. Thomas commanding the Department
of the Cumberland, ordered six companies to Bridgeport,
Alabama, under command of Major H. C. Corbin. I was left at
Gallatin to complete the organization of the other four
companies. When the six companies were full, I was mustered
in as Lieutenant-Colonel. The complete organization of the
regiment occupied about two months, being finished by Jan.
1st, 1864. The field, staff and company officers were all
white men. All the non-commissioned officers,--Hospital
Steward, Quartermaster, Sergeant, Sergeant-Major, Orderlies,
Sergeants and Corporals were colored. They proved very
efficient, and had the war continued two years longer, many
of them would have been competent as commissioned officers.

"When General Paine left Gallatin, I was senior officer and
had command of the post and garrison, which included a few
white soldiers besides my own troops. Colored soldiers acted
as pickets, and no citizen was allowed to pass our lines
either into the village or out, without a proper permit.
Those presenting themselves without a pass were sent to
headquarters under guard. Thus many proud Southern
slave-holders found themselves marched through the street,
guarded by those who three months before had been slaves.
The negroes often laughed over these changed relations as
they sat around their camp fires, or chatted together while
off duty, but it was very rare that any Southerner had
reason to complain of any unkind or uncivil treatment from a
colored soldier.

"About the first of January occurred a few days of extreme
cold weather, which tried the men sorely. One morning after
one of the most severe nights, the officers coming in from
picket, marched the men to headquarters, and called
attention to their condition: their feet were frosted and
their hands frozen. In some instances the skin on their
fingers had broken from the effects of the cold, and it was
sad to see their sufferings. Some of them never recovered
from the effects of that night, yet they bore it patiently
and uncomplainingly.

"An incident occurred while I was still an officer in a
white regiment, that illustrates the curious transition
through which the negroes were passing. I had charge of a
company detailed to guard a wagon trai