Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1862-01-16

command of regiments encamped within
sight of each other, Colonel Jones, Colonel
Dunovaut, and Colonel Martin. Each Of
them had previously seen active service,
either in Florida or Mexico.-Charleston
Mercury, Sth.
Marvellous Stories of a Yankee Just
from Savannah.
Our Savannah readers will be amused by
the following string Of amazing lies, which
we take from the Frankfort, Kentucky, cor.
rvspondence December 29) Of the Ciuciu.
natl Times:
Mr.. Nelson r. A. Biddell, merchant
of Philadelphia, who married his wife in
Savannah, Georgia, and who left there on
the End instant, has just arrived here by
way of Nashville, Bowling Green and Lou.
isville. Mr.. Biddell had great difficulty
10 getting out of Savannah. having labcred
faithfully, but iu vain, to do SO for several
months.
Mr.. Biddell describes the alarm and
panic at Savannah, after the Federal attack
on Port Royal, as most extraordinary
Fear seized every one, aud all the citizens
fed from the place The city has no pro
lection or defences whatever-all the guns,
ammunition and cannon having been sent
to Virginia. There were 20 soldiers there
but one regiment, which was encamped
near the town, temporarily, on its way to
Virginia.
During the residence of my informant in
Savannah there were two or three drafts for
soldiers, and he was compelled to furnish
two substitutes for the rebel army, one of
whom, an ex.lumber merchant Of Maine,
was the most violent. Secessionist in the
place. The South, he believes, has all the
force in the field that it can possibly raise,
having made the most determined and per.
sistent effo,ts to furnish men and money
for the cause. The people have been most
severely taxed, and those at all suspected
of Union sentiments, or proclivities, have
been forced to contribute enormous sums
Many of the merchants and professional
men have been impoverished by the exac
tions of the "Confederacy."
The strongest and boldest Union man is
Hon. John E. Ward, formerly our Minis.
ter to China, and he is dreadfully persecu-
ted by the rebels, who have arrested him at
least twenty times while attempting to es.
cape, robbed him of his entire property and
some 100000, and threatened several
times to hang him. Mr.. Ward says they
can kill him if they like, but that he will
never surrender his allegiance to tbs Fed
eral Government, or cease to detest aud
denounve the miserable abortion known as
the Southern Coufederacy. He is very
anxious to 60 North, but is so closely
watched that he cannot escape. Mr.. Bid:
dell thinks that it is not at all improbable
that Mr. Ward will be assassinated in Sa-
vanoah, unless be succeeds in getting out
of the State.
The greatest excitement, Mr.. Biddell
says, reigued throughout the South on the
subject of war, and the women of Savan-
nah daily practiced with FIRE arms to per-
feet themselves in their use. He thinks
that even iu Savannah the presence of the
Federal army would be hailed with joy by
a majority of the people.
Savannah, like all the Southern towns
through which Mr. Biddell passed, is en-.
tirely barren of business, and complaints
are rife of the stagnation of trade, and Of
the scarcity of money. Mr.. B. had the
greatest difficulty in obtaining $500 in gold
although his brother-iu.law had 800, 900 iu
Georgia currency in the Planters Bank,
and, when he die procure coin, was com
PEELED to pay fifty cents premium for it.
Mr.. Biddell says that the most astound.
ing falsehoods are daily circulated and be-
Iieved throughout the South, and that he
himself had DO doubt, at one time, tina,
Lincoln had been hanged. Such stories as
the taking of Baltimore, Philadelphia, and
New York, are very common, and the Sa.
vaunah newspapers publish accounts Of
false victories, won by the rebels, FIVE or six
times every week.