Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1864-06-21
MORNING LEADER.
Aai5iaai-6sasrsi rhsrlas On Nesro sol

Aojufant-Genera Thonas on Negro Sell
diorE.
The Rochester Democrat publishes . let
ter written BY General Thomas to Senator
Wilson, giving his views on negro soldiers.
As he has been chiefly instrumental In
raising oOlOred troops, the following ez-
tract will prove Of interest:
HThs negro in q state Of slavery is
brought up by the master frOm early
childhood, to strict obedienee, and 10 obey
implicitly the dictates Of the white man,
and they are thus led to believe that they
are aniinferior race. Now, when organ
ized into troops, they carry this habit Of
obedience with them; and their Othcers
being entirely white men, the negroes
promptly obey their orders. A regiment
is TINS rapidly brought into state Of
discipline. They are a religious people,
another high quality for msking good
soldiers. They are musical people, and
thus readily learn to march, and accurate
ly perform their msneuvTes, They take
pride in being elevated So soldiers, and
keep themselves, as well as their camp
grounds, neat and oleRns This l knOH
from personal inspection, and from the
reports Of my special inspectors, two Of
my staff officers being constantly on in.
speoting duty.
They have proved 3 most Important sd-
dition 10 our forces, enabling the generals
in active operations TO take a large force
Of white troops into the field, and now
brigsdes Of blacks are placed with the
whites. The forts erected OF the import
~1-~ ell lrnN
risoned by blscks-erfileTy regiments
raised for the purpose, say at Padueah
and Columbus, Kentucky; Memphis, Ten
nessee VicksbUrg and Estohez, Missis-
Bippi, and most Of the works round New
Orleans. Experience proves that they
uansge heavy guns very well. Their
fighting qualities have also been fully
tested a number Of times, and am
yet to hear Of the first case where
they did not fully stand up to
their work passed over the ground
where the lst Louisisns made the gallant
charge at Port Hudson, by far the strong
est part Of the rebel works. The wonder
is thst go many have made their escape.
| At Milliken'H Bond, where l had three in
| complete regiments-one without arms
until the day previous to the attack -
greatly superior numbers Of rebels charg
ed furiously up to the very breastworks.
The negroes met the enemy on the ram
parts, and both sides freely used the bay
onet-s most rare occurrence in warfare,
as one or the other party give wsy before
coming in contact with the steel. The
rebels we're defeated with heavy loss
The bridge at Moscow on the line Of
the railroad from Memphis to Corinth, was
defended By one small regiment Of blacks.
A csvsiFy attsok ofthFee times their num-
beP was made, the blacks defeating them
in the three charges made by the rebels.
They fought them hours, till oar osvslry
came up, when the defeat was nsde com
pleie, many Of the dead being left on the
field. A cavalry force Of three hundred
and ffty attacked three hundred rebeloav-
airy near the Big Black, with signal suo-
cess, 8 number Of prisoners being taken
and marched to Vieksburg. Forrest at
tackled Psduoah with seven thoussT d five
hundred men. The garrison was between
dve and six hundred, nearly four hundred
being colored troops recently raised. What
troops eould have done better2 So, too,
they fonsht well st Fort Pillow till over
powered By greatly superior numbers.