The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1861-11-22

Whipple; Connecticut Sixth, Lieutenant
Col. VIM. q. Ely; Connecticut Seventh,
Alfred H. Terry Maine Ninth, Col. Rich>
worth Rich.
Evidences of the wild confusion-nay,
the abject terror--in which the rebels had
left the fort, were abundant everywhere.
There were twenty-three guns in the work,
only three of which had been dismounted
by our fire, and not one of the remainder
had been spiked. Several, indeed, were
loaded, ready for our men to defend them
selves in case they should be attacked
while the magazines. of which there were
three in the fort, contained ammunition
enough to withstand very long siege.
The encampment, consisting of about
eighty tents, to the left of the Notifications,
indicated, if anything, more plainly than
the fort, how hurriedly its late occupants
had decamped. Most of the tents had been
undisturbed. Officers furniture. uniforms,
dress swords, small stores, with here and
there an article which told that even in
camp the warriors had not been bereft of
the the society of their wives, moth
ers and sisters-were left as significant
tell tales of sudden departure. Over the
meadow, to which l before alluded, were
scattered blankets, knapsacks, (some OF
which, siDgularly enough, were recognized
as those which had been cast away by our
panic stricken troops at Bnll Rum mus
kets, bayonets, cartridge boxes, and few
dead mules and broken vehicles-not camp
wagons, but family carriages which had
been used to carry away the dead and
wounded. was afterwards told by a slave
that the rebels, believing their position to
be kimpregnable, and confident of sinking
the ships, had invited the ladies OF the
neighborhood to come down and see our
chastisement. Many did 80, and the broken
carriages in the field that had conveyed
them thither, but in view of the unexpect-
ed result of the fight, these vehicles were de-
voted to the use of the wounded.
The troops made slow work of landing.
Gen. Wiight's Brigade, Hamilton's Bat.
terry, the Rhode Island Battery, and por-
tion of Gen Stevens force occupy the tents
which the rebels left standing, and also q
new encampmnnt half mile to the right of
the fort on the sea shore The Seventy.
ninth Highlanders have been sent to Bay
Point, and will form the garrison Of that
place. The soldiers are in first rate condi.
ton and excellent spirits, in spite OF their
long detention on shipboard.
UP THE RIVER TO BEAUFORT.
On Saturday afternoon, Nov. 9th, re-
connoisance was made by the gunboats Cur
lew, Seneca and Pembina, sixteen miles up
Broad River to Beaufort. Scattered here
and there on the route were the residences
of the wealthy planters, deserted by their
owners, and lett to the tender mercies OF
the negroes. The town of Beaufort is a
private watering place. That is, the veal
thy planters, for miles around, have erected
commodious summer residences there, and
in the height of the season the town ac-
commodities from 5000 to 1000 inhabitants.
The remainder of the year the white and
colored population together does not exceed
500. When the accommodating party land
ed, they found that extreme terror of an
attack, consequent upon the defeat of their
countrymen at the mouth of the bay, had
prompted stampede of all the white PEG
pie, with one solitary exception, the day
before. The exception was a man who
doubtless would have gone also, but be was
too drunk to move He was taken on board
the Pembina and questioned, but be was
too stupid to give coherent story. The
negroes were then focking 10 from the plan
tations and pillaging the houses. They told
dreadful stories of how their owners had
attempted to deter them from coming in by
shooting few down; but they had heard
that the " ankees would give them lib
erty, and for such boon they took the risk
of bullet.
Our troops will occupy and repair the
forts and positions gained by their bravery
and valor. They ara encamping in a sweet
potato field, the edib!es of which they will
soon, doubtless, exhibit fondness for.
Gen. She rman's head quarters are at the
mansion house lately occupied by the off
GERS OF Fort Walker as theirs. Over its
roof tine stars and stripes of the Union now
wave, and our victorious troops gaze on it
with full, gushing hearts, and songs of ex-
ultant triumph.
THE CONTRABAND ELEMENT.
As soon as the negro slaves observed US
coming on shore they flocked along the
banks in great numbers, some bearing par.
GELS and bundles as if expecting US to take
them at once to home of freedom. say
| negro and slave, for it is melancholy fact,
that some slaves are apparently as white as
their masters, and as intelligent. Darkies
OF genuine Congo physiques, and darkies of
the genuine Uncle Tom pattern, darkies
young and jubilant, darkies middle-aged and
eager and gray haired, solemn looking fels
lows. Some appeared mystifed, and some
intelligent. The quadroon and the octa-
room, possessing an undstinguishable tint
Of negro blood mingled, one drop with seven
of southern nativity and ancient family,
formed, to speak mildly, an interesting
scene.
AS fast as the contraband article came
within reach, it was placed in the guard
house, an old frame building behind Fort
Walker. Here quite collection was
made. They were budding together, half
in fear and halt 10 hope, when naval off
Ger of the Bienville looked in upon them
oeL;no 6 Noll moll u,h,t ora 49, -,