1865 February 4: Wisconsin’s Black Troops in the 29th U.S. Colored Infantry

The following is a portion of the Wisconsin Adjutant General Report that appeared in the February 4, 1865, issue of The Prescott Journal.  Part I, Part II.

ADJUTANT GENERAL’S REPORT

What Wisconsin has Done for the War.
How Many Troops She has Sent.
How Many are Sill in the Field.

VOLUNTEERING AND DRAFTING.

Relief for the Sick and Wounded.

THE STATE MILITIA.

Very Interesting Document.

COLORED TROOPS.

Whatever prejudice may have existed in the minds of the people against the employment of colored troops, it has fast given way if it be not now everywhere extinct. Aside from arguments of expediency of necessity, the exhibitions of moral courage and heroic devotion, forgetful of the wrongs and obloquy of the past, unflinching in the face of an enemy with whom, if spared the casualties of battle, capture was certain death, have compelled the admiration of their fiercest opponents. Authority was received from the War Department in October, 1863, to raise a regiment, battalion, or company of colored troops, and a public order was made to that effect ; but owing to the sparseness of colored population in this State, there was little encouragement to any white officer to undertake the raising of even a company. No active exertions were therefore made until early in the present year, Col. John A. Bross, of Chicago, having been appointed Colonel of the 29th United States colored infantry, opened one or two recruiting station in this State, and recruited some two hundred and fifty colored men for his regiment, and for whom this State receives credit from the General Government.

There being no further record of this regiment with the State Department, the following brief sketch of their action is here appended in justice to the men of this State who bravely shared the fortunes of the regiment.

The organization was completed and left camp of rendezvous at Quincy, Illinois, April 26th, arriving at Washington May 1st, was brigaded at Camp Casey with a colored regiment from New York, and Colonel Bross assigned to the command.

About the middle of June the brigade was sent to City Point, from which place, after two weeks of guard duty, it was sent to the front of Petersburg, and joined the 2d brigade, 3d division, 9th army corps, commanded by Gen. Burnside, June 30, 1864.

The mine was sprung and Col. Bross was ordered forward with his regiment. Leading his men, who were now for the first time under fire, he is said to have charged farther within the enemy’s lines than any other regiment on that occasion.

Seeing the utter hopelessness of carrying the enemy’s works on Cemetery Hill, Col. Bross gave orders to his regiment to retire, and catching the colors of his regiment was about to turn when he was struck by a Minie ball in the temple and fell dead, enwrapped in the flag. The regiment retreated through a perfect storm of shot and shell, to the crater, losing in this action most of its officers and nearly two hundred enlisted men in killed, wounded and missing.

I respectfully recommend that the act providing aid from the war fund for families of soldiers from this State, be so amended as to include the volunteers in this and other colored regiments. They are in the immediate service of the United States, and not being in a State organization they are thereby deprived of the benefits accruing from this fund. Their position differs from white volunteers in the regular service from this State, in the fact that there are no colored State organizations, and if they go into the service at all, they must perforce go into the United States regiments. It therefore appears to me but a simple act f justice, to extend to them such benefits as may accrued to their families through the war fund.

1864 May 28: “I have seen some of the toughest fighting that I ever saw, but as luck would have it came out all right”

Since August  29, 1863, Frank Harding had been the captain of Company C of the 5th (or 15th) Corps de Afrique Engineers.  On April 4, 1864, the 5th Corps de Afrique Engineers became the 99th Infantry Regiment of U.S. Colored Troops, which was attached to the Engineer Brigade in the Department of the Gulf.  Union troops serving under General Nathaniel P. Banks in the Red River Campaign—including the 99th—arrived in Morganza, Louisiana, on May 22, 1864.  The 99th then served fatigue duty at Morganza till June 20.  Morganza is village near the Mississippi River in Pointe Coupee Parish, Louisiana.

The original letter is in the Frank D. Harding Papers (River Falls Mss AB), University of Wisconsin-River Falls University Archives & Area Research Center.

Morganza   May 28^th  1864

My Dear Father

                                I have neglected to write for some time thinking that in a short time we should be somewhere, but as I see no immediate prospect of moving from here I will give some idea of where we are and what we are doing.  What we have done you have doubtless ere this learned thru the newspapers.  We are at present nearly  200   two hundred miles from New Orleans on the bank of the Miss.  We have been here one week.  How much longer we shall stay I don’t know.  At present we are engaged in fortifying this place.  [paragraph break added]

The 19^th Army Corps are reorganising [sic] and are to be turned into a marine corps to patrol the river on found transports.  The 13^th Corps have gone to New Orleans.  We some expect to go to Arkansas to join Steel’s [sic: Franklin Steele] Expidition [sic].  If we should go you will here [sic] from me.  Scince [sic] I last wrote you I have seen some of the toughest fighting that I ever saw, but as luck would have it came out all right.  We lost our Major and Adjt. and some few men.  The Major and Ajt. were taken prisoners and shot after being taken.  Yesterday our boys took twelve guerrella’s [sic].  They acknowledged that they belonged to no regular organisation [sic].  The upshot of the matter was four was [sic] shot, four hung and four brought into camp [in?] heavy irons.  [paragraph break added]

Our Army in this Dept. have made some of the longest marches on record.  They march in twelve consecutive days, three hundred and fifty miles, and have made almost as good time throughout the march.  Our Engineer Regt. were [sic] in front and rear constantly.  The officers however had the advantage of being mounted which made some difference.

But I will stop.  Hoping that my next letter may be dated at New Orleans.  Give my love to Mother and Diantha.  With love,

Yours Truly
Frank

 

 

Frank Harding letter of May 28, 1864, from the Frank D. Harding Papers (River Falls Mss AB) in the University Archives & Area Research Center at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls

1863 June 27: The Gallantry of the Colored Regiments

The following articles are from the June 27, 1863, issues of The Prescott Journal and The Polk County Press.  As was typical of Northern newspapers of the time, both newspapers use the “N” word to describe the African-American soldiers, so be warned that word appears in several of the following articles.

From The Prescott Journal:

How They Fought.

A correspondent of the New York Tribune, from New Orleans, makes the following mention of the 2d Louisiana colored regiment:

“I should be guilty of inexcusible [sic] reticence did I fail to chronicle the gallntry [sic] of two Louisiana colored regiments—the First, Col. Stafford,¹ and the Second, Col. Nelson.²  A New Orleans Copperhead informed me that they fought like tigers.  Six times did they charge upon the foritfications [sic], clambering over a huge abattis and marching unitedly forwards, while at each stop the concentrated fire of the adjacent batteries lessend [sic] their ranks with a fearful rapidity.  Fully fifty per cent. of their number where [sic] left dead upon the brush-heaps to denote their bravery.  The remainder received at the hands of the commanding General and his battle stained comrades, that generous appreciation which their deeds had earned.  A revolution in sentiment toward colored troops took place upon that field of carnage which in itself was a glorious victory.

Colored Regiments.

When the colored regiments were first formed, many applications were made by white men for commissions in those regiments possible, under the impression that they were merely to do ordinary garrison duty in comparative safety ;  but the recent hard fought battles in which they have should be entrusted with the command of colord [sic] soldiers, as they press forward into the thickest of the fight, and seem to know no danger.  Who will longer doubt that the colored population of the United States is an element of strength in the war, which it is wicked to allow Rebels to monopolize?—La Crosse Rep[ublican].

From The Polk County Press:

THE NEGRO.—Negroes are now helping to fight our battles in the South ;  they are helping the rebels fight us ;  they are helping fight the battles of France in Mexico ;  and even the Imperial Capital of France is now in part garrisoned by negroes.  The proud Court of Napoleon III does not appear to observe that there is anything abnormal in having the guard of the palace mounted by the “nigger.”  The negro race is in a fair way to learn to fight.

— Each negro soldier enlisted and sent into the field diminishes by one the number of white men to be drafted.  Any squeamish fellow who objects to having his fighting done by a “nigger,” should at once report himself to the nearest recruiting officer and volunteer.—Prescott Journal.

1.  Spencer H. Stafford.  A lawyer before the Civil War, Stafford was a captain in the 20th regiment of New York state militia, and deputy provost marshal of New Orleans before becoming colonel of the 1st Louisiana Native Guards.
2.  John A. Nelson was colonel of the 3rd regiment.  The colonel of the 2nd Louisiana Native Guard Volunteers was Nathan W. Daniels.
Daniels wrote Thank God My Regiment an African One: The Civil War Diary of Colonel Nathan W. Daniels; the UWRF Library has a copy of the 1998 reprint (E 510.5 2nd .D36 1998), the book is also available digitally on Google Books.  The UWRF Library also has The Louisiana Native Guards: The Black Military Experience During the Civil War, by James G. Hollandsworth, Jr., Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1995 (E 540.N3 H65 1995), as well as numerous books about Black regiments from other states.

1863 June 20: Polk County is “in out of the draft,” Plus Several Obituaries of Local Soldiers

Following are the small items from our June 20, 1863, newspapers.  The first item includes Burnett County, which we have not heard much about so far.

From The Polk County Press:

— Enrolment officers have been appointed for this and Burnett counties.

— The Polk County Rifles will meet at the Fair Ground for the purpose of drill at one o’clock to-day, (Saturday.)

— An enrolling officer by the name of DOUGLASS, while performing his duties in Dodge county, this state, was shot through the back by some cowardly villian [sic] who was concealed in some bushes.  The wound is said to be fatal.  Owing to this occurrence company A 30th, Capt. SAM. HARRIMAN, has been sent down into Dodge, to enforce the laws and prevent anything else of the kind occurring.

RESISTANCE TO THE DRAFT.—It is said that the government has decided that the twenty-fifth section of the Conscription Act relative to the arrest of persons resisting the draft, shall be strictly adhered to.  It provides that if any person shall obstruct any officer in the performance of his duty under it, he shall be subject to summary arrest by the Provost Marshal, and be forthwith delivered to the civil authorities, where upon conviction, he shall suffer fine and imprisonment.

— We have received a call from Dep. Provost Marshal, JOHN L. DALE, who passed through our town on his way to Superior.  JOHN says Polk county is all right, sound, patriotic and loyal, and her people “in out of the draft” and wishes he could say as much of other counties in the state.  We have heard that JOHN was in a decline, owing to army rations, and hard times generally, at Madison, but to see is to believe, in some cases, and having seen him we pronounce him in “good condition.”

THE 4TH WISCONSIN— COL. BEAN KILLED.—The 4th Wisconsin was in the fight at Port Hudson, and bore itself gloriously, as is the wont of our brave Wisconsin boys.  Out of 300 that went into the fight 70 were killed or wounded.  Col. Sidney A. Bean is among the killed.  Col. Bean was formerly a professor in Carrol College at Waukesha.  He was a young man of fine talents and great promise—Madison Journal.

— We are informed by John L. DALE, that EDWARD A. CLAPP, of Hudson, member of Gen. SHERMAN’S staff [William T. Sherman], and who is well known to many of our citizens, being the law partner of ALLAN DAWSON, Esq., of Hudson, and who enlisted in the Hudson City Guards at the outbreak of the rebellion, was killed in the recent battle at Port Hudson, La.  He was a brilliant lawyer, a loyal true man, a brave unflinching soldier and died a hero, at the head of an advancing column.  He entered the ranks as a private, and by his integrity and brave conduct was promoted a lieutenant, and placed on Gen. SHERMAN’s staff.

— The “Herald” says Gen. Butler [Benjamin F. Butler] will be brought out by the war Democrats for the Governorship of Massachusetts.  If he consents to run, Republicans will probably endorse him, and Gov. Andrew will be set aside.

— The telegraph reports a fearful decimation of the 4th Wisconsin, in the late fight at Port Hudson.  Its loss in killed is more than one in five—a mortality very rarely experienced in the deadliest battle.  Besides the Colonel killed, three other commissioned officers are reported as badly wounded.

THE UNION AND THE WAR.— The cause of the Union is the cause of peace, of civilization, and of liberty.  The cause of the rebellion is the cause of war, of barbarism, and of tyranny.  Let all who prefer peace and civilization and liberty, to war, and barbarism and tyranny, work and pray that the Union cause may speedily triumph.

THE LOUISIANA COLORED REGIMENTS.—A correspondent at Baton Rouge, under date of May 21st writes:  “There are already five regiments of colored troops organized in this department and credited to Louisiana.  It is expected that, in all, twenty-eight regiments will be organized at once in the department of Gen. Banks.”

From The Prescott Journal:

  Judge CLAPP, of Hudson, Lieut. in the Hudson Guards, 4th Wis., was killed in the attack of Port Hudson.—He was acting as aid to Gen. Sherman.  Judge CLAPP led a lucrative business, and enlisted as a private at the first call for volunteers.  He has fallen a victim to the slaveholder’s rebellion.  Honor to the fallen brave!

WARREN KNOWLES, of River Falls, was acting as Gen. Sherman’s Orderly; had a horse shot under him.

HARD ON ENROLLING OFFICERS.—The women particularly seem to have an antipathy against this class of men,—wherever they go the tender sex loses its customary timidity and the amizon [sic] breaks forth at once.  Such is the case in Dubuque county just now, where the enrolling officers encounter much trouble.  As the ladies in Pierce county are all for Union, friend [C. P.] Barnard will not be molested in his official duty.

  Every negro soldier enlisted and sent into the field diminishes by one the number of white men to be to be drafted.—Any squeamish fellow who objects to having fighting done by a “nigger,” should at once report himself to the nearest recruiting officer, and volunteer.

  Gen. Grant has sent flve [sic] thousand prisoners to Island No. 10, in the Mississippi, where they will be detained until the fate of Vicksburg is decided.

D I E D,

In the Hospital at Grand Gulf, Miss., May 11th, 1863, William Gray, son of Mr. Ryan Gray of Oak Grove, aged 25 years.  He was wounded May 1st at Port Gibson, and died from the effects of his wound, after lingering ten days.

COLORED TROOPS.—The Anglo African, inn its last issue, in an article on the colored element and the war, says:¹

	Adjt. General Thomas had two weekage under arms	11,000
	Gen. Banks	3,000
	Kansas regiment	1,000
	Gen. Hunter, about	3,000
	Gen. Foster	3,000
	Gen. Rosecrans, about	5,000
	Navy	5,000
	Gen. Curtis	2,000
	Massachusetts regiments	1,200
	District of Columbia	800
	Total,	35,000

ARRIVAL OF REBEL PRISONERS AT PHILADELPHIA.

Twenty-one hundred rebel prisoners captured at Haines’ Bluff on the Mississippi, arrived at Philadelphia last week, on their way to Fort Delaware.  The Press says :

“A more miserable looking set of men we have ever seen.  They were ragged and filthy.  Many were hatless and shoeless, and all of them seemed to be perfectly lame.  They were entirely submissive; not an insulting remark was made against them.  They were asked by some of the lookers-on if they were hungry and they replied no, that they have had as much as they could eat since they have been prisoners of the war, larger in quantity and better in quality than they had at any one time during the past six months.

“Some were free in their conversation and said that at Haines’ Bluff they were on half rations before the attack was made.  They said it was entirely impossible to stand the Federal fire, and there was no alternative left them but to surrender.”

“Some express a willingness to take the oath of allegiance. Others said that Gen. Pemberton [John C. Pemberton] was whipped as soon as the attack was made by the land forces; but he does not stand in very good repute, and that, to save himself from disgrace, must hold out.  They say that the supply of provisions at Vicksburg must be very limited by this time.—They talk as though Vicksburg must fall.  Many of the rebels said they were tired of the war, that it was pretty well plaid [sic] out, and if not stopped pretty soon there will be a grand revolt.

“Quite a number of the men are sick looking, with scarcely ten pounds of muscle or flesh ot [sic] give shape to their persons.  A few hard pieces of ingrain carpeting on their soldiers, which they used in place of blankets.[“]

1.  Several other newspapers from the time do not include this chart, but rather follow “the colored element and the war, says” with this: “the negro troops now in the service number thirty-five thousand, not including those acting as pioneers for Banks and Grant. It says these will doubtless swell the number to fifty thousand.”

1863 June 14: “Our Regiment is horribly cut up, we lost our Colonel and most of the line Officers”

Frank D. Harding at this point was still with Company G of the 4th Wisconsin Infantry.  The majority of the letter discusses battles related to the Siege of Port Hudson.  The original letter is in the Frank D. Harding Papers (River Falls Mss AB), University of Wisconsin-River Falls University Archives & Area Research Center.

Carrolton La  June 14^th 1863

Dear Father

                         I received a letter from you last which is the only one I have received for the past two months.  I had began to think that you had given up the idea of ever writing to me.

There is but little news stirring that can be got hold of.  Every thing about Port Hudson is quiet but in a few days I think that it must fall into our hands.  We had one of the hardest fights there of any in this Dept.   The Western Regts behaved nobly and had they been supported by the nine month’s men we should have surely taken the place.  Our Regiment is horribly cut up, we lost our Col¹ and most of the line Officers.  Gen. Sherman² lost his leg and may lose his life.  He is better this morning I hear.

Out of eleven hundred and forty men that we left Wisconsin with, hardly four hundred are left and the Regt can not muster two hundred and fifty to go in to a fight.  Our loss before Port Hudson in killed and wounded will not fall much short of 5000 men.³  The negros fought like devils’ they made five charges on a battery that there was not the slightest chance of their taking, just (as their Officers said) to show our boys that they could, and would fight.  At one time the 4th Wis., 8th N.H., 6th Mich., and 75^th & 128^th N.Y. Regts were on their works and had their battle flags planted, but having no one to support them they were obliged to fall back.  My Co. [G] was not in the fight as they are stationed at Camp Parapet as heavy art [artillery].  One of our Lieut^s was on Gen Sherman’s Staff and was killed,⁴ two of the Sergts of my Co. were in the fight and one was promoted on the field for gallantry.  I went over the the battle field two days after the fight and the stench was horrible.  Our forces have surrounded the place now and are planting heavy guns and in the course of the week I think the [__?] for battle will come off.

I still board in Carrolton but do my work in the City in the Office of the Chief Commissary.  How long I shall stay there it is impossible for me to say.

Tell mother I picked out a dozen of gray hairs out of my head to lend her but I have lost them and have no time to look for more.  I mean to have my picture taken in a few days and will lend it to you. I don’t look much like a solider for I haven’t had a uniform on for more than one year.

Give my love to Mother and Diantha.  Write me soon.

Yours Truly,  Frank D. Harding

1.  Sidney A. Bean, from Waukesha, had been the colonel of the 4th Wisconsin Infantry only since March 17, 1863, being promoted from lieutenant colonel of the 4th when Halbert E. Paine was promoted to brigadier general of volunteers. Bean was killed May 29, 1863, at Port Hudson.
A list of the killed and wounded in the 4th Wisconsin Infantry from May 27 to June 2, 1863, can be found in E. B. Quiner’s Military History of Wisconsin (Chicago: 1866), chapter 14, page 504 ((UWRF Archives E 537 .Q56 1866, available digitally on the Wisconsin Historical Society’s website).
2.  As we learned yesterday, during the May 27, 1863, attack on Port Hudson, General Thomas W. Sherman was severely wounded, which led to the amputation of his right leg. His injuries were so severe that he was not expected to live. Even the newspaper in his hometown (Newport, Rhode Island) printed an obituary for him.
3.  This is a very accurate estimate by Harding. Five thousand Union losses is the number generally given.
4.  Edward A. Clapp, from Hudson.

Frank Harding letter of June 14, 1863, from the Frank D. Harding Papers (River Falls Mss AB) in the University Archives & Area Research Center at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls

1863 June 13: The Siege of Port Hudson and Other News

Unlike last week, this week the Polk County Press in their summary of the week’s news finds the news to be “considerable.”  This is from the June 13, 1863, issue of The Prescott Journal.  The Siege of Vicksburg lasted from May 18 to July 4, 1863; the Siege of Port Hudson lasted from May 22 to July 9, 1863.

The News.

The news of the week is considerable, though unsatisfactory as regards its source, but very little of an official character has been sent over the wires from the war department.  The siege of Vicksburg up to the 7th inst. was progressing satisfactory, and it was stated that PEMBERTON [John C. Pemberton] would soon be obliged to surrender to Gen. GRANT [Ulysses S. Grant].  The rebels are short of provisions, their men only being allowed fourteen ounces of food per day.  The bombardment is going on day and night and the best part of the city has been burnt by our shells.  The rebels were obliged to shoot nearly 500 horses, on account of not having feed for them.  Reports from rebel sources place GRANT’S losses before Vicksburg as enormous, while reports from GRANT put figures at 2,000 all told.

On the 27th of May GEN. BANKS [Nathaniel P. Banks] fought the rebels a severe battle at Port Hudson, and defeated them with great loss.  The loss on our side was first reported at 4,000, but is now only estimated at 1,000.  An official report dated before Port Hudson, May 30th, gives an account of the attack on that place.  In speaking of the negro troops, it says they answered every expectation formed of them.  Their conduct was heroic.  No troops could be more daring or determined.  They made during the day three distinct charges upon the batteries of the enemy, suffering very heavy losses, and holding their position at night fall, with the other troops, on the right of our line.

The highest commendation is bestowed upon them by all the officers in command, on the right, and justifies all that has been said heretofore, as to the eficiency [sic] of origanization [sic] of these troops.  The history of this day, proves conclusively to those who were in a condition to observe the conduct of the regiments, that the government will find in this body of troops effective supporters and defenders.  The severest test to which they were subject, and the manner in which they encountered the enemy, leave upon my mind no doubt of their ultimate success.  They require only good officers and careful discipline, to make them excellent soldiers.

Our losses in killed, wounded, and missing, from the 22nd, to this date, are nearly 1000, including I deeply regret to say, some of the ablest officers of the corps.

Among the wounded were General NIEL [sic] DOW [Neal S. Dow],¹ and Gen. SHERMAN [Thomas W. Sherman].²  The latter is not expected to live.

Reports from ROSECRANS’ department [William S. Rosecrans] show that he is feeling the enemy.  Skirmishing is of daily occurrence and several sharp engagements have transpired at Franklin and along the line, with repeated success to the Union arms.

From the Potomac army we have it that HOOKER [Joseph Hooker] crossed the Rappahonnock in force, and made a reconoisance [sic] with the loss of five men.  Our troops are everywhere on the move, and we expect to have news of great battles, and we trust victories, for our next issue.

1.  During the Union assault on Port Hudson on May 27, Dow was wounded in the right arm and left thigh and sent to a nearby plantation to convalesce where he was captured by Confederates in early July. He was imprisoned for eight months and then exchanged Confederate General Fitzhugh Lee on February 25, 1864. His health deteriorated in prison and as a consequence he resigned from the Union Army in November 1864
2.  During the May 27, 1863, attack on Port Hudson, Sherman was severely wounded, which led to the amputation of his right leg. His injuries were so severe that he was not expected to live. Even the newspaper in his hometown (Newport, Rhode Island) printed an obituary for him. For the rest of the war he held only administrative commands in Louisiana.

1862 July 10: First Letter from J. S. Elwell Since Leaving Hudson

The following letter from the July 23, 1862, issue of The Hudson North Star.  J.S.E. is J.S. Elwell, former co-editor of the North Star.  You will remember that he recently joined up, but with the Federal Quartermaster Department rather than a Wisconsin regiment.

Editorial Correspondence.

                  PORT ROYAL, S. C., July 10.

I feel myself all right “in de land of cotton, where is ole times are most forgotten” — ‘specially by de darkies.

We were five days from New York, and had a very pleasant voyage—though I must say that I do not enjoy celebrating the 4th of July at sea.  The only evidence we had on the ship of the anniversary, was the firing of two small pieces of artillery at 8 o’clock in the morning, the captain and, as a National Salute.

The steamer Ericson arrived off this point Sunday morn, and while the ship lay at anchor in the river waiting orders to land, I had an excellent opportunity for observing how the soldiers keep the Sabbath.  A pier of nearly half a mile in length was completely packed men and teams.  A half dozen or more ships were receiving and discharging their cargoes—four horse army wagons, carts, mules, contra bands and white men, were circulating hither and thither in grand confusion.  After being examined by the Provost Marshal, who came aboard, and swearing us to support the government or suffer the very unpleasant penalty known on the statutes as death, we were permitted to go ashore—where in all the departments the same appearance of activity in business was visible.

The Headquarters of the Department of the South, as you are aware, are upon Hilton Head island, at the mouth of the Savannah river.  This island is a low, sandy point of land, covered, principally with sand and soldiers—though a portion of it is very fertile.  At present there are about 20,000 troops here. —They are arriving and departing every day, almost.

Everything hereabouts indicates war.  There are none here who are not in some way connected with the Grand Army.  I have seen but two white women since I arrived—the wife of General Hunter [David Hunter] and a lady friend.  What do you think of the society?

The river is filled with slipping of all kinds—large gunboats and small gunboats—large boats that do not carry guns and small ones likewise, that are peaceably inclined ;  and the fortifications about the island fairly bristle with Uncle Sam’s artillery.  There are hundreds of cannon and millions of stores, of all kinds belonging to this Department.

The plantations, (and there were some very fine ones on the island) were all deserted upon the arrival of our forces were, and they are now used for the purpose of the government.  The once beautiful fields and gardens—the pride of their owners in the halcyon days of peace, have been trampled down and overrun by the Federal soldiers.  The “quarters” of the negroes are now inhabited only by old men, women and children.  The old mansions of General Drayten who commanded the Rebel forces at this point, is now used as quarters for the “Nigger Brigade,” (as the white soldiers call them.)  I rode out to this plantation the other evening and took a walk about the premises.  Among the orange fig and other fruit trees, and upon a spot where my informant stated there was once as fine a flower garden as could be found on the island, the darkies were being drilled in the art of warfare.

I wish, just here, to correct a common misapprehension which exists at the North with reference to these darkie soldiers.  They are not intended, as our people generally suppose, for field duty ;  but are being perfected in drill that they may be used for guard service, in the hot sun, where the heat will kill white men.  I think, now that I understand the matter, that it is eminently proper that these thick headed fellows should be so instructed.  They are poor, worthless wretches—all of them, and if they be made of any service to the government that has fed them since their “Massas run’d off,” we ought to be glad of it.

The crops are little further advanced here than in the St. Croix Valley.—Green corn has been fit for table use since the first of June, and water melons are almost ripe.

To-day has been the hottest day of the season—only 103° in the shade!  When! oh, for a glass of L. Beer.  Can’t get anything of the kind, so I’ll subside.  The steamer leaves in the morning for New York.  Good-bye till next time.

J. S. E.