2、dsofSouthCarolina.Ithadanamazingnon-commissionedofficerwhosenamewasPrinceRivers,amanwho'dbeenaslaveyesterdaybutafreemanby1862,andwhosewhitecommandingofficer,ThomasWentworthHigginsonsaid,"inanotherland,inanothertime,hecouldcommandanyarmyintheworld."ThomasWen
3、tworthHigginsonwasanabolitionistfromWorcester,Massachusettswhoendedupthecolonelandthecommanderofthatregiment.Nearly1,000freedslaveswererecruitedamongtheroughly35to40,000formerslavesalongtheGeorgian/SouthCarolinaSeaIslands.Higginsonwentontowriteagreatbookabo
4、utitcalledArmyLifeinaBlackRegiment,andamongtheremarkabledescriptionsheleftinthatclassicisthisdescriptionfromThanksgivingDay1862;soit'sNovember'62.ThepreliminaryEmancipationProclamationisinplacebutthefinalEmancipationProclamationhasn'tquitehappenedyet.Itwasa
5、ctuallythefirstformally,legally,federallyrecognizedThanksgivingDay;sodecreedbyAbrahamLincoln.AndHigginsonhadhisheadquartersinanoldplantationhouse.Helookedoutofbrokenwindows,atthisabandonedplantationintheSeaIslands,throughwhathedescribedas"thegreatavenuesofg
6、reatliveoaks,"andheobservedthatquote,"Allthisisauniversalsouthernpanorama,butfiveminuteswalkbeyondthehovelsandtheliveoakswillbringonetosomethingsounsouthernthatthewholesoutherncoastatthismomenttremblesatthesuggestionofsuchathing,acampofaregimentoffreedslave
7、s."AlmosttwoyearslateroneofthosefreedslavesnamedGeorgeHattonwroteacoupleoflettersfromthefront.GeorgeHattonwasaformerslave.HehadlivedpartofhislifeinWashington,DC,partofhislifeinVirginia,NorthCarolina;he'dbeenaround.Hewasatthispoint,byAprilof1864,anon-commiss
8、ionedsergeantinCompanyC,FirstRegiment,UnitedStatesColoredTroops.TheywereincampNewBern,NorthCarolina,andhesatdowntowritealettertoreflectuponthecircumstancethathefoundhimselfin.Hatton,hisfellowsoldiers,a
