New-York daily tribune., 1862-11-07
The Con,rnbapds in Wnshi,.son.
CoIIesp spondsnce OF The n Y Tribune

The Contrnbands in Wnshi,stor.
CoIrespondsnce of The N Y. Tribune
WasruSeroy Nov. L. 1850
Owing to the rctrosressiye movements Of our array
in Virginia during the last two or three months,
there has been large decrease in the influx OF the
contrsbards to this city ard vicinity; and with tie
exception OF the large number who swsrmei into
Alexandria at the time Of the ast Bull Run battles,
instead Of coming by scores aud fies and hundreds,
as fornerly solitary individuals ana little groups Of
two or three, or half dozen wend 'heir"ay hither,
pioneers and adventures in search Of freedo anti
cIpatag the blessed day which is 20 scon 10 bring
deiiverance 20 millions Of their iellowbeings. VI
the thousands who have thus escaped aud reached
the District Of Columbia during tie past year, very
considerable proportion yet remain within it's limits
Finding on their arrivel protection and employ
nent. aud feeling entirely secure in the enjoyment
Of their new-fsund liberty they have felt no desire
TO pursue them Journey further North, snd unless
thew have friends elsewhere, or special inducements
ere held out 10 them 10 take up their abode IN some
other place, they settle here, and establish ther
ecaniy homes wherever they can find shelter.
It Is impossible 10 give any accurate statistics OF
their numbers, RI many have never reported them
selves 10 the Government, finding they were able &c
take care OF themselves and those dependent oi.
them and provide ior their wants without its aid
and of those who have reported, the early record
seerns 70 be very imperfect Military prote-ion Is
accorded 70 all who desire it, aod il iS the duty Of
tie soldisry and the police TO defend them again-t
any attempt AZ Gbuse-a duty IN many instances
hitherto cry inciicien.ly performed.
Upward Of 2UU0 OF the men are employed by the
Government il various services connected more or
ess directly with the war, at sl2 per month and up
ward, b-siie lodging and rations. All the capable
women who have not email children, ore readily
engaged "a servants in fsmihes, iiud remunerl-
tive occupation In washing for the hospitals or the
CAMPS, or IL other Domestic aIOfs connected thtIe-
with.
Abou, ZOO live at toe Mcclellan Barracks, in the
northern and otherwise unsettled part OF the city.
OF these over one-iaI, are small children, the re-
msndeF, oompnIng their mother, the sick, the
iuiir0 and tie dIsaDcd, together with few Of tne
well ard Gte-bodieO who are employed ~ assistants
about the place. The barracks iJcl0se space Of
three or four acres and pariitOnc0 oil into small
rooms each one contaiIing-tbough 1t cgn hardly be
said 10 accOmnodato-fIOm i've 10 fifteen occupants
There are aiso Two largo hospital tents, aud several
-a,aiier texts used az dwellings. As these humble
hati,at.ons are located on extensive PLAIN
common, their inmates, 0urlng tine weather.
cook wash and pursue their other donestlc ayOca.
fi,as in the open iir, and the children have free
door range. This plln being much in accordance
with their former mode OF living, IA found TO be
vastly better than that first sdoped az Duff Green,
Row where tue people were lodged in large irsi-elass
dweilmQ-houses, and necessarily subjected U much
more cOuineme than az present.
Thus BODY Of the fugtivts IL uuder the snperin-
/ ;enaence Of the Rev. ID. B. Nichols Of CLicago
whose successful management Of the Reform School
for ouicast boys IN that city 10 well Known and who
appears TO be equally fortunate in his control OF
these other and worse outoasis OF society, whore
need OF reform 10 therefore much the greater.
Al newly arrived contrabands who desire Govern
men. projection employment report themselves 20
the Superintendent, who is empowered by tie Mill
isry Governor of the District TO afford ether and
all applications Tor employees either for Govern
I.eni " transient service, 70 be made 10 hiln.
The demand at his Office for labor Of this kind IS
aways in excess Of the supply. He is assisted by
Mr.. Sma-a yoang man whose business energy snd
sel:-deny]og InaustTy admirably tt hun for po-
sit:On. Two Istrons, Misses Patten and Doxey
who hsve hsd valuable experience at Port Royal
are also employed, under the auspices Of the Freed
Ilan Rsiief Association IN supervising the general
domestic economy Of the establishment i'll clothing
The desutate, providing for the needs of the sick
end instruotipg the well in habits OF industry and
nesiuess. Too much c,n hardly be iaid in praise OF
toir faithful devotion 10 the noble work Ia hicb
they are engaged.
The hospital has many patients, owing partly TO
tie exposure aud other haTdshIps 10 which the iugi
tves are frequ5nty subcced in their long iJufneys
bi,ber and partly TO the fact that those VINO are en-
ployad elsewhere, and no have no Immediate con-
neet0n with this establishment, when taken i'll, are
cent here for care and treatment. portion Ol the
disease must also be attributed to the oyoTcrowded
condition OF the rooms which the people occupy
ana 10 their inherent 0slaste for ventilation In
whicn they far surpass that large MA orty Of white
people whose abhOIreaoe OF fIesl lheir apart
ments is ldmentable and well-known tact. This
evil viii be partly remedied by removing n portion
o. the occupants into new rooms, which are now in
process OF erection. The slck under tue medical
charge Oi Dr, PeLtiJohn, Who wIs also introduced
by the Freedmen b Association, but who has since
been regularly appointed 10 the post By the Govern
inent.
Two young men. employed by the American Tract
Society 0f new York, zealoufy engaged in
teaching tue con'Tsbands. OF cOurse 10 is a rare
thing 70 find one who has acquired any knowledge
I of reading or writing while IN seEyitude, but &C.
cssc cnsily an iDstance OF this kud il met with
They evInce slunost witt out exception an earnest
dcere sCT 10 struCtOn oi ;hls SOFT, hnd many have
made very gratifying progress. Their dIlg,nc M
t,ls regard IL hardly eqused, certainly Lot sur
passed, by that OF auy body oi white people, simi-
lsry csrcuDstanced, VINO have ever come under my
observation. Some Of the "white schools" for
children III The city might suffer Ia comparison with
an humble " colored school, portion OF Whose
pupils sIe tie children vi coDtrabands maintained
by .he efforts VI DIR. l.. II. Johnson-whose phliap-
thrOllC GbOrs - many directions are known to the
rescen;s here-snd Taught IL the evening by him
seli aud iDtndf, and duIilg the day by d black
woman. In tLls connection l VIII mention, as an
illustriOn OF the average intelligence Of tue clli-
zens Of ne metropolis Of the nation, that exaDi-
nation Of the record kept at the Office Oi lIe Super
inienieut Of Courabandg, ior the period Of two
months, reveals the Interesting fact that fifteen Der
cent Of hose Who bred servants at that place we're
unable 10 write theif own names, and were Obliged
10 make heir mark IN giving the necessary RI na.
ture, ard several Of these Were well dIcssed aud /
fashionable ladies. Ii should be slated ia order
shat inuaiice may be done. that many OF these
were the iorner owners Of slaves VINO bad been /
eEauaps,ed BY the act Of Congress EDolis,lu
Slavery IN the District oi COlumbia.
On Sundays Alr. Nichols preache, to the contra
bands simple aud prielicsl discourses, whch they .
aplear 10 understand Gnd appreciate. They ire
quentiy have religious meetings Of uieir own, con.
Quoted entirely by themselves, and no description
can DO justice TO au Occaiion Of this kind q, which