Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1862-08-04
FROM HILTON HEAD, s. G.

Correspondence Oh tne ". Z. herald.
HILTON HEAD, July al understand that the
thing else than lie OF Inactivity In this depart.
locality
Brig Gen. Perry ssiled for rernandips. a.,
In the steamer Delaware, He In assigned to the
command Of all the forces In this department. eI.
cepting those at Fort Picksns, south Of this point
The Delaware took down large quantity OF
commissary and quartermaster's stores for the
want OF which the people at Fernandins and 81
Augustine have sadly suffered Gen. Perry's in
structions refer mainly to the question OF contra
bands He 10 informed that the practice Of re.
letter was printed, there was such q thing In ia
departnaent), will not be allowed; and he IL di.
rected to take serious measures against any officer
who shall be guilty Of excluding negroes from
The commanding onacef at st. Ausustine-Col
Bell, OF the 4th New Hampshire-it IL alleged,
recently turned woman from his camp, and the
woman was subsequently overtaksn by her
raj at once to produce either the slave woman or
her master at the department headquarters.
From the southern district Of the department
there 10 no news Of consequence. Col. Rich,
commanding the post at Fernandina, a few DAYS
since opened negotiations with the rebel com.
mander at Tallahassee for an exchange Of prison
ers; but his action was without authority, and
the exchange, under the orders OF the War De-
We have recent arrival from Charleston, in
the person Of Robert Platoon, who escaped from
the city on Sunday week, and made his way to
our gunboats In the Stone river. Platoon Is a
Young man, who, though born and reared In En-
gland, has resided for seven Year, in Charleston,
and whose family Is still there He was a fresh.
man In Charleston College, and made his exit
from the city In consequence Of threatened con-
scription among the students of that Institution
He gives a very clear and Intelligent account Of
matters In the confederacv. Gustavus w smith
Is In command Of the troops at Charleston. The
force at that point, however, has been much re-
duced, nine regiments Of infantry aud two Of
cavalry having been transferred to Richmond,
and large body distributed along the line Of the
Charleston and Savannah Railroad. Every one
capable Of bearing arms is In the Southern army,
having been compelled by the rebel government
to " volunteer"
At Charleston two iron-clad rams, after the
plan OF the Merrimac, are In process Of construc-
tlon. The work is superintendent by the same
parties who produced the Inflated scarecrow of
Hampton Roads, and they are expected, when
completed, to accomplish the destruction Of the
entire blockading squadron.
Vessels are still running the blockade A reg
ular line has been established between LIVERPOOL
and Charleston, and the most valuable supplies
find their way to the rebels from this source
Shortly before Pattoon's departure the steamers
Herald and Memphis had gone In, and the steamer
wheel steamer ran In on Friday last, and 1t was,
no doubt, the looked for vessel.
The people Of the South are growing restless
under Jeffs iron rule, and the voice Of the press
Is almost unanimously In favor of change of
The failure Of Lee, with his
Overw Ginning army and immense resources to
capture or annihilate Mcclellan, has also pro-
duced a feeling Of dependency, and the ultimate
capture Of Richmond by our invincible army Ii
daily more generally conceded Everywhere
their rebel leaders are cursed for the evils they
have brought upon the people, and yet the people
cling to their cause with dogged determination.
neighborhood of4O, 900. This Of itself has had a
very disheartening effect upon them.
Our negro population has been materially in
creased within the past few days by the arrival,
from Georgetown, Of a ship load Of contrabands
They comprise the old and helpless Africans and
the young and mischievous picanninnies of
that locality, and have been CHARTERED on the
Islands about Port Royal. II must have afforded
the enemy great deal Of aid and comfort to re.
lieve them Of the responsibility Of feeding and
susta aiming 30 large and so worthless gang.
The health Of the troops continues good There
Is no malarious disease among them yet, and the
yellow fever excitement has died away.