Negro regiment to help him. They were to be
paid as laborers by the quartermaster but he expected eventually to have them recognized as
soldiers by the government. At first he could find
no officers. They were shocked at being asked to
command “niggers.”
Even non-commissioned officers were difficult to find. But eventually the
regiment was formed and became an object of
great curiosity when on parade. Reports of the
first South Carolina infantry were sent to Washington but there was no reply. Then suddenly
the matter came up in Congress and Hunter was
ordered to explain whether he had enlisted fugitive slaves and upon what authority. Hunter immediately sent a sharp reply:
“To the first question, therefore, I reply: That no regiment of ‘fugitive slaves’ has been, or is being, organized in this department. There is, however, a fine regiment of loyal persons whose late masters are fugitive rebels—men who everywhere fly before the appearance of the National flag, leaving their loyal and unhappy servants behind them, to shift as best they can for themselves. So far, indeed, are the loyal persons composing the regiment from seeking to evade the presence of their late owners, that they are now one and all endeavoring with commendable zeal to acquire the drill and discipline requisite to place
