_Great Change in the Treatment of Colored Troops.--Negro
Appointments.--Justice to the Black Soldiers.--Steamer
“Planter.”--Progress.--The Paymaster at last.--John S Rock._
The month of May, 1864, saw great progress in the treatment of the
colored troops by the Government of the United States. The circumstances
were more favorable for this change than they had hitherto been. Slavery
had been abolished in the District of Columbia., Maryland, and Missouri:
the heroic assault on Fort Wagner, the unsurpassed bravery exhibited at
Port Hudson, the splendid fighting at Olustee and Honey Hill, had raised
the colored men in the estimation of the nation. President Lincoln and
his advisers had seen their error, and begun to repair the wrong.
The year opened with the appointment of Dr. A. T. Augusta, a colored
gentleman, as surgeon of colored volunteers, and he was at once assigned
to duty, with the rank of major. Following this, was the appointment, by
Gov. Andrew of Massachusetts, of Sergt. Stephen A. Swailes, of Company
F, Fifty-fourth Massachusetts Regiment, as second lieutenant.
M. R. Delany, M.D., was soon after appointed a major of negro
volunteers, and assigned to duty at Charleston, S.C. W. P. Powell, jun.,
received an appointment as surgeon, about the same time.
The steamer “Planter,” since being brought out of Charleston by Robert
Small, was under the command of a Yankee, who, being ordered to do
service where the vessel would be liable to come under the fire of
rebel guns, refused to obey: whereupon Lieut.-Col. Elwell, without
consultation with any higher authority, issued the following order,
which, for simple justice to a brave and loyal negro, officially
acknowledged, has seldom been equalled in this or any other department.
It is unnecessary to say that Robert Small took command of the vessel,
and faithfully discharged the duty required of him.
_“Office of Chief Quartermaster,_ _Port Royal, S.C., Nov. 26, 1863._
“_Capt. A. T. Dutton, Chief Assistant Quartermaster, Folly and
Morris Islands._
“_Sir_,--You will please place Robert Small in charge of the
United-States transport ‘Planter,’ as captain. He brought her out
of Charleston Harbor more than a year ago, running under the guns of
Sumter, Moultrie, and the other defences of that stronghold. He is an
excellent pilot, of undoubted bravery, and in every respect worthy of
the position. This is due him as a proper recognition of his heroism and
services. The present captain is a coward, though a white man. Dismiss
him, therefore, and give the steamer to this brave black Saxon.
“Respectfully, your obedient servant,
“_J. J. ELWELL._
“_Chief Quartermaster Department South._”
It may interest some to know that the above order was immediately
approved by Gen. Gillmore.
The following is very complimentary to Capt. Small:--
“It was indeed a privilege to enter Charleston, as we did recently
through the courtesy of Major-Gen, Saxton, in such a steamer as ‘The
Planter,’ and with such a captain as Robert Small. It was their first
appearance in the harbor since the memorable morning of their departure
in 1862. The fog detained us for a few hours on our arrival at the bar.
When it cleared away, you can imagine with what cheer our anchor came
up, and with what smiles and satisfaction the vessel and her commander
swept by the silenced and dismantled Sumter, and hauled in to the
waiting, wondering wharves of the ruined city. Wherever we went on
shore, we had only to say to the colored people, ‘The Planter and
Capt. Small are at the dock;’ and away they all hurried to greet
the well-known, welcome guests. ‘Too sweet to think of.’ cried one
noble-looking old man, who had evidently waited long for the good news
of our day, as he hastened to join the crowd.
“We met Small afterwards, walking in the streets in peace and safety.
When our rambles about the humble place were over, and we prepared to
depart, the scene about the steamer was one that we can never forget. A
goodly company of the leading colored people were arranging for a public
meeting with Gen. Saxton in the largest hall of the city, to learn from
his lips the purposes of our Government on the following week. Their
interview over, they joined a large crowd of their own color upon the
pier. Small was in the midst of them, with a couple of white men in
conversation with him. Curiosity led us near. He introduced us to the
builder of the vesel (sp.), and the maker of the engine and boilers. ‘I
put the polish on,’ he added laughingly. They withdrew towards a couple
of their own complexion. He pointed out the principal person in the
group, to the general, as Col. Ferguson, the original owner of ‘The
Planter,’ and of all her old hands, except Small. His owner did not show
himself.
“Upon our casting off, the colored folks raised at first a few feeble
cheers, from a lurking regard to the pale listeners behind them; but,
when the general before them called for three more for Capt. Small,
every arm was swung, and every voice was raised till the welkin rang.
‘The Planter’ has been placed under Gen. Saxton’s orders. She will
be often seen in these waters. Her new claims to her name are to be
manifested in her _planting_ the freedmen of the captured city upon the
neighboring sea-islands and the mainland, on their own homesteads, for
the cultivation of their own crops of cotton, rice, corn, and whatever
else they and their families, or the world, may need. A great price was
once put upon Small’s head. He and all his crew, white and black alike,
will be worth their weight in gold if they but continue to serve the
general and the Government as we were sure they did on their first
return-trip to Charleston Harbor.”
There was one step more which the Government had taken, that sent a
thrill of joy to many hearts. It was paying the men on the battle-field
what it promised. The following announcement was made by Gen. Saxton, at
Beaufort, S.C., May 22:--
Colored soldiers, I have just received intelligence that the National
Government, after a long and desperate struggle, has decided to put you
on an equality with her white troops, making your pay equal with theirs.
Now that she has done justice to you, I want you to do justice to her
and justice to yourselves. Show yourselves men; and the way to show
yourselves men is to be brave and stout-hearted. I want you to be
particular in the execution of your ‘Shoulder arms,’ your ‘Charge
bayonets.’ Learn to shoot well at your enemies. You can do it, can’t
you?” (“Yes, sir!” was the answer from the columns.) “‘Well, do it,
then. There is no reason why you should not make just as good soldiers
as the whites. Do it, then; hold your heads up, and be fearless and
brave men. Two years ago, when I came here, I was the first to organize
a colored regiment into the United-States service; viz., the First
South-Carolina Regiment. The first lesson I taught them was to hold
up their heads before white men, and to say No. And now they are good
soldiers. I would just as soon have the First South-Carolina Regiment
to-day with which to go into the field and face the enemy as any
white soldiers in the service.” The paymaster shortly after made his
appearance, and paid off the men; and thus justice, though long kept
back, at last came. Great was the rejoicing, both in the army by the
men, and at their homes by their families and friends. Progress is slow,
but sure. Everywhere the colored population appeared to be gaining their
equality, and rising to a higher level of humanity. The acknowledgment
of the civil rights of the negro had already been granted in the
admission of John S. Rock, a colored man, to practise law in all the
courts within the jurisdiction of the United States. The Supreme Court
at Washington, Chief-Justice Chase presiding, did not heap any more
honor on Mr. Rock, by this admission, than they gained by having so
distinguished a scholar as a member of the bar. Mr. John F. Shorter, who
was promoted to a lieutenancy in Company D, Fifty-fifth Massachusetts
Regiment, was by trade a carpenter, and was residing in Delaware County,
O., when the call was made for colored troops. Severely wounded at
the battle of Honey Hill, S.C.,on the 30th of November, 1864, he still
remained with his regiment, hoping to be of service. At the conclusion
of the war, he returned home, but never recovered from his wound, and
died a few days after his arrival. James Monroe Trotter, promoted for
gallantry, was wounded at the battle of Honey Hill. He is a native of
Grand Gulf, Miss; removed to Cincinnati, O; was educated at the Albany
(O.) Manual Labor University, where he distinguished himself for his
scholarly attainments. He afterwards became a school-teacher, which
position he filled with satisfaction to the people of Muskingum and Pike
Counties, O., and with honor to himself. Enlisting as a private in the
Fifty-fifth Massachusetts Regiment, on its organization, he returned
with it to Boston as a lieutenant, an office honorably earned.
William H. Dupree, a native of Petersburg, Va., was brought up and
educated at Chillicothe, O. He enlisted in the Fifty-fifth
Massachusetts Regiment, on its formation, as a private, was soon made
orderly-sergeant, and afterwards promoted to a lieutenancy for bravery
on the field of battle.
Charles L. Mitchel, promoted to a lieutenancy in the Fifty-fifth
Massachusetts Regiment for gallantry at the battle of Honey Hill, where
he was severely wounded (losing a limb), is a native of Hartford, Conn.,
and son of Mr. William A. Mitchel of that city. Lieut. Mitchel served
an apprenticeship to William II. Burleigh, in the office of the old
“Charter Oak,” in Hartford, where he became an excellent printer. For
five or six years previous to entering the army, he was employed
in different printing-offices in Boston, the last of which was “The
Liberator,” edited by William Lloyd Garrison, who never speaks of
Lieut. Mitchel but in words of the highest commendation. Gen. A. S.
Hartwell, late colonel of the Fifty-fifth Massachusetts Regiment, makes
honorable mention of Lieut. Mitchel.
The citizens of Boston in Ward Six, where he has so long resided, and
who know him well, have shown then-appreciation of Lieut. Mitchel’s
worth by electing him to represent them in the Massachusetts
Legislature,--an office which he is every way qualified to fill.