CHAPTER II.
BENEVOLENCE AND FRUGALITY.
The negro troops gave striking evidence of both benevolence and frugality with the money they received. They needed but to be shown an opportunity to contribute to some object, when they quickly responded. Frequently, too, they fell easy victims to the crafty camp bummers and speculators, who were ever collecting means for some charitable object for the benefit of the negro race. However, here it will be a pleasing duty to name some of the more conspicuous instances where their charity was well and nobly bestowed. At the same time they deposited a vast aggregate sum of savings in different banks established for this purpose.
The 62nd Regiment contributed to a commendable project gotten up by its officers, who gave, themselves, $1,034.60, the regiment giving $3,966.50. With this money the founding of a school was commenced, which eventually became a college known as the Lincoln Institute, situated at Jefferson City, Mo. To this sum of $5,001.10, the 65th Regiment contributed $1,379.50, through the efforts of their officers. The sum was soon increased to $20,000, and the Institute stands to-day a monument to the 62nd and 65th Phalanx Regiments.
Professor Foster, in his history of this Institute, gives these interesting details:
U.S. PAYMASTERS PAYING OFF PHALANX SOLDIERS.
"Dr. Allen, a man of high character and influence, gave the scheme standing ground by declaring that he would give $100. Both our field officers, Colonel Barrett and Lieutenant-Colonel Branson, though neither was with us at the time, afterwards subscribed a like amount. Others responded in the same spirit. Officers and men entered into the work with enthusiasm. The lieutenants gave $50 each; officers of higher rank, $100. First Sergeant Brown, Co D, gave $75; Sergeants Curd, Bergamire, Alexander and Moore each gave $50, while the number who gave 25, 20, 15, 10, and 5 dollars apiece is too great for me to recall their names on this occasion, but they are all preserved in our records. The total result in the 62nd Regiment was $1,034.60, contributed by the officers, and $3,966.50 by the colored soldiers. The soldiers of the 65th Regiment afterwards added $1,379.50. One of them, Samuel Sexton, gave $100 from his earnings as a private soldier at $13 per month, an example of liberality that may well challenge comparison with the acts of those rich men who, from their surplus, give thousands to found colleges."