Year: 1864

thV tuoruOmoteI mas puV b"lC5 only ioN
hours each time, been below fifty degrees, ant
the breeze during the day prevents its getting
above eighty. The same will not be related o
the local. y for the next six months | fear.


The coast of the river for thirty miles aboy5
this place is Incl with tho most delightful
groves Of orange and lemon tree5, aud at tbi.
time the orange is in full blossom, loading the
atmosphere with an almost oppressive sweetness


There are groves Of thousand trees each full
blown like tho plum and apple tree Of the Green
Mountain State, and if there IS anything more
delicious in sweetness than fall blown apple
orchard, it is grove Of orange trees. The trees
grow to the height Of an apple or pear tree, -
not as large in circumference, but more profuse
10 leaves, branches and blossoms


There is, however, a dsagreeable contrast to
thes3 groves in the immense cane brake swamps
which spread for miles back from the river ex-
.ondlng like a vast prairie down to the gulf upon
all sides. The brake is about twenty-five feet
in height, thickly standing and turning yellow
and dry in Autumn, aud oger which the fire
spreads with fury only equallei by the prairie
On fire.


These swamps arc ths natural abode of alliga-
tors BY hundreds, occasionally bear, auo
thousands Of coons and rabts Here, too, creep
the lizard and green adder, and the yerilable
copperhesd with its renowned fang, On the
shores Of The deep and muddy stream screams
the sea gull, the marsh hen, AMI the great sand
hill crow, the white heron aud the piping
mockina bird


Through these marshes wind nnumerlble
bayous, down which the children Of secession
hoated their smuggling barges and boats in their
trade along the bays of the gulf Here, since
the South has become acquainted with the
Yankees, many tale Of smuggling and crime
could be told. One is given me at this time


A party Of Yankee soliiers were upon re-
connoi,since, and after night fall they saw what
purported to be jack o lantern some distance
ahead of them, which aoated steadily away as
they followed in the direction OF what was after
wards found to be rebel rendezvous And this
was the decoy the rebels used 10 trap the Union
soldiers.


The soldiers followed for time, but noticed
the jack o. lantern kept owes the stream and
varied with its winding course, until their sus-
plcious were aroosed that all might not be
right and a sharpshooter drew bead upon it,
and there was ono jack o lantern less on the
turbd bayou.


The freedmen of the South are just now the
objects Of much discussion. Everybody is anxiou,
to know these things Will they take care Of
themselves as free men, and will they make ef-
fclent soldiers? Can they be educated? Can
they b. made useful citizens? My acquaintance
with the colored people IS daily more and more
intimate. Upon the plantations the system Oi
labor approaches to thai Of an oyerseer over
number Of foreign llborers, but the wages given
are merely nominal, and the hours are still early
and late As race they want teaching, tram
ing, and lea1lng to knowledge Of the value Of
their freedom This they will not learn as fast
upon the plantation where no appeal whatever
is made to their intellect as IN the ranks as
soldiers. There are no schools for laborers on
plantations They cannot teach themselves to
read if they had the time consequently the
generation now existing will get but a very
small amount of learning from their position
as laborers The children are sent to school,
and there can be but little difference in progress
observed between them and white children.


On the other hand, in the army the Freedman
ls to become the nucleus of civilization and ele-
yatiJn. The time given to their duties US
,oldiers will give them ample time for improve
meot Of body and mind. There are teachers tor
each regiment, and some three hours day is
devoted to study. They all engage il it with
ayidity and eaeerness and make rapid progress.
A book, the Sabbath, and the flag, are OBJECTS OF
an almost superslitious awe. When tue soldier
IS sent back t1 his home Us citizen, he will
carry back habits of nestness, soldierly bearing
aud intelligence, which cannot fail to have its
influence upon the race, In drill and the use
of lire arms, and upon artillery, they are ready,
apt, and equal in every respect to the white
troops Of the same time Of service.


Another feature of the organization Of the
Corps d Atrlque is its effect upon the ideas OF
virtue and morality which the negroes have
entertained previously Like a great many
white persons of the South, marriage was look
ed upon as au institution OF little mpor tance,
and as often as otherwise it was merely an al.
rangemcnt between the two parties, binding
only during the pleasure Of each, aud leaving
q very loose state Of morals throughout the en-
tire slave country. With the coorod people,
however, there is simple constancy which
should b. taken as an example OF virtue by those
who have been their masters, and with The
hosting Of the Dag, and the announcement that
the,e people we're free, thousands Of them pre-
viously living together applied to be "joned for
life, to be married under the aag," until it
is now one Of the most cOnmon events to see
persons approaching the Choplain's quarters,
dccked and ornamented in all The varieties Of
eStrayagaut gaady dress imaginable. One will
have an immense crinoline with dress hardly


in keeping, and perhaps no shoes or stocking,
whatever smother dashy dress with little else,
and stil the next, with dress aud CATERS like a
bride, and head dress shockingly dirty, and no
gloves or sleeves. They have little idea Of taste
OF nnntrnAL