Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1863-10-29
THE ENLISTMENT or SLAVES IN MARrLANp
THE TRAGEDY IN ST. MARY,s.

We inserted yesterday telegraph report of lsmant-
able tragedy which occurred Tuesday last 10 ST. Mays
county, Maryland originating in the efforts OF Lieut. White
attached to one of the companies Of the negro regiment
now recruiting in Maryland 10 enlist slaves from the plan
TALON Of Col j IL Sothoron, the Pa uxent river
Since tn have received the following account Of the
array and Of the prov0caun 10 IT, signed by everaciti
Ems OF high responsibility resid 10 the vicinity where
toccurred We authorized to exhibit the of
The sgners to any person interested in knowing them
AoUAsCo PosT OFFICE, OCTOBER 81, 1868.
10 the Editors Of the National Ineiigeacer.
GENTLEMEE very unfortunate ali air took pnca in the
neighborbood of Benedict Charles county, (Md yester
day afternoon which has created considerable excitement
| in the neighborhood
ltsppears that party of negro soldiers from Baltimore
with two white Off ,ers, arrived in Benedict on Monday
evening for the purpose Of obtaining negro recruits for the
army After establishing themselves and obtaining some
fifty recruits from tho 10 the neighbohood and send
Ing them off, party of two negroes aud white officer
visited the plantation Of Col Johu II. SothorOn ia ST.
Mary's county few miles from B'nedct 1t appear.,
from the best evidence that obtain and which we
believe to be correct that the officer il command inform
ed Col Sothoron that bis bus was 10 carry off bis
bodied slaves and that Col sohoron consented that
he might do provided the negroes willing to go
with him. The negroes all declined to Leave and said that
they preferred maniag with their master An aterca
ton ensued in which the officer declared his determine
ton to carry off the negroes die and Col Sothoron his
intention to protect them struggle took place. ia which
the officer killed aud colo soldier wounded The
whole party then left Benedict for their headquarters in
St Marys declaring their intention return today and
take possession Of Col. Sotborons plantation
This believe to be true statement Of the case az
far can be obtained Aud IL further add that there
has been resistance in the neigbborhood that the
officer carried his recruiting without being interfered
Col! So,horon and lis and the officer mentioned Fear
ton and prejudice the authorities have thought best
to publish this true statement Of the case ae we expect
the hole matter to be fairly and speedily inve stgated
We in tie National Iptegencer of the 9th instant
that the President had issued orders prohibiting the abduc
ton of slaves the Eastern Shore Of Maryland and we
supposed that the whole thing had been entirely suppress
ed We much surprlsed to find that the thing
is being practsed in the lower counties of the Western
Shore and not only so, but tho ofcer in command in
Benedict stated to several gentlemen that it their de-
termination to establish recruiting stations at all the land
ngs The Pstuxent river far Upper Marlborough
and to carry off all the abeboded male slaves by force if
it should be necessary. We peaceabe, lsw-sbding
people, have suffered very much in variety of ways dur
ing the war; aud if few remaining abls-boded slaves
to BE- carried off by force leaving ouy the and
children, the superannuetsd aud inrm cannot tell how
they to be provided for but iuk that there must be
great suffering during the winter Surely tho autho
mites in Washington cannot be correctly Informed Of the
condition Of thlgs here the whole proceeding would be
stopped and the perpetrators be brought to Punishment
Signed ~ sir Respectable Planters.l