General　Davis；　which　he　did；　and　General　Davis　explained　the　matter　to　his　entire　satisfaction。　　The　truth　was；　that；　as　we　approached　the　seaboard；　the　freedmen　in　droves；　old　and　young；　followed　the　several　columns　to　reach　a　place　of　safety。　　It　so　happened　that　General　Davies　route　into　Savannah　followed　what　was　known　as　the　〃River…road；〃　and　he　had　to　make　constant　use　of　his　pontoon…train…the　head　of　his　column　reaching　some　deep；　impassable　creek　before　the　rear　was　fairly　over　another。　　He　had　occasionally　to　use　the　pontoons　both　day　and　night。　　On　the　occasion　referred　to；　the　bridge　was　taken　up　from　Ebenezer　Creek　while　some　of　the　camp…followers　remained　asleep　on　the　farther　side；　and　these　were　picked　up　by　Wheeler's　cavalry。　Some　of　them；　in　their　fright；　were　drowned　in　trying　to　swim　over；　and　others　may　have　been　cruelly　killed　by　Wheeler's　men；　but　this　was　a　mere　supposition。　　At　all　events；　the　same　thing　might　have　resulted　to　General　Howard；　or　to　any　other　of　the　many　most　humane　commanders　who　filled　the　army。　　General　Jeff。　C。　Davis　was　strictly　a　soldier；　and　doubtless　hated　to　have　his　wagons　and　columns　encumbered　by　these　poor　negroes；　for　whom　we　all　felt　sympathy；　but　a　sympathy　of　a　different　sort　from　that　of　Mr。　Stanton；　which　was　not　of　pure　humanity；　but　of　politics。　　The　negro　question　was　beginning　to　loom　up　among　the　political　eventualities　of　the　day；　and　many　foresaw　that　not　only　would　the　slaves　secure　their　freedom；　but　that　they　would　also　have　votes。　I　did　not　dream　of　such　a　result　then；　but　knew　that　slavery；　as　such；　was　dead　forever；　and　did　not　suppose　that　the　former　slaves　would　be　suddenly；　without　preparation；　manufactured　into　voters；　equal　to　all　others；　politically　and　socially。　　Mr。　Stanton　seemed　desirous　of　coming　into　contact　with　the　negroes　to　confer　with　them；　and　he　asked　me　to　arrange　an　interview　for　him。　　I　accordingly　sent　out　and　invited　the　most　intelligent　of　the　negroes；　mostly　Baptist　and　Methodist　preachers；　to　come　to　my　rooms　to　meet　the　Secretary　of　War。　　Twenty　responded；　and　were　received　in　my　room　up…stairs　in　Mr。　Green's　house；　where　Mr。　Stanton　and　Adjutant…General　Townsend　took　down　the　conversation　in　the　form　of　questions　and　answers。　　Each　of　the　twenty　gave　his　name　and　partial　history；　and　then　selected　Garrison　Frazier　as　their　spokesman：
  First　Question。　　State　what　your　understanding　is　in　regard　to　the　acts　of　Congress　and　President　Lincoln's　proclamation　touching　the　colored　people　in　the　rebel　States？
  Answer。　　So　far　as　I　understand　President　Lincoln's　proclamation　to　the　rebel　States；　it　is；　that　if　they　will　lay　down　their　arms　and　submit　to　the　laws　of　the　United　States；　before　the　1st　of　January；　1863；　all　should　be　well；　but　if　they　did　not；　then　all　the　slaves　in　the　Southern　States　should　be　free；　henceforth　and　forever。　That　is　what　I　understood。
  Second　Question。　　State　what　you　understand　by　slavery；　and　the　freedom　that　was　to　be　given　by　the　President's　proclamation？
  Answer。　　Slavery　is　receiving　by　irresistible　power　the　work　of　another　man；　and　not　by　his　consent。　　The　freedom；　as　I　understand　it；　promised　by　the　proclamation；　is　taking　us　from　under　the　yoke　of　bondage　and　placing　us　where　we　can　reap　the　fruit　of　our　own　labor；　and　take　care　of　ourselves　and　assist　the　Government　in　maintaining　our　freedom。
  Fourth　Question。　　State　in　what　manner　you　would　rather　live…　…whether　scattered　among　the　whites；　or　in　colonies　by　yourselves？
  Answer。　　I　would　prefer　to　live　by　ourselves；　for　there　is　a　prejudice　against　us　in　the　South　that　will　take　years　to　get　over；　but　I　do　not　know　that　I　can　answer　for　my　brethren。
  （All　but　Mr。　Lynch；　a　missionary　from　the　North；　agreed　with　Frazier；　but　he　thought　they　ought　to　live　together；　along　with　the　whites。）
  Eighth　Question。　　If　the　rebel　leaders　were　to　arm　the　slaves；　what　would　be　its　effect？
  Answer。　　I　think　they　would　fight　as　long　as　they　were　before　the　〃bayonet；〃　and　just　as　soon　as　they　could　get　away　they　would　desert；　in　my　opinion。
  Tenth　Question。　　Do　you　understand　the　mode　of　enlistment　of　colored　persons　in　the　rebel　States　by　State　agents；　under　the　act　of　Congress；　if　yea；　what　is　your　understanding？
  Answer。　　My　understanding　is；　that　colored　persons　enlisted　by　State　agents　are　enlisted　as　substitutes；　and　give　credit　to　the　State　and　do　not　swell　the　army；　because　every　black　man　enlisted　by　a　State　agent　leaves　a　white　man　at　home；　and　also　that　larger　bounties　are　given；　or　promised；　by　the　State　agents　than　are　given　by　the　United　States。　　The　great　object　should　be　to　push　through　this　rebellion　the　shortest　way；　and　there　seems　to　be　something　wanting　in　the　enlistment　by　State　agents；　for　it　don't　strengthen　the　army；　but　takes　one　away　for　every　colored　man　enlisted。
  Eleventh　Question。　　State　what；　in　your　opinion；　is　the　best　way　to　enlist　colored　men　as　soldiers？
  Answer。　　I　think；　sir；　that　all　compulsory　operations　should　be　put　a　stop　to。　　The　ministers　would　talk　to　them；　and　the　young　men　would　enliSt。　It　is　my　opinion　that　it　world　be　far　better　for　the　State　agents　to　stay　at　home　and　the　enlistments　be　made　for　the　United　States　under　the　direction　of　General　Sherman。
  Up　to　this　time　I　was　present；　and；　on　Mr。　Stanton's　intimating　that　he　wanted　to　ask　some　questions　affecting　me；　I　withdrew；　and　then　he　put　the　twelfth　and　last　question
  Twelfth　Question。　　State　what　is　the　feeling　of　the　colored　people　toward　General　Sherman；　and　how　far　do　they　regard　his　sentiments　and　actions　as　friendly　to　their　rights　and　interests；　or　otherwise。
  Answer。　　We　looked　upon　General　Sherman；　prior　to　his　arrival；　as　a　man；　in　the　providence　of　God；　specially　set　apart　to　accomplish　this　work；　and　we　unanimously　felt　inexpressible　gratitude　to　him；　looking　upon　him　as　a　man　who　should　be　honored　for　the　faithful　performance　of　his　duty。　　Some　of　us　called　upon　him　immediately　upon　his　arrival；　and　it　is　probable　he　did　not　meet　the　secretary　with　more　courtesy　than　he　did　us。　　His　conduct　and　deportment　toward　us　characterized　him　as　a　friend　and　gentleman。　　We　have　confidence　in　General　Sherman；　and　think　what　concerns　us　could　not　be　in　better　hands。　　This　is　our　opinion　now；　from　the　short　acquaintance　and　intercourse　we　have　had。
  It　certainly　was　a　strange　fact　that　the　great　War　Secretary　should　have　catechized　negroes　concerning　the　character　of　a　general　who　had　commanded　a　hundred　thousand　men　in　battle；　had　captured　cities　conducted　sixty…five　thousand　men　successfully　across　four　hundred　miles　of　hostile　territory；　and　had　just　brought　tens　of　thousands　of　freedmen　to　a　place　of　security；　but　because　I　had　not　loaded　down　my　army　by　other　hundreds　of　thousands　of　poor　negroes；　I　was　construed　by　others　as　hostile　to　the　black　race。　　I　had　received　from　General　Halleck；　at　Washington；　a　letter　warning　me　that　there　were　certain　influential　parties　near　the　President　who　were　torturing　him　with　suspicions　of　my　fidelity　to　him　and　his　negro　policy；　but　I　shall　always　believe　that　Mr。　Lincoln；　though　a　civilian；　knew　better；　and　appreciated　my　motives　and　character。　Though　this　letter　of　General　Halleck　has　always　been　treated　by　me　as　confidential；　I　now　insert　it　here　at　length：
  HEADQUARTERS　OF　THE　ARMY　WASHINGTON；　D。C。；　December　30；　1864。
  Major…General　W。　T。　SHERMAN；　Savannah。
  MY　DEAR　GENERAL：　I　take　the　liberty　of　calling　your　attention；　in　this　private　and　friendly　way；　to　a　matter　which　may　possibly　hereafter　be　of　more　importance　to　you　than　either　of　us　may　now　anticipate。
  While　almost　every　one　is　praising　your　great　march　through　Georgia；　and　the　capture　of　Savannah；　there　is　a　certain　class　having　now　great　influence　with　the　President；　and　very　probably　anticipating　still　more　on　a　change　of　cabinet；　who　are　decidedly　disposed　to　make　a　point　against　you。　　I　mean　in　regard　to　〃inevitable　Sambo。〃　　They　say　that　you　have　manifested　an　almost　criminal　dislike　to　the　negro；　and　that　you　are　not　willing　to　carry　out　the　wishes　of　the　Government　in　regard　to　him；　but　repulse　him　with　contempt！　They　say　you　might　have　brought　with　you　to　Savannah　more　than　fifty　thousand；　thus　stripping　Georgia　of　that　number　of　laborers；　and　opening　a　road　by　which　as　many　more　could　have　escaped　from　their　masters；　but　that；　instead　of　this；　you　drove　them　from　your　ranks；　prevented　their　following　you　by　cutting　the　bridges　in　your　rear；　and　thus　caused　the　massacre　of　large　numbers　by　Wheeler's　cavalry。
  To　those　who　know　you　as　I　do；　such　accusation　will　pass　as　the　idle　winds；　for　we　presume　that　you　discouraged　the　negroes　from　following　you　because　you　had　not　the　means　of　supporting　them；　and　feared　they　might　seriously　embarrass　your　march。　　But　there　are　others；　and　among　them　some　in　high　authority；　who　think　or　pretend　to　think　otherwise；　and　they　are　decidedly　disposed　to　make　a　point　against　you。
  I　do　not　write　this　to　induce　you　to　conciliate　this　class　of　men　by　doing　any　thing　which　you　do　not　deem　right　and　proper；　and　for　the　interest　of　the　Government　and　the　country；　but　simply　to　call　your　attention　to　certain　things　which　are　viewed　here　somewhat　differently　than　from　your　st