The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1864-05-11
The ssYankeec Negroes

A correspondent of the Mobile Advertiser, who
WAS for some time confined Al Ship Island, near
New Orleans, writes an account of the negro
"Yankeeized," ls he is sceu there
Al dusk the change was mi.te which transferred
us from tue vessel Ia ship Island Az i,,. huat >
yawl touched The wharf and We mounted II, the
glinning couHteHaMces ol twenty cuniinbands, at
Tired In blue uniioIm, with the undfesS blouse and
forage cap of The Yankee amy, gtrtt"d us tld io
lowed upon cur heels 10 The Headquarters oi the
comH.andaht A SOLITARY sentinel, ebon viSasej,
with iu ditss 4niIuim, eQ,iipnt MS and accouie-
mehts paced with measured sitide the point OF The
pier, aud respectfully came 10 "ptesent AIMS
when the officers passed. AT headquarters
two black guards halted Us uHl The colofed
orderly announced the privilege OF an interview
with Col Grovrner, Ut The Cop; d'.ftfl9ae, Mill.
tary and Civil Governor of Ship Island. This dis
tnguishcd parsonage bOasted OF being an original
Abulitouist and New Hampshire editor aud during
our sOjoufn in his pfovincc inquired as 10 his ia
ture prospects OF cunScating The Regiier and M
,efiiser, and establishing cred,able Yankee jour
nal, The prospectus of which is hereby announced
10 readers with the HUE appropriately selected
from the Feejee langaage,) Whenyoughetate "
We We're quartered in comfortable siianty with
some other prisoners. and had the privilege OF
drawing ralI0ns and purchasing from the sutler,
and informed that New Ofleai was OIs destina
ton by the ftst mail boat, which, whatever fate
might henceiofth have In store for us, was wei.
come intelligence Detailed negroes did our cook
ing and performed the servants part, hut were
extremely insOient, and mere conspicuously among
these was Sd" boy who The prop
eity of Ed Someis, Esq, OF New Orleans, and who
mad tua of from Pass Christian in skif. On Sun-
day we obtain d an excellent view of the entire
force On the Island, the ID regiment OF the corps
d'Ailique. This was The first regiment raised by
Butler, and is composed tot only of runway
slaves, but many free Dtgfoes of LOUISIANA They
object decidedly to be called corps dAfrique, and
style themselves the I'd Louisiana. About 4J0 were
on drill aud parade, aud certainly made superb
appearance with fine blue cloth uniforms, highly
lir,an
late white dress gloves, with muskets polished like
FURNISHED gold and silver. An excellent band filled
the air with martial strdins and the manu- Al OF arms
and evOlutOnS on the field were executed with
a precision and split which showed CAREFUL,
| constant training, and great pride upon the
part Of the negroes. North or south, whe
ther by black uoops white, l have never
seen such splendid turnout aud perfect
dill. The officers above the rank Of sergeant
are all white--ali New England Yankees S-ahd are
tyrannical and exacting ANY dereiiction OF duty,
or uElidincss of appearance, upon the part OF the
sscoOred' soldiers, is visited win severe extra
duty. Under Buffers reign negroes were ofhcefs,
but with the new regime the position OF sergeant Is
the great object of their ambition From tie strut
ing airs of these scions OF "ioyaity, one can sur
mise the importance which formerly attacked to
commissioned officers. In addition 10 their du-
| ties as soldiers, by which they are required To
drill once and review twice daily, these sWartiy
s.Uuonists,, are required to act cooks aud
wants for the white officers, who lJrf 1t over them
very heavily, certainly with no encouraging dis
positon 10 the equality oi races vi the drill dld
discipline of the negroes have no hesitation III
stating that believe that they are unsurpassed
Of their fighting qualities we had AN exfibltioh
year ago when the same troops landed al fdsga-
soula for the purpose of Plaee a0d pundeF, win
which their encaMpment On ship Island was 10 De
furnish d, upon which occasion less than - Con
fed rates defeated and routed In panic the ,loO
| ebony ssUnion sOjdters," supported as they were
| by two sunhoats. The Yankees acknowledge
this deita, and the gteas disparity OF numbers,
attTibuiing the cause 10 the absence of white oi-
GERS, only thin skinned Co!onei one Daniels, be
ing with them, and he never having lelt the trans
| port. This contest Is IA cOnst1gt theme with the
negroes, and recital OF the affair Is daily indulged
| IN In my hearing fellow was discoursing OF II
| 70 some new recruits. Said he "YOns oughtei
| seen the gunboat Jackson fro a tOusand pound
shell At The secesi, when il went plum among Us
! cullud soldiers, and you oughter seen the dead
| nj ygets fall. Van YAH" Apparently enjoying
| the reininlscence us 4 laushabc joke "in old So
| cesh woman, 7" continued the lDquaeious darkey,
Gle Is YOU cuine To stayP" ''Dara od rip knOwed
| We didnt come To stay when thar was free o'
| four gorias In de house, and ia ffod away my
Gun and TuU for de gunbOat." notwithstanding
This defeat, tisefaceful and discomragiBg the Yam
| kee Ott,ceis maintained thai the negroes would
| 6sht well, and AjJt Gen Thomas when he re-
| viewed them In our presence said that ne WA.
| once a STAKEHOLDER, but WAS proud to see then
| free and shake them by the hand. Al Port Hudson
| aud agiliken's Bend they had fought despetaieiy
| ani Only few days since 4OO had whipped For
at Padaeah Ba' then Lno~as o1 n,, my , nas'
sunday. Monlay, and Tuesday We remained on
| the island, kiadly treated BY the Yankees, iaso
iss,iy by ie aexres. with the dazzling iieh. Of ths
sun reflected from the glazing sand scofcnins ou
our ey.s the eternal, never ceasine whistle % ths
rhsl (iie aud The rubidy dub dub dub "s she drum
constantly claslIns Upon The ear.
Thaukiul, indeed, were we shea tnc nsue mal
steamer Ciyae, ON the !hird day " oas =.
wards he Crescent Guy. Al sunset we catered
The Rie0lets, the m0u Of Lake roncnaIussa y
and iamediaiety after atsb,fai were sn%noaea s.. :.
~ ,sidsi,ht We landed at Lake Depot, and vert
s..,i thcuce hy cars 10 lhs city, where sne eoA
shs eusuipa mornag discovered W " tAr maiseaI'
nrtsou q New Orissas.