THE NEGRO IN THE AMERICAN REBELLION, “Injustice to Colored Troops,” by William Wells Brown (1867), pp.248-254:
“When the War Department commenced recruiting colored men as soldiers in Massachusetts, New Orleans and Hilton Head, it was done with the promise that these men should receive the same pay, clothing, and treatment that white soldiers did. The same was promised at Camp William Penn, at Philadelphia. After several regments had been raised and put in the field, the War Department decided to pay them but ten dollars per month, without clothing. The Fifty-fourth MassachusettsVolunteers, and the Fifty-fifth, were both in South Carolina when this decision was made, yet the government held on to the men who had thus been obtained under false pretenses. Dissatisfaction showed itself as soon as this was known among colored troops. Still the blacks performed their duty, hoping that Congress would see the injustice that was done to them. The men refused to receive less than was their full due when the paymaster came round...
“It was left, however, for Massachusetts to take the lead, both by her Governor, and by her colored soldiers in the field, to urge upon Congress and the Administration the black man's claims. To the honor of John A. Andrew, the patriotic Chief Magistrate of the Bay State during the Rebellion, justice was demanded again and again...
“The subjoined letter, from a soldier of the Fifty-fourth Massachusetts Volunteers, needs no explanation---
“'We are still anticipting the arrival of the day when the Government will do justice to the Fifty-fourth and the Fifty-fifth Regiments, and pay us what is justly our due.
“We have fought like men; we have worked like men; we have been ready to serve at every call of duty, and thus have proved ourselves to be men, but still we are refused the thirteen dollars per month.
“Oh what a shame it is to be treated thus! Some of us have wives and little children, who are looking for succor and support from their husbands and fathers; but, alas! They look in vain. The answer to te question, 'When shal we be able to assist them?' is left wholly to the Congress of the United States.
“What will the families of those poor comrades of ours who fell at James Island, Ft. Wagner, and Olustee, do? They must suffer; for their husbands and fathers have gone the way of all the earth. They have gone to join that number that John saw, and t rest at the right hand of God...
“It was all false. They only wanted to get the halter over our heads, and then say, 'Get out if you can.'
“Sir, the Fifty-fourth and Fifty-fifth Regiments would sooner consent to fight for the whole three years, gratis, than to be put on the footing of contrabands...'”
“Sergt. William Walker, of Company A, Third South Carolina colored troops, feeling that he and his associates were unjustly dealt with, persuaded his company to go to their captain's tent, and stack their muskets, and refuse duty till paid. They did so, and the following was the result:--
CONDEMNED AND SHOT FOR MUTINY
“Sergt. William Walker of Company A, Third South-Carolina colored troops, was yesterday killed, in accordance with a sentence of a court-martial. He had declared he would no longer remain a soldier for seven dollars a month, and brought his company to stack their arms before their captain's tent, refusing to do duty until they were paid thirteen dollars a month, as had been agreed when they enlisted with Col. Saxon. He was a smart soldier and an able man, dangerous as a leader in a revolt. His last moments were attended by Chaplain Wilson, Twenty-fourth Massachusetts, and Chaplain Moore, of the Second South-Carolina colored troops. The execution took place at Jacksonville, Fla., in the presence of the regiments there in the garrison. He met his death unflinchingly. Out of eleven shots fired, but one struck him. A reserve firing-party had been provided, and by these he had been shot to death.
“The mutiny for which this man suffered death arose entirely out of inconsistent and contradictory orders of the Paymaster and the Treasury Department at Washington.'--Beaufort (SC) Cor. Tribune”
Friday, February 28, 2014
THE NEGRO IN THE AMERICAN REBELLION, EXCERPT
THE NEGRO IN THE AMERICAN REBELLION, “Injustice to Colored Troops,” by William Wells Brown (1867), pp.248-254:
“When the War Department commenced recruiting colored men as soldiers in Massachusetts, New Orleans and Hilton Head, it was done with the promise that these men should receive the same pay, clothing, and treatment that white soldiers did. The same was promised at Camp William Penn, at Philadelphia. After several regments had been raised and put in the field, the War Department decided to pay them but ten dollars per month, without clothing. The Fifty-fourth MassachusettsVolunteers, and the Fifty-fifth, were both in South Carolina when this decision was made, yet the government held on to the men who had thus been obtained under false pretenses. Dissatisfaction showed itself as soon as this was known among colored troops. Still the blacks performed their duty, hoping that Congress would see the injustice that was done to them. The men refused to receive less than was their full due when the paymaster came round...
“It was left, however, for Massachusetts to take the lead, both by her Governor, and by her colored soldiers in the field, to urge upon Congress and the Administration the black man's claims. To the honor of John A. Andrew, the patriotic Chief Magistrate of the Bay State during the Rebellion, justice was demanded again and again...
“The subjoined letter, from a soldier of the Fifty-fourth Massachusetts Volunteers, needs no explanation---
“'We are still anticipting the arrival of the day when the Government will do justice to the Fifty-fourth and the Fifty-fifth Regiments, and pay us what is justly our due.
“We have fought like men; we have worked like men; we have been ready to serve at every call of duty, and thus have proved ourselves to be men, but still we are refused the thirteen dollars per month.
“Oh what a shame it is to be treated thus! Some of us have wives and little children, who are looking for succor and support from their husbands and fathers; but, alas! They look in vain. The answer to te question, 'When shal we be able to assist them?' is left wholly to the Congress of the United States.
“What will the families of those poor comrades of ours who fell at James Island, Ft. Wagner, and Olustee, do? They must suffer; for their husbands and fathers have gone the way of all the earth. They have gone to join that number that John saw, and t rest at the right hand of God...
“It was all false. They only wanted to get the halter over our heads, and then say, 'Get out if you can.'
“Sir, the Fifty-fourth and Fifty-fifth Regiments would sooner consent to fight for the whole three years, gratis, than to be put on the footing of contrabands...'”
“Sergt. William Walker, of Company A, Third South Carolina colored troops, feeling that he and his associates were unjustly dealt with, persuaded his company to go to their captain's tent, and stack their muskets, and refuse duty till paid. They did so, and the following was the result:--
CONDEMNED AND SHOT FOR MUTINY
“Sergt. William Walker of Company A, Third South-Carolina colored troops, was yesterday killed, in accordance with a sentence of a court-martial. He had declared he would no longer remain a soldier for seven dollars a month, and brought his company to stack their arms before their captain's tent, refusing to do duty until they were paid thirteen dollars a month, as had been agreed when they enlisted with Col. Saxon. He was a smart soldier and an able man, dangerous as a leader in a revolt. His last moments were attended by Chaplain Wilson, Twenty-fourth Massachusetts, and Chaplain Moore, of the Second South-Carolina colored troops. The execution took place at Jacksonville, Fla., in the presence of the regiments there in the garrison. He met his death unflinchingly. Out of eleven shots fired, but one struck him. A reserve firing-party had been provided, and by these he had been shot to death.
“The mutiny for which this man suffered death arose entirely out of inconsistent and contradictory orders of the Paymaster and the Treasury Department at Washington.'--Beaufort (SC) Cor. Tribune”