New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-05-09
RECOLLKCrIONs or The WAR.
History Of tho FIRST Black Regiment.
By THE LATE COLONEL CHARLES G.. HALprSE

| CHAPTER I.
Black troops are now an established gu
cess, and hereatter-while the race ca
| furnish enough cable bodied males - tn
probabiltX would seem that 0ne-half th
permanenVnaval and military forces of tn
United States will be drawn from this ma
terial, under the guidance and control G
white officers. To-day there is much cou
| petition among the field and staff officers G
our white volunteers-mOre especially i
those regiments being disbanded-to obtai
commissions OF like or even lower grade i
| the colOred regiments of Uncle Sam. Ger
eral Casey's board OF examination can no
keep in session long enough, nor dismis
| incompetent aspiAAnts quick enough to kee
down the vast throngs of veterans, witt
and without shoulder straps, who are nov
seeking various grades Of command in tn
colOred brigades of the Union.
Over this result all intelligent men vii
rejoice-the privilege Of beng eithe
killed or wounded in battle, or stricke,
down by the disease, tolls and privation
incident to the life of marching soldier
not belonging to that class of prerogative
for the exclusive enjoyment of which meI
of sense, and with higher careers open t.
them, will long contend
Looking back, however, but few year.
TO the organization OF the first regiment O
black troops in the department of the South
what change in public opinion are W.
compelled to recognized In sober verify
war is not only the srernest, but the Quick
est OF all teachers; and contrasting the
then and now Of our negro regiments, as we
propose to do in this sketch. the contrast
will tOrcibly recall Galileos obdurate asser
ton that the world still moves
Be 1t known, then, that the first regiment
OF black troops raised in eur recent war
was raised in the spring of1S62 by the com
manding general of the department of the
South, of his own motion, and without any
direct authority of law, order, or even
sanction from the President, the Secretary
of War, or our houses Of Congress. It
was done by General Hunter as "a mill
tary necessity" under very peculiar cir
cumstances. to be detailed hereafter;
and, although repudiated at first by the
gOvernment-as were 80 many other meas
ures originated i'll the same quarter
it was finally adopted as the settled policy
of the country and of our military system
as have likewise since been adopted all the
other original measures for which this Off
Ger, at the time of their first announcement,
was made to suffer both official rebuke aud
the violently vituperative denunciation of
more than one-halt the Northern press.
In the spring of 1862, General Hunter,
finding himself with less than 1000 men
under his command, and charged with the
duty of holding the whole tortu0us and
broken seacoast of Georgia, South Carolina
and Florida, had applied often, and in vain,
to the authorities at Washington for rein
forcements. All the troops that could be
gathered in the North were less than sutfi
Gent for the continuous dram of General
great operations against the
enemy's capital, and the reiterated answer
of the War Department was, You must
get along as best you can. Not man
rom the North can be spared
On the main land Of the three States nomi.
,ally forming the Department of the South.
he flag of tho Union had no permanent
oOthold. save at Fernandina, st. Augustine
md some few unimportant points along the
Florida coast. 1t was on the sea islands of
Georgia and South Carolina that our troops
we're stationed and continually engaged in
CERTIFYING. the enemy being everywhere
'isible and in force across the narrow
reeks dividing us from the main land, and
mutual raids-they across to our islands,
nd we back to their main land and up
heir creeks, with few gunbOats to help
the order Of the day; yea. and
ct oftener, Of the night.
No reinforcements to be had from the
forth; vast fatigue duties in throwing I'D |
arthworks imposed on our Insufficient gar.
isons; the enemy continually increasing |
9th in insOence and numbers: our only |
uccess the capture Of Fort Pulaski, sealing |
p Savannah, and this victory offset, il not |
by many minor gains of |
ne enemy; this was about the condition of |
fairs as seen from the headquarters front
lg Port Royal bay, when General Hunter
ne fine morning, with twirling glasses,
uckered lips and Gilated nostrlls The had |
y I>.%
dispatch from Washington
1nounced his intention of forming negro
'giments,". and compelling "every able
)died black man in the department to
ght for the freedom which could not but
> the issue Of orr war"
This resolution being taken. was imme-
ately acted upon with vigor, the General
using all the necessary orders to be issued
i'd taking upon himeslf, as his private
lrden. the responsibility for al. the
regular issues of arms, clothing,
& and organizing the first experimental
gro regiment. The men he intended to
y, at first, by placing them as laborers on
Q pay rolls OF the chief quartermaster;
It it was bis hope that the obvious ne
ssity and wisdom of the measure he had |
US presumed to adopt without authority,
,uld secure for it the immediate approval
the higher authorities, and the necessary
lers to cover the required pay and supply.
ues OF the force he had in contemplation.
his course should be Endorsed by the War
'partment we'll and good; if it were not {
Endorsed, why he had enough property
his own to pay back to the government
he was irregularly expending in this [
pertinent.
But now, on the very threshold of this l
al ont - - |
a trivial-difficulty Where could ex-
fenced officers be found for such an c
,anization! What! command niggeIs.' t
s the reply-if possible more amazed q
N scornful-of nearly every competent !
ing Lieutenant or captain Of volunteers Z
whom the suggestion Of commanding t
) class of troops was made. "Never a
i'd, said Hunter, when this trouble was C
ught to his notice; 1.-The fools or bigots
0 refuse are enough punished by their
lsal. Before two years they will be I
1peting eagerly for the commissions they
v reject"
there was issued a circular q
all commanding officers in the depart n
1t, directing them to announce to the | t,
commissioned officers and men of their n
)ectlve commands that commissions in | al
South Carolina Regiments of Colored
intry," would be given to all deserving II
reputable sergaants, corporals, and f.
l who would appear at department al
dquarters, and prove able to pass an
in the manual and tactics be- "
a board of examiners. which was or &C
lied in a general order of concurrent IL
=. Captain Arthur NJ. kinzie, of Chi 70
o, abide camp-now of Hancock's Vet h
l Reserve Corps-was detailed as colonel r.
he regiment, giving place, subsequently, Sc
Of injured health. to the nf
sent Brgadier General James D. Fessen- y,
then captain in the Berdan Sharp in
,ters, though detailed as acting aida pc
p on General Hunters staff Captain ~
zie, we may add, was General Hunters >.
new. and his appointments as colonel or
made partly on the grounds of superior a
4ss; and partly to prove-so violent was tte