by their respective companies: Company
A, $515; Company B, $594; Company C, $514; Company D, $464;
Company E, $199; Company F, $409; Company G, $284; Company
H, $202; Company I, $423; Company K, $231; Company L, $142;
Company M, $354. Total, $4,242."

"HEADQUARTERS 70TH U. S. COLORED INFANTRY,

"RODNEY, MISS., May 30th, 1865.

"Brevet Major-General J. W. Davidson, commanding
District of Natchez, Miss.:

"GENERAL: I have the honor to enclose the sum of two
thousand nine hundred and forty-nine dollars and fifty cents
as the amount collected, under your suggestion, for the
purpose of erecting a monument to the memory of President
Lincoln. Every dollar of this money has been subscribed by
the black enlisted men of my regiment, which has only an
aggregate of six hundred and eighty-three men. Much more
might have been raised, but I cautioned the officers to
check the noble generosity of my men rather than stimulate
it. Allow me to add that the soldiers expect that the
monument is to be built by black people's money exclusively.
They feel deeply that the debt of gratitude they owe is
large, and any thing they can do to keep his 'memory green'
will be done cheerfully and promptly.

"If there is a monument built proportionate to the
veneration with which the black people hold his memory, then
its summit will be among the clouds--the first to catch the
gleam and herald the approach of coming day, even as
President Lincoln himself first proclaimed the first gleam
as well as glorious light of universal freedom.

"I am, general, most respectfully, your obedient servant,

"W. C. EARLES,

"_Colonel 70th United States Colored Infantry._"

"DISTRICT OF NATCHEZ, May 21st, 1865.

"_Hon. James E. Yeatman_:

"Upon seeing your suggestions in the _Democrat_ I wrote to
my colonels of colored troops, and they are responding most
nobly to the call. Farrar's regiment, 6th United States
Heavy Artillery, sent some $4,700. The money here spoken of
has been turned over to Major W. C. Lupton, Pay-master U. S.
A., for you. Please acknowledge receipt through the Missouri
_Democrat_. The idea is, that the monument shall be raised
to Mr. Lincoln's memory at the nat