The National tribune., 1892-10-27

/ who in after years made their names lannon's
| are Robert Smals, Henry f. Haynes and K. t.
| Wright. Robert Smalls was pilot on the
rebel steamer Planter. On May l3, ls62 he
made his escape to the blockading fleet Oh
| Charleston and gave the steamer to the U. S.
| Government. The Planter at this time had on
| board, which were intended for the defense oil
| the city of Charleston, seven large cannon,
ono S-inch seacoast mortar, two 2-pounders,
| one 2S-pounder howitzer one 10-inch column
| biad, and one A. FOUNDER banded ritied cannon.
| Five of her crew were with her. lie alter
ward became a member of Congress- and for
| l6 years represented the Beaufort Is. c. Dis
trict in the House of Representatives at Wash
ington.
Henry Z. Haynes was three times elected
Secretary of State of South Carolina; K. K.
Wright is now President Of the Atlanta Col
lege, at Atlanta, Ga. These colored men were
delegates to tho Republican Nationa! Conven-
ton at Minneapolis, Mimi. and cast their votes
for the nomination of President Harrison for a
second term.
THE colored people have wrought material
portion of this Nations wealth by 200 years of
unreauited toll. They astonished the world
by their gentleness under extreme provocation,
and by refusing to seek revenge in times Of
the weakness of their oppressors. They en-
tered upon their freedom destitute Of all things
except the habit of labor and the practice of
boasted as the inheritance Of every American
child without training for the strongest race
of men earth without property, though
their labor had created millions of wealth, and
without homes though they had bulded thou
sands of homes for others. In their behalf they
do not to-day ask favor, but justice and oppor-
tunity. Fattering progress has been made in
education, thrift and economy, and in every
promise of good citizenship. They have the
rights of citizenship, but are not permitted to
enjoy them"
On June 12 Maj Gen. Hunter was tempo
rarily relieved from command of the Depart
ment of the South by Maj Gen. 0. M. Mitchell.
In the change of commanding officers the lSt
S. c.
LOST IT'S LEADING SPIRIT;
il became disorganZed, and almost all OF the
enlisted men who were detailed as officers from
the New York regiments returned to their
commands. Those belonging to the Pennsyl-
vania regiments returned to Beaufort, S. c.,
reporting to Gen Rufus Saxton. The soldiers
of the regiment returned for the time being to
the different plantations from whence they
came Some expressed great sorrow because they
could not fight for their liberties. This. how
ever, was of short duration.
The writer, upon his return 20 his regiment
(the 1st \. Y. Eugineers), was commissioned as
a Lieutenant, and was not on duty afterward as
an officer Of a c0loIed regiment.
On Aug %. 1862, the War Department gave
Gen. Rufus SsxtoB, commanding the District of
Beaufort, s. c., authority to arm, equip, and
receive into the service of the United States,
such number of volunteers of African descent
as he deemed expedient, not exceeding 5000,
and to detail officers to instruct them in mill
tary drill discipline and duty, and to command
them The persons so received into the service,
and their officers, to be entitled to and receive
the same pay and rations as are allowed by law
to volunteers in the service"
Under these instructions the 1st s. c. was
organized Thomas 6. HIgginson was its Colo
mel. 1t became one of the most famous negro
regiments in the service of the Government.
Most of the company officers were those who
originally belonged to the Hunter regiment.
A complete history of this regiment was written
by Col. Higginson (his address is Cambridge,
Mass.), entitled Army Life in Negro Regi-
ment" Charles T. Trowbridge was in COM
mand of the regiment at the time of the
muster out at the close of the war. (The regi
ment was afterward known as the 33d U. s. &.
t.
The following are extracts from Col. Trow-
BRIDGES farewell address:
HEapqu aRrERs 33p U. 6. C. T., !
MORRIS ISLAND 8. c.. Feb. O. 1862. :
General Orders No. /.
COMRADES: The hour is at hand when must
separate forever, and nothing take from
the pride we feel when we look back upon the
history Of The LIST $. e. Volunteers, the first black
regiment that ever bore ar,..s in the defense of
freedom on the Continent of America.
On the 9Th of May. 1862 at which time there
were nearly 1000 600 OF your race in a bondage
sanctioned by Tie laws OF the land and protected
by flag. in the face Of foods OF prejudice that
weli-nigh deiuSed every avenue to manhood and
true liberty you came forth 10 do battle for your
country aud Your kindred. For long and weary
months without pay. or even the privilege of being
recognized soldiers, you labored on. only 10 he
disbsnded and sent 10 your homes without even
hone of reward And when our country, neces-
STATED by the deadly struggle with armed trail
tors. finally granted you The opportunity again TO
come forth III defense OF the Nations life the
alacrity with which you responded to the call gave
abundant evidence Of your readiness to strike
manly blow for the liberty OF your race. Your
heroisrn has for your race name which will
live as long the uudyiDg pages OF history shall
last; and by whose efforts. united with those OF the
white man armed rebellion has been conquered.
The millions of boudmen have been emancjpaled
aud the fundamental law of the land has been SO
altered 10 remove forever the possibility of
human slavery being re-esablishcd within the
borders OF redeemed America. The Nag oi our
fathers. restored To It's rightiul Significance, now
floats over every foot of territory from Maine to
California from the Il. Lawrence 10 the Rio
Grande, and beholds only freenIep.
Aud now that yon are 10 lay aside your arms and
return to the peaceful ayocaions of life ] adjure
yoi by the associations and history of the past and
the love you bear for your liberties, TO harbor no
feelings of hatred toward your former masters but
seek in the paths OF honesty, sobrety, and in
dustry. and by a willing obedience TO the laws of
the land. to grow up 10 the
FULL STATURE OF AMERICAN CITIZENS.
To the officers of the regiment would say your
tolls ended your mission is fulfilled The
fidelity, patience, and patriotism with which you
have discharged your duties to your men and TO
your country entite you to "A far higher tribute
than words of thankfulness. which can give you
from the bottom of my heart. You will iiHd your
reward in the proud conviction that the cause for
which you have battled so nobiy has been crowned
with abundant SUCCESS.
An important experiment which tested the
fitness Of the American negro for the duties Of
a soldier was tried on Morris Island by the
officers Of the 1st N. Y. Eng. In no military
operations of the war had negro troops done so
large a proportion and so important aud haz.
ardous fatigue daty as in the siege operations
against Forts Sumter and Wagner. 1t was the
experience of Engineer officers that they were
more timorous than white troops, more docile,
more completely under the control of their
commanding officer, and much more influenced
by his example. All agree that the black was
less skillful than the white, but still enough
for most kinds of siege work, and that the blacks
would do a greater amount of work than the
white soldier because they labored more con-
stanty; aud that the blacks could not be as
easily hurried in their work, no matter what
the emergency.
The per cent. of terms of duty performed by
the blacks during the siege compared with
the white infantry was as 56 to Al. The grand
guard duty, which was considered much more
wearing than fatigue,
WAS ALL DONE BY THE WHITES.
The average per cent. of sick among the troops
during the siege was: White, POI; black, 1873.