, 1864-06-15
NEGRO TROOPS.
Testimony of Adjt. Gen. Thomas.
WAR DEFARrAzxT, ApJr. GEMS OFFICE
WAsHlSaTos, May ~, IoGI,

! rAeAAaoToAs May ~, lo64. {
! Hon. II. Wil.on:
! the Mississippi River, contemplated writ
Ing to you respecting the co1ored troops, ,aud d
{; to suggest that as they have been fuliy test
! ed US soldiers, their pay should be raised to
| that OF white troops, aud I desi1e no = to
| gave my Testimony In their behalf. You ara
| ganizatlon Of freedmen tor over year. and
| haye necessarily been thrown in constant
contact with theul.s
The negro, in n state Of slavery, Is broucht
up by the master from carly childhood to
strict obedience, and to obey implicitly tho
led to believe that they are IN Inferior race.
| Now, when organized into troops, they carry
| this habit Of obedience with them, md their
| officers being entirely white men, the uryro
| promptly obeys his orders. 4 regiment is
thus rapidly brought into q state OF disct-
PINE. They are religions people, another
| are musical people, aud thus readily learn
! to march, and accurately perform their ma
neugers. They take pride In being elevated
ae soldiers, and keep Themselves, as well as
their camp-grounds, neat and Glen. This I
Know from personal inspection, and from the
reports Of my spccIal inspectors, two OF my
stall officers being constantly on Inspecting
duty.
They haye proved most important addl-
tton to cur forces, enabling the Generals In
nc'1se operation to take large force Of white
troops into the field; and now, brigades Of
BUCKS are placed with the whites. The forts
are ncarly all garrisoned by blacks-
artillery regiments raised for the purpose,
sny at Paducah and Columbus, KF,: Mem.
ph'e, Tenn; .Vicksburg and Natctez, Miss,
and most of the works around New Orleans.
ESlelicnce proves tlut they manage heavy
FGr U.k6t TtAAfr a ~
also been fully tested number Of times. and
am Jet to hear Of the first case where thew
did not fully stand up to their work. pass
ca over the ground where the 16t Louisiana
made tue gallant charge At Port Hudson, by
lar Tue stronger part OF the rebel works. The
wonder is that 20 many made their escape.
Al Mtliiken's Berd, n here I had three inco1u.
plete regiments, one without arms until the
%, previous 10 the attack, greatly superior
numbers Of rebels charged tufiorsly nm tn
the very breastworks. The negroes met the
ereny on the ramr1rte, and botn sides freely
nseu the baJ onct-a most rare occurrence in
t't tWnriare' ns one or the other party gives way
Steel. The rebels were defeated
with heavy 1oes. The bridge ut Moscow. on
the line OF railroad from Memphis to Corfnfh
wns defended by one small regiment Of
blacks. a cavalry attack Of three times
their number was made, the blacks defeat
- ~ WIG tulEE GnaIkEa I0GuG DY tue
rcfel They fought them hours, til our
cavalry came up, when the defeat was made
complete, many Of the rebel dead being LEFT
On the field. 4 cavalry force Of 225l attacked I
$40 rebel cara]ty near the Big Black with
signal success, number Of prisoners being
taken and marched to Vlcksbury. Forresf
attacked Paducah with 1900 men. The.rar.
r1son was between five and six hunlfsd,
nearly four hundred being co1ored troops
recently arrived. What troops have done
better: 80, too, they fought we'll ut Fort
nu1nbers.
The above enumcrnted cases seem to me
sufficient to demonstrate the value of col
ored troops. I make no mention of cases
on the Atlantic coast with which you are |
perfectly familiar.
Your ohedidept servant
L. THOMAS, Adjutant General.