Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1864-12-22
From tie spTingHsh Bspabiosn.
rhs sased Governmsnt Pients tons
OF Louisiana.
VlDALIA. La. Novenber 10. 1864

VIDALIA. La. Nosenber 40. lec4
hundred plantations we're leased In this
Natehez-district icr the season. As has been
sald Of this shole number. bot about twenty are
having crops gathefed-one IN five. The eighty
have been broken up by guerrillas. Ny last let
Ter gives you idea Of he process. he
blacks pot TO work upon them have been drven
back u slasery. or. Ia considerable numbers aud
with every Circumstance Of brutality killed, or
have escapeI a. they could by fight and re
turned to points from which they were taken
On some OF these deserted places, however. the
rebels have ailosed number OF blacks 70 re
main on condition that they would not work or
gather cotton. They make a living from the
corn and potatoes and gardens which had been
planted by the lessees Tor themselves, previous
70 the breaking up OF the plantation
The twenty plantations now occupied are al
within q semi-circle Of about seven miles, de
scribed from Vidilia as a center A small force
at Bullets bayou, With another between the foot
OF the lake and The bend Of the river below vi
dala. make those farms comparatively safe.
twelve Of them very comfortably so OF the
other sr, the York and Fletcher and the Syca
more places. (scenes OF the atrocities mentioned
IN my last, are two -Four others OF the twenty
are subject to the constant visitation of guerril
Las. and owe their crops TO the fact that the old
hands and Overseers remain upon them, or 20
other aud less honorable arrangements
OF these twelve, one firm has part or full con
troll OF nine. At the head of this trm stood
Burnet, the treasury agent who had the leasing
Of plantations. and with him was Judge Field.
who vas the commissioner for the leasing last
year The military authorities have once tried
and convicted Field. and Burnet IS now under
rest OF the plantations on which crops are be
ing gathered, which are outside OF this safe
twelve, Judge Field has at least three. In how
many more be had a covert interest IL Is impOssi
BILE to say The OUTLYING eighty farms were
leased BY such persons could be allured, IN
their ignorance OF the indefensble position oil
their land. 10 the perilous undertaking. either
/ by the promise OF enormous profit, or by the hu
name purpose OF aiding 10 the elevation OF th'
/ black or the patriotic motive OF tightening tbs
burden Of tho government IA the care OF thes'
! freedmen. They have been broken up, man,
/ lives lost. vast amount of property not only
lost. but thrown directly into rebel hands. VERY
many blacks re sold into slavery, very manl
/ thrown back into the hands of the government
/ for support The disasters to these many are
bel poorly compensated by the partial success o
the fortunate few who able TO locate Thorn
/ selves within safe lines.
The relief which these plantations have fur
bished to the government in this district is jus
I o. this importance Five OF them (0f the SAT-
ones have furnished labor 10 refugee blacks
i They have paid the government in rents. posi-
/ bly, $1,000. while the deleDses OF the tract o
i land in which they were situated has cost
! regiment or two Of soldiers and "A quarter Ol 4
/ million of money This. TO say nothing OF III
i loss of liberty. the loss OF property and tn
/ gain 10 rebel resources Of the eighty planta
/ tons which have been broken up.