New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1865-08-02

Barclay Sylle ~ n tavern anu the hccoinpn"!A"h W.
buildings about twenty-five miles from Raleigh IL was
kind of halfway house in the days OF mail stages oh
this road. The proprietor is q mild hammered man,
whose help" has chiefly remained with him. ana are
promised share Of the crops Half naked youngingS
todde Familiarity about the house as in the pamy Gays
of the institution and seem to be well cared for LIS
brother who in old times drove the mail stage between
Fayetteville and Raleigh also holds out here. runnat
ing upon the chances Of collecting from the GOVERN
ment claim for an uncxpired mail contract when
the State went OUT He taciturn; looked out ron
under the rim of seedy hat without elevating his
head and seemed not to cnjoy-the scenery Negroes
couldn't live in this country with the white man. he
allowed There were good crops of growing, and
the landlord showed us fourshng vinesof the Scupper
nong and Choctaw grape putting out finely around the
place. Both these varieties, well as the Catawba,
are natives Of the soil and produce luxuranty with but
little labor in this thin. sandy soil.
After hearing full particulars Of the visit OF sher'
mans Bummcrs and their carrying of all the stock and
provisions we retired and passed quiet. but warm
night Seven dollars paid our bills, and by 4 o'clock
the next morning we up and ready for stort
Long reaches of pine forest, with underground OF
scrnb oak and houses intervals Of five and six niles
made up remainder of the journey until we passed
Averysborough-a backsmiths shop, with " no tools to
shoe a horse" and dozen tumdledown barns which
must have been built about the time Sir Walter Raleigh
discovered this country is the historical location of the
great battle that name. The fight, however really
took place four miles beyond this dosolate spot. Some
thriving cornfelds well advanced In this neigh
borhood but around the village OF old barns aforesaid
were vast expanse of weeds, giving the country the
appearance of having gone 10 seed.
Just beyond this place We paused 10 rest, and made
the only remaining meal OF the day upon bowl Of but
termilk and warm biscuit. The lolr, just now a
great luxury here had been brought ID miles from Fay
citevlle The Of the house had been In the army
but was very civil and attentive. Their Louise during
the battle Of Avery sborough made field hospital
and three of our men died and were buried near by
The Bummers carried off all their meat. stock and
fodder and edibles were scarce. \ parry OF coiored
aborers met this place going as they said. to
Raleigh TO draw raioEs. They were the FIRST coored
men had met going ON this GRAND \ white young
man in the party who stated that they had nothing
10 subsis on; the crops made, and they Only
needed something 10 sustain them until they coili
gather the and other produce We referred them
to Col Whi,esey, agent for freedmen az Raleigh, and
they pushed their 20 mile journey 20 obtain little
pork and hard tack TO keep body and soul together for
4 short time longer.
We saw very few colorod people any others, Labor
ing in the fields during tho journey. Wherever they
met With. they seemed 20 be working with VIII.
and naniesing perfect checrfaness In their toll.
party Of half dozen blacks blowing in field with.
we thought, more than usual energy and hailed
them and spoke a word of encouragement. they all
paused a moment niel their hats as much as 10 say
thank you j." and went with ther work They
seemed to be working the land shares. and "pow
ing in hope"
The last twelve miles Of our Journey lay tie old
plank road which hc march Of time aud Of The army.
rs IL EMERGED llon Fayetteville. ha. completely de-
siroyed making IL impossible for vehicles. and very
difficult for horsemon. Here the land Is comparatively
without inhabitants broad uncultiyaicd fields. over.
grown with rank weeds which were once cultivated,
and chmneYs Of once peaceful dwellings. net at
every few miles ofthe way SquCI!d groaps Of hungry
looking children and half clothed and barefoot women
hid themselves from view passed their dismal
cabins while lean and hungry dogs growled at Us as
We had broken in upon their long solitude.
The army had left It's mark upon every mile Of this
road Two old ladies at house. not bad of as tho
rest described the manner in which their place was
sacked by SheImans Runners. Their prayers 10 be
spared only little food were spurned and everything
on which they could subsist taken. Their lives
were threatencd the house searched from top 10 bot
tom; tho beds cmpticd; every fowl killed carried
away and finally the Bummers threatened 10 fire the
hon q If the old would not inform whore they
had buried their money. They did lot think human
beings conld act as they did. 4 permanent mcan.
chOly seemed 10 have settled upon these old people
Their best fiend-a brother or son-had died at FL
mira, and they had given up all hope in tits world
They might az well or better have been killed 10
be treated as they had BEEN Nevertheless they had
nice patch Of several acres coming forward aud
we felt relief on their account in contemplation
Of their more hopeful condition when they should See
the next harvest home.
The next house occupied by poor miller his
wife and two healthy clcanfaced children; but there
not article Of furniture to be inside except
a rickcty bed, chair or two aud bnke.panbut not
morscl to eat The man, who formerly tended the mill
near by had been forced into the army where he was
wounded. His place had shared the fao OF oil the rest
Col Towe kindly gave him paper certifying to his
dctitnton, for which they seemed very grateful The
wife said she would start the next day for Raleigh. 10
get some food. only 90 niies oray The husband
being lame, could not travel. They had neighbors
who had enough In their smoke.houses. but they
would not give sell this poor pound OF IL 10
keep his family from starvation. They were tho same
men, too, who had compelled him TO go into the army
y small cabbage patch was oil he bad been able to
plant but be looked forward to milling time for some
thing to sustain his family.
Sunset brought us in sight OF the Rebel lcld.works
near the passage and bridge Of Cross Creek-a mile
from the fine bridge which formerly spanned the Cape
rear. Cross Creek is yawnng irregular chasm over
hundred feet deep and five hundred wide with bed