The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1865-05-30
Correspondence Of the Boston Advertiser ]

Correspondence OF the Boston Advertlser
The poor, ignorant blacks, so suddenly
made free, are leaving their homes, near
and remote, and flocking to the Union
lines in the widespread belief that free
dom means life without work. and that
once under the old flag they will have
plenty to eat and nothing to do. So
great have been the crowds who have
come within our lines in South Carolina,
and so small are the stores of rice and
hominy thus far secured by our forces,
that orders, it was understood, had been
issued on the day ] left Charleston that
negroes sh0uld be no longer received,
while those already within our lines
should be transported to the islands, and
assigned lands to plant.
Both white and blacks are dependant
upon the Union authorities for food.
That the whites should be no better of
than the blacks noed occasion no sur
prise, if we recollect that whatever per-
sonal securities they possessed before the
evacuation were represented by COnfed-
crate money, now utterly worthless. A
few realize insignificant sums by the sale
of trinkets, flowers, &c, but the greater
part, upon taking the oath Of allegiance,
have been regularly rationed by the
Union officers.
The onestion Of food is one Of terrible
gravity. Such is the anarchy, desola-
ton, and ruin prevalent throughout the
State, that few stores Of provisions can
now be found. Great difficulty, too, has
been experienced in getting supplies to
the city Trains are waylayed, and
few farms recently put under cultivation
have been ravaged by bushwhackers,
who in their fury and determination to
prevent any supplies being obtained by
our officers, dashed up, tho first night /
passed in Charleston, to the very RAM
parts of the city, and destroyed the mar
| ket garden farms in the suburbs, which
have hitherto escaped spoilation, and
upon which the people Of Charleston
were wholly dependent for vegetables
and fruits during the coming season.
The planters, deprived of their arms
and ali means of defense against the
bands of marauders and rowing blacks,
some of the latter being deserters from
oar own regiments, are leaving their un-
titled fields and are moving their families
! TO the towns and settlements along
the coast, while the negroes, save o few,
who. under their own drivers, are here
and there trying to raise little rice OF
corn at the risk of destruction by the
| busbwhackers, are coming direct to ouI
| lines; all whites as well as blacks are
| soon to become dependent upon the ex.
ertions of our authorities for food, but
the greater part to starve Even the
bIacks appreciate the uncertainty OF
their support, and although all are free,
| / met few who looked happy and con
tented. Almost every face among them
wore an expression Of donbt.
| History does not record a more suffer.
| ing people than the inhabitants Of the
Southern States. Deluded by traitOrous
leaders. their States and themselves never
40 prosperous, / was assured by all, as in
the year Just prior to the war, they have
been stripped by the exactions or the
Richmond government, by the march oi
armies. and by numbering outlaws, oi
their property; their lands have been
laid waste; the negroes now free ars
either unwilling or afraid to work; they
themselves are fugitives for protection
to the shadow of the old flag. and de
pendent for food upon the officers Of the
very power they were taught to hate and
despise. 3
SO absolute was the despotism exer
cised by the central government that ths
Confederate taxes alone amounted to si1
per cent. upon the principal Of each man.
property. During the war invested prop
erty did not average more than five pc
| cent. per annum, and TINS the tax upoI
Int was greater than the income; while
by successive measures for funding thei
! debt and reducing the currency, th'
| treasury swept home upon the resource
of all So thorough, too, were all th,
preparations eff the leaders in the rebel
4 lion, 90 vigilant were they In suppfess
ling any information and knowledge .