A STEP TOWARDS THE SERVICE.
While completing his last lectures of the course in Chicago, the
order was granted by the department to raise the famous Fifty-fourth
Massachusetts Volunteers, whose fame is enhanced by the glorious burial
of its brave young commander with his dusky guards, and the memories of
Forts Wagner and Olustee.
For this regiment he received the appointment of acting assistant
agent, under Charles L. Remond and Charles H. Langston, Esq., for
recruiting, and acting examining surgeon for the post of Chicago, from
Major George L. Stearns, chairman of the military committee, being
authorized by Governor John A. Andrew, of Massachusetts.
His eldest son, then but eighteen years of age, at school in Canada,
wrote to him for permission to join that regiment. In granting the
request, it drew from him a reply worthy of his heart and head.
After the regiment was filled, he applied by letter to the war
department at Washington for the appointment as surgeon to the blacks
in the army. He received the usual polite reply, that “the letter was
received and on file under consideration.” Hearing nothing of his
application, after a considerable time had elapsed, he was advised by
his friends to write again by way of a _reminder_, and was on the point
of doing so, when the news flashed over the wires that Dr. Augusta of
Canada had been appointed as surgeon in the army, with the rank of
_major_. Neither did this second defeat dishearten him, for it was a
realization partly of his plans of seeing a black of representative
rank in the army. He then concluded to abandon the sending of a second
application to the department, fearing to embarrass the government in
such appointment, and by this retard the progress of the cause he was
endeavoring to advance.
Meanwhile Rhode Island had been ordered to raise the heavy artillery;
and eighteen hundred black men, afterwards increased to twenty-five
hundred, were required for this service. Some of his friends had pushed
forward his claims in this direction to the authorities. He was visited
at his home in Canada concerning the recruiting, and made agent under
a commissioned captain in the service to superintend the recruiting of
this arm of the service.
Establishing himself at Detroit, Michigan, removing thence to Chicago,
he soon found himself borne smoothly along on the wave of success.
His efforts were seconded by the most influential colored people
of the place: among them we find the name of Mr. John Jones, the
wealthiest colored resident of the state, who entered intimately into
his confidence, bringing all his influence to bear in assisting the
government to put down the rebellion.
So satisfactory was his course in the West to the authorities of Rhode
Island, that the captain under whom he served was relieved, and he
then placed in entire charge, and its accompanying responsibilities,
_without the military commission_, however, or even rank given by
_courtesy_, as the country was not up to that at the time.
Orders at this time were sent to him concerning a change about to be
made in relation to the pay and recruiting of the men, which, while
it would have resulted in increasing his own pay, would greatly
have reduced the bounty--twenty-two dollars a man. To this proposed
injustice he instantly refused to lend his influence. And he soon
received a telegram to the effect that he was relieved. He then
demanded a settlement for his past services. Not being answered, he
sent a messenger to Governor Smith, who at once summoned him to Rhode
Island. At Providence he met his excellency and Major Sanford, U.S.
mustering officer, who, together with the governor, the past difficulty
being satisfactorily settled, united in recommending his appointment
to the military authorities of Connecticut, that state having at the
time a quota to fill of five thousand. An official of that state was
telegraphed, who contracted with him to superintend the recruiting. He
retained his former quarters at Chicago, but was afterwards compelled
to remove to Cleveland, Ohio, in consequence of an abrupt interruption
on the part of the authorities of that city and the State of Illinois.
He complained of affairs being badly conducted, and after a most
unsatisfactory official visit to New Haven, occasioned by the absence
of Governor Buckingham, he resigned, with a loss of about three
thousand dollars to himself.
He immediately went west, and opened an independent recruiting station,
witnessing, he says, “with unutterable disgust, the hateful mercenary
recruiting trade of selling men in the highest market, and denounced
them, whether black or white.”
The legitimate quotas in a few country districts of Western
Pennsylvania, New York, and Ohio, he aided in filling, “persistently
refusing,” he says, “the offers made for men, by a class who prowled
the country under various names and pretended military titles, with
a shudder and a scout, despising the man who would sell his brethren
for a price.” So great were his fears lest imposition or intrigue be
practised on the men, and his promise be made void, that he invariably
accompanied them to their destination.
The most interesting epoch in his recruiting career was when he
was called upon, by the military committee of one of the districts
of Western Ohio, to contract to fill their quota of two thousand
five hundred men, under the new act of Congress. The office of the
committee was at Cleveland, Ohio. He consented to negotiate for them,
provided that _he was commissioned a state officer_ under the new
act regulating the appointment of state officers in recruiting. The
committee suggested first to make sure of the choice and contract;
then they would have whereon to base an application to the governor.
This course was complied with, and the application then made to the
governor, who expressed himself to the effect that he regarded the
proposal _too novel to find favor at Washington, as a black man could
never have been designed or intended in the new recruiting order_.
He further intimated that the authorities at Washington would be
consulted as to whether or not such an appointment would be acceptable
to them. “Governor Brough,” said he, “that arm which shall be the most
successful in putting down this wicked rebellion, is the arm which
will be at present most acceptable to the people of the United States
and the authorities at Washington, be that a white or black arm.” The
governor, smiling, he continues, replied that he did not dispute it,
adding that he thought I might leave for my destination, and regard the
commission as certain to be forwarded with documents for other state
officers.
After a short visit to his home, he engaged his examining surgeon, an
accomplished colored gentleman, who had been with him in the Rhode
Island and Connecticut recruiting service, returned, and arrived at
Nashville, where in two days, he received his commission from the
governor.
At Nashville the famous letter (famous at least to those whom it
concerned) of Major General Sherman, then at Atlanta, Georgia, to
Lieutenant Colonel John A. Spooner, provost marshal general and
commissioner from Massachusetts for Tennessee, Mississippi, and
Georgia, was under consideration and discussion. He writes of it,
“Great was the consternation produced among ‘government agents’ there;
and such were the offers made to me by parties for ‘partnership,
division of profits, and the like,’ that I was constrained to have
on hand but the one answer for all. Gentlemen, I have an honorable
appointment. I cannot and will not sell my brethren for a price, nor
my birthright for a mess of pottage.” Worn out by these actions, and
disgusted, he left the place, going directly to Ohio, where after a
few weeks spent in Galliopolis and Portsmouth, “I became convinced,”
he said, “that the business of recruiting had reached such a state of
demoralization that no honorable man, except _a U. S. commissioned
officer_, could _continue it successfully_ without jeopardizing his own
reputation.” He returned home, gaining nothing but experience by his
commission.