February 24, 1863.

The Debates and Proceedings of the 3rd Session of the 37th United States Congress, page 1255.

Now, a word in reply to the gentleman from Kentucky [Mr. MALLORY] on the employment of negroes in the Army. It seems, indeed, that no gentleman on that side can make a speech on any subject without having something to say about the negro. I call the attention of the gentleman to an extract from a letter I lately received from an officer of the Army with whom he and some of his colleagues are acquainted. The extract is as follows:

“At Chickasaw Bluffs I sat on my horse and saw black men shooting our men. I saw the men of the fifty-fourth Indiana, sixteenth Ohio, and twenty-second Kentucky drop In their tracks under the fire of confederate ni--er butternuts."

I beg to call the attention of gentlemen also to the proceedings of the rebel congress on this subject:

”NEGRO Soldiers TO BE SOLD.—The confederate house of representatives have passed a bill authorizing the Impressment of slaves and property for the use of the army, and have adopted a resolution instructing the committee on the Judiciary to report a bill providing for the sale of all negroes taken in arms against the confederacy, the proceeds to be divided among the captors."

I have also seen a statement, which I believe to be correct, that the adjutant general of the rebel army had issued an order for the conscription as soldiers of all colored males of suitable age, having any white blood in their
veins. They can find, plenty of that kind there, black enough to be slaves and white enough to shoot dawn the free white men of the North. Yet we are not to employ negroes in the Army!

Mr. YEAMAN. Am I to understand that the negroes who fought at Chickasaw Bluffs were in a Kentucky regiment on our side?

Mr. DUNN. No, sir. Negroes were in the ranks of the rebels, shooting down our soldiers from Indiana, Ohio, and Kentucky.

Mr. WADSWORTH. I have never yet deemed the conduct of the rebels as worthy either of our admiration or imitation. There are few things, indeed, hitherto done by them that a true Kentuckian approve; and I beg to assure the gentleman that the employment of negroes as soldiers by traitors gives no additional sanction to such atrocious conduct, and I am truly glad that the gentleman has been compelled in his search for authority for this black business to resort to the ranks of the rebels.

Mr. DUNN. Sir, I am stating facts to show that our delicacy in regard to the employment of negroes in the military service is not reciprocated by our enemies. Under present circumstances, I care no more for the color of the man that fires a musket at our foe than I do for the color of the cannon that opens its road of death through their ranks.