New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-12-07

,t5cE lCltcT,
One rrt result of the fall of ZEE forts v as The uni
,ersal alarm that spread alng the coas from Charles
on to Savannah, and Low much fuy her know not.
Extra trains were advertised to b,sve Savannah the
DAY after the Surrender, 10 con- ey the inhabitants 10
places Of more safety. TIL ere were probably not
B. 500 troops in all South Carolina, and Gen. Sherman
might have marched 0. couple Of regiments TO the
railroad, broken up the communication between the
two cities, scattere0 the remnants of the fusitiyes
from the lors aud for augh that aP ears bave taken
Savannah with Gttle or no opposition. The precpi-
tae flight fran the forts is accounted for from TIC
fact that VIXEN they became convinced It could
not be held they knew their retreat might have been
Wholly cut OF by one or two gunboats IN Skull
Creek. Many facts in our possession now, II known
then would have enabled US to make the immediate
fruits Of the victory much more complete, and some
Of them il lie not unfair to say, ought TO have been
known and acted on. The opinion prevails eXieil-
sively smong officers and men that our advantages
were not followed mp as they ought to lave been at
the moment give it only rs their opinion resery-
ing my own for TIE present. Impstienee of insetion
il common Characteristic of volun eer force, out
it is not necessarily unreasonable. | sketehed the
main features of the work that has been done IN yes
terjay's letter. What might have been done ia a
very different question.
The contraJand question is not less interesting in
lie features than important in it's relation TO the EA-
pedion and the whole war. Facts are 20 numerous
that the difficulty is TO select from the mass OF ma
ierials those which are most important. can only
repeat to-day, few of the statements, which come
10 me from the best authority observing in the trst
place that there are probably not more thsn three
hundred in camp at present. Mr.. b. X. Lee, j., who
came out rs Supereargo of the Ocean Queen, has
charge. as SUPERINTENDENT Of about one hundred and
twenty. About one hundred st Bay Point,
where the 18th " l. il Stationed and the rest arc IN
the employ of officers, or cannot be definitely ae-
counted for. Those who come inside tie lines ATE
not allowed to leave, for any purpose, without 4
pass and there is "A watchful jesiousy toward them
the ground Of which II is difficult 10 uncer-
stand. Their feeling Of hostility to their late
masters md gratitude to IA is unmistkabe and uni
veIsal aud their readiness TO work s shown IN every
way. The policy Of Gen. Sherman, or whoever Is
responsible for lis remarkable proclamation, cannot
pretend 10 fsthom, TOT am ! able to zee why their
services should not relieve the oyerworked sDdtrs
from some Of tie heaviest tasks imposed upon them
The coming of "the Yankees has been watched for
with anxious solictude at this at all other ponts
aud the roops are hailed delyerers wherever they
20. Few negroes are 30 dull as to be imposed upon
by the ictions Of their masters that they are to b
cold TO Cuba, or would be worked day and hignt
harder than ever or other such inventions Tie IN
stances in which any attachment to their masters Is
shown are extrt Dely few. Where dislike TO leave
the plantations exists il arises from tie local attach
ment, often strong in the negro, HE love for his
cabin, ard desire TO remain on tho spot which has
been lis home, if ho can remain freei and,
in addition TO ihis, more frequent aud strong
/. his devotion 90 hls family. domestic
tics arc uecesgary 70 his happiness, and he
breaks them unwingly. The slaves come slowly
into camp fgr several reasons. The invitation held
out is Of the o1'destthe accommodates, when IN,
are wr,,chodly ifsuffcient-ihey cannot bring lhcF
fauilies in any nunber-they cannot return for them
# they are left behind-tbeir condition on The Dc
serted plantations ID Of ease aud comfort, and
every obstacle TO accces TO the camp is thrown in
their way. That they have been shoi in number
by oyerseefs and masters il beyond all question.
The fact il aiested by every sort Of evidence from
great numbers Of persons who have DO chance Of
concerted agreement la their accounts, and u utes
with the announced determination Of the slave
ow ners. that they would destroy the negroes rather
than suffer them to be freed. lido not know whether
any effort !. made 10 discredit The accounts already
sent North on the ground Of incredible barbarity, or
otherwise but no one here affects to toubt the facs.
] have conversed with many Of the negroes in
camp and out Of IT, Their accounts are substantially
alike, differing in detail. Officers Of rank with the
fall means OF information and after careful inquiry,
assure me that tie accounts lirst given, which have
come back here fall far short of the truth. 1t is not
the exceptional cruelty Of some more than usually
brutal master to which this is to be charged. The
horrible fact stands out with appalling cleness and
certainty that the murder Of the slaves who cannot
be compelled TO follow tLeir masters is deliberate
policy and relentless purpose. On tho roads which
lead 10 the islands, for thirty TO fifty miles ia ali
directions guards stationed to intercept the
negroes and prevent their escape. II caught they
arc sent inland, and there logged, tortured, and
imprisoned in irons. If they cannot be caught, |
they are ehot without hesitation or mercy. At
Beaufort a regular watch il maintained. When
tie gun-boats 60 up the river as they do every
two Or three days, the whites keep out Of tie way.
If the coast ia clear they return in the day time
well as night The negroes remaining in the place
are captured If possible and taken to the mainland
If pursuit ia unavailing, they, like the others ut
tempting escape are shot. / saw at Beau
fort yesterday, negro who told me he
had, the day before, been ordered to follow his
oyerseer, and when no refused, four barrels Of
revolving rifle were fred at him, not sIot took
effect, and he escaped questioned and eross-ex-
amined this man with the greatest care and have
no doubt whatever of the truth Of his statement II
lie single instance, and 1 give it, because in this
case at east was able to satisfy myself of its cor
rectnees and 4 NAV add il WAS confirmed by two