Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1862-03-20

Of artillery, the bursting Of shells, and the
Of their broken fragments, undis-
mayed, and demonstrated clearly that, when
an occasion shall present itself, the men
who compose them will act nobly their part,
and prove a credit to old Belmont During
the skirmish a ball from q bursted shell
struck the arm of Bazaleel Simpson, going
through the sleeve and lining Of his coat
and the sleeve Of his shirt and making an
impression on his arm the fun size Of the
ball, without doing any further injury:
We are hourly expecting the arrival Of
some siege guns, when the ball will open in
earnest, and the defenders Of New Madrid,
like tho heroes of Nashville, and the
chivalrous defenders of Columbus, will be
compelled to take French leave, or, like the
minions of Buckner at Donelson, surrender
themselves prisoners to the "Lincoinites,
as they are pleased to call US,
Col. Smith, of tho 4sd, has been placed
in command of the % Brigade Of the LIST
division Of this army. Adjutant Heyle
has been detached to act as Assistent Adult
an.- General of the same, and Lieut.. D. II,
Williams Of company d, has been detach-
cd TO gil his place in the 43d Regiment.
There are but few Of the white male in
habitants Of the country here, nearly all
having left on our approach. The contra
bands, however, are very plenty, and frequ-
emily visit our camp and impart valuable
information to our army. Seven Of them
came into camp on Thursday, direct from
| New Madrid. Their master is in the rebel
army, and they are very anxious to obtain
their freedom. Their master lived within
q mile OF where we are now encampsd, and
owned a large farm, beautifully located and
well improved but everything on tits going
to destruction, and it will be very strange il
his slaves do not find their way into the Free
States before his return. In a conversation
with one Of these slaves, a very intelligent
one, I asked him whether he did not think
it was wrong to run away from his master,
as he was his property by the laws Of the
State. His answer was, "No l love free.
dom. My mother was a free woman, and
am a five only by fraud and wrong, and
am determined to be Free" These mel
may be black but they love liberty. 1t ma.
be law to hold them in bondage, and wronl
to leave them at liberty in the States, bu
If there is a God who listens to the prayer
Of the oppressed, and avenges the wrong
Of the down-trodden, the year OF Jubile'
will come, when these men, created in tn
, image Of their God, will stand erect, mon
daring to modest or make them afraid.
: 1t is not perhaps prudent to say how man
: men we have at this place, but | may So
that we have a force here adequate to an
emergency that is likely to present itsol
and that force is daily increasing by the q
rival Of men and artillery.
Our Regiment is destined to act o vel
conspicuous part in the movements of tn
: army, as it is in very high favor at hea'
b quarters, and Is regarded as the Regimen
,g par erceuencs, Of this division. This Is,
of doubt, Aattering to the officers aud m
OF composing it, but it may prove equally d
Do sstrous to them in the sequel.
,n This Brigade was reviewed on Ssturd'
by Gen. Stanley, and Gen. Pope Nyiew
tho first division on Sunday. expressi'
ID himself well pleased at our appearance a
M movements.
10 Saturday night last the rebels burned
n number Of houses in the town, with
L -" = 1T q ---~--A 1900