The Council Bluffs nonpareil., 1861-11-16

try h-st and see what they could ds,-to the
esiient amusement Of the rest, who knew
them 10 be inioient and disposed 10 shirk.
a few showsd some suikiaess, sbus i, ali
passed away after the FIRST dav, when they
found that they we're 70 be used kindly
one wel!-drPssed young man, carpenter.
feeling little besterihah his associates did
not wear pleas INT face at frs,. Finding
out bis trade, we sea him 70 Saving posts
Tor the insrenehm-nts, aod be was entirely
reeone:led. Free cnlorsd men were M. re-
CURED % work; bn, one volun eered, wish
ing, as be said, to d, his part. The contra.
band. cem2lalned sba, tae free colored men
ought TO be required 10 work on the in
trenchn sa,s a. we'll as they. j though, so
too, bat follo sei nv orders. A few ex
pressed soms CONCERN lest their masters
SHOULD punlsa them for serving us. ii they
ever returned. 0ns inquired saspiciously
Why We took the n me OF his master. Nv
reply was. that il was taken in order 10
Identify them, an explanation with which
be was more -atisdei thaa was mys.lf.-
Several were without saoes, and said tn {,
they could not drive the shovel into the
earth. Tbes wese told To use the pscks.-
Th" rest If The forenoon being occupied in
names of their master, they were dismissed
to come together on the ringing Of The bell,
At =, p. NJ. @t
II had been expressly understood that
was 10 have the exclusive control and su-
pervi-ion of The negroes, directing their
hours of labor aud their res's, without in
tcTserencc frnm any one. Tire work its If
WIS TO be Planned and superin,eaded by the
-, TT -
This exclusive cDntrol of the men was nee
essarlly couGied to one, as different lieuten-
ants detailed each d,y could not feel n re-
spousibllty for their welfare. One or tw 0
OF these, when rests were allowed the me-
groes, were somewhat disgusted, saying that
negroes could dig all the time as well as
not. | bad had some years before an ex-
ppriencc with ite use of the shovel under n
warm sun, and knew better, aud | wished
could superlntend Il corps uf iieutsnantsa ADD
apply their own theory tn themselves.
AT two, p. NJ, the eoutrabands came to-
gether, answered TO their names. and, each
taking shovel, a spade, or pick, began
u work upon the breastwor orks farthest from
the village and close To the new cemetery
rhe afternoon was very warm, the warmest
we had in Hampton. Some, used only to
ubuseNDid VT btHtI ilSHS "'ihs
the heat, and they were told to go into the
cemetery and lie down. | remember dis
uuctIy acorpulent cpiarei man, down whose
cheeks the perspiration rolled and who said
be felt badly. lie was also told TO go away
and rest until he was better. lie soon came
back relieved, and there was no more faith
/ fui iaborer among them all during the rest
Of the time. Twice or three tipes in the
afternoon an intermission Of fifteen minutes
was allowed to all. Thus they worked uni,
SIX in the evening, when they were dssmis.
sei for the aay. They deposited their tools
IN the court house, where each one Of his
own accord carefully put his pick or shovel
where he could find 1t again,-soInetlmes
behind door and sometimes in a sly corner
or under n seat. preferring to keep his own
tool. They were tnen informed that they
must come together on the ringing of the
bell the next morning mt four o'elnck.--
They thought that too early. but they were
assured that the system best for their health
wonId be adopted, and they would alter
wards BE- consulted about changing It. The
next morning we did not rise quite so early
as four, and the bell was not rung till some
minutes later. The cOntrabauds were
prompt. their names had been called, am
they had marched To the trenches, a quarter
8f "A mile distant, and were, fairly ut work
by half past four or qnarter before five.
ihey dpi excellent service during ths' morn
ing hours, aud at seven were dismiss d iii
eight The iVli Was then called again, Hb-
~ences, If any, noted, and By half East eight
they were at ;heir post. They cantInuei
al the trenches IN ii eleven, being allowed
rests, and were then dismissed until three,
Z. ", being relieved four hours in the
middle of the day, when, the tell being
rung and the roll c,llea, tn resumed their
work and continued till six, when they were
dismissed for the day. Such were the hours
and usual course If their itbnr. Their mum
Der bad ipcrea>e ed some half dozen by fusi-
tlves from tina hacS- etuntry, who came In
and asked 10 b. allowed TO serve on the ia-
trrnthn"nrs.
The contrabanis worked well, and in m
instance was 1t found necessary for the su-
prriniendants To urge them. There was
public opIntnn among them against ldlensss,
which answered for discipline. Some d sys
they worked with our soldiers, and it Was
found iha, they did more work, and did the
nicer esTss-the fscings and dressings bst-
ter. Colonies Packard and Wardrop, under
whose direction the brrastwerks were con
.tructcd, AID General Batter. who visited
them. expressed satisfaction at the work
which the coatrpbands had done. On the
l4th ~ Juiv. Mr.. Russell, Of the London
..Ismes,p aud DR.. Bellows. of The Sanitary
Comm ssian. came To Hampton aud mans
Tested much iateress AZ the success of The
experiment. The result was. indeed. pleas
tnc. A subalteru officer, to whom bad
usisie,I that the, contrabau3s should he
treated Nth kindness. had sneerei az the
idea Of applying phlianthropis notions in
time OF war. II was found then, as always.
tina, deeerit person. viii accomplish more
when treated At least Ike human beings
Toe same principle, if we w'ii but credit
our own experience and Mr.. Rarev, oo.,ns
With advantage be extended to our relations
With the beasts that serve us. $3.50
Three days after the eantrabands com
mrnced their work. Eve days. rasinns we're
served to ,hsm.-a saIdiyr's ratsan for each
laberer. aad half a ration for each depend
ant. TIE allowance was Iiberal,-as sol
disrs' ratiuus. II property cuoked, is more
than he generally needs, and the dependant
for whom a half ration wns received might
be a wife or a half grown child. IL con-
sisted ~ saIs beef Of pork, hard bread beans
rice, coffee. sugar, soap, and candies, and
where the family was large 1t made con.
siderable pile. The recipients vent hnue.
appssring perfectly satisfied, and feeling
assured that cur promises Ia them would be
performed. 90 Sunday fre.h meat was
served ~ them in the same manner a. TO the
troops.
TThey have 20, pig in Hampshire 50
shnruushlv educated, thss he has taken so
e. he - GtSfr