New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-06-21
FROM ROANOKE ISLAND.
Shooting Ncgrcc---CoI. Hawkins and hss
Zouayes.
( Then. Y. Tribune

negroes were wounded in an attack made upon them
by some whites on Powell's Point to which place
the negroes bad turned for safety till daylight when
trey were to resume their journey to this island VI
the three who were SO seriously wounded that they
could not escape, one has since died of lis wounds.
Col Hawkins, who commands the island, has re-
Gently sent detachment Of men, under our Provost
Marshal, Cspt. Leahy, TO arres. the men who fired
upon the contrsbands, and bring them to him. The
Captain always successful in bis expeditions, went,
according to Instructions, to Powelfs Point, where
lie found the slavehunters, to whom he presented
his condiments, and polite invitation that they go
with him on a small exeaIsIon. It were vain to re-
fuse, for the Captain had some "red caps" along,
Who stood ready to enforce the order deompel
ready compliance with the invitation. Thus four
" Yoegles," as our Zouaves call them are relieved
for time from further duty on " Padrole."
The Captain brought bis eaptives to Col HAWKING,
who made his appearance in front OF his quarters,
renarking as he viewed the four save-hunters,
'You are the fellows VINO shot the unaTmed negroes"
( " We did it in self-deense, Sur" responded one
| &" 4 pretty style Of self defense, continued me
Colonel " firing upon men who bed no weapon
WI atever by which they could fire upon yon hat
style of selt-deiense is One-sided to be sure. The
Colonel instructed the Captain TO take them 10 Camp
Reno and confine them under guard, rtmarklng, "A
he turned away, "I'n show you how 20 Shoot
This remark the YOeg'es" understood 10 mean that
they were to be shot, whereupon they set up most
pteous cry for mercy. On their arrival at Camp
Reno they witnessed the frame work supporting the
gymnasium which the Iouaves have constructed,
and that they believed TO be a gallows on which
they to be hung for the crime OF murder lucy
never studied gymnastics.
Col Hawkins who commands this portion OF
North Carolina does not conceive it TO be his dnty
10 allow firearms 70 be used Unfortunately by
men who, for augbt he knows 10 the contrary are
omen Rebels, ar ready 10 use them against the stars
and st peg as against negroes. lie accordingly, and
On the first demonstration OF hostility, arrests The
men and places them where they can shoot neither
blacks nor whites. l am convinced that IL 10 the
general impression here among officers and soldi.rs.
that thew greatly mistake the object for which they
hold authority in the army if they to be Used in
any way in restoring, protecting, or perpe nating
Slavery, all orders, practices, or designs OF "oV'
Stanly 10 the contrary notwithstanding
Col Hawkins il never idle. He is no sooner at
Gstesville capturing destroying hundred thou
sand dollars worth Of stores carefully concealed for
the se OF the enemies OF TIE Union, than ne ID OF on
steamer TO he rescue Of hundreds OF thousands OF
dollars worth of United States property from the
steamer Oriental. in danger Of being wrecked near
Oregon Inlet lie is next found on an expedition to
Fdenton, where he bays Rebel Mayor a. d Common
Council l' common scoundrels J, engaged IN carry
ing on the great conspiracy against the United States.
These be brings TO Roanoke and, after confinement
Of few days they make up their minds to " do bet
ter" whereulon the Colonel let's them 90. We ind
him next convoying materials TO- anu blasting to
atoms the distractions in the great canal r1nning 10
Norfols opening up u more expeditions and
safe line OF COMMUNICATION with the Norm.
Following these preparatory measures, he Is
the tilst TO bring a steamer through 1t. lie bas no
sooner completed this work than he s of to Plym-
ontb where he finds the best Style OF Union senti-
uont I have yet heard OF. lie finds there few
hundred men who, after having grosned beneath
LAT
are now anxious 10 turn cut ard fight for Tho flag
under which they were born Finding this pleasing
state of ttings the Colonel is next found sendnga
company OF Iouaves 10 Plymouth, where they
well received and Kindly treated. enirIs.ed with
the daty of drilling the North Carolina Battalion,
and making il ready for early service in the work Of
tiIashing the Rebels. | have heard the Colonel
say he knows no other purpose IN this war than his
whole duty; and, with the heicnlean Iabo.s ne has
reformed not only aimee tie here but since he
came TO Hatteras amid tue burning Of last Summers
sun when he participated in the irst successful oc-
cuuation of Rebel fort, it were vain to say be il
not true 70 his purpose.
COMPANY f. of the Zouaves, under Capt. Ham
nell, LETT here two days ago Tor Plymou,h, where
they are now safely fixed, doing good service for
the Union
Generally matters here on the island in
Houri,l,iug condition. The troops are excellent
health. Gel. Hawkins has suppressed drunkenness
10 a great degree, and we are thus relieved OF
killing vice which usually acts as the mother OF
other vices.
Here ia Camp Reno we have resorted to various
means OF improving our lime, beside drilling, AID the
mere military routine We have "the Xouaye Dga-
mstc aud Minstrel Club" whose performances are
given in one OF the huge barracks captured from tie
Rebels and which has been well hi,ed Mp Tor the
purpose This club conducts is proceedings the
same as any Of the kind in the Union. They have
their door-keeper their fee, their tcke-box, their
stage manager &c. Tickets Of admission are ten
cents seats resrred for ladies ana proceeds, when
have already amounted TO nearly FIVE hundred dol.
'lars 10 20 to the aid Of wounded comrades who
have fallen at side in some OF the sharp engage
meuts through which we have passed. The club
will soon be IN condition TO give each OF our
wounded comrades present o. hundred collars out
of its proceeds. Although away IN the wilderness
among the Yoegles" OF North Carolina there is
something admirable in the uniform COCA TASTE WIN
which all the performances are characterized.
With minstrel club, bave good reading
room. furnished with good reading material, both
secular and religious started and conducted by Mr..
Conway. the Chaplain. With these we have Lite
rary Union the object of which is TO cultivate the
mind aud promote in the regiment a high style of
mental discipline. The first question debated by
the Union was" Should the Rebels be punished,
or reiormedi" 1t was decided that they
should he punished, or in other words,
that they should be hung The inhabitants
of the island and of the mainland near by, are
making money. They sell eggs, fish, peas, chickens,
&C.. at such enormous prices, that our occupation OF
this Island makes for them 50 big thing Ihey
are Union" enough to get iuto our pockets, aud,
after they have received onr silver ana gold, they
are of, not anxious 10 trade with US when we nave
I" Treasury Notes" on the ground ina! tney nave
no change They a mean nnrringlpied see
of wretches-iust such men as Slavery maaes-balf
knaye. half fool Gen. Burnside is here to-day. lie
has come from Fort Monroe. We Deieve IN Gen.
BurusiGe; we have but little ia tn In Gov. Sanly.
Jbe weather is hot the troops eager for hight.
10 do foDm eny