Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1862-04-10
For the Journal.
.
Persona, E1per,e,.e.s ~ Iaaeolnaom
.No.sI DO.

For the Journal
Personal Experiences in Iaacolntom
NO To-
The Pirate trials after much difficulty in empal mel
ling jury came off, and for many days dragged their
slow length along" The best talent either sde was
arrayed in keen and subtitle argument The defence was
ably conducted by one of New York's most eminent
men, BRADY, if We mistake not) who was afterwards
treated to the cold shoulder by macy of the fraternity
Speculation was rife aud the general belief was that the
pirates would be hung that Government was not going
to be ntmidated by any threats OF retaliation thrown
out by the arch Tebet-Davs-ether we had govern
ment or we had not, and now was as good time az
any to prove it. The Jury however could not be starved
into unanimiy and were finally dismissed standing, We
believe, tor and against conviction In Philadelphia,
the CITY of brotbery love, pirate brought iD
guilty but up to the present time we have never heard
of bis execution indeed OF bis having been sentenced
unless indeed that ultra-lovng community secretly
Rugged him to DEATH Turk fashion, 10 the tune OF lutte
string. We shall now bid adieu to Gotham, hoping
that the hear OF her may be per fdvor Of the
Virginia. We thought now that we had been so well
feeced we had nothing to do but get home the best
way could, little dreaming of what was held in re-
serve for US it was now we'll on 10 October, and we
we're pretty confident of reaching home in November In
New York we could CLEAN no more information OF
any practicable route than if we had been in
Grim iartarY. We beat up every conceivable source
of information, and summing it up, found the total
days journey, viG Bowling Green had just arrived from
New Orleans, having had very adventurous trip by
food and fed especially the former. At the New York
Consulate, based Mir Muir's experience, we were
strongly dssuaded from attempting to pass the lines,
and were shown dispatches from Lord Lyons where,
in cases somewhat similar to own, Seward had pos
tvely refused permission to pass the Federal lines, for
the purpose OF visiting any of the isurrectionary States
upon any pteteIt ChateUer. The passport system was
then n full force and no one was allowed enter or
dan firm no - will hill 1ouY-
In view OF all these circumstances and of nation
atty being rather odouS determined to proceed at
all hazards bearing credentials, any scrap to
identity US, trusting to Kind Providence and to our
own address Although our experience can add but
little to the general knowledge of the entire unrel ability
and utter mendacity of the Northern press we cannot
refrain reiung Infamous lie which sometime ia De
cember went the rounds. An articeappeared purport
ing to have been copied from the New Orleans Delta"
noticing the of Consul Muir and regretng that
this popular man had, by his openly avowed Uuon
sentiments, rendered himself obnoxious to thecommuni-
ty and going to state that be had insued aud
abused We strong in cur faith, denied the whole story
We keGc faith being the evidence of things seen
the Delta had never published any such thing for
Mr.. Muir was not the man desire it but we were
not quite prepared to find the lie SO base and black as
turned out to be. We made it our special business
when in the British Embassy at Washington to enquire
where Mr.. Muir was, and we informed that after
short visit to Washington and New York be sailed
OreCL 10 Englanu WDcEo ne DaO since renamed. w G
went West to Cincinnati and there remained some time
quietly casting around US to gather up what iDorma
ton could, and decide our probable route to
Dixie"
A trip to Timbuctoo, by comparison, seemed easy
and the bOrdes encountered by Mungo Park and
later gentemen-these respected their laws
of hospitality in the eating of salt, but the myrmdons
of Lincoln protered hospitality with the intent to de-
ceive and the more efectually to hetray We speak
from experience, and not at random when we assert
that fasehood and blacklist treachery marked all their
dealings with US and those OF your readers who follow
through story, will see that our experience was
just the reverse got among Southern men
and mark you well, we went among these latter as
bare OF introduction wewere among the Federalists
We carried no "open sesame" relying solely upon
good mother tongue We now refer especially to
period anterior to arrival in the Conederacy when
either the Western free States or in the De-
bateabLe land Wandering about, stranger, we never
molesed or annoyed by Southern rights man. So
met dlstruS espionage and annoyance there
we found Linconite Let those who will seek for an
explanation OF this diosyncrasy, it to be the
truth, as shall have to answer for it. We do not
and did not expect to escape the risks and nconveneu
of state OF war; plea of neutrality and in
deed never sheltered ourselves under it, to avoid
the taking OF that great rebel panacea,-the Doth la
Lincoln.
10 Porkopol's, proudly styled 1.-The Queen City,, we
confess the prospect anything but encouraging for
all around US daily arrests being made upon every
and no pretext Some were sent off to Fort Lafayette
some to camp Chase, others to the jail, and
some few simply alarmed off. The !" Spencer House 3"
was the chief resort OF traitors rebels and Sympah.ss
and it was like faVorite cover, hunted carefully over
daily. After forming dozen different schemes and
being obliged to abandon each in turn we were intro
duced, subrosa, by the Editor Of suspected paper to
two KentuckiaGs from Maysvie. We have no reason
to doubt the sincerity OF these genemens advice al
though it cost our liberty, and nigh our life. 1t
shows however, how very careful people ought to be in
such times as these in giving advice. We posi-
lively assured that the only route open was the Big
Sandy, through to where Gene al Marshall's brigade
was, at Prestonburg while to our sad expert
We found that valley full of Lincoln troops Not
to anticipate, however, concluded to take this roue
and procured a horse. Throwing few necessary
changes into saddle bags, we took passage Ga the
Ohio intending to land at Catlersburg, KY. 80 miles
up the river. This is small town n Greenup county
at the mouth of the Big Sandy river, which stream
forms the dividing line between Kentucky and Vr-
GINA, Tor that portion now under Perponts rule as
the State of Western Va) We went along merrily
marriage be until We arrived at Ceredo three miles
below Catetsburg when there came down the river at
full head on two steamboats, reporting fight going
on at Guyandotte, some IL or Ia miles further up.
There was general looking after ones arms, and we
found that our pair OF navy revovers had been stolen
while slept and every device was used in vain to re-
cover them. We began to think should certainly
see the n and thought the day of deverance was
drawing nigh. We were three boats full of pas
eengers, mostly armed with fair sprnkling ofsodiers
and on our boat entire Quarter Masters department.
including stores. The steam whistles screamed loud
enough to wake the Dead and all was in intense excite
ment. Ceredo strongly fortified entreDched camp
containing COCA 800 troops OF Gen Rosecranzs brigade
under the command OF Col. Zsgler, man famous Tor
not fighting. We made be would rush to the rescue
but after waiting long time, not an inch would he
bulge We were very eager to 60 to the scene hoping
for chance to join friends but all egress from the
boats was stopped and we slowly steamed up the river and