The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1861-04-29

filed the depot building and crowded the streets
through which the train passed, to witness their
departure and cheer them with their appreciation.
More than half the crowd were females and as the
train left they, with fearful eyes, waved the volun
teers adieu, and blessed them and the cause,
which they were leaving their homes to promote
and defend. This was the second detachment from
Wilmington, and on SATURDAY, another of several
hundred would leave. The scene along the line OF
Wilmington and w Wedon Railroad, in point of en-
thusiasm. surpassed anything which | have ever
witnessed. The communities Of Alabama, Georgia,
and Snnth Carolina, compared with those OF North
Carolina, were tame and uncCncerned.
At every railroad station hundreds of the coun-
try people had gathered, and the train stopped
it was greeted with the most rapturOas cheers.
In almost every instance, majority of them in
waiting were females; and at Bswden and " arsaw,
at least three-fOurths of the number were of the
genter sex. At the first named place the display
of men meagre, that ge2tleman asked one
of the ladies where all their She in
stantly replied "GOne to serve their country, sir
We sorry that there are not more to GO L
have three brothers, and they all in the service
at Raleigh. | am sorry that have not more bro
thers that they might attest their devotion to their
country by marching to the defence of her honor. !"
As she closed her remarks, there defeaning
cheers for the women of the old North State, and
three more tor the beautiful speaker, (for she was
really beautifully whose heart was so thoroughly
devoted to the South.
On inquiry learned that one-third of the
of the place had volunteered and equipped them
selves and that the ladies had prepared large guam
titles of lint and bandages, which they bestowed
upon the State The of individual feeling
of the most striking character. There
some kind of a demonstration at every planters
residence, cottage, cabin and hut. At the resi-
dences were te be seen the entire household, in
cuding slaves, who waved hats, hankerchietS and
the Confederate States flag; and frequently at the
cabins one person only to be seen, and in most
cases that person was oman, who cheered the
train as it passed Gov. Ellis called for five thOus
anltr orIn nh,,rC CIara Ia hal
cepted thirty t,oo thousand, and many of the counties
of the State had not yet been heard from.
At G0ldsborough the troops which our train
brought forward and transferred to the Raleigh
train, and at eight o'clock our cars left for Wei
don. Notwithstanding night had set in, at ev7ry
station military impatently waiting to be
carried to the places of rendezvous. | had no op-
pOrtunity OF gaining personal information as to the
state of affairs in Virginia from the North Caro-
lima line to Petersburg, Travelled that part
of the road between midnight and daylight. /
learned, however, from gentlemen resident in the
community, that the enthusiasm almost equal
to that in North Carolina, and that the action OF
the Virginia Convention met the the unanimous
approval of the people. | confident that this
information is correct as | had fine opportunity
to witness the state of feeling in that part of the
State on my way South
After sleeping for three hours, for which paid
one dollar | took the train for Norfolk, where !
arrived at half-past ten. | have learned that
large number of troops from Georgia have arrived
L x,
were hourly expected. The forces at Norfolk are
very busy. They using the Marine Hospital
lands and other public places drill grounds, and
from early till late eve, the shrill fire and rat
apat of the drum is heard from all directions.
Several batteries of a most formidable character
are being erected at different points the city,
and in a few days Norfolk will be in an admirable
state of defence.
The scene the Navy Yard presents is lamentable
indeed. The Merrimac is burnt close to the waters
edge, and the other vessels living at her side
mass of charred tmbers The property destroyed
by fire in the Navy y ard worth millions, but
there millions left. which the fire did not reach.
The guns, about 1900 pieces, of all sizes and
sorts were spiked, but for want of something bet
ter and not for want OF spirit to destroy, wrought
nails used in spiking. These easily be
removed, without the least injury to the guns.
We left Norfolk about halt-past five o'c,o ock and
in few minutes were near Fortress Monroe. The
boats of the bay line stop regularly the fort for
the mail As we neared the wharf small boat
came out and informed Capt. Russell that Commo-
dore Pendergast going to visit the steamer and
requested that she might lay to for few minutes.
Fifteen minutes elapsed when the Commod0re's
boat left the wharf at the fort, and soon along
side of the steamer. His wife, the only female re-
naming in the fort, was leaving. She was handed
up and the boat rOwed for the shore. Besides
Commodore Pendergast, Capt. Dyer and Mr. Will
lard, of Washington, were in the boat. X.