St. Cloud Democrat. [volume] (Saint Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1858-1866, 1862-06-12
The Freedmen under Gem Burn
II ""'i ~.s;a ~ side: 7i4'jt 10 r1"'ton

The victories Of Geh.o Burnside, in North
Carolina, have produced the same effects upon
the status 81 Tie colored people, Slave ana free,
which attend the steady march Of the Union
army in all other. parts Of che South: For the
time being, thev are asi effectually emancipa:i
ted from their owners control Us if decree Of
the government had set taem free, The ,slayes
regard the presence Of the troops as g,uara m
tee Of their freedom: TIE stories told them by
Their masters, of the cruel character OF the
Northern people-that theyy would have their
''liamstrings cut, AID be Sold 70 Cuba, to pay
the expenses of the war," were never believed
'by' them, although Tor the time being they.
permitted their masters to think they believed
IS Upon toir arrival at Hatteras,' Whole families
under cover Of The night, ana volunteered in
formation to Gen Burnside, as to- the position
and rengt1 Of the Comederates.! The; infor-
nation, which was found to be in, nearly I'LL
cases correct, was Of the most valuable char
acter. One 'blaek boy, of eighteen years >of
age, drew for tie Generalla1precise description
OF the forts on Roanoke, pointing out their To-
catiouj and giving the: Number ofgahs in each
anl also described the battery, with its ap-
proaches add surrounding swainps, at which
The principal battle was afterwards fought
lie was used as a guide T','-.,' - u"Eo'l
Dhring the protfacted gales lof! January
while tho fleet was ,delaped at liatteras, and
the. expedition lhrea tened with total; ,demoral-
lzation, while pilots could not be induced, for
any consideration, to- Assist in 'extricatng us
from our diff culties; and the poor'wiites3 who
had been fed by corn and -four sent from New
York to. keep them from staryations kept aloof
or lent tn themselves, to hesersice xofth enemy
l. - of of 4 a
feet. Meantime, the negroes were :constantly
employed by Capt: CLARK, c99m@m1isqary Of the
post, in rowing boats among the shipping,
transporting stores, unloading vessels; and
prtesfor.ning other kinls' Of the hardest labor
They yswnnked cheerfal'y ,cookud and ate their
ralions with thankfulness, and rendered Nal
liable assistance to the expedition. . .,,r
h" A Whole 'b6at3ldad' Of ishermen and pilots,
IwhD were brought byifose from 5Oraookeo to
q az; & co% G5iisSerSash S aadst hs Seief thkt
they: would do more. harint' thauogood ;aHhile
the loyalty Of the blacks WAS never f0r nom @
ent dislrrusted r' Of 'confdence ii tbom1 found TO
'bs hnisplaced!a AoblaSb TRAITOR ''has hot yet
seas $e,ncksU Il Uhe% % Slaves. VII VIZ haaa be,n oa oon
ipelled tdN6te athe island on the sppfoaeh fof
Gea,e burnside, returned at the first 9gportpp-
ity and many of these who had been compel
led to work on the re6ef fortifcatlons came
DOWN and sought; employment and oprptectiop
upon the arrival Of the troops. Whole schoon
Eef oloadslof contraBands ocame from Elizabeth
Citytand places on. Albematle1 Sound b They
were made useful as cooks and camp servants;
em mpioyef in til" hbspieilJ; in ahs constrdc
(tion oof ~harves by Nj. David Crockett, Who
shd fhally; il btildiag1 166ioa fofts 5h the ea,f
side dfthSisland, to,command Roanoke Sound.
ar One vessel containing twen1t wen y=fve persons.
portion m q them children, We're fallen IL With
by Hsa. ,Fostss ini one thiss1paditionso Up yAl-
bsmasle seegqsd He placed Pilaet en board.
xhe 70 %hsss
Ip ashers time the, Nhele .pa5iyu engaged in
singing hymh which GREY q crowd Of. soldiers
rs thu Shore, a0d'many visitors from athe ites-
sells. They were celebrating their deliasrteaee
from bondage.