t
to Washington from this city, were returned that morning by
command of Colonel Burnside, who _supposed them to be slaves_.
The negroes were accompanied by a sergeant of the regiment, who
lodged them in jail."

On the 4th of July, 1861, Col. Tyler, of the 7th Ohio regiment,
delivered an address to the people of Virginia; a portion of which is
sufficient to show the feeling that prevailed among army officers on
the slavery question:

"To you, fellow-citizens of West Virginia--many of whom I have so
long and favorably known,--I come to aid and protect. [The
grammar is defective.]

"I have no selfish ambition to gratify, no personal motives to
actuate. I am here to protect you in person and property--to aid
you in the execution of the law, in the maintenance of peace and
order, in the defence of the Constitution and the Union, and in
the extermination of our common foe. As our enemies have belied
our mission, and represented us as a band of Abolitionists, I
desire to assure you that the relation of master and servant as
recognized in your State shall be respected. Your authority over
that species of property shall not in the least be interfered
with. To this end I assure you that those under my command have
peremptory orders to take up and hold any negroes found running
about the camp without passes from their masters."

When a few copies had been struck off, a lieutenant in Captain G. W.
Shurtleff's company handed him one. He waited upon the colonel, and
told him that it was not true that the troops had been ordered to
arrest fugitive slaves. The colonel threatened to place Captain
Shurtleff in arrest, when he exclaimed: "I'll never be a
slave-catcher, so help me God!" There were few men in the army at this
time who sympathized with such a noble declaration, and, therefore,
Captain Shurtleff found himself in a very small minority.

The following account of an attempt to secure a fugitive slave from
General Isaac R. Sherwood has its historical value. General Sherwood
was as noble a _man_ as he was a brave and intelligent soldier. He
obeyed the still small voice in his soul and won a victory for
humanity:

"In the February and March of 1863, I was a major in command of
111th O. V. I regiment. I had a servant, as indicated by army
regulations, in charge of my private horse. He was from
Frankfort, Ky.,