Daily Democrat and news. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1859-1864, 1863-03-28
ArrA,ss IN Cas-. HunrER's DsPARr.

AFFAIRS IN Gss. HuArER's DsPARS-
nxsr.-The late activity In the Depart
ment of the South, and the concentra-
ting Of the feet OF iron-clsds In that
quarter. has caused anticipation Of .
speedy attack upon Charleston or Ss-
vannah, but late information from there
ext,nguishes all such expectations.
P.ymsster recently arrived from Port
ROYAL reports Gen. Hunters total effec.
live force at twenty-five thousand men,
Of which at least eight thousand are
required to garrison forts and fortitlea-
tons OF the department., leaving less
than fifteen thousand for active service.
To undertake operations upon the main.
land with this force, when the enemy
can readily concentrate thirty thousand
to oppose il, would be absurd, and II,
therefore, is not likely Gen. Hunter
means anything serious by his late or
der to the troops to prepare for an nd
vance.
The recent order Of Gen. Hunter to
draft negroes into the army, proves
, what has always been known aud assert
9 ed by those who understand the matter
y that the negroes would never perform
I military service uults, compelled by
I force. Saxton's ncg,o brigade, Of which
: tie ubolit,onlsts have made 80 much
. Ado. never numbered more than nine
u hundred men, ADD OF these. several COM
1 pan.cs were pe,ted 10y Gen. Hunter, and
s, treated better than white soldier, IN
!, order 10 show off before the troops and
y outsiders. Tor the benefit OF the cause.
ID A large portion OF the negroes IN the
81 Department not only refuse TO become
p soldiers, bat also TO work for them
70 selves. Thousands Of them yet skulk
Il about the plantations without mas,ers,
- and manifest as much desire to avoid
,. the Federal troops as tho rebels. 1t u
g this class u negroes that Gen. Hunter
- intends 10 draft into the service, though
. the order to iha, effect was hardly nee
le cssary, aince his negio brigade has been
OF acting as a press gang since It's hfst or
Q. ganiz .tion, by making frequent iorayi
le among the plantation neg,ocs, kldnap-
ping all Ia. able bodied blacks aud lorc
ut ing th,m into some sort OF service. 4
A. recent expedition Of this kind TO Daw
iu,kie Island rpest two days in recrui,
:, ing. which re- n,ed in the killing Of tw
L. wild negroes" the woundlDg OF sevcrs
and the capture OF ninety Of whom
Oh where mustered in with handcutis OF
- IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR tn
RNpaLs.-The Tribune, the Official OF
~. gan of the War Department, stated ye,
cd ,er.av that there were enc hcndred m
Jut thirty Thousand deserters from our NJ
sm mes. This is most important Informs
n's ton for the rebels, and viii aid ard cor
en, fort them remarkably, The rebel lea'
Will ers will doubtless conclude that our 80
ed dlers are tired Of the war. and tfat no
c.- Id the tune 10 advance, before these o,
MY bundled and thirty Thousand deserte,
the are brought back. Whtn McC'ella
lily was on the peninsula II was stated III
tn mere were thirty thousand absente,
on from his army, and this was one OF Il
on. eravest charges brought against Tn
the much abused general. We wonder wi
the is respon.,ble for the absence OF the
be one hundred and thirty thousand d
nan s.rters. l. it the War Depsrtmen
And is it the War Department VIII,
!, now gives this aid and comfort to Il
M roLels through tho Tribune ~.
OF XraH