Year: 1863

at Lake Providence, La. 1t is the language Of
one who Is in earnest in the accomplishment of
the great work In which he is engaged


FELLOW SOLDIERS: Your commanding gen.
era has so fully stated the object of my mis-
sion that It is almost unnecessary for me to
say anything to you in reference to 1t. Still, as
I come here with full authority from the Presi
dent of the United States to announce thepoliCy
which, after mature dolibCratiOn, has been dc.
tormined upon by the wisdom Of the nation, II
Is my duty to make known to you clearly and
fully the features of tha: policy. II Is a source
of extreme qualification to me to come before
you this day, knowing as | do full well, how
glorious have been your achievements on the
field of battle. No soldier can come before
soldiers of tried valor without having the deep
eGt emotions of his soul stirred within him.
These emotions feel on the present occasion,
and beg you will listen to what have to say
as soldiers receiving from a soldier the COM
mands of the President Of the United States.


came from Washington clothed with the
fullest power in this matter. With this power,
can act as If the President of the United
States himself were present. | am directed to
refer nothing to Washington, but to act prompt
ly-what have to do to do at oncO-t0 strike
down the unworthy and to elevate the deserving.


| can only speak briefly and cannot enter
into the details of the subject at present. II





with this country than am, but all my early
military life was spent in the South. know
this whole region well. / am Southern man,
and, If you will, born with Southern prejudicGs;
but am free to say that the policy | am now
TO announce to you ndOrSg with my whole
heart.


You know full well-for You have been over
this country-that the rebels have sent into the
field all their available fighting mcn-cvery
man capable of bearing arms, and you know
they have kept at home all their slaves for the
raising of subsistence for their armies in the
field. In this way they can bring to bear
against us all the strength of their sO-Calud
Confederate States, while we at the North can
only send portion of our fighting force, being
compelled TO leave behiLd another portion 10
cultivate our fields and supply the wants of an
immense army. The Administration has de-
terminGd to take from the rebels this source of
supply--to take their negroes and compel them
TO send back portion of their whites to culti-
vate their deserted plantations, and very poor
persons they would be to fill place of the dark
hued laboTcr. They must do this or their ar
mics will starvo. You know perfectly well that
rebels had an opportunity offered them under
the proclamation of the President In Septem-
Der to lay down their arms and come back into
the Union. They failed to do it. Not but that
the hearts of many men In the South were with
us and against the rebellion. The leaders of
the rebellion, JEFF. Davis and his satellites,
would not permit Ii, therefore they are still In
arms against us.


On the first day OF January last the President
issued his proclamation declaring that from
that day forward all the slaves in the States
then in rebellion should be free. You know that
vast numbers of these slaves arc within your
borders, inside the lines of this army. They
como into your camps and you cannot but re-
Ceivc them. The authorities in Washington
nrn nain n I Nrtt
truth in many cases, that some of these poor
un;ortunates have on different occasions been
turned away from us, and their applications
for admission within our lines have been re-
fused by our officers and soldiers. This is not
the waytO use freedmen. ThequestlOn came up
in Washington, "What is best to be done with
this unfortunate race 2" They arc coming upon
us in such numbers that some provision must be
made for them. You cannot send them North.
You all know the prejudiccs of the Northern
people against receiving large numbers of the
Colorcd race. Some States have passed laws
forbiddinG them to come within their borders.
At this day, in some States, persons who have
brought them have been arralgned before the
courts to answer for the violation of State en-.
aCtments.


Look along the river and sec the multitude of
deserted plantations upon its banks. These
are the places for these freedmen, where they
can be sClf-sllBtaining and self-suppOrting. All
of you will some day OG on picket duty, and |
charge you all If any of this unfortunate race
come within your lines that you do not turn
them away but receive them kindly and cordial
y. They are to be encouraged to come to us.
They are to be received with open armsi they
arc TO be fed and clothed; they are 10 be armed.


This Is the policy that has been fully dGtUrm-
lned upon, am here to say that ! am author
lied to raise as many regiments of blacks as |
can. ! am authorized to give commissions,
from the highest to the lowest, and desire
those persons who are earnest in this work to
take hold of 1t. | desire only those whose
hearts are in II, and to them alone will give
commissions. ! don't care who they are or
what their present rank may be. do not hesi-
tate to say that all proper persons will receive
commissions.


While am authorized thus in tho name of
the Secretary of War, lave the fullest author
ity to dismiss from the army any man, be his
rank what 1t may, whom | find maltroating the
freedmen. This part of my duty will most
ussuredly perform If any case comes before me.
| would rather do that than give commissions,
because such men are unworthy the name OF
soldiers


hope to hear that in this splendid division,
as know II to be, veterans as Napoleon would
call them-for you are veterans-I hope to hear
before leave that | shall be able to raise at
least a regiment from among you. l don't
want TO stop at one, nor at tTO. | must have
two at least. 1t is possible that I can procure
four. Iwould like to raise on this river twenty
regiments, at least, before 90 back, | shall
take all the women and children, and all the
men unit for our military organizations, aud
place them on these plantations; then take these
regiments aud put them in the rear, They will
guard the rear effectively. Knowing the country
well, and familiar with all the roads and
swanps, they will be able to track out the &C
cursed guerillas and run them from the land.


When get regiments raised you may sweep
ont into the interior with impunity. ReCUllect,
for every regiment Of blacks | raise, raise a
regiment of whites to face the foe In the field.
This, iGllOw-soldiers, is the determined policy
Of the administration. You all know full well.
when the President ofthe United States, though
said 10 he slow in coming to determination,
when he once puts his foot down 1t Is there,
and he Is not going TO take 1t up, lie has put
his foot down. | am here to assure you that my
official influence shall be given that he shall
| np raiaa