Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1862-08-30
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From Boliyar, Tennesso.
A Vi'h TO The Negro Qua,tsrs--H -How the Daykiss
Sport, Eat and Work, etc, etc.
BOLIVAR, TENN. Aupu

BOLIVAR, TENN, August 81.
Az the niger Is the absorbing subject of pub
lilo attention bis exhibition on q new field 10 me
may not be uninteresting. In company with
Captain Ryan, Of Gen. Ross's staff-a yery pop.
ular oftcer and an unassumIng gentleman-I
visited last evening the quarters OF the negroes
who are at work on the Notifications. They
occupy number of houses and outbuildIpgs
connected with some steam mill property on the
banks OF the river. They had Just finished
,neir supper as We arrived, and we're lolling and
Laughing about the grounds. Wepaased hastily
through sleeping department or two, the beds
consisting Of the bare floor, and he was FORUM
ate who had bundle for pillow. Yet that
resting place seemed to be all that was desired,
upon which some were already piled in such
shape and proximity as inclination prompted.
we proceeded to the building occupied BY the
physician, In front OF which the negroes were
then gathering The tuning up of violin in
dicated the purpose Of the crowd, Three or four
candles were liz, q ring was formed and by the
light Of the candles got the first wight Of the
motley group. Three or four hundred OF these
blaokskins, Of all ages and sizes, and draped In
all kinds OF costume, stood In the ring and
their glsteniDg eyes and grinning mouths, as
far back into the crowd as they could be dis
cerned, told that they were to shave little
|
being arranged, the fiddler retained stoical in
difference and dsdain to all appeals of his fell
lows, as If such opportunities were an infringe
ment upon the dignity Of his position, such as
some military gentlemen indulge In with as
little sense or reason. But position 10 every
thing, as well with negroes as military men.
The fiddler was ready, the dancers were in
line, aud away went both. An old Virginia reel
was worked off with sprightliness and energy,
and with some touches Of the art that never
witnessed before. Barefoot or shod, those feet
we're nimble enough on this occasion. Every
thing had passed along silently for some time,
except the strains Of the fiddle and the patter of
the feet, whose exercises engaged the undivided
attention Of the crowd, when the lord of the
fiddle threw bis head back, and, with some
double rakings on his fiddle strings, exclaimed,
Dis is de way to get TO hebben." This seemed
to be the signal for o general outburst. The
fiddle went faster and the feet quicker. elf
Sally was only here for de lady instead Of dis
big nigger," said one of the dancers. "And
Dnah," and Chloah," "and Jane" and a
hundred other names went through the crowd.
Az matters we're now taking the high pressure
style, Mr.. Bones came jumping into the ring
with two big ribs he had saved from his rations,
and, striking an attitude that set all cork be.
dizened iDitstors into the shade, added his
weight and muscle to the propelling power
Mr.. Banjo soon followed, and the patterers, who
hit shine, knees, head, and breast In perfect
time with the music, became inspired; In fact,
everybody was marking time in some way, and
go on the thing rushed, through the reels, cotil-
lions, jigs, and fancy dances mentioned on the
"small bills"
The second scene introduced love song,
during which the singers walked around the
ring, and, at the end Of each verse, received
new recruit. The tune was an old Me,hodist
one, and was 30 drawn out through the noaes of
the performers that could not gather many of
the words. IL commenced:
"we're going down to New Orleans
The place from which we started"
And "Mary Jane" and my Darling" which
were woven into the chorus, determined the
character Of this part of the entertainment.
For the next performance, muscular boy
entered the ring with an iron baking kettle,
and big oracker-box Arranging them in a
row, the music commenced, and be set In with
q dance around and over his playthIngs. Keep
Ing time with the music, he seized the baking
kettle, adjusted it In his teeth, dropped bis hands,
and continued the dance for some minutes,
when, dropping the kettle, he seized the box
In similar way, and went through the same
dance, and concluded by serving the other ket-
pairing for breakdown cotillion, we concluded
We had seen enough for one entertainment, and
departed.
These scenes, learn, are enacted nearly
every night. They are varied BY "blind-man's
buff" and other similar plays, wrestling, but
ting, etc. On Sunday night they hold pray
er-meeting, which, for "glories," "hallelu-
jahs," and the like. IL Is said to be Of the frat
order
In the morning we returned to see the turn.
out for work. The breakfast-tsble was lust
r spread as We arrived, or, rather, on rough
boards, set on stakes In an open building, huge
crackers and big pieces Of beef were arranged,
and boxes Of crackers strewed along at conVen-
lent distancee, to replenish that article there
from. Each niger had q cup, with which he
repaired to the kettle for hot coffee when be
desired, and, seizing his cracker and meat in
hls fngeys, the delicate operations Of q few
hundred voracious jaws soon left no remnants
behind. These negroes, for convenience in
working, are divided into companies Of from
twenty-five 10 fifty, over whom is negro
Captain" and all, of course, under the direc.
tion OF the proper officers In charge Of the
works. The "csptain" realizes his Importance,
and manages to get an old pair of military
pants, coat, cap, belt, or feather, to indicate his
position" A negro now seized "seoesh"
drum and beat upon IL, which was signal for
falling into line, each company on It's own par
tculsr ground.
The calling of the roll was decidedly anus
ing. There was 30 many "Sams," "Cmsars''
and "Jims," that resort was had TO numbering
them. The number they could not remember,
though they had been told II over and over
again for weeks, "Ssm" No. 9is called two
OF three times, and "Sam" says "Dat's my
name, but doesn't reckamember dat number u
"Ssm" No. Is "ran away last night" and
"Sam" No. 20 is sick, though he had just dis
posed of his morning rations. Alter the roll
call is completed, the "orach" company, under
the lead Of fife and drum, start out to their
labors, the other companies following. Az
well as the negro plays the fiddle and banjo
he is a very Indifferent musician on fife OF
drum.
A majority of these negroes have been draft
ed from loyal owners for this particular bust
ness, and will be returned when the fortifica-
tions are finished. Others are negroes who
have escaped from their masters and come with.
in the lines and have been set to work. Some
have run away after being set to work and re-
turned to their masters. Others, not thinking
; that this kind Of work corresponded with theil
ideas Of "liberty," have sought that object In
other quarters. At best ,he most Of these ne
groes will be spoiled, 90 far as any further use
iulness to their masters or themselves is CON
cerDed. They will catch Just enough Of the
idea Of liberty to become laEless, and many Of
the citizens would prefer that they should be
run out OF the State rather than they should
remain to oontaminate the rest of the slave
population. Some men and officers think they
are doing cunning thing to be spending their
/ fiuna In Ona wfnU kha ai00ara and larlv