chool-master in
the Army":

"Of the many interesting experiences that attended our
colored soldiery during the late war none are more worthy of
being recounted than those relating to the rather improvised
schools, in which were taught the rudimentary branches. One
would naturally think that the tented field, so often
suddenly changed to the bloody field of battle, was the last
place in the world where would be called into requisition
the schoolteacher's services; in fact it would hardly be
supposed that such a thing was possible. Yet in our colored
American army this became not only possible but really
practicable, for in it frequently, in an off-hand manner,
schools were established and maintained, not only for
teaching the soldiers to read and write but also to sing,
nor were debating societies, even, things unheard of in the
camp life of these men. Besides in quite a number of the
colored regiments military bands were formed, and under the
instruction of sometimes a band teacher from the north, and
at others under one of their own proficient fellow-soldiers,
these bands learned to discourse most entertaining music in
camp, and often by their inspiriting strains did much to
relieve the fatigue occasioned by long and tiresome marches.
But we are speaking now mainly of the work of the
school-teacher proper. And what shall we say of the halls of
learning in which were gathered his eager pupils? Well,
certainly these would not compare favorably with those of
civil life, as may well be imagined. As says Bryant, truly
and beautifully, speaking of primitive religious worship:

'The groves were God's first temples.'

So, too, in the groves and fields of their new land of
liberty, these men found their first temples of learning,
and in spite of all inconveniences these school tents were
rendered quite serviceable. Of the text books used there is
not much to say, for these were generally 'few and far
between.' Books were used at times, of course, but quite as
often the instruction given was entirely oral. That these
spare facilities did not render the teacher's efforts
ineffective was abundantly proven in the service, and has
been proven since in civil life. Scattered here and there
over this broad country to-day are many vet