The opposition to negro soldiers did not cease with many of the Union generals even after the Government at Washington issued its mandate for their enlistment and impressment, and notwithstanding that the many thousands in the service, with their display of gallantry, dash and courage, as exhibited at Port Hudson, Milliken's Bend, Wagner, and in a hundred other battles, had astonished and aroused the civilized world. In view of all this, and, even more strangely, in the face of the Fort Pillow butchery, General Sherman wrote to the Washington authorities, in September, 1864, protesting against negro troops being organized in his department. If Whitelaw Reid's "Ohio in the War," is to be relied upon, Sherman's treatment of the negroes in his march to the sea was a counterpart of the Fort Pillow massacre. His opposition was in keeping with that of the authorities of his state,[20] notwithstanding it has credited to its quota of troops during the war 5,092 negroes, but one regiment was raised in the State, out of a negro population of 36,673 by the canvas of 1860.
According to the statistics on file in the Adjutant General's office, the States are accredited with the following number of negroes who served in the army during the Rebellion:
| ALABAMA, | 2,969 |
| LOUISIANA, | 24,052 |
| NEW HAMPSHIRE, | 125 |
| MASSACHUSETTS, | 3,966 |
| CONNECTICUT, | 1,764 |
| NEW JERSEY, | 1,185 |
| DELAWARE, | 954 |
| DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, | 3,269 |
| NORTH CAROLINA, | 5,035 |
| SOUTH CAROLINA, | 5,462 |
| FLORIDA, | 1,044 |
| TENNESSEE, | 20,133 |
| MICHIGAN, | 1,387 |
| INDIANA, | 1,537 |
| MISSOURI, | 8,344 |
| IOWA, | 440 |
| KANSAS, | 2,080 |
| COLORADO TERRITORY, | 95 |
| MISSISSIPPI, | 17,869 |
| MAINE, | 104 |
| VERMONT, | 120 |
| RHODE ISLAND, | 1,837 |
| NEW YORK, | 4,125 |
| PENNSYLVANIA, | 8,612 |
| MARYLAND, | 8,718 |
| VIRGINIA, | 5,723 |
| WEST VIRGINIA, | 196 |
| GEORGIA, | 3,486 |
| ARKANSAS, | 5,526 |
| KENTUCKY, | 23,703 |
| OHIO, | 5,092 |
| ILLINOIS, | 1,811 |
| MINNESOTA, | 104 |
| WISCONSIN, | 165 |
| TEXAS, | 47 |
| NOT ACCOUNTED FOR, | 5,896 |
| TOTAL, | 178,975. |
The losses these troops sustained from sickness, wounds, killed in battle and other casualties incident to war, was 68,178.
The aggregate negro population in the U. S. in 1860 was 4,449,201, of which 3,950,531 were slaves.
PHALANX SOLDIERS ORGANIZING AND DRILLING.
FOOTNOTES:
[15] General:—The exigencies of the service require that an inspection should be made of the Armies, military posts and military operations in the West; you will therefore make arrangements immediately to perform that service. Without entering into any minute details, I beg to direct your attention to the following subjects of investigation:
First. On arriving at Cairo, you will make a careful examination of the military condition of that post, in the various branches of service, and report to this Department, the result of your investigation, suggesting whatever in your opinion, the service may require. You will observe particularly the condition of that class of population known as contrabands; the manner in which they are received, provided for and treated by the military authorities, and give such directions to the Commissary and Quartermaster Departments, and to the officers commanding, as shall, in your judgement, be necessary to secure to them humane and proper treatment, in respect to food, clothing, compensation for their service, and whatever is necessary to enable them to support themselves, and to furnish useful service in any capacity to the Government.