The Portland daily press., 1863-06-02
BY TELEGRAPH.
TOTHE
Portland Daily Press.
FROM PORT ROYAL.
DRAFT BY GEN. HUNTER.
Two British Steamers Sunk.
Gen. Hunters Letter to Jeff. Davis.
NEW YORK June /

New York, June 1.
Fort Royal advices, per steamer Arago,
state that our forces on Folly Island were at
tackled on the 10Th by the rebels, who were
repulsed.
Gen. Hunter has issued an order, drafting
all the able-bodied men not i'm the employment
of the Government found in that department
after June 18th.
1t is reported that an expedition is to be
sent into the interior of Florida
A British blockade runner, while trying to
get out of Charleston, was discovered on the
night of the 10th, and sunk before she could
gain the bar on her return by the Powhatan.
Her oftcers and crew are supposed to have
persisted. She was a large steamship.
On the 23d another steamer was discovered,
and fired into. /. She recrossed under heavy
fire, and sunk in the main channel, off Morri,
Island.
All furloughs have been stopped in Gen.
Hunters department.
1t was reported that several regiments had
been ordered to Virginia, but that Gen. Hunter
refused to let them go, and sent protest to
the President.
The monitors still lay off Edisto. The
Ironsides was opposite Fort Sumpter.
The following letter from Gen. Hunter to
jeff. Davis is published in the Free South of
May Both:
Headquarters Department of the South,
Hilton Head, Port Royal, Apru %, 1863.
To jeff Davis, Richmond, Va. The United
States flag must protect all its defenders,
white, black or yellow. Several negroes in
the employ of the Government in the western
department have been cruelty murdered by
your authority and Others sold into slavery.
Every outrage of this kind against the laws of
humanity which may take place in this de-
partment shall be followed by the immediate
execution of the rebels of the highest rank in
my possession, man for man. These execu-
tons will certainly take place for every one
murdered or sold into slavery worse than
death. On your authority will rest the re-
sponsibility of this barbarous policy, and you
will he held responsible in this world and in
the world to come for all the blood thus shed.
In the month of August last you declared all
those engaged in driving the negroes to fight
for their country to be felons, and directed the
immediate execution of all such as should be
captured. have given you time enough to
reflect on your folly.
now give you notice that unless this order
is Immediately revoked, / will at once cause
the execution of every rebel officer and every
rebel Shareholder in my possession. The poor
negro is fighting for liberty in its trucst sense
and Mr.. Jefferson has beautifully said. "jn
such war there is no attribute of the Al
mighty which will induce him to fight on the
side of the oppressor." You say you are fight
ing for liberty. Yes, you are fighting for lib
erty-liberty to keep four millions of your fell
low beings in ignorance and degradation
Liberty to separate parents and children. hus-
band and wife, brother and sister. Liberty to
steal the products of their labor, exacteI with
many cruel lash and bitter tear! Liberty to
seduce their wives and daughters, and to sell
your own children into bondage. Liberty to
kill these children with impunity when the
murder cannot be proven by one of pure white
blood! This is the kind of liberty-the lber-
ty to do wrong, which Satan, chief of the fall
en- angels, was contending for when he was
cast into hell.
have the honor TO be, very resp'y,
Your most obedient servant.
(Signed) ID. HUNTER,
Major General Commanding.