soldier whose step was weak, but whose
| eye still retained some of its native fire, de-
posted bis knapsack and canteen and then
casting q look upon the crowd addressed
them substantially thus:
mine months ago, said he, enlisted to
fight the battles of my country. l went
from a sense of duty. l went to fight for
the Union and the constitution. | then
weighed 225 pounds. Now you see what
ann mere wreck of what wss-a living
shadow What has brought me to this
1t was sleeping at night upon the wet
ground at the seige of Port Hudson with
no shelter or covering. There we white
soldiers had to lay, while the negroes had
comfortable quarters-goOd tents to shelter
them. We have found out that the wal is
not a war for the constitution and Union
but a war for the negro. The white man
is of no account,t the negro every thing. And
be wound up with q curse for the negro, q
curse for the Abolitionists and O curse for
all who would not curse negroes and Abo-
litiUuists, delivered with freDzied emphasis
almost startling"
He had been a Republican. If not an
Abolitionist, before he went to the wal, and
many of those whom be addressed we're bis
old political associates.
The effect upon them can better be i'm.
agiDed than described. Not a word was
veDtured in reply.
The poor fellow was then helped to his
home, perhaps never to recover from tht
disease (chronic disrrhea) that is upor
him and that has carried 50 many to theil
graves.