"4. The whites are decidedly superior in enthusiasm. The
blacks cannot be easily hurried in their work, no matter
what the emergency.

"5. All agree that the colored troops recruited from free
States are superior to those recruited from slave States.

"It may with propriety be repeated here, that the average
percentage of sick among the negro troops during the siege
was 13.9, while that of the white infantry was 20.1 per
cent.

"The percentage of tours of duty performed by the blacks as
compared with the white infantry, was as 56 to 41. But the
grand guard duty, which was considered much more wearing
than fatigue, was all done by the whites.

"The efficiency and health of a battalion depends so much
upon its officers, that, in order to institute a fair
comparison, when so small a number of troops are considered,
this element should be eliminated. This has not, however,
been attempted in this paper."

[_Reply in Full No. 1._]

"MORRIS ISLAND, S. C., Sept. 11th, 1863.

"MAJOR:--In answer to your several queries as per circular
of September 10, 1863, requesting my opinion as to the
relative merits of white and black troops, for work in the
trenches, I have the honor to make the the following
replies:

"I. 'Their courage as indicated by their behavior under
fire.' I will say, in my opinion, their courage is rather of
the passive than the active kind. They will stay, endure,
resist, and follow, but they have not the restless,
aggressive spirit. I do not believe they will desert their
officers in trying moments, in so great numbers as the
whites; they have not the will, audacity or fertility of
excuse of the straggling white, and at the same time they
have not the heroic, nervous energy, or vivid perception of
the white, who stands firm or presses forward.

"I do not remember a single instance, in my labors in the
trenches, where the black man has skulked away from his
duty, and I know that instances of that kind have occurred
among the whites; still I think that the superior energy and
intelligence of those remaining, considering that the whites
were the lesser number by the greater desertion, would more
than compensate.

"II. 'Skill and appreciation of their duties referr