New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-12-30
NETWORK DAILY TRIBUNE TUESDAY, DECEMBER 80. 1862

sent off for 5000 soldiers TO dispute landing an
intention abandoned upon tho appearance OF our
armada. Il may add here that this statement con-
ficts with other testimony The Rebels certainly
intended to give us battle further up the river or In
land they had constructed batteries on every road,
fortified farmhouses with siege guns, ana cut loop
holes for musketry in them; in short, made every
belliQerent preparation. Most of the inhabitants OF
Baton Rouge had gone to jackson or to Clinton
The troops fled upon the firing Of the first sheil from
off in disordery fashion. 1t had been reported, ano
the negro believed, that one man was Killed. Inc
Rebels generally were badly of, had talked very
largely before our arrival, but were secretly diS
heartened.
TO fall into his hands 7" was asked Of tho negro he
made movement suggestive Of decapitatlon; Cur
him head oil, sure" Once said master had boy
run AWAY from him" misable Niger, no account
no how when he advertised reward OF $0oo ior
him. On representing the worthlessness OF the
missing chattel as proportioned TO me proposedd
to remove the head Of said fugacous negro from MS
shoulders lust AS caution TO others not TO allow
similar ideas 10 enter theirs.
The rest OF the prisoners merely less striking
developments Of the farmer, and from them nothing
more important was elected than sul.en, 81 sup
pose you think you re going to give us HI now r.
Leaving the party mot before the Lieutenant had
requested our possible influence to procure his re-
moval from this crowd y, we continued our walk
That room contained perfect sample OF Southern
| society.
Through the deserted city we went by a straight
road leading inland to the as quiet country. Fast
abandoned houses and gardens, the former sometimes
just closed and locked up; sometimes open and
emitted Of everything. Ii was @ melancholy busi-
ness to DO trampng through the bare chambers lit
tered with household rubbish suggestive OF Its oceG-
pans pick up old letters full Of domestic pratte
np. nf xulo "A n
hou might look like under similar circumstances.
But War, like all of Providence's doinSs, acts by
the ,ross it is indscriminating in detail.
A mile and half brought us to the battlefield,
tho scene Of the fight Of last August. IL isa woody
tract. not much encountered by underground, bor-
dered on one side by road Tor street as the country
people call III beyond which Is spacious cemetery,
where am told resis the body Of Zachary Taylor,
the ast honest President Of the United States before
the advent OF one to whom the adjective especially
applicable. Across this cemetery, IN the gray OF the
morning and scarcely distss nishable from 1t, the
Rebel hordes under Breckinridge came pouring down
upon our soldiers. to meet bloody reception The
replaced rails fencing the grounds the traaSs OF tho
trees the torn boughs, the trampled earth 'estiiy
mutey of the combat, and at tive minutes distaace,
one comes upon rows Of graves, where
stid IN their still mound, lis the slain"
under the shelter Of trees weird and mouInful with
pendant moss. Despite the fresh, sunny Afternoon,
and the occasional cbirp of bird that wood 10 me,
was almost as dreary az the CHASTITY one in Dante,
every tree in hich entombed eternally the sonl Of
a suicide, and along the margin OF which ran little
rivulet Of blood. We heard the story OF the hght,
told upon the spot, by friendly ex-scboolteacher,
ex-overseer mailing from Utica, New York and
then gladly returned to Baton Rouge and the friend
| ly North STAR
DO you caro- TO hear that a negro lad has Just come
within iues from Port Hudson, shot through the
e shoulder by the Rebel pickets ut three miles DIS
lance from the town, while eiiecting lis escape !
Because that has Just happened, and the g item
/ = been vouchsafed TO ne five distinct times, ~
PERSONS entering the cabin in which write.