Soon the mists and murky shadows
Shall be fringed with crimson light,
And the glorious dawn of freedom
Break resplendent on the sight.”
CHAPTER XVI.—THE NEW POLICY.
A New Policy announced.—Adjutant-Gen. Thomas.—Major-Gen. Prentiss.—Negro Wit and Humor.—Proslavery Correspondents.—Feeling in the Army.—Let the Blacks fight.
Attorney-Gen. Bates had already given his opinion with regard to the citizenship of the negro, and that opinion was in the black man’s favor. The Emancipation Proclamation was only a prelude to calling on the colored men to take up arms, and the one soon followed the other; for the word “Emancipation” had scarcely gone over the wires, ere Adjutant-Gen. Thomas made his appearance in the valley of the Mississippi. At Lake Providence, La., he met a large wing of the army, composed of volunteers from all parts of the country, and proclaimed to them the new policy of the administration; and he did it in very plain words, as will be seen:—