The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1861-12-13
THE w A r.
What Has Been Accomplished at Hill
ton Head.

Wha, has been accomplished at Hilton
Head since the battle of the 1th, though not
so brilliant. is hardly less important than the
events of that memorable day; $4,000 or l5,
600 souls have been constituted into pop
uation, and by degrees their various needs
very generally attended to. 1t was labor
of no small difficulty simply to land the
troops: but that was nothing in comparison
with the unloading from the fleet Of trans
ports their cargoes. Two docks have
been built, plank-road laid, immense store
houses put up to receive the contents of the
vessels, ovens erected, a post office establish
ed, simultaneously with the prosecution Of
more purely military labors, such as setting
tents, throwing up intrenchments, establish
ing a camp police, and otherwise administer
ins the government of an army. A thou
sand men at a time might be seen at work
along the shore, constructing wharveS, drl-
wing horses through the water and along the
sand, receiving cargoes, rolling barrels,
guarding property, while three and four miles
off, another thousand was engaged in digging
trenches, moving guns, and preparing the
new Notifications which are to render the
place impregnabe. Besides these, four or
five hundred men day were frequently sent
off on reconnoisSances, for the whole of Hill
ton Island was to be explored and occupied.
Then the sites for the various brigade camps
were to be selected, the batteries at Forts
Walker and Beauregard (now called Forts
Welles and SewardD were to be put anew in
to order after the terrible disarransement
they had received. This multitude of men
had to be fed, and stores for so many rations
at once brought ashore, no matter what else
was neglected, eleven hundred horses were
to be provided for, army wagons to be put
together. heavy sieSe-guns and their carrl-
ages to be got out of the holds of vessels
half mile from land. and transported to the
beach, and the tents of three brigades to be
erected. And all this to be done in a hostile
country, where the possibility of an attack
was momently guarded against, and in a
place unknown before to nearly every indl-
vidual attached to the expedition. When |
say that all this has been done, and, on the
whole, well and satisfactorily done. | offer
the highest praise to all whose labors have
contributed to SO desirable consumation.
"Onc of the most remarkable features of
the new life in South Carolina, is afforded by
the negroes. Black servants have been hired
by many of the officers, as walters, washer
on the shore, or been used as oarSmen
blacks have served as scouts and guides IN
the reconnoissances Crowds of the women
and children may be seen in various parts OF
the camps. but especially near headquarters,
where they inhabit their old huts STILL
There they receive their rations. there they
build fires to cook their food or do their
washing, and cluster into odd-looking groups,
picturesque for all their squalor. The men
and boys Join them at night, and always, af-
ter supper in dilapidated outhouse, is held
a PRAYER meeting listened outside, last
night and heard ardent calculations of
Thanksgiving for the favorable chance God
had given to ''my colored bruddren.' The
iargon was absurd, but it was earnest: tie
singing was out of tune, but it was tervent.
In some quarters the blacks are less relig-
ous, and held bali to celebrate the coming
. Of the Yankees. | have talked with nearly
. half of those have seen ; have asked them
, which they preferred, the new or the old or
, der of things, and though some few here and
, there spoke kindly of their old masters, there
was no mistaliny the geauiaeness Of heu
r gratitude far the change.
ut Beaufort, where not a few seemed sad
at the pilaging that had occurred, yet even
t these declared they had long prayed for our
!, coming. They laughed at the idea of injur-
: ing them, when all uectafeu thelr Hias'ei'
had endeavored to ins,il. The fact thai
+ they receive pay for their labor seems es
pecially to delight them ; and as for comfor
V many have told me that they never lived SC
+ we'll before. None evince vIndictlve splr
| it: even those who speak of having beer
s whipped often and severely, are by no mean:
q indignant but on the other hand those wht
5 seem to have been most kindly treated
t evince no regret for their old condition.
=, Two or three, perhaps half dozen, were un
d doubtedly found armed at Beaufort, but n
% other indications Of warlike disposition
# have been detected. The determination G
n all who can escape, to leave their masters, il
5. however, continually asserted. SO far a
G the lures are concerned, an adrance into til
r country from Hilton Head would undonb
- eMy be folloued Jy on immediate rush o
it the ,chole population tOpard or camps.
.e doubt whether they would be guilty OF great
Of er actrocites than those of pillage, unles
IN the whites should madly provoke them, Q
insist upon the slaves following. Centurie
of bondage has had its effect and the spirit {
the race is effectually cowed, they are say
20 ages, out slaves.
3 Tu;nr Victory in East Tennessee.