New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-11-16
THE CoNrRABANDs AT BEAUFORT.

THE CONTRABANDS AT BEAUFORT.
The Erening Post, in the letter OF its CORES
pondent on the Great Naval Expedition, has
the following account of the behavior of the
negroes about Beaufort;
Early In the morning after the victory,
the plantation negroes BEGAN 10 come into camp, and
with the genuine African instinct for trade each had
provided himself with q turkey shoulder oil Bacon
or two shoulders and brae OF hams III ne shape oil
a struggling Yorker, Which he bore kicking ana
sduealiDg under his arm. IL was amusing 20 see the
pertinacity with which the fellows would cling to
their pIize, even while waiting 10 be questioned
under guard Of file Of soldiers. The instant one
was spoken TO- the bit Of Uideawake or tie riinless
crown OF straw which DID duty ss hat would De
,erked oil with characteristic obsequlousness, the
negro stand scIapiug and bowling, answering mean
while his cateehism, as well a3 he could with tie
noiey and struggling beast dstraclng bis attention.
Several who came in brought wagons loaded with
kpapsacks aIx other acCouterments which they had
nickel IN on 1he way. All seemed ready 10 work
ard those who were fortunate 70 have possessed
themselves of some stray horse or pair OF IianHa
tion mules found abundant occupation.
AZ our ttoops were at first too busy in making
good their position 20 attend 10 any thing else, aud
sbe Ouarieru,asJers had already more upon their
hands them they could attend TO, the negroes who
aDpeaIed We're not encouraged to remain but at once
sent back, and Cd one petense and another 70 take
care Of themselves. But by the morning Of the
second day fifty were already gathered at head
quarters, and signs of much greater influx were
abundant.
Those who remained were put under the charge OF
Capt. Goodrich, the QuaTterma<ter Of Gen Wright s
brigade who saw that their wants were well at
tended to, giving ny an old building to their accom-.
mediation.
Our troops were accompanied in their first recon.
noi5sance into The island by DR.. y. j. Craven, the
efficient surgeon OF the third brigade who reports
the negroes the plantations further inland al
most wild with delight at the advent OF our troops
and the h8sty fight of their masters, which they
described with the utmost grsto.
:" q Lord massa, said one, "were 80 glad 10
see you. We sc prayed aud prayed the good Lord
that he would send yer YANKEES, aud We hHoSed
you sc cOmiog."
" How could you know that 2" afLed Dr. Craven.
You can't read the paper how did you get the
newsl'
" No, Inassa, we'se can't read, but we sc can
listen. Ma and mi-suB used to read, and some
times tbey's would read loud, and then we would
listen sO"--nabing an expressive gesture indicative
OF close attention at key-hole-" When sc get
chance Use would list u, and jim Lin would lista
and we put The bitsn together and we knew d the
Yankees were coming. Bless the Lord, massa."
Another stout fellow asserted that the good Lord
had appeared 10 Inn in the share Of " Yankee"
who assured him that BIZ hour Of deligernoe Was at
hand.
The poor. trusting creatures never seened 10 ques
lion that a war which they bad beard was all about
them must mean their deliveTance from bondage
with which they do not feem 10 have been sUii-
cently in love 10 follow the fortunes Of their fleeing
masters.
4 drivers whip which was picked up, and which
the correspondent OF Tie Evehiag Poa now has iii
his possession, wac shown one OF them aud ha was
asked If be knew what j; was.
"GOlly, NASAL" said the negro, with a suspi-
cious, -ideong look at the familiar whip he siw
raised alolt, "GaesS dis Niger knows what dat
dere is AID he proceeded TO explain the use to
which il was applied.
When some Doubt was expressed as to the negro /
statements iii regard 70 numbers, one Of them an-
swered:
eve cant read. but we can count"
" How did You learn to count %
"Pickine cotton massa. Wese all got 10 count
when We Puck cotton, matsa.'
There seems 10 be abundant work for them TO DO
IN picking cotton on Hilton Head Island, which our
troops have occupied, aud it is hoped that their
vices will be in some way TUNED TO account for this
purpose.
Acres Of it, already white FOR the harvest, were
found within less than mile of Fort Walker, aud
will be lost unless speedily attended to.
Several buildings filed with unginned cotton were
also found further back toward Skull Creek, and on
the islands beyond that stgeam similar deposits could
be seem \ heavy smoke, which was seen at a dis
rance, the negroes reported 20 come from lot of
cotton which bad been fired blythe reteating Rebels