The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1861-06-14
From the south...The Progress Of
the Rebellion.

From the south---The Progress Of
the Rebellion.
"A gentleman recently from New Or
leans, has presented the New York Times
with lengthy and interesting statement OF
the condition of affairs in Louisiana. We
quote the following extract:
A novel feature in the military movements Of
the State was body of 1900 free negroes, who
Orleans. Mr.. Fairchild witnessed one of their
parades. He says that they exhibit fair pro.
| fciency in their evolutions. The non-commis-
stoned officers were selected from the negroes
| themselves, but they were commanded by
whites. The whole body had enlisted for gen.
! to any point, at the option OF the authorities.
| Slaves, too, were being armed in many
cases. This was especially the case in Caddo
and st. Mary parishes, and in the sugar grow.
| ing portions Of the Attakapas country. Many
| planters there had obtained arms, and placed
| them in the hands of their most trusted slaves.
Though this has been done with view to
security, yet many fears were expressed as to
| the result upon the slaves themselves. Insub.
| ordination was of frequent occurrence, and ln-
| science was heard from slaves such as none
would have been guilty of six months since.
4Es
perform patrol duty, and whilst thus engaged,
| the restlessness of the negroes became pain
| fully apparent. The impression existed among
| them that some action had been taken by the
General Government by which they were freed
from the control of their masters, who were
now, with the local authorities ende avOring to
still hold them in subsection. In one case, an
old and trusted servant, in the presence OF Mr..
Fairchild, asked gentleman what he thought
of the war. The reply was that he thought it
was glorious war and he put the same
question to the negro. He replied, in his turn,
guns into their hands, but he was afraid it
would take more than one man to get them
away again. The gentleman told him that if
he heard him speak thus again he would hang
him. In st. Mary's parish, where there was
population of 200 whites amoung $1,000 ne
groes, strong feeling of alarm was beginning
to be felt, and the utmost vigilance was Oh.
served to check any instruction which might
be attempted.
The New York Herald estimates the
number of troops in Virginia taking the
report of the secessionists) at $4,000 men,
but that paper assumes that the number is
over estimated, and that 10000 is about
the actual number. These troops "are ir-
regularly disposed, as of two sides OF right
angled triangle-the base extending along
the James river and its parallels, from Nor
folk westerly, up in the interior some two
hundred miles, to Lynchburg-an irregular
line some hundred and fifty miles north
ward, to Harper's Ferry. The other side
or perpendicular, to wit, the Chesapeake
Bay and its tributaries, is occupied by the
armies and naval forces of the United
States" Beginning with the base line at
Norfolk, and going round to Harper's Fer.
ry, it appears that the rebels forces are (ac-
cording to the HERALD thus distributed
Men.
At Norfolk and the numerous strategic
position Immediately around it,. 10000
Higher up, some twenty miles, on
James river. l,OUU
Near the outlets of the York and Rap.
pahanock ....... 1000
At Petersburg and huntsville. ....... 5000
At Richmond, 5000
At Lynchburg MISREPRESENTATION. $4,000
At Gordonsville, Charlottesville, Staun-
ton and Lexington. S,OCO
At Culpepper Court House. ..... 1000
At DumfrIes and Acquia Creek. ...... 1000
at Leesburg ....... 5000
At Harpers Ferry and Point of Rocks $4,000
Total OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. $4,000