, 1861-12-25
INTERESTING ADVENTURES IN
Dixie.
= story Of Three Prisoners.

Washington Dispatch to the n. 7. Times. 19th.l
On the I'd Of December three men of3ickles's +
Filth Regiment were rowing about IN q boat
with two boys, Thomas :Wisweu Of Jersey |
City, and Chos- Smith Of Massachusetts,, at
tached 10 tho regiment. The men being drunk,
got out too far, and ali were taken prisoners
by the rebels. The boys reached here today
in company With Capt. Ricketts, and Rev. Mr.
Mines Of the Second Maine, by way Of Fort |
ress Monroe, having been Internationally re-
leased by the Secretary Of War. They arc ree |
narkably Intelligent, and tell the following /
story:
Oh being hailed they surrendered, having no |
ARMS, except revolver and knife. They |
were taken up ChaPaTamsic Creek about |
Legion, Col Vim. B. Bate. Here they were
| kept fonr days, and as they we're 'smalI Ey,"
| were allowed to go anywhere. They chose
| sleeping and messing with the officers. They
that point southwark toward spodord, about
| quarter Of q mile apart The 9Th Virginia
was encanped 4 mile further back, On road
! leading to Dumfries, The Maryland Battery
with Is gun5-one 81 pounder and the rest 32s
Major General French Was in command Of
| the Transport batteries. He was formerly
| Captain in the United States amy. In the
| rear Of the batteries is the Second Arkansas,
teenth North Carolina The encampment is
called "Camp Dave Curran." BHgadier Cen
eral Wig1Ml is in command. They are sup
Piled with plenty OF corn meal and fresh pork,
but no salt or coffee. There is nota single
regiment which is fully equipped or uni
formed. Their clothes are the same as those
of the negroes upon plantations. Their arms
are Mississippi nfles, Colts rifles, muskets,
and some old t1int-locks. There was very
loose discipline in al the camps, and the men
we're anxious to get away, being sick and tired
of var They were making huts Of sticks
and mud, expecting to remain all Winter.
| Tire Georgia Regiment had large number
Of slaves With them, who were dressed and
armed. The Slaves do all the work, but none
Of the other regiments bad as many IS the
Georgia regiments. On the 9Th day they were
taken down to Burkes Station, on tho nil
| road from Aqua Creek to Fredericksburgh.
Here the lst North CaroliIta, Col 9. q. Lse,
vas encamped at Marlborough: Below the
railroad, On the Potomac, were three batteries.
| The 30tI Virginia, Carey's regiment; 8th
| Georgia, Col Gardner; 14th Georgia, Col.
| Brumby; 4th Alabama, Col Scott and one
other they did not hear the name Of They
went by rail that night to Fredericksburgh
but eaW none except stray troops. The cars
appeared to be well filled with travellers.
. At AtFredericksburgh they were agr1n detained
: half q day, and they had an opportunity te
, look through the town. There are no fortif
, cations there, and no troops. Every thing
! seemed like Sunday.
. On the way to Richmond, the boys were af
forced every liberty, and Of course were anx
ious to see and hear all they could. After re
naming one night in the TOBACCO warehouse
they were taken before Gen Winder and Mr
Benjamin, Secretary of War, who prompt
II ordered their discharge, and thenceforwars
they were allowed to go ahont the city unre
e stricted.
> They state that there we're but {, 900 troop
l. ut Richmond, all n1iscrably clothed, some i
d rags, and nearly all wearing blankets instea
s OF o7ercoats. They are poorly armed III
- hospitals we're crowded with the sick, au
u large numbers are dying every day. They sa'
&c eight bodies lying at the depot when the
=. started, waiting to be carried Off At all til
# places they represent the proportion Of sick +
~ be equally large.
'r They visited some Of the rebel fortiication
n northwest Of the city, On Which they sa'
mounted nearly 25 guns. Other works ~
also building about the city. MGsketB are S
'S 'G scarce, that when guard comes around
y prisons on relieve, they come without gun:
u u making one set do the hole duty.
ae They state that eur prisoners at Richmond
~ u numbering about 500, arc snttering gFeatl
:, aud some. half naked. On cold nights man
:e are compelled to walk Ill night and get the
II rest in the daytime. The prisoners Of tt
s. s. Massachusetts Twentieth and the Michisa
u u men had received tic clothing sent them, I'LL
~ we're comfortable. Their rations consists I
T. =. bread and salt beef twice day.
y They SAW Ben McCuuocl at the Exchaue
IT, Hotel, and heard him hold conrersatio
- with some parties. he said IN their hearlr
u that his own army was in deploraolc sta
:. for clothing and transportation, and til
II, there was but one way to get supplies
oa clothing, and that WAS by having an arm
ae cross the Mississippi, and come down to Lal
hs Cairo, get what they required, and return.
o. At Richmond it is believed that Burnside
Is expedition is to move up tue Potomac to !:
70 70 tack and capture tic rebel batteries on Il
ne right bank. -. -..
no As an INDIGESTION of the existence Of an an
II. war feeling, they state that the proprietor
q the Exchange Hote1 said, within hearing, th
By inquiries Of men employed about NJ
ns folk, who knew them to be Yankee prisoner
10, they learucd that the r,.hels have Goo troO
nit at Norfolk, 700 at Crsney Island, and 600
ld' scweil's Point Great fears were express
on, that Norfolk would be captured by our tEool
'uF At Craney Island the rebel works mount
ac' between twenty-five and thirty guns. I
.. tween there and Norfolk they Lave i batte
us Of five guns.