Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1862-12-12

ny fiSsa III. f'il'YlllllY1Yilf1sfI''f''

MY. Times ssys. ilfGlil11 ia.
The news from The "Lafonrcbs county,
while i is entirely withoat especial, or raih-
or, sensation interest, has - point Of espec-
ial observation. The district Of country al
luded 70 Is ene Of TIE richest n ketiodlihrkl
wealth, not only in this State, but probably
richest IN some respecIsof my spot 81 the
same size IN the world. The nealth, how
ever, consists almost entirely of sugar plali-
tatiOus and negroes, but ss time has rolled
on, shs planters have, iB long years Of pros
pcriiy, by accretion, as Il were, possessed
Themselves, in many instances, Of sort q
barbaTic splsBdor. illustrated BY rich fnrni-
ture aud costly equipagas. These things,
with their large residences, 10 most insisn-
ces, were precipitately abandoned The mo.
fment our forces defeated the enemy ut la
badievile, and the consequences was,t that
hundreds Of negroes, besOtted by the most
severe system Of Slavery, wers in smcment
left TO themselves, and in delifium Of ex-'
element, they first thew themselves, IN an
estaey Of JOY, on their knees, aud "blossed
God that Massa LiEkum bad cOme,r aud
then, as semi-eiviiized people would naiar-
ally do, they commenced induleiug in all
sorts Of exeeSses, the first fruits Of their IN
restricted liberty.
The negroes, BY the way, we're perfectly
quiet until our soldiers obtained a eomplcte
victory over the rebel troops, in fact, I'd 70
that time, no one would have suspected tbey
were not all Of them The faithful or happy
beings we see pictured in those faacifaI cos-
tunes, entitled "Southside views of Slavsry."
But the moment the butternut-colored
troops Of this State, or the hang-dog lOok-
ing Texan Rangers skedaddled, the negroes
threw OF all disguise, and commenced en-
ljOying their regeDerated condition with a
lOoseness, that was both melancholy and
ridiculous. The first demonstration was Of
the English fashion in this, they preferred
the most strict neutrality. as one Of them
said, "God knows that We hayen't took
side at all, massa, but just tended to our
business" But unlikethe English they are
not acting the part Of hyPOcTiies BY sympa-
thizlng with our enemies, for they soon be-
come partizaDs, and many, the moment it
was safe, openly declared adat dey were
now on the Morn side" They then went
deliberately at work, and intellipeBtly gave
our troops all the information they could de-
sire, Of the character Of the country, the
roads and outlets, the number Of troops
"belOw aud beyond = and very correct list
fall the properly ofany value open 70 view,
or cOvertly concealed. After the battle Of
Georgia landing" theyopeBly and boldly
seeded from their masters, and went over
body aud ragsto the Nationals, and then by
thousands packed up what saluabIes they
could carry or move of the Plantations
They now show their gratitude in the most
intense desire to do something fortheir new
friends; there was not private soldier who
did not have a dozen volunteers and most
submissive servants, while the officers had
fifty apiece at their command. Such a
motley crowd never before assembled a. the
bugle call, or followed 10 the footsteps of a
victorous army. As things progressed, so
cial chaos came again; negroes, horses,
mules, private carriages, old and new wagons,
dilapida,ed carts, tapestry carpets, rich fur
niture, Sevres China pots, kettles-all min
gled in an inextricable mass Of confusion,
on the side Of the bayou opposite to the
: National csmp-and then, amid waste and
wantonness, the escaped contrsbaDds held
high carnival. Feasting on chickens, turk
les, hogs and fat cattle, few days aro the
{ sacred property of,heir lordly and defiant
masters. meantime occupying their leisure
time with their fercest prayer meetings, in
) which they pray vociferousIy for s'Massa
Linkum,' and destruction to the 9periIIas"
(gnerrillas) and success 10 the Northern
army, and thes ask for discomfeiture on
their former task-masters, who, among 9th
er retorical figures, they liken unto so many
frogs setting Ou log, with big alligator
(the United States ARMY that has come
r along and gobbled up some. and arun de
res into the bayou bres God" To the care
less and reckless soldiers, the scene Is one
. OF intense fun, and already the wits ameng
I them indulge in all sorts Of negro limitations
that would make Geo. Christy die with envy.
To the thoughtful, all this has different
effect, for it suggests how much suffering is
, to follow among the innocent and misguided
Of the deceived masters. and equally, but in
another way, delnded slaves-tbe social
E system Of the South is broken up-tbe past
IS history-the future how difficult 10 com
Prehend.