Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1864-08-02
The Negro Troops.

We hud the following eloquent letter from
" Carleton" in the Boston Journal Of the 18th
inst. Who can read it without Indignation that
no mea, ures are taken to prevent such dreadful
outreges
NEAR PETERSBURG, July I.
To the Editdr Of The Boston Journal
Day and night, night and day, the contest goes
on in front of the 9th and 18th corps. The 9th
and 2d and 9th are quiet, The enemy shows
no disposition 10 keep up constant picket fire
upon those corps. Why this discrimination
Because in the 9lh and 18th corps there are col
ored troops. That is the reason. They are de-.
termined TO maintain bitter hostility toward the
colored troops, and toward all who are immedi.
ately connected with them. 1t is systematic nos.
tiIity -ingrained, bitter, revengeiul, relentless.
They show no mercy toward colored man found
in arms They will not recognize him as prs-
oner Of war, neither as an enemy toward whom
they are to be enlent in the least degree. Long
ago slavery proclaimed that the oolored man
had no rights which white man is bound to re-
spect. They carry out the Infamous opinion Of
the Time serving judges who pronounced it. For
the coored soldier there is nothing but victory or
death-death in It's most horrible forms-mur.
der, slaughter, massacre
am sitting IN the open field where | have a
wide sweep o the lines in rear of the left of the
9th where it Joins III 5th. | am within easy rake
of the sharpshooters in front OF the 9th, but they
do not trouble me. The soldiers Of the 5th are
walking about in rear Of the line they are not
moested. The rebel soldiers look over their
breastwork, and are not troubled by our sklr.
mshers who are within stones throw OF them.
There is a tacit understanding between the SOL
ders of the 9th aud the enemy that there shall
be no picket firing. They come down from the
lines and I'LL their oanteens at the same springs
and have friendly chats But in front Of the oh
the fire is kept up all the time. | do no, have to
use my glass to see ths dust rise from the breast.
works, thrown up by the passing bullets. There
is rebel sharpshooter in his pit on the hill side
who keeps up a steady fire. Tnere il goes, a
spirit OF blue smoke which floats away on the
gentle breeze His bullet tosses up the dirt on
our bfeastworks, near The battery OF heavy guns
which Burnside has put up. Three or four Of
our own men have been watching him and u
cloud OF dust is whirled up from his hiding place.
There are about thirty killed and wounded
every twenty.four hours in the Oh corps, simply
because the rebels hate the colored troops. There
is steady flow Of blood upon the sround--a COR
slant sacrifice Of life, manging OF men by this
Noloeh OF our own generation. Ii pains me to
say that there are those IN the asiy and out OF 1t
who are not willing that the eolored man should
be recognized as q man.
"The negroes ough, not 70 be allowed to
/ fight said Massachusetts Captain last night.
away not, sir ?"
Recause the rebels bate US for making them
+ soldiers was the reply.
lie added, don't know but that they have
souls, but look upon them as lower order Of
beings than ourselves."
Tue old prejudice remains. We are not vii.
ling to do justly. We are not ready as nation
to recognize the negro as a man. W. ask him
to Eight our battles, but We pay him ony halt
wages.
Toe rebels slaughter the colored troops like
sheep. They are deal TO calls Of quarter, refusing
10 receive them as prisoners of var. raey out.
rival the Indians 10 barbitiIy, out nothing is don,
about il. We are losing Al average OF thirty sol
! diefs a day for no other reason than these be-
cause the rebels hate the negro, and because our
government Is TOO pusanimous to take measure,
severe enough TO command respect from the rebels
= colored troops