Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1861-11-21
Matters at Port Royal.
he correspondent of the new York Post

The correspondent of the new York Post
says: ~ ~
= - THE rEGRoEs TRADING.
Eariy in the morning after the victory the
plsstation Regroes began TO come into camp.
and with the genuine instinct for trade, eaeh
had provided himaelt with turkey, . shoulder
of bacon, or two skouldess and brace of hams
in the shape Of Struggling porker. which he
bore kicking and struggling under his arm. 1t
was amusing TO see the pertiRacity with which
the fellows would cling to their prize. even
while waiting TO be questioned under guard Of
q file of soldiers. The instant one WIS spoken
to, the bit of wide-awake or the r!inless crown
of straw which did dsty as a hat. would be
Ierked off with the CHARACTERISTIC obsequious-
mess, the negro stand scraping and bowing. an
swering meanwhile his catechisn, as well as
he could with the noisy and struggling beast
distracting his attention.
THE DAT OF pE1rERAScE.
Our troops were accompanied in their first
reconnaissance into the Island by Dr. J. J. Cra-
ven, who reports the negroes on the plantations
further inland rs almost wild with delight at
the advent of our troops and the hasty flight OF
their masters which they described with the
utmost gusto.
20 Lord. massa," said one, "we'se SO glad to
see you. We'se prayed and prayed the good
Lord that he would send yon Yankees. and we
knowed youse was coming"
"How could you know that?,' asked DR.. Cra-
ven. "You can't read the paper; how did You
get the newsf". M 7f
~No, massa, we'se can't read but we Sc can
listen. Massa and missus uses to read, and
sometimes they would read loud, and then we
would listen so"-making an expressive ges-
ture indicative of close attention at key-hole
--"When I'se get chance Use would listen
and Jim, him would listen, and We put the bits
| together, and we knewd the Yankees were
coming. Bless the Lord, massa."
CONVERSATIONS WITH THE oosraABASDs.
Another stout fellow asserted that the good
Lord had appeared to him in the shape of a
"Yankee,'' who assured him that his hour oi
deliverance was al hand. "
When some doubt was expressed as to the
| negro statements in regard to numbers, one OF
them answered:
1--WE can't read, but we can count"
"How did you learn to count?" .
Picking cotton. massa. We'se all got to
| count when we pick cotton, massa.
| There seems to be abundant work for them to
do in picking cotton on Hilton Head Island,
which our troops have occupied, and it is to be
hoped that their services will be in some way
turned to account for this purpose.
Acres Of it, already white for the harvest,
were found within less than mile of Fort
Walker. and will be lost, unless speedily at
| tended to- 80 70
| Several buildings filed with unginned cot
ton, were also found further back toward Skull
Greek, and on the islands beyond that stream
similar deposits could be seen. heavy smoke
| which was seen at distance, the negroes re-
ported to come from q lot of cotton which had
been fred by the retreating rebels.
g4zl NEGRO FREE-MAsoNRY.
For some reason or other the negroes appear
ed at first inclined TO wait until they were call
ed for before making their appearance. but the
few who were dismissed on the first day spread
the report the Yankees were indeed mt hand
and the next morning number cane in from
the mainland, where their masters had retreat
ed, making their escape al night in a canoe
The reports must have spread as far up rs Beau
fort in an astonishingly short space Of time, fol
when our boats went up there the negroes were
ready to greet them.
By that singular sort of freemasonry which
seems to be established among the negroes, the
| report will speedily spread from one end of the
South to the other, and before the SHOWS of De-
cember shall have whitened the plains of The
North, even in distant Texas the story of oul
appearance will have travelled distorted by {
! thousand exaggerations, to excite the eagel
hopes of those who are watching and waiting
80 patiently for the deliverance which Is so neal
Mt hand