The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1863-03-11

chanting. Many of them are incorrigi-
bly, lazy. went over one morning to
hear their roll call and see them set to
work. A few came out readily, but the
most reluctantly, and some not until they
were fairly pulled out of their shanties.
''Joe Pickens! - calls the overseer But
no Joe comes forth. "Where ID Joe %
"He's hid under de bed" cries little
black urchin of ten years. "Come out
here Joe, you, or you'll get no crackers
tomorrow y and out crawls dumpy
twenty year old, in soldiers blouse aud
cap and brown cotton breeches, "Pomp
Cotton Pomp, you lazy scamp, where
are you! Come out here sirrah - max
ing for an old slbly tent, Pomp's quar-
ters Pomp hearing the decided step of
the boss crawls out, dCdges under his arm
aud takes his place in the ranks Of chop
pers the tallest slimest, blackest and ug-
liest specimen of Young Africa I have
seen. "Pomp! If you serve me SO again
[ will put you with old Pete to saw, on
half rations for three days" Grows
step out In front" Six of the most in
telligent step out with each frow in his
hand. "Go to your work." and they
march off. "Now mauls in 'front.'" and
they step off in like manner. Then the
cross cut saws, the axes and the carriers,
each IN turn come out, and under an over
seer go about their daily labor But
most of the time they have nothing to do
unless they can get an odd job now and
then. While throwing up our eutrench-
ments and digging our ditohes, many of
the strollers found unexpected employ
ment. We had worked two days and a
half, when on Sunday afternoon a great
many blacks were strolling through our
camp and looking at the men digging
We bore this for some tine when each
seizing darkey by the arm, put shovels
in their hands and bade them Try it for
an hour. They resisted, "What is that?'
said General, who Was just passing, Are
you boys to good to work, while my men
must work day and night, Sundays and
all to keep your old masters from carry
ing you off 2" Jump IN there for an
hour or two and rest the boys or -
- I'll have you in to do the whole it
The next day, the fourth days steady
shovehng, we were dltching our streets.
| got tired, drafted darkey who came
strolling by and bade MIN spell me for an
hour, be protested against Hly right to
make him work for me without paying
him, and said he would report me to the
Colonel. "What's that ?" says Col. Bierer,
who was standing nearer than darkey
himself, "What's the reason you can't
take hold and work little ?" Indeed
kunnel, is gwine to de woods to tote
some shingles, and must go right along"
Are you to work for the Government 2"
Yes indeed | is, Kunnel" "Then
you have got pass l suppose 2" eyes |
has, and he took out greasy paper and
handed it to the Col. "Wby, man that
is good for nothing in this camp, you
have no business in here, you had better
take hold aud do as this man tells you,
and you will get off good deal quicker
He is not hard msn at all, but if he
wants you to work an hour or two for
him | think the best thing you can do
is to do it" BIackey took hold and
worked with will for half an hour when
let him off and took another is his place.
A hundred were at work, but then were
idle, strolling blacks enough to use all
the tools. The blacks, according to the
proclamation, are being enlisted in con
siderable numbers for some purpose or
other, | knew not what, it is high time
There is among them good material for
an army to certain extent, but in my
opinion they have very different field to
fight upon than we. They must 60
through the swamps to the black doors
Of their old masters, and carry terror ard
1essolation to the households Last Sun |
lay, the lqt of Feb, by invitation of
Lieut.. Wood I visited the "Battle
of the 14th last March, with
guide who fought through the battle, and
was an eye witness to many incidents
connected with it. The ground may be
'aid to end just where our breastworks
ire raised, for there the last artillery sa-
ute was given the Rebels as they broke
,ver the knoll. The entrenchments are
our miles below here.
Here our correspondent gives a dia-
,ram of the field which we have no means
If publishing.
The Rebels had built strong breast.
works and forts and awaited Burnside's
ttack with great deal of confidence
Their long line of works was mounted
With a cannon once in eight rods, quad
uple files of infantry behind them to sup-
'ort them, and forty pieces of artillery in
he rear to support the whole strong