Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1861-11-29

The correspondent of the Evening
Pot, gives graphic description of scenes
on the landing of our troops after driving
the rebels from the forts in Port Roya
harbor. We extract the following
TIE NEGROES TRADING.
Early in the morning after the victory
the plantation negroes began to como
into camp and with the genuine African
instinct for trade, each had provided him.
self with turkey, a shoulder of bacon
or two shoulders and brace of hams in
the shape of struggling porker, which
he bore kicking and squeezing under his
arm. 1t was amusing to see the perti-
nacity with which the fellows would cling
to their prize, even while waiting to be
questioned under guard of IA file of sol
diers. The instant one was spoken to,
the bit of widc.awake or the rimlcss
crown of straw which did duty as hat
would be jerked off with characteristic
obsequiousness, the ncgroc stand scraping
and bowling, answering meanwhile his
catcchism, as well as he could with the
noisy and struggling beast distracting his
attention.
Several who came in brought wagons
loaded with knapsacks and other accoutre-
ments which they had picked up on the
way. All seemed ready to work, and
those who were fortunate to have poss-
ssed themselves of some stray horse or a
pair of plantation mules found abundant
occupation.
THEY ARE CARED FOR.
As our troops were at first too busy in
making good their position to attend to
anything else, and the Quartcrmastcrs
had already more upon their hands than
they could well attend to, the negroes
who appeared were not encouraged to re-
main but were at once sent back, and on
one prctence and another to take care OF
themselves. But by the morning of the
second day fifty were already gathered at
headquarters, and signs Of II much greater
influx were abundant.
Those who remained were put under
the charge of Captain Goodrich the
Quartermaster Of General Wrights brig.
ade, who saw that their wants were well
attended to, giving up an old building to
their accommodation.
Our troops were accompanied in their
first reconnaissance into the island by DR.
J. j. Craven, the efficient surgeon of the
Third brigade, who reports the negroes OF
the plantations further inland as almost
wild with delight at the advent Of ou
troops and the hasty flight Of their mas
ters, which they described with the ut
most gusto.
TIE DAY OF DELIvERANCE.
40 Lord . massa," said one, we'se 81
glad to see you. We'se prayed and praye,
the good Lord that he would send you
Y Yankees, and we knowed you'sc wa
coming.
"IIow could you know that ?" askc,
Dr. Craven You can't read the pa
per; how did You get the news ~
+" No, massa, We Sc can't read, bu
we'se can listen. Massa and missus use
to read, and sometimes they'5 would reat
loud, then we would listen SO maxim;
an expressive gesture Indicative of clos
attention at key-hae--'' When l'se @i
a chance I'se would list'n, and Jim, hin
would listen, and we put the bits together
aud we knewd the Yankees were coming
Bless the Lord, massa."
CONVERSATIONS WITH THE CoNTRABANp,
Another stout fellow asserted that tn
good Lord had appeared to him. in tn
shape of Yankee" who assured hin
that his hour Of deliverance was at hand
The poor, trusting creatures ncye
seemed to question that war which the.
had heard was all about them must mea
their deliverance from a bondage wit
which they do not seem to have bee
sufficiently in love to follow the fortune
of their fleeing masters.
A drivers whip which was picked NJ
and which the correspondent of tn
Erening Post now has in his possession
was shown one of them, and he was askc
if he knew what it was.
Golly, massa ~ said the negroe, wit
suspicious, sidclong look at the tamilia
whip he saw raised alott, Guess dis nj.
ger knows what dat dere is, and he pre-
ceedcd to explain the use to which it wa
applied,
When some doubt was expressed as t
the negro statements in regard to mum
bcrs, one of them answered.
ave cant read, but we'se can count,
How did you learn to count.
Picking cotton, massa. We'Sc al
rot to count when we pick cotton, massa,
There seems to be abundant work 70
them to do in picking cotton on HiIto
Head Island, which our troops have oc
cupied, and it is to be hoped that thei
services will be in some way turned t
account for this purpose.
Acres of it, already white for the har
vest, were found within less than "A mil
of Fort Walker, and will be lost unles
speedily attended to.
Several buildings filled with unginnc
cotton were also found further back to
F ward Skull Greek, and on the islands be
yond that stream similar deposits could b
seen. A heavy smoke which was seen Il
distance the negroes reported to com
from lot of cotton which had been fire
by the retreating rebels.
For some reason the negroes appearc
at first inclined to wait until they wer
called for before making their appear
aDce, but the few who were dismissed o
the first day spread the report that tn