General Dix rejects the idea to garrison colored troops

The president wrote to General John Dix, commander of forces at Yorktown and Fortress Monroe, asking that he garrison colored troops under his command.  In his letter, the commander in chief wrote: "I therefore will thank you for your well considered opinion whether Fortress Monroe and Yorktown, one or both, could not, in while or in part, be garrisoned by colored troops, leaving the white forces now necessary at those places to be employed elsewhere."

 General Dix responded that he didn't think that such an important post should "be confined to any other class than the white population". Although the Emancipation Proclamation had allowed emancipated slaves to "garrison and defend forts, stations and other places and to man vessels of all sorts," in this instance that was not to be.

President Lincoln signed a resolution this week that concerned military pay.  Congress approved the issuance of $100 million for payment to the army and navy. The problem had been that payments had been withheld due to other matters needing attention. From now on the troops would be paid regardless of the fact that the government had been over issuing government bonds and bank notes which had caused the problems.