| "Indianapolis Daily Evening Gazette" for 7 August 1863
THE FIRST AFRICAN SOLDIERS IN NASHVILLE - From the Nashville
Union
Does anybody desire to know when the subject of enlisting African soldiers
was first broached in Nashville? Does anybody desire to know what newspaper
first puffed the enterprise? Does anybody desire to know which party first
enjoyed the benefit of an African military alliance, and employed negroes
in their military department? Be silent, oh inquisitive fellow citizens,
and we will tell you. In a copy of that vehement and intense Southern Rights,
Secession and fire-eating pro-Slavery journal, the Nashville Union and
American, edited and published by J. O. Griffith, F. C. Dunnington, John
C. Burch, Leon Trousdale, and Thomas S. Marr, dated April 25, 1861, we
find the following editorial paragraph:
"COLORED PATRIOTISM!"
"Everybody knows Bill Rawlings, the good-natured barber on Market
street. His wife, Mary, is now engaged in making up uniforms for the troops.
Her brother (Jim Dunge) is raising a company of free negroes to fight Lincoln's
men, and Bill says if anybody wil furnish him with a good leg, he can whip
any ten Abolitionists, but even with one leg, he is willing to hobble out
to the battle-field, if the Governor wants his services."
So much for the first negro company in the Rock City. The editors of
the Union and American, King Isham's organ, were evidently chuckling over
the prospect of seeing the bloods of the "Rock City Guards" followed
by nigger Jim Dunge's Rock City--Black Guards, all bearing the Stars and
Bars, playing Dixie and huzzahing for King Isham and Jeff. Davis at the
top of their lungs. They rather intimated that the African would do the
best fighting, for while the white rebels could only whip five Abolitionists
apiece, the black rebels could "whip any ten Abolitionists."
In fact, the rebel organ hints that a one-legged darkey could fight as
well as any two-legged rebel. It is well-know [sic] that Governor Harris
recently favored the enlistment of slaves as well as free negroes, in the
rebel service, and the General Pillow coincided with him." |
