The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1870-03-17
LETTER FROM THE SOUTH.
S0fIcePOHueHCe Vi tIIC OCUI HdI'
WILMINGTON. Y. C.. March I.

|
larly the two Carolinas and of course hearing and
seeing much that is interesting, and if you will
pardon my long silence. and have patience with
me for short time, will give you the benefit of
one or two trifles, perhaps not altogether devoid
| OF interest. Let us commence at
RICHMOND,
te late Confederate capitol, where short stay re-
'ealed sights long to be remembered. First the
oattle-helds You know pathos is not my forte,
therefore let us leave blank where many would
record their feelings when standing upon ground
not long ago soaked and re-Soaked with human
blood, perhaps that too, of dear friends, - and
Then we may feel certain that every one possesses
more or less imagination of their own, in this part
Any how we are ahead of some accounts. Suff-
clent be it to say that though stripped of everything
Which could serve the purpose of relies, the battle
nelds themselves are yet left, and being most too
large to be removed handily, are likely to remain
Tor some time to come. Many are under cutiya-
uon, and famous crops they yield too. Some par
ucularly those near the Chickahominy, where the
ground is low and swampy remain unchanged,
the bodies as far possible are gathered into the
National Cemetery just outside the city limits,
which contain some eight or ten thousand, three or
four often being in single grave. The Cemetery
Is without any ornament except four cannon,
thrty-two Founders, think. half buried so as to
form square around the flag staff in the centre,
and fow scraps of poetry painted on white boards
| and arranged among the graves. Just beyond it is
the inner line of batteries. should say was since
mostly they have been levelled, single one r,-
naming, and like Hunyans two giants thre atening
those who come along the road it commands, with
out having power to harm them On the James,
not far distant, is half-tinshed steamer intended
for gun-boat just as she was left, when the city
was evacuated.
| From the battle-feltls can proceed to the city
itself, where we find Libby prison, looking as grim
as ever, but now used as dye factory though still
bearing its old sign Libby Prison. Then to Cas-
| tie Thunder, tobacco ware house. Then 10
President Davis house, now u. s. head quarters
Then to the Capitol. And oh what ruin of things
past it isl both inwardy where every thing low
and vile succeeds to high and polished eloquence of
former times, and outwartlly where the once hand
some building is actually crumbling to pieces. And
so on throughout; every thing having war his
tory being put to some peaceful use. but having
such fallen and desolatc appearance that it made
my heart sick to look at it. From Richmond | pro-
ceeded direct to
WILMINGTON, y. c.,
which mas Just the same general appearance be
much and its business doubled as the consequence,
especially its shipping business. Some eight or ten
steamers to Baltimore and New York take the
place of the former single one, while not sail yes
sells enough to remove freight actually on its
docks can be found While at Wilmington took
pains to see Fort Fisher, which Gen. Butler per
formed such exploits not to capture, and which,
after receiving the hardest bombardment record
fell at the close of hand-to- fight of nearly
ten hours. The fort is but little injured though
all Its guns gone, and step by step the ocean is
cutting away the beach in its front, and by and
by will wash it entirely away, fort and all. 1t
covers, out-works included five miles, and seems
to have mounted countless number of guns, and
Just opposite, on an slaud were several other bat
teries, though before the attack the channel had
changed as to be entirely out of range of their
guns. a bad habit our channel has, too, so that in
: my trip to the fort eighteen miles down the
river from the city, saw one or two Wharyes high
and dry that two or three years ago could receive
at any stage Of water, quite large steamers; now
they We're near fifty feet up the beach. Scientific
men at work trying to remedy this little rreg
ularity, Or more properly, to find some plan by
which it can be remeded; and to this end several
United States Coast Survey officers have spent
much time, with considerable labor, sounding, OBJ
serving currents &C., and at length have almost
decided the only perfect way that regular channel
can be secured, and Wilmington saved from be-
coming an inland city-thc water on the main bar
naFlnS SNOaieu some twenty Ieet III the last seven
ty-tivc years,-is by permanently closing of the
two outlets OF the Cape Fear river. New Inlet, the
. one command ID by Fort Fisher, some thirty miles
nearer New TX, and hitherto regarded the safest
and BEST is the one recommended the cost to he
nearly two million. Uncle Sam is to be asked to
foot the bill. Besides closing the inlet, something
should forthwith be done TO the river, which in
many spots is full of distractions placed by the
Contederates to prevent the Federal fleet from
reaching the city, after the lower forts We're
taken, and which are as dangerous now ever.
NnC oral al u nnt ntirn1t
help block up the channel, and it does seem as il
some one might be found with energy enough TO
raise them, and clear good sum by the operation.
the more as the water comes only Il few feet
above their decks even at high tide. Added to
those in the water, are quite number just out of
it, A United States transport, sunk by torpedo,
two Confederate gun-boats and Il store Ship partly
burned, lie in single place some three miles below
the city; and on the beach outside the bars and i'll
more or less perfect state OF preservation, thirty
or forty wrecks of bockaderunners. Most OF
them have iron hulls, that as Old iron alone would
give large profits to any person of ordinary ability
= who would undertake the saving of them Near
Wilmington numerous rice plantations, all eX-
, cept one, idle, through inability to procure labor
The negro won't cultivate rice, and Cinnamon can't
l be had; so nothing can be done but allow some Of
the best land in the State to remain idle till some
thing turns up. After leaving Wilmington, in
course of my wanderngs | came to
FLORENCE S. c.,
where large Confederate prison, though now
all traces of it have been removed. Florence is
just now noted as being the place where the
REV. b. f. WHITTEMORE,
late b c. for this district, rested his weary foot af
ter that little affair in Massachusetts in which he
got mixed up with five thousand dollars of some
body's else money, and which resulted in his hay-
ing to leave between two days. And though not
the place of his present abode, it is near that
together with his having resided there long, very
many of the towns folks have the honor of per-
sonal acquaintance with him. From several of
these learned that, while working with treess
energy and considerable skill for political influence
that at length gained over the negroes in his district
he by no means neglected his pocket 1t is
very supposable too that all the means made of
to increase his worldly goods would not bear Il
large amount of public scrutiny. When he taught
he negroes married before during the war, that
the tie were not legal, and had them come, some
times at the rate of several hundred day, to him
to be REMARKED at fifty cents head he was not
quite disinterested as they imagined him. Some
say, also, that in acting Savings Bank for the
colored people, he kept their funds little better
then they bargained for and that most of the sup
plies sent by one two Freedmans aid societies
and Church building associations went to his own
uses, instead of the intended by their donors
Il HIS SUCCESSOR
has been already determined upon, and is full
negro, at present Republican member of the State