Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1862-10-25

vated by climate ilaueures. Gen. Mitch !
el hut iust loca ed in this department, has
mach inspiri,ed the officers snd men under |
him, aud signs Of activity are everywhere
apparent. If Government will give him
reinfor ements, Charleston and
Savannah will soon fall, and with them The
Stats oflSouth' Carolina, Georgia and Flor.
ida will be Of easy conquest
It is an encouraging fact, Of which the
Governm, n, should take cogniEance, that
of the 603, 10s persons inaabiting the State !
Of South Carolina, 4l2 500 at least are
unsuestionaby loyal to the Constitution |
and the Union, aud are willing to labor
and fight for their preservation. Our
forces in this department nre in possession
of a large number Of fertile islands, stretch.
ing along the Coast Of South Carolina,
Georgia. and Flor da, from which that por.
tion Of the white population at war with
the Government have fed, leaving behind
their Slaves. houses, furniture, Sc. These
islands, according to Gen. Mitchell, who
has bestowed much thought on the subject
are canable Of sustaining population Of
from $50 900 to 100000. What n field
here for carrying out succes essfully the prob.
lem Of emancipation as contemplated in the
Presidents proclamation This proclama-
tion is received here with Joy by officers
and men, including the navy. as am in
formed. Gen. Mitchell heartily endorses
it, yielding obedience to it because be be-
lieves it to he right and inst.
have only had time to collect q few
facts concerning the cultivation of these
islands during the past season, by the con.
trabands The Island of Paris is near
Hilton Head is about three miles wide
and about nine miles long. This is rich
and feI tile island, but not in high state of
cultivation. There are upon this island
$50 contrabands, only $50 of whom are
available as uborcrs These laborers have
cultivated curing the past season 220 acres
Of cotton, 800 acres of corn, 46 acres Of
sweet potatoes. and 20 acres Of rice and
garden vegetables. The gross product of
these corps cannot be less than $27 600
This is the estimate of the Superintendent
an intelligent and careful business man,
D., Of Cincinnati, Ohio. He has
been the sole superintendent Of these ne.
grooS assiied by a colo ed man. These
contra rabandS 6ave Iahored faithfully and
chter fully-nor from fear Of the lash, hut
Tor the ope Of reward The cultivation
has been much embarrassed for the want
of teams and suitable implements Of hus
handy. There is also on this island o
fine crop of oranges, the value Of which
did not ascertain These are not included
10 the above estimate. One Of the con
trabands told me that sometimes two
schooner loads. of oranges in season were
shipped from the island The kindnest Of
my friend, Capt j j Elwell, of CleE eland,
Ohio, now 10 the Quartermaster's Depart
ment here, enabled me thus early TO visit
this plantation l am also indebted to
Gen Mitchell for the abo7c facts concern.
ing he crops.
There are many interesting cases of es-
cape of slaves, on the approach of our
forces. am indebted to the Rev. Mr..
Strickland, Chaplain of the Ash New
York Regiment. now stationed at Fort
Pulaski, for the following facts connected
with TWO cases
An old man named Paul, upward Of
eighty wears Of ofuge-a patriarch among the
colored ppople-resding at the Rice Mill
! opposite Savannah, in company with one
or two Others. planned the escape of twenty
two persons, men women and children. A
the time fixed they started for the promis
Ell land Of freedom, the Yankee soldiers
crossed over difficult swamp, carrying ~
heir sholders, as best they could, dug
out" boat made out Of log. This rude
boat was so heavy laden with living frigh
tha, it sank into the water nearly to tht
upper edge o. the boat, and The least acci
cent would have upset it. They were ask
ed if they were BOT afraid of being drowned
and they replied that death was prefer
| able TO slavery" They were discover eC
at the For, when few miles up the Sav
annah River and were brought in Rev
' Mr.. : rckland remarked when they
landed they were the happ;est persoas eve
saw" Two days sfierward the Palriarcl
Paul appeared When questioned as tc
his es ,o, lie related in substance thu
after the ampede The balance Of The ne
grOe> gathered together 10 lie taken iu;
The interior. Paul was among them
While string in H. negro ear, his master
an old phySirian. came in and addressing
him said Paul, nv hoy, are you here !!
PanI responded Yes, ma>sa, Is here
The cars were ahout to start, and aS hi
master left the car Paul FASTENED to tn
front of the platform and jumped oGf jus
AS he reached the ground the whistle wa
blown, and Ihe cars starred Pretending
he was left, he commenced runnig after tn
, train and The hystaudprs shouted, "Ru
old boy or you will be left" The.
thOnghl he was running nfrer the train
Whe he got far enough from the station t
i safety do ST., he started in the direction {
Pulaski One day and two nights he wa
i in the swamp without anything to eat
! He was discovered by our soldiers hoatin
down towards Pulaski on plank With hi
? shirt raised as flag Of truce, and boa
e was sent after him. When taken into tn
e boat be tainted and fell exhausted by fat
= que and hunger, and overpowerpd wit
> joy. Said Mr. Strickland, when h
u reached the fort those who had precede
't him in the dog out" gathered around BIZ
ID wild with joy" Eighty years of darI
dreaTy, cruel and bsrbarous slavery couI
not eradicate from his soul the love
re liberty which God bad planted there
Thasa A., l..