I acknowledge it has been a labor of love to fight many of the battles of the war of the rebellion over again, not because of a relish for blood and the destruction of human life, but for the memories of the past; of the bondage of a race and its struggle for freedom, awakening as they do the intense love of country and liberty, such as one who has been without either feels, when both have been secured by heroic effort.
To those who have responded to my appeal for information regarding the negro soldier, I have aimed to give full credit; if any are omitted it is not intentionally done. To no one am I more indebted for assisting in collecting data, than to Lt. J. M. Trotter, of the 55th Mass. Reg't. nor am I unmindful of the kindness of Hon. Robert Lincoln, late Secretary of War, nor that of Col. James D. Brady, member of Congress from Virginia, for copies of public records; to Col. H. C. Corbin, for the record of the 14th Reg't.; and to Col. D. Torrance for that of the 29th Reg't. Conn. I am also indebted to Maj. Gen. Wm. Mahone for a map of the defences of Petersburg, showing the crater; to the librarian of the Young Men's Mercantile Library, of Cincinnati, for the use of Col. Albert's carved map of Fort Wagner, and to Col. G. M. Arnold and Hon. Joseph Jergenson for copies of historical papers; also to Hon. Libbey.
J. T. W.
CONTENTS.
PART I.
THE WARS FOR INDEPENDENCE.
CHAPTER I.—The War of 1775.
PAGE.
The Sentiments of the Colonists—The Agreement of 1774—The Resolutions of Ga.—The Virginians Boycotting a Slaver—Tories Opposed to a Negro Army—Caste Prejudice not strong—The Militia Law of Mass. in 1652—Negro Sentinels at Meeting houses—Crispus Attucks leads the whites to an attack upon British Soldiers—Resolution of the Committee of Safety—Battle of Bunker Hill—Peter Salem Kills the British Maj. Pitcairn—Petition to the General court of Mass. Bay—Biographical account of Peter Salem—Manumitting of Slaves to allow them to become Soldiers—Meeting of the Committee of Conference—Gen. Washington writes the President regarding Negro Soldiers—Action of Congress sustaining Gen. Washington—The First Question of "color" in the Army—Negroes allowed in the S. C. Militia—Dr. Hopkins' Article concerning Slavery—Lord Dunmore visits Norfolk, 1775—Proclamation of Lord Dunmore—The Dread of the Colonists—An Unreasonable Fear—Action of the Conn. General Assembly, 1777—Letter from Gen. Green to Gen. Washington—Daring Exploits of Prince and other Negroes at Newport, R. I.—The Storming of Fort Griswold—Action of the State of R. I.—Action of the State of New York, 1781—Proclamation of Sir Henry Clinton—The Colonists beginning to favor Negro Troops—Gen. Washington's Emphatic Language—Re-enslavement of Discharged Negro Soldiers—Action of the Legislature of Virginia [21]