Worcester daily spy., 1861-12-05
Experience of "a German in Charleston.
Frnm the phiInile lnllin Innlirrr


August Gahlenbeck, a German, arrived in
this city, last week, from the south, and fur
nisheS us with the following statement Dur
ing the summer season, and from that time
until the evacuation OF Beaufort by the rebels,
this gentleman, together with other people do
ing business i'll Charleston, were compelled by
the authorities, alter keeping their places Of
business open during the forenoon, to close
them at noon and spend the remainder OF the
day i'll making themselves proficient i'll militia
~ tactics, and becoming acquainted with all
the duties pertaining 10 a soldiers life. In
event OF not ObeyIng tins order, they were sub
mitted to fine OF five dollars for non appear
ance. In consequence ot the peculiar position
III which they were placed they consented 10
obey the order.
When our forces landed at Beaufort or ratl
er at The iOrts protecting the river approaches
to Beaufort, this gentleman, with others, re-
ceived summons TO appear in camp lor duty.
or pay fine oil $780, and in consequence of
failing 10 do either the summons required
them to be thrown into prison.
Immediately after the landing of our forces
on the SACRED soil" OF South Carolina, every
man in Charleston who had not already youn-
teered in the rebel service, and " no did not
obey the summons requiring them 10 appear
i'll camp, were searched ior by u cOrpural's
guard, and, if found, were either impressed
into the service or Imprisoned, This gentle
man, fond that he could not escape The severe
prosecutions OF the authorities, and finding
that his liberties were being more and more
tvampled upon day by day, resolved to leave
the country, ipossible. He being German,
and resident OF Charleston lor only about
eighteen months, claimed his right as Il for.
elBner, aud received, upon luaKing application
passport from the German consulate at that
port: His wife being a British subject, also
received a passport from her Britannia maies-
tvs consulate.
lie states that the idea that lie would receive
the most ungentlemanly, and, in fact, brutal.
like treatment, 1t the hands OF our govern
ment, was firmly impressed upon his mind by
the constant ms-statements aud miSreprt sent
ations which were made by the authorities
oil the south, and by the southern press. He
states that The authorities aud those interest.
ed Ill the confederate cause are constantly
eudeayoring TO create impressions similar to
the above on the minds Of the people, and
that one OF their statements is, that this gov.
ernment, instead OF allowing persons from
the south to pass through the United States
lines unmoleSed, subject them to search,
lie says at the time OF the desertion of Beau
fort by the whites, upon the arrival of the
U. 5. forces on South Carolina soil very near.
~ all Ol the female whites, together with their
children, removed from Charleston 10 the in
terloi oi the state, being afraid the city would
be shelled by our forces. He says he has
heard the authorities ackaogiedge their inability
to retdke Bedy0H and that they have, there
fore, resigned all hope of ever re-possesslng
II, and they are only acting on the defensive,
so tar as Charleston is concerned and all the
troops from North Carolina and Georgia have
been Withdrawn from these states and concen.
traied at Charleston, making iorce now at
the latter place las report says) ot 25000
men. IL says that, at the time OF the bonn.
bardment OF the torIs guarding the river APP
proaches to Beaufort, there were not more than
2OO0 confederate forces in the forts around
Charleston, including the forces in the city.
This gentleman further says, that, TO his own
knowledge, there are numbers OF Union men
in the city OF Charleston and the surrounding
counties, and that il an opportunity was given
them they would prove their devotion to the
Union"