the advancing men
and drove them back. Then there were long and loud cheers
for the brave darkey, who stuck to his stump and fired away
with a regularity that was wonderful. His stump was riddled
with bullets, but he stuck to it, although he was at times
nearer the Confederate lines than our own."

[Illustration: SCOUTS]

CHAPTER X.

THE BLACK FLAG.

FORT PILLOW--EXCHANGE OF PRISONERS, ETC.

It was not long after each army received its quota of Phalanx soldiers,
before the white troops began regarding them much as Napoleon's troops
did the Imperial Guard, their main support. When a regiment of the
Phalanx went into a fight, every white soldier knew what was meant, for
the black troops took no ordinary part in a battle. Where the conflict
was hottest; where danger was most imminent, there the Phalanx went; and
when victory poised, as it often did, between the contending sides, the
weight of the Phalanx was frequently thrown into the balancing scales;
if some strong work or dangerous battery had to be taken, whether with
the bayonet alone or hand grenade or sabre, the Phalanx was likely to be
in the charging column, or formed a part of the storming brigade.

The confederates were no cowards; braver men never bit cartridge or
fired a gun, and when they were to meet "their slaves," as they
believed, in revolt, why, of course, honor forbade them to ask or give
quarter. This fact was known to all, for, as yet, though hundreds had
been captured, none had been found on parole, or among the exchanged
prisoners. General Grant's attention was called to this immediately
after the fight at Milliken's Bend, where the officers of the Phalanx,
as well as soldiers, had been captured and hung. Grant wrote Gen.
Taylor, commanding the confederate forces in Louisiana, as follows:

"I feel no inclination to retaliate for offences of
irresponsible persons, but, if it is the policy of any
general intrusted with the command of troops, to show no
quarter, or to punish with death, prisoners taken in battle,
_I will accept the issue_. It may be you propose a different
line of policy to black troops, and officers commanding
them, to that practiced toward white troops. If so, I can
assure you that these colored troops are regularly mustered
into the service of the United States. The government, and
all officers under the government, are bound to give the