Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1865-02-21
Th, question II negro soldiers VIC o'ns'asr

Th. Question If negro soldiers VIC e'rs'asr
as seil.d. Public opinion has definitely Us
clat.d in ,s7rr of srming tha neIlaes; INC
resolution introduced in the Virginia L 'glsla"
tnrs, giving tho cors'n: Of The SIA'o to TAO
m.asuro, will pass, and may 10 followed afu
should I've by instructions to Senators 70 vote
70, TIC measure ard thus put the matter OF
-,ss. As to giving the slaves their freedom,
hi, should D.. tho reward for faithful ssrvice',
a. the md Of .he war, if desired by The slaves
T., some it may DO q boon, a rcwsrd-oshefa
may not even desire freedom. Negroes a'"
divide in opini. n ls 10 whether they "ouio
p-slsr freed M to slavery, but by al i"s'oS
Laws tho CHOICE with them, lot th:m deaido
tho matter. Ns DO not eIpeot this reward |"
mako soldiers Of them; discipline only Will do
that. Ii must 10 u discipline differing, very
much. from, that which now holds together,
With loosenei bands, the armies ci ths Con
iels.ute States. 1t must be ditr'pl"e
sbarp. severe, exactipg, which fret tts'hes
them their duty ind tEen compels them I"
r.rfc,1o it. There mover hss been dine. Pitrc
in to .,mics Of this Confederacy, but instesd
thereof . kind Of universal suffrsg', While
f.tts when it. ei,oos,s and straRglss when u
f,s,, ike il. All this must be changed win
.he negro ucoYs; Trey have not the ho'iV'S
,h timr 81 tho white man to this fight; 'h:y
mus, be KEEP, up to tho malk by fear Of pu"-
tsAmspt Mora than by hope OF reward.
An prmyis and should DO a d~p'tlsm-'
40, n.cressrily tyranny; bu. authority mrss
J.. stao)u,e. Obedience il tho first tuty Oh
solder, End struggling great cr'me to
20 great, pelhupt, rs des.rtlon, but d.nti-
ing only in dc gree, not in hind. The a,n'its oil
Frederick tho Great were we'll dncirlined
s,sopli1p Was unknown ip them; i NAB pur
shed Ike d.seiti,n, and tf d.sslt'tn there
WAS very little. The Same discipline wall
nako gtod sulde;s Of negioes; it will 10:
n,omo,e des.rtiou, for strict discipline 10 the
b. 81 nrsyentiye known for dtssrtion. 1t in
wall known fact that Gsreriiun, sirfgRhhE
and ab.ercs without leave are least known IN
veil disciplined regiments, ord We ooliefe
tin. tho fact will hold good i'll tic
Armies of tho Confederate States, ard that
these crimes will DO found Of greatest occur
ycrce in the worst, and Of leatt occurrence IN
the b.ss di.cipiined >rcgiments. An GINGER
who csLrot keep his Command together Ii no1
ii; to command mer, and thO.e REGIMENTS ifcm
which dosertion sre n.ost frequent indicate
ms, urmi.,sk.abIy the officers Ct "hi1h con-
solicitation should r,lieve tho army.
G,nc,al Lee les recon mel dad tie srninS
If the legIo.s, and upon him will dsrolV' the
day Of making them oldieIs. Congress- may
nut Ia, NJ in the IaLkr, lut discipline only
will mako them fight. By nature and long
habit and education they are otedient and
dooile, ~ that it would appear that their dis
cipl.no ought to DO es.y and most efsctlVe'
Urcsr proper officers We believe that they can
DO brought TO tho very highest perfection Of
drill aud n,a; teuvre, ard taught to nlshd hfl"-
" together and move with unity and CELEBRITY
But tho present discipline Of the armies Of
tho Conf.d.rat. States will mover makA s"l-
d;s,s OF the neRroes-the wonder is how 1t
.v.r msde soldiers Of white men. The U n
p-s,s has lever understood tho army, and its
legislation hes often proved most nj urlous to
eii,isrcy. Legislation should be for tho true
soldier, and not for the poor soldier. Give
.5s 1u.n rssions, clothes and regular pay, and
th.a the Congress may lot ths army alone.
O,o fruitful source of abseaos without leave
has been tho law granting farlouahs ifoui
hospit.ls-th.ss mon, 10 nine cases out OF ton,
never return when their furloughs are out
Arc tho negroes to b. furloughti from hos
p.tsls: II so, one campaign will 10 tho last
Of the negro army.
This armiDg of tho negroes is lao't in'-
porsa1t step in the progress Of this War;
rightly and properly managed it will give
IA %. material strength to our armies, AMI,
wi,aou! doing the least injury to the in'situ
tim of slavery, sfsct much towards tho indie
osnisncs Of these States. Bl: it will qlra
r,uch patience and much labor to mako tbs
negroes efficient soldiers. Tho selection of the
prJc.r of6oor to undertake their drilling 10
most important; upon him will depend the
SUCCESS or failure of the experiment If hs!s
a di.oiplinarisn lie will succeed, bat if no is
nc., no matter how brave, how grsss stratcN
gis, the experiment will be failure. Ii, in
the .if,rs to drill tho negroes and discipline
tn ,m into soldiers, there should be developed
Ia system by which our present noble armies
may 10 improved and perfected, and their ia
surpassed courage become disciplined courage,
there will DO no moro disasters like those in
III. Valley and At Nashville. 1t IS upon such
trying occasions that discipline develcpes its
real effects and brings out its great reaulis.-
Perhaps, 10 drilling the negroes, our officers
,osy learn how to discipline the whites.