ns, and a
flannel cap, or high crown black felt hat or _chapeau_ with a black
feather looped upon the right side and fastened with a brass eagle. For
the infantry and for the cavalry two swords crossed; for the artillery
two cannons on the front of the _chapeau_ crossed, with the letters of
the company, and number of the regiment to which the soldier belonged.
On the caps these insignias were worn on the top of the crown. The
uniform of the Phalanx put the threadbare clothes of the white veterans
in sad contrast, and was the cause of many a black soldier being badly
treated by his white comrades.[18]

At the outbreak of the Rebellion, the pay of soldiers (volunteers) was
the same as soldiers of the regular army, by law, $13 per month. The
soldiers of the Phalanx enlisted under the same law and regulations as
did the white volunteers, as to pay and term of service, but the
Secretary of War, after a few regiments were in the field, decided, and
so ordered, that negro troops should be paid ten dollars per month. The
instructions given to General Saxton on the 25th day of August, 1862,
had stated that the pay would be the same as that of the other troops:

"In view of the small force under your command, and the
inability of the Government at the present time to increase
it, in order to guard the plantations and settlements
occupied by the United States, from invasion, and to protect
the inhabitants thereof from captivity and murder by the
enemy, you are also authorized to arm, uniform, equip, and
receive into the service of the United States, such number
of volunteers of African descent as you may deem expedient,
not exceeding five thousand, and may detail officers to
instruct them in military drill, discipline and duty, and to
command them. _The persons so received into service, and
their officers, to be entitled to, and receive, the same pay
and rations as are allowed, by law, to volunteers in the
service._"

As to the white officers they were paid in full, but the privates and
non-commissioned officers were allowed but $10 per month, three of which
were deducted on account of clothing. In several instances the paymaster
not having received special instructions to that effect, disregarded the
general orders, and paid the negro soldiers in full, like other
volunteers; but the order was generally recognized, though many of the
regiments refused to rec