The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1864-04-15
Our Military CORRESPONDENCE.
FROM THE l5rH REG. CoLoREp TROOPS.
CAMP OF 18TH REa., U. S. CoLoRED
TRoops, NASHVILLE, Tenn,
ALL All 1pCl

FROM THE l5rH REG. CoLoREp TROOPS.
CAMP OF 18TH RE, U. S. CoLoRED
TRoops, NASHVILLE, TENN,
April 4tb, 1864.
DEAR DEMOCRAT Having been entirely
without any assistance since tho organiza-
ton of my Company, l have bad such an
amount of duty to perform that ! have had
very little time 10 write to relatives, much
Ices to Publishers. For this reason. please
excuse my long silence. We. the 18th, left
Sbelbyville. Tom, March 9th, for this
place arrived hero tho 18th went into
camp ono milo from town. near Broad
Street. also near the Cumberland or Field
Hospital. Wo are doing post duty bore,
and, for aught I know permanently located,
or as much 80 as q soldier has a right to
know in regard to the future. We have a
very pleasant camping ground, with a beau
tiful spring near it. Drill and parade
grounds are complete, and / often wish that
some of my friends from Old Geauga could
stand near. and witness the 18th while on
dress parade, to see a thousand bright guns
and oayonets glistening in tho sun, and held
in the hands Of as many brave colorod men,
who, but a short time ago. we're looked upon
hero in the South, as brutes. or on q level
with Thorn, and then TO 500 them go through
with the manual Of arms as we'll, and
came very near saying better than any white
regiment I ever saw that had boon in the
service no longer than we have. / think
they would cxclaim, as several have to me,
"Well, I declare, / would not believed that il
was possible to make as good soldiers of slaves
as these are, II | had not seen them with my
own eyesl" But | am happily disappointed
and thousands of others also for l know
that we can make good soldiers of colorod
men. l will! close by sending you tho fol.
lowing, which l copy from a Louisville pa
por:
"TmE 18TH u. s CoLoRED TRoors.-A
correspondent at Nashville. Tenn, sends III
a factoring notice Of the 18th Reg. Coloret
Troops, in camp at that place. They arr
command ed by Col. T. j. Downey, ant
both officers and men are highly praised
for their attention to and progress in mill
tary oduca ton. He had visited them often
without hearing the least profano or vulgar
language. Their camp is kept in most ex
cellont order, and in all things is seen the
true spirit of the soldier. A white soldier
boosted that he could make the grand
rounds on tho colored boys, and capture u
muskot or bayonet. Accordingly, no up
preached a sable guard, drow him into con
versation, and kindly requested to see hi
musket, which the guard refused. He ther
wished to look at his bayonet, but tho guar,
stood on bis orders. He then tried intimi
dalton, and, pretending to be insulted, as
sumed a fighting attitude /; but the guar
ordered him to retro or no would shoot
Tho foolish fellow adv an0ed and was promp,
ly shot, and the loss oe an arm was the pen
atty o: his impudence."
y. 81 would remark that the above in
cident occurred. a few nights since, With
q few PAGES OF my tent, and l would advis
those who like to fool with sentinels, to lc
the 10Th boys alone, for thoy wiu oboy oil
ders, if they are colorod.
Yours truly, LII. l.. p, in.