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VOL. 1.
THE FREE SOUTH.
SEAUFOHT, S. CM JINE 13. 1863.
iienti for the Free South.
Tatlo* A Co. Hilton Head, and St. H?Ha.i Island.
C. C. Luoo, No. 1 Mercer street. New York.
With this number my connection with
the Free South closes, having disjwsed of
my interest in the same to Joseph Wilkes,
who will continue to conduct it as heretofore,
in the interest of the government
and for the furtherance of the policy of
thi? Department Hoping that he may
make it advantageous to himself and eminently
useful to the great interests of the
Department I bid the readers of the sheet
farewell. J. M. Latta.
It will be seen from the above that Mr.
J. M. Latta has disposed of his interest
in the Free South, and that the undersigned
has assumed the same.
No change in the general policy of the
paper will be made other than*a more earnest
desire to render it useful and subser.
vient to the wants and interests of the government.
It is believed that a paper, well
conducted, thoroughly loyal, and in harmony
with the policy of the Administration
of the Department, is indispensable
at this place. *iot unmindful of the risks
# and inevitable difficulties in the eondnct
of an enterprize of the kind, in the midst
of war, still we do not hesitate to incur
the former and meet and conquer the latter,
if possible. If cheerful toil, earnest
devotion to the great principles of the
Government, and anxious endeavor to cooperate
in any and every way possible to
their full execution, shall deserve success,
then it will not be doubtfuL These we
pledge to the administration and to our
readers. Joseph \^ilkes.
The Pbivate Soldlek.?In the honors
-awaifed to the men who wear the equalette
and carry the sword, we are apt to forget
^ the brave and conscierilious spirits in the
rank*. If the eomolete of this war
B^^M^^^^^~J^*<*,j|ritten ^orld would stand
thousands of instances of
- of those who, -afiPix dbntry%
troubles, left beCnd the comforts, a?i freFM
quently the luxdlries and opulence of home,
t + j to serve as privates under officers in many
cases their inferiors in capacity and intellect.
In despotism and monarchies the
masses, are driven like dumb beasts to the
slaughter of the battle-field. Nothing but
a close imitation of this example has filled
the cohorts of slavery in this war. It is
the patriotic fire, the enthusiastic attachment
to the flag, the free-will proffering of
energy and devotion to the Government,
that have crowded and made invincible the
armies of the Union. When we remember
that many a private soldier is the representative
of a large kindred, and beloved
in an endless circle of acquaintances, it is
sad to think that however glorious his
death, it is too rarelv mourned outside of
his immediate family and friends. But it
is one of the compensating and ennobling
aspects of the present times, and, as snch,
is a glorious contrast with the experience
of the past, that our journals, especially
those of local circulation, contain frequent
sketches of the unselfish bravery of the
private soldiers. Not a few who are placed
in positions of command and responsibility,
might find in the lives of the private
soldiers much which they could emulate
with profit to themselves and honor to
their country.
J?" "We are happy to announce the arrival,
by the Arago, of General Saxtox
and lady. The- General and his lady left
Pofln#Ai4 nn 4Tia loot /vf 4...
JL^WU*V*V V/** uw? Wi|7 U1 U1V J.\ l uy'j
north, visited Washington, transacted business,
and is at his post again, by the return
of the steamer. The people, all, civil
and military, rejoice to welceme him home
again. .
The issue of legal tender notes has been
discontinued. The total amount o^greenbacks
now in circulation is not far from
8405,000,000.
THE PREE SOUTH, SAT
Jirn Montgomery Still at Work.
From St. Simons, (Ga.) Island, we learn
that Col. Montgomery is determined that
1 flirk fnrnoe nndor onii^cin/1 clioll iinf
remain idle.
Upon arriving at his post, He immediately
went to work to discover what the rebels
were about in his vicinity, and what damage
he could inflict upon them in the way
of destroying valuable property.
On the 8th inst., with four companies of
the 2d S. C., on board the Hariet A. Weed
and the John Adams, he ascended Turtle
river to within a short distance of Brunswick,
and after throwing a few shells into
the plain, discovered that it was entirely
deserted. The Harriet A. Weed getting
aground, and the John Adams drawing too
much water it was deemed advisable not
to occupy the city, or proceed further up
the river.
Captains Apthorp and Adams, desiring
not to return without accomplishing something
took a skiff with six men, rowed up
to the bridge of the Savannah and Brunswick
Bail Road, fired, it in four different
: places and had the satisfaction of seeing it
totally destroyed before they returned.
On their return to the steamer they were
fired upon from a thicket by some fifteen
! nv vaKalc Vint witK tVio ar/iontinn
VI AVWOj VHV TT AUU KUV VAVV^VJVU I
of Sergeant Leeonard who recei^d a Blight
flesh wound in the arm, not a man was hit. j
After shelling the woods by the John
Adams the party returned to St Simons
Island.
The Fbeedmen ln the Depabtmknt of
thM Cumberland.?At last something like
a consistent policy is beginning to obtain
in reference to the treatment of the freedmen
who have fallen into 9m- hands during
the process of the war. In the department
of General Grant a definite plan of
operations was several weeks ago announced,
and now we are informed that in
the Department of the Cumberland a similarly
definite system Jjas been organized.
In that department there are some twentyfive
thousand able-bodied negroes; these
are to be organized into companies of (
thirty commanded and superintendecrby
loyal Tennesseeani who have been
driven from their homes by rebel violence,
and will be employed in building fortificat.innH
and ronds in rpmnvincr nhntriwiinna i
and in such other labor as they may be
adapted to perform.
In this way the effectiveness of the army
will be vastly increased, in that the pioneer
and mechanic brigades, hitherto employed
exclusively in building bridges, constructing
roads, erecting defenses, and the like,
will return to more legitimate soldier duty;
while at the same time the freedmen, judiciously
directed, will be fitted for selfsustaining,
effective labor, and advance in
their fitness for the condition of perfect
freedom which they must soon occupy.
No doubt is entertained that the organization
proposed will be successfully accomplished
; indeed, it is said that the first
brigade will be organized with a delay of
but a day or two. Undoubtedly it will one
of these davs Drove a terrible shook to the
sensitive slavebolding rebel leaders to find i
brigades of colored troops, commanded by
loyal whites, who have been driven from
their homes because they unfortunately i
owned no negroes, marching into their 1
midst under the old flag, prepared to vindicate
the law and re-establish the authority
of the nation where it had so long been
defied.
Jg^-We would call the attention of our
patrons to the card of Sam. A. Cooley, in
another column, in which he announces
the fact that he has established a Photographic
Gallery over his store, where he
would be pleased, for a slight consideration,
to catch with the sun's rays the fair
features of the belles and the bronzed j
| faces of the officers and soldiers fingering i
I in and around the city of Beaufort. From 1
a personal inspection 01 ins gallery we do
not hesitate to say that the specimens of
his art to be found therein would adorn
the walls of any Photographic saloon in
the city of New York.
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URDAY, JUNE 13,1863.
THE SIEGE OF YICKSBHRG.
! Terrific Bombardment of the
City.
OUR WHOLE LIKE OF GUNS OPENED
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A~ Conflagration in Vicksburg,
CAPTURE IF TWELVE REBEL AESfiEJICERS.
Ac., Ac*, Ac*
Washington, Friday, June 5, 18?3.
Up to midnight no official adviceffrom
Vicksburg have been received later than
those of the 31st of May; but a few additional
particulars give rather a more cheerful
indication of good results.
Extracts from to-day's Richmond papers
are represented by those who read the telegrams
as containing nothing of special
! interest from any quarter.
m" Cabio, June 5, 1863.
The dispatch boat, Gen. Lyon, from
Vicksburg, Monday night, has arrived.?
Firing was kept up all of Monday. Gen.
[ Sherman's troops on the right wing could
I be seen in motion. When the Lyon left
I m r.Vi V n trraa rrr\y -r\ rr /\n
tvv a wunn^ioMvu nai uu
I in the city. Some supposed our shells
had set the buildings on fire, while others
conjectured that the Rebels were destroying
their supplies preparatory to surrendering.
Gen. Grant's numbers and position
must be absolutely impregnable in a few
| days. Particulars cannot be given, but
they are of the most cheering character.
The steamer Chancellor and Atlantic,
loaded with troops, when near Island No.
62, on Wednesday, wAe fired on by guerrillas
from the Mississippi shore. One
captain and two privates were killed, and
several wounded.
Chicago, June 5, 1863.
A speeial dispatch from the rear <*)f
VicAburg, dat-etHMay^l st, stvye :
The bombardment of Vicksburg continues.
*
All the guns, in position, opened fire at
midnight, and continued their lire until
daylight
The rapidity of the firing was rwparal;
lelecl
It is believed great damage was inflicted
by the fire.
Twelve Rebels were captured at daylight
yesterday, endeavoring to run our
pickets and get into the city.
Two hundred thousand percussion caps
were found in their possession.
One of the Rebels, a boy, came out of
the city ten days ago, took the oath of allegiance,
and was allowed to go home, five
miles back. He will probably be condemned
as a spy.
Gen. Joe Johnson is reported to be
moving toward Jackson, but not in force
sufficient to attack us.
Philadelphia, June 5,1863.
A special dispatch from Cincinnati today,
to The Bulletiuy but entirely discredited
by that paper, says :
"A report is current hereto-day that
Gen. Joe Johnson, instead of marching
on Gen. Grant's rear to relieve Gen. Pemberton,
is advancing in force on Memphis.
The report comes in various shapes, and
is somewhat credited."
^ Walnut Hills, Vicksburg, May 28.
f)eserters from all parts of the rebel
lines state the garrison of Vicksburg at
1 from 20,000 to 25,000 strong; that the
trenches or forts are not relieved day or
night, and that thev are now living on
quarter rations of corn bread and boiled
fresh beef. Their reserve is only one
brigade and a half. The mjority of the
troops are willing to surrender the ?ity.
Our shells are destroying the. buildings,
and the inhabitants live in caves to escape
death.
Gen. Pemberton sent some families,
with their negroes, into our lines yesteri
m
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^NO. 23.
day, but Gen. Grai.'t sent the former back,
and kept the negroes to wori^fqr us.
The guerrillas hare made raids at and
above La^e Providence, and run off a
numbdl of negroes.
Our sappers and miners ate progressing
successfully with their work of gradual approach,
and in some placet have reached
, within a lew yards of tfce rebel works.?
The rebel Rhamshooters do not dare to
fire, ncif tlie men in the rifle-pits to show ,!
their heads above the works.
Our loss in killed and wounded during
the siege, which commenced on the 8th,
will notr exceed 1,800 or 2,000,. the first accounts
having been greatly exaggerated.
The rebels may have to be starved out ^ ,.
but there need be no fears entertained of
the capture of Yicksburg and its entire . ^ ^
garrison. u "
From WaRhi?gtonv
Washington, June 5.
, Gen. Gilmore bos left town. It is still
a matter ?f controversy whether he goes
to South Carolina to supercede General
Hunter in the command of the Department
of the South ca- to do a special piece
of work in the department under its present
head. ' The better opinion would seem
to be in favor of the truth of the former
alternative.
The colored men of the District lieidcs *? ?
enthusiastic mass meeting in the rear of
the Capitol this afternoon. Much enthu
aiasm prevailed. Speeches were made by
Col. Berney, recently appointed Inspector
and Col Turner and Lieut. Coi. Raymond
of the First District Regiment. The-colored
troops for the first time marched
through the streets of Washington, fnlly
uniformed and equipped, preceded by a
band. One hundred addditional recruits
t i
have been enlisted. No disturbance occurred.
The colored soldiers were cheered
on Pennsylvania Avenue.
r ,
From Hooker*# Arm jr..
Washington, June 5,1863.
The following telegraph was received
here this morning: $
Sj* Fairfax Court House, Ya., June -L
All is quiet along our lines and in front,
on the Orange and Alexandria Railroad.
This morning, when the relief passu cl, our . ^
pickets were attacked on Sawyer's road by
guerillas. CoL Gray at once started with
about 120 men in search of them, but
could find nothing of them in the woods.
He then went on- to scout the whole conntry,
and when he passed Frying Fan hi*
rear guard was attacked by about 100
Rebels, who were hidden in a thick wood.
CoL Gray turned his column and charged
the Rebels, who fled in great haste through
the woods. We followed them up to Al*
dies, and from there returned via Dranee- ?
ville, Our loss is three wounded and some
horses wounded. We captured their surgeon,
Dr. Alexander.
J. Stahel, Major-Gen eral.
From Mexico.
Panama, May 27, 1863.
The steamer Oi'izaba, with 67 passengers
and $1,200,000 in treasure is in from San
Francisco. She brings late news from
Mexico via Acapuloo, to the effect that
the French have met with another severe
defeat at Puebk, and were again repulsed,
Gen. Comonfort, with 18,000 men, having
added his forces to the defenders of the
place. I give this as a rumor ; you may
have confirmation of it by way of Havana.
Nashville, June 5, 1863.
News from Franklin up to 2 o'clock today
is that CoL Band, commanding the
garrison, was attacked by 1,200 Rebel cav- '
airy yesterday, drove his forces back into
their intrenchments. They rallied, how- *
ever, and repulsed the enemy, with heavy *
loss to the latter.
Simultaneously an attack was made up- ,
on the forces of Triune. They were repulsed
with a loss of 200 men, 400 horses
and a lot of camp and garrison equipage.
ri TTI L 1 l._l J i
vjtcii. i' rtjmuut iiut> ueipeu iu mi.wer w0
question, "What shall be. done with the
negroes ?" He says, " Let thein work on
the Pacific Railroad."
Brig. Gen. Wild, with ^is staff, sailed^
from New York, for Newbern, to organize
a negro brigade. <
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