Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1864-07-05

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not have the opportunity We crossed the James
River the night Of the 10th on pontoon bridge
and came directly to this place. The first and
third division OF this corps, more fortunate than
ourselves, were carried to City Point on trans
ports while we made the distance on foot. The
whole movement was well planned to save time.
As we were coming on to this ground, we had
positive assurance that Petersburg was taken,
and of course felt highly elated at the cheering
news but we found when we got here that the
news was not quito 30 good as reported, although
we had captured their utter line Of iorlltications
city. Burnsld3'- negroes claim large share Of
credit in taking these works They made d splen-
did charge, capturing the whole line Of works,
thirteen guns, and some prisoners The negroes
we're remarkably well pleased with their prowess
0n this occasion Ii was glorious day ior
them. They won great favor in the eyes Of white
soldiers by their courage and bravery. am
sure never looked upon negroes wi h more re-
spect than did upon those soldiers and did
not hear Il word Of disrespect towards them
from any Of the boys Yesterday they made an
other charge here, and it was done in excellent
style The best mi tary critic co1ld hardly find
fault with II. In a steady straight line they
advanced rIght over the crest Of the hill and
right up to the enemy's works under terrible
fire, but without wagering or ialteling, compel
ing the enemy to leave his works in the hands
Of tic blacks The stream Of wounded that
came pouring back, some leaning on a comrade
aud s0rie carried on stretchers told Of the bloody
WORK they lad done. Our pickei reserve was in
the road whore hey passed by They captured
come pris1u'rs ar1 brought ttem off, The proud
SJuthcrncf might have iel. little humbled to
be taken prisoner 10 oren fight by class Of peo-
| pie that they refuse 70 recognize a. men, and be
conducted of the f,lI in charge Of negro
guard. But this they had to submit the best
they could One Of the guard, a small, comical
looking darkey, rolling up his large white eyes
and looking at tall rebel with peculiar e1-
preston Of triumph inquired, Who rides
horseback now The rebel did not deign
reply He bore the shout that followed with
philosophical coolness. Sometimes the negroes
trea. their prisoners rather roughly III remem.
brance ol Fort Pillow, and similar outrages. | !
have no doubt, if the truth were known, that
many a rebel lost his life at their hands at the
taking Ji the fts. line Qualifications after they
bad fallen into our hands There wrath was es-
pecially directed against the officers The rebels
would plead with them. tell them they had
no desire to harm them, but the negroes would
cay, How was il at Fort Pillow ? and pay no
attention to their entfeatIes. One Of our officers
who was free mason, told OF rescuing rebel
brother mason whom the negroes decided to kill
lie drew bis revolver and peremptorily ordered
the negroes who had gathered around him to
disperse and had the wounded rebel cared for,
otherwise he would have counted as one TO pay
the terrible bill OF retaliation that we have
against the enemy such kind of warfare is
too horrible TO contemplate, though we cannot
blame the negroes under .hc present orcum.
stances
Notwithstand ing the negroes fight 50 well and
show 80 much bravery, they have hitherto been
allowed but the bare pittance Of soycn dollars
month. Chaplain Hunter,oi the 4th U. S. eolorcd
troops, coored man OF remarkable ability de-
nounces with just indignation this rank injus-
tce. lie says there are men in bis regiment
who have lett families at home, and seven dollars
a month, in times like these, is not enough to }
keep them from actual suffering. lu a conver.
saton with Major General short time since, {
he said be asked him in a case of battle where /
all the commissioned officers were killed or
wounded in a company or regiment, who would
take the command Commissioned officers are
white but the non-com miSsioned officers may be
black, but negro is never eommlssioned-m
cradle compromise 20 an unreasonable prejudice
The General replied that it would devove upon =
the ranking non-commissioned officer Of course. /
Then said the chaplain, when the regiment comes !
to re organzs and new officers be chosen, what @
will you do with those men that, according to q
military customs ARE entitled to the position they
have filled, and who have proved that they are 0
worthy Of it. Well said the General little q
puzzled at the annoying question, Congress will
have to settle that
And Congress has wrangej over that question
all winter trying to settle t. 1t seems strange .
tbata question where justice and injustice right
and wrong, are SO plainly apparent, should re. o
quire any wranglng or debate at all. They I
seem to think that it is degrading to the white I
soldiers to pay the blacks equally as well. Do :
they think we are afraid Of fair competition :
with blacks II negroes can fight as well as We,
can we not have magnanmity enough to ac. !
it. Certainly to propose especial leg
saIiou to keep our status ahead OF the blacks e
Is Acknowledging them our supcriors and IN a a
most humilia'irs way Whether it suits our Ii
tastes or not, 1t is doubles true that the golden
rule applies to colored as we'll as to white people, b
and Congress as well as every body else will do s
well to bear this in mind and act accordingly.
ANTI RRBKL.
In one of the Washington hospitals lately
wounded Virginia rebel and a wounded Pennsy. d
yanan, occupying adjoining beds, had good-hu-
,nrad vpthal tilt aa Ihllnws Ifnfon-Sav Rak -