Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-05-09
.5S-We copy the following items from the New
York Herold's special Washington dispatches:
THE ATROCITIES AT MANAs

The publication OF the report of the Committee
on the Conduct of the " ar on the brutality of
the rebels at Manassas created surprise here,
and was not sanctioned by the Cabinet, at least
Mr.. Seward was opposed to its publicity, and one
two others regretted its appearance. IL is
looked upon as an unnecessary exposure OF bar
barities perpetrated by few reckless rebel lead
and soldiers the work of the entire people
of the South, when a large majority in that sec
ton would utterly revolt at the savage atrocities
of some of the troops.
THE TRIP TO MANAssAs-THE EMANCIPATION CUES
TIoN SOLVING ITSELF.
have Just returned from Manassas-the Job of
getting up and back having been a somewhat
difficult military 0pentiOn. What | saw and
heard there would furnish matter for several col
umns OF the Herald if Manassas were not now
utterly eclipSed by the stirring news from York
town. | went up on a car load of nay, and came
down in freight car without seats, filled with
slaves, men, women and children. For three
weeks. a. the rate of twenty, thirty, forty and
hty per day, these cOntrabands, from the rear OF
Gen. Banks and Gen Mcdowell, have been
pouring down upon the Manassas Junction.
They are strewn all along the road in Govern
ment employ, and portion of Duff Green's row
! in Washington is filled with them, where they
are led from the treasury until they can find EN-
plOyment. dare say, if the rebels are driven
out of Virginia, and still persist in this rebellion,
that in the course of few weeks the institution
OF slavery i'll Virginia will be turned upside down
and inside out by this contraband movement. |
have talked with many of these fugitive negroes.
and they have singularly extravagant ideas
upon this subject, and they say that "de
slaves left behind know all about it,
and are just waiting tor de United States
army TO open de way" First the great
extortons of the rebel army. and, secondly, the
spOliations and destructive work of the Nandals
that are III our own army, have literally reduced
hundreds OF Virginia families, who were wealthy
one year ago, TO downright beegary. For
ample asked a negro woman at Manassas, who
had family OF children around her, why she left
/ her masterI and she answe cred, Z" Fore God, sab,
massa told me de odder m0run dat he had moth
Ing left for his own children-no bread, no meat,
no money, and nothing to eat, and told me to
take mine and go-dat's true" chow did your
master become pOorY" ode soldiers, sab; de
Southern soldiers take most all and de Northern
soldiers take the reSt-leaye not even chicken
on de place" And by the way, from intelligent
men among the soldiers themselves, have heard
of the most horrible atrocities committed by
own men in uniform between here and the Blue
Ridge and that these vandalisms have utterly
destroyed in that region the strong Union sentl
ment which had existed there. 1.-The officers
want to be popular with the men after they get
houics Sdiu a. oiIcNQ ~ INT, anu t'idt
is the reason why some OF our officers permit
their men to disgrace the army and the Govern
ment by their brutaities." Cannot this business
be stoppedr
The idea extensively prevails here that there Is
a trick in the rebel evacuation OF Yorktown, aud
that Monsieur Mercer is at the bottom OF it. You
know that the rebel Congress shut up shop few
DAYS ago and cleared out, going of by way of the
james river canal, for fear of being intercepted 10y
either Burnside or Banks if they should attempt
to run off by rail. Men of Southern sympathies
say to me- This Governments in fog-it does
not see what is going on-M. Mercier fixed it at
Richmond for Jeff. Davis To be gone. so that
the French Emperor could appeal TO the magnan-
unity OF Old Abe with good grace, and get all
the credit OF treaty of peace and liberal
amnesty, whereby France sill become the favor
tie commercial dealer with the South until there
is another rebellion" 1t has even been sug-
gested to me that France is beginning to be sus-
picious that II we continue 10 push back the rebel
armies may push them into Mexico. and thus
break up the game OF Napoleon in that quarter
You know that Mr.. Seward the other evening
dred and wined the officers of the French frigate
GasSend, with Mons MERCER: and this is here
understood As bid for Louis Napoleon against
JEFF Davis have reason to believe that there
Is something in this idea, and that this entertain
ment was a good card well played by Mr. Sew
ard la his quiet way he may seem To be indit.
ierent to- or increduOuS concerning, European
nIrigues but he plays to battle them for all
fl,f