Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1866-03-24
The Works about Petersburg.

works around the city of Petersburg. He
says:
Fort Stcadman, "Tho Crater" nFort HE'LL"
and other prominent points on the memorable
lines, are still nearly the satne in appearance
that they were just after the " evacuation " of
Petersburg by the Rebel army. The bomb
proofs and other works, the construction of
which required the use Of wood are being de-
molished by the owners of the land who were
cutting up the wood for the Petersburg mar
kct. And | may here say that nearly all the
fuel, in the shape of wood, burned in this city
comes from the Notifications. It is the best
fuel III the market, as it is 80 much better
seasoned than any other.
But the most interesting spectacle one be-
holds at present along these lines is the large
number of coored persons who make living
ip digging and searching for the lead bullets
and other implements OF war 80 protusely scat
tered about aud buried in these fields of death.
Did you ever go huckleberrying way
down in Iankccdom, "just in the nick of the
SEASON.? If so, you can form good idea of
the view of the visitor from the mouth of the
" Crater" [ was at this point few hours
ago-I mean the place where the mine was
exploded. From this point you obtain, by
far, the best view Of the entire lines East of
the city. This point is the nearest to the
town, and is SO elevated that you can distinct
ly see the celebrated "lookout" of General
Butler at Dutch Crap, on James River twcnt
miles distant.
AS far as the objects arc visible VIC discern
the colored people of all ages and both sexes,
with spade, hoe. shovel, or pick, and all
busy as bees digging for "mnnies'' By the
denser squads of these people it is easy for the
stranger to know where the 81 iron hail and
lcnden rain y fell thickcst. But the "darkies"
arc cverywherc-some on the embankments,
and some i'll open fields, each with hav .rsack
or small bag slung over the shoulder, and ev-
cry now aud then stray minnie ball, or shell
cap, or piece Of shell is transferred from the
eartll to the bag of the digger
AS near as l could ascertain a davis work
to good digger was about 81 80 to 81, though
many fell short Of that. lhe lead is sold to
an enterprsing junk dealer iu this city, who
teen minnics make pound, the anxious dig
ger can, any time during the day, by counting
his balls, learn how he is progl cssing in his
days work. And if you meet any Of them
toward night on their " winding way" toward
the city, as you usually may sec them in
droves, any of them will tell you "xaely" how
much money he has made during the day.
L am sorry to say that the remains Of the
numerous dead who lie buried all over these
fields of death are often disinterred and the
head boards, placed by careful comrades, often
taken away by the less scrupulous of these
diggers. As may have something more to
say about the dead Of these fields L will re-
serve comments on this matter for another
letter.
While was watching the operations of lead
gathering today, a negro boy threw up in his
spade silver pen ease and gold pen. [ i'm
mediatcly struck a bargain, and am now wri-
ting this letter with that sainc pen 1t was
found at a point where one hundred and fifteen
uf our brave men, under Burnside, met with
death in the crater, and were buried in com
mon grave.
THE NATIONAL DEBr.-The national debt,
in round numbers, issthrcc thousand millions,
which, divided among thirty millions of peo-
pie, is about one hundred dollars head the
State debt is about flftyonc millions, which,
divided among four millions of people, is near
ly thirteen dollars per head and our city
debt is forty-onc millions, or about forty-one
dollars per head. This makes total Of one
hupdrcd and fifty four dollars head for each
man, woman and child in the city Of New
York. AS not over one person in six is a la
borer or creator of wealth, it follows that each
actual producer is saddled with debt Of one
thousand dollars, upon which he must pay in