The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1863-08-18
now THE YANKEES DROVE THE NEGROES TO
SLAUGHTER At PORT HUDSON.

The truth concerning the action Of
Banks's negro regiment at Port hudson
IS beginning to leak out. 1t travels slow
~. but never fails TO reach the public at
some time. a correspondent OF the y
Y. Express, writing from New Orleans,
furnishes the following:
The report in question gives a somewhat
different version OF the conduct OF the ne
grocs i'll the assault made on the nth to that
given by eye-witnesses oi their herOlSln, de-
termination and daring. Oi their possession
of these qualities there appears to have been
some doubt, and, TO force them to MAINTAIN
their position in front and prevent sudden
,.cban~r of base" Il Connecticut regiment
was placea in their rear. From this ii would
seem that "they made, during the day, three
charges upen the batteries OF the enemy,
more as a matter OF necessity than OF choice.
They were sent forward as sappers ana MI
ners. without arms, but with the implements
and means OF preparing Tor the advance Oh
the white troops. Before them was an un-
seen enemy; behind them glistening bayo-
nets in the hands of their professed friends.
That they became desperate under such cir
cumstances is by no means surprising. Ihey
rushed forward upon sudden destruction, as
a horse is said to dash into the devourlng
iiames. ,b
AS
grOes charged "a word Of explanation Is ne
cessary. The enemy had placed one or two,
perhaps more, guns as decoy, IN aposition
that was exposed not only TO front, but an
entiiading fire. This decoy battery wrskAe
one upon which the negro regiments madN
their desperate charges, TO be repulsed with
heavy loss. What was left of them were al
terwards sent 10 bring on the wounded,
when they were again exposed 10 a terrible
fire. The result was. rs reported by eye,
witnesses. that only six or seven hnndred
ont of nearly two fun regiments of negroes
escaped slaughter But few of their
wounded We're rescued, and that few saved
themselves, not being disabled III their lower
limbs.
One of the members Of the Connecticut
regiment stationed 10 ;rotectthe negroes in
the rear, says he fired number Of times
during the day, and on neither occasion did
ma, have. had the effect OF goading on the
sable soldiers TO such feats of desperate
heroism.
Previous to the assault upon his works
Gen. Gardner sent, under a flag of truce, 10
nauire whether the negroes were 10 be PIT
ted against his forcesy The reply Of Gen.
Banks was that the negroes were United
States soldiers, and must be treated and re-
spected accordingly. On the receipt of this
port that il appeared as though every availa-
| bic gin on the works or within them was
brought to bear upon the two negro regi-
meuts. This may have been what was ex-
pacted of them II so, Gen. Banks was
| ius, flied in saving OF the negroes, "they an.
swcred every expectation" If there is any
glory in being thus substituted FOR breast
| works, and being sacrificed Tor the protec
| ton Of Others, the negroes have covered
| F-kn
co51Yhodity. Since then this terrible slaughter
| Of the negroes who were rushed forward al
| the point of the bayonet, 4unarIned. upon
| certain destruction, is used TO excite the ne
| groes to rush 10 arms and ayenge the death
| Of their comrades.
The accounts OF desperate hand-io-hant
struggles between the furious rebels anf
savage negroes, in which the latter freely
| used, having no other weapons, their feet
| hands, head, and teeth, are purely imaginary
| No such contests ever took place. Why
| would the Confederates come from inel
| breastworks, when they Here moving then
| down by the huntireis Men of common
| sense would not bc thus prodigal OF thei
| lives. and the correspondents who write eseci
| stuff must entertain q very mean oiiniOn o
| the Intelligence of their Northern readers
| White men Of the South would not eyel
thus acknowledge the equality OF the negro
They only kill them "a matter of neees
| sity.
uor,ed To have suffered loss Of six or eigh
hundred: but as no account appears to hAs'
i been kept Of them, the public Will neye
| know how many of them are thus einancl
nufed for all tinic to come upon the battle
t,eld. The destruction Of slavery appears <
he the prime object Of the war, and II woHl,
seem that the authorities have become tire,