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 One of the more famous letters written to Lincoln during this
period was James Henry Gooding's request that United States Colored
Troops, or USCTs, receive the same pay as white soldiers. This was
an exemplar of the African-American struggle for social and legal
equality.
Born into slavery, Gooding acquired his freedom and went to New
York early in his life. With the enactment of the Emancipation
Proclamation, he enlisted in the renowned 54th Massachusetts
Regiment. Having participated in that unit's famous July 18 assault
on Battery Wagner, Gooding wrote to President Lincoln demanding that
the $10 paid to USCTs be increased to the $13 paid to white
soldiers.
In doing so, Gooding joined with several other equal rights
advocates and newspaper columnists demanding that this imbalance be
rectified. Like Gooding, they believed any man who was deemed good
enough to enlist in the army was entitled to the same pay as his
fellow soldiers, regardless of race.
Responding to such pressure, Congress finally awarded equal pay
to USCTs on June 15, 1864, but Gooding could do little to celebrate.
He was imprisoned at Andersonville, Ga., where he died on July 19.
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James Henry Gooding to Abraham Lincoln|
Sept. 28, 1863
(Copy of letter transcript)
Camp of 54th Mass
Colored Regt
Morris Island Dept of the South,
Sept 28th 1863.
Your Excelency
Abraham Lincoln:
Your Excelency will
pardon the presumtion of an humble individual like myself, in
addressig you, but the earnest Solicitation of my Comrades in Arms,
besides, the genuine interest felt by myself in the matter is my
excuse, for placing before the Executive head of the Nation our
Common Grievance: On the 6th of the last Month, the Paymaster of the
department, informed us, that if we would decide to recieve the sum
of $10 (ten dollars) per month, he would come and pay us that sum,
but, that, on the sitting of Congress, the Regt would, in his
opinion, be allowed the other 3 (three.) He did not give us
any guarantee that this would be, as he hoped, certainly he
had no authority for making any such guarantee, and we can not
supose him acting in any way interested. Now the main question is,
Are we Soldiers, or are we Labourers. We are fully
armed, and equipped, have done all the various Duties, pertaining to
a Soldiers life, have conducted ourselves, to the complete
satisfaction of General Officers, who, were if any, prejudiced
against us, but who now accord us all the encouragement, and
honour due us: have shared the perils, and Labour, of Reducing the
first stronghold, that flaunted a Traitor Flag: and more, Mr
President. Today, the Anglo Saxon Mother, Wife, or Sister, are not
alone, in tears for departed Sons, Husbands, and Brothers. The
patient Trusting Decendants of Africs Clime, have dyed the ground
with blood, in defense of the Union, and Democracy. Men too your
Excellency, who know in a measure, the cruelties of the Iron-heel of
oppression, which in years gone by, the very Power, their blood is
now being spilled to maintain, ever ground them to the dust. But
When the war trumpet sounded o’er the land, when men knew not the
Friend from the Traitor, the Black man laid his life at the Altar of
the Nation, and he was refused. When the arms of the Union, were
beaten, in the first year of the War, And the Executive called more
food, for its ravaging maw; again the black man begged, the
privelege of Aiding his Country in her need; to be again refused,
And now, he is in the War: and how has he conducted himself? Let
their dusky forms, rise up, out the mires of James Island, and give
the answer. Let the rich mould around Wagners parapets be upturned,
and there will be found an Eloquent answer. Obedient and patient,
and Solid as a wall are they. all we lack, is a paler hue, and a
better aquaintance with the Alphabet.
[to top of second column] |
 Now Your
Excellency, We have done a Soldiers Duty. Why cant we have a
Soldiers pay? You caution the Rebel Chieftain, that the United
States, knows, no distinction, in her Soldiers: She insists on
having all her Soldiers, of whatever, creed or Color, to be treated,
according to the usages of War. Now if the United States, exacts
uniformity of treatment of her Soldiers, from the Insurgents, would
it not be well, and consistent, to set the example; herself, by
paying all her Soldiers alike? We of this Regt, were not
enlisted under any "contraband" act. But we do not wish to be
understood, as rating our Service, of more Value to the Government,
than the service of the exslave, Their Service is undoubtedly worth
much to the Nation, but Congress made express, provision touching
their case as slaves freed by Military necessity, and assuming the
Government, to be their temporary Gaurdian: Not so with us. Freemen
by birth, and consequently, having the advantage of thinking,
and acting for ourselves, so far as the Laws would allow us. We do
not consider ourselves, fit subjects for the Contraband act, We
appeal to You, Sir: as the Executive of the Nation, to have us
Justly Dealt with. The Regt, do pray, that they be assured their
service will be fairly appreciated, by paying them as american
Soldiers, not as menial hierlings. Black men You may well know,
are poor, three dollars per month, for a year, will suply their
needy Wives, and little ones, with fuel. If you, as chief Magistrate
of the Nation, will assure us, of our whole pay. We are content, our
Patriotism, our enthusiasm will have a new impetus, to exert our
energy more and more to aid Our Country.
Not that our hearts
ever flagged, in Devotion, spite the evident apathy displayed in our
behalf, but We feel as though, our Country spurned us, now we are
sworn to serve her.
Please give this a
moments attention
Corporal James
Henry Gooding
Co. C. 54th Mass, Regt
Morris Island S.C.
___
The 54th Massachusetts Regiment assaults Battery Wagner. Courtesy of
the Library of Congress.
___
To see one of only five copies of the Gettysburg Address in
Lincoln's hand and to receive a free booklet titled "On Lincoln's
Mind: Leading the Nation to the Gettysburg Address," containing this
and other document stories, visit the Abraham Lincoln Presidential
Library and Museum between Nov. 18 and 24.
[By the editors of the
Papers of
Abraham Lincoln. Text from file provided by the
Abraham
Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum
and received from the Illinois Historic
Preservation Agency]
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