February 8, 1863.
What do you think of the First Massachusetts Black Infantry?
I suppose there is no doubt but that the regiment will be raised; one of our
captains† has had the offer of the colonelcy, and he has
accepted it. As a military measure, I entirely believe in it, and I hope it
will be entirely successful. It is ridiculous for persons to try and laugh this
thing down; there is no
reason in the world why black troops raised in this country shouldn't be as
good as those used by the English and French. I always argue that any men who
have understanding enough to obey orders implicitly, where they are led by
brave officers, can make good soldiers. I think negroes could be more easily
disciplined than most white men. The understanding, of course, is that all the
commissioned officers shall be white. If I had anything to do with such a
regiment, I should not want to raise much of it in the North, but get enough
men there to form a skeleton, and then go South and fill up with contrabands.
You will probably hear before long who the Captain is, that
I have referred to; he doesn't want it mentioned at present.
No one pretends to have an idea about our next campaign here
in Virginia. I hope and trust that we shall all find ourselves with our right
on the James River by the middle of next month, and that the Ninth Corps led
off in that direction to-day, but these are only my hopes; I have nothing to
ground them on.
_______________
† Captain Robert G. Shaw.
SOURCE: Charles Fessenden Morse, Letters Written
During the Civil War, 1861-1865, p. 119-20
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