Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1864-08-20

HgAvoR's- Nh. Div. OF TRD MfssrssIrf1,
IN FIELD HEAR ATLANTA, GA, July 80.
JONI A. SrooSEs, Esq. Agent for the COM
mon wealth Of Mass. Nashville, Tenn:
SIR-Yours from Chattanooga. July 20,
is received notifying me Of your appoint
mcnt by your State as Lieutenant Colonel
and Provost Marshal Of Georgia, Alabama
and Mississippi, under the act Of Congress
approved July 4, 1864, to recruit volun-
teers to be credited to the States respect
lively.
On applying to Gen Webster at Nash
vile, he will grant you pass through our
lines to those States, and rs have had con-
siderable experience in those State, would
suggest recruiting depots to be established
At Macon and Columbus, Miss, Selma Mon
togomery and Mobile, Ala, and Columbus,
MilledgevilIe and Savannah, Ga.
do not see that the law restricts you to
black recruits, but you are at liberty to col
lect white recruits, also. 1t is waste of
time and money to open rendezvous in
Northwest Georgia, for assure you ! have
not seen an able bodied man, black or white
there fit for soldier, whe was not in this
army or the one opposed TO 1t.
You speak Of the impression going
abroad that ! am opposed to the organiza-
ton Of colorei regiments.
My opinions are usually very positive,
and there is no reason why you should not
know them.
Though entertaining profound reverence
for our Congress, do doubt their wisdom
in the passage of this law:
J. Because civilian agents about an army
are Il nuisance.
2. The duty Of citizens to fight for their
country is too sacred one to be peddled
off by buying up the refuse Of other
S tates.
g. 1t is unjust to the brave soldiers and
volunteers who are fighting, as those who
compose this army do, to place them on a
par with the class Of recruits you are after.
L. The negro is in = transition State, and
is not The equal Of the white man.
8. lie is liberated from his bondage by
act Of war; and the armies in the field are
entitled to all his assistance in labor and
fighting, in addition to the proper quotas Of
the States.
6. This bidding and bartering for recruits,
white and black, has delayed the reinforce
mcnt Of Qua armies at the times when such
reinforccments would have enabled us to
make our successes permanent.
T. The new law is an experiment, which
pending war, is unwise and unsafe, and has
delayed the universal draft which | firmly
believe will become necessary to overcome
the widespread resistance offered US; and |
also believe the universal draft will be wise
and beneficial for under the providence OF
God it will separate the sheep from the
goats, and demonstrate what citizens will
fight for their country, and what will only
talk.
No one will infer from this that am not
a friend Of the negro as well the white race
contend that the treason and rebellion Of
the master freed the slave, and the armies
have commanded have conducted to safe
points more negroes than those OF any Gen
eral officer in the army but | prefer ne
groes for pioneers, transfers, cooks and
servants, others gradually to experiment in
the art Of the soldier, beginning with the
duties of local garrisons, such as We had at
Memphis, Wick sburg, Natchcz, Nashville
and Chattanooga; but would not draw on
the poor race for too large a proportion OF
its active athletic young men, for some must
remain to seek new homes and provide for
the old and young-the feeble and help
less
These are some of my peculiar notions,
but assure you they are shared by large
proportion of our fighting men.
You may show this to the agents of the
other States in the same business as your
self am &C.,
(signed) 7. w. SHERMAN, Major Gen.
[Ofiicial copy
|. NJ. DAYTON, Aid dc Camp.