Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1862-07-12
a COnfrRbnH6 Returned from the Van
heea.

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From the Savannah News, 5th.l
We saw yesterday at the Office Of Messrs
BlOUnt d Dawson, a negro man named Rober
belonging to bir. Francis NJ. Scarlet, of GlynI
county, who has Just returned from visit to hi;
friends at Hilton Head, James Island and Other
Yankee Localities. He ran sway from his mas
ter's place, near Wsynesville, in March last
took boat and went 70 ST. SimOn's Island. He
discovered three gunboats of St. SimRn's, one OF
which hailed him. He approached the steamer
and received from them countersign He was
then told to go to another one Of the gunboats,
and when hailed to give the word g cOntraband.
He then approached the steamer indicated-the
PCcahontas-gave the countersign, and was
! taken on board.
He remained on board the Poca hontag eig ht
days, during which time he was kept steadily at
work, securing decks, etc While on board the
| gunboat she attempted to go up the AItamsha
! river, bHt was prevented from going as far as
/ Daden in consequence Of pihngs, which they
were unable to remove. While on this trip she
sent boat with eight or nine men ashore to pro
cure fresh meat and other pickings. The boat
was fred into by Confederate pickets, killing
three and wounding two others. The survivors
Immediately returned to the P0cshOntas, and
| the dead were subsequently, buried on St.
SimOn's Island.
From the POcahontas he was Transferred to
steamer the name of which he does not renem-
bes, and taken down on the Florida coast. Hero
he was placed on board the Wabash, and short
ly afterwards taken to Port Royal While at the
last named place, he worked on the wharf in
loading and unloading Yankee steamers, for
which he was promised S. per month. lie work
ed two months bat received pay for only one.
He afterwards worked Short time. in a saw
mill, and received no pay. He was then en-
ployed by Major White, of Massachusetts, as
body servant The major promised to pay bin
SO a month, but after repeated application
for pay, stated that he had no money. He asked
Robert how he would like to 90 to Msssachus
etts, who replied very well, but says he had
then determined to come back home as soon as
an opportunity offered.
From Hilton Head Robert followed the Yam
kee troops to North L iisto, aud finally to James
Island. He remained on the last named island
three weeks, during which time the battle of Sc
cessiOnville was fought A few days after the
battle he succeeded in eluding the Federal pick
cts, and passed into our lines. He was subse-
quently sent to Charleston and afterwards
turned over to his master.
Robert states that the Yankees are organizing
companies of contraband5, al a place called
''Fish Halr' or Hilton Head, and that it is their
intention to form them into regiment He ex-
plains the mOdaS OpsraHdj by which the negroes
dlb AluuCbl " bAtt1 llAo oCA WIG lAoLiE tolto
meetings are held, at stated periods, at which q
Rev Mr. Wilson oficiates. At these meetings
an 1enrolling officer was always present, who
proceeded to take the names of the able bodied
men present. These were asked to volunteer,
and those who refuSed-by far the greater NUM-
ber-were fOrcibly sent to Fish Hall and mus
tered into service. He attended one meeting,
which was addressed by a coloTed brother from
the North. sentinel stood at the door (as was
the invariab.e custom) while the colored brother
harangued his audience in behalf Of q church in
Canada, and a forced contribution was taken up
at the expense Of the imprisoned contTabands
This was the last meeting Robert attended and
he reports that the audience were at last ac-
counts growing distressingly thin, the general
impression being that their cOlOred orator pock-
eted the money and allowed tRe church in
Canada to look after itself.
Robert reports the negroes on Hilton Head
dissatisfied, and many Of them anxious to escape.
The island is closely guarded, and escape is next
to impossible. A negro attempted 10 get away,
while he was on the island and was shot. The
aaSar99E gaSar a54 e8GE B9Efdn a fqR dKy ne
privileges, and are very cruelty treated, and on
very Slight offenses, they are closely confined
and pul on bread and water.
Roberts experiences has given him very un-
favorable impression of the YankeedoOdles gen
orally, and Of their military colony on Hilton
Head particularly. From his own report he has
good reasons for pTeferring to live in Dixie.