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Staunton Vindicator: April 22, 1864 Go To Page : 1 | 2 |

Negro Soldiers in the North--A Novel Picture of What the Negroes Have Gained by Freedom
(Column 6)

Summary: Discusses how equal pay for African-American troops actually results in their receiving higher pay than white soldiers because the pay is based on the size of family in need of support, and African-American families are larger than white families.

Origin of Article: Albany Argus

Editorial Comment: "The Yankees are going on in their mad passion for the elevation of the negro. They are not content at putting them on an equality with their whites, but they want to make even more of them. The Albany Argus is even forced to make the following confession:"

Full Text of Article:

Negro Soldiers in the North--A Novel Picture of What the Negroes Have Gained by Freedom.

The Yankees are going on in their mad passion for the elevation of the negro. They are not content at putting them on an equality with their whites, but they want to make even more of them. The Albany Argus is even forced to make the following confession:

In awarding apparent equality of pay between white and black troops, the administration, however, goes beyond, in fact, and gives to the negro soldiers a much greater rate of compensation. It assumes the support of his family, and for every negro soldier enlisted, it finds from five to eight women or children, or invalid or decrepid [sic] men, thrown absolutely upon it for daily food. The negro troops, therefore, will under this system of equality, be the highest paid troops in the world.

Wendell Phillips spoke of them as our nobles to whom the land of the South were to be awarded, as William the conquerer [sic] divided England among his Norman chiefs. They are already upon the pension list to an extent that few realize, and which the heads of department, refuse to reveal. But even this vast expenditure gives no relief to this fated class. They suffer and perish in their new condition.

We have published some evidence from abolition sources upon this point. A letter from Chaplain Fisk, dated the 14th instant, to the Springfield, (Mass) Republican, presents some facts which are new. He says:

There are, between Memphis and Natchez, not less than fifty thousand blacks, from among whom have been called all the able bodied men for the military service. Thirty five thousand of these, viz: these in camps between Helena and Natchez, are furnished the shelter of old tents and subsistence of cheap ration by the Government, but are in all other things in extreme destitution. Their clothing, in perhaps the case of a fourth of this number, is but one single worn and scanty garment. Many children are wrapped night and day in tattered blankets as their sole apparel. But few of all these people have had any change of raiment since, in midsummer or earlier, they came from the abandoned plantations of their masters.

Multitudes of them have no beds or bedding--the clayey earth the resting place of women and babes through these stormy winter months. They live of necessity in extreme filthiness, and are afflicted with all fatal diseases. Medical attendance and supplies are very inadequate. They cannot, during the winter, be disposed to labour and self support, and compensated labour cannot be procured for them in the camps. They cannot, in their present condition, survive the winter. It is my conviction that, unrelieved, the half of them will perish before the Spring. Last winter, during months of February, March and April, I buried, at Memphis alone, out of an average of about four thousand, twelve hundred of these people, or twelve a day. One day we buried thirty five. Those who have been gathered into camp this summer are quite as destitute as those who were on our hands last winter.

Baggage of the 5th Va. Regiment
(Column 1)

Summary: Extra baggage of the 5th Virginia Regiment has arrived in Staunton and may be picked up at Mr. J. M. Hardy's shop.
(Names in announcement: Mr. J. M. Hardy)

To The Reserves
(Column 2)

Summary: The editor alerts the readers to the orders, published in another column, of Brig. General J. D. Imboden calling for the organization of Reserve troops. The editor notes that applications for details or exemptions should go to Imboden's headquarters instead of to the Conscript Bureau in Richmond, a procedure particularly appealing to the people of Augusta County since Imboden is so familiar with the needs of the area. In the same regard, those with flimsy excuses will likely not receive exemptions because Imboden will know the situations of true need.
(Names in announcement: Brig. General J. D. Imboden)

Full Text of Article:

To the Reserves.

We call attention to the orders, published in another column, of Brig. Gen. J.D. Imboden in reference to the organization of the Reserves.

By section III it will be seen that all applications for details or exemptions by persons within the ages of 17 and 18 and 45 and 50 will be forwarded to Gen. Imboden's Head Qr's. in stead of the Conscript Bureau for action. This we doubt not will be especially agreeable to our people since Gen. Imboden is so well acquainted with the needs of this section and will be better able to do even handed justice to all than the Bureau at Richmond.

Those who should be detailed need not fear the result, only those who are applying on some flimsy pretext in order to avoid service will bet he losers by this change.

[No Title]
(Column 2)

Summary: The editor announces the appointment of Lieutenant Colonel C. S. Peyton of Albemarle as enrolling officer for the congressional district and Lieutenant Joseph E. Mallory of Louisa as enrolling officer of Augusta County. The editor states that "no better appointments could have been made."

Married
(Column 4)

Summary: Virginia McCormick, daughter of Robert McCormick, Esq., and D. D. Enos Ott, all of Augusta County, married April 12, 1864, with Reverend Horatio Thompson officiating.
(Names in announcement: Reverend Horatio Thompson, D. D. Enos Ott, Miss Virginia McCormick, Robert McCormickEsquire)

Died
(Column 4)

Summary: Robert E. Crawford, 48, died April 3, 1864, of typhoid fever, at the residence of W. J. D. Bell near Staunton.
(Names in announcement: W. J. D. Bell, Robert E. Crawford)

A Card! To the Farmers of Southern Augusta
(Column 5)

Summary: P. W. Oscar Koerner, First Lieutenant and Engineer, announces that surveying parties will being in the area of south Augusta for the next two months. They are gathering information for a map and have been working throughout the Valley for some time. Koerner requests that farmers provide them with supplies, at market value, and assures them that he has not impressed any supplies.
(Names in announcement: 1st Lieutenant P. W. Oscar Koerner)