Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1862-01-23

named Holcembe; he was the pilot Of
the steamer ST. Msry's, which piled be-
tween Brunswick and Savannah. He
has followed sea-faring life ever since
his boyhood; be was twenty-five years
old last July; about six feet two inches
in hight, and well proportioned; good
natured and well informed. He said
he earned s35 per month, $50 of
which his master always took-upon
the balance he clothed himself; but
said be, archly, "lsst month, Master
took him ALL; but be lost by dat, cause
dis month runned away, and he's lost
81, ,800"-a sad joke for poor Hol-
combe. On Saturday at midnight of
December Is, be determined to run
away. He left the steamboat at Bruins
wick and went to Bart's Back Landing
where be found boat. -Four other
contrabands were ready at signal to
accompany him with food and water at
hand. They pushed of and stood out
to. sea, Just close enough to land TO
keep it outlined. They pulled, by
spells, until Wednesday noon, Decem-
Der 18, when they made Great Tybee
Island. They pulled in for it and Ian
ded, and threw themselves upon the
generosity of the squadron. Isaac is
now employed as pilot in the neighbor-
ing waters; he seems conversant with
every inlet.
At Brunswick, he says, the rebels
are badly off for many Of the necessa-
ries of life. There is no ham to be
Enthusiastically bacon, which, how
ever, sells for so cents per pound; cof-
fee 81; sugar 374 cents; common bro
gans 80 per pair; coarse woolen socks
75 cents. There is plenty of tobacco
which comes from Virginia. AT the
town of Fernandina there are 1000
soldiers. All the women and children
have been removed to Lake City; they
left Just after Port Royal was taken
All the furniture was removed and the
houses were closed. A sand battery,
mounting FIVE guns, of old patterns, is
located at the north end of Fernandina,
at the Light House. The rebels there
are in want Of clothing, and especially
blankets. These troops having been
at Port Royal (Isaac says) lost sll they
had in their fight thence. The Flori-
dian ladies subscribed for the purpose
of procuring blankets for them; those
they obtained were thin and nearly
worthless. The soldiers live on fresh
meat, which the foraging parties bring
in. They have no salt. They have
little -four, and plenty of rice -four.
There being no hay in the country.
rice is fed, straw and grain. to the
horses; this they bed with also. The
planters have not been able to send
their cotton to market, as there being
no mode Of exporting it lowing to the
blockade) they could not dispose Of it
in any other way, and their agents
would not receive it; hence they have
stored it at home, where immense guam
titles are now garnered. From Fer
nandina stages run to Brunswick;
line of steamboats, also plies between
those points; the distance is thirty miles.
From Brunswick to Savannah is about
forty miles per Railroad. Fort Clinch
is not yet finished; in fact Isaac says)
it remains as Government left it. YES
sells can go within three-quarters of
mile of Fernandina battery and find
four fathoms of water; he says on Fer
nandina bar twenty-one feet of water
can be carried. The fact is, the charts
designed by Government are sadly de-
icient in accurate information relating
to draft OF water in the various inlets
along the Southern coast. The water
may have deepened within the past few
years, but whether this be SO or not,
the fact is patent that there can be but
little faith placed upon the given capaci-
ties of Port Royal, or even Tybee har-
Dor. as furnished by Government
Isaac told me that the battery which
we can see from our deck mounts seven
guns; it is semi-circular in form and
commands stream, Wilmington river.
There is a fine edifce there, which I
can see through the glass; over its Gu
pola flies red flag; a number of tents
are pitched near it, and small mound
is erected hard by. This latter. / am
told, is used now for other purposes,
larger one being constructed at and
where l have described it. The village
of Thunderbolt is twelve miles distant;
it contains about twenty houses, some
of which have pretentions to msgnif-
cence; a fine hotel here affords sttrac-
tions, such as billiard tables, bowling
saloons, etc. The village is situated on
bluff on the port hand OF Whining
ton as you advance, theDeeward to Sa-
vannah, which is FIVE miles distant. A
shell road runs between Thunderbolt
and the latter city.
JAN. 9.-At $50 the dense fog which
had hung heavy over land and water,
lifted, and the sun gilded the extent Of
Warsaw Sound.
This morning q contraband arrived
in dug-out from Savannah. He re.
ports all quiet at Savannah as yet. He
says there are ten guns mounted on the
Skedaway Island battery, ahead of US,
and masked battery on nearer point
mounts four guns. Fort Pulaski has
seventy two and Fort Jackson forty-six
guns. AS yet l have not been able to