Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1864-07-06
From the Richmond Dispatch.
Late United States News.

FAILURE OF THE NEGRO Soldier EXPERT.
MENT-MELTiNG AWAY OF.THE CORPS
D'AFRIoUE. IS"
The following letter from Port Hudson,
May IA, to the editor of the Springfield
Republican tells its own story. 1t comes
from source friendly to the Administration,
and for this reason, wsTshould think, would
produce its proper effect on the minds of the
Yankees .....- -.
| PORT HUDSON, La, May Is, 1864.
The Corps d Antique organized and O.
quipped by order of Gen. Banks, aud in
tended to include about fifteen thousand
men, having their headquarters at this port
has recently been subject to several impor-
tant changes. When the order of organi-
zation was promulgated, it contemplated the
organization Of eighteen regiments of five
hundred men, with the same number of Of
hcers as in the regiment of one thousand.
There were already three full regiments Or
ganized several months as "Louisiana native
guards" and Gen. Ulman had already COM
menced recruiting for the five regiments
known subsequently as Ulman's Brigade.
These eight regiments were made the nu-
cleus of the newcorps, and during the sum.
mer and antumn of 1868, through the chan
nels openedb by the progress of the campaign
there were men enough enlisted to swell the
number Of regiments to about twenty-five,
and Gen. George L. Andrews was placed
in command of the corps. But, unfortu-
nately,it was found that the physical quail
fications of the negroes were not equal to
hardships of drill and fatigue duty, many
of them having il them the seeds Of old
and surely fatal diseases, brought on by the
vicious habits Of plantation life, and many
others being as yet young and immature in
body, and marked by hereditary .taints. 1t
is surprising to one acquainted with: the
subject to contemplate the terrible rate of
mortality, and to learn how many have lung
and heart diseases, or are broken down by
rheumatic affections, over.work andillusage.
Thousands died, were discharged for disa-
bility, or deserted. The regiments dwindled
down from five hundred to two hundred or
three hundred recruiting was stopped by
an order from Gen. Banks, which contem-
plated the retention of as many able bodied
blacks as possible on the Government plan
tations; officers began to grow discouraged.
designations became the order of the day;
disappointment on the pay question demor-
allied the men. All these causes combined
to have an unfaVorable effect on the corps.
When the campaign commenced this sea-
SON four regiments were ordered to the field,
To. fill them up to six hundred men each, it.
was necessary to transfer men from three or
four other regiments, leaving to each COM
pany in the latter only its officers and ten
men. Then came the action of the War
Department, changing the regimental num-
bers and designations to United States In.
fautry, Artillery, &c., and requiring max
imum Of one thousand. Very little remains
of the original corps, save in the regretful
recollections of its past officers and the for
midable Notifications its men have erected
here since the surrender of Port Hudson.
Gen. Andrews has gone North on leave,
Gen. Ulman succeeded to the command,
and q full and careful inspection of all the
works and forces last week by Gen. T. W.
Sherman (who lost leg in the siege of
Port Hudson) has given rise to rumor of
further change of commanders. What
the future of the corps will be depends now
upon the question of expediency will the
possible interests or necessities of our stand
ing army warrant the enormous expense of
organizing and drilling colored troops and
bringing them up to the standard of white
troops? As the resources Of the South, ag-
riculturally, are called out, the demand for
labor of acclimated blacks will increase if
the available number is diminished by the
requirements Of large army there will be
an increased opposition to maintain black
regiments. The question is of immediate
and great Importance. 49,.
To fill up the black regiments in this de.
partmept alone would require twenty thous-
and new recruits, and the relative mortality
of white and black troops seem to indicate
that it would be better to- let the present
black organization die out, and supply their
places, if the necessity continued, from the
army Of foreigners now seeking our shores.
Besides this reason there is another entering
into consideration of the subject, namely,
the greater cost of maintaining colored
troops. They are undeniably idle, lazy, un-
productive and wasteful. The loss by wear
and tear, such as the expense of keeping up
their uniforms and equipments of camp and
garrison equippage, and all kinds of military
stores and property, promises to exceed very
greatly the corresponding expenditure tor
white troops, and it is scarcely matter for
doubt, that their services are far less valua-
BILE, both in quality and quantity, to the Co.
vernment. The subject is one which COM
mends itself very forcibly to all who have
al interest. in the future character and con.
dition of our national troops.
: The St. Louis Republican commenting
on these facts, says:
{ We can add nothing to facts like these,
though they are but a repetition of a thous-
and similar facts equally significant. 1t is
we'll asked "Who has the ooqntry's and
armys interest most at heart?-the men who