Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1863-06-11


Souri, CRRoLINA PLANTArIcNs,--A de-
tailed account of Col, Montgomely's expe-
dition up the Combahee river, IN South
Carolina, is given in a letter from Beau
fort to the Herald. II appears that Col.
Nj. had five companies of his negro regl'
ment, averaging about % men TO eacn
company, and a section of Co. G, Third
Rhode Island Artillery, under Capt, G. 4,
Crayton. They carried eight guns, 10
pound PARROTS and II and 24-pound how
tiers. The party landed at Fields Point,
about 20 miles up the Combahee, where
some rebel pickets had narrow escape
from capture. Co, d, captain Thompson,
was left in some rebel earthworks at this
place, to prevent the rebels from cutting
off the retreat of the main force, which
proceeded up the river. Capt, Carver's
company was left at a point two miles
higher up. As the steamers went up the
river, the slaves who were just gong to
work on the plantations, rushed to them
in droves. The overseers rode tranhcally
about with whips and revolvers, threat
ening and ordering, trying in vain to stop
the tide. In some instances they succeed
ed, and then went driving OF whole herds
of negroes into the woods, the artillery OF
the boats being generally useless, since 1t
could not be used without danger to the
negroes. Wherever drivers could be seen
detached from. the contrabands, shells
were pitched in among them, with the
| effect of freeing the negroes entirely from
their presence. The whistles were kept
sounding and the flags flying, to attract
the attention of the darkies. At Comba-
bee ferry row of piles prevented fur
Their progress 49,.
AT this point Captain Hoyt and his
company were landed and sent up the
right bank of the river, while Capt. Bray
ton and his artillery were sent up the
other shore to burn buildings and do other
damage. Capt. Hoyt's company proceed
cd TO Green Pond, where was the residence
of Colonel Haywood, whose command wa
in the vicinity. The colonel had just bes
precipitate retreat, and his horses, car
riages, harnesses, saddles, spurs, sabre
and other similar articles were captured
His residence, rice mill, a sterehouse'hlle
with two years crops of rice, and othe
buildings were burned to the ground,
Capt. Brayton's company went up tn
other bank and destroyed some vaiuabl
property on several plantations, burnln
the storehouses and plantation houses, AZ
cerding to his orders from Col. NJ.
these, as in other instances, the locks b
. . which the plantations are flowed were de
stroyed, flooding the fields of rice and ruiz
ing the young crop. In one building abot
$4,000 worth of cotton was destroyed
The smoke from the burning buildings Il
the river was signal to the company be
low to set fires, and soon all the plantatio
store houses acd rice mills in their vlclnlt
were in flames. One company alon
burned twenty-five buildings, many {
them containing immense quantities OF rict
= The expedition then began to return, a
the rebels had bad sufficient time to brin
. forces to the banks to annoy if not ann
g hilate the whole party. Indeed, the
! would readily have captured the who
. force but for the troops stationed belov
As the boats went down the river negro
. constantly focked to the shores begging
be taken on board. Many were take
J, but many, particularly the slow ones al
J those burdened with bundles and baggag
J had to be left behind, their lamentatio
g at bein gforsaken filing the air.