Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1863-03-20

dat swamp" We thought not We were
told Of one negro whom the soldiers call
Z" Union jim who. on a recent scouting
expedition, came across three Rebels IN the
swamp. He called to them to surrender
They answered 10y firing upon him, but for
tumtely without hurting him. He returned
the fire, killing one Of them. He then called
upon thcIu upon second time to surrender
which thcv considered it discreet TO do
They laid down their guns, Of which Jim
took possession, and marched their owners
into camp as hi. prisoners.
The negroes tell US that the rebel mhabi-
tant- Of lake Providence and vicinity, who
{ have moved back to the other side Of Bayou
Macon, have built themselves Lighthouses,
! and made quite settlement. On this side
of So Bayou Macon cypress swamp six
miles in width extends for ~ miles up and
down the Bayou. Behind this swamp, i'm
Iassahlc % any one but the negroes melted by
their desire for freedom, the rebels, feel
safe. C,r the present at least The negroes
say. also, that there are 500 rebel troops
there, and three or four times that many ne
gruc>. The utmost vigilance on the part Of
the rebel troops is necessary To- keep the ne
running away. If two negroes are seen talk
ins 90 each other, they are Immediately or
dcr-d 10 separate. II one is detected in
second ohcnsc Of tn" kind, be J, Immediately
shot without mercy They are as strictly
guarded "a, lcion- in the huik-, and are real
Il more cause of anxiety o. the rebel elrri-
son Of 500 than our whole army at Lake
Providence. When the idea of arIuing and
organizing them as soldiers was first ,ug-
gcstcd doubted If they possessed sufficient
intelligence and pride - mako good soldiers,
and doubted il they had the moral courage
% fight ] have now been with the various
armies Of the Suuth-Wc-t nearly a year.
have had good opportunities for observation,
and have endeavorcd to form an opinion Of
the average intelligence Of the slave popula-
tion, unprciudiccd by the color t-cir sSin-,
and think that no man, whose perception
l. not obscured by prejudice, could fail o.
arrive at the conclusion that at least two
thirds Of the men slaves would make brave
and effective soldiers.
RUNNNG THE Charleston ELoCSADL- An
American gentleman writes from Nassau TO
the Buffalo Coaun,rao1 4dr19sa as fol-
lows
The great interest IN the place. however.
arise, az present from it, being the head
quarters of the llockalc-ruuner-. and. leav-
m further account of the place. it, pc5-
pie and their peculiaritie, for another time,
| viii note down such facts about the block
alo-rumcrs and English neutrality a. have
been able . gather in my short -Ql1un.
The harbor is quite ill Of vessels and
almost every one l. in some way connected
with the south Vessels are constantly ar
irving from England laden with arms. cam
non. powder. shot, drv-soods. shoe, and all
sorts Of things needed in the South. For q
while these were uuladcH 4ar mp in the har
Dor with q show of secrecy. but now they
have done IL 80 much with impunitv, that
they lie ol the town and transfer their car
goes with Perfect freedom, and the aut1ori-
tics wink at it. The steamers which run 90
Charleston arc al painted light lead color.
which renders them almost undistinsui~ha
Die from the horizon. They leave here at
such time that common run VIII bring
them of Charleston, about midnight the third
DAY from here then. as they can easily sec
our feet. they steer quietly between the
blo,kaders. and beng of this dull lead color,
and with their single mast and smoke pipe
lowered, and withal being wonderfully long.
low and swift. they are almost certain Of
getting iu. Coming out is still moro q GER .
tainty, for at sunset they take from Fort
sumter very prcci-c compass observations
of our fleet M anchor. and then, a. our YES
-el- lo not change their positions after dark,
IL Is q perfectly simple matter % steer solely
Us the compass, out into the opensca. Once .
out there Is no danger. for they can show a
clean pair Of heel, 10 any Of our gunhoats