The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1880-06-03

COMBINATION )-Lieut. s, was not
placed with the other Confederate prisoners,
but was marched under a special guard Of
.ix negroes, and Sergeant. about 10 PAGES
in advance of the main column. Shoot
him down. shoot him down like dog, If
he gives any trouble !''-sad the officer OF
the main guard to the men Of the special
uard. " Don't worry yourself, '-quoth
[ieut. S, Il am too weak to run away
unless there were prospect Of something
ia eat In front Nevertheless he was de
termined to give those darkeys the slip ere
midnight; and he succeeded.
Il was at first a little Calling for the young
Southerner to find himself in custody of a
sang of runaway slaves playing soldier; but
be soon saw they would give him no trouble,
being exceedingly doeile. and wearing an
air Of Difference to their prisoner. that they
did not show to their white officers. particu-
IaIIy the subalterns. For example, in an
swer to nv INQUIRY for the number ef their
r. gment. one responded Well, boss, we :
called de "27th Ohi'r' Ohio Culud
Troops" but dere amt none o US. longs to
dat State We's mos ~ from Dixie.
Presently he nodded towards a iusSy Lieu
tenant approaching, and muttered-"Dats 5
one of dem Ohi'r fcllers, and when the
officer came up he the darkey) lazlly
stretched out his hand, as he lay along the
road bank, (the column having halted to
rest, saying Lieutenant, cimme sample
lat terbacker O yourn tnd the quid
was furnished
| am bound to admit, however. and 1t
filed my soul with rage at the time, that
number Of the Confederate prisoners lower
ed themselves even farther by begging
'chews' from the negroes, drinking from
their canteens, etc Several OF the othcers
found runaway slaves among their guards,
aud spent the day in talking to them. lt
was entirely in accord with the African
character to take delight in meeting an Old
acquaintance under the reversed condition
Of th,Ggs-'de bottom rail on top, and
nothing could surpass the pompous self
c0mpIacency Of Sambo manner as he call
Il out to some comratle-'' Here, fetch dis
yanleen of water fur Kurnd Penneicather
+, was only Il rear rank Lieutenant,) from
>h0cco Springs, State o Carlina he's from
lne IN plantations whar | war raised
Ana Sam could be heard at various times
turing the day 'splainin 10 his
fellows that" You see, de kurnel s
got INTO dis scrape, kase he always WIS de
l-dest tighter, an I'm bound ter see him
We'll treated | mought git III zactiy his
"a one o desc long come shorts.
'oCLD THF SOUTH HAVE USED HER SLAVES
AS MILITARY MATERIAL?
Here | beg leave of the reader to quote a
"S ~Ie from my private journal relative to a
saDect at that time beginning to be talked
throughout the South. The note was
rtnned Ia prison some weeks later as fol-
toSs:-* One result of my en-
.orced observation of these negro guards is
"neary alter or modify my views as to the
~s OF our slaves for defensive purposes. |
! ~ Of opinion the Confederate Congress
,4Duid at once take the question under con-
amuseIsaon; for surely not an hour can be
,ba Nv 10 repeting our armies, and now that
, ~e conscr pit law has raked the land, with
aeated borrowings, what remains but
ona ae ~ extraordinary venture, such as the
d.. should not be willing 10 see the negroes
ms ssea INTO our regular forces ;; but few Of
sor, ~ soldiers, l think, would object to the
q, sNatlon of an African Auxiliary Army,
Prss!h !hsOlce; guard. and garrison service.
ovnaht o,s'ueht Davis might issue call on slave
rons nmeh TO donate one or more able bodied
fsenl uK negroes to form battalions for the
"' army; secret agents being sent