The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1864-11-04

JACkS)NNfLLs, rLOkiDA,
80 20 - go y Oct. 9. 1864. -
To iux Eufrox or ruK CxroSASp JouxSAL:
A change o, basc compels me to write. to
request you 10 change the address of my pa.
per from Port ROYAL, s. c.. to this city.
: The promiss which was made without re.
hectiou. when badc adieu to my dear old
home in New England. has not been forgot
ten but the only apology that can he offered
for not redeemng that pledge before this late
day, Is want OF time. A Superintendent Of
Freedmen. who attends to the many wants Of
the destitute negroes rs they come in fro u
their cruel masters, has but little time for
writing letters.
On the first Of September last. Brig Gen.
r. Saxton, Nil. Gov. Of tho Dept Of the
South. ordered me to proceed to this city an !
take charge of all the contrabands within
our lines at this post; aln 10 issue rations
70 the destitute. find employment for the idle,
establish schools. &c. &c. On my arrival. I
found two hundred and twenty.eight, with
out food to eat, with very little clothing to
wear, no houses nor homes, and very little
sympathy from the Union people. especially
the former slaveholders and the coppsrheads
from the North. Yet. they were happy, mr
they were richer than they had ever been he
fore. Their wealth. however. did not consist
in silver nor gold; neither was il in green
backs or confederate script; it was a treas
ure above all other earthly treasures. LIBERTY
they orRed themselves, their wives and
their children. Thank God, they are to hear
the voice Of the .oppressor M moro forever !.
Northern oyerseers, bloodhounds, thumb
screws. branding Trims. iegalized adultry. the
frightful auction.block and slavc-prison are
no longer sad realities to them hut are 10 he
numbered with the things that were-to be
rsinembcred only as hideous nightmare.
AGRicuIuRs The sea i-land cotton has
been almost destroyed by the caterpillar
On Paris Island the crop will hardly pay
for picking; and on Hilton Head il is about
one half destroyed; while on Pmt Royal Is
land, on some plantations. they have injured
il hut little: in other fields. on the same
island, they have eaten the whole. On the
low lands thew NOW it down with groat ra-
pidity. One man told me that IN taking his
usual evening walk. he discovered very few
in one corner OF tifty acre lot, In twenty
four hours they had swept over the entire
field, destroying not less than SIC, 900 worth
Ot cOttous SWctt ppsasoes "o w oSsei
quality than lat year, although the yield is
not 81 great. Ground nuts and rice have
grown remarkably well. The dry weather
in July injured the corn very much; howev-
or, the negroes on the plantations will have
enough for themselves and their friends, as
they come in from JEFF Davis's kingdom.
We have had an abundance Of hgs, pome-
granates, melons. &c. The oranges arc just
beginning to ripen; they arc very plenty
here and are OF much better quality than
those growing in South Carolina. We have
also bannanss, dates. lemons. lines, bread.
furit. ctrons on trees. and further south in
this State. the pineapple grows. trtl q
sJAcxsoSviLLx.-Th 10 very beautiful
city situated on the northern hank OF the
St. johns river, twenty-five miles from the
Atlantic ocean. The most Of the city was
built by men from Now England and ap.
pears moro like q Northern town than any
other have had the pleasure of visiting
south OF Mason and Dixon's line. Tho streets
cross each other st right angles, and arc shad-
ed by innumerAble 1.-Two and water oak, and
magnolia trses; all richly draped with 1.-Two
oak mos. At the Western end OF the town
Is the railroad depot Inoticed two large To-
comosivs eogines which were built In New
Jersey; the freight cars were manufactured
in Charleston. 8 G.. All complicated ma
chinery comes IRON Ysnkeedom-even the
lamp-posts In the streets. arc marked Phila-
dolphin, Pa. Many Of tho 6ncst houses
have been des'rsysd hy Gre. When the rvb'
sls evacuatcd this tcwn tho first timc. they