the forts of
Massachusetts and elsewhere, and such companies of infantry for the
volunteer military service as he may find convenient, and may include
persons of African descent, organized into separate corps."

The Governor of Massachusetts immediately delegated authority to John
W. M. Appleton to superintend the recruiting of the 54th
Massachusetts, the first regiment of free Colored men raised at the
North. The regiment was filled by the 13th of May, and ready to march
to the front. It had been arranged that the regiment should pass
through New York City on its way to the scene of the war in South
Carolina, but the Chief of Police of New York suggested that the
regiment would be subject to insult if it came. The regiment was sent
forth with the blessings of Massachusetts and the prayers of its
patriotic people. It went by water to South Carolina.

While Massachusetts was engaged in recruiting Negro soldiers, Gen.
Lorenzo Thomas, Adjutant-General of the United States Army, was
despatched from Washington to the Mississippi Valley, where he
inaugurated a system of recruiting service for Negroes. In a speech to
the officers and men in the organization of white troops, he said, on
the 8th of April, 1863, at Lake Providence, La.:

"You know full well--for you have been over this country--that
the Rebels have sent into the field all their available fighting
men--every man capable of bearing arms; and you know they have
kept at home all their slaves for the raising of subsistence for
their armies in the field. In this way they can bring to bear
against us all the strength of their so-called Confederate
States; while we at the North can only send a portion of our
fighting force, being compelled to leave behind another portion
to cultivate our fields and supply the wants of an immense army.
The Administration has determined to take from the Rebels this
source of supply--to take their negroes and compel them to send
back a portion of their whites to cultivate their deserted
plantations--and very poor persons they would be to fill the
place of the dark-hued laborer. They must do this, or their
armies will starve. * * *

"All of you will some day be on picket duty; and I charge you
all, if any of this unfortunate race come within your lines, that
you do not turn them away, but receive them kindly and
cordially. They are to be enco