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CHAPTER FOURTEEN: "Montgomery the Kansas Man"
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C H A P T E R 14 ontgomery theKansas man" During his third month at war,Shaw,inVirginia, had visited the site of John Brown's 1859 raidon Harper's Ferry and hisjail cellin Charlestown . Now in his third year of war, Shaw, in South Carolina, became enamored with JamesMontgomery, who had been Brown's most able lieutenant from the days when Kansas bled. Shaw admired Montgomery's attractive looks, past work, dedication to abolition, and adherence to discipline. When he wasn't talking with or writing about Montgomery, Shaw spent his time visiting plantations, conversingwith former slaves, drilling the regiment , and missing his old friends and new wife. On July 3, Shaw wrote to Maj. Charles F. Morse and told him that he "longed" to campaign with him again in the Second Massachusetts, and asked, "I wonder where the deuce you are." Morse was fighting in the battle of Gettysburg. St. Simon's Island [HL] June 18 1863 Dearest Mother, We have receivednothing sinceour first mail,which I mentioned in my last to you. Captain Rand arrived at Beaufort after we had left there, and your second note arrived at the same time with thefirst.1 353 M I am very glad you feel so happy and contented about my course in taking the black regiment and besides that cause for satisfaction—I have never had to regret it, for materialreasons. There isno doubt that allthe black troops in the country should be gathered into one or two armies—as in small bodies they can never make themselves felt much. It was quite astonishing to be received aswewere at Beaufort.2 The Commander of the Post, there, Col. Davis, is almost a Copperhead—as well as a good many of his subordinates—and I was told, at Hilton Head, that they might not be very cordial.3 But, on the contrary, they treated me with the greatest consideration and there was no end to the offers of services from all the Colonels, Quartermasters & Commissaries of the place. Some, who had been very violent in their opposition to the enlistment of negroes, seemed glad of this chanceto back out, by degrees, and saythere was a vast difference between contrabands & free negroes &c, &c. I am placed in a position where, if I were a man of real strength and ability, I might do a great deal, but where, under present circumstances, I am afraid I shall show that I am not of much account. Ned Hooper at Beaufort is the head of the whole Contraband Department.4 Everyone there has the highest opinion of him. I should like to have stayedwhere I could seehim everyday. Annie has sent you, I hope, my letter about the Darien expedition. I have not yet discovered if Col. Montgomery has Hunter's orders to burn every thing, but expect to hear soon from Hilton Head. M. has not yet returned from there, so I remain still in command here.5 1haveno doubt you may think at home that Col. M's action is perfectly proper, but you would change your mind if you had to assist in it. Frank Barlow still wishes to get command of a coloured Brigade, and I think it would be a great pieceof good fortune for us ifwe could get him—& for the cause, aswell. If Father can do anything towards it, I wish he would. Always dear Mother, Your loving son p.s. If we remain here for long we could entertain any number of visitors on our plantation, after the hot weather is over, & I hope Father & you & some of the girls can come down & bring Annie for a [one word illegible] while I have no doubt some of the Hallowells maybe persuaded to come. i. Captain Rand is unidentified. z. The arrival of the Fifty-fourth in Beauforton June 3started agala celebration. Several bands played and hundreds of people turned out to seethe famous black regiment from the North. Historian Willie Lee Rose noted that Beaufort, at that time, proportionately, 354 B L U E - E Y E D C H I L D OF F O R T U N E [3.235.249.219] Project MUSE (2024-03-28 23:12 GMT) had more abolitionists than did Boston. manding the District of Hilton Head, Rose, Rehearsed forReconstruction, p. 248. South Carolina. Boatner, Dictionary-, 3. William Watts Hart Davis, of p. 2.2.6. Pennsylvania, served in the X Corps, 4. Edward William Hooper. Department of the South, at Port Royal...