The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1864-03-11
From North Carolina Rebel BarGarities.

NEwBERN, N. c., March Z.
Everything is in readiness for the reception
of the enemy in North Carolina, whose mys-
ferrous movements are difficult to understand.
A kinston correspondent of the Raleigh
Confederate, in speaking of the hanging on
the 9th inst of the twenty-three captured
soldiers belonging to Col. c. II. Fosters COM
mand as deserters fromithe rebel CONSUMPTION,
says the prisoners were accompanied to the
place of execution by large concourse of
people and strong military escort. They
assembled the scaflold with firm and elastic
step, and met their fate with unflinchinp for
ttude and determination. They asked for no
quarter, and scornfully spurned all overtures
OF concession on condition of returning to
duty in the Confederate service. After max
ing their peace with God, they fearlessly pro-
Claimed their readiness to die for their coun-
try, against which they said they had been
forcibly conscripted to fight. A more sub
lime exhibition of loyalty to the old flag was
never witnessed. The multitude were moved
to tears, and openly denounced this cruel
massacre, which is causing desertions from
the rebel service by wholesale and creating
an indignation which, it is feared, will be un-
comfortable.
conscript deserter who came into the
Union lines at Washington and Joined the
North Carolina Union volunteers, heard his
officers say that Plymouth was to berthe first
point OF attack.
A Union soldier, who recently escaped from
the Gouldsboro' prison, informs Gen. Peck
that great riot occurred at Raleigh on the
occasion of the hanging of the native Union
soldiers at kinston, and that Gen. Pcketts
rebel troops from that place passed through
Goldsboro' with all possible dispatch to quell
the outbreak in that city, were the stars and
stripes were conspicuously displayed and much
violence and excitement prevailed. The press
was not allowed to speak on the matter.
Refugees from the interior bring the intelli-
gence OF the rebels garrisoning the State Of
North Carolina with troops at all the promi-
nent points for the purpose of checking the
convention movement.
1t is reported that the rebels intend hanging
all the Union soldiers captured by them from
Gen. Fosters command, fifty lone in number
nall OF whom have never been In the rebel
service. The native Union troops have de-
clded TO take the matter of retaliation into
their own hands. They have given such of
their officers who do not approve of severe
measures an opportunity to resign, and have
also given warning that immediate death will
be inflicted on any officer who offers hereafter
to surrender to the enemy or ask for quarter.
Inc deserters from the CONSUMPTION, and those
who have been in the rebel service, take the
ground that after accepting OF the Presidents
amnesty proclamation they become loyal citi-
zens of the United States, to which govern
ment military service is justly due from them,
and which they have no desire to withhold,
demand it as their right to be sworn into the
service. Being deserters, they expect to be
hung II caught by the enemy; hence their en-
listing in the United States service will not
increase their danger. As for repairing to
Fortress Monroe for the purpose of being sent
North, and being thus expatriatei, they will
not submit to.