The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1862-09-26

Two Days Among the Contra ba nAs

an extraordinary prominence by passing
events, any facts connected with either
their character or their history, cannot be
altogether devoid of interest.
Under the present humane policy of
the Government, hundreds of these per-
sons are now focking to our lines for pro-
lection against the cruelty of their masters,
who are at present very much exaspcrat-
ed at them for their well-known sympathy
for our cause. There are several thous-
ands Of these refugees now in the city of
Memphis and they afford the very best
opportunity for studying their character.
I Early on Sabbath morning set out on
a tour of observation among the hands
who work on the breast-works. This
camp is on the river bank, in a large saw
mill, where the rebels sawed their lumber,
out of which to build their war vessels
Or = part Of Of them ut least, at this place.
| reached their camp about 10 clock, A.
N. The greater portion OF them SEEM
ed to be collected together in the old mill,
and mingled with the crowd just in time
t. hear an aged man singing that good
old stanza-
" No foot OF isnd do possess,
Or cottage IN this Wild rness,
And no abiding heh,e. "
His voice was tremulous with the deep
emotions that moved his heart. After he
had finished the hymn, he prayed. have
heard praying from my infancy up. |
have heard a mother in her closet, breath
ing her low, fervent prayer for the safety
Of her hayward child /; have heard the
learned minister in the pulpit "pour out
his soul in prayer" for the general pros
perity OF his Masters cause; / have
heard the injured Christian in subdued
tones, but melting heart, invoking the love
Of God on his enemies but have new
er heard such prayer as that old inlet
tered black man offered up. He prayed
that his own poor. wicked hear" might
be made pure and fit for Heaven, where
he hoped he might soon be. He prayed
that his Heavenly Master would love,
con.to1t and protect his dear children who
were down on the sickly rice-felds Of
Georgia = with deep emotion he prayed
that God would forgive his old master,
who had beaten him hundred times,
and had sent away his wife and children"
he prayed that AIassa Lincoln might
be good christian and wise president, and
that he might be the friend of the OBJ
pressed black man." But when in glow
ing terms, he rehcarsed the story Of his
peoples wrongs, and With all the fervor
of his soul, prayed that the day Of their
deliyerancc might soon come, every check
was wet with tears, every heart throbbed
in unison with the heart of the aged
christian, and sent up one fervent prayer
that this war might not cease until every
yoke is broken and all the oppressed set
free. The aged christians prayer had
all the simplicity and artlessness of
child, and the power of an apostle.
A younger brother preached SER
mon, in which he said good many sen
sibe things pertaining to the pfesen. trou-
bles, as connected with the black man.
After services l spent some four hours
in this camp. Here we're mea, women
and children. fresh from the cotton fields
of Mississippi and Arkansas, who are
presumed to know nothing but how to
raise and pick cotton. But the presump-
ton is not we'll founded. Too much do
they know for the good Of their owners.
They feel that the present is the day of
their deliverance, and by thousands are
they aocking to our lines, from all the
country, steven from afar. I" Had the
present policy been adopted last January,
the fields Of the South would not to day
be grooming under the weight of wheat
and corn to feed the rebel army; but "the
briar and the thistle would cover their
plantations and the CHASTITY forms OF
starving wife and children, would soon
bring naughty soldiery to our feet for
mercy and for bread.
During my stay in this camp, CONVEX
sed with many of m,-and of all the
multitude, not one could End too ignor-
ant to realize the degradation Of his con-
dition. All keenly feel the deep wrong
inflicted upon their race.
The most gratifying prospect which |