The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1861-08-13
THE SLAVE QUESTION
Letter from Major Gen. Butler ON the
Treatment ol Fugitive Slaves.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT or VIRGINIA.,
FoRrREss MoSRoE, July 80, 1861
lion. Simon Cameron, Secretary Of Ur:
Sm BY an order received ON the
morning of the 10Th Of July, from Major
Gen. DIX, by a telegrapeic order from
Lient.- Gen. SooTT, ! was commanded TO
forward of the troops Of this department,
fouI regiments and half, including Col.
BAKERS California Regiment, TO Wash
ington, Uia Baltimore. This order reach
ed Inc at o'clock A. NJ, by special boat
from Baltimore. Believing that it ema-
mated because Of some pressing exigency
for the defence Of Washington, | issued
my orders before daybreak for the embark
alton Of the troops, sending those who were
among the very best regiments had. In
the course Of the following day they were
all embarked for Baltimore, with the ex-
ceplion Of some 400, for whom ! had not
transportation, although ] had all the trans
port force in the hands OF the Quartermas-
ter here, to aid the Bay line Of steamers,
which, by the same order from the Lieu-
tenant General, was directed to furnish
transportation. Up 10 and at the time Of
the order had been preparing for an adj
vance movement, by which ] hoped to
| cripple the resources Of the enemy ut
Yorktown, and especially by seizlns
large quantity Of negroes, who were beng
pressed into their service in building the
intrcnchmenis there, ! had five days pre-
yiously been enabled to mount, for the hrst
time, the first company Of Lighl Ariiliery,
which | had been empowered to raise, and
they had but single rifled cannon, IN iron
G-pounder. OF course, everything must,
and did yield 10 the supposed c&igeney
and the orders. This ordering away lhe
troops from this department, while II weak
ened the posts At Newport News, neeessi-
tated the withdrawal Of the troops from
Hampton, where | was then throwing up
nlrenched works, 10 enable me TO hold the
town with a small force, while advanced
up the York or James River. In the VIII
lage of Hampton there were a large mum
Der Of negroes, composed, IN great meas
ure. Of women and children OF the men
who had fled lhither within my lines Tor
protection, who had escaped from mau-
. Irauding parties of rebels who bad been
, gathering ip ablc-bodicd blacks 70 ald them
ID constructing their batteries on the james
and York Rivers. had employed the
. men in Hampton IN throwing up intrencb-
. ments, and they were working zeaionsly
and efficiently at that duty, saving our
/. soldiers from flat labor, under the gleanl
Of the midday sun. The women were
earning substantially their own subsistence
/ IN washing, makeiing and taking care O
) the clothes Of the soldiers,and ralions were
: being served oul to the men who worked
! for the support Of the children bni ~
n the evacuation Of Hampton, rendered nee
i essary BY the withdrawal Of troops, leay
i ing me scarcely 5000 men outside Ia
I Fort. including the force at Newport
s News. all these black people were obllge'
i to break up their homes at Hampton, nee
II Ing across the creek within my lines 10
protection and support Indeed 4 was
% most distressing sight 70 see these poo
e creatures, who lad trusted TO the prolee
: tion OF tic arms of the United States am
I. who aided tie troops Of the United State
n III tier enterprise, 70 BE- thus obi'Sed
Il fee from their homes, and the homes
= tkeir masters. who Lad deserted them, an
i become noi llgitiyes from fear 81 The r.
3 turn ii tie rebel soldiery, who had threa'
q cred to shoot the men who had hFong'
.g for Is, and 10 carry u tie women VT