Part 7 (2/2)
Hon. Robert C. Winthrop, in his speech in Congress on the Imprisonment of Colored Seamen, September, 1850, bore this testimony to their gallant conduct:
”I have an impression, that, not, indeed, in these piping times of peace, but in the time of war, when quite a boy, I have seen black soldiers enlisted, who did faithful and excellent service. But, however it may have been in the Northern States, I can tell the Senator what happened in the Southern States at this period. I believe that I shall be borne out in saying, that no regiments did better service, at New Orleans, than did the black regiments, which were organized under the direction of General Jackson himself, after a most glorious appeal to the patriotism and honor of the people of color of that region; and which, after they came out of the war, received the thanks of General Jackson, in a proclamation which has been thought worthy of being inscribed on the pages of history.”
Perhaps the most glowing account of the services of these black American soldiers, appeared in an article in the New Orleans _Picayune_:
”Not the least interesting, although the most novel feature of the procession yesterday, was the presence of ninety of the colored veterans who bore a conspicuous part in the dangers of the day they were now for the first time called to a.s.sist in celebrating, and who, by their good conduct in presence of the enemy, deserved and received the approbation of their ill.u.s.trious commander-in-chief. During the thirty-six years that have pa.s.sed away since they a.s.sisted to repel the invaders from our sh.o.r.es, these faithful men have never before partic.i.p.ated in the annual rejoicings for the victory which their valor contributed to gain. Their good deeds have been consecrated only in their memories, or lived but to claim a pa.s.sing notice on the page of the historian. Yet, who more than they deserve the thanks of the country, and the grat.i.tude of succeeding generations? Who rallied with more alacrity in response to the summons of danger? Who endured more cheerfully the hards.h.i.+ps of the camp, or faced with greater courage the perils of the fight?
If, in that hazardous hour, when our homes were menaced with the horrors of war, we did not disdain to call upon the colored population to a.s.sist in repelling the invading horde, we should not, when the danger is pa.s.sed, refuse to permit them to unite with us in celebrating the glorious event, which they helped to make so memorable an epoch in our history. We were not too exalted to mingle with them in the affray; they were not too humble to join in our rejoicings.
”Such, we think, is the universal opinion of our citizens.
We conversed with many yesterday, and, without exception, they expressed approval of the invitation which had been extended to the colored veterans to take part in the ceremonies of the day, and gratification at seeing them in a conspicuous place in the procession.
”The respectability of their appearance, and the modesty of their demeanor, made an impression on every observer, and elicited unqualified approbation. Indeed, though in saying so we do not mean disrespect to any one else, we think that they const.i.tuted decidedly the most interesting portion of the pageant, as they certainly attracted the most attention.”
It was during the rebellion of 1861-65 that the author saw one of the colored drummer boys of that column beating his drum at the head of a negro United States regiment marching through the streets of New Orleans in 1862.
The New York battalion was organized and marched to the reinforcement of the American army at Sacket's Harbor, then threatened by the enemy.
This battalion was said to be a fine looking body of men, well drilled and disciplined. In Congress Mr. Martindale, of New York, said, in a speech delivered on the 22nd January 1828, before that body:
”Slaves or negroes who had been slaves were enlisted as soldiers in the war of the Revolution: and I myself saw a battalion of them,--as fine martial looking men as I ever saw attached to the Northern army in the last war (1812),--on its march from Plattsburg to Sacket's Harbor, where they did service for the country with credit to New York and honor to themselves.”
As in the dark days of the Revolution, so now in another period of national danger, the negroes proved their courage and patriotism by service in the field. However, the lamentable treatment of Major Jeffrey[10] is evidence that these services were not regarded as a protection against outrage.
In the two wars in which the history of the negroes has been traced in these pages, there is nothing that mitigates against his manhood, though his condition, either bond or free, was lowly. But on the contrary the honor of the race has been maintained under every circ.u.mstance in which it has been placed.
FOOTNOTES:
[8] So indiscriminate were English officers in these outrages, that it sometimes happened that black men were seized as English seamen. At that time the public opinion of the world was such, that few statesmen troubled themselves much about the rights of negroes. But in another generation, when it proved convenient in the United States to argue that free negroes had never been citizens, it was remembered that the cabinets of Jefferson and Madison, in their diplomatic discussions with Great Britain, had been willing to argue that the impressment of a free negro was the seizure of an American citizen.--_Bryant's History of the United States._
[9] ”Hammond Golar, a colored man who lived in Lynn for many years, died a few years since at the age of 80 years. He was born a slave, was a privateer ”powder boy” in the war of 1812, and was taken to Halifax as a prisoner. The English Government did not exchange colored prisoners because they would then be returned to slavery, and Golar remained a prisoner until the close of the war.”
[10] See page 50
PART II.
THE WAR BETWEEN THE STATES.
1861.
[Ill.u.s.tration: UNSHACKLED.]
CHAPTER I.
PUBLIC OPINION.
<script>