Benjamnin F. Butler, Butler's Book: Autobiography and Personal Reminiscences of Major-General Benjamin Butler

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I cannot command those negro regiments. The commanding general knows well my private opinions on this subject. What I stated to him privately, while on his staff, I see now before my eyes. Since the arrival of the negro regiments symptoms of servile insurrection are becoming apparent. I could not, without breaking my brigade all up, put a force in every part of this district to keep down such an insurrection. I cannot assume the command of such a force, and thus be responsible for its conduct. I have no confidence in the organization. Its moral effect in this community, which is stripped of nearly all its able-bodied men and will be stripped of a great many of its arms, is terrible. Women and children, and even men, are in terror. It is heart-rending, and I cannot make myself responsible for it. I will gladly go anywhere with my own brigade that you see fit to order me. I beg you therefore to keep the negro brigade directly under your own command or place some one over both mine and it.

He made a further communication:--

In still further confirmation of what I wrote to you in my despatches of this morning relative to servile insurrection, I have the honor to inform you that on the plantation of Mr. David Pugh, a short distance above here, the negroes who have returned under the terms fixed upon by Major-General Butler, without provocation or cause of any kind, refused this morning to work, and assaulted the overseer and Mr. Pugh, injuring them severely, also a gentleman who came to the assistance of Mr. Pugh. Upon the plantation also of Mr. W. J. Miner, on the Terre Bonne road, about sixteen miles from here, an outbreak has already occurred, and the entire community thereabout are in hourly expectation and terror of a general rising.

I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

G. Weitzel, Brigadier-General U. S. Vols., Comdg. Reserve Brigade. Maj. George C. Strong, Asst. Adjt.-Gen., Dept. of the Gulf, New Orleans, La.

My surprise may not be imagined when I received these reports from Weitzel, especially that one in which he declared he would not obey my orders to command colored troops.

It will be observed that he states in justification of it only two reports of negroes quarrelling with their masters to whom they had