The vacillating policy of the Government sometimes filled other officers with doubt and shame; until the negro had justice, they were but defending liberty with one hand and crushing it with the other.

From this inconsistency we were free.

Whatever the Government did, we at least were working in the right direction.

If this was not recognized on our side of the lines, we knew that it was admitted on the other.

Fighting with ropes round our necks, denied the ordinary courtesies of war till we ourselves compelled then: concession, we could at least turn this outlawry into a compliment.