Daily Democrat and news. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1859-1864, 1863-04-16
lUTTfR,S E1GcsR BklGlDB.
Tne yanlalisn 1t Jscksslvllle, Fla.
The Eighth Maine AID One Com
pany Of Niggers I'm.
plicated.
CONDUCT OF REV. COL. IIrCclNsON

The New York Evening ROss-in-
tense abolition-hss 3 correspondent At
jacksonville, Fla. whofurnishes that paper
with what follows. Having stated that
three or four weeks before, Hsntsr's me-
gro brigade arrived there under most
suspicious circumstances for the oceu'
patton Of Florida, he says
There we're known to be less than
three thousand rebel troops in the State,
and al conyersant with the affairs Of
the State believed that the time bad
CONS whom . small force could be eftec-
two in openingit to tie occupation OF
loyal citizens and in increasing an sv-
enue OF escape for the hunted negroes
herded 10 the interior and watched with
such malignant vigilance BY the rebels.
Jacksonville was under the control OF
our gupboA,s on the ST. Johns. and It
was UNIV Use to make any movement for
it's occupation unit We were prepared to
hold il as . base ofsggrcssiye operations
into the interior. II 10 the key 10 Last
Florids, and its occupation by rs would
have immediately compelled the rebel
sbsn Comment Of all the territory east Of
the St. Johns, and have secured an i'm
morse amount OF cotton, turpentine, and
other rebel property to the Govern
ment.
The writer continues
1t presented . promising field for the
experiment las it il still regarded BY
some) Of testing the character and ca
paoty Of tine negro troops, and as such
It was seized upon with avidity by those
having these troops IN charge. They
came and planted the flag. a. was sup.
posed, permanently here, and oommenc.
ed gathering in the advantages within
reach, when it WAS thought proper to
make a more extensive and powerful
movement and for this purpose the Sixth
Connecticut aud Eighth Maine came to
reinforce our army. These came with
ten days rations, and were evidently in
tended only TO remain long enough TO
strike blow, and then return to assist
10 the movement on Charleston. They
were delayed some days 10 reaching
here, aud were therefore scarcely EN-.
barked when an order came for their
immediate return, and not only THE, but
tor the recall Of the black troops, and
the abandonment of the place. A more
fatal order for the place, the Interests OF
the people aud the Government, could
net have been made. Everybody was
taken BY surprise, and every body vas
exasperated, save, perhaps, . few Who
feared the negro soldiers y ould achieve
a reputation. Was Gen. Hunter crazy?
Why occupy the place at oil il not pre-
pared to hold i'll
Why come and embarrass the people
aud hazard the lives and property Of de.
tenseless inhabitants thus wsntonly -
These and thousand similar questions
were suggested, and bitter expressions
and deep-ielt curses we're uttered against
fokle, capricious and Incompetent, if not
tAilhless, commanders. But there vas
no alternative the order must be obey
ed instanter. Ia the midst oftLe bar
vest Of patriotic hopes We were compel.
cd to abandon all, and thus render the
expedition blight aud curse, rather
than blessing and means OF strength
to the Union cause.
To add to the wanton cruelty OF the
enterprise, some of the soldiery were al
lowed to set fire to the town in various
places, and now, rs We leave, it is in al
blaze. This last act OF vandalism, l 10
greet to say, was mostly perpetrated by
soldiers OF the Eighth Maine in some
instances by tho sanction CT subordin-
ate officers I; but it is due to Col. Rust
to say that everything that he could do
was done to protect the property and
people. Oue company of the black
regiment were also implicated in firing
one block, but they did it under the
sanction. il not approval, OF . white
lieutenant.
We are now leaving with snch arti-
cles OF value A. can be most easily re-
moved, and such OF the citizens ss have
become SO compromised by our presence
as to reader it certain that they would |
not lie spared by the rebels. And here
regret TO be compelled to record acts
of Injustice and cruelty on the part OF
an officer for whom l have heretofore
bad the highest respect, ard for whose
character an reputation ! lad conceiy-
cd the test opinion. At best there must
be on such occasions much personal snl-
fering and distress. Families suddenly
compelled 10 abandon their homes and
tihd refuge among strangers, mus. suffer
even under the best administration Of
affairs. Of this do not speak. Gen.
Hunter sent sufficient transpor, alton. q,
Vas supposed, for all who wished to
cave with their personal effects. The
steamer Convoy is under special charge
81 Col. Higginson, OF the lst South Car
'lina. 1t was loaded with Government