artment of the Union army. Wherever a Negro appeared with a shovel
in his hand, a white soldier took his gun and returned to the ranks.
There were 200,000 Negroes in the camps and employ of the Union
armies, as servants, teamsters, cooks, and laborers. What a mighty
host! Suppose the sentiment that early met the Negro on the picket
lines and turned him back to the enemy had continued, 50,000 white
soldiers would have been required in the Engineer's and
Quartermaster's Department; while 25,000 white men would have been
required for various other purposes, outside of the ranks of the army.

A narrow prejudice among some of the white troops, upon whose pedigree
it would not be pleasant to dwell, met the Negro teamster, with a blue
coat and buttons with eagles on them, with a growl. They disliked to
see the Negro wearing a Union uniform;--it looked too much like
equality.

But in his lowly station as a hewer of wood and a drawer of water, the
Negro proved himself industrious, trustworthy, efficient, and
cheerful. He earned promotion, and in due time secured it.

FOOTNOTES:

[88] Times, Sept. 4, 1862.

[89] Rebellion Recs., vol. vii. Doc. p. 479.

CHAPTER XVII.

THE EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATIONS.

CONGRESS PASSES AN ACT TO CONFISCATE PROPERTY USED FOR
INSURRECTIONARY PURPOSES.--A FRUITLESS APPEAL TO THE PRESIDENT TO
ISSUE AN EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION.--HE THINKS THE TIME NOT YET
COME FOR SUCH AN ACTION, BUT WITHIN A FEW WEEKS CHANGES HIS
OPINION AND ISSUES AN EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION.--THE REBELS SHOW
NO DISPOSITION TO ACCEPT THE MILD TERMS OF THE PROCLAMATION.--MR.
DAVIS GIVES ATTENTION TO THE PROCLAMATION IN HIS THIRD ANNUAL
MESSAGE.--SECOND EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION ISSUED BY PRESIDENT
LINCOLN JANUARY 1, 1863.--THE PROCLAMATION IMPARTS NEW HOPE TO
THE NEGRO.

The position taken by General Butler on the question of receiving into
the Federal lines the slaves of persons who were in rebellion against
the National Government, and who were liable to be used in service
against the government by their owners, had its due influence in
Washington. But all the general officers did not share in the views of
General Butler. As many as twenty Union generals still had it in their
minds that it was the duty of the army "to catch run-away slaves"; and
they afforded rebels every facility to search their camps. They
arrested fugitive Negroes and held them subject to the