The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-07-02

which slaves were offered their freedom
+. on conditions of their taking part in the
rebellion. This was of course dom in a
manner which paid proper respects to
the slave owners, as the public treasur-
/ les reimbursed them for the slaves they
; let go. After the battle of Monmouth an
official record was made of the negro SOL
diers in the various patriot brigades, and
their number was found to be 755. George
w. Williams, who made study Of such
statistics some years ago, reached the
conclusion that not less than 5000 negroes
must have fought in the patriot armies
during the Revolution.
In the next war the negro made a.
| further showing General Jackson made
use of black men at the battle of New
Orleans, and the state of New York pro-
vided for their receiving the same bounty
as white soldiers. In 1915, 247 negroes
were in the regular militar service of the
United States
The negroes share in the war with Mexi-
co was not so prominent as in the earlier
wars: but in the war of secession he
loomed up in a remarkable manner. Every
one one viii recall the ruling of General
Butler that a slave who ESCAPED from his
master and took refuge within the Union
INES be treated as contraband of war;but
even he, radical as he was, remained for
some time in doubt as to the practicability
or enlisting the negroes as soldiers. AS
late as 1862 two contrasting. incidents
were witnessed. A New Orleans manu-
facturer saw a mulatto slave belonging TO
him clad in the uniform of a United
Statse soldier and demanded his return
as a chattel and the officer in command
actually permitted the soldier to be taken
from the ranks and sent back to slavery
Almost simultaneously Gen Hunter was
issuing orders at Port Royal, South Caro-
lima, for the enlistment of negroes in a
volunteer regiment. giving to each slave
who donned the uniform certificate of
his freedom.
Even in 1863 Judge Acknowledgement
Holt, ira legal opnionaddressed to Score
tary Stanton discussed gravely the Presi-
dents power to order the enlistment o
slave negroes in the Union army, remark
ing that. should the President feel that
the public interests require, he shall exert
the power with which he is clothed,
his action should be INSTRUMENTATION to
the constitutional principal which exacts
that compensation shall be made fort pri-
vate property devoted to the public uses
A just compensation to loyal claimants 20
service of labor of persons of African de-
scent enlisted in our army would accord
with the uniform practice Of the govern
mentand with the genius OF our institu-
tons. Soldiers OF this class after having
!mperiiled their lives in the defense of our
country. could not be reenslaved without
national dishonor revolving and unen-
durable for ali who are themselves worthy
70 be free. The compensation made there
fore, should De such as entirely to exhust
the interest OF the claimants, SO that
when soldiers of this class lay down
their arms at the close Of the war. they
may at once enter into the enjoyment OF
freedom symbolized by the flag which
they have followed and defended.
Although loud cutlery was raised with
in the Confederate lines against the use OF
49, ~ ~r5-t--A a AAts AAE+-c>S.AE pre-
emily drove these critics TO imitation.
Jefferson Davis and Gen. Lee conquered in
the belief early in 1855 that q. 900 negroes
must be recruited al once for service with
the Confederate army, and they and the
other Southern Statesmen and soldiers
who agreed with them expressed their
willingness that the -egrces who came to
the support OF the Confederacyin lis
straits saouid be set free as a matter OF
inherent justice.
Il is an interesting commentary OF the
changes which come over the face Of
things. that someof the stanchest cham
pioas OF t6e negro soldiers Who have
served in The four regiments OF the regu-
lar army recruited exclusively from their
race are S0utherne-s OF the former slave
holding class. n The present war, the
first negro regimen; wisA negro officers
was recruited in North Carolina. ard the
commissions were issued 70 the officers
by the Governor OF that state The Cover
nor % Virginia aha s,zeE followed Ah sx-