John D. Warner Jr. - Riders in the Storm: The Triumphs and Tragedies of a Black Cavalry Regiment in the Civil War

I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO THANK THE MANY PEOPLE who helped make Riders in the Storm a reality. First, I want to express my appreciation for the late, great Thomas H. OConnor, PhD, my dissertation advisor at Boston College. Tom was always gracious and generous with his time and one of the foremost subject-matter experts on nineteenth-century American history. Having Tom agree to supervise my dissertation was like hitting the lottery for me. Tom told me, Find a story that has a beginning, middle, and an end. He also insisted on the accurate reporting of authentic voices. Bring people up out of the dust and let them speak for themselves, he used to say.

I want to thank my son, John Fitzpatrick Warner, for his efforts and support in crafting a successful book proposal. His encouragement and technical skill made this book possible. I appreciate the opportunity that David Reisch and Stephanie Otto of Stackpole Books have given me. Thank you, Dave and Stephanie. Its been great to work with you. I owe thanks to my parents, John Dwight and Sheila McKenzie Warner, who instilled in me a love of history and the written word. I want to express my love and respect for my wife, Ann, who was always there for me. All three of my children, Margaret, John, and Owen, grew up with this project. I am grateful that they share in its success.

I want to thank Mike Quinn and my brother Chris Warner for their cogent criticism. Your different editorial takes on an academic work made it more lively, readable, and better. Kudos and sincere gratitude to Robert Kidd of EditFast. You are the prince of editorsmany thanks. Thanks to James Spencer, a direct descendent of Private John Harvey of the 5th Massachusetts Volunteer Cavalry. Thank you, Jim, for your encouragement and friendship. I want to commend David and Maureen Horn for their mentorship and guidance on this project. Thank you all for your friendship and confidence in me.

Of course, any errors or infelicities in Riders in the Storm are my own.

THE FOLLOWING MASSACHUSETTS JOINT COMMITTEE REPORT DETAILS AN investigation into recruiting and bounty payments in Bostons Ward Nine during 1863 and 1864. The illiterate African American recruits who made their mark and signed away about a third of their bounty money for transportation expenses all served in the 5th Massachusetts Cavalry. What is interesting about this report, inter alia, is that the majority party at the time was the Democrats, and the minority member of the committee, Mr. William Bingham, was a Republican vigorously seeking to refute statements made by a Republican adjutant general (William Schouler) appointed by a Republican governor, John Andrew. Perhaps in Schoulers case, conscience trumped politics.

Judge for yourself whether the mass of evidence from the highest sources, as Bingham put it, absolves the gentlemen of the Ward Nine Committee of some rather sharp dealing.

HOUSE.... No. 389

_____________________________________________________________

Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________________

Boston, April 30, 1866.

The Joint Standing Committee on Military Claims who were directed to investigate the charges against the citizens of Ward 9 in the city of Boston, made by the Adjutant-General of the Commonwealth in his last Report, and to report what legislative action is necessary or expedient in reference thereto, has the honor to submit the following:

In order to understand the case correctly, it is proper to quote the language used by the Adjutant-General, to which exceptions have been taken. On pp. 31 and 32, in speaking of certain bounties paid to men in the Fifth Regiment Massachusetts Cavalry, the report says:

While upon the subject, I cannot refrain from calling your excellencys attention to the case of one hundred and twelve men who enlisted in the same regiment to the credit of Ward 9 of the city of Boston, from whom orders were taken to draw portions of their State bounty. These orders were chiefly for $125; one was for $150, sixteen were for $130, &c. The whole amount represented by these orders and paid was upwards of $10,000. It is claimed by the gentlemen of the ward that the men were given to understand what they were signing, and that each one put his mark to the paper with a full knowledge of its effect.

The ward gentlemen claim that the money was thus taken from the men to pay their transportation to Massachusetts. That the men knew the whole effect the signing the paper would have, I very much doubt. A number of the men whose bounties were thus razeed, came to this office after the regiment came home and was discharged, claiming the remainder of their bounty, and stating that they did not know when they put their mark on the orders that they were signing away a third part of their bounty. The orders having been paid, the men thus claiming it had no redress. The State had paid what the law allowed, and unless the ward to which the men were credited should make up to them what it had taken from them, they must be contented as they are. At the time these men enlisted, most of the towns in the Commonwealth would gladly have paid them local bounties if passed to their credit; but these men received no local bounty from the ward to which they were credited, but, on the contrary, they were made to turn over to the ward a third of the State bounty, which the law provided they should receive. Thus the ward was saved from recruiting expenses while it filled its quota. Probably it was thought a smart thing to draw this money from the State treasury and deny it to the soldiers, as it saved the ward of its own substance and only unragged the poor. The whole transaction suggests to my mind Nathans parable of the ewe lamb, 12th chapter, 2d Samuel.

The simple question which the Committee had to consider was, Were the charges true or false which the Adjutant-General had made?

Ex-Alderman Standish, D. N. Spooner, Treasurer of the Ward Recruiting committee, George V. Leicester and F. H. Sprague, recruiting agents employed by the ward committee, and a number of other citizens of the ward, appeared before the Committee and gave their testimony.

It appeared by the several witnesses that there was raised in the ward for recruiting purposes, by individual subscriptions, about $17,000, which money was used to pay the expenses of recruiting, and paying local bounties to white men who enlisted to the credit of the ward. It also appeared that recruiting in the ward was not very successful. It was then arranged to send out agents to Canada, West Virginia and other places South to enlist colored men for the ward; and Messrs. Leicester and Sprague were appointed on that duty. They were instructed to arrange with the colored men, and to state to them that the State offered a bounty of $325 a man; but they were to sign orders not to exceed $125, by which the ward was to draw that sum, from the bounty which was due them from the State. These orders were given, and the money was drawn from the State treasury, and used to pay the expense of recruiting the men and bringing them to Boston.

After the men were mustered in and placed in camp, a number of them repudiated the orders they had given and demanded the whole bounty. The matter was referred to the judge-advocate-general of the Commonwealth, who investigated the matter, and decided that the orders were properly given and should be paid by the State from the mens bounties; and they were paid. About 112 colored men were put in to fill the quota of the ward, and from each of them orders were taken and the money paid upon them, amounting to over twelve thousand dollars. It did not appear to the committee that white men were asked to give such orders upon their State bounty.

It appeared, further, that among the recruits obtained in West Virginia was a colored preacher, who was put in uniform and sent back with the agents of the ward to West Virginia and Kentucky to help enlist men. His part was to address colored meetings and induce men to enlist for the ward. The recruits thus obtained were brought to Ward 9 and were induced to contribute of their bounty as the other recruits had before them.