The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1862-09-20

ssConsrabandsss IN APkansas.
The following 10 an extract from letter TO the
Missouri Democrat, dated at Helene, Arkansas,
September Sd. .,t
was talking With little group Of the srtil-
lerymeu about their tardy letters, when perhaps
a. Rrotesque csyalcade - ever bestrode mules
rode into the open space behind the battery
They were party Of sixteen negroes, fugitives
from their secesh masters plantation, thirty
miles below. They seemed to have an ipdistinct
notion that coming into . military camp they
must themselves do the military to some extent.
Az they struggled BY twos into the parade
ground With their lean and scrawny mules, their
rope brides, their saddles made Of old clothes,
strffed with hay, and their own ragged and mot
ley apparel, I thought::tbe would have formed
fitting cavalry force to Falsta1's ragged regi-
ment When they crossed the parade ground
and faced the battery, = very black but shrewd
looking negro stopped and gave the command:
"Form Dc line dar r The rect Of the company
closed Up iuto zig gag line abreast Of their
leader, The thin mules hung their heads, each
rider leaned down on to the shoulders of his
mule, and for the moment that they waited for
somebody 70 accost them, they were - silent ~
the grim gone in front Of them. 1t vas not un-
til they bad thus come into iiue that discovered
ing him, soon learned their story. They had
come from the plantation Of their master. at La
coma, thirty miles below since the previous
evening, whom they say had gone to Little Rock
With half Of bis slaves, to set them At work on
the rebel Notifications now building there. 20
The immediate cause Of their leaving was that
. bsud OF rebel cavalry had come over from
Mississippi, and were carrying off oil the negroes
in the neishborhood to work on . new fort that
they we're building somewhere on the east side
of The river. further down. Getting wind Of
their intention. they bad each taken mule from
the plantation aud started for Colonel Hove, q
esmn. few hours before the time appointed
for their departure with the rebels southwark.
I directed them where to end Colonel Hovsy's
tent. and soon after went TO hear their report.
."Well boys, what do You want 70 do here ?"
GWEN aaasa, wes wiling 70 do mos anything;
wss all patty good 1t workin' around" 1
This Was rather vague answer. % the Colo
mel proceeded to particulars Commencing at
the end of the long that stood in front Of the
tent, he asked The frst ose: or
"Wel, what IL your nams!" Al ,aa
"Bob, sab" st1 - as b,
"And what's your other name, Bob?" ss-e
"Haint gone none, sab" c.-., .,
"Never had any other name, chr" t'
Ths d.rke,h face assumed comical s1pres-
sion. and he seemed trying 70 recolleet himself
n be tureed away at his forelock Of wool. Ii
: minute. however, biz face Frightened again,
eyes, Sab; williams, sab, Bob W,llians." Bui
e so.nded 40 odd 70 himself even, that be should
have two names, that he laughed Outright
s, the Colonel wrote down Bob Williams .,
the head of the list. big
"Well Bob, what can you dol"
II can dribs team, sab, and pss putty good q
vorkin' around" aE ,7aa.- - 5-.a
Then tsrnisz 70 the next. hss