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♦ ? *. "
BY JAMES GARDNER
C> re(H*©fi»l«oc« of tfcv Con6tltutionAlt?t.
YANKEE RULE AT HOLLY SPRINGS AND
VICINITY.
The annexd letter, though it has been ft long
tun- c wiling to hand, will be U und interesting,
an giviug a detailed account of the grow out*
rages committed upon the people of that section
by the vile aud despotic hirelings of the Aboli
tion Government:
Holly Spring*, Mu*., Jan. 2d, 186 S.
Messrs Editors:
Haring, with the majority of our citizens,
nothing to i*cetipr my time, and more leisure
man agre «b!i*, 1 thought that a truthlul, though
succinct account of the acts and doings of the
creatures constituting the army, or inure pro
perlc, the anted mob at Federal troops under \V.
rs. Grant, that invaded our Slate on the 13ih Nov.
last, would not be uninteresting to your readers,
I have attempted to give a gene .\l statement of
their conduct in th's city. To furnith ail their
acts :n detail, would not only require more pa -
per and patience thau I possess, out woaid har
row* up the feelings of the Southern reader, and
shock the delicate sensibility of the gentler tcx.
From my earliest youth, 1 have been taught to
regard with suspicion and distrust, the pertiii
oaß Puritan character, to hold in utter detesta
tion the imp!«cab'e New England fanatic, to be
lieve that the Yankee, in ordrr to accomplish bis
►elfish ends and puop. tea, would not scruple to
perform any ana every act of fiendish ferocity,
treachery and wicktdness known in the entire
cmt.logueol crime. Yet, l con'ess that it re 4
q*itred my own p*?*onal observation to induce
me to ueiieve that they were not to some extent
harsh v judged.
On the 13th November last, as above stated, an
army of about thirty or forty thousand men, c >n*
noting of envairy, artillery und infantry, passed
through this city on their way rioutb.
were finely equipped, making a grsi d display,
tbeir bands tauntingly discours og :h iimnitubie
sty.e our favorite air “Dixie,” their trumpets
marshalling together thousands of troopers well
mounted upon stolen horses and the flags borne
bv their infantry insolently fl mated in our faces.
It was certainly one of the best appointed armies
iu the service, *t>ut I can assert with confidence,
•fiat it contained more vice and corruption, pol
troonery bnd wickedness thau was ever heft re
embraced in the same number of men. Their
threats of dire vengeance on the hapless people
of Mississippi, were loud and deep, and in tbeir
avowed opinion, the fcttnrs anu Stripes would
* -on fl->at triumphantly over Grenada, Jackson
and Vicksburg. Hut aiae for all human calcula
tions, when w ithin two miles ofC fTeeville, a sud
den check was put tojtheir onward progress by
o:r gallant boys, who taught them that Missis*
sipprwus a hard road to travel. While revo'.v
l* g in tbeir minds this bitter iruth, they were
M'cxptctedly made acquainted with the fact,
tbit ou the 20th day of December, 1662,
early in the morning, Gen. Van Dorn had made a
bniiiaot and successful da.sh upon their garrison
n this city. This intelligence fell upon them
:.ke a clap of thunder in a clear sky. All their
ammunition and provisions, medical stores and
clothing, was gone—destroyed —a ,re*rog-ade
movement was ordered, and thus was North Mis
sissippi saved. At the time that Gen. Van Dorn
surprised the con.n:und at this post, it constated
o: nearly twA thousand men under Col. Murphy,
*»>i was a point of Vital them^^r
.•vity and medical s'ores, together with fixed am
munition und clothing, m quantities sudetent sci
this division of their army for the entire cam*
paign in this State. Their own estimate of the
.cm>s is aeve r al million dollars ; for example, they
had in one house 100,000 full Mins of clothing,
medicine* to ihe amount of $75,000, twenty thou*
band barrels flour, guns, navy shell,
grape and canister shot, tixeu ummuuitition in
unlimited quantity, wagon flumes?, boots, blau*
sete. pick axes, nails, and all in- apoliacees ne
cessary ler army purposes in prodigal profusion,
ihe buildings occupied for these stores were
principally railroad buildings, consisting of a
co mm odious, e'egant and cuatly raiiroau hotel,
t x’easive round*nou»e with turntable in the cen
tre, i -rge depot house, spacious building for
w rsau »ps, etc., and a bar shop, all of brick ;
t.jfcetuer wuh t'se government armory buildings,
'.■.occt*’tg about ten acres of ground, and lastly, a
iiv-Tj stable on the public square; the latter
Mi.. ' til im exclusively with fixed arnmu
uiiion, guns, pistol-, shell, etc. In addi
:o n to this, nearly every store house in our city
was occupied by rtg.men’al sutlers. These
eilows, t on.ugh ttejr quartermaster, hud
.u-oleufiy ejec ed our merebants,and appropriated
their store houses, paviu_ the rent therefor, to
be Yankee Quarter must-r; every notable or roomy
, r.vaie residence wa* occupied by offici rs a* quar
ters, or us.a as H spitals, the occupants ordered
,<> vacate in one i »ur, not being allowed to re*
i-i re any article o furniture whatever. No citi
x-u was allowed t>- go outside of toe city lion;’a
uu ess he was “lo; which meant that he bad
laseu the oath of «.>.egtance to toe Lincoln gov
ernment. and aija. d all fealty t«> tne Courede
rat* Slates; no ctus n wu allowed io appear on
ine streets after retreat, about sundown, wnbout
pass. Such w-s our condition thus were our
ci i-a,s writhing under the iron heel oi Federal
or Yankee oppression, tyranny and insolence,
when our cava ry pa d them an informal visit.
Was it surprising that our ciiatns rejoic-d in
beholding ng in our brave boys, who, headed by
U,..- intrepid Van Dor.r, struck t-rror to the souls
of -.he uu-erao.e cowards, who trembed before an
am ed avenge , but were wont to *-xerci6e impe*
r.ous and even brutal sway over unarmed non
com butanis, women and children, trampling
u clessly upon their deare*t social rights ana
.-ibcrties, i-nd treatiug wi«h contumely quiet and
urobtrusive citi^-ns.
It was iude-d a giuriout day f*-r our people,but
a sad i-ue for the euemy. They were uucen com
p c eiy by surprise ; all were :nude prisoners, ex
ctp: about 3d cavalry that escaped; they rode
out west of town at a slow pace, ready to avail
themselves ot either horn of the dilemma, eitoer
fl gut or surrender, but ufter going for half a rniie
acid finding ihe cocst clear, they put spurs to tbeir
torses, and, in their own parlance, “skedaddled.”
This retreat is what Grant termed “cutting their
way out” in an order alluding to the surprise,
ce sunng Murphy and his command, but speaking
of this retreat a** a “glorious exc. prion.” Our
cavalry not being able to transport me prisoner*,
paro'ed them, turning them loose in our midst.
The w.*rk ot destruction then commenced. All
tbeir stores were totally destroyed, unlortanafeiy,
however, for some of our ctiia.nv, in dong which
u became necessary to blow up the bui.d.ngs in
which they had deposited their stores, the flumes
burst forth as a consequence, and destroyed all
the Railroad buildings above enumerated, the
entire east hall of the public square and the no*th
half also. Our boys then entered the sutler’s
establishments, whoa.- stocks were large arid ct'in
plete, and after packing their horses with boun
tiful supplies ot everything they needed, the re*is
due was turned over io our citizens and negroes.
Bcf*>re night the store houses were completel v
emptied of their coaunts, und a large amount of
cotioa, bought and paid for by specula
tors, remained a heap of smouldering ashes.
Their work being complete, and nothing remain*
intf to be d'*ue, our troops left the city at
o’clock.
I( my task could but eud here—if the above
recuai was not follow?d by as* quel full of terror
to our unprotected cit ; x-*d«*, infinitely more >tart
hug than the te gn of terror in France during the
f icDcb revolution, fraught, up it was, with all
jaat >e revolting to humanity, morality and vir
; yet*, if J cooid but be =f/ar«b the capleaaaat
AUGUSTA, GA., WEDNESDAY MORNING, MARCH 18. 1863.
duty of detailing the atrocities imposed upon us, !
our unfortunate people, peaceable men, quiet fe- |
males and innocent children, would to-day wear ;
a sintle in lieu of tears and haggard countenances. ,
Few persons in ihii> comm unity, prior to the war, :
properly appreciated New EugUad cupidity, !
hmee they were loathe to believe that men in- i
rading a couutry in the capacity of soldiers, en* j
gaged in an honorable warla r? t men from dkris
r.<m New Englard, from the land of steady K*bits % j
hold'ng themselves up as patterns of piety and :
virtue, could be so lost to all the dictates of even t
u couiruon humauity as to organize themselves j
in*o an armed mob of thieves and adroit incen*
diaries, prseticmg all the arts and devices of
:»»Vages and vantmls. This army consisted prim* \
cipaily cf I'linois troops, with a par? from \Vis« j
eonstn, ludiatia, lowa and Kan<a.s.
Oa the Sabbath, the ‘ilst D *cember, the.day 1
following the surprise by Gen. Van Dorn, the 7tn
Kansas rivalry, well known by the ever-to be
remeuibeiad cognomen of “Juyhawkerg,” rushed !
| into town,, tolling like tends, firing their pistol,
aud shtusing, “ Here comes :be hell bounds.”
They were followed by the Ist Kansas Infantry,
als«» Jayhawkers, the 17th W’lsconsm, and a num
ber of IllinoivS troops. The three first regiments,
however, proceeded to perform t .eir accustomed
work even before they bad pitched their tents.
These precious scoundrels arc always seut in ud
vauce of their army fur the purpose of plunder
and destruction ; they are licensed by their
eminent to do ifiii work— aa
»hey receive no otblr stipend, their say having
bven long since siopip*ci, a fact hdmisted by a'l
the officers with I conversed. Tbeir first
act was io bre*k into every store that bad not
i been occupied by their suilors. plundering them,
aud currying off all that they did not steal, and ,
either smashing them to pieces or using them for
fuel. Iron chests, drawers, show desks,
books, und fixtures, were either destroyed or
burned. Private residence.- were entered from
windows as well us doors, und sacked from gar
ret to cellar; the fences torn down and burned ;
suioke houses, store rooms, cellars, closets, bu*
remis, wardrobes, trunks, and K?cretaries, were
broken open aud rifled of such crudes as templed
their fanev. Uy of axes aud crowbars,
locks yielded like magic. In many instances the
furniture was smashed for pastime. In the town
of Oxford, thirty miles south of this city, while
on lheir way south, they broke into every .store
and completely destroyed the geds contained in
them ; ruthed into dwellings, and after robbing
trietn, destroyed the furniture—scarcely a flue
piano remains in that place; pistols presented to
' the breasts of ludies and tbeir valuables deißand
: ed ; citixuis stopped on the streets, tbeir money
; and watches demanded uuder threats of death.
This was done m Oxford. We expected to re*
j ceive no b.ttcr fate, nor were we deceived. The
most profane and obscene langu.-g? was used to,
and in the presence of, our ladies, thus adding
| insult to injury. The officers, with few excep
i tions, wer_- as bad a.s the men, tukieg no steps,
us u general thing, to arres* tbeir ll«a
in their acts of deviltry. Indeed, 1 am rxv
s irprised at it, for in nineteen cases out of twen
' ty the officers are a low bted, ignorant and inso
j lent set ot knaves, picked up from the purlieus of
' the Northern towns and cities, suitable men to
couimatfd such outlaws and fiends. They threat
ened to lay our city ia ashes, and it wua certainty
! not their fault thui ever, a building remains stand
j mg. How far they carried cut tktir diabolical de
ance ot our citizens, few, it any. buving dofl'eti
their clothing lor three weeks. 'Women, as well
as men, stood guard around their dwell
ings night after nignt tiil dawn, constantly ad
i monished of their peril by toe lurid glare of
burning buildings which ilium, oed the
in every direction. The country f.»r miles
j arotiud fared as badiv as the town. North, South,
Eist and West, exhibit a .sickening ap;>ear<irice.
• Farm houses in ashes, fenceless plantations, are
presented to the eye everywhere Our constant
vigils, anxiety aud t>u>peu&e was truly terrible,
; from the efleers of whicu many of our ladies puss
sensing acute nervous .-useeptibihty, will, I am
fearfui, never recover. The number of buildings
. consumed in our town was about fifty, twice that
number were* ired, but extinguished, and i think
: that the work w&4 undertaken by professional in*
: k uch skill being displayed ia firing .
j houses that hud they* .-ucceedeJ in consuming
| every house tired, scarcely a out.ding would Lave :
I been left standing in oitr city. While dwellings
were burning, the unfortunate inmates were pro
h bited from saving a single artic.e, and when the
attempt w«6 made, it‘wtt* speedily hurled buck
into the flames, accompanied with diabolical in: • ,
pr ecations ou the heads of the hapless women und ,
children so suddenly bereft of uonie, food und i
clothing, standing wiifi sbiveiiug buibs in the ;
chill u gbt'airof wiu.er, witnessing the wanton
destruction of, m many instances, all taey pos
sessed, and sent adrift, in a most inclement »
season. To give, in detail, all he uc‘a of vio- i
lenc** and brutality, crime and outrage, to which ;
our citizens have betn subjected by hese imsera I
uoie miscivants, would fi i an oc'ava volume ; sut- j
tice it, that for fifteen nines Ea. taud West of their |
iine of march, houses were burned, fence* d—
btroyed or used as fuel, planvainas plundered oi i
provisions; bor.*ts, mules, entile, ho<s, negroes ■
j aud provender stolen. W&ut they aid no: s eal j
was either buinea or rendered vaiueiesc. In snort,
destruction, devastation und ruin followed m
tneir wake wherever they went; the uninformed
travtlier in passing through our section would
conclude that a huYricane had swept in relentless
| fury over the iuad.
i They evacuated our city on the KHh of January.
| instant, carrying with tfiem valuable furniture in
1 large amount; extenziye law libraries belonging
| to our lawyers, were packed up by them and bh p* i
j ped North. By means of the most infamous i
! falsehoods, deception and art. they succeeded in I
j inducing our negroes to fly their comfortable 1
! homes and go with them, there to R’arve or ute !
of expot-nre and disease. Already have j
hundreds fallen victims to excessive cold
and disease. .The number or negroes esu* j
mated to have left the county is ten thousand; !
tbe proportion that le:t our cur is. I think, nine |
j out of ten. They were told by the troops that
j President Davis would Laog ail who were left be \
[ hind, and, straoge to eay, the infatuated crea- |
i turea really believed the Uie. The s:-mpede was ;
j astonishing; many of our fatnilies lost every ne
-1 g»o they had, while others 10.-t the greater por
| tioa of them; true, no me families fo-.t none, but j
j this ;s exceedingly rare. Most of these negroes *
| are in Li Grant;* ana Memphis ; il the laiter
j place, they are suffering in every conceivable way, '
| and a heavy per cent are dying and dead. j
i I have attempted to give a mere insight in’o ?r.e
[ true character of the T ankee, though I have iuiten :
I far short of my object. Yauke* troupa huve lo
j regard for private rights, truth and honesty or .
I femme virtue. Moral, polr.ical and social honesty !
is unknown to them, and as a nation they seem to
, be fast verging on intideixty. There are except on.*,
j newever, and a conservative spirit is b ginning
1 to be developed 'itnong them; io what extent, aud i
i whet moti es actuate this class, remains to be
seen.
As an evidence o' the total depravity
of the troops that were here, I will State,
in conclusion, that they burned the fences
around the cemeterv, cestmyfed several m'.nu*
meats and defaced others ; ibey entered the Epifc*
copal Chu**ch, a tine and new building, broYe the
organ into fragments, tore tip tbe pewp, stole
away the chairs, carpets, cushions from the altar,
tore the Bibias to pieces, destroyed the entire
library, played cards upon the altar, and, after
having made a complete wreck of it, set fire to
the budding, which was fortunately extinguished. 1
! The Methodist and Presbyterik church*'- were .
nearly as badly ii9ed. t-an supb men conquer a !
j brave and moral people? Impossible.
At Eye Witness.
STILL LATER FROM TilE HORTK.
From ill* Richm nU Kxfilitier.
I . Fkedehicksblrg, M«rch 7.—jTo«r cor*espor.* |
dent lias received one day’s latef advices, as fol-
J lows;
ABKIVAL FROM EUROrB -WE NEWS,
j The steamship Uiberma, iromLiverpoo od the ;
lt*ih and Londonderry on the *2oth, arrived at J
; Portland Wednesday aHernoou. f Tbe following is
j a synopsis of her news :
Advices from Paris menthf a contract for a
{ Confederate F* to have been received for three
j oiilhons of pen mis in bonds ufi seven per ceat.,
I exchan'jabie atfi r.st cotton.
The i’linei'city article sajsj: As the Govern
ment pCLi-eves r!| the meansjof trensport from :
j the itnenor to other ports, thelcottou thus by
! po.l ecated vr.il be first avaiiabll for sbipmeut to I
Etiiope. ihe price at which thl bonds are to be
issued has not transpired.
Alio rumors that France ctiistders tout the
Charleston blockade was raised,| still lacks con* •
firm at ion.
Meetinga. lectures. A: , in fajror of Lincoln’6
emancipation policy, are of dkily t»ccurrence in
various parts of England, and imposing demons
stra?ionsoyt*re expected at the amphitheatre at
Liverpool:
The Tunes complains that th 4 giaua old cause
Mgrtiust slavery aud the ani i-aiave trade move*
meat has degenerated into u Mere catspaw to
Seward, and alludes to tbe recent report that
Lord Brougham earnestly entreated the new
i Emancipationists not to dishoajur the old ciuiee I
then, to a recent address to Mr. Adams the Amer- |
ican Minister.
A meeting on tbe subject was held at Dames’
Hall on the 38th. The ejieakerst indulged in bit- i
ter invectives against the Lord, Mayor and Mr.
Mason for the late affair at tbe Mansion House j
banquet, and a resolution condemning the Lord j
Mavor was unanimously carried.
The Bank of Mobile had remitted to London,
200,000 dollars in specie, to meet the demands of |
the interests on the bonds of the State of Aluba- i
I ma. till July, 18G4.
The Shipping Gazitfe points out that the ac
counts of the Cnarleston ufl'air per the Arabia, are
far too meagre to jastiiy any Government t.kiug *
decided action-
The proceedings of Parliament are unimport* j
’ ant. •
«pminoflicial paper, on the question of Poland,
repi.. ,td in Paris that a Frencb diplomatic note
‘ wus uddressed te Prusaie, on the subject cf Prus
‘ Sian interference in Poland.
Tbe Prussian Government did not follow the
; Russian policy. Tbe-L berals have brought fora
ward a resolution that Prussia should mot side
with either party, and neither should they tn*
• ter Prussian territory without, beiog disarmed.
[ The Paris P*trie represents jbe insurrection us
1 spreading throughout u!l part:* of Poland.
A Naples telegram of the lj&ih of February an
' nounces that the war George haa left
1 for Malta, with Prince Alfred on board, suffering'
* from »ever.
. Preparations so welcome TViucess Alexandria
r indicate that the event imka one of tbe most
' j augnificent ever happenOa^TtLiikiglani.
1 ' an &
I The meet ng ut Liverpool in favor of Lincoln’s
j I eifiitnop ttioo was very enthusiastic.
Cotton dull and declining, Orleans Middling,
2\)4 te 25^|; Mobile, 2 0\ to 24}^.
from California
Business dull. Lvgai t*nder notes fiS to 60 cts.
j A considerable ainhunt was remitted by yeste r »
j day’s steamer, partially accountiDg far the light
t shipment of gold.
A Mazt'ian puper of the 20lh January says that
i on Saturday and Sunday 2,200 Hoops emharkHd
! hence for the Southern part of the Republic
j They are designed V> operate against the French
! invaders. Jamarson is tb. naval ci-mmandent,
and Genera! Vega bus ch es command of the troops.
Colonel Morion m second. The Mexican steamer
j Emeralda soon follows with more troops. Tlio I
• precise destination ia withheld from the public.
RUMORS or TE«S CAPVDRK OF FORT b’aLLISTER.
New York, March 4.— Fori McAllister is report
' ed as having been captured on the 26th ot Febru
ary, together with a mile and a half of rifle pits.
.The b\*rty-yeventh New York regiment performed
I tbe feat, with a loss of one hundred and fifty kill
ed and wounded ( !! )
i TIIS ATTACK ON CHARLESTON.
j A Hilton Head letter of February 27 1 H says the
I troops are under orders to embark, and the next
| steumer will probably bring the intelligence of
i the attack on Charleston.
FROM HOOKER’S ARMY.
j From a letter in tbe Chronicle descriptive r-f
the immense hospital accommodations at Aquia
| Creek, your correspondent ;»ath?rs that Hooker’s 1
j army is composed of eleveu array corpr.
I THIS GENERAL APPROPRIATION BILL OF THE NORTH
ERN GOVERNMENT.
The New York Tribune sfctes that the sum to*
* lal of the appropriation bill just jiaHeed bv the
j Yankee Congress, is 2,227,000,000 [two billions
and two Hundred and twenty-seven* millions of
dollars. S
Gold basd ei eed to t>7 cen f s.
FROM NEW ORLEANS—MEETING OF GENERAL BANKS
AND THE PLANTS Sr
A rebt: deserter repotts ihat General Sibley
has sent his infantry, fifteen thousand strong, to
Shreveport, and has goue up with his artillery
and cavalry to Aichatalava river. The infantry
were entirely destitute of ammuniticn.
! The Herald’s correspondent says that a Urge
i uueetiug of L*.-uisiana planters bad been held in
| New OrleanP, consisting of all of any consequence
i within the federal lines. Tbe meeting was iu
I session for two days. The object to confer re* »
speoting the propriety aud expediency of accept
ing the proposition of General B.nks ia regard to
j the employment of their own servants. The
| meeting in thus described:
• 4 li was a spectacle n-.ver to be forgotten, to look
I upon these men, retaining the same external aps
I peurance, and the spirit of pride which
j characterized them in firmer dav s ; speaking wuh
j the same tone of importance, aDd yet admitting,
! n .t only by the very act ot aseeuibling, but m uc !
jtu.il words, that they w. re beipters Tin y re*
j minded one of dethroned monarebs—of a Roman
Senate r-ripped of its power—of bankrupt# sur
, rounded by iuxu r :es abou: to pass IrQHi their !
hands. * # They came, in fact, as sup- ;
j plicants to u bumr.ee Ooveinment, asking for pro*
i section against tbs effects of the madness of their |
i own people.”
The proposition of Genera! bioks was, that a
fixed compensation be paid the negroes for their
labor; that the negroes are left to choose whether
or not they will accept the terms off-red - that
the contract, if t. ey accept it, binds the negroes
only for one year, the Government binding it*
sel to protect them against ill usage and tnhn
man treatment. I'bis understanding does not
ass-c: the claim of the njaelet on the nave,
which may he determined m the future.
The m-etitig adopted the lollowing resolu
tions:
Rmoivod, That the communications of the sev
eral cuumittees appointed to confer with Major
(i eoerai Banks aod Governor Sbepely. have sat
isfied .his meeting that they will do ail in their
power to facilitate the planters in eairying out
the arrangements which have been entered’into
Ktsoltfd, That we, the planters of the first and
second congressional districts of Louisiana, wit!
bonestiy, earnestly and. persistently co-operate
wuh General Banks and Governor Shepley, ij |
carrying into full effect the contract into which j
we have entered with the sequestration commit* j
tee.
£ M. L&pier, of St. James’ parish, offered the |
first and D. Merritt, of St Bernard parish, the
second resolution. E. E. Mai!hoi*, of the parish ! -
ot Terrebonne, was president of the meeting, and j
J. M. Pelton, of the same and H. B. Foley, of
As-umition, were secretaries.
Genera! Banks visited the assemblage whilst in '
session, the presiding officer welcoming him as
follows:
Major General Banks—
“ As president of this mteting, I welcome you.
and it gives me pleasure to assure you that we 1
entertain the highest respect for you, and are
thankful for theynany favors yo» have granted »*s
since your arrival here to take command of the
Gulf Department.
Biuks responded that he was happy to meet
them ; that be was reluctantly there in a military
capacity; that his GovernnnrU, aud particularly
New Lng and, had no houtility to the people cf
Louisiana, and “ that it would be tb* happiest
day in their history if they could see the country
united together as heretofore.” [Cries of ' good,”
and ioud applause ] He doted **amid enthusi
astic applause,” by pledgitig himself to do all in
hm power, consistent with his du’y, to promote
the peace, prosperity, and happiness of the people
of Lori blunt.
PROM NEW ORLEANS.
A letter dated atSt. Phillip, below New Orleans,
ou the Bth instant, and addressed to the Boston
Courier, thus refers to tbe effects of placing a ne
gro battalion on duty at that place .
“Geo. Butler orgauiz-d them into regiments as
soldiers, taking the organization (o! the first reg*
iment) from the Stale, designed to embrace free
colored persons, the field and staff officers white,
the line officers colored. Some slaves even eii’
listed in that regimen', while the second, and
third, and a ba’fery were mostly a!l slaves, field
hands and of the rough sort. They were sent into
the country with General Weilzel, and used as a
gutrd lor the railroad. Recently Get:. Banks bus
orlered them in, ostensibly to garrison tbe forts
here and back of New Oi leans, wLeie it is deemed
impructicab’e to keep white • troops on ucc >uut of
malarious influences.
“Tbe order was given for the. firsi regiment to
relieve the 18th Maine, which you know has been
stationed ua follows. Two companies at Ship
Island, under Col. Rust; two at Fort Macomb, and
six at Fort St. Phillip. Before the order was ex
ecuted General Banks deemed it advisable to
send the negroes, bat leave the white soldiers, so
that the forts were reinforced, instead of being
garrisoned by negroes* Colonel Rust was ordered
to take command at Fort Jackson, leaving his two
companies at Ship Island, under command of the
Colonel of the Ist Louisian.* Native Guards (ne*.
groes.) Col. Rust requested that his troops
might be allowed to do a large share ot the
duty of the island, and be permitted to do it
separate from ihe negroes, which the Col
onel of the negroes agreed to—but before
Col. Rubt had quitted the island an order was is
sued that the troops of the 13th Maine appear to
guard mounting, dress parade, aud battalion drill
with the negro battalion, and as a part of it. The
Captains respectlully protested, but appeared
once. No notice was taken of the protest, but the
next do a detail was made of a Lieutenant and
ot t>r atuiM d, to Dbfiotl to a negro Ci»u*
taiL. TheCapf.ilns of the compimies (March, of
Portland, and Varney, of Brunswick,) declined
J making 'he detai', as they did not mean to Gom
-1 pel tbeir Lieuteuanta to salute a negro, if he cid
wear shoulder straps. The Captains wera mine
diaiely put under arrest, and tho command de«
volved succesnively upon the First end Second
Lieutenants of the compani *s, wi n respectively
refused to make the detail, and *A*ere likewise put
under arrest, so that thee tr,panics are now with"
out commanding officers.
“These officere are to be tr ied by court maro
tial, unless somebody back.-* down, end will of
coarse be sent home in disgrace. The issue has
come and must be met, and 1 am not sorry it has
thus come wbeie it has, for no regiment can show
i an inspection record by a regular trmv officer
that will compare with this regiment, lie says
j that for all that constitutes u good soldier they
! ure Vqjai lo reguVs.’ Tbe question is whether
J the Government is to respect this prejudice, that
we all know exists,against thus making the nogr<» 1
! our equal. 1 believe the result must be that if
j we use them us soldiers they must have duties
j separate from white men. This is nature, and
1 until you cbnng- nature you cannot do away with
| the prejudioe. As a fnend of mine has it, we
cannot reconcile the idea that a 'slave to-day cau
be more than acit zen to-morrow.’
[Frsrn lie Confederate lfn* m J
CORKEBPONDFNCE BETWEEN GOV BBOWK
AND GEN MERCER ON RETURNING THC
MILITIA TO THfclß HOMES
Sanannah, March 7, 1868;
Geu. 11. C. Wayne:
> 1 hare directed the militia officers to return
home, to ewa:: my further call. I am sure this
j is best. H. W. Mercer,
Brig. Gen. Commanding.
Executive Department, J
Milled* *ille, March 7, 1863. f
If you say the enaer^'ncy is past, and the call
made upon me by Gen Beauregard is tvithdrawu,
i w’ll order the militia officers disbanded uad sent
home. If tbe cal! is not withdrawn, they must
• remain while tbt*y are tn-re, till the danger of at
tack baa passed. Scattered as they are all over
the State, I cannot order theta to and from Sa
vannah every few days. You must lake them now,
or Bay yon do cot want them. Say im rediately,
by telegraph, whether tbe call on rue 'or trcops is
withdrawn. Joseph K Brown.
Brig. Gee. ii W. Merges,
Savannah.
t
Savannah, March 7th, 1860.
Gov. Joseph E. Brou n :
Considering tbe immediate dnger passed, 1
gave my consent for tbe militia rffi.*ers return
nome under General Order Dumber two (2) from
Adjutant General of State. Tnev left here before
the receipt of yocr dispatch, I ctnnot say for
General Beauregard that tbe call made upon you
by him is withdrawn. All toe ofllo'-rsexpressed
a desire to return here when the attack is made. I
will then (wpeak ng f- r myself; gl»div receive all
wbo coace. B. W Mkkcir,
Br g. G-p. Command ne.
Executive .’Department, I
MilledgeviJfe, Maicb 7th. 1883. )
! Brigadier Genera. ii. W. Mercer,
Coin’dg, Savannah :
j As yon consider the danger oi mftnedia'e attack
pasted, and have Stint the militia officers borne to
aw lit your call umder General Order No- 2. lasu*
1 ed oa your suggestion, by the Adjutaat and In
j spector General in my abut nee; and as many of
| the officers live remote from railroads and can**
not receive orders and reaoh Sarannab imruedi"
1 ateiy, I shall expect ten dajs no iCe, wher you
! again expect to need the’r and tney
! will respond promptly and gallantly.
Joseph E. Brown.
Another Victory in Kentucky.— Information
{.'reached here yw>t*rdaj tba'. a force of three bun*
| dred and fifty Yankees posted at Mount Sterling,
j Kentucky, were routed un Thursday last by u
i regiment of Morgan’s cavalry under Col* Cluke.
Fifty of them captured, together with all
J commissary stores; artn3. A;. From present in*
I dicutiußS shall hear o‘ more brilliant exploits
t by ucr lorce in Kentucky soon
EiortUU R*gi*ttr t 10/A.
VOL. 16 No 11.
CONFEDERATE STATES CONGRF66.
SENATE.
Movbat, March 9, 186$.
The Senate wag called to order at 12 o’olock,
Mr. Hunter, of Ya., in the Chair. Prayer by
Rev. Mr. Woodbndge.
Mr. Clay introduced a bill to repeal the natural*
isatiou laws, winch was referred to the Commit**
tee on the Judiciary.
''Mr. Maxwell introduced a joint resolution relaa
ting to the prodcttion of provisions, which jvas
read the requisite number of times and adopted.
Leave ot absence from the .sessions of the Sen*
ate was granted the Hon. Herschel Y. Johnson.
Mr. Sparrow submitted a resolution instructing
the Military Committee to inquire into the expos
dieucv of taring the laws appertaining to milis
tary and naval affaiiß digested and published,
with such notes referring to the army and navy
regulations amL the articles of war as may be
thought necessary ta make the publication con
venient tor use by the officers of the army and
navy.
Mr. D -rtsch introduced a bill to amend an aet
entitled ‘ Ac act to organise military courts to at*
tend the army of the Confederate States in the
held, and to define the powers of said courts,"
approved October 9th, IS(>2, which was referred to
the Judiciary Committee.
On motion of Mr. Oldham, the report ot the
Committee on Commerce on the joiat resolution
in relation to the tree navigation of the Mississip
pi river, was ordered to bo reprinted.
On motion, the Comuu.ttce on Foreign Affairs
were discharged front further consideration ot the
resolution submitted by Mr. Semtneson the 8d
lost., inquiring into the propriety and expedi
ency cf so much of certain resolutions touching
certain points ot maratime law, and defining the
position of the Confederate States in' respect
thereto, adopted by the Provisional Congress,
as declares “ that the neutral flag covers enemy’s
?oods, with the exception of contraband of war."
t was transfer! ed \> ihe secret calendar.
Mr. Sparrow, from the Naval Committee, re
ported the following bills, without amendment,
vix: A bill to provide for the staff of the com*
tr.aoder of an arrnv in the field. A bill to pro
i vide ft r the appointment ot Inspector General,
and additional Quartermaster Generals, and udo
ditional Cotnuiissuri* s, to serve for the war. A
bill to provide for the appointment of additional
Aidstde-Cump laid on the table.
The bill to provide and organize a general staff
for armies in the held, to serve during the war,
was read uud ordered to be printed.
The bill introduced by Mr. Brown, to establish
a volunteer navy was ordered to be printed, and
transferred to the secret calendur.
The bill ti aid committees of Congress in the
i n vet-1; gut ion of matters referred to them, and to
punish false swearing before said committees, wap
called up and ordered to be printed.
On motion of Mr. Clay,
Resfilof*, That the joint committee to investi
gate the management of the navy under its pres
ent head be authorized to print the testimony
taken before it, in pursuance of the instructions
1 of the joint resolution of the two Houses of Con
l grese
Mr Henry, of Tenn., offered the following,
l which was agreed to;
* Whereas, information ba« been received which
I is believed to be reliable, to the effect that the
- »aetn> *r» ni ihe habit of disregarding the parole
i of prisoners tuken by our army and or ordrrmtr
1 them again into their service before they have
been exchanged; it is, therefore,
1 ICtso-lV'il, Thai the Committee on Foreign As
• fairs be required to inquire into the facts of the
case and report by bill or otherwise.
I The impressment bill comiDg up as unfinished
business, ail the amendments offered to il were
rejected, save the amendment of Mr. Semites to
1 the House bill which was incorporated in it. The
question c »tiling up whether tbe bill should be
read a third time it was received.
1 Mr. Henry. »»f Tei u moved the reconside*
ration of the v on Oirro d.
Feuding p mo »* n to reconsider Mr. Serames’
umendinci.t, tb • rienute adj »urn£d.
* :o>n in* J. Crisis,
LAI£H FROM TEXAS
Wt have before us tiled of the Hpimon (Texas;
! News, *o the llih ult. The news from that secs
j tion is generally unimportant.
I The News publishes part ot an extra from the
j Houston Telegraph in regard to Missouri affairs,
which will be new to our readers. The Telegraph
says that the Missouri militia, under Gen. Harney,
have rebelled against the Lincoln authority, re
tamed the arms put into their hands by the Abo*
liliouis.* and seized upon every toan oi impor
tance on the Missouri river, together with a vast
amount of supplies, arms and ammunition. The
writer says;
Upon the reception of this important news by
General li.ndman at Louisburg, he di>patched
immediately Generals Marmaduke and Shelby,
with 10,003 cavalry and infantry, to the r relief
until his mum foice c-uild be brought up. I: was
also said that Genital Hindman himself has gone
imo Missouri to confer with Harney and perfect
their combinations. God grant it may all be true
j —or even one half of it.
1 The News o: the 11th says: •
As our Legislature is now in session, v.e pre
sume th-y wni find it ueces>ury to pass some act
defining the position that is to be made of Yan»
kee officers that have heretofore, and may here*
afjpr, be made prisoners on our soil. This is the
more necessary as President Davis, ia his mes
sage, proposes to turn over to the authorities of
each State a!! such commissioned officers as may
be captured within their respective limits. We
think the States will know how to dispose of
! Jbem.
Fain Ki.vsto.v.—A correspondent of the Raleigh
Sute Journal, under date of March ath, gives the
following in relation to the movements of the
enemy:
Everything is in a tumult hero this morning in
regard to the movements of the military. We
cannot get at the truth of things as they now
s and. Five hundred reports are in circulation.—
Hu: there is one thing certain, an important move
ment is on foot. The enemy is doubtless moving in
this direction, and a portion of our troops, under
Gen. Daniel, have to look after them.
1 have just been informed that the enemy, 12,00t>
strong, encamped at McDaniel’s plantation last
n ght, ten miles below this place, on the Trent
road. I: is also rumored that they are advancing
in f«rce by the way of the Dover and Neuse roads,
but these reports are not by any moans reliable. *
The military keep their own covnsels, and it is
bu: right tbey should do ao. General Hill well
kr ows what he is about. Skirmishing was going
on the most ot the day vea erday, and up to one
o’clock this morning. Th« advance guard of the
enemy gets the worst of the engagement, and at
last accounts they werelalhng back, with several
kuled on their aide; and but two missing on our
side, but supposed to be killed.
It is uot true as was reported that 40 of our men
were captured by the enemy, whilst on picket
duty yesterday morning.
I see no caure at present for any alarm. B* of
good cheer. Should anything of interest tran
spire to-day, I will inform you by telegraph to
night.
In Borne of the Northern papers the lists of de
serters from a single regiment occupy a space of
three or fonr columns.