The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-03-01

rs brief as peculiar Headquarters were es-
tablishcd upon the main thOrOughfare OF the
hcleagucrcd citv and u flag was Ostentatious
" displayed from the window in short We
entered zealOusly upon the work. and met
with some encouragement. There are figur-
ing now In Petersburg, rs leading
Republican politicians. several respectable
colored men, to whom imagine there would
be li,tle pleasure in being reminded OF the
alacritv with which they offered 10 don the
gray of the rebellion. The free negroes were
universally in favor Of the scheme. and made
haste to proHer their influence and aid. On
several occasions since then, listening TO the
loyal fervor with which one or two of this
class have denounced the COniedcracy and
an VINO gave II comfort, have
been tempted 20 resurrect this Renaissance
and 90 let the League know what small chanc'
hindered their leaders from falling under the
same ban hut have fOTborne. One OF them
sometimes shaves me now. and no doubt -
the more tender with my beard because the
treas0nablc proclivities Of that day have been
allowed to drop into oblivion. The music
roll isin existence now. and, with due provo
cation, may yet be published.
PUECHAsE-MoNEY SUBSCRIBED.
Among the merchants and capitalists there
was a general readiness 10 respond Literally,
and a large SUN was subscribed Ia be applied
10 the purchase of recruits. In two days MP
wards of q million of dollars was pledged g.
further the work But IL was. as General
Ire had forcbOdGd too late. The preliln-
nary arrangements had scarcely been modc
when Sambo was called Ia OUT"
another destiny than that of fighting for
his masters freedom 10 secure his own.
Only one short week had myself and col
league been IN occupancy Of the line upon
which he had proposed 20 fight It ont. III lttpok
ail summer when we We're furnished with
1.-Two Gov ola q
Sunday morning. April ID. news came Of the
defeat at Five Forks and of the breach by the
enemy of the dclenscs Of Petersburg BY
breakfast time the Federal she'll directed at
burning warehouses. We're whistllng aud
bursting about the recruiting office. and lit-
tie later the recruiting officers received orders
10 reJOln their commands at the front.
THE DETvScr BurE4u.
The circumstances were cxigent. and we re-
tired. / am greyed to confess ~ bad Order.
leaving behind the banner under which 70 rad
been hoped q noble corps GAinque would
have marched for liberty. sad the bery pro-
carnations which were Intended Tor disiubu-
ton throughout Virginia and Eastern Caro-
liza. a day later the Union forces. entering
triumphantly the city,captured ihcse evidences
OF orr Willingness 10 NIGHT the devil with fire.
and in ancwspaperwn was afterwards issued
bv some Federal SOLDIER in Petersburg. much
ridiculc was expended upon the deiunct bu-
reau and those vino bad COnductedI;. Return
ing 10 Petersburg. utsequeut 10 the suirend-
er. Sergeant Britain and the writer came III
for "a share Oi n0torletv ~ unpleasant a. I'M
expected ami many years alterward, when IN
a noitical speech tWifted AN opponent with
having first entered this country at the head
OF "a negro brigade. ! was astonished 10 ind
from his prOmp and decisive retou That my
career as q recruiting officer was still rcmem-
beIed Not man WAS put IN the field. but
we were dong our best 20 get them there.
CHANCES or SUCCESS.
There was not time left even 20 form an &C
curate Judgment of the chances Of success. l
ann Inclined 60 think, however. that the body
of the slave owners would have received cold
~ the proposition TO part with their slaves
without remuneration. That large number
of negroes would have accepted service on the
profered terms have never doubted.
Gould they have been made soldiers OF! All
my observation Of the race furnishes reason ia
answer afiimaiiveg ! only saw General Lee
ouce.tfter the wa and then asked him this
question. His reply was sucn rs 20 convey
the impression that he counted the failure io
make military use of this element. direct ~
that emancipation was decrced 10y the North.
one 81 the most serious III stakes az the south
ern policy. That he urged the experiment
months before the action Of Congress Is a con-
coded fact General e~'s idea was 10 use tie
heroes in the trenches and to mohl ~ the
mann force of his veterans for service n the
hcid and on the hanks of the enemy
A. Ct.