‘Fourteen blacks fell into our hands, including a sergeant and corporal. Five claimed to be free, the remainder finally confessing they were runaway slaves. One hailed from Michigan, two or three from Massachusetts, one from Missouri, one from Maryland, and several from Kentucky. One rascal, running up with his musket, exclaimed, “Here, mossa, nebber shoot him off—tak um!” showing evidently his low country origin, but unfortunately somebody's gun went off about the same time, and the fellow was killed. They received no tender treatment during the skirmish, and the marsh in one place was thick with their dead bodies. . . . The prisoners believe they are to be hung, and give for a reason for fighting as well as they did, that they would rather die of bullet than rope. It is a nice question whether they are to be recognized as belligerents or outlaws; and the indignation of our troops is not concealed at the thought that a white man may, by virtue of these captures, be one day exchanged for a negro. The suggestion I have heard on the subject is that we may be compelled to respect the free blacks as recognized citizens of the North taken in arms, but that when a runaway slave is recaptured, he should be turned over to his master, and by him to the civil authorities, to be disposed of according to law.’Our captured men were taken to Charleston, and imprisoned in Charleston jail. The next day the following telegram asking for instructions regarding them was sent to Richmond:—
At the assault of Fort Wagner, July 18, 1863, the Fifty-fourth was the only colored regiment engaged. The regimental report, made Nov. 7, 1863, gives one hundred enlisted men as missing. In the roster compiled from official information to date, the number of missing is reduced to fifty-two. But in a list of
