New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-05-09

made captain when his company should b.
filled up to the required standard-prOba
bly, within ten days. The inchoate frs
lieutenant was in ecstasies; gentleman BY
birth and education, he lOnged for tn
shoulder straps. He appeared joyousl,
grateful: and only wanted leave to run VI
to Fort Pulaski for the purpose of collect
] | ing his traps, taking leave of his former
| comrades, and procuring his discharge
, papers from Colonel Barton. Two, days
after that came a note to department head
quarters respectfully declining the commits
| sion. He had been laughed and jeered ou
OF accepting captaincy by his comrades
and this-though we remember it more
accurately FROM our correspondence with
Mr.. Briggs-was but one of many score OF
precisely similar cases.
At length, however, officers were found
the ranks were filled; the men learned with
uncommon quicEnsss having the initiative
ness of SO many monkeys apparently, and
such excellent ears for music that all ev0
lutlons seemed to como to them by nature.
AT once, despite all hostile influences, the
negro regiment became one OF tue hons OF
the SOUTH; and strangers visiting the de-
partment, crowded out eagerly to see its
evening parades and Sunday morning in
spectiens. By strange coincidence, its
camp was pitched on the lawn and around
the mansion of General DraytOn, who com
manded the rebel works guarding Hilton
Head, Port Royal aud Beaufort. when the
same were first captured by the Joint naval
and military operations under Admiral Du
Pont and General Timothy w. Sherman
General Drayton's brother. Captain Dray-
ton of our navy, having command of one of
the best vessels in the attacking squadron;
as he subsequently took part in the first
| IRON clad attack on Fort Sumter.
Meantime, however, the War Department
gave no sign, and the oracles Of the Adiu-
tant Generals office were dumb as the
statue of the Sphynx. Reports OF the or
ganization Of the First South Carolina
Infantry were duly forwarded to army
headquarters; but evoked no comment,
either Of approval or rebuke. Letters
detailing what had been done, and the
reason for doing it; asking instructions, and
| to have commissions duly issued to the off
| GERS selected: appeals that the department
paymasters should DO instructed to pay
| these negro troops like other soldiers; de-
| mands that the government should either
shoulder the responsibility of sustaining
the organization. or G We such orders as
would absOlve General Hunter from the
responsibility of backing out from an ex-
pertinent which he believed to be essential
to the salvation of the country-all these
appeals to Washington proved in vain; for
the Oracles still remained profoundly silent,
probably waiting to see how public opinion
daring innovation.
At length one evening special dispatch
steamer plowed her way over the bar, and
perspiring messenger delivered into Gen
eral Hunters hands special dispatch from
the War Department, "requiring immediate
answer" The General was Just about
mounting his horse for his usual evening
ride along the picket line, when this por-
tentous missive was brought under his
H., Il.
grave, then began to smile, and finally burst
into peals of irrepressible laughter-such
as were rarely heard from BLACK David"
his old army name. Never was the General |
seen, before or since, in such good spirits; |
he literally was unable to speak from con. |
slant Interruptions of laughter; and all his |
Adjutant General could gather from him !
was: ''That he would not part with the |
document in his hand for $4,000
AT length he passed over the dispatch TO
his chief OF staff. who on reading it, and re-
reading it, could find in its text but little |
apparent cause for merriment. 1t was a
grave demand from the War Department
for information in regard to our negro regi-
ment-the demand being based on certain
resolutions res introduced by the Hon. Mr.
Wicklitfe, OF Kentucky, asking for specific
information On the point in a tone clearly
not friendly. These resolutions had been
adopted by Congress; and as Hunter was
without authority for any of bis actions in
the case, it seemed to his then not cheerful
General that the documents in his
hands were the reverse of hilarious.
Still Hunter was in extravagant spirits
as he rode along, his laughter startling
the squirrels in the sense pine
woods, and every attempt that he made
to explain himself being again and again
interrupted by rene we'd peas of inextin-
mirth. The fool" be at length
managed to say: THAT old fool has just
given me the very chance l was growing
sick for. The War Department has re-
fused to notice my black rec imen;; but now,
n reply to this resolution, l can lay the
matter before the country, and force the |
authorities either to adopt my negroes or to
lisband them"
He then rapidly sketched out the kind of !
eply he wished to have prepared; and,
With the first ten words of his explanation,
he full force of the cause he had for
aughter became apparent. Never did
jeneral and his chief of staff, in a more I'M
eemly state of exclamation, ride along {
ticket line. AT every new phase of the
ubject it presented new features of the
udicrOus; and though the reply, at this late :!
late, may have lost much of the drollery !
which. then it wore, it is a serio- comic docu- :
lent Of as much vital Importance In the } q
lOral history in our late contest as any that I
an be found in the archives under the care L
t General +. d. Townsend. 1t was re-
eived late Sunday evening, and was '
MS wered very late that night, in order to !
e in time for the steamer Arago, which !
allied at daylight next mOrning-the dis I
atch steamer which brought the request q
Dr. immediate information" having sus- q
aimed some injuries which prevented an t
Immediate return. 1t was written after c
lidnight, we may add, in tornado of L
lunder and tempest such as has rarely d
cen known even on that tornado-strcken y
past; but loud as were the peals and vivid '
ne flashes OF heavens artillery, there were !,
least two persons within the lines on N
lilton Head who were laughing far too
Dsily themselves to pay any heed to ex- Il
rnal clamors. The reply thus concocted il
Id sent, from an uncOrrected manuscript a
,py now IN our possession, ran as follows: in
HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF TEE SoUTH, | II
Hilton Head, s. c., June, 1852. | 81
, the Hon. E. NJ. Stanton, Secretary of War OF
Washington. District of Columbia: Ia
SlR-I have the honor to acknowledge the re- a,
ipt of a communication from the Adjutant Gen | =,
al of the army, dated June 49, 1862, requesting | IL
> to furnish you with the information necessary W
answer certain resolutions introduced in the bl
'use of Representatives., June g, 1862 motion O,
the Hon. Mr.. Wicklitfe, of Kentucky-their sub ~
ance being inquire: X
. Whether had organized or was organizing, q!
siment of fugitive slaves" in this department al
! Whether any authority had been given to me
I'M the War Department for such Organization -,
III
. Whether had been furnished, nv order of the to
ar Department with clothing uniforms, arms, re
uipments, and so forth, for such a force' ia
)nly having received the letter at late hour -.
IS evening urge forward my.anSwer in time HI
the steamer sailing to morrow mOrGin g-this ! tn
ste preventing me from entering as minuleiy ca
ould wish upon many points OF detail such as ~
paramount Importance of the subject would t =
IN to call for. But, in view OF The termi- 10
of the prese session OF Cong ess, and the wi
despre dd interest which must have been awak- | m.
~ W III tS pi th vi