ossible for any one memory to carry the entire record of
the war, it is well to state, that almost every scene in this book is
copied from life, and that the incidents of battle and camp are part of
the history of the great contest.

The story of Fort Wagner is one that needs no such emphasis, it is too
thoroughly known; that of the Color-Sergeant, whose proper name is W.H.
Carney, is taken from a letter written by General M.S. Littlefield to
Colonel A.G. Browne, Secretary to Governor Andrew.

From the _New York Tribune_ and the _Providence Journal_ were taken the
accounts of the finding of Hunt, the coming of the slaves into a South
Carolina camp, and the voluntary carrying, by black men, ere they were
enlisted, of a schooner into the fight at Newbern. Than these two
papers, none were considered more reliable and trustworthy in their war
record.

Almost every paper in the North published the narrative of the black man
pushing off the boat, for which an official report is responsible. The
boat was a flat-boat, with a company of soldiers on board; and the
battery under the fire of which it fell was at Rodman's Point, North
Carolina. In drawing the outlines of this, as of the others, I have
necessarily used a somewhat free pencil, but the main incident of each
has been faithfully preserved.

The disabled black soldier my own eyes saw thrust from a car in
Philadelphia.

The portraits of Ercildoune and his children may seem to some
exaggerated; those who have, as I, the rare pleasure of knowing the
originals, will say, "the half has not been told."

Every leading New York paper, Democratic and Republican, was gone over,
ere the summary of the Riots was made; and I think the record will be
found historically accurate. The _Anglo-African_ gives the story of poor
Abram Franklin; and the assault on Surrey has its likeness in the death
of Colonel O'Brien.

In a conversation between Surrey and Francesca, allusion is made to an
act the existence of which I have frequently heard doubted. I therefore
copy here a part of the "Retaliatory Act," passed by the Rebel
Government at Richmond, and approved by its head, May 1, 1863:--

"Sec. 4. Every white person, being a commissioned officer, or acting as
such, who, during the present war, shall command negroes or mulattoes in
arms against the Confederate States, or who shall arm, train, organize,
or prepare negroes or mulattoes for military service against the
Confederate States,