Civil War Washington

Letter from Washington.

Since the publication of my last
letter I have been somewhat amused at a vast
number of the readers of the Anglo-African.
The great whisperings and the oft-repeated
question, "who is Bob Logic?" has fallen upon
my ear so frequently, that I know and feel the
great estimation they have of our mutual friend,
your regular correspondent "Box." How can it
be otherwise? A man like "Box," possessing so
many good qualities; affable, kind and, what is
better, being a genius, his company is enjoyed
by all that know him. "Box" is the parlor as
well as the table-talk. Indeed, so frequently
do I hear the word "Box," that it reminds me of
an anecdote of a Frenchman's first visit to
America, and as there has been much good de-
rived​ from the most excellent letters of "Box,"
I will relate it.

A Frenchman came to this country at a
time when there were no railroads, and passen-
gers​ had to be conveyed from place to place in
a diligence or stage-coach and not having seen
the great city of New-York, applied at the stage-
office​ for a seat. He was informed that the stage
was full, but the agent told him that if he was
anxious to go, he could give him a box seat.
"Mon dieu! mon dieu!" exclaimed the French-
man​, "you put me in one box to send me to de
city?" "O, no Sir!" replied the agent, "I mean
a seat by the driver." A box seat having been
properly explained, the Frenchman pronounced
it good, and took his seat. The weather being
cold and the Frenchman having no overcoat, suf-
fered​ much on his journey to the great city.
Having arrived safely in the city, he stept​ into
a merchant tailor's to purchase an overcoat.
"Ah, monsieur," exclaimed the Frenchman, "I
vant to get one varm overcoat." "Yes," replied
the tailor, "I know what you want—you want a
box coat." The Frenchman stood amazed and
exclaimed, "Vy vat you mean by box coat, a
seat side ob de driver?​ A box coat having been
explained by the tailor to the satisfaction of the
Frenchman, he pronounced it good and made
the purchase, and said, "Vile de vord box per-
plexy​ me, he alvays turn out good." Being now
hungry, he started for a restaurant to get some
oysters. Having entered one, he called on the
proprietor for a plate of stewed oysters. The
bell was rung, the servant came, and ordered
to get "No. 9 box ready for one." The French-
man​ started as if he had been shocked by a gal-
vanic​ battery: "Mon dieu, mon dieu! you put
me in nine box to eat de oyster? Me vant one
pedestal, one table. I no eat de oyster in 9
box[.?]" The proprietor became alarmed at the
sudden violent ebullition of feeling on the part
of the Frenchman, and it was some time before
either gained their equilibrium of calmness.
"No. 9 box" having been explained, the French-
man​ enjoyed his oysters, and came to the con-
clusion​ that much good cometh out of box.
Having paid his bill and bidding adieu to the
proprietor, he hurried to the street, to find some
place of amusement. After wending his way
for a while, he came to the theater. Coming up
to the ticket-office, he applied for a ticket. "You
want a box-ticket?" inquired the man in the of-
fice​. "Oui, monsieur. You call everything
by box in America and he turn out good." His
ticket being purchased, he was ushered in the
box; but had not been sitting there long, when
a lady, who was sitting close by, said "Sir, will
you take a pinch of snuff out of my box?"
"Ah, madame, madame," exclaimed the French-
man​, "you are so very kind. Dis word 'box'
sticketh closer to me than a brother, and for de
future its name will be sweet music to my ear."

So, Mr. Editor, I hope we will continue to see
in your most excellent paper, letters from Box,
as your readers derived much good information
from them.

The ladies (God bless them!) of the Contra-
band​ Relief Association held a festival at the
15th st. Presbyterian church, for the purpose of
raising funds to purchase a flag to be presented
to the First District Regiment of Colored Volun-
teers​. Mrs. Bond, one of the members of the
association, was the superintendent of the festi-
val​. She discharged her duties faithfully and
deserves great credit for the good order and sys-
tem​ in its management. What would we men
be without woman? Look at her in the attitude
of perseverance, in the attitude of love, you will
find her engaged in every good word and work.
Who can describe woman's love? Would that
I had the talents of a Byron, Bulwer, or Scott,
that I might depict woman's love. She is fore-
most​ in every mission of love and mercy. She
was first at the cross and last at the sepulcher.
I cannot refrain from noticing the love and ener-
gy​ of a young lady engaged in this cause by
the name of Miss Jane Hall, of Georgetown, D.
C. She was called upon to solicit something to-
wards​ the flag, and in a very few days collected
twenty-seven dollars and some cents. There is
love and energy beyond description.

I see by the list of emigrants that sailed in the
last packet for Liberia, the name of our fellow-
townsman​, Mr. John Browne. He has gone
thither to select a location for his family who, I
am informed, will go in the Spring. In regard
to emigration, I have always been opposed to
our people emigrating beyond the United States;
for I am of the opinion that God intended the
Southern States for them. Four millions of
them have watered that soil with their tears and
with their blood from the lash of the slaveholder.
Every day develops, to my mind, the speedy
consummation of that event, and whilst this is
the cardinal reason of my opposition to emigra-
tion​, yet at the same time, there are many, very
many other reasons I could give, but time and
paper would fail me.

The accursed Fugitive Slave Law, looked
upon by some as a sacred law, is executed in
this District without shame or blush. I thought
to have been able to give you and your readers
a detailed account of the trial of the fugitive
slave Hall, in this letter, but I will defer it until
I write again. The two lawyers who defended
Hall, after the trial was over were arrested for
obstructing the execution of this sacred law, and
held to bail in the sum of one thousand dollars
each. Our noble friend, Mr. Walker Lewis,
with all the generosity his noble heart possesses,
stepped forward and went Mr. Dean's bail; and
the Hon. John C. Underwood went Mr. Jolliffe's.

Since I wrote you last, the 1st Colored Regi-
ment​ has two more companies added, making
now five. They paraded down Pennsylvania
avenue the other day, making a handsome dis-
play​. I was standing by an old officer of the
army, and he told me they marched as good as
old veterans. I long to see the regiment full,
for I am of the opinion that the 2nd regiment
will be raised in much less time than the 1st.
I stated in my last letter that there was some
misunderstanding with Col. Turner and the
War Department; that is a fact not to be denied.
So far from Turner being the colonel of the re-
giment​, he has only been offered a second lieu-
tenancy​. I am sorry for this, as Turner worked
hard to get the regiment up. All the officers
named in the beginning for the 1st regiment—
Colonel, Lieutenant-Colonel, Major, Adjutant,
and Quartermaster—will all be left out in the
cold. Wm.​ Slade, our fellow-townsman, looked
with much anxiety for the appointment of quar-
termaster​, but his fate is that of the others. But
there is one consolation these disappointed men
have: they know they are the choice of the reg-
iment​. However, "the race is not to the swift
nor the battle to the strong"—they will try their
hand on the second regiment.

The spirit of recruiting is on the march, as
you will see from the following proceedings of
a meeting of colored citizens, held in the 19th
st. Baptist church on last Friday evening, for
the purpose of raising a recruiting fund to aid
in filling up the ranks of the 3rd* Regiment of
D.C. Vols. The meeting was called to order by
Mr. C. Clarke: Mr. Carter A. Steward was chosen
as chairman, Mr. Wm.​ H. Wormley as secretary.
A resolution then passed—"That a fund be rais-
ed​ to pay any person one dollar a head for every
recruit they may get to enlist." The list was
then opened and the amount of $87 taken up;
and the following committees appointed to carry
out the objects of the same:

Mr. C, Clark, chairman; Messrs. Daniel G.
Muse, John F. Cook, Wm.​ H. Wormley, Henry
Jarvis, A. W. Winkfield, C. A. Stewart, treas-
urer​.

Ladies Soliciting Committee:—Miss Annie
Washington, chairman; Misses Sarah Pesteridge,
Louisa Brown, Julia Webster, Matilda Washing-
ton​.