eepest interest, as I saw that upon its settlement
hung great issues.

"On the one hand the opponents of the policy maintained that
to make soldiers of the negroes would be to put them on the
same level with white soldiers, and so be an insult to every
man who wore the blue. It was contended, too, that the negro
was not fit for a soldier because he belonged to a degraded,
inferior race, wanting in soldierly qualities; that his long
bondage had crushed out whatever of manliness he might
naturally possess; that he was too grossly ignorant to
perform, intelligently, the duties of the soldier; that his
provocation had been so great as a slave, that when once
armed, and conscious of his power as a soldier, he would
abuse it by acts of revenge and wanton cruelty.

"It was urged, on the other hand, that in its fearful
struggle for existence, the Republic needed the help of the
able-bodied negroes; that with their natural instincts of
self-preservation, desire for liberty, habit of obedience,
power of imitation, love of pomp and parade, acquaintance
with the southern country and adaptation to its climate,
they had elements which peculiarly fitted them for soldiers.
It was further urged that the negro had more at stake than
the white man, and that he should have a chance to strike a
blow for himself. It was particularly insisted upon that he
needed just the opportunity which army service afforded to
develop and exhibit whatever of manliness he possessed. As
the war progressed, and each great battle-field was piled
with heaps of the killed and wounded of our best citizens,
men looked at each other seriously, and asked if a black man
would not stop a bullet as well as a white man? Miles
O'Reilly at length voiced a popular sentiment when he said,

"'The right to be killed I'll divide with the nayger,
And give him the largest half.'

"With the strong conviction that the negro was a man worthy
of freedom, and possessed of all the essential qualities of
a good soldier, I early advocated the organization of
colored regiments,--not for fatigue or garrison duty, but
for field service.

"In October, 1863, having applied for a position as an
officer in the colored service, I was ordered before the
Board of Examiners at Nashville, Tenne