Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1864-03-25

From the 5ath Mass. ,coIored1 Rer,t

54TH RECT Mass. Vois,
JACKSONVILLE, Fla, March 9th. 1854
Editors Of the Free Press.
You are aware that we (the YER
mont men in this regiment) left Brattleboro'
Jan. 23d, for saw it stated in the Sentinel that
''almost a mutiny occurred among the colored
soldiers when ordered to leave for their Reg
iment, because, while the white soldiers receiy-
ed SIS, the black soldiers received nothing,
This, although coming from the Sentinel, is
nevertheless true. It is also true that - they
(the colored soldiers had expected to be
treated in this respect the same as white sol
diers, especially as they counted on the quota Of
the State
The boys 90 in number) at the time Of their
enlistment had been promised SIS per month.
1902 bounty and premium, and the same allow
ance for clothing as white soldiers. This would
have enti d each man of US to the payment Of
SIS before we left Brattleboro'. We would have
been super-human had We sustained all Of the
disappointment that the truth conveyed without
being greatly chagrined and disposed to mutt
ny" Indeed, I think may say that, if the
boys had had their arms, that every man Of
them would have died on the spot before leaving
camp without the payment of their just due. As
it was they showed uRmistakable signs that they
had pluck, so much so that it was feared by the
officers that they would have trouble with US.
and so recourse was had to falsehood. We were
told that, owing to our going into a regiment
from another State, our SIS had been sent to
the headquarters Of our regiment, where We
would be paid off as soon as We arrived there - /
a falsehood that even Satan himself would blush
to promulgate; but the boys. willing to believe
what should be true, believed all would be right,
and so the difficulty ended. Suffice it to say that
we have sent letter to our excellent Governor,
J. Gregory Smith, complaining of our grievances,
and asking for the interpositon of his executive /
authority in our behalf.
We now number a effective men. We have
SIX on the sick list at the different hospitals, both
here and at the Head, and have lost one BY
death-privste John H. Freeman, whose family
reside in your village, and one has been missing
since the battle of Olustree saturday Goth ult.)
Private Charles E Nelson Of Bristol-and is
supposed to have been captured by the enemy
1t is now over a month since we came on this
expedition, and we have seen one battle and one
defeat. From the time we landed in this city. IN
til the day of the battle aforesaid the rebels under
Gen. Finnegan had not ceased to run; but the
truth of the proverb that g it is long road that
never turns" was soon to be verified On We'd
nesday the 10th ult, we left our camp with
sufficient force. as was supposed, to crush all
opposition, but the rebels having been largely
reinforced from Georgia, were ready to give US
warm reception. On Saturday the 10Th ult., we
zane up to the extreme front 1t was about
-hree P. NJ. when our regiment with hearty
sheer went into the fight. The enemy were
Itrongly entrenched behind breast-work Of
'arth, which greatly protected them from the
fleet of our fire Before We came up the rebs
ucceeded in capturing one of our batteries of six
,uns, and soon after we went into the f ght they
to flank us by a regiment of rebel
avalry. We wheeled and paid our respects to
hem, which soon set them to fright about {
ace" We fought bravely Ii. e. the regiment ;
was not in the fight, having been ordered to the 0
Far by the Colonel, to guard the knapsacks Of t
ur men) until we were ordered to retreat. But p
"a mar had sdoa Of oLa, A. (
nd it was repeated by Col Hallowell three times i
efore the order was obeyed. The 54th was the
st regiment that left the field, and they re-
eated in good order, as did the other regiments v
lat participated in the fight. The loss of our o.
'giment, in killed, wounded and missing, WAS =
men. Among the wounded was Private En- "
y Anderson OfHinesburgh, who received ball o,
rough his leg just above the ankle joint Many
our wounded were left on the field, from which G.
ace they crawled along into the thick bushes
conceal themselves, and afterwards were dis
vered and captured by the enemy. However. =,
lite number were brought off, and those
nose wounds were in the flesh only or about the !
ad and arms, retreated with the rest Of our
my. Many Of the wounded collected At a small
use about three miles from the battle fell WI
iere many Of them were taken in by the a,a-
lanees and wagons that came along, and that
re sent back (the number was very few) after IL,
en- The latter threw out every thing almost. ~
1t they might sccoUmodate the wounded. IN TO