Emilio, Luis F., History of the Fifty-Fourth Regiment of Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry , 1863-1865

[221] of our men were held as slaves April 19, 1861, but they took the oath as freemen, by God's higher law, if not by their country's. A more pitiful story of broken faith, with attendant want and misery upon dependent ones, than this deprivation of pay for many months cannot be told. If ever men were seemingly driven to desperation and overt acts, they were. How they bore it all, daily exposing their lives for the cause and the flag they loved, has been feebly told. That they were compelled to take this or any oath at the last was an insult crowning the injury. There was another meeting of truce steamers in the harbor on the 3d, when a release without equivalent was made by the enemy of thirty persons,—chaplains, surgeons, and some women. General Schimmelfennig, who had removed district headquarters from Folly to Morris Island August 2, on September 4 departed North, when General Saxton took command. The next day the Fifty-sixth and One Hundred and Fifty-seventh New York arrived; and Col. Charles H. Van Wyck of the Fifty-sixth assumed command of Morris Island, relieving Colonel Gurney. Captain Homans, with Company A, having reported from Black Island to camp about September 1, there were the following companies with the colors; namely, A, D, E, G, H, and K, a larger number than for some months. On the 6th, several boxes of canned goods were received for the regiment,—the gift of Count Leo B. Schwabe, of Boston. This gentleman belonged to a noble family, and was born at Castle Schaumberg on the Weser. Before the war he lived in South Carolina, where he owned slaves and plantations. The slaves he freed as the war broke out. His means were lavishly given for building chapels and hospitals,