Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1862-05-16

anu OF lllG lllAlltSt anu DIST CIR
! cleS.'
Correspondence of the y Y Tribune.
! Entering NOrfOIlt-Feeling and Conduct
of the PcOpIe-SaIe of Free Negroes
Postponed.
NORFOLK May -, 1862.
| This southern city, and its neighhor, Ports
mouth, are now centers Of interest, and the
scenes witnessed on every side are novel and
striking. Your correspondent arrived yester
day morning at early dawn. and found the city
in full and quiet possession Of the national
| army. The 10Th Massachusetts regiment was
the first regiment entering either city; the
right wing, with Col Wyman at its head, oc-
cupyng the Gosport navy yard and Ports
mouth, of which city Col Wyman has been
appointed military commandant, the left wing
being stationed at the court house and jail in
Norfolk. Passing up the street, I found the
stiffness of the Sabbath unbroken as the sol
diers in little squads, walked quietly here and
there, and the sullen men and women at street
corners or behind the blinds Of their houses,
looked curiously and Indignantly at the vic
tors, but were too much cowcd down to make
| any hostile demonstration.
Reaching the ferry | crossed to Ports
mouth, finding the Elizabeth river positively
yellow with tobacco and covered with black
scum from burning rebel steamers and gun
boats, and the ruined navy yard. These were
all fired by the rebels and were still burning or
| half concealed by wrcaths of dense black
smoke. O, what a contrast Portsmouth pre-
scented to Norfolk The burning of the navy
yard, running every mechanic in Portsmouth
had filled full the cup of Indignation against
their traitorous tyrantS. Our troops were
welcomed as delvererS. Women, and even
men, thronged about the advancing column of
the 10Th regiment the evening before. and in
sisted on kissing ''the old flag" weeping tears
of JOY as they did so. Almost every woman
| met, and half the men, bowed and smiled,
gladly saying, You are welcome" This was
of course not as an individual, for knew none
of the throng. but was a recognition of my
connection with the army. The humblcSt sol
der received an equal welcome Boquets of
flowers were protferCd from the blooming gar
denS, and two citizens earnestly profcred me
a breakfast in an eating-house near. En-
hausted and hungry from nights march. di-
yeySifed only by a ride for part of
the way in Il mule wagon over the worst
Of roads, | chcerfully accepted the invitation.
On entering the house. the good woman who
kept it said, ''Well, sir, what will you have?
recollect we have to live pretty plainly here"
''Oh," was my answer, Il am used to living
in the army, give me bit of beef steak, and
that will do ''Steak" was the exclamation,
1--WE have none Every well, some ham
and eggs Eggs there are none to be had
now" 'Ah! then just some bread and but
| ter, and a cup Of tea" Butter and tea :"
| said my poor hostess "Sir. the like Of us
| poor folks haven't seen such things for a long
| time, nor is there pound Of tea to be bought
in all Portsmouth" | rather dcspaired of
any further calling of the bill Of fare, and left
| it entirely to my entertainers. who soon pro-
duced some ham, corn bread rye coffee. and
| excellent oysters. This | find to have been a
| luxurious meal amid this starving population.
| The excitement was intensified when | insist
| ed on paying quarter OF a dollar for my en-
| tertanment. ''What. real money - said the
poor woman, and she exhibited it at once to
an admiring crowd, who looked upon it rs a
memento Of their hygone happy days. l have
narrated this incident accurately, as it shows
the almost utter destitution both Of money
and provisions on the part Of the inhabitants
of this long oppressed people.
Leaving the house, my attention was at
| tractcd by throng Swarming to the river. 1t
seemed if Norfolk and Portsmouth were
shaken to the center with excitement. Many
| whispered hopefully, some mourntully: 1.-THE
citizens are rising against the UnionistS." All
such hope or fear was soon dssipatcd. for ell
bowling my way through the crowd | saw the
| little Monitor anchored in the stream. and let
| me assure YOU she excited as eager gaze as
could the Merrmac in New York harbor. \
great many ''couldn't see it." "Where
where is she ?" they cried, refusing to believe
that the insignificant tub or checseboX was the
dreaded Monitor who had fought the monster
Merrimac five hours, and driven her back
leaking to Norfolk.
| cannot describe the ruined maynard adj
equately The scene is too sOrrowful. Fifty
large machine shops and warehouses are
smoking ruins blackcned hulks of steamers
or gunboats lie on every side; huge piles of
coal are still burning. The houses of officers
alone are saved, and these by the efforts of
citizens, not by the sparing mercy Of the reb-
els What folly, as well as sin! By this con-
iagraton, a fatal blow is dealt at Virginia,
and that by the hands of her protested special
friends This rebellion is making itself infa-
nous, even at the south, by its wanton incen-
diary fires. The nayy-yard dry dock yet re-
mains but little injured, only the front stones
being loosened and the gates burned. The
attempt to blow it up proved a failure.
We are just in time to prevent another crime
of slavery The Norfolk Day-Book of Sat
urday, now in my hands, has the following
advertisement in its columns
"sALE OF FREE BLACKS FOR CITY TAXES.
"City Collectors Office, Norfolk, Nay g. 1862 I'm
| der the provisions Of an ordinance directing the
sale of all free blacks who fail to pay their city
taxes, shall, before the door of The City Hall on
| Monday, May r. at IL O'Clock m, SELL the follow
ing named persons for the term specified by said
| dinance."
Here follow the names Of one hUHdred and
| tirclre males, and tico hUHdJtd and fou7 te-
males. | was at the place at the given time,
but found no opportunity to buy a slave, had
| desired so atrocious Il crime. God be
praised; slavery is doomed! None welcome
so loudly none so gladly, our soldiers as the
slaves Of these two cities. Whether others be
Unionists or not, they surely are.
From the New York Tribune
Tie BABNsTABLE DRUMMER BoY.-Tu-
| DIR in his life ot' - II.