Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1864-03-22

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have but this day reached this place,
and ind that last evening the main body
Of Shermsn's expedition began to return
hither. The railroad at Meridian with
large smounts of property was destroyed
and the negroes brought back are vsriously
estimated at from 5000 to 5000. These
are very degraded. An illustrative in
stance is told Of % colored children in one
wagon, two Of whom fell and were crushed
by the wheels and were thrown aside by
their parents without further attention.
Many teachers are being sent from the
North for the freedmen. Eleven were
sent from Chicago last week in one COM
psny. The results Of this expedition show
at glance the kind Of work which these
teachers must do. Many at the North
would be surprised to know, however, that
the schools here for the city colored people
are supporting-thst is, the parents
pay for the instruction Of their children.
have just seen q train connected with
the returning expedition. I have seen in
Europe moving gipsies; have seen the
poor peasant family with all their earthly
possessions loaded on q little cart to which
was bsrnessed sn sss; q dog, q man, his
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rebellion produced them the world had
never beheld such scenes as this. Here
sre wagons, carts, and buggies drawn by
horses, mules, and oxen. There 60 fifteen
or twenty little negroes with their mothers
and their bound up in bundles and thrown
into the wagons together, the black heads
sticking out from among the Whitish bun
dies Of rags. 0 for photograph Of some
Of the richer specimens Of this train
There gees q covered buggy drawn by
horse driven by eolored woman sur
rounded by curly y-hesded brsts, peeping
out from among bundles Of clothing. Be-
yond goes 9 covered carriage, loaded, as
far as can see through the windows, in
the same way. It was like boquet with
. napkin thrown over it. We had to i'm
agine its beauties from q knowledge Of the
flowers which composed it. @Turn about"
is said to be flair play, land it naturally
occurs to me that while these negresses are
taking their turn at riding in carriages,
some of their late mistresses may be taking
theirs on foot.
DesolstiOn has tracked the progress Of
our arms sll along this valley. Plantations
and villages are deserted. Clusters Of
ohimneys Of negro huts, with the higher
chimneys in the masters mansion and the
Clubhouse standing near, attest the devss-
tstion. The sight is sad one, but it di-
rects the mind to a glory in the dis
tsnce.
A few are returning to their plantations
Northern men are coming to cultivate the
deserted lands. The cases are not rare in
which the owner and Northerner form
copsrtnership, which, perhaps, may be done
with the hope the latter may cover the
doubtful loyalty Of the former. Professor
Winchell, Of our State University, is cul-
tivsting the plantation Of JEFF. Davis, forty
miles from this place
Two ladies, widow named Ross, and
her daughter, Of most elegant person and
attire returned in the same boat with MS,
and stopped at skiperith's landing about
ninety miles above Vicksburg. yesterday
about noon. This lady is said to have |
been for the Union from the beginning. |
Men and mules from the North, for the |
cultivation Of cotton, were landed st the |
same place. Here lay several gun and |
mortar boats.
had some conversation with the prin- |
cipsl Northern man engaged in this Guilt
Vstion. He feels, in common with others |
Of the class, little doubtful Of the sue |
ces Of his enterprise, although being in /
partnership with the owner Of the soil, he !
is more favorsbly Situated than many. |
The only difference, however, between the !
two classes Of cases, is, that in the one
Is no enraged owner to take vengeance
on the Ysnkee eultivator Of his ground.
Bat the guerrillss make little distinction /
between rebel and loyal cotton planters.
They clean out'all these plantations. The
company with which this gentleman is
connected, sent on to Washington to pro-
cure protection in their works, but they
found the Executive indispossd to promise,
except so far as this protection should be
consistent with the strategic plans Of the
war.