New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1863-07-09
pRpARTMsNT OF TEE SOUTH.
Two Mere Prizcs--CoI. Montgomery shoots
One of His Soldiers fer Desertion-Ihe
Coru sud Cotton Crops.

cotton have Just entered Port Royal hsT6or. The
Britannia from Charleston, and the Victory from
Wilmington bound for foreign ports were over
bsued by the steamboat Santiago de Cuba, few
dave since, on the coast of Florida, after sharp
chase of few hours. Thee vessels both rau tie
block aiding fleets 81 their respective ports without
the least difficulty, bu, when once ont to sea slack
ened their vigilance, ard soon fell into the clutches
of our wstohfal gunbosts-watchful at sea, where
there are but few 10 share the prize, but careless
and inefficient, apparently, when nearer snore, ana
swhoe fleet will divide the booty.
The cotton alone on board these CAPTURED vessels
IL said 10 be worth several hundred thousand dol.
hrs--the vessels from eighty to one hundred thou
sand each.
How long viii English speculstors continue in
shis very lucrative trace ".
IL viii be remembered that, early last Summer,
Gen. Hunter organized negro regiment which wac
never recognized by the Government nor formally
disbauoed by himself but which FILTERED itself away
by de.ertons and by beng taken up and absorbed
BY the Quartz rmsster aud Comuissary Departments.
When authority at last came 20 organize negro
troops between 100 and 200 Of the old regiment
volun teered 20 serve In the Let South Carolina Col
Higginsou; and when the "a South Carolina, Col.
Mont gonsTy, was Taised the remaining portion We're
drafted end assigned 20 this regiment. The habits
acquired in the original regiment on aocouut Of not
having been recognized by The Government, and hsv-
ing been neglected 10y the commanding Generals OF
the dt arnent; the absence Of all discipline and the
dim yiospec Of ever being paid for their GTyioss
the utter indifference mauiissted by almost every
one for their welfare, snd the natural aversion Il
the negro TO enforced labor rendered them not the
best material for soldiers, aud il suTprifirg
that what very common IL the armies al Tho
South, and had been overl boxed BY both The Gov.
eminent and the COMMANDING Generals should
become 81 frequent occurrence Il the ID SOutd
Carolina. DeseI;iols beckue fre quent 90 frequent
that within three weeks nearly hundred left the
regiment many OF them Wine performing picket
service st L GIT. Col. Montgomery soOu discovered
tust Unlrss tn4s was eurlm1Tliy NClfe1 lie would
koCu be with Oat l. Command. lie sailed his trOors
Together and told them that thereafter lie would
sboot al woo were caught and pardon all VITO
returned. Bat very few returned. One
was caught. He was brought into camp lat
Saturday evening, and told by CD. Montgomery ia
person that Ut 9, O'Clock on Sunday morning 10
would be shot. lne negro was strong, brave, SOL
oierly fellow. The sudden approach Of death did
not alarm him. He esksd for no Judge, JrEy. Or
court marital. a chgulain was SEM 10 lim but
like Jonn Brown, he sesned not 10 AGve very pro-
found resi- for The eloh and Ii not known have
confessed many Of bs slnspoghaps the fact thai 10
WIS so soon 10 az pear before biz q d mas have led
him 10 greier the latter 81 the Bong before wbo,e
presence he would acknowledge his transgres.ious
and inc whose ear he would pour bis potit ons Tor
mercy. AT q lie led out into open Il az and
shot until ne xas dead, by twenty-five Of Als COM
rsdes.
Col. Montgomery reported to Gen. Surg he high
e., COMMANDER, what he Lad done and received LIS
tYsroval.
1t Is understood that Gen. Glmer, tie Command
Ing General Of this Department, and IN whom alone
IL was supposed rested tho authority 10 order The
execution Of q soldier for desertion has also aI-
proved tie act.
reoev d them from tie ofcer who ordered il, am
not expressing al opinion either favorable or ad-
verse. Il was very clear TO Col Montgomery, a.
have before remarked, that unlsss tie ceseniOas
riOpred re wOnli lave No troops 10 command AID
Ia ifur
Inent Ia this Department. From bis acquaintance
with tie negro, 10 had learned that II long inter-
va elapsed between Tie commission Of crime and
it, uuuishmeut but very ht.lo benefit would accrue
70 the negro or 20 the service il whca be
eaged. Even drun-pead c0uit-nlartials ATTENDED
witt delay, and If il j. genenJly known throughout
Al army lhst soldier IL 10 be snot for deseTt.on,
some one viii be found " plead "a hlS behalf and
create syup sthy fOI bin.
Col. 81 ont gomery, after revolving the whole mat
Ter in bis mind, decided 20 act promptly, ard take
ne entire responsibility upon himself. II censuTe
Il to lie administered upon himself alone lie des.re0
to have II tai.
H. view Of all these facts IT ia but truth 10 ray
that If d white solder had been shot under Tie
eircumst4Bces, tle mOss intense excitement would
have been created throughout tie entire DEPART
pent.
Bat it is an amusing fact and 80 freak Of human
nature worth mentioning, hal the strongest sympa-
tLlzsis tie PoJr negro has mad since bis execution
sIe Ito COppeiuca0s, WhO, bat q few da1s since
could stand an zoe hlm KNOCKED down q our
wharyes aud beaten 70 jelly BY white buliies YEAR
any The national uniform, without hitting h hand IN
hls DEFENSE or eApfesflDs WORD IA Condemnation
Of the act.
There ID nothing Of much interest from Folly
Island oat- post. The troops ale having q pleasant
VINE there, and IL tie way Of professional amuse
nent occasiolslly have nusketry engsa eHent
scIoss Light House Inlet.
Ia consequence Of the reported deepening Of
Wayoo Cot by the enemy, and tie fear OF iron-cads
from Charleston, Monitor LAS been placed ia the
EtonO.
lie health Of the troops in all portions Of this
Department continues excellent. Scarcely "a day !
pssses without hDe thunder shower 10 purlfy The
asuOs pbere and reDcer the evenings 1nd ui1bts
pleasant AID enjoyable.
4 he cotton and corn crop. are looking infinitely
better than they were last year at this time The
eld negroes who have always lived upon tbes. /
isands say they bid fair 10 10 The largest raised for
gAAny years. s.P.
HrAporlErxTs DrPARTxgRT OF TBR soura,
BIIToS HEAD Pokr ROYAL. 8 g.. June ~, 1898. /
GKSEHAL OJDkEs No. aS-l. CspL ". L. NJ Burger 4.
snnoVhoed Assistant Acgtsnt General on tie stat OF the
srs Gen. CouHsLdHs AID viii he oDeysd snd respected
Accordingly
II neoncer,ion WITH regard The true meaning Of the
oeset seems 10 eat IN the innos OF many Of TIE
ene'i sDd enlisted o this connAnd 10 deseit mssn
GUT OF abandon the post or command Of the indvieu4
~. s -, 10 s9hery iequIng the sniians WIN wLsa
nfy sief"sTd voluntarily return acQut him Of the crime
M t.set mh.AI soshots declares that oesrs and en-
taoty are IN isct eesesrs and rot only forfeit all psy aud
ose = we ns Of dsssrop but are snAjse 10 the
severe penalties Awsfded By lGs t. that crime.
III When man have. ~, eo,,rossd ysitbont proper
ss,0ly sha remains sossnt than day hi CON-
Eoss, Ian e. y ,slo Lis =. deserted" on Li' n'It
Sc -. ~-iasd through Iesi as II brigade headGuartes aud
sjoinss non, a,io "a ss ml ee Icpej.sd a. ha.,ns
we proper eAe annexed sfst9 viii be pso cd opposite
% ,as next subs Juent muster roll Of hs Company
~ MAI u lie 1esu time have been tined aid soquilted,