Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1863-03-05
- 81 -.

Through Tie courtesy of Msjor n G. Watts
4 we were pegmitted to accompany him on the
flag of truce boat Frolic to Baton Rouge, fof th'
/ purpose Of receiving e los Of Confederate pris
onefs. IT, had been agreed upon by MaJo
/ Watts, Confadsaale States army and Coione
Clarke chief Of General Banks staff, who were
/ charged with the cartel Of exchange Tor theI
respective. governments, to meet at . o'clock OF
/ Saturday morning Just above Baton Rouge. =
( On Friday evening the steamboat Frolle, Capt
/ Martin. which was lying q this port, was e5ar
! tered for the purpose aud svefy preparatory
made for an early tart next morning. Al dawn
VIC found assembled on board the following gen
I tlemen, who composed the party: Mslor Watts
4 his private secretary Mr r. r Randolph, Capt
4 Gillian, qnaTtelms5ter, and Df Hill, surgeen
4 composed The commission. Colonel Skimanski
an3 bis adjutaDt, IF the Chaimette regiment
! Major Buckusr, of GeneTsl Bsali's statfi Capts
! Squircs and Richardson, Of the Ist and 2d com
I panies Of the Washington artillery, aud Lieut.
Clement, in charge Of the guard, completed the
lst Of invited guests.
After e short run of about two hours, we
landed within mile and q half of the town OF
Baton Rouge, TO await the arrival of the Fed
eral boat
I 4 few moments after our landing, small
boat from the man-of-WsT Mississippi, anchored
Of the town, brought to cur boat Lieutensnt
Z
Watts and Colonel Skimanski, and after short
interview with the fomer who communicated
to MIN the object of his mission, returned 10 his
vessel During the day seversl communica-
items pasBed between The two boats, aud the
eordisiity and good feeling manifested on both
sides indicated anything but hostility between
tie parties
Alter waiting all day Saturday and Sunday
without any tidines tEom the boat. Ne learned
on Sunday evening that prisoners would GER
tsiuly be up on mcndaY morning The deisy
bad baen cceasicned by an accident to the Em
pire Perish just she Was lesving New o.
Iean5, GA Friday evening, which caused tho
detention Of the departure of the prisoners who
had to be transferred 70 another boat On
Monday moIning sil bands wore on the look
cut for tie long expected boat and about ten
o'clock she was seen siesming up from Baton
Rouge and IL q few minutes tho New Bruins
wick 5 low pressure, lake beat, was ashed
alongside the FreEe a. size approached, and
the Stars and bars, which hoated from The FfoEc,
met the gaze of cur boys, yeli went up which
made the weikin Ting with cheers for the Ben
ME blue flag and JEFF. Davis. Mutusl con
oeulton Of friends, which made the occasion
quite happy one.
UHon landng, Colonel Clarke, the Federal
otdeer IN command. came sb0ad Of cur beet and
after The usual sautatious with cur officers,
escorted MsjoT Watts aboard cf the New Bruns-
wick, where the preliminaries were settled.
Soon after the delivery Of he prisoners com
menced and rs each name was called it vas
responded to with alaclity snd the buoYant
step aud hsppy smiles of the Confees,
as they touch cur boat indicated their Joy,
ane satisfaction in once more being under
their owp bright hag-and within the realms Of
theirown loved ConfedeFacy After delivering
the privaes-sboUt three hundred in number
the officers were then transferred to cur boat.
Tbs finished, detail was made TO bring on
beard Brig Gen Clarke, who It viii be remem
bered ives severely wounded at Baton Rouge
and taken prisoner The General, though re-
covering from his wound, is still unable TO move
ebent .During his stay in New Orleans, be
had tie best medical attendance, and the pres
ence OF lns devoted wife and aifzetiouate
chiidren have Contributed much toward slisyi-
ahng his suhsTiug5 and restoring him 70 health
Gen. CLARKE goes 10 N.ekeburg and thence to
jackson, where ho via remain until he is fully
Up to this time all had moved on smoothly
and FL asantly. The exchanged soldiers were
happy the cficeTs of the two governments
were IN friendly conversation and Che time was
passing sgreeahiy, when suddenly ail was
thrown i1E0 confusion, Cries Of distress were
heard ana g running TO and iTo on the boat lndi-
Gated that some sctidgnt had occurred. Look
ing ever the guards Of tho boat, We saw that
some six or seven soldiers were in tie river,
struggling for life, Most uf them succeeded in
cHnging to the wheel Of the New Brunswick,
until 9 small boat was sent to their rescue. Five
Of them were picked MP, and i5 was thought that
Two had been crowned. The wood pile on the
Erohe fell down, sud thcse standing near it were |
pTecipiiated into the riyer. This occurrence cast
q gloom over the party, and not until il was re-
ported that All had been saved, did tie same
liaHty pTevail among tie crowd
The Brunswick then pushed of and we start |
ID for Port Huds0n, y here We arrived at six
J'clocs last evening greeted BY host Of friends
Who bad assembled aioog the bluffs to give
heir fellow soldiers hearty reception. Alter
eaVing here the troops belonging to this com
nand, tue 5ost proceeded to Yicksburg with the
oidiers belonging to the Virgins and Tennes
zee eommands.-P0rt Hudson Neaes