Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1865-02-20

n gained favor rapidly OF late, AMI PROMISES III
s,ms foru OF other TO DC adopted. 30 lar rom
exciting the repugnance on the part OF the army
=, Rrst spprehended It has been called Tor by 'he
resolves of many regiments and brigade>, ana -
,.,o,sp 10 be favored BY nearly all the principal
officers y e do not profess 10 be very sangUine Of
good re suits from the measure. but We do not feel
that as civilians. we would be justified, in the
present emergency IN opposing the use OF any
means which our leading military men assure Us
can be made efficient. To them this cause Is trusted,
and especially 70 the General-in-Chiet. 1t Is
known that he urgeS-Nith warmth he has not,
perhaps exhibited in regard 70 any other matter OF
fevislation-the passage Of law subJectng the
negro element TO military use His OPINION Al al
times entitled 10 great weight, becomes lmpef"-
tive as TO such matter, when VIC reflect that the
whole responsibility of our defence has been de
yolved,upon him. Il the cause should he lost,
when anv means OF resistance that he had called
for remained ungranted, the responsibility for it,
loss would rest upon those who withheld the aid he
called for, no; upon him. We prefer 10 have no
share in such responsibility, and therefore, urge
upon Congress to adopt az once some prompt, com
VI lsive and certain measure fUr raising such num-
Der Of negro troops aS the -General-in-Chiei may
think he can use TO advantage leaving to him the
orqani7-ti ton, discipline and employment TO which
they shall he subjected
We have minated that our own hopes would not
he hirh Of very valuable service from this de-
serptiou OF troops, but the military opinion is 9th
erwise and it is the military opinion that must
rule. in military matters while the war lasts
General Lee, himselE freely expresses the
opinion that the simplicity Of mind, the habit OF
obedience aud the physical hardhood of our negroes
furnish ell the prerequisites for the creation OF
effective soldiers. Discipline and drill viii do the
rest paper on this subject, written by BriSadiei
General ShoUp, presents the military view OF tht
subject very clearly and forciby; and as it is mat
Ter IN regard 20 which people desire all the light
that can be thrown upon IL, we assure ourselves
that we will meet their wishes in extracting largely
from what he has written. After stating that the
subject has engaged his earnest attention from the
very beginning OF the war, Gen'l :. says:
Napoleon declares as maxim that 'the first
Z. quality Of a soldier IS the powert 20 endure hard
ships and fatigue. II viii not he denied, TAXI
4,it. that the negro possesses this element il
the highest degree. Fhe common opinion IS that
courage is the highest quality, and, as If 10 meet
that opinion Napoleon goes on to say in the same
.. maxim. courage is altogether secondary II i
ito be understood Of coarse, that he here speaks
of the private soldier That courage is necessary
4'in an army, and that OF the highest order, is en-
- tirely manHest-but to understand this maxim it
is necessary to consider the nature and Orgsnza
ton Of an army. There are, as everybody knows,
three separate and distinc; grad, ests;es-te
-sprivate soldier, the non-commissoned officer and
isthe officer. Real soldiers come to
L. ba
cause they are ordered By proper authority. You
a. Will hear i; aid that this is West Point notion
but in truth it is the notion underlying the whole
military world. On this continent we are new
hands at war. We are JuSt beginningto learn wha
soldiers are When discipline is properly eut0>ceo
the soldier is so entirely in the hands Of his OIL
GERS that the tone, character and courage OF a
command !; entirely determined by these proper
ties in the officers and nOn-cOmmissoned officers.
Whenever there Is misconduct on, OF Oh, the field,
il is to be charged to misconduct or neglect on
the part Of the officers. All soldiers know this.
- Thus while courage may be dispensed with in the
private it is most important in the two higher
classes There IS no necessity To
make anything but private soldier OF the negro.
. The officers aud non commissioned officers should
be taken from the most gallant and meritoyou,
officers and soldiers OF the army. Thus, TO put
hundred thousand troops in the field would re-
qUiTe (say) ten thousand whites. In these ter
thousand would reside the Intelligence and cour-
age OF the whole. They would BE-, in sort the
head braius while the negroes would constitute
eorporeal parts. Since these could be selected OF
a. the superior charater, should be able t.
a. produce IN a marvellously short space, the most
q superior troops. Discipline could be made per
feet, since the distinction between the several or
q ders would be SO entirely marked
so much ior the theory. That has eXperienc
.. shown Il is by no means certain that the negro
is 50 deficient in courage is generally believed
- If to credit the statements Of travellers in
- Africa the native negro is the most sangulnary
.',warrior in the world. In their battles hand TO
- hand they fight till either party Is almost nnihi-
81 lated anu our very slaves are in great part the
descendants Of prisoners captured in war We see
the negro altogether in his scryile condition. be
naturally shrinks without regard TO appearances.
He, however, makes fearless sailor and fireman
1.-THE Eughsh have long used him as a soldier and
Z he has done good service. But the experiences
e of this war are abundanty sutHeienr--o show his
:, afaptability as a soldier The enetay has taught
.spS n lesson 70 which ought not to shat our
.. ewes. He has caused him 70 fight as well, if DOT
.. better than have lis white troops of the same
.. length Of service. Our prisoners from Ship Is
.. land and elsewhere declare that they are far the
.. hest sentinels and most thoroughly drilled of the
a, Federal troops have myself seen them, in the
q. hands-ofa single engineer officer entirely without
&c examination work under fire. where certainly ne
G. could not have held white men Now, If The enc
81 nv has succeeded in making any kind Of troops
Of these people, with all their nonsommissiehed
officers anil great part Of their officers black