n the army, nor approve a requisition for
any of the officers, without which it could not easily be obtained. In
this respect our surgeons fortunately agreed with me, and we never
had reason to regret it. I believe the use of ardent spirits to be
as useless and injurious in the army as on board ship, and among the
colored troops, especially, who had never been accustomed to it, I think
that it did only harm.

The point of greatest laxity in their moral habits--the want of a high
standard of chastity--was not one which affected their camp life to any
great extent, and it therefore came less under my observation. But I
found to my relief that, whatever their deficiency in this respect, it
was modified by the general quality of their temperament, and indicated
rather a softening and relaxation than a hardening and brutalizing of
their moral natures. Any insult or violence in this direction was a
thing unknown. I never heard of an instance. It was not uncommon for
men to have two or three wives in different plantations,--the second,
or remoter, partner being called a "'broad wife,"--i.e. wife abroad.
But the whole tendency was toward marriage, and this state of things was
only regarded as a bequest from "mas'r time."

I knew a great deal about their marriages, for they often consulted me,
and took my counsel as lovers are wont to do,--that is, when it pleased
their fancy. Sometimes they would consult their captains first, and then
come to me in despairing appeal. "Cap'n Scroby [Trowbridge] he acvise
me not for marry dis lady, 'cause she hab seben chil'en. What for use?
Cap'n Scroby can't lub for me. I mus' lub for myself, and I lub he." I
remember that on this occasion "he" stood by, a most unattractive woman,
jet black, with an old pink muslin dress, torn white cotton gloves, and
a very flowery bonnet, that must have descended through generations of
tawdry mistresses.

I felt myself compelled to reaffirm the decision of the inferior court.
The result was as usual. They were married the next day, and I believe
that she proved an excellent wife, though she had seven children, whose
father was also in the regiment. If she did not, I know many others
who did, and certainly I have never seen more faithful or more happy
marriages than among that people.

The question was often asked, whether the Southern slaves or the
Northern free blacks made the best soldiers. It was a compliment to both
classes that each officer usually p