Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (Charles City, Iowa) 1861-1864, 1863-08-20
NUMBER 81.

4
Natchez, for the purpose of educating
his children, and earnestly told tho
Captain that he had but one request to
make, and that was that our soldiers
would respect the chastity Of his wife
and children. The Captain resented
the insult, and the gentleman, in apollo
gy stated that the stories he had heard
of the barbarity of Northern soldiers,
rendered his request perfectly proper,
Immediately upen our arrival, Col.
Starring, of the I'D, took possession
of the telegraph Office and postofice,
and the city was at once placed under.
martial law, with Major Mckee, of the
llth Illinois for Provost Marshal. The
purposes of our expedition requiring .
large number Of mounted infantry,
Gen. Ransom went to work with his
accustomed energy to procure the. ne.
cessary stock, and before eight o'clock
the next morning after our arrival, had
captured over 200 splendid horses. A
part of the I'D Illinois, under COM
mand of Captain James, were mounted
upon these animals and started in pur-
suit of large herd of Texas cattle,
which the negroes informed us had
been recently brought across the river
for the use of the rebel army. A gals
lop Of few miles brought them up
with the herd, and a view presented
itself most glorious to men who had
lived on bacon and salt pork for over
two months. Five thousand fat cat
tie were herded together in field by
the road side, left by the frightened dro-
vers for the use of the Yankees, which
individuals Immediately surrounded
them and drove them within our lines.
Need | say Capt James, lover Of
good beef, was in his glory. Over
three thousand of these beeves have
been sent up to the army in Vicksburg.
Another expedition consisting Of four
companies of the I'D, A. b, ID and +,
under command of Major Stockton,
was ordered across the river into Lou
isiana-and after mounting themselves
as speedily as possible, to proceed on
a scout through the country, with eve
ry prospect of skirmish-as we knew
that the rebels had been transporting
large quantities of ammunition across
the river and were now hauling it back
into the country. Our friends, the
contrabands, told us this. We left the
boat at three O'Clock in the morning,
and proceeded S&s.ong the banks Of q
beautiful lake. called Concordia, where
are some of the finest plantations Of the
South, well stocked with horses, mules
and negroes, Zone young planter own
ing 500 of the latter) The Major
soon had the command mounted. An
advance party was sent forward, on
the track of the ammunition, which the
negroes informed us, had passed
through the day previous. In short
time, four or five teams were met, driv-
en- by negroes, just returning from
trip, on which they had carried out
munition-which had been hidden
eight miles further on. The teams
were turned around, and guided by the
drivers we soon reached the spot, cap
turing on the way Lieutenant, who
was posted with three men at ferry
to give notice of our approach. Some
six or eight mounted men were near
the place of concealment, but fled up
on our approach. A picket was sta
toned, and four teams quickly
loaded with 3l2 stand of arms and
thirty-two thousand rounds of car
| tridges. Two hundred and sixty-eight
thousand rounds were then set fire to,
there being no means of transportation,
| Iag nd fnr.aa -,,,an g..
out any length of time.
On our return, the country was
alive with negroes, many of them with
their wagons loaded with their "gear,"
others mounted on mules and horses,
and many more on foot. You can inn
agine something of the ludicrous as
pect we presented as our procession,
over half mile in length, filed along
at the close of the afternoon, under the
shade of the fig and cypress trees that
lined the side of the road, winding
around the banks of the lake.
The hospitality of the negroes was
unbounded. As we passed the planta-
tions they lined the road, holding up
plates of meat and bread, and baskets,
figs, nectarines, and melons, and what
ever else their humble store, or "mas-
sa's garden afforded. Nothing could
be more tender and effecting than
the different ways in which they
tried to manifest their joy and delight
at seeig us.
Great numbers Of the slaves that
were with us had come off from one
plantation, where they had been under
the control of most brutal and hard
hearted man-notorious for miles
around for his cruelty. Some of the
men informed us that he had no less
than thirty concubines among his fe-
male slaves. He had been contem-
| plating for some weeks the running
off Of his negroes to Texas, and that
morning had been fixed upon for the
start. 1t was a terrible thing to the
poor slaves-their fathers aud mothers
husbands and wives, and children
were ON the plantations all around
them, and now they were to be taken
far away from them. They had un-
doubtedly prayed to- God to deliver
them, but there seemed no help. The
wagons are all loaded-the slaves are
in line. The corpulent McDaniels has
mounted his noble bay horse, and the
mournful procession is about starting,
when hip our mounted infantry is in
sight, and few moments bring them
up to the party. SECT off from that
horse, old Fatty, says one of the boys;
your horses and mules are all con-
| fiscated to the. United States, per 72d
Illinois. Here, boys, unharness these
mules, and catch all the horses there
are around the place. You are free
now.p The scene comes up before me
ola corpulent aud crest-fallen McDan-
Iiels wiping very red face, as he
looks upon the dancing and weeping
company, embracing each other around
him, while the mounted infantry stand,
with benevolent expressions, in tho
/ foreground. Poor McDaniels he wish