The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1861-11-27

Aue Ere"t6q Ioss, IN the letter OF Its cores
poudent on the Great Naval Expedition, has th
following account Of the behavior Of the negroe
about Beaufort:
Early in the morning after the vie
tory, the plantation negroes began to come int
camp, and with the genuine African instinct 70
trade, each had provided himself with turkey
. shoulder of bacon, or two shoulders and I,
brace Of hams in the shape of struggling Dor
ker, which he bore kicking and SOU. allng unde
his arm. Ii was amusing to see the cit,
with which the fellows would cling to their prize
even while waiting to be questioned under guarc
OF hle OF soldiers. The instant one vas spoken
to, the bit OF wide-awake or the rimless crown
OF straw which did duty as a hat would be Jerk
ed on with characteristic obseQuousness, the
negro standing scraping and bowing, answering
, meanwhile his catechlsm, rs well as he could
with the noisy and struggling beast distr acting
his attention.
Several who came in brought Wagon loaded
with knapsacks and other accouterments. which
they had picked up on the way. All seemed
ready to work, and those who we're fortunate TO
have possessed themselves OF some stray horse
or pair Of plantation mules, found abundant
occupation
As our troops were at first too busy in making
good their position to attend to anything else,
and the Quartermasters had already more upon
their hands than they could attend 10, the ne-
groes who appeared were not encouraged to re-
main, but at once sent back, and on one pretense
and another to take care Of themselves. But
by the morning OF the second day fifty were al.
ready gathered at head quarters, and signs OF q
much greater influx were abundant.
Those who remained were put under charge
OF Capt. Goodrich, the .Quartermaster Of Gen.
hFIU chxNa sk.e IL
well attended to, giving up an old building TO
their accommodation.
Our troops were accompanied in their FIRST re-
connoisance into the island by DIR. J. j. Craven,
the efficient surgeon OF the third brigade, who
reports the negroes on the plantations further
inland as almost wild with delight at the advent
OF our troops and the hasty fight Of their mas
ters, which they described with the utmost gusto
10 Lord! massa," said one, "we're 90 glad
TO zee you. Wese prayed and prayed the good
L0rd 'hst lac would seno yer Yankees, ana We
knowed you'se WAS coming"
"How could you know that ?" asked DR.. Cra.
ven. "You can't read the paper; how did you
get the newer"
Ne, massa, we'se can't read, but we'se can
listen. Massa and missus used to read, and
sometimes they's would read loud, ard then We
would listen so"-making an expressive gesture
OF close attention at key-hole-
" when I'se get chance Pse would list'n, and
jim him would list'n, and We put the listen to
gether and We knew'd The Yankees were coming.
Bless the Lord, massa"
Another stout fellow asserted that the good
Lord had appeared to him in the shape Of
- Yankee" who had assured him that his hour
OF deliverance was at hand
The poor, trusting creatures never seemed to |
question that war which they had heard was |
Ill about them must mean their deliyerance
rom bondage with which the, do not seem to
have been sufficiently in love to follow the for
tunes OF their fleeing masters
"A drivers whip which was picked up, and |
which the correspondent of the Post now has |
10 ms possession, was shown one of them, and |
ne was asked ii he knew what il was
"Goly, massa!" said the negro, with suspi
;i0us, sidelong look at the familiar whip he saw |
,aised aloft, "Guess dis nigger knows wha, dat
iere Is, and he proceeded 10 explain the use to |
which it was applied.
When some doubt was expressed a to the
iegro statements in regard to numbers, one of
hem answered:
I'VE can't read, but we can count"
How did you learn to count!'
Picking cotton, massa. We'ee all got to
'ount when We pick cotton, massa."
There seems TO be abundant work for them to
10 IN picking cotton on Hilton Head Island,
which our troops have occupied, and it is hoped
hat their services will be in some wsy turned
o account for this purpose.
Acres OF it, already white for the harvest,
vere found within less that mile Of Fort Walk.
u, and will be lost, unless speedily attended to.
Several buildings filed with unginned cotton
we're found further back toward Skull Creek,
nd on the islands beyond the stream similar de.
'osits could be seen. A heavy smoke, which
'as seen at distance, the negroes reported to
ome from a lot of cotton which had been fred
y the retrGating Rebels.