The National tribune., 1903-06-11
THE FIRST NEGRO REGIMENT
II Was Raised in New Orleans for the
Confederacy.
New York Sun.1

This discovery has been described as
bringing to light forgotten incident OF
civil war history. There has been espe-
cial comment on the fact that the Con-
federate States should have enlisted negro
soldiers first and nearly year ahead OF
the United States.
1t is. of course. well known that the
Confederate Cabinet during the last years
of the war seriously discussed the adyis-
ability of arming the negro slaves and en-
listing them to drive back the Northern
invaders, the slaves to be rewarded with
freedom for their services. Mr.. Davis is
said to have favored this plan, which was
proposed only when the outlook for the
Confederacy was desperate, and to nave
abandoned it, not because he distrusted
the negroes, but because it was pointed
out that to take them from the farms
would deprive the South OF Its food sup
ply.
But although the War Department has |
dug up this interesting and forgotten fact |
of the organization of negro Confed-
crate regiment, it has succeeded IN col |
lecting very little information on the sub
ject. 1t has found, for instance, the roll
of but a single company, commanded by
Louis Lainez, and it has been unable to
get any definite information even as to
that company.
1t is not possible to give all the story
of this regiment, for much of it has been
lost in time; but. as far as it goes. 1t is
interesting, and especially interesting just
now in view of the attention being given
throughout the country to the relations of
the whites and negroes. 1t will throw
scme light on these relations during the
period of slavery.
As is well known. n battalion of negroes
served under Gen. Jackson at the battle
of New Orleans. They were mainly mu-
lattoes, large proportion of them men
driven from Hayti by the negroes, and
they were commanded by mulatto
named Savary. Gen. Jackson had sent
from Mobile proclamation calling upon
the free men of color of New Orleans
(emancipated slaves or their descendants)
to join the whites in repulsing the British.
After the battle he complmented the free
men of color-the word NEGRO" was of
fensive to them-on their courage and dis
cipline.
The military service, and the compli-
ments were treasured by the negroes for
years afterward and gave them standing
and prestige Thereafter, on the anniver-
sary of the battle of New Orleans, the
colored battalion turned out on parade
with the Louisiana Legion.
The free men of color had n number
of privileges. They constituted con-
siderable portion of til. police force of
the city as well as of the fire department.
Indeed, it was not until 1885 that the ne
gro fire companies were abolished by the
city gOvernment-and that most unwll-
lingy-on the revolt of the white COM
panies, and their refusal to divide the fire
engines with the colored men.
At the time the civil war broke out,
New Orleans had n negro population of
26,0C0. of whom nearly half, or 1000,
were free and 1900 slaves. The free
negro population had been as high as
25.O00 at one time, but the growing ex-
element over the negro question had
driven many of them to France, for they
were mainly mulattoes or QuadrOOns,
speaking French and with considerable
proportion of French blood. Those who
remained in New Orleans We're generally
men of property or mechanics. Some OF
them had received n good education
abroad; number of them owned saves
of their own. -ta.is 3. bii
Their position was curious when the
civil war came on, with slavery playing so
large part in it. The attack on Sumter
aroused strong military sentiment in
New Orleans and Louisiana, and i'll
March and April. military companies
sprang up by the dozen. ...
Among those who caught the fever
were the free people of color of New Or
leans. A number of them were sons and
grandsons of the negroes who distin-
gushed themselves at the battle of New
Orleans and won the praise of Jackson
voluntarily.
The most prominent of them issued a
| call for q meeting to express their views
on the situation. and to organize n regl-
ment for the protection of the South, and
New Orleans in particular, against the
enemy"
The meeting was held April 81, 1861.
There were 800 free negroes present,
two-thirds of the free men of color in New
Orleans. This resolution was passed:
ResOtred, That the population to which
| hpIGnO- a call made on
| them by the Governor of the State, will
| be ready to take up arms and form them
selves into companies for the defense of
their homes; together with the other in
habitants of the city, against any enemy
| who may aim to disturb its tranquility.
The necessary call was made by Gov.
| Moore and the free men of color began
to organize themselves into regiment
| of eight companies, under the name of
the Native Guards of Louisiana. They
were under negro officers who were COM
missioned by the Governor. Jordan No
BILE, the negro drummer boy of Chalmette,
who died at New Orleans only the other
day, undertook to raise a negro company
in Jefferson parish.
There is no reason to doubt that the
men who organized the Native Guards
were in earnest in their offers of service
to the State of Louisiana and the COnfed-
eracy. All their interests lay in the
South Many of them were slave owners.
The defeat of the South could only injure
them; and. as they were already free, no
emancipation could be of any benefit to
them, while the ballot for negroes was
not dreamed of by Mr.. Lincoln at that
time.
If the Native Guards did not figure con-
spicuously in the Confederate service, as
the Choctaw Indians did, it was due to
conditions that arose soon after they We're
organized. number of free negroes were
found masquerading as slaves and travel
ing on slave passes. AS these negroes
were mainly from the West, the conclu-
sion was reached-and in all probability.
correctly-that they were being employed
to learn the military preparation of the
; South Some of these free negroes were
arrested; and while the threat of selling
them into slavery was hot carried out,
as nothing could be proved against them,
it produced "a suspicion and distrust of all
free negroes, from which the Native
Guards suffered.
The Native Guards were sworn in as a
part of the. First Division of the Louisi-
ana Volunteers. They turned out in the
big military review of Nov. 23, 1861, and
it was then that roll was made of Capt.
Lainez's company, the only recorl the
War Department has been able to get of
the regiment of negroes who enlisted to
perpetuate slavery.
They were out again in the big parade
of Jan. q, 1867. when 24,S1S soldiers were
in line. The parade was given for the