Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1864-03-26
CAYENNE PEPPER, Esl
Interesting Stories from Fugitive NesrOe

Interesting Stories from Fugitive Negroes
Incidents Of deep and strange interest
often happen at the mouth Of the Ssvsn-
nah. Romance cannot rival some Of the
facts.
On the Ist inst. one Of our sentinels
thought be heard cry fer help floating
down from fer up the river: "Come and
get usI' was the rude, faint voice that
came for more than two miles ACROSS the
water from an island Of mud and rank
grass Prom the rampsrts Of the fort we
discovered an object which proved to be
poIe holding up a towel raised by the suf-
fering wanderers. A boat was dispatched
which brought in three besmeared, stsrV-
ipg ooIored men. These reported more
men and three women in q similar situa
ion little farther up the river. A second
bost WAS sent out, which, after hours OF
search, venturing close to the enemy,F
lines, rescued the periled and destitute
company. These refugees were specta-
cle-slmost naked, the women having only
little miserable skirts that reached their
Knees, besmeared with mud, as one said,
Uboggy as de bog eself," famished and
wholly exhausted.
For nine weary days and fesrful nights
they had been feeling their perilOus way
from the slave pens, twelve miles beyond
Savannah, through the rebel bivouacs and
lines. vsding through swamps, skulking
through forests, and swimming three riv-
ers, the women clinging to the necks OF
the men, founderiDg across the mud
islands, IS they said, 'like de sligators,
till thew discovered the dear stars and
stripes floating over Fort Pulaski. The
| ORIGINAL psrty consisted Of twelve; four
osys out on the way. The fsmished and
oersevering eight were consuming their
last morsel Of food when they deserted our
garrison flag. One Of them said, when
see dat flag it fill me right up" What a
compliment from the human soul to ouI
standard How unspeaksbly sweet il
| tbe Thought Of liberty Tell US not thai
| the slave Is Indifferent to freedom. Bu
miles of distance and the swift flowing
Savannah still divided them from helI
and safety. The wind bsfhed their up
lifted voices.
Another night Of hunger, nskednesI
and peril was before them on their islsn'
Of mud, where they mired to their waists
Before the sun went down they saw
stesmer visit the fort, and hoping the.
had been heard, looked longingly for he
to come ND the river after them, but whel
they saw her leave the fort and dlsappes
from view on her way towards Port Roya
their hearts began to fail them. One re
marked. iEWhen I seed de steamboat G
way, my heart go down TO the bottom
INV foot.n But the calm Of the folloWin
morning allowed their CRY for freedom
reach our ears, and their rude stick sn
little towel attracted our eyes. Pitisbl
a vet unuttersbly happy creatures they wei
when they reached our garrison. VI
4 moments view Of them and interview wit
!. them would have melted the most obdura
! Of HCopperheads.p Taey had been worl
:. ing for the Confederate Government, al
= a little corn bread daily was their who
= compensation. As we handed to one
them loaf Of bread, he calculated, "Go
! ~, Masss, dat be WORT two or free doll
4 in Savanna" In almost every senten
I they would exelsim, "Tsnk de Lord,
1. got away"
y A deserter from the rebel army, VI
!. reached us in little batteau on the NOR
N ing Of the 9th inst, formerly member
! the lst Georgia regiment discharged
u disability, but Immediately ccnscript
% for the war, brought with him some bret
II a loaf Of which, about as large as 60
j sized paving stone, is before me as wri
81 for which he paid one dollar and twer
a cents. This srgues that king cotton
a abdiCating in favor Of king corn.