Daily national Republican., 1863-03-25
success. OF ths nlasL soldier, Erp.di.lon

Success OF ths Black soldisrs' Expsdition.
A Port Royal correspondent gives the follow
ing particulars Of tho operations of tho negro
brigade In Florida;
The Two negro regiments have takon dnd
| now occupy the town Of Jacksonville, In Flori-
da. The capture.was a surprise and totally un-
opposed, but the next day they were attacked
| by tho enemy in some force, fbht successfully
repulsod them. Such are the bare facts Of the
case, the detaiIa ardas followsi
T1u dafkles left Port Royul on the evening Of
tho olh Instant, the steamer Boslon being very
ipropofiy s6iocted a the transport Or aiho expe-
ditlon. Next day they reached Ferhandlna,
and on the Sth they waited at the mouth Of the
80. Johns river for the armed transport John
Adams. AZ a. m. Of tho l0th they were
Joined by the United States gunboats Norwich,
Captain Duncan, and UncaS vpptain Watson,
which place they reached at 8 q. m. Two COM
panies OF negroes were Immediately landed on
the dock, and before tho inhabitants, Of the
town were made cognlzant Of their fate, pickets
were placed on guard at all the approaches.
Very few male inhabitants were found in the
town, everybody capable OF bearing arms being
conscrpted into the rebel army. The women
and children proved 70 DO in q wretched state
Of destitutlon, their clothes mostly in rags and
nothing to eat but small amount Of corn eked
out by pretty plentiful supply Of rice. When
It was known that the Yankees had returned to
Jacksonville, and that the town was surround
cd by negro plckets, several ladies came on
board the Boston, aud, Of course, were well re-
Gelyed by the captain aud officers. One OF the
ladies in question proved TO be the daughter Of
Gov. Floyd, and her condition was a type of
the rest. Her husband, an ofhcer In the Con-
federate army, ,hadreturned homo on sick leave,
and he must have been horriaed at the state IN
which he found his family, for the universal
destltution was such az never before was seen
In this once happy country. '.. .... .
| The lady and her companions who wore In
vited 10 the table of tho Boston, declared they
could cat nothing while their families were
almost starving at home, and an examination
of the houses, which, but n few months ago,
were the abodcs Of plenty and wealth, proved
that the statement was In no sense exaggerated. :.
Beahtiful little children orawled In rays about
the rooms, and the only larder seemed to be
box OF uncooked rice, from which they yninly
endeayorcd to RllAy their hunger. Everything
else eatable had been carried on by the rebel
soldiery, or, to call them by the name which
they really merit, gueriIIas, whose solitary oc-
cupation In Florida seems 70 be stealing hogs
and poultry, and carrying of every able-bodied
| male to swell the ranks Of the army. ..- ...
farmer had just managed 70 effect his es-
cape into our lines at FernandinS. Hctold our
| troops here that, q few weeks preyious he nos
sessod thriving farm near Jaeksonyil o, but a
band Of guerlllas at nighttime stole half his
hogs and seriously diminished the number of
| his chickens. A few days elapsed, and second
body of marauderB came round and seized the
remainder, giving him in exchange an order
for the value Of the animals upon the depart
mental quartermaster. His troubles were only
| commencing. When 1t was found that he had
nothing else TO lose, a Confederate officer,
charged with enforcing the conscriptlon act,
| coolly informed him that his place was in the
ranks Of the army, and knowing full well that
the opinion would be followed up by coercive
measures, he lost no time in taking TO his heels
and reaching FernHndina under cover of the
woods.
The news of the Yankee irruption into Jack.
sonville quickly reached the enemy outside,
end next day (the llth), at 10b O'Clock In the
morning, the alarm was given by the pickets
being driven in towards the town. The Con-
federates were estimated to number 500 cav
airy. Dismounting from their horses they
formed themselves into a solid column of in
fantry, and marched In a confident manner
upon the position held by the First South Caro-
lima volunteers. Col. Higginson, commanding
the expedition, Immediately dispatched the
Second regiment, under tho orders of Colonel
Montgomery, into the woods surrounding Jack
lsonville for his scouts made him cognizapt of
design was evidently 10 outhank his main force
while the latter was attacked in front by the
dismounted hOrsemen. Col. Montgomery ar
rived at his destination not moment too soon.
Throwing the two hundred and thirty men
composing the regiment into line, he received
tho cavalry with q yoIley, which threw them
into confusion, and Immediately advanced upon
their disordered ranks before they had time to
| recover. Meanwhile, the main body ofnegroes
under Col. Higglnson, stood their ground man
fully, stopped the march of the enemy's infan-
try, and finally drove them back into the woods,
thus closing the events Of the day. The cas-.
ualties on our side were triaing, and doubtless
not very great on that Of the rebels, for the Gu
gagement did not last over half an hour. So
| far as have been able 10 learn, one negro only
was killed, although many were wounded, and
1t would be difficult TO estimate the enemy's
loss, as he left no dead on the field and carried
of most Of his wounded.
There was little II any skulkIng on the part
Of the darlkies, owing, doubtless, to the pres
Once Of the gunboats. When, however, the
rebels retreated, they seemed forgetful OF all
discipline, and II was as much as their officers
could do TO prevent them breaking ranks and
pursuing the retreating foe into the woods.
Probably the enemy's intention was merely to
| make a reconnaissance in force for the purpose
of examining the true position of affairs. This
was certainly the opinion Of our officers in
command, and they therefore attempted nothing
further than holding the captured town.
Next day the rebels again appeared, but In
what force was unknown. This time the gun
boats got into play, and matters became too
hot in the woods for the " crackers" " to remain.
1t is possible tl1at tile presence OF these negro
regiments at Jacksonville may lead to active
operations in that neighborhood, and may be
we shall not be content with merely holding
our present position. A considerable force is
expected to leave here to-day--more than suffi.
cient to clear out any rebels which arc to be
found in that section Of the State. There is a
rumor that our volunteers are to garrison the
town, while the negroes penetrate into the in
terror.
Other Captures.