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Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing) 16,340 0 Browse Search
Thomas Wentworth Higginson, Massachusetts in the Army and Navy during the war of 1861-1865, vol. 2 3,098 0 Browse Search
Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events, Diary from December 17, 1860 - April 30, 1864 (ed. Frank Moore) 2,132 0 Browse Search
Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Documents and Narratives, Volume 1. (ed. Frank Moore) 1,974 0 Browse Search
Jefferson Davis, The Rise and Fall of the Confederate Government 1,668 0 Browse Search
Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Documents and Narratives, Volume 2. (ed. Frank Moore) 1,628 0 Browse Search
Hon. J. L. M. Curry , LL.D., William Robertson Garrett , A. M. , Ph.D., Confederate Military History, a library of Confederate States Military History: Volume 1.1, Legal Justification of the South in secession, The South as a factor in the territorial expansion of the United States (ed. Clement Anselm Evans) 1,386 0 Browse Search
Jefferson Davis, The Rise and Fall of the Confederate Government 1,340 0 Browse Search
Horace Greeley, The American Conflict: A History of the Great Rebellion in the United States of America, 1860-65: its Causes, Incidents, and Results: Intended to exhibit especially its moral and political phases with the drift and progress of American opinion respecting human slavery from 1776 to the close of the War for the Union. Volume I. 1,170 0 Browse Search
Benjamnin F. Butler, Butler's Book: Autobiography and Personal Reminiscences of Major-General Benjamin Butler 1,092 0 Browse Search
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Browsing named entities in Thomas Wentworth Higginson, Army Life in a Black Regiment. You can also browse the collection for United States (United States) or search for United States (United States) in all documents.

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Thomas Wentworth Higginson, Army Life in a Black Regiment, Chapter 1: Introductory. (search)
Chapter 1: Introductory. These pages record some of the adventures of the First South Carolina Volunteers,--the first slave regiment mustered into the service of the United States during the late civil war. It was, indeed, the first colored regiment of any kind so mustered, except a portion of the troops raised by Major-General Butler at New Orleans. These scarcely belonged to the same class, however, being recruited from the free colored population of that city, a comparatively self-reliant and educated race. The darkest of them, said General Butler, were about the complexion of the late Mr. Webster. The First South Carolina, on the other hand, contained scarcely a freeman, had not one mulatto in ten, and a far smaller proportion who could read or write when enlisted. The only contemporary regiment of a similar character was the First Kansas colored, which began recruiting a little earlier, though it was not mustered in — the usual basis of military seniority till later.
Thomas Wentworth Higginson, Army Life in a Black Regiment, chapter 2 (search)
w on a picturesque point an old plantation, with stately magnolia avenue, decaying house, and tiny church amid the woods, reminding me of Virginia; behind it stood a neat encampment of white tents, and there, said my companion, is your future regiment. Three miles farther brought us to the pretty town of Beaufort, with its stately houses amid Southern foliage. Reporting to General Saxton, I had the luck to encounter a company of my destined command, marched in to be mustered into the United States service. They were unarmed, and all looked as thoroughly black as the most faithful philanthropist could desire; there did not seem to be so much as a mulatto among them. Their coloring suited me, all but the legs, which were clad in a lively scarlet, as intolerable to my eyes as if I had been a turkey. I saw them mustered; General Saxton talked to them a little, in his direct, manly way; they gave close attention, though their faces looked impenetrable. Then I conversed with some of
Thomas Wentworth Higginson, Army Life in a Black Regiment, Chapter 3: up the St. Mary's. (search)
egular packing-box lay invitingly ready outside. I had made up my mind, in accordance with the orders given to naval commanders in that department, It is my desire to avoid the destruction of private property, unless used for picket or guard-stations, or for other military purposes, by the enemy. . . . Of course, if fired upon from any place, it is your duty, if possible, to destroy it. --Letter of Admiral Dupont, commanding South Atlantic Squadron, to Lieutenant-Commander Hughes of United States Gunboat Mohawk, Fernandina Harbor. to burn all picket-stations, and all villages from which I should be covertly attacked, and nothing else; and as this house was destined to the flames, I should have left the piano in it, but for the seductions of that box. With such a receptacle all ready, even to the cover, it would have seemed like flying in the face of Providence not to put the piano in. I ordered it removed, therefore, and afterwards presented it to the school for colored children
Thomas Wentworth Higginson, Army Life in a Black Regiment, Chapter 4: up the St. John's. (search)
ur expedition are to carry the proclamation of freedom to the enslaved; to call all loyal men into the service of the United States; to occupy as much of the State of Florida as possible with the forces under your command; and to neglect no means cothe usages of civilized warfare to weaken, harass, and annoy those who are in rebellion against the Government of the United States. Trusting that the blessing of our Heavenly Father will rest upon your noble enterprise, I am yours, sincerely, hs. Day brought relief and the sense of due possession, and we could see what we had won. Jacksonville was now a United States post again: the only post on the main-land in the Department of the South. Before the war it had three or four thousan, in his professional apparel.--Anxious female enters. Some sentinel has shot her cow by mistake for a Rebel. The United States cannot think of paying the desired thirty dollars. Let her go to the Post-Quartermaster and select a cow from his her
Thomas Wentworth Higginson, Army Life in a Black Regiment, Chapter 7: up the Edisto. (search)
. Bingham--who died afterwards from the overwork of that sultry day — was transporting the refugees on board the steamer, or hunting up bales of cotton, or directing the burning of rice-houses, in accordance with our orders. No dwelling-houses were destroyed or plundered by our men,--Sherman's bummers not having yet arrived,--though I asked no questions as to what the plantation negroes might bring in their great bundles. One piece of property, I must admit, seemed a lawful capture,--a United States dress-sword, of the old pattern, which had belonged to the Rebel general who afterwards gave the order to bury Colonel Shaw with his niggers. That I have retained, not without some satisfaction, to this day. A passage having been cleared at last, and the tide having turned by noon, we lost no time in attempting the ascent, leaving the bluff to be held by the John Adams, and by the small force on shore. We were scarcely above the obstructions, however, when the little tug went agrou
Thomas Wentworth Higginson, Army Life in a Black Regiment, Appendix B: the First black soldiers. (search)
ember 15, 1862. The above facts were written down from the narration of Lieutenant-Colonel Trowbridge, who may justly claim to have been the first white officer to recruit and command colored troops in this war. He was constantly in command of them from May 9, 1862, to February 9, 1866. Except the Louisiana soldiers mentioned in the Introduction,--of whom no detailed reports have, I think, been published,--my regiment was unquestionably the first mustered into the service of the United States; the first company muster bearing date, November 7, 1862, and the others following in quick succession. The second regiment in order of muster was the First Kansas colored, dating from January 13, 1863. The first enlistment in the Kansas regiment goes back to August 6, 1862; while the earliest technical date of enlistment in my regiment was October 19, 1862, although, as was stated above, one company really dated its organization back to May, 1862. My muster as colonel dates back t
Thomas Wentworth Higginson, Army Life in a Black Regiment, Appendix C: General Saxton's instructions. (search)
umber not exceeding fifty thousand, and muster them into the service of the United States for the term of the war, at a rate of compensation not exceeding five dollaed by the Quartermaster-General for laboring service with the armies of the United States; and they shall be clothed and subsisted, after enrolment, in the same manrease it, in order to guard the plantations and settlements occupied by the United States from invasion, and protect the inhabitants thereof from captivity and murdealso authorized to arm, uniform, equip, and receive into the service of the United States, such number of volunteers of African descent as you may deem expedient, noss, and annoy them, and to establish the authority of the Government of the United States within your Department. 6th. You may turn over to the navy any number y recent act of Congress, all men and boys received into the service of the United States, who may have been the slaves of rebel masters, are, with their wives, moth
Thomas Wentworth Higginson, Army Life in a Black Regiment, Appendix D: the struggle for pay. (search)
f colored soldiers, or at least so to modify it as to secure the fulfilment of actual contracts. Until this is done the nation is still disgraced. The few thousand dollars in question are nothing compared with the absolute wrong done and the discredit it has brought, both here and in Europe, upon the national name. T. W. Higginson, Late Col. 1st S. C. Vols. (now 3d U S. C. T.) Newport, R. I., December 8, 1864. Petition. To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the United States in Congress assembled:-- The undersigned respectfully petitions for the repeal of so much of Section IV. of the Act of Congress making appropriations for the army and approved July 4, 1864, as makes a distinction, in respect of pay due, between those colored soldiers who were free on or before April 19, 1861, and those who were not free until a later date; Or at least that there may be such legislation as to secure the fulfilment of pledges of full pay from date of enlistment, made b
Thomas Wentworth Higginson, Army Life in a Black Regiment, Appendix E: farewell address of Lt.-Col. Trowbridge. (search)
Appendix E: farewell address of Lt.-Col. Trowbridge. Headquarters 33d United States Colored Troops, Late 1st South Carolina Volunteers, Morris Island, S. C., February 9, 1866. General orders, no. 1. comrades,--The hour is at hand when we must separate forever, and nothing can ever take from us the pride we feel, when we look back upon the history of the First South Carolina Volunteers,--the first black regiment that ever bore arms in defence of freedom on the continent of America. On the ninth day of May, 1862, at which time there were nearly four millions of your race in a bondage sanctioned by the laws of the land, and protected by our flag,on that day, in the face of floods of prejudice, that well-nigh deluged every avenue to manhood and true liberty, you came forth to do battle for your country and your kindred. For long and weary months without pay, or even the privilege of being recognized as soldiers, you labored on, only to be disbanded and sent to your homes,