New-York daily tribune., 1865-12-26

.organi.atiou'; Officers msn sn: Agsregas,e;
One Regiment Cavalry. ~ JyD 4lZ
-Four Re- esiments Heavy Artillery. l3l 3's56 4io.
-Four Battaions Light Artillery. III $50 sd
Twentyfour Regiments Infantry. 40 l9,bi l',oda
One Independent CompeDy..... !" :"
To,o,....................9 992 ?O,59l 2l.523
Other regiments were authorized. but as they were
incomplete at this date returns were rendered Inc
above numbers are taken from returns In the AdJuant
Generals Office and are below the numbers actually
enlisted the loss in battle by DEATH and Dy desefuon
could not have been less than 5,0OO This may seem
large estimate but il is known that raw troops early
contract diseases especially tie measles ana II Is urter
known that when the blacks become sick not 1hNlDg
the vitality Of the white race they sink under disease
and the percentage OF mortality IS very great. The
Gble.bodied men largely employed In the several
staf departments, especially at the principal depo''
and BY the troops themselves, az COOKS ana servants
and some commanders orsdnlzed them into pioneer
PARTIES without being mustered into the service OF the
United States. Many were induced by high wages to
take employment the transports others again readily
found employ ment wOOd.choppers also as ll0Orers
In towns oa the river. Admiral Porter stated to me
that in the naval feet under his command he had over
OOOnegrOcs. state these facts TO show Why larger
amount of cOlored men were rot enlisted.
Col a. Cummings, 18th Regiment of Pennsylvania
Cavalry. by your directions, reported TO me In Pha
dcpha, june /, ls6i for duty, and ordered him to
Little Rock, Arkansas 70 superlniend the recruiting
service in that State. He ex.red himself but as ;he
negroes had great extent been sent 10 Icxos CON-
paratyely few obtained. Still somo regiments
we're organized. He was subsequently made Briga'
dier.General While at Louisville. Kentucky, in the
month of Jannary lSti, satisfied myself that from
500 10 7CO0 negroes OF Kentucky had passed the
bounds OF that state into Ohio, Illinois Indiana and
Tennessee and that many OF them had enlisted m
various organZatoBs INTO regiments being raised
in the Eastern States also that the entire slave popua
ton of the state wac in state of fernent Ihis H.
duced proceed TO Frankfort, the capital 70 pre-.
sent my views 10 Gov. Dramlette. This did, aud
fully set forth my opinions urging them with what
ability posed Irepre that Slavery was forever
AT an end 10 which tie Governor assented and that as
tie negroes constantly passing the borders OF tie
State, and ii could nor be prevented urged that
might take tie abebodied men and organize tlem into
troops whereby the ofthe roes woad receive
certificates Of heir uster and the State receive eredt
on the quota for lie draft. The Governor While gen
orally assenting urged that / would not establish
recruiting stations in the State, but desist from my
purpose stating that he subject was one OF peculiar
delcacv the people OF Kentucky, that they du not
desire the General Government 10 interfere and that
they desired to manage the institution IN their own
way he especially deprecated any agitation at tsat
tine stating also that Kentucky wonld come up to the
measure Of her duty In this respect, and by legal
enactment provide for tho extermination OF Slavery
He remarked that under their present laws. some four
five would be 10 fully accomplish this
measure j ooDyersed with most, and perhaps with
nearly ALL the members OF the Legislature which was
then In session. al Of whom took the ground advocated
BY the Governor and of them requested that
L should remove my recruiting stations in Tennessee
tho borders Of Kentucky. Finding this feeling 50
prevalent in tho State, withdrew from Il without
their doing anything. Ny action in this case reported
20 you Louisville under date OF Feb. l. The first
recruiting in Kentucky commenced at Psducah under
Second.Leut ID. Cunningham, 2d Illinois Artillery.
February. puTsuant 10 request made TO you by the
member OF Cor gress from the First District in which
Paducah is situated. The Lieutenant was authorized
to raise regiment Of artillery 10 man the works at
that place. a.
Brig Gen. Chetlaiu reported 10 me- and assigned
him Superintendent at the recruiting service In
West Tennessee, afterward in the entire State He
proved most valuable officer for l found him 10
possess intelligence and zeal, with qualification
for the organization Of troops He never failed on any
duty to which he was assigned either as Supernend-
ent an Inspector 10 which latter duty also as.
signed him; and 1 am gratifed that he was subse-
quently rewarded by the breyct OF MajorGeneral.
Feb Q. Major Stearns having reinguisbed his posi-
ton in Tennessee Superintendent Of the recruiting
service appointed Capt. r. D. Nussey who had acted
as his assistant the Superintendent He was subse-
lenty made the Colonel OF the Tooth Regiment OF Col
ored Troops. and continued 10 perform the duties Of
rendered most efficient service. He, too. has been
properly rewarded by the brevet OF BrgadierGeneral
Having returned to Louisville Ky. in june, be-
satisfied that the time had fully arrived for the
organization of c00red troops In that State as the nc
groes rapidly coming 10 our military stations.
My purpose OF doing So mentioned 10 you IN Wash
ingt0n and received your verbal sanction Accord.
ingly the 18th OF June by order No. 20of that
date, | directed that recruiting should commence
hroug the entire state and designated court OF
reception in each Congressional District where tho
negroes would be received and organized into regi
meIts. designated Brig. Gen Chctlain as the Super
ltendent who entered upon the duty and continued in
Its performance until July when no was relieved at
the request of Ma0r-GeD. Burbrde, commanding IN
Kentucky made both 10 you and myself who desired
the superntcndonce; lie had. as l well knew, taken
special interest IN this measure advocating 1t on all
proper occasions and with benefit TO the service; he
was then the owner Of many blacks: under these cir
cumstances il was perfectly proper that the change
should be made; but never regretted it. believing
that his higher duties OF commander in Kentucky would
prevent bis personal attention 10 the superintendent
The result proved as had anticipated, FOR he very
soon delegated the duties 20 another officer first TO
Lieut.. Col. Hammond, and afterward TO Col. Brisbin
the latter OF whom placed at tie head of the oth u s.
Coored Cavalry The report Of these officers came to
me through Major Gen. Burbridge but they had
nothing to DO with the establishment Of the system but
only carried ont what had been ordered.
At this time found II next to impossible TO obtain
the necessary medical officers for the coorcd regiments
ine grade Of surgeons could readily have been Tiled by
the promotion Of OF volunteers but
few, except occasional contract officer would take
the position OF stan surgeon. As the sanitary
diton Of the men required greater number OF medi
cal officers, ordered on the eth Of July, Sargeon Il.
NJ Sergeant on my staif, TO proceed 20 the Eastern
States and endeavor TO procure from the graduates Of
the medical schools many physicians possible the
number then required being l2o BY his energy and
activity he procured quite number, Who having
passed the medical boards al Benton and elsewhere,
we're duly appointed. and the service greatly bene
fitted by this measure
July i6, Brig Gen. Pile was relieved as Supcrintend
ent in Missouri anl assigned 10 duty in the field. and
Brig Gen Thomas Ewing jr.. stationed at ST. Louis,
was charged with the duty, who performed it sahsfac'
ry and with ability.
On the Isl Of May 1864 pursuant to your Instructions
directed the disoontBulnce of all recruiting Of coored
men IN tie Departments of Missouri and Arkansas ana
the Military Divisions of Mississippi and West Missis
sppi; and also consolidated some Of the regiments
thus discontnuing three regiments In kentucss. one III
Tennessee and two in Arkansas Before ths orIef ,
could be received by the troops operating 10 tne hed
three additional regiments we're organized from the
negroes gathered by MajorGen. Wilson on MS uaich
through Alabama and Georgia upon the s'anding III
structions and these regiments were retained IN
iIn