Pomeroy weekly telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy, Meigs County, Ohio) 1860-1866, 1862-11-28

man, for his own freedom at least
u. S. STEAMER PoToMsKA,
"Sapelo River, Ga, Nov. Z, 1862
"S1R: 1t gives me pleasure to testify
to the admirable conduct of the negro
troops, 1st S. G. Volunteers) now un-
der command Of Lieut.. Col. Beard, 4Sth
New York Volunteers, during this day )
operation. They behaved splendidly
under the warm and CALLING fire we were
exposed to in the two skirmishes with
the enemy. | did not see man finch,
cuntrary to my expectations.
"One Of them particularly came under
my notice, who, although badly woun-
ded in the face, continued to load and
fire in the coolest manner imaginable.
Every one Of them acted like vetrans.
"Fery respectfully,
WILLIAM BUDD,
"Acting Lieutenant Comd'g g Potomska.
"To the Rev. NJ. French, Chaplain U.
S. A."
On reaching his ship Capt Budd led
our retreat. 1t had been agreed, after
full consultation on the subject, that, in
our descent down the river, it was best
to burn the buildings Of Capt Hopkins
and Col. Brailsford. Both of these
places were strong picket stations, par
ticularly the latter Bailsford had been
down with small force few days be-
fore our arrival at St. Catherines, and
shot one Of our trabands, wounded
mortaily, as was supposed, another, and
carried eff four women and three men.
He had also whipped to death, three
weeks before, slave for attempting to
make his escape. We had on board Sam
Miller, il former slave, who had received
over three hundred lashes for refusing
to inform on a few Of his fellows who
had escaped. He had been the owner
Of several of our troops and of their
friends.
The troops landed in these places un-
der the guns of the Potomska, and
quickly did their work At the first
place magazine was blown up. At the
latter there was a strong force, but the
shells were too much for them. The
sun had gone down when the troops
landed, and the enemy had the advan-
tage of darkness. Still our men went
back nearly half mile, firing cabins,
rout- houses, and finally the splendidly
furnished mansion of Colonel B., spar
ing only his sword and saddle. All this
work was done in the very face and eyes
of the enemy, and yet such was their ter
ror of black men armed, that they dare,
not make an attack. The men all
reached the steamer by the small boats
without loss.
l would here remark that the men
were not allowed to take any article for
their own use, nor indeed did they seem
anxious to do so. To damage the reb-
els, to rescue their friends, and show
that they could be 'sogers,' seemed the
one desire of their heart. 1t was truly
surprising to see how rapidly and expe-
ditiously they could land; after leaping
from small boats into water knee deep,
and climbing up the banks, they would
rush iuto the woods as tearleSsly as a
dog after fox. They felt perfectly at
home, scouting in the woods, and were
an awful terror, as we had reason to
know, to the enemy. Their intimate
knowledge of the rivers made them in
valuable as pilots.
On passing among the men as We
were leaving the scenes Of action, in
quircd if they had grown any to-day;
many simultaneously exclaimed:
"Oh, yes, massa, we have grown three
irchas -