The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1898-09-10
1.-The First Black Regiment"

The "Outlook" for July contained a
very interesting article on 1.-The First
Black Regiment" which was recruited
in May, 1868, in South Carolina, by
Chas. T. Trowbridge, of the First New
York Volunteer Engineers. who had
been Gen. Hunters trusted orderly.
Mr.. Trowbridge lived in Superior for
some time few years ago, and many
of our people will remember him. The
article goes on to say that while Mr..
Trowbridge gained an audience with
the colored men and soon had large
crowd about him, when he mentioned
enlisting they quietly slipped away enc
by one. He concluded, and Nightly.
too, that their old masters had advised
them not to enter the army, az they
would probably be sold into Cuba as
slaves, or suffer from other cruelties.
After working for several days and not
making much Roadway, an old colored
woman rose up from her doorstep and
said: Mas'r, I'se fetch 'um," and
made for the woods, returning before
long with quite string of "sheepish
looking men" The first man to give
his name was one William Bronson,
who was made LIST sergeant, and no
always signed his official papers, will
liam Bronson, LIST Sergt. Co. a. LIST S. {.
Vol. also Al African Foundations" This
was his simple way OF claiming prece-
dence in the long roll of negro soldiers,
which finally numbered l15 900.
Enlistments came slowly and finally a
draft was made, but success Was seem
ingly far away. Desertions were an
every day occurrence, SO an order was
somehow, the order never reached
Sergt. Trowbridge, who, with his colored
men were, hard at work drilling on St.
Simon's island. where they had been
sent for garrison duty.
Upon their arrival, Aug. 5. '62, they
were told that a party of Confederate
guerrillas were on the island, and they
were to capture them, if possible. After
several days of hard work and many en-
counters, tue eX-slaVe holders made
their escape. One of the party, Miles
Hazard, IN writing a friend describing
his experiences, said: :" If YOU wish to
know hell before your time, 60 to St.
Simon's and be hunted bv nigsers."
strange story IN connection with
this man Hard, not recounted in the
"Outlook - was related by a friend
a few days ago. 1t seems that the
troops came upon storehouse in
which many things of value, belonging
either to the inhabitants Of the island
or which had been stolen and placed
there for safety. Among the things Mr..
Trowbridge found a family Bible, which
he decided TO save and return to the
owner if opportunity ever offered. Long
wears after he read wedding notice
which bore the names of Miss Wander
bilt to Mr.. Miles Hazard. of South
Carolina, and he Immediately wrote
and ascertained the fact that the IIaZ-
ard referred to was descendent of the
one mentioned in the family bible, and
the book was forwarded at once to the
rightful owner, who reioiced greatly
oyer tiding the relic, which was several
generations old. Mr.. Trow bridge was
afterward entertained most royalty by
this family and delivered Il memorial
day address in their native city. Finally
when an order came to enlist 5000
coiored troops Trowbridge's company
was made the nuclus with him as senior
Captain, and finally became Major and
Lieutenant-C Colonel and WAS constantly
in command of colored troops from
May 8, 1862, to Feb. 9, 1865, his term of
office IN such command being earlier
and longer than that of any ether man
in the service. The article in the Out
look" is very interesting, and was writ
ten by Thos. Wentworth l1igginson.