Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1863-08-22


The correspondent of the New South"
published at Hilton Head, writing from Fort
Pulaski, under date of August 10, gives an in
tcrestng account of the escape and arrival of
a number OF refugees from Savannah. He
says:
About six O'clock in the morning the senti-
mel announced a small boat coming down the
Savannah river, which had been followed as
tar as the obstruction by It rebel stesn,vl.
Knowing that ii must contain deserters it was
unmolested and standing upon our water bat
terry we soon deserted us it approached that it
contained SIX cOntrabands and al indefinite
number of bundles. The men were at first
rowing hard, but shortly finding themselves
under the protection OF our guns they Piled
their oars more iciSurely and pulled up to The
battery with faces more radiant than the rjS-
ing sun. 1t was a cumcal sight 20 see these
poor creatures, three women and three men so
rejoiced that they had at last reached ''free
breff,' and all their doubts OF Il favorable re-
ceptiun were diSpelled, when the officer of the
day told them to land upon being assured by
one OF their number, sis der anybody favor
bul to We?
They had left Savannah the night before in
an old United States launch and succeeded in
evading the rebel picket boats in the Savan-
nah river. After they had passed the obstruc-
tons they SeCrcted themselves in a marsh
near by for the night, and at daylight again
started upon their voyage. 1t was at this time
that the aforesaid rebel steamer discovered
them and gave chase, but the contrabands
pulled for life and gained it.
The recent history Of this crew in brief is
as follows. One of the men, Il bright looking
mulatto, was cook ON board the ram Savan-
81 l., L..
time. He says that last Monday morning she
came down the savannah river to run to sea,
bur when she neared the Instructions she
broke down one of her engines and was OBJ
liged to put back for repairs. The rebels
are, however, confident that they can make
good fight with her. This cook managed his
escape SO adrollly that he brought away safe
~ large green trunk containing his whole
harness which was by no means an inferior
one, as L noticed packed away very neatly,
white linen clothes and under linen of
improved and substantial pattern. When
asked if he was willing to join one of our ne
gro regiments, he said that he had come down
to fight for us and didn't care what we did
with him 50 long as he could draw a free
brett"
One Of them, a man of some fifty years, up
on being asked why he had come down to us,
-
forty years an amt got nollin to show fur it.
jus thought I'd cum down and breave free
This old fellow has, until recently, been fol-
lowing the reUe! army in Virginia as officers
cook. He spoke of the Peninsula campaign
and very teellngy referred to IL ''hig gold
watch, which he took from one of our officers
during the seven days fight, and henow wears
prlvatr'S coat OF ours, which lie picked up
upon the ii id. A remark was made to him
that he must have cut swell in Savannah,
when he arrayed himself in his gold watch and
good clothes. Rolling up his eyes grinning,
and at the same time looking at his present
rig, he informed us as follows: .sYes. dis is
not my good close. You ought to seed me den
when | was dressed and had on my old two
story, den | was fine" lie was also asked how
he came to run away. "Weil,' SAYS he. s.T
cum home Saday night an | tell de ole wo-
man to pack up, lse gwine to trabbel. She
pack up and we is here"
The other contraband, upon being asked
whether lac brought down any gold with him,
laughed vigorously, aud exclaimed, he
opened the huge chasm OF his mouth, Lord
boss, amt seen him long forgot how lie
look !" From all of them we learned that
their escape was not the result OF IL sudden I'M
pulse, but rather the completion OF Il life pur-
pose. Naturally intelligent, they have for
years heard Of liberty through secret chan
nels, and determined that when the first good
opportunity came ''to broke an run"
All their testimony cOrrUbUrateS what has
been previously published by you in refer
ence to Savannah. There are but two thou
sand troops in and around the city, and all
though the authorities have no troops to man
them still they are erecting additional FORTH
cations bearing on the Savannah river. The
utmost alarm prevails, fearing at any moment
as they do an advance by US. The blockade
runner Eyerglade is lying on Thunderboli