These men, as already intimated, are very much like other men, easily depressed, and as easily reanimated by words of encouragement.  Many have been reluctant to engage in military service,—­their imagination investing it with the terrors of instant and certain death.  But this reluctance has passed away with participation in active service, with the adventure and inspiration of a soldier’s life, and the latent manhood has recovered its rightful sway.  Said a superintendent who was of the first delegation to Tort Royal in March, 1862,—­a truthful man, and not given to rose-colored views,—­“I did not have faith in arming negroes, when I visited the North last autumn, but I have now.  They will be not mere machines, but real tigers, when aroused; and I should not wish to face them.”  One amusing incident may be mentioned.  A man deserted from the regiment, was discovered hidden in a chimney in the district where he had lived, was taken back to camp, went to Florida in Higginson’s first expedition, bore his part well in the skirmishes, became excited with the service, was made a sergeant, and, receiving a furlough on his return, went to the plantation where he had hid, and said he would not take five thousand dollars for his place.

But more significant, as showing the success of the experiment, is the change of feeling among the white soldiers towards the negro regiment, a change due in part to the just policy of General Saxton, in part to the President’s Proclamation of January 1st, which has done much to clear the atmosphere everywhere within the army-lines, but more than all to the soldierly conduct of the negroes themselves during their expeditions.  I had one excellent opportunity to note this change.  On the 6th of April, Colonel Higginson’s regiment was assigned to picket-duty on Port Royal Island,—­the first active duty it had performed on the Sea Islands,—­and was to relieve the Pennsylvania Fifty-Fifth.  When, after a march of ten miles, it reached the advanced picket-station, there were about two hundred soldiers of the Pennsylvania Fifty-Fifth awaiting orders to proceed to Beaufort.  I said, in a careless tone, to one of the Pennsylvania soldiers, who was looking at Higginson’s regiment as it stood in line,—­

“Isn’t this rather new, to be relieved by a negro regiment?”

“All right,” said he.  “They’ve as much right to fight for themselves as I have to fight for them.”

A squad of half a dozen men stood by, making no dissent, and accepting him as their spokesman.  Moving in another direction, I said to a soldier,—­

“What do you think of that regiment?”

The answer was,—­

“All right.  I’d rather they’d shoot the Rebels than have the Rebels shoot me”; and none of the by-standers dissented.