CHAPTER IV.—Officers of the Phalanx.
Officers of the Phalanx—Character and Qualifications of the men who commanded Negro Troops—The Examination of Candidates for Commissioners—Some of the Negroes who rose from the Ranks—Gen. Banks' idea of Officering the Corps d'Afrique 166
CHAPTER V.—Department of the Gulf.
The Surrender of Confederate Negro Troops at New Orleans—Slaves flocking to the Union Camp—Gen. Phelps desires to Arm them—Butler Refuses—Gen. Phelps' Resignation—Gen. Butler converted to the Policy of Arming Negroes—Negroes Enlisted at New Orleans—Gen. Weitzel placed in Command—The fight at Mansfield—The Battle of Milliken's Bend—Indignities offered to Phalanx Soldiers—The affair at Ship Island—Port Hudson—The Struggle—Desperate Fighting of the Phalanx—A Useless Effort—Perilous Duties of the Engineers—Boker's Poem on the fight at Port Hudson [183]
CHAPTER VI.—The Army of the Frontier.
Iowa's splendid Response to the Call—Refusal of the Phalanx Troops to Accept the Pay offered by the Government—Active times at Helena—The Confederate General Dobbins makes an Attack—A Spirited Fight—A Critical Situation—Re-enforcement by White Cavalry—The Honor Due to Kansas—The report of the Service of Kansas Negro Troops—Col. Crawford's report for the 2nd Kansas Regiment [220]
CHAPTER VII.—Department of the South.
Gen. Hunter's Important Action—Organization of the 1st South Carolina—An Expedition up the St. Mary's River—Fort Wagner—Description of the Fort—Plans for the Assault—The forming of the line—The Assault—Magnificent Fighting—Death of Col. Shaw—Useless Slaughter—The Confederate Account of the Assault upon Fort Wagner—Movements in Florida—The Landing at Jacksonville—Raids on the surrounding country—The Advance towards Tallahassee—The Troops reach Barbour's Station—The Battle of Olustee—Desperate Fighting on both Sides—A Terrible Defeat—The Union Troops routed—Drawing away the Wounded on railway cars—Return to Baldwin's—The 54th Mass.—Boykin's Mill—The "Swamp Angel"—Inquiries Respecting Negro Troops—Labor Days of the Negro Troops [249]
CHAPTER VIII.—The Army of the Cumberland.
Services in the West—The Mississippi River Guarded by the Phalanx—Gen. Morgan's Historical Sketch—The Rendezvous at Gallatin—The Place Threatened by Guerillas—Organizing a Regiment—Negro Soldiers ordered to Alabama—An Incident—A School in camp—The Battle at Dalton, Ga.—Good Behavior of the troops there—Honors to the 51st Colored—Sharp Fighting at Pulaski, Tenn.—An Incident of the Fight—An Engagement at Decatur—Ordered to Nashville—Severe Fighting at that place—A Reconnoissance—The Defeat of Gen. Hood—A Pursuit to Huntsville—A Glorious Record [286]