Daily national Republican. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1862-1866, 1864-03-24
LETTER FROM BEAUFoRT.

WashiRgton's Birth-day-A HuRuenot
Fort-Cop nse alton saIeH-A Dsrkey
outbids New York "Ring"-The Col
orod soIdIers-A Grand Ball, etc.
We extract the following from q letter re-
ceived from Beaufort, 8. G.. The occurrences
are not recent. but they have not appeared in
print:
This is Washington's birthday. There are
few troops here TO celebrate II, but they have
made very creditable parade. The window
from which look out on the street and over
the beautiful bay is wide open, and the soft air
10 full Of the scent OF flo wers. Jonquils, snow
drops aud other flowers are peeplng out among
the rubbish Of the neglected garden. About l2
O'Clock took q ride down the smooth beach
to see tho ruins OF the ancient forts built two
hundred years ago by the Huguenots. The
works are OF e0quind, impacted or petrined
shells, like the material Of which St. Angus
tine is built.
Near by are thirty or forty cabins of the con-
trabands who have escaped from the main land.
Scores Of dusky figures, mostly old and de-
crcpid, are sitting about In the sun. A few Of
middle ago are listing" the ground for cot
ton. Innumerable children arc playing and
| shoutingj and close by stunted palmetto are
"two women grinding at a mil, J" one smoking
q short pipe, the other cheerfully singing dis
NAL hymn. It was hard to believe that In this
age OF machinery such slow and laborious
process should be needed to get meal for daily
bread; but on these islands no other means were
provided by the slave-masters, The Smith
plantation, mile south, is occupied by teach
ers, most accomplished and self.sacrinclng
women, whose labors, though derlded by the
thoughtless and unfeeling, will be rewarded in
the great hereafter.
| should have mentioned earlier that this
morning attended land sale at the mansion
where Edmund Rhett formerly lived. The bid
ders were q motley crowd-ofilcers, soldiers,
(black and white spectators and Jews. l
was attracted by the solid tone OF q colored
bidder, who offered $500, when the "Gabriel
Capers" farm was put up. The farm consisted
Of one hundred and ten acres OF good cotton
land. The bidder, as was told, was "raised"
on or near it. A little coterie Of New YorkSrs,
who had dubbed TO purchase together, ad-
yanced the price by 800. eleven hundred, -
said the black soldier. "And hfty," said the
chief Of the club. "Thlrteen hundred" the
negro returned. When the price had reached
nineteen hundred dollars there was pause. It
appeared that the eolored mans bid was the
best.
At this point the chairman Of the commits
sioneTs, Mr.. Brisbane, stopped the auotloneer,
and made harangue to the effect that whites
and blacks were equal before the law, and that
both had the right TO bid; that the negroes had
reservations made for them, so that there need
be no delicacy In bidding against black sol
dIer; that while white men ought not TO COM
! bIne against black, on the other hand black
men ought not to combine against white. The
speech was cautiously worded, but Its drift
was unmistakable. When he concluded the
oppressed New Workers rallied and bid S2, 900.
"And seventy. .hve," added the impertuTbable
darkey. The club gave in, and the land was
knocked down TO Sergeant William Bronson.
On my return from my ride called at Col.
| Hlgginson's camp 10 see his evening parade.
/ saw the men drill in squads and companies.
The extreme neatness OF their clothing and
equipments, their skill in the manual, and their
precision In marching, was wonderful. You
know that / have carried a musket, and can
tell when 1t 10 well done. The parade would
have done honor TO any regiment ever saw,
chAnced TO mention TO CCl. Hlgglnson the
Incident OF the sale. He at once exclaimed
Why, that is my sergeant, the first black
man that shouldered a muSket In South Caro-
lima 4" He told me that Bronson could write
and was rather vain OF the accomplishment.
His signatures were quite curious, Away full
OF particulars and generally reading thus
" Sergeant VIM. Bronson, First Sergeant o
Company A, First Regiment Of South Carollni
Volunteers, OF the African Foundation" III
has earned his money, and II he eaeapss rebe
bullets, will be q landed proprietor In future.
In the evening attended ball at Beaufort
by invitation Of General SaKton' forag'
house served for the ballroom. The wall
were draped with nagS, and tho decorations
Of cedar, laurel, palmetto and magnolia leaves