Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1862-05-24
From Port Royal.

By the arrival of the steamer Atlantic at
New York. on Saturday we have late news
from Port Royal. The correspondent of the
New York Herald thus describes the effect
on the blacks of Gen. Hunters proclama-
ton:
PoRT ROYAL, May ID.
On Saturday, the 10th, Major General
Hunters order of emancipation dated 9TH
fell like bombshel upon the community
black and white, of Port Royal. On Sun
day, impatient, as it would seem with the
delay in recruiting his "Zouaves dAfrique,"
the General ordered collection of all the
able-bodicd negroes on the plantations held
by us to be made at Hilton Head This was
done on Monday, without any explanation
at first to the blacks, who submitted in
considerable alarm, having the fear of Cuba
and of forced conscription held up to them.
1t soon came out however that the Generals
intentions were emincntly humane and judi
cious.
The crowd of dark citizens were put into
a comfortable camp, well fed, and informed
that they were to be registered and have
free papers for them and their families and
after proper explanation of the terms and
object OF enlistment, were to have their free
choice to enlist or return to the plantation
l was of a party who visited their camp
this morning, at General Drayton's planta
ton about two miles from the Head, and
never saw a happier looking crowd. They
were busy at clearing more camp ground
cooking food, and other necessary work, and
all seemed activity and checrfulncss. Col
Kenzic, lately of General Huntcrss staff
commands the regiment. The company
officers are taken from the non commissioned
officers and piivatcs OF our army, and those
I saw there headed by Captain Trowbridge
of Company A, seemed well chosen, and fiil
of the right spirit, and very sanguinc o
success, both in recruiting and in making
good regiment
The 18th of May is the extreme date whcr
it is safe for whites to be exposed in certain
localities, and even on Hilton Head tn,
ordinary duties Qcsscned as they have bcel
by General Hunters sanitary precautions
have caused great deal of sickness. 1t i
clear that, if the war lasts, we must profit b,
the example of England in the East ant
West Indies and in the hot season keep OH
white troops only for an emergency, and pu
as much of the needful work and cxposur
as possible upon our black fellow citizens
now made free as military necessity.
The following is an official copy of tn
free papers issued to the blacks by Genera
Hunter, under the terms of his proclamation
The deed of emancipation reads thus
at having been proven to the entire salts
faction of the General commanding tn
Department of the South, that the bearer
named --, heretofore held in involun
tary scrvitude, has been directly cmployc,
to aid and assist those in rebellion agains
the United States of America:
snow, be it known to all that, agrecabl
| tn ha I t1o |,.o
: and forever absolved from all claims to hi
services Both he and his wife and hi
children have full right to 90 north, soutl
east, or west, as they may decide.
; "Givcn under my hand, at the hcadqua
, tcrs of the Department of the South, th
,, nineteenth day of April, A. D., 1869.
DAVID HUNTER,
; "Maj. Gen. Commanding.
. The Charleston Couricr, which reaches ,
. by this arrival presents a sorry appearance
,. 1t is printed on rough and yellowish papc
= reduced to one half its original size, an
! almost barren of advertisements in fac
. the concern is scedy and forlorn. Its edit,
! seems to be among the camps, for we fin
= editorial correspondence" dated on Il
nth of May at "Scccssionville," (whercv
.. . that may be,) and describing the scenes wi
= messed from what the editor calls 'the baC
u u of his war-stced." Here is a single passa,
{ from the letter, which is ingerious its co
densation of many lies in few lines:
~ was received and welcomed on WappC
creek by Captain ]. d. Jalison and Lieut.
Lee, Culpcpper, and Rodgers, of the ligl
artillery In the course of my 7
l. marks took care to cheer them with Il
It news of our fourfold victory, under Bcaur
t, gard, the Washington of the existing rev
luton; Stonewall Jackson, the Christi;
warrior; Bragg and Van Dorm, and Il
commander at Sewall's Point, with which
:, came charged, not emitting to state that Il
- Virginia (the old Merrimac) had put Il
70 Yankee fleet to Bull Run on TIE tedter, aI
u that Beauregard had put the Yankee soldio
!, TO a Sh6tp RIM on the land"
y The it0licS in this choice passage arc Il
4 editors own. The speech he says W
= delivered on Saturday, May 10; so that
= - either falsitied wilfully, or had not hea
. the latest news. The latter supposition
y improbable,l
LATER FROM NEW ORLEANS.