The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1863-01-20
MURFREEsBoRo, N. G., Jan. IL, 1868

ED. PRoGREss:-I give you the following items
Of news from Eastern North Carolina. Within
the last twelve days 10000 Abolition troops have
passed from Suffolk, through Gates county, and
down the Chowan river, to reinforce Foster On
the last occasion the troops were conveyed down
the river in seventeen steamers, many of them
gunhoats, and among the troops in whole or in
part was said to be Corcoran's brigade. Many of
the men deserted in Gates and Chowan, and still
more seemed much dspirited, declaring they did
not wish to fight-that they we're carried to GER
tain slaughter and should never return. AT Eliz-
abcth City Fusser has compelled the Mayor of the
City to issue proclamation to the inhabitants of
the city, and all living within six miles thereof,
to come in and take the oath of allegiance to the
United States on or before Tuesday next. The
proclamation does not state the penalty for disobe
lience. The AboHttonists say, the effects of
those neglectns refusing will be con6scated
My informant who has escaped thence, says he
saw negroes there in uniform armed to tffe teeth,
aiding the abolitionists in arrestiDg citizens who
were loyal to the South, and that the Buffaloes in
Camden and Currituck have no less than eighty
slaves armed and in uniform, with whom they are
occurring the country and making arrests, and seiz
ing for their own use and destroying property
The Buffaloes Of Chowan and Gates, aided by the
aboltionists forces, having become more bold by
IMMUNITY, have recently crossed the Chowan river;
they went straight to the house of one Smith, in
BERTHE county, where they seized and carried off
above three thousand dollars worth of goods,
belonging to loyal men who were engaged in cart
ing from and to Richmond. They showed per-
feet knowledge of the locality and description of
the articles seized, derived doubt, from some
disloyal man, willing to buy his immunity at
the expense of the loyal The individual is not
kno,Cn, but from present indications his identity
will not be long doubtful. From Mr. Smiths
these men, in all about 100 in number and most
ly abolitionists, but under the guidance of one
Ethridge, who is the leader of the Bufaloes, went
to Mrs. Gaskins when under some confessed,
frivolous charges they seized and carried off one
of her sons, stole some ticles, and abused and
insuted Mrs. Gaskins nd her daughter. At this
place they had along with them one of Mrs. Gas
kins' slaves, who had Runaway from her, who was
serving abolition soldier and was fully armed
and in abolition uniform. When they came to
Mrs. Gaskins two of Mr. John POOLS grocs we're
there: these negroes the aboitionists ordered and
forced into their ranks, and thence they marched
them to MIR Pocfs. At MIR P's the abolition SOL
diers arrested Lieut.. VIA, Mebane, and after steal
ing two gold watches and some other property,
they went back to their boats-aud Mr. Pools
negroes in the hurry Of embarkation, threw down
their arms on the beach and ran home. Mr. Gas
kns and Mr.. Mebane remained in their hands,
having been carried across the river, and not We.
heard from. You may rest assured that q sYs-
tematic attempt is being made to arm the slaves
against the whites in the subj ugated districts and
the same course will be pursued wherever these
wretches suffered to the courtry
Elizabeth City is but specimen Of what all sub
iuyated portions of our State will be. How long
oh how long, shall these wretches be permitted to
desecrate the soil of the most beautiful and fertile
portion of North Carolina?