The New York herald., 1865-05-29
The F. F. V.'s Living On Bread
and Water.
.xMFxUx or sUPPLIHa
CUlTVATIHG FARMS WITH STICKS
Conversations with Rebel Pa
gA rolled Prisoners,
az Ac., &C., 90.

party Of thirteen Of whom the writer was one ar
ranged to pay visit to Richmond We Of various
pursuits life-three being ministers, merchant
railroad president, Legislator, several manu-
factirew and political economist. We considered
ourselves therefore, pretty we'll constituted TO oct
committee OF inquiry and to be competent to come to
some pretty fair conclusions brief account OF our
Ia therefore placed at the disposal Of the editor Of
the HERaLD.
wo left New York the 10th Of May, proceeding by
rail TO Baltimore, and thence by steamer to Fortress
Monroe Ther,, the l1th, took the regular line
Richmond, already well established and went board
the Goorgana expecting to arrive destination in
about twenty four hours.
10 t-s last THE PASSENGERS.
Tho boat was, however, crammed to excess
While she could well accommodate two hundred
passengers she crowded with least eight hundred
. large portion Of whom rebel officers on
parole, returning home; aud also number Of our own
officers board returning To their respective
mands It seemed naturally fell groups TO
discuss the stirring events which had recently taken
place, and this disposition prevailed while the prisoners
remained with 1t observable that they were
well clad in foreign fabrics They all seemed glad that
tho war was over and expressed their opinions ntell
gentiy, openly and candidy all topics which up
for discussion They claimed for themselves
than willing to allow. They attributed their
overthrow to their dlsin.egraon (Which consid
erod the inevitable onsequence OF their doctr Of
State rights to the great nfcriority Of their
missariat and finally, 10 great superiority in
bers They also stated that for the coming campaigns
N they could have held out, arrangements had been
made to obtain the npal part OF the food for their
army from persons in the city Of New York. who
the blockade at Wilmington and 10 have been paid
In tobacco We inclined to believe that such an ar.
rangement actually made, and that shall hear
very shortly of of the parties engaged In this
troasonabe business.
ss1 FORTRESS MONROE.
AZ we Ieft Fortress Monroe wo were surprised at the
display we witnessed. Monitors, gInboas, merchant
vsssols and government transports hundreds all
about. in notion others at anchor, many crowded
with troops loaded down with supplies while on the
docks there we're apparently thousands Of people either
spectators particularly interested in the arrival and
departure OF the Packages of goods express
freight and stores OF all kinds scattered about in
largo piles ready to be shipped to Richmond In short
the hustle and activity were indescribabe.
DEPARTURE FOR THE JAMES.
Al last we the stroke OF engines and we moved
or Tho next morning, which was beautiful one, we
cntcrcd tho James river The atmosphere was OF the
baImiest aud the temperature delightful. We soon
passed. the great prison depot which those taken in
tho battles previous TO the evacuation are still con.
fined The beach crowded with bathers at the early
hour OF nine O'Clock They were, however, under the
surveillance OF guards flag floating from many
stas Az proceeded up the river we saw many for
tiaed points, aud immense forests either side
touched by the axe. The cypress Is very conspicuous
along shorcs possessing great beauty of appearance
"a well as pecuarities Of height stem, aud fra
GRANGE, which make 1t particularly observable. The
Landscape altogether was very attractive.
THE RIVER EsTATEs.
Notwithstanding the groat destruction OF private pro-
perty this region by the effect of war we were sur
prised 10 SEQ such large number Of stately mansions
along the river apparently unlnjurod. We learned that
they were IN tho possession Of the negroes who, after
the flight Of their owners remained these estates,
and arc worxn them on their account This cir.
cumstance has been favorable for side, since
ways found at these places warm friends,
plentiful accommodations and trusiy assistants Not
until after and some arrangements
made by government Is il expected that the negroes
will give up possession of these places the former
owners We we're told OF the case OF Mr. A. b.. who
has bocn from his plantation the last years He
sent word 10 his slaves that he would be glad
delegation from them with propositions to surrond
his property at least TO give him for the present hall
tho products Of their labor, promising to make some
satisfactory arrangement to the future They replied
that toy declined yielding possession or making any ar
ransement and intended to keep possession until The
ggysrasnsbi ordered them to yIold IT,
CITY POINT.
psss,ug ya'.pns pisoes q minor interest reached
,hs roud rhe .; noou As We approached u We
rns. napy s,ausDvls cfosoed with returning soldiers
ases fyHas sye'y~isrs. anc greeted with cheers
a. Es nspss fsyciy sl0sg. Thre is a Ane and commo
dious whs,f ~ ts Point, nsnked By extensive ware
houses Ltsrefy. ,sfgyes u barrels and boxes, com
missary sDsss sugpss, "a immense quantities, were
piled along NE ssDss Tsgs transports aod armed yos
soils lay thick sbog. w. We we're snsbe 70 and for
hour, as our berth sccgplei ~ "a transport IRON
which black reglns detsfkug They were
fine looking body u nor had lnsir own eolored band
and we're commanded oy ghls olbcer. These last seen
10 DO necessity We Tod that The msn we're 20
easily controlled by officers OF their color After
time we also landed, and those rebel prisoners who In
tended 10 deDart for North Carolina aud OeOrgla has