^^ *'...* ^ ^o .^r ..-•- \Cr ^^' --v. / ^% ^V^^^^ ^\ .^ t^o^ 'bV" '^0^ '<%> '>ii! -^o. -o/' '^m^^ "^c^^ f "hv" •iq. ^^-^^ ^ „*iq. ^ %./'.•;"'■ \,^* .-mM'. '^-.'>< vO* . : ^^^ ^'C bV >°-n;.. "^v. vO^ *12^'* ^> V -'bvT ^•^ ^. ^-.. '^ ^'^ ♦*^ " " * "i^ n PREFACE. On the subject stated, this paper was prepared and read on due invitation of the Ohio Department of the Loyal Legion of the United States. Immediately after its reading it was duly complimented ; and, according to custom, on motion and without dissenting voice, its publication by the Legion in due course was ordered. Several days later I was surprised by a notice that a brave and chivalrous member who had sat close by during the reading, etc., and kept profoundly mum, had entered protest against publication under the sanction of the Legion. The story of the trial that ensued would be too lengthy for profit. Of it suffice it to say: The Legion experienced a change of heart and reversed itself — figuratively at least — washed its hands of it and placed my paper on the index prohibitorius ! Ostensibly this remarkable change was on the ground that something said of the 23d Iowa Regiment was in conflict with the records of the War Department, which, true or false must be held sacred by the Legion, — as intolerant, absurd and obstructive of truth, it seems to me as oldtime insistence that nothing should be printed, taught or said in conflict with "theo- logical science." But, without spectacles, it seemed easy to read between the lines of the discussion that the kick was largely, if not mainly, on account of lingering prejudice against giving the negro a "square deal." Hence, having been led by said order to promise copies to several of my friends, to explain my default, and also mindful that many true and good things have been found in the publica- tions condemned to that index and that the world is indebted to heretics for every advance including the figleaf garment, I de- cided to resign from the Legion and hazard the publication on my own account, which was accordingly done. For it, no favors are asked except on merit. (3) MILLIKEN'S BEND, ETC. The story of the battle of MilHken's Bend, of June 7th, 1863, I beHeve has never been told by anyone who was present throughout that event, or who had accurate knowledge of it. It ought to be told. I have been waiting until my 77th year for someone else to tell it. and only now attempt it for fear it may be lost. As preface and warrant for attempting it, I beg to submit one of several similar documents showing that I was there from start to finish : "Camp 49, U. S. Colored Infantry, ViCKSBURG. Miss., Nov. 20, 1865. Brigadier-General. E. D. TOWNSEND, Asst. Adjt. General. General : — I have the honor to state that, as the 49th U. S. Colored Infantry, (Late nth La. Vols, of A. D.) is about to be mustered out of service, I deem it my duty to furnish my humble testimony to do justice to Lieut. Col. Cyrus Sears, commanding the same, in respect to the part performed by him in the memorable battle of Milliken's Bend, La., of June 7th, 1863 ; believing my- self to be the only officer remaining in the regiment, who had an opportunity of giving such testimony. "\\'ithout wishing to detract in the least from the just merit of anyone, I must state this fact, which could be affirmed by hundreds of witnesses, that the written report of that battle divided the chief credit of it between two officers, one of whom was not in that part of the country at all, and the other of whom to say the least, took but a very slight and short part in the same. "On the other hand. Lieut. Col. Sears, whose conduct upon 6 The Battle of Milliken's Bend. that occasion was most gallant and meritorious, received no mention in that report at all. "As commander of the right wing of his regiment, he not only held his i)i>sition until long after all the other troops had left tlieirs and taken a position immediately under the river bank and protection of the gun boats, but until his ammunition was exhausted and a detail which he sent for more, returned unsuccessful. "During ihib time, this officer repeatedly ran out where he was openly exposed to the entire fire of the enemy, and rallied the fleeing troops to the position assigned him. This I regarded as the more creditable to him from the fact that he was the only fiekl officer wdio was seen to make an effort of that kind. I would further state that after conducting his command under cover of the river bank and the gun-boats, he was, during all the balance of the battle, in command of the entire forces there ; all of his superior officers having taken refuge upon the boats or elsewhere and left the troops to the fates. "In my opinion, in the latter position, he did everything that could be done to avert the calamity of the destruction of our entire forces there engaged which was successfully achieved, though almost miraculously so, it seems to me. "I would further add, that Lieut. Col. Cyrus Sears is, in my opinion, undoubtedly entitled to the chief credit of organiz- ing his regiment, and of bringing it to whatever high state of discipline it may have attained. T am Sir, Most respectfully. \'<)ur ( )lK'(lienl hunil)le servant. '^^'^''K-d) J.\MES P. Hall, Capt. fotli U. S. Colored Infantry, Comd'g Co. "F". (I. ate Co. "!•■■■ nth La. XoL. of .\. j). i" "I ccrtity tiiai the t«>rc<.;t)ing iwu pages are a correct copy of the «)rigiiial letter in Capt. Hall's own hand writing which 1 recojiliize and id(iilif\. The Battle of Milliken's Bend. 7 '"I further certify that the facts herein above stated are in accordance with the uniformly expressed opinion of the officers and men of this Command during the time that I was an officer of it. "I became identified with the Regiment officially Nov. 5th, 1863, and personally, early in January, 1864, and served with it imtil the date of its muster out late in March, 1866. When I first joined the Regiment, many of the Officers who participated in the Battle of Alilliken's Bend, June Jth, 1863, were still serving with the Regiment and their separate statements to me. of this event, are in full corroboration with and substantially the same as the written statement of Capt. James P. Hall. Ch.\rles R. E. Koch, Laic Capt. 40tli C. S. C. 1." Col. Chas. R. E. Koch is now the Honorable Commander of the Illinois Commandery of the Loyal Legion of the L^nited States: also Secretary of the Illinois \'icksburg Military Park Commission. Also — and I beg you to excuse any cheek implied in my mentioning of it — I have here a Medal of Honor awarded me by Congress "for distinguished bravery in the ])attle cjf luka, Miss., Sept. 19th, 1862" — the onlv such medal that has been awarded for service in that battle. Hoping }-ou may regard these as sufficient credential, I venture upon my theme : Officers were appointed and orders given them to organize "Contraband" negro regiments at Milliken's Bend, La., May 22nd, 1863. The Battle of Alilliken's Bend was fought sixteen days later. All veterans, at least, must know how inadequate were sixteen days to recruit, muster, organize, arm, equip, drill — in short to make soldiers of any material, UTider any circumstances. While in the light of accomplished facts, all informed per- sons, now admit that the material was good, to the same, it must go with the merest suggestion, that the circumstances were worst conceivable. Nothing in the past experience of those men tended in the least to generate or foster any latent soldierly qualities, 8 '//;.• Battle of Millik-cit's Bend. «)r to inspire pairiutisiii. At that time — to say it very con- servatively — not one in fifty but ])ropliecied the experiment woultl prove a failure ; and most projiliets had so much pride in their prophecy in these days that they really hoped it might prove true. Hence in the Ouartermaster's — and all other departments, — ii was currently thouj^hi that the \V(jrst was "good enough" for the "damn niggers." and. that, it was i|uite smart to give them <>nlv the w, liecause I flo not agree with him in all details. , Leaving iMX-Iiminarie^ and selecting i)aragra])h to mv ])ur- pose. he says : "This report i>, in the ntaiii, a resume of regimental re- ]>orts, I myself having, during the early part of the action, re- ceived a not Very severe but painful gunshot wound in the thigh which incapacitated me for action. The command then devolved upon Col. Chamberlain of the nth La." (my regiment) "wIk^ was nowhere to be seen on the field. Lieut. Col. Pavne of the y pickets and sent a squad of moimted infantrv of m\ ngiment to act as vedettes. "I immediatel\- issued orflcTs to tlir dilTerent regiments of .\frican de.seeiu in my comiuand t.i be in line of battle behind the intrt'nched works at 3 .\. M.. K-.iving \W j^rd Iowa, wlio were without teiUs or other shelter, on board the trans])()rts until 3:53 A. M. when 1 ordered them to move in double quick time within the breast \\rogress, who soon disappeared behind the 10 The Battle of Millikcn's Bend. levee, but keeping up a constant fire upon our men and apparently extending their line toward our extreme right though keeping up the heaviest fire on our left. They however attempted to cross the levee on our extreme right but were held in check by two comi)anies of the nth La. which I had posted behind cotton bales and a i)art of the old levee." (I say by the whole nth) "In this position the fight continued until near noon, when the enemy suddenly withdrew. Our men seeing this move- ment on the left rushed after them and poured volley after volley into them while they remained within gun-shot range." (I had a splendiil view of the situation and opportunity to hear and see, but did not see this rushing nor hear these volleys. ) "My entire force (»f oflRcers and men are deserving of special notice as such hand to hand conflicts, such daring feats against vastly superior forces of Texas troops, has never in tlie annals of this war, been equaled. The endurance of the men after l)eing wounded, their persistence in doggedly fighting after hav- ing been driven from their breastworks, and their eagerness to resume the conflict, can never be surpassed." (To be candid, I don't remember that "eagerness," but that we were glad to l)e the authors of the pattern followed by Meade a short time afterward at Gettysburg : by letting the enemy go in peace, kissing them goodbye, hoping they would never call again and thanking God it was no worse.) Lieb continues : "The enemy hail in action one brigade of infantry and ab<-)ut 200 cavalry, commanded by Brig. Gen. McCullough, or nearly treble our number, with two brigades in reserve. His loss is over 100 killed and a large number wounded. They succeeded in getting the majority of their wounded oiT the fiel.l. Among the killed is Col. .Mien of the i6th Texas." From these extracts it would seem that the Battle of Milli- kcn's Bend was quite "a hot little scrap." .Authorities have settled that, other things equal, the per cent, of casualties re- ceived in battle is the best test of the severity and gallantrv of the fightinp:. Let Millikcn's Bend be judged accordingly. By I.ieb's report his regimeiu wint in o action 28s strong, The Battle of Milliken's Bend. 11 and had three officers and sixty men killed, and ten officers and ninety men wounded. The ist Miss, went into action 153 strong and had two men killed and twenty-one wounded. The nth La. — my regiment — had two officers and twenty-one men killed and 112 wounded out of 395. Let us analyze and compare a little : As anyone can figure from this, Lieb's regiment had over twenty-two per cent, killed, and over thirty-five per cent, wounded ; the first Miss, one-third per cent, killed and about fourteen per cent, wounded, while my regiment — on the extreme right — had about six per cent, killed and twenty-eight per cent, wounded, or thirty-four per cent' killed and wounded. Lieb's report says nothing of the killed and wounded in the 13th La., which he says went into the fight 108 strong ; says nothing of its killed and wounded for the very good reason that he was mistaken about any such regiment being there. Only the other regiments he mentions were "in it." And he says nothing of the killed and wounded of the 105 strong 23rd Iowa. All he says about them after stating his disposition of them, is this : "The 23rd Iowa Infantry left the field soon after the enemy had gained possession of the levee, headed by their Colonel and were seen no more." I think it may be taken for granted he wrote this of the 23rd Iowa from his own knowledge; and, therefore, that it took place early in the engagement — before he was disabled. Hence, on the Union side, the battle was practically fought by the 9th La., the nth La., and the ist Miss. — all very raw partially organized contraband regiments — assisted by the Lex- ington and Chocktaw grm-boats. Of these "contrabands," including their officers, according to Lieb, there was an aggregate of 833, of whom thirty-nine per cent, were killed or wounded, which, while not up to the record, is a very high per cent., — over two per cent, above the loss of the famous 600 at Balaklava. But let us go back to Lieb's Ninth La., and see if it did not make a record there it has never had credit for : Fox's Regimental Losses, p. 30, credits the 1st ]\Iinn. at Gettysburg with the high-water-mark loss in killed and mortally iL' / //(• i-iiitti,- o[ Millihcii's Bold. woumlcd. in a single battle, of 2i^ jxt c^ent. ; where, out of a total of 262 in action, 94 were killed, or mortally tvonndcd, — don't t)verlook the "niortally wounded.'" As I have sh(»\\n. ai Milliken's Bend, the 9th La., out of 285, hail (V) killed — on the spot — while Fox, p. 521, gives 128 as its killed and mortally wounded, whicli figures nearly 45 per cent. — and makes i>t Miimesota's 28 per cent, look considerably like "thirty cents." I'roperly you may (juery. wh\ did not Fox give honor where honor was and is due? Probably the reason is. Lieb's report contains the only record number of the 9th La. engaged in the action ; and it ap- pears to have never reached the War Department which dis- claims having any record as to its number in action. So Fox, whose book is founded on the official records of the war de- partment, found nothing to figure that per cent. from. To be candid, — and with due deference. I am of the opinion that there are some mistakes in Lieb's report; — I know the 13th i,a. wa> not there — I believe he has the casualties too high — though, by no means high enough to rightfully deprive the 9th La. oi the honor of having sustained the highest per cent, loss in killed and mortally "n.-oundcd in a single engagement of the Civil War.* About that time mucii chaos prevailed at Milliken's Bend. The newly made officers of these troo])s were kept at the verge of "brainstorm" by the studied delays, slights, sneers, snubs, and naggings of the Smart .\lecks of the departments; the camp was full of negroes of all ages and sexes in the crudest con- dition of ignorance, poverty, and great expectation ; some mustereee him draw his sword on dress i)arade." During the battle, in citizen's clothes, he spent the time on one of those gunboats. I filed charges against him and in due time he was out of the service — for its good. I have nothing harsh to sa\ of liiin — or any coward — more than for any cripple because he limps and suffers. They can't help it. and are ecpially to be pitied. Major Cotton, le of years ago, follows suit of Dennis ; and C. A. Dana, Assistant Secretary of War, who was not near, reporting to Secretary Stanton, goes them several bet- ter, saying this regiment there had twenty-six killed and sixty wotmded ! Fox and McElroy say the same, while the War De- partment records say twenty-four killed and thirty-two wounded. Some contend that a writer of Civil War history is bound to follow War Department records, no matter how inaccurate he may know or believe them to be. Believing this 20th century is so enlightened and tolerant as to want the truth, or whatever evidence there may be of the truth, no matter what it may con- tradict, I venture some suggestions and evidence to show that the War Department's count as above, and all commendation of the conduct of the 23rd Iowa at MiUiken's Bend is unwarranted. This I believe I am under obligation to do, not only in the interests of true history, but far more to give the honor they are entitled to, to the raw colored troops that fought there. Surely it will go without argument that, if these troops made a heroic fight alone, and notwithstanding they were early deserted by the veterans they looked to for example, they were entitled to a much higher degree of credit than if those veterans had done their duty. Shall all light on this question be forever hid under a bushel because it may contradict an old record, or dim the glory of some not entitled to it, to ^ the detriment of those who are ? Such is not my understanding of the 20th century "square deal." Let the truth have a chance to prevail though the heavens fall. Therefore, be it remembered: Col. Lieb, a brave and honorable officer, commander of all the Union troops in the battle, wlho had best opportunity to know, and strongest incentive to correctly report the truth, in his official report says there 18 77; i' Battle of Millikcn's Bnul. were but 105 of that 23rd in the battle. If the W ar Dei^artnient record — twenty-four killed — is true, there were within a trifle of twenty-three per cent, killed o)t the field. Fox, I believe, is considered a high authority on Civil War statistics. According to Fox's list, p. 28, there were but seven regiments that had as many as twenty-three per cent, killed and mortally ivounded in a single battle of that war; — the ist Minn, standing at the head with twenty-eight per cent. — (don't forget the "and mortally wounded''). Statistics show that the average of mortally wounded is sixty-four per cent, as many as killed on the field. Add sixty- four per cent, of twenty-four and there were thirty- nine per cent, killed and mortally wounded in that 23rd, beat- ing the record by nearly forty per cent. Does any sane man believe it ? And nobody ever heard of it ! And though in that list Fox includes regiments with losses as low as ten per cent., this 23rd is not included ! Is it suggested that in this instance sixty- four per cent, is too high on mortally wounded? Cut it in two — and C()nsideral)ly more — and still that 23r(l beat the record ! What furlluT? Willi his opi)ortuiiity aiirl incentive as above. Col. Lieb says of that regiment's conduct in the battle: "The 23rd Iowa Infantry left the field as soon after the enemy had gained possession of the levee, headed by their Colonel and were seen no more !" I submit that on this point his report warrants no in- ference but that he was an eye witness. Moreover, while with great detail he mentions the killed and wounded of other regi- ments, he mentions none for that 23rd, that, according to the War Department records and Fox beat all records. Speaking of the .same — Capt. Miller, otli La., savs : "The 23r(l Iowa joined my company on the right and I declare truth- fully that, they had all fled before our regiment fell back." As 9th La. was Col. Lic-b's regiment, observe how Capt. Miller corroborates. .And 1 know that, like Held ortKHrs and Col. ('haniberlain according to Col. Liib. (hning tlu- l.i^t half of the battle or more. the 23rfl Iowa "was nowhere to be seen on the field." Moreover, from directly after the battle to the end of my The Battle of Milliken's Bend. 19 service nearly three years later, I had a good opportunity to and talked to many — -including Capt. Miller and Col. Lieb — concerning the conduct of the 23rd Iowa, and their uniform testimony confirmed and reinforced the natural inference war- ranted by the above quotations. There is a more reasonable way of accounting for an error in that record than impeaching the sanity or veracity of both Col. Lieb, Capt. Miller and others ; Gen. Dennis was at Young's Point the day of the battle ; that 23rd went directly from the battle ground to Young's Point and there doubtless reported to him. If their conduct was as reported by Col. Lieb and Capt. Miller, it is not at all likely they so reported it to Gen. Dennis. I think it is notorious that demoralization so affects troops, as to incapacitate them for telling the facts about a battle in which tlicv were demoralized. Moreover, Col. Lieb's report was the only legitimate report of the battle. He was in command on the 8th of June when it was made, so no one else had a right to make it. I understand and believe that regiment did much splendid service before and perhaps after Milliken's Bend. So, if their conduct there was as Col. Lieb intimates, I have an excuse for them, namely : men are like horses, in that no one can tell what they will do when confronted by strange conditions. This regiment probably entertained the then almost uni- versal belief tha-t negroes would not fight and reasoned accord- ing to the then current fashion : "them damn niggers won't fight." W^e and they are only a handful compared with the veteran and merciless enemy hot after us under the "skull and cross bones flag." If we stay we are sure to be murdered with no good to the Union or anything. \\'e are good material that has done the state much service — and will do it again if saved. — Let's not throw it away, but be patriots and save it !" I have tried to give that 23rd an impartial square deal including all evidence in its favor — though only hearsay — and hope the jury will render a verdict — as to them and the colored troops at Milliken's Bend — accordingly. I understand that under other circumstances, even Col. Chamberlain had shown commendable grit and prowess. When 20 Thr Battle of Millilci'ii's l^ciui. sifted then, this liatllc seems to liave been ftjiighl on the L'nion side by about 835 very raw negro "contraband" troops, against about 2000 (McCulloch athnits 1500 on the field and the lowest of our official guess that I have discovered say 2500 ). These few raw troops won a considerable victory. Even modest, reticent, and very conservative Gen. Grant said of their work : "In thi> battle, most of the troops engaged were Africans, who had but little experience in the use of arms. Their conduct is said, however, to have been most gallant, and I doubt not but with good officers they will make good troops." p. 446 (same). , Here — considerably to reinforce the lesson already given on the fallibility of and curious in "official reports." let us in- quire how many rebels were killed and wounded in this battle. -McCulloch says only 44 killed and 131 wounded — hardly enough out of even the 1500 which he admits, to justify his very pathetic wail I have quoted from his report. Dennis says, "The enemy's loss is estimated at about 150 killed and 300 wounded. It is impossible to get anything near the loss of the enemy, as they carried the killed and wounded off in ambulances." p. 448. That means all "carried off?" C. A. Dana (then Asst. Secy, of A\ar) says (p. 96. Vol. 24. part 2, same) : "Of the rebels we buried 130." From so high an authority this positive statement ought to "stand pat;" but it don't. .\dmiral Porter, who was on the ground in the afternoon of the day of the battle, says, (p. 454, same), "The moment I heard (»f it. (this battle), I went up in the Black Hawk and saw quite an ugly sight. The dead negroes lined the ditch inside of the parapet or levee and were mostly shot in the top of the head. In front of them, close to the levee, lay an equal number of rebels, stinking in the sun." On p. 453 he says they lost 98 killed, according to their own count, and a proportioned number wounded. Gen. Ilalleck says loi kille-_> The Battle of Millikoi's Bend. I'liiDii Army of 660.000 men. Forty thousand more than twice as many as were in the comljined armies of Aleade and Lee at Gettysburg! Moreover, each and all. old and young, male and female, of the millions of negroes that remained at home, were ever loyal, and ever willing and anxious to aid our cause in every way they were able to the extent of their power; thus, I believe, they rendered our cause as great a service, as their vast army in the field. r.nt for I heir great aid. I believe ours would have been tlie "lost cause."' And I believe whosoever is fully aware how near, how z'ery near, in the "dark days of '64" with their great aid, our cause came to being "the lost cause," must agree with me. While the negroes were rendering this patriotic service, what were their chief persecutors and their ancestors doing? Ninety- nine-one hundredths of them were rebels in the South, or copper- heads in the North ! Never a rebel or copperhead negro ! Let so high an authorit\ as the late Gen. Rutler suggest our debt and (hu\ in lliis behalf. After describing the heroic and bloody charge — as heroic and bloody, in proportion to number engaged, as the annals of war disclose — by Birney's division of over 3000 colored troops at Newmarket Heights. — he describes their line of charge, thus : "As I rode across the brook and up towards the fort along the line of charge, some eighty feet wide and three or four hundred yards long, there lay in my path five hundred and forty-three dead and wounded of my colored comrades. .\s I . guided my horse this way and that way. that his hoofs might not ])rofane their dead bodies. 1 swore to myself an oath, which ! hope and believe I have kept sacredly, that they and their race should be cared for and jirotected by me to the extent of my power as long as I live." (Butler's Book. p. 733). 1 submit that every .American patriot should swear, register, and >acredly keej) that oalli. Hut whai are we doing; or standing idly and comjjlacently by and permitting, in that behalf? L.eware of the self-executing law of retribution, under which, in the l«»ng run ;it least, the wroiig-doer is alwavs worst victim. I'-very intelligent person knows 'that, as to our ten mil li And remember, practically all justification of these thous- ands of murders, and their fiendish incidents has been in un- sworn, ex-parte testimony, of interested, self-convicted mur- derers; with no cross examination. According- to so high an authority as very distinguished Hon. Andrew D. White, within 132 years of our much boasted experiment of a government of, by and for the people, we arc having several times as large a proportion of unpunished mur- ders as any of the leading nations of Europe. According to an editorial in last ^IcClure. our leading cities are enjoying six to eight times as many murders in proportion to population, as the leading cities of Europe. I have said that during the last twenty-five years our known lynchings have averaged over one hundred per annum. The same Hon. White, reports that investigation shows our total murder rate is no less than 9000 per annvmi of late — over one-third more than were killed on both sides in the battle of Gettysburg ! While in Italy over sixty per cent, of murder trials result in conviction, in the United States less than two per cent, so result. There is good authority that there has not been a lynching in the English kingdom or any of her colonies within three-quar- ters of a century. The short of it seems to be, the people of the United States, are the most lawless people of any on earth pretending to be civilized, let alone Christianized. Yes, here in this land of customary Fourth-of- July-spread eagle eulogy of our government, life, the all-containing heritage, ir. scarcely as safe as among barbarians. W^hat a terrible after- math of our injustice, indifference and complaisance is this saturnalia of crime. That "nameless crime," is horrible, horrible, most horrible, and no one, according to capacity, can go further in its con- demnation than L Yet, those who are charged with it, whether v/hite or black — as with all other crimes — should be lawfully tried, and punished — ■ if found guilty. And, is it not fair in this connection, to ask those sO' supervirtuous — with their lips — where did those several mil- 20 The Battle of Milliken's Bend. litms of iiiulattoes come from; and suggest, that, first, their authors "pkick the beams out of their own eyes." etc. Is their indjo^nation real, and from real ])rincii)le. or mily of a "stop thief character." hut skin deep — thin skin at that ? I am convinced that the negroes' loudly and much heralded proneness to commit that crime is grossly exaggerated; and, be- cause it has been found the handiest and most successful way of excusing and justifying abuse, and inflaming prejudice. Prejudice — the unreasoning evil-eyed monster from which most and worst human ills and crimes are hatched ; that sets caj)ital on labor, labor on capital ; white on black or yellow, and black or 3'ellow on white ; party on party ; nation on nation ; religion on religion; — in short, anybody on everybody they imagine in their way; prejudice — that poisonous upas in whose malignant shade reason abdicates, justice and charity are paralyzed and anarchy and barbarism are enthroned. But "'tis true, 'tis pity, pity "lis, 'tis true" that, in this "land of Bibles," this so-called "Christian Country," we, the peo- ple, have descended to so low a level in morals and law-enforce- ment that, in any town or city. — as in anarchized Springfield — third, the other day — any self confessed liar, by a word and finger pointing at an innocent negro, with practical immunity, may start a murderous incendiary — looting riot in which the property, person and life of everyone, regardless of age, sex, or color, is at stake. How much better — how infinitely much better for the whites, as well as the blacks — if by common-sense-treatment the ten millions of negroes now here and the more rapidly coming, shall be made the best of, instead of the worst — goes with the merest suggestion. Without their fault they are here — to stay. I have had considerable experience with negroes, both as soldier ^ and citizens, and have found them peculiarly responsive /";; kind, to good or bad treatment. Inferior race as they may be, and dtaibtless are — and con- Mtlering their opportunities should be expected to be — under very discouraging circumstances they have shown considerable capacity to climb; such as amply justifies boosting ihem for their own sake and ours. Only forty-five years ago, not one The Battle of Millikens Bend. 27 per cent, of the "contraband" portion of them could write their names, count their fingers, spell a b, or owned a dollar. Now less than fifty per cent, of them are illiterate and they arc pay- ing taxes on over five hundred million dollars of property, — probably not half their real savings. I challenge the world's history for a parallel in progress. It is evident to all who can see that their sphere of usefulness and growth is not confined to hewing wood and drawing water. Even now in respectable numbers they are efificiently pursuing nearly every profession and trade. And it is self-evident to all who can see that insofar as any man, white or black, lacks that highest intelligence, in- tegrity, industry and efficiency, he is or tends to be a clog, a burden, a menace to society. Therefore in pleading for the negro I plead even more for the whites. Think of it: to-day, there is considerably less illiteracy among our negro citizens than in several European "white-man's governments," where the white men have had many centuries of white man's chance to work out their salvation. At worst then, there is some good stuff in the negro, worth encouraging. Listen to this from the famous speech of a famous Southerner, Henry W. Grady, in 1886 said: "The relations of the Southern people with the negro are close and cordial. We remember with what fidelity for four years he guarded our defenseless women and children, whose husbands and fathers were fighting against his freedom. To- his eternal credit be it said that whenever he struck a blow for his own liberty, he fought in open battle ; and when at last he raised his black and humble hands, that the shackles might be struck oft", those hands were innocent of wrong against his helpless charges, and worthy to be taken in loving grasp by every man who honors loyalty and devotion. Ruffians have maltreated him, rascals have misled him !" To-day the most prominent monument in the capitol of Georgia is a monument to this same Grady — chiefly famous for the speech from which I have quoted. Beyond a reasonable doubt, whatever demoralization the negroes have since suffered, i? largely the natural result of the maltreatment of the same kind of ruffians and rascals ; and, for which, all so-called "better- 28 The Battle of Millikcirs Bend. class" who have stood hy aiul tolerated it without protest, are equally — or more — responsible. Behold the fruit of good seed sown upon bad soil : One day, ten good, peaceable, law-abid- ing citizens were murdered in cold blood, in that same city in the shadow of Grady's monument, for no other reason than that their skins were black ; and, though a score of their murderers have been notoriously well known for over two years, not one of them has been punished or brought to trial, or is ever likely to be. — because their skins are white. The late bloody rioting at the home city of the "great Emancipator" furnishes a grewsome parallel. ShciDie. I'inally. to quote from Cleveland's eulogy of murdcrcl McKinley (our third president murdered within less than fifty years, a world's distressing record, at least for modern times). "If we are to escape further attack u])()ii our ])eace and securil\ , we must boldly and resolutely grapple with the monster of 'anarchy.' " We can't hold the negro down except nuich after the manner of .\rtemus Ward holding his antagonist down: Ward on his back in the mud. his nose between his antagonist's tteth on to])! Is it not then, high time, that every patriot should call a stern and emphatic halt on our suicidal career, drop all inter- fering business, enlist for during the war to save the Union from destruction by practical anarchy, now so rampant — this by giving and seeing that there is given, an impartial square deal to every citizen without reference to color of hair, eyes or skin, size of bank account, or religious professions ; but only on the theory that ".\ man's a man for all a' that :" and, that, (^iily a man is a man for all that ? r)nly when wc shall have risen to tlie high plane of en- lightened selfishness and moral grandeur implied in such ])lat- fcrm, will we be eligible to worthy membership in. — to (juote a dead soldier: "The great church that holds tlu' world within it^ st;irlii aisles, that claims the great and good of ever\- race and clime, that linds with joy the grains of good in every creed, that lloo(U The Battle of Milliken's Bend. 29 with light and love the germs of good in every soul," and ex- cuses, aids and pities, as condition's victims, all who err. Then, to call our country "The land of the free, the home of the brave, the asylum for the oppressed," will not be a mockery and a lie. Sept. 22nd, 1908. P. S. — The foregoing is my paper ; but, as it will show the negro has soldierly capacity in other lines than fighting, and as the sterling qualities of the late Major-General M. F. Force are well known to nearly every comrade of this commandery as, also, to the older citizens of this city and section, I beg to add this postscript : I was in command of the 49th Reg. U. S. Colored Infantry (at first nth La.) about thirty months of about thirty-four months of its service. I have here an indorsement from Gen. Force dated April, 1866 — after his long and very distinguished military service — in which he says : "While I was in command of the western district of Mississippi, I personally inspected the 49th U. S. C. I. and the excellence of its discipline and police reflected the highest credit upon Lieutenant Colonel Sears, then commanding. The regi- ment habitually kept its arms in Better condition — (he under- scored better) — than any other regiment I knew during the war." You have my word for it, that late Inspector General U. S. A., Gen. Macy, in '64, made a report corresponding with that •endorsement. OCT 2 » W*- Mi77 -J- 70 r' oV' ->^^* *'V. .' .0" 'o_ -'-•'' a'^ _ ^.^^'T'..* _,0^ .S^^^.. -V^ '>^. ,^^ .^^:;-/^ oV •^^0^ ;. ^ ^ /^ir^: '^^* ^^ ^^ .^^ V^ . ^L'A. '\> o ^0 v,^ .V'^. / ,v^^.^ -^^^11^; ^s ^^ ^p^ \r> 'o . J * ^^•n^ 4 O "^^ ^ ■^\^ w^.- ^\ ''^r>^ ^g^ JAN 7 9 N. MANCHESTER, INDIANA 46962