Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1865-01-31

| General Sherman ON the NegrOss...The
South Carolina sea Islands Set Apart
for the Settlement of fhe Contra
bands.
SPECIAL FIELD oRDERs-NO. Is.
HEADQUARTERS, MILITARY DIVISION OF
THE MISSISSIPPI, IN THE FIELD,
SAVANNAH, Ga, Jan. l6, 1866.
I. The islands from Charleston South,
the abandoned rice fields along the rivers
for thirty miles back from the ses, and the
country bordering the St. John River,
Florida, are reserved and set apart for the
settlement Of the negroes now made free
by the acts of war and the proclamation of
the President Of the United States
II. At Beaufort, Hilton Head, Savan-
nah, FernsndIna, st. Augustine and Jack
sonville, the blacks may remain in their
chosen or accustomed vocstions but on
the islands and the settlements hereafter
TO be established, no white person whatev-
er, unless military officers and soldiers de-
tailed for duty, viii be permitted to reside:
and the sole and exclusive management of
affairs will be left to the freed people
themselves, subject only the United States
military authority and the acts of Con-
gress. By the laws of war, and orders of
the President of the United States, the
negro is free, and must be dealt with as
such. He cannot be subjected to conscrip-
tion or forced military service, save by the
written orders of the highest military au-
thority of the department, under such reg
ulstions as the President or Congress may
prescribe. Domestic servants, blacksmiths,
carpenters ana other mechanics will be
free to select their own work and residence;
but the young and able bodied negroes
must bs encouraged to enlist as soldiers in
the service of the United State, to con-
tribute tLeir share towards maintaining
their own freedom and securing their
rights as citizens of the United States.
Negroes so enlisted will be organized into
companies, bat3slions and regiments, under
the orders of the United States military
authorities, and will be paid, fed and clothed
according to law. The bounties paid on
enlistment may, with the consent of the
recruit, go to assist his familp and family
settlement in procuring agricultural i'm
plements, seed, tools, boats, clothing and
other articles necessary for their Iiveli-
hood.
Ill W hCHONOl bu4Cb 4CS pcCbEDl6 uG@
groes, heads of families, shall desire to set
tie on land, and shall have selected for
that purpose an island or locality clearly
defined, within the limits above degignated,
the Inspector of Settlements ana Planta>
tions will himself, or by such subordinate
officer as he may appoint, give them IL
cense to settle such island or district, and
afford them such assistance as he can to
enable them to establish a peaceable ag-
ricultursl settlement The three parties
named will subdivide the land, under the
supervision of the Inspector, among them
selves, and such others as may choose to
settle uear them, so that each family shall
have plot Of not more that forty acres of
tillable ground, and when it borders on
| some water channel, with not more than
eight hundred feet front, in the possession
OF which land the military authorities will
| afford them protection until such time as
they can protect themselves, or until Con-
gress shall regulate their title. The Quar-
termsster may, on the requisition of the
Inspector Of Settlements and Plantations,
place at the disposal of the Inspector one
or moro of tine captured steamer, to ply be-
tween the settlements and one or more of
the commercial points heretofore named in
orders, to afford the settlers the opportuni-
ty to supply their wants and to sell the
products of their land and labor.
" Whenever a negro has enlisted in the
military service of the United States he
may locate his family in any one Of tho set
Elements at pleasure, and acquire home
stead and all other rights and privileges of
a settler as though present in person. In
like manner negroes may settle their fami-
lies and engage on beard the gunboats, or
in fishing, or in the navigation of the In
land waters, without losing any claim to
land or other advantages derived from this
system. But no one, unless an actual set
tier IS above defined, or unless absent on
government service, will be entitled to
claim any right to land or property in any
settlement, by virtue of those orders.
V. In order to carry out this system of
settlement a general officer will be detailed
as Inspector of Settlements and Plsnts-
tions, whose duty it shall be to visit the
settlements, to regulate their police and
general management, and who will furnish
personally to each head OF family, sub
ject to the approval of the President of
the United States, possessory title in
writing giving as near as possible the de-
scription of boundaries, and who shsll sd-
Just all claims or conflicts that may arise
under the same, subject to the like ap-
provs5 treating such titles altogether as
possessory. The same general officer will
also be charged with the enlistment and
organization of the negro recruits, and
protecting their interests while SO absent
from their settlements, and will be govern
ed by the rules and regulations prescribed
by the War Department for such pur-
pose.
VI. Brigadier General R. SaxLon is here
by appointed Inspector of Settlements
and Plantations, and will st once enter on
the performance of his duties. No change
is intended or desired in the settlement
now on Beaufort Island, nor will any
rights to propertofore acquired be affected
thereby.
Byorder of Maj. Gen. W. T. SHERMAN.
L. M. DAYTON, Major and Assistant
Adjutsnt General.
The Black Code Of Illinois.
All men will rejoice in the repesI of the