Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1862-01-04
Scenes in South Carolina.

gives the following interesting description
of what he has seen in that direction:--
"Matsers move finely with US there is
very little sickness among the men, and
all go cheerfully to hard work, and they
have enough CT it to do for between pick.
ct duty and the work On the Notifications,
which we are extending, aud throwing
back upon the main land, nc one is al.
lowed to be idle. Being in the enemy's
country, where a powerful blow will
doubtless soon be struck, to try to repos-
sess their lost stronghold, the greatest Wig.
ilance must be observed, requiring over
1000 men daily on that duty alone.
In addition to that number, we have
nearly as many every day, not excepting
! Sunday, working on the fortlfcations.--
The island we occupy is one of cluster
which has long been celebrated for the
quantity CT the cotton raised thereon, de
manding, l believe, so per cent. igher
than any other cotton grown. The island
is about II miles in length, and perhaps
eight or ten miles wide. The North point,
where the largest fort is located, is called
Hilton Head; about one mile back from the
fort our brigade IS located.
On Sunday last, made an excursion to
the South point, the full length of the is
land, and found the country most beau
tiful one. There are quite number of
plantations all nicely laid out in large
fields, prolifcally bearing their particular
crops. Cotton fields seem to predominant,
but corn is also abundant and of excellent
quality-large ears, well filled, and of the
white variety. l saw none of the yellow
grain that is raised in Pennsylvania
Fruit also has been very abundant, but
the season having passed, it is not now
very plenty, excepting oranges, which
hang thick and luscious from their trees
upon the road side, and seem to grow pro,
! li6cally without receiving any attention
from man. l notice that the peach-trees
are every where in their second blossnm.
The houses generally are. act built in as
good taste as those of the farmers of Penn.
sylvadia, and their barns are but misera>
Bile apologies, but their out buildings for
storing cotton are large and very numer-
Gus. Near each planters dwelling there
are settlements for negroes quarters, large
and comfortable, and IN many cases hay
ing gardens attached for vegctabls or flow.
crs as the tastes of the occupants dictate
The slaves are very numerous, and are GG
cheerful body of creatures as have ever
seen. You can 60 in 70 direction
without hearing the voices, long before you
can see faces, of dozens Of them, singing
some good old Methodist air, and in style
too, that would astonish any Northcrner
who has believed all the stories he has
,, heard about the slavc>driver's cruelty and
ths unhappy lot Of the slaves.
1 have seen happiness in high places
, and misery among the lowly; my pro-
fesson has led me to view scenes in al
: the phases OF life, but | never before wit
messed collection of men, women, and
childaen that seem to enjoy life so mucl
! as do the negro slaves of that portion O
) South Carolina now occupied by our ar
/ my. have mingled freely with them, in
order to fully ascertain and understand
their condition, and have yet to hear tn,
n first one complain of his master or mis-
tress. They invariably mention thei
: names with emotion, and in several instan
ces, when l questioned them about tn,
R different members of their masters family
R big tears courscd down their tawDy check
, at the mention Of the names of female heaC
and the children of the household,
True, they do not, as general thing
speak well of the overscers, but have
yet to hear complaint about any enc else
In order to get to Bay Point, where
part Of our brigade is stationed, Gen
d Sherman has placed boat and crew Q
+ thirteen backs at my disposal. l hav
questioned them closely, and have bee
9 invariably answered that they loved thei
9 homes and their masters, and that if thei
: !, masters families return to their planta
). tions, they desire to 20 back also and re
sumo their occupations,
The captures of horses and cattle hay
d been immense, and with proper care o.
d our part, there would have been sufic.er
of the latter to have lasted us for 81
months at least, As it was, so much wa
it destroyed, that we will soon have to de
IT pend upon the Government for all ou
supplies, Our men behaved, the fir