regiment and "The Year of
Jubilee has come!"

Just as Colonel Higginson had taken the flag and was opening his lips
to answer (his face while Mr. French was speaking was a beautiful
sight), a single woman's voice below us near the corner of the
platform began singing "My Country, 'tis of thee." It was very sweet
and low--gradually other voices about her joined in and it began to
spread up to the platform, till Colonel Higginson turned and said,
"Leave it to them," when the negroes sang it to the end. He stood with
the flag in one hand looking down at them, and when the song ceased,
his own words flowed as musically, saying that he could give no answer
so appropriate and touching as had just been made. In all the singing
he had heard from them, that song he had never heard before--they
never could have truly sung "my country" till that day. He talked in
the most charming manner for over half an hour, keeping every one's
attention, the negroes' upturned faces as interested as any, if not
quite as comprehending. Then he called Sergeant Rivers and delivered
the flag to his keeping, with the most solemn words, telling him that
his life was chained to it and he must die to defend it. Prince Rivers
looked him in the eye while he spoke, and when he ended with a "Do you
understand?" which must have thrilled through every one, answered most
earnestly, "Yas, Sar." The Colonel then, with the same solemnity, gave
into the charge of Corporal Robert Sutton[91] a bunting flag of the
same size; then stepping back stood with folded arms and bare head
while the two men spoke in turn to their countrymen. Rivers is a very
smart fellow, has been North and is heart and soul in the regiment and
against the "Seceshky." He spoke well; but Sutton with his plain
common sense and simpler language spoke better. He made telling
points; told them there was not one in that crowd but had sister,
brother, or some relation among the rebels still; that all was not
done because they were so happily off, that they should not be content
till all their people were as well off, if they died in helping them;
and when he ended with an appeal to them to above all follow after
their Great Captain, Jesus, who never was defeated, there were many
moist eyes in the crowd.

General Saxton then said a few words, regretting that his flag had not
arrived as he intended, and introduced Mrs. Gage, who spoke to them of
her visit to St. Croix and how the negroes on that isl