Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1863-01-29
A Letter from Florida.

= o
Ofcers-Total absence of Military Discipline
-Outraqes upon the Btacks-" Conservative"
Officers soih Black Partnera-CiuiI Courts to
be Esta6EisAed-The C2imate-Ian Commits
sioners, dc.
Correspondence of the State Journal,
FERNAND1NA, Fla, Jan. 7, 1868.
This is the northernmost post in Florida
and The point selected by Senator Yulee
and his associates for the site of a great
commercial town. a railroad was con-
structed from this 20 Cedar Keys on the
Gull, and was designed TO be the grand
thoroughfare for mails and passengers from
New York to New Orleans but a shorter
and quicker route through Charleston and
Savannah abridged the expectations Of the
projectors. leaving the road little used and
the town to struggle for existence in COM
petition with Jacksonville on the St.
Johns river, 40 miles south The town is
situated on the lower end of Amelia Is
land, which is about 8 miles long by one
or two broad, and its only connection with
the main is by railroad bridge. Some
10 miles from here the railroad intersects
the jacksonville 81 Tallahassee railroad
There IS a good harbOr here and fine To-
cation for town, but little evidence of
any considerable business having been
done. | should think the place might
have contained at some period 1000 il
habtants. There are some fine residences
here, all built of wood, with piazzas, after
the peculiar Southern style Nearly
everything valuable in the way of furni-
ture has either been destroyed or removed.
in many instances sent North by officers
of our army as trophies, but rather of
Ia yulacS diennGJtipn tban of
patriotism.
The 9th Maine regiment has been sta i.
toned here for more than year, and from
inaction and difficulty among its officers
has become much deHoralized. The gun
boat Mohaoo6, Capt. Hughes, lays opposite
the town, but from the great depth of
water which she draws is almost wholly
disqualified for effective service. Small
vessels drawing only five to eight feet are
continually running the blockade, by slip
ping into the different channels where
they cannot be followed. There is no
cavalry on the island, and there is really
nothing to prevent the rebels from crossing
at the upper part, where the gunb0at cam
not run, in any force and destroying the
town. Nothing saves the place from sue
cesstul attack but the fact that the rebels
have better use for their troops and no
use tor the town, or no means to hold it.
A small gunboat capable of running
around the island and through the differ
eDt shallow channels could protect the
place and do good service in capturing
small vessels running the blockade. 1t is
understood that there are less than 5000
rebel troops in the State, and a Union
force of 5000 could take possession of it.
though it would require more to hold and
defend it. If Eli Thayer's project of arm
ed occupation had been set on foot in
October or November, as was promised,
the State would now be secured to the
Union, and planting could have been
prosecuted with great advantage and
profit.
Here, as everywhere else in this mill
tary department, evidences of the neglect
and bad management of the authorities are
apparent. The commanders seem to have
settled down upon the idea that it is COM
Portable to live at the expense of the Gov
eminent, and that nothing is necessary
save the indulgence of their passions and
the qualification of their appetites, and the
civil interests of the country are
entirely lost sight of. No proper protec-
ton is afforded to the private citizen, and
the blacks are generally abused and all
their private rights ignored or UNANIMOUSLY
violated. This entire island might be
safely cultivated, under the protection of |
the force now here, with the addition of
80 cavalry and the substitution of small
in the place of the large gunboats. No
man can now plant even a garden safely,
or raise any pigs or poultry, because of the
plundering character of the soldlery and
the neglect of proper discipline by the Off
GERS Under ordinary circumstances, the
winter gardens Of this latitude would
abound at this Season, in green peas and
various vegetable products, and the ne
groes here would raise enough to supply
themselves and the army, but as it is, not
q thing is growing, and potatoes, ca5ba-
ges, onions, &C., have to be brought from
the North. A few of the more respecta-
BILE negroes have attempted to make gar
dens. but nearly everything was destroyed
by the soldiers of the Union army. Hence
the blacks must draw their support from
the Government or starve, and the whites
generally seek safety in flight. Between
the malignant prejudices and base passions
of unprincipled Northern officers and the
necessities of subsistence, the natural do
cility aud religious confidence OF the eman
cipated blacks is undergoing q severe test,
and a slight infusion of Indian or even
Anglo Saxon disposition for revenge would
bring about fearful state Of things. |
could relate several incidents in illustra-
ton of the inhumanity, practiced by Off
GERS towards the deienceless blacks. |
will now trouble you with only one, which
/ have from good authority, here. The
''contrabands" are assigned quarters in
very large, unoccnpied rebel mansion, and,
as is their custom on holidays. they had
dance on New Years eve, when they were
invaded by number of officers Of our ar
my, the males all driven out, and the fe
males used as partners by the white, ne
CIRCULATING, auti-aboltion, conservative"
officers. And during the night, one spir
tied negro, who had previously sworn that
no white man should prostitute his wife,
was murdered, and buried next morning
without an inquiry as to the perpetrators
of the crime; and no'civiiian dare inter-
fere, on pain of military prescription
This state set things seems. to have sprung
up in the absence Of Gen. Hunter and
since the death of Gen. Mitchell.
1t is matter of the first importance
that the civil courts should be established
and opened, and | am glad to know that
the Judge OF this district recently appoin-
ted, Philip Frazier, ESQ, of Jacksonville, is
true and faithful man, and that as soon
as an attorney and marshal are appointed,
adequate protection will be afforded TO
both white and black citizens
An expedition from Hilton Head, con-
sistipg of two large steamboats, and four