Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1865-04-19
FROM WILMINGTON.
gg:'ri9EES-MINUTE MEN TO RESIST GUER-
PILAS-FEELING AMONG THE PEO-
.PLE-LEASING PLANTATIONS.
rcoae.pondence OF the New York Times.l
WuMmeroN, n. c., April 5. 1865.

roo. coincidence o. the New Torn I4nes'I
WuMNeroN, n. c., April 5. 1865.
gro,. .5e records here ind that about seven
knl-s,.1 rs!ugtes-one thousand oil wnlch were
Ubits-DaYe come into our lines at this point since
ts evacuation by :he Rebels. The whites are mostly
Nor C srolinians and a.e al true men and women,
who nave suffered untold miseries at the hands nj
the REQ. Is 70. their devotion TO the old flag Many
vho we're not able to come with Sherman, but who
are equally loyal have remained at their old homes,
and have organized themselves into companies OF
minute men, to resist guerrilla incursions and keep
away the Rebel consumption officers. In order that
our Government should July appreciate their posi-
ton, In Columbus county, near here, they formally
applied 20 the military authorities to raise and equip
such an organic tlon agreeing to take care OF tnem
selves and work thsr Plantations as OF old DE-
seriers by the hundred cams out OF the sWamps,
and. returning TO their homes, joired the companies
to fight under the old flag, If necessary. One OF
the leading officers went to the Colcnei OF an OLD
militia reg;mental organization and procured the
solo-s which had been carefully laid aside during
the war They were raised before large concourse
of people, and the greatest enthusiasm prevailed
One old hard head, who e,ill held out for South
err ,igats. was soundy thrashed and but for the
interrogation of some of the mors temperate men
pre- ent. would have been tarred and teathered.-
These astonishing indications OF loyalty should DO
regarded carefully by our Government and iostered
In such a manner as 10 influence those VINO are yet
within the Rebel lines. An Old citizen OF Whining
ton remarked to me yesterday that ne thought the
people who were yet at home In this State would
almost unanimously join In the support of loyal
government, If one could be established, and that
the North Carolinians IN the Rebel ranks would IN
der such circumstances, return almost In mass to
their fsaty There are many Secessionists here yet,
however, but the behavior of our authorities to-
ward the true men Is influencing them IN the true
direction.
Already the system of leasing abandoned farms
and plantations, under regulations of the Treasury
Department, which has proved of so mach benefit
to tae Government at Newbern and other points on
the coast, has been put IN operation here, and the
.contrabands who are willing to work find ready
labor and good pay. Several enterprisiDg men
from the North have taken charge of farms on the
south bank Of the Cape Fear river, and will be able
&c raise good crops this year.
Il Il not generally known In The North that the
operations under the regulations OF the Treasury
Department. 10 tao way of leasing abandoned prop
erty under the Ian relative to Restricted conner
c,a intercourse" have been productive Of great
profit 10 The General Government in this State
Co. D. Heaton, Supervising Special Agent OF the
Treasury DEPARTMENT for this district in his report
to the Secretary, Of operations during the last
Y6dE, SHOWS 4 sur p!uo VI Auuuo " manu- wv ~
draft OF 1929 52S. The receipts altogether Amounted
to S3O3, T4S So while his Expenditures amounted to
S74.22O 50 This amount was from nearly all raised
from two counties IN the Vicinity Of Newb9ru, and
besides tie profit accruipg to the Government a
large number OF contrabands found employment,
THEREBY -slev.ug 10 from thu expense OF subssting
thN-. Taxing these facts as a criterion, we may
aEpo. that 'arger results p.oportiouate,y will be
attaj-yi u1F that the area ct operations mas been
CT o15e'
Tie yaueueo stress on the transportation Of the
srm IS X This vicinity, and from the North here is
somewba. .eyla ed aui 'de victorious columns un-
der Gen Sherman viii undoubtedly soou be under
way. Sl:mi4os as to their destination are, Of
course, mew5a; unreliable, but | have the best
reasons ro PREDICTING that there will be little or nc
fgh, O. u near Rieigh. The combined armies Of
Soerreo, Sehoield and Terry will sweep every
thing rcJre them over to the line of the RJanoke
wh.-a lie battle OF the war will be fought.