ellion, now called the Civil War, effected the last
and tremendous step in the transition of the American Negro from the
position of a slave under the Republic to that of a soldier in its
armies. Both under officers of his own race at Port Hudson and under
white officers on a hundred battlefields, the Negro in arms proved
himself a worthy foeman against the bravest and sternest enemies that
ever assailed our nation's flag, and a worthy comrade of the Union's
best defenders. Thirty-six thousand eight hundred and forty-seven of
them gave their lives in that awful conflict. The entire race on this
continent and those of allied blood throughout the world are indebted
to the soldier-historian, Honorable George W. Williams, for the
eloquent story of their service in the Union Army, and for the
presentation of the high testimonials to the valor and worthiness of
the colored soldier as given by the highest military authority of the
century. From Chapter XVI of his book, "Negro Troops in the
Rebellion," the paragraphs appended at the close of this chapter are
quoted.

A.

HOW THE BLACK ST. DOMINGO LEGION SAVED THE PATRIOT ARMY IN THE SIEGE
OF SAVANNAH, 1779.

The siege and attempted reduction of Savannah by the combined French
and American forces is one of the events of our revolutionary war,
upon which our historians care little to dwell. Because it reflects
but little glory upon the American arms, and resulted so disastrously
to the American cause, its important historic character and
connections have been allowed to fade from general sight; and it
stands in the ordinary school text-books, much as an affair of shame.
The following, quoted from Barnes' History, is a fair sample of the
way in which it is treated:

"French-American Attack on Savannah.--In September, D'Estaing joined
Lincoln in besieging that city. After a severe bombardment, an
unsuccessful assault was made, in which a thousand lives were lost.
Count Pulaski was mortally wounded. The simple-hearted Sergeant Jasper
died grasping the banner presented to his regiment at Fort Moultrie.
D'Estaing refused to give further aid; thus again deserting the
Americans when help was most needed."

From this brief sketch the reader is at liberty to infer that the
attack was unwise if not fool-hardy; that the battle was unimportant;
and that the conduct of Count D'Estaing immediately after the battle
was unkind, if not unjust, to the Americans. While the paragraph does