Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1864-01-09
O0IOred Volunteers.

OOhsioefaoIe complaint having been
made by papers in different parts of the
State as to the manner in which the
eolored troops have been enlisted-some
even going so far as to charge the Gov
ernor with completely in the matter
E VIM. P. Fishback, commandant of the
eolored battalion publishes the following
card in the Indianapolis Journal
Complaints having been made as to
the manner of recruiting and mastering
the battalion of colored troops being
raised in this State, deem it matter
of justice to the military authorities of
the State to make public such facts con-
corning the alleged causes of complaint
as are within my knowledge. The au-
thority to enlist men for this battalion
has been given to the various recruiting
officers under my direction. l have in
Fariably Instructed them that the place
of the recruits residence should receive
the credit of his enlistment, unless the
county or township where he lived refus-
ed to pay him the usual bounty, in which
case he can select the place of his en-
hstment, and give credit for the same to
the locality paying the bounty which in
duced him to volunteer.
In this matter the Governor and the
military authorities of Indianapolis had
no voice, and such instructions as gave
we're based upon opinions expressed by
the mastering officers of the United
States, that the recruit could enlist and
be credited as asvolunteer in any county
of his selection. And this is just, so far as
coIored troops are concerned, for this rea-
son: The Government does not pay them
the bounty white soldiers receive, and
their monthly pay is considerably less than
that of other troops; so that coiored men
liable to the draft, were left to enlist with
out bounty, or go where private or local
subscription had provided a bounty for
them.
The grievances complained of have
originated in secret bargains made by
variousi townships agents with recruit
ing officers by which colored troops have
been transferred from one locality to the
credit of another Counties interested
In procuring the proper credits for their
volunteers can accomplish their object
by having some one present when the
men are mustered to see that the muster
IN roll shows the proper credits. Some
counties have taken this precaution. and
without 1t there is no feasible method of
obviating the difficulty. I will further
state that when these complaints were
frat made, the Governor directed me to
give further instructions to all recruiting
officers, requiring them to give the place
of each recruits residence the credit of
his enlistment
WM. P. FIsHBAck, Comd't
January 6, 1864
The dissatisfaction in different parts
of the State, has been greatly aggrava-
ted BY the silly boasting of the Indiana
politan over their sharpness. For our
part, as We said before, if our people
we're so indifferent as not to look after
their own interests, they deserved to be
"waked up"
But MIR. Fishbacks card does not give
the whole truth. It is true the negroes
ought to be allowed to select the county
that will pay them the largest bounty in
which to enlist, but that county ought
to pay all the expenses of the recruit
from where he is persuaded to enlist, to
the time he is sworn in by the proper Of
6eer which should be done in the
county receiving the benefit of his enlist
ment But what are the facts in the
cas's Agents from Marion county have
recruited negroes in other counties,
sworn them in, and then dra0n GoUera-
1seat transportation to take them to the
Capital where they were credited on the
quota Of Marion county In truth, az
ter the negro is sworn in, it is no longer
oPtionary with him whether he will 90 or
stay, whether he viii be credited to this