Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1862-12-04

OoNTRABAND MATTERS, - lhe following
interesting contraband matters are collect
ed by the Springfield Rspabiicaa.
On the recommendation of Gov. Andrew,
Secretary Stanton has appointed DR.. LIE Barron
| Russell of Boston, commissioner to investi-
gate the condition of the contrabands at For
tress Monroe, Capt. Couthay. of the ship
King Fisher just returned from the blockading
squadron of the gulf, confirms the accounts
| given of secret league and system of signs
and passwords among the negroes He took
on board his ship two sets of negroes-the first
from Port Royal, the second from st. Marks.
| He saw that they knew each other as perfectly
as if they had lived together all their lives
| On being pressed by him they admitted that
they had means of knowing their friends every
where; and in a moment they knew whether
white man was for the slave or the master.
He says that the battle of Cornth was known
| by all the negroes on the coast of Florida with
in three days after it was fought. They We're
quite familiar with the name of Sumner.
A private letter from a general commanding
Union forces in Mississippi, speaks in the
strongest terms of the utility of the PRESIDENT
proclamation of freedom as a weapon of war.
The writer says that southern societyIhas been
completely demOralzed by il. Some planters
have fled to the city for protection from the
specter of insurrection, leaving all the movable
properly at the mercy Of the slaves. Many
others have sold their negroes South all are
making the most strenuous efforts to keep the
| proclamation from the knowledge of the slaves,
| but without avail. Accounts from Arkansas
represent the Shareholders of that state as SIM
| ilarv affected. Gov Brown of Georgia gave
strong confirmation of the same idea in this
suggestion of his recent message to the legis-
lature of Georgia. " If the enemy should take
| Savannah il would be made a safe place of
refuge for all slaves who may attempt to leave
their masters and 90 to the enemy this winter,
and the planters of this state must lose much
larger number of slaves than are now required
to complete all necessary preparation for her
| defense"
Gen. Saxton is pushing the organization of
the negro brigade with zeal. The Govern
ment now gives the negroes the same pay, ra-
tions and clothing with the white soldiers
| Three companies of the negroes had been of
on another expedition, going to Doboy Sound,
Georgia, on steam tugs, and remaining there a
week, returning with 100000 feet of TIE best
| Georgia pine lumber, sawed and ready for
| use.
This lumber was taken from mills on the
mainland, directly in face of the Rebels, who
gave the black soldiers an opportunity to test
their pluck on shore, as they had previously on
a tug-boat, where they fought with the advan-
tage of of a partial harrcade; While most of
the negroes were engaged in loading the
steamers with lumber, the company of Capt.
James advance. on reconnaissance, ana were
opened upon with musketry by the Rebels,
from position in ambush The negroes de-
hberately returned the fire, and, drawn up II
line of battle, kept up fusilade, maintaining
their ground, until by the aid of the guns o.
the steamers and those of their convoy, the
gunboat Madgit, the enemy was dislodged.-
Three of the colored soldiers were wounded
one so seriously that his arm must be ampu
tated.
The officers of these men express the great
est confidence IN their fighting qualities. Lieut.
Col Beard, who commanded the expedition
says in his official report
"When it is remembered that these mer
never had arms in their hands until four days
J before they started for the expedition, | think
YOU cannot fail to give them great praise TO-
standing CALLING fire from a concealed enc
my so bravely; for holding the causeways re
ferred to during the two days and nights re
quired for loading two large steamers witt
valuable property in the face of an enemy. L
do this my men worked day and night withou
interruption and, though short of provisions
| heard not murmur, On the last expedi
ton, the fact was developed that colored me-
1 would fight behind barricades; this time the
have proved by their heroism that they WI
fight in the open field"