, 1861-12-26
INTERESTING ADVENTURES IN
DIXIE
Story OF Three Pr1sonerA.

Washington Dispatch to the n. Z. Times, 19tb-l
On the I'd Of December three men ofsick1es's
Fifth Regiment were rowing about in boat
with two boys, Thomas Wisweu Of Jersey |
City, and Chas. Smith Of Massachusetts, at
tached to the regiment. The men being drunk,
BY the rebels. The boys reached here to-day
IN company with Capt Ricketts, and Rev. Mr.
Mines Of the Second Maine, by way Of Fort
ress Monroe, having been nnconditionalfy re-
leased BY the Secretary Of War. They are re-
marhably Intelligent, and tell the following
story:
On being hailed they surrendered, havingn no
arms, except revolver and knife They
we're taken up Chapawamsic Creek about
mile to the camp Of TIE e Tennessee Walker
kept four days, and as they were 'ssnaall fry,"
were allowed to go anywhere. They chose
aleep1ng and messing with the officers. They |
found three more regiments encanped from |
that point southwark toward spo1lord; about |
quarter Of q mile apart. The 47th Virginia |
Was encamped q mile further back, On o road
leading to Dumfies, The Maryland Battery
with Is guns-one Apounder ard the rest SIS
was on the river side.
Major General French #as in command Of
the Evansport batteries. He vas formerly
Captain in the United States army. In the
rear Of the batteries Is the Second Arkansas,
First Te1nn Rangers, Col: Kinney, and Eff
teenth North Carolina The encampment is
eral Wiga1 is in command. They are sup
| piled with plenty Of corn meal and fresh pork,
| but no salt or coffee. There is not q single
regiment which is fully equipped or uni
formed. Their clothes are the same as those
q are y Mississippi Ih rides COTS riaes, mnsEets,
| and some old fint-locks. There was very
loose discipline in all the camps, and the men
were anxious to get away, being sick and tired
Of war: They we're making hints Of sticks
l In -nN T$vnfr
The Georgia Regiment had q 1hrge number
Of slaves with them, who were dressed aud
armed. The slaves do all the work, but none
Of the other regiments had as many as the
Georgia regiments. On the 4th dny they were
taken down to Burke's Station, on the rail
Here the lst North Carolina, Col. G. G. Lee,
was encamped at Marlborough. Below the
railroad, on the Potomac, were three batteries
The 30th Virginia, Carey's regiment; sth
Georgia, Col. Gardner; 18th Georgia, Col
other they did not hear the name Of. They
went by rail that night to Fredericksburgh,
but SAN none except stray troops. The cars
appeared to be well filed with travellers.
At AtFredericksburgh they we're agrin detained
look through the town. There are no fortih-
cations there, and no troops. Everything
seemed like Sunday.
On the way to Richmond, the boys we're af
forded every liberty, aud Of course were anx'
ious to see and hear all they could. After re-
maining one night in the tobacco warehouse,
| they were taken before Gen Winder aud Mr,
! Benjamin, Secretary Of War, who prompt
II ordered their discharge, and thenceforward
they we're allowed to 60 about the city nnrc
| stricted.
They state that there we're but 5000 troops
at Richmond, all miserably clothed, some il
| rags, and nearly all wearing blankets instead
] | Of oyercoats. They are poorly armed: Tht
hospitals Tere crowded with the sick, AMI
{ large numbers are dying every day: They saH
sta1ted, waiting to be carried oil. AT all th'
+ places they represent the proportion Of sick tx
be equally large.
They visited some of the rebel fortifcatiouy
1 northwest Of tue city, on which they saw
also building about the city. Muskcts are ST
scarce, that when guard comes around a
I prisons on relieve, they come without guns
l making one set do the whole duty.
e They state that eur prisoners At Richmond
= for the want of clothing. Many are il rags
!. and some half naked. On cold nights man,
are compelled to walk oil night and get thei
r rest in the daytime. The prisoners Of tn
= Massachusetts, Twentieth and the Michigan
a men had received the clothing sent them, AMI
were comfortable. Their rations consists O
l bread and salt beef twice day.
J They saw Ben hicCul1och ut the Exchang
: Hotel, and heard him hold a conversation
g with some parties. He said IN their hearin
u that bis own army was in deplorable stat
for clothing and transportation, and tha
:, there was bnt one way to get supplies c
u clothing, and that was by having an arm
y cross the Mississippi, and come down to LAX
5 Cairo. get what they required, and return.
, At Richmond it is believed that Burnside
= expedition is to move up the Potomac to a
% tack and capture the rebel batteries on ii
'e right bank: ,...,
70 As an indication Of the existence Of an ant
:. war feeling, they state that the proprietor I
the Exchange Hets1 oaa sald within heaFng til
By inquiries Of men employed about No
y folk, who knew them to be Yankee prisoner
Q, they learned that the rebels have G,000 rrooI
u ! at Norfolk, 700 at Crauey Island, and 600
a. 5ewelrs Point. Great fears we're expressc
4. that Norfolk would be captured by our troop
Ut At CRANKY Island the rebel works mountt
e. between twenty-five and thirty guns B
~ tween there and Norfolk they haVe batte1
u u of five guns.