Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1862-09-19

Corespondence Of The Fumont Journal, .l tt.|
FoRr PIoHsnIsc, MemPhis Tenn,

as good titnea az now NJ
Fort Pickering has been constructed since the
arrival Of the 5th Division in Memphis. The
Fort is really little more than an intrenchrd
camp, but the breastworl0s constructed are very
strong, protected by wide aud deep moai, aud
are TO be mounted with heavy artillery. When
fully completed the work win, though not aim
pregna6le, ,'---as Is the favorite fashion Of wfi-i
ting,-be very strong and could probably be
taken only by seige. ltcan be held, Al all esents,
against great odds. Other entrenchments are
being thrown up and the work now going on
here would point to the permanent occupation
Of this as a military post. understand that
Barracks are to be constructed for the troops
within the works.
sContrabands' have done the work Of build
ing the entertainments here. And know ofno
soldier who complains that the negro IL thus
brought into use, There are probably upwards
Of 5000 male negroes now within the lines OF
| tie army here. do not think the General com
nanding has given any encouragement or invi-
tation to the blacks TO come inside the lines but
IL they choose TO come he "can NOT as he sta
ted last Saturday evening, at meeting Of the
citizens, sretiirn them" And notice that the
practice is becoming general, of carrying away
| slaves when incursiOns expeditions are made
| into the rebel regions. A great stride is made
toward the crushing Of the rebellion when, in
stead Of using soldiers to return fugitive me-
| groes to rebel masters, we encourage them to
They seem cheerful and happy working for their
new "tnasters, as they call us, and they have
very clear idea, or boiief at least, that they
securing their freedom. May be the "Digger'
has no intellectual faculties and is only brute,
but those here have much clearer coInprehen-
sion of the real issue involved in this war, than
those meddling minds that continually prate
for their enslavement.
The blacks are divided into squads of thirty
or more each, which are put under the charge of
men detailed from the ranks. They work about
nine hours a day, and are furnished rations.
list is kept Of all those who perform valuable
service for the government, and il is understood
!. that under no circumstances can they again be
| taken into slavery. Now pray is rebel too good
to be killed by negro? IL the negro, should
we allow him to strike one blow for his liberty
Y will strike telling blow against the rebellion
hadut we better let him doit? If Sambo viii
shoot the traitor who stands ready to take your
hearts blood, wouldn't it look reasonable that
, you would tell Sambo TO fire away7 Suppose
there were at some point in Ohio 10000 we'll
armed and disciplined black soldiers Do you
think any citizen of Cincinnati would object to
5 their going there to defend that city from cap
ture and pillage by the rebel army now mena-
cling it? Then why not stop all this fuss and
babble against arming the slaves, give them
u,uskets and toll them to go aheadf They are
willing, yea, eager TO do it. and if they get kill
ed in the operation, | suppose we can spare
| tncin quluc US WOl AS inc young WnlUe men Oh
, the land.
But few hundred yards below our camp lies
the wreck of the rebel gunboat Beauregard,
which was sunk by Col Ellet's rams in the ma
val engagement before Memphis a few months
since. She sunk in deep water, but the fall Of
the river has LEFT portion of her above water.
A boat was engaged few days since in re-
moving all there was left on the rebel craft, and
q then she was fired, and burned TO the waters
edge. just above our camp can be seen the
wreck of the Little Rebel
The rebels had prepared nose or prong for
the Arkansas, but in their hurried departure left
it behind. 1t is a monster piece of iron, so
made as to fit on the bow of the boat and sharp
enough to go through any iron clad on the river.
1t would weigh many tons. Another curiosity
left by the rebels in their hurry to get away, is
a huge mortar in an unfinished condition When
finished as intended, it would no doubt equal
any of those on our fleet.
The weather has continued quite hot until
yesterday. To-day is rainy and cool. The
nights are invariably cool.
r The health ofthe regiment is better, although
; ! have to chronicle two deaths. Corporal David
al ID. Mcintyre of Co. b, who died on the third
and Lewis Dehr of Co. II died the 7th: the frs
IS of chronic diarrhea, the latter of fever. Botl
2 bad been long sick, McIntyre's discharge pa
O pers having been made out more than ten week
since.
Rumor does some tall work in this place. Not
u uay passes, DuJ we are CheefeQ or depressed
= by about dozen at least of the hugest sort of
the old DANES offspring. We gotta whopper
i, Saturday evening to the effect that Cincinnati
, was taken. Another was that Buell. had used
up Bragg's army, capturing only 1000 prisonersl
. Another ran, "Pope's whole army captured, F"
, and 50 they come
J The Union sentiment of Memphis, concerning
: which so much has been spoken and written, is
decidedly mythical There is no positive I'm
I ion feeling. There is with some a ready acqui-
escenee TO the inevitable authority of the ma
n tiOn, but there is absolutely no fixed devotion
: to the Union, no patriotic and manly determine
c ton to stand by the National flag. What I'm
ion feeling there is here (ifyou can call it such)
, instead of being help to the government, is a
hindrance, dead weight for our army TO bear,
There is not even the nucleus around which a
healthy Union sentiment might cluster But
: more Of this anon.
n DIR. j. w. Goodson of Bellevue, recently ap-
:, pointed assistant Surgeon TO the 72d arrived
here this morning, aud entered upon his duties.
!. A movable oven has been devised, which
), proves a valuable auxiliary to the army. 1t is
n put upon two wheels, and can be drawn easily
: by one horse, and is capable of bakingthe bread
. daily required by two regiments. So this NOV
e able oven has prevailed against Crackers" and
n henceforth hard bread will only be known while
: the army is actually on the march. You may
know the soldier does not regret this facility fol
u obtaining soft bread A baker can take the
y flour which thousand men are entitled to fol
o rations bake the same into bread and the amount
!. he will have left after supplying them, will nei
. him very substantial profit Hence there is nc
y burden upon the government to furnish the
s. troops with soft bread, but the contrary it il
o a saving with the army we have, of a grea
4 at3ou1t. fs -
> -Four Transports, loaded with rebel prisoners
= passed down the river on Friday last, under
IS convoy of the gunboat Easiport While the
If prisoners lay opposite this city they were th.
II recipients Of innumerable gifts, and tokens o
sympathy from the citizens of Memphis. Tn.
people seemed 10 vie with each other TO deter
mine who should bestow the greatest numbe
Of presents, or lavish the most Inquiries upon Ia
D. rebel crew who are returning to renew their at
n tempt to destroy their government
al The from the Army of Virginia cause
= the most feverish excitement among the troOr
- at this point which was all tho greater beeaus
te the facts were so seduously kept from the pull
as lic hesitaBcy 10 give the people the new
creates suspicion OF disaster.
A list OF prices Of few articles Of trade {
As this place may be interesting. Butter 95c De
=; ID, but We get very strong article and perhaT
le ought not TO complain. Eggs only 400 per dc
. zen, and one must run his own risk as TO rotte
ones Potatoes 81 so bushel Water-mel
O. Ions from SOC TO q each. Apples--a very CON
Of mon quality--two for So. Cheese osly zoe pt
Is pound-and which never saw the cream Of IN
q milk from which il was made Whisky--prim
," ''tangle- foot --one dollar pint and plenty I
" tiOhfi .anad indi Viduala A. that este,, int