Smyrna times., 1862-10-16
War News.
Emancipation and the Black Flag,

South. The rebels do not laugh at the decree, but
quake with apprehension. They express fears that
1T will be the means of producing cOunterreVolu.
on in the slave States, and the soldiers desire to
return to their homes to protect their amiIes. They
believe the negroes to be organized in secret associa
tons, and only to be waiting auspicous oppor.
tunlty to rise in insurrection en- They have
heard already of the Proclamation and are becom.
ing very restive under their yoke. The woman and
children of the rural districts are removing to tho
cities for safety, and CONSERVATION seems to be un
versal.
The immediate results of this feeling are measures
of great severity towards the blacks, who are being
sent South without reference to their legal condition.
Several have beenhung in the vicinity of Jefferson.
ton, Va. charged with conspiracy. The Union
white citizens of Winchester, too, are being sent in
considerable numbers to Richmond.
The feeling in the army, and among the rebels in
general is in favor of desperate measures, chief of
which is the raising of the black flag. In fact
many of the soldiers refuse to fight longer unless il
is done.
a pirate circular has been issued bp the rebel
GoOsrnnent to Pro2rietOrs Of newspapers orbidding
the publication Of the Proclamation.
GREAT INCREASE THE ARMY.
Our army, purlng the last two or three months.
hao grown enormously in numbers. Probably moro
than three ourths of the troops ordered under tho
last two calls Of the President are now ready for the
field. There is nearly quarter of million Of
Union soldiers the Potomac. Gen. Mcclellan
has attested that the new troops fight like veterans
They are full of fenthusasms, health and pluck. We
arc now in far stronger condition for attack than
we ever have been before.
Mr. Joseph Wheat, a resident of Bath in BerkIev
county, Va. arrived in Wheeling on Saturday eve.
ming. refugee from his home now again in posses.
sion Of the rebels Mr.. Wheat says that at Bath
and vicinity he representatives from seventvsix
rebel regiments, and more fororn worn out set of
men he never saw. He says they are on the verge
OF starvatlon-are weak in body and very detected
In spirit, and many of them are So shattered in
strength as to be barely able to keep on their feet
Mr.. Wheat thinks that speedy victory awaits our
demonstration against the rebels in the Valley.
Everywhere in Western Virginia where the rebsls
nave the power, the Wheeling InteIIigsnssr states
that they are enforcing the Conscription act. In
The Kanawha Valley they seize every abls-bodied
man and take them to camp without Judge or iu,v.
lhey hsTe no surgeons to examine whether men ara
exempt lhe same Is true of Hampshire and ad.
joining counties in Gen. keney's department.
Gen. Buell's train, which followed in the rear Of
his army on the march to Louisville, consisted of
l,9OO wagons, drawnby 10000 horses. There were
also l,5oO cOnvaeScents from eighty-four different
regiments Accompanying the train were lIs
wagon loads of ammunition. 1t stretched distance
of twenty five-miles
joint resolution has been adopted in the virpi..
ia Legislature providing that no person within that
State shall be tried imprisoned for driving there.
from or putting to death by any means any person.
with or without arms, who may be found on that
soil aiding or abettng, or in any other way giving
effect in that State its border to the lawless and
hendish purpose Of the Presidents emancipation
proclamation.
There was resistance to the draft on Monday
last i'll Indiana. A crowd collected and DESTROYED
the ballot box aud enrolling lists. The Commission
ers and Provost Marshals resigned. battalion of
the 63d Indiana has been ordered to 20 and enorce
the draft and arrest tho ringeaders.
THE FEELING IN WASHINGTON cHEERyUL.
A more cheerful and hopeful feeling as to the On.
tire discontinue of the rebels exists here
all loyal cusses, than at any former period during
the present year.
THE CAMPS FOR CoNvALEscRRrs.
Amongst the many military features of our Ma.
i0nal Capital in this time of war, one of the very
saddest Of all, is the camp for convalescsnts" in.
cluding parole camp" and strGgglers' camp"
1900 men happen just to be congregased there.
Some sad facts communicated from there i. an
appeal to the Christian Commission for relief
Il. The sufferings Of tho prisoners, whilst in the
hands of the rebels. need no description. They
themselves talk of the horrors of Belle Island as mot
TO be described. They compare them to those of the
Slave Pens ofCharlsston and the Blackhole of Cal
cutta, and say they worse than either of these.
as they stand upon record. 5000 of these sufferers
are now in this singular camp at Washington, and
suffering still, although under the Stars and Stripes.
VICTORY IN FLORIDA
BY the arrival Of the steamer MGssaehusetts. from
Port Royal the 4th inst. we receive intelligence
of the successful issue Of the expedition No ST. John.
River, Florida. The expedition arrived in the vciu.
y of the batteries on the lst inst, and reconnos-
sancs by the gunboats, during which an exchange
of shots took place, established the fact that the
rebels there. The forces intended 10 operate
on land then put ashore and preceded to gain
the rear OF the rebsl position. when the enemy in.
gloriOusly fed. leaving everything bshnd-a battery
of eight heavy guns. loaded and unspiksd, quaint.
ties of ammunition, many small arms, and fair
supply of stores and camp equipage
Advices from Port Royal, South Carolina. an
nOunce that Beauregard is in command Of the Con-
federntes in that department Dsssters report that
he made speech at Savannah, in which he promised
to Ietaks Fort Pulaski. The Fingal, and anotLer
rebel battery are reported Us nearly complssed.