A Yankee Picture of Charleston.
We find in the New York Tribune a letter, eight columns long, written from Charleston by its special correspondent. In point of letters, the Confederates see what it is to be subjugated. This man's letter is worth a whole sheet of Confederate editorials. In it the facts stand out in boastful nakedness, and no one can read them without realizing that our own press has not yet told half the story. Among the first incidents attending the writer's advent at Charleston was the characteristic one of advising a negro in one of the deserted offices to break a plaster cast of Calhoun, a feat which, being accomplished, is considered a great victory. We copy some extracts from the letter, which may be read with profit as well as interest:
The negro troops enter Charleston.
The first national soldiers that landed in Charleston in the capacity of masters of the rebel city were the South Carolina negroes (thank God!) of the Twenty-first United States colored troops.--There was also a detachment of the gallant Massachusetts Fifty-fourth, who were the first negro troops to demonstrate on Southern soil the splendid fighting qualities of the colored race. They were the heroes of Fort Wagner, where Shaw lies buried "under his niggers," as the brutal ruffians reported. The Pennsylvania Fifty-second formed the rest of the forces of occupation.Soon the Star-Spangled Banner floated from the top of the custom-house, the citadel and the arsenal — waving for the first time here over free soil and a people free.
All the public buildings were immediately taken possession of, and detachments stationed to guard them.
The negro Provost-Guard.
Lieutenant-Colonel Bennett is Provost-Marshal, and Major Willoughby Assistant Provost-Marshal. Two companies of the Fifty-fourth Massachusetts are doing provost-marshal duty. At every public building the tidy negro sentinels can be seen halting citizens, ordering them back, or examining their passes. They are well-behaved gentlemen, and contrast very favorably with some of the rebel citizens. I heard of one citizen, a woman, who complained of them as insolent.
"Insolence" of the Colored troops.
"Do the Yankees trouble you?" was asked of this person."No," she said; "the Yankees don't, but your negroes do."
"They do not insult you, do they?"
"No, not me; but they do others."
"What do they do?"
"Oh! they won't turn out of the sidewalk for you, and they will go up to a white man and ask him for a light for their cigars!"
To appreciate this enormity fully, it should be known that it is a part of the unwritten laws of South Carolina that every negro, on meeting a white person on the sidewalk, shall give them the inside, or "the wall." Some seditious Yankees have probably advised the negroes of the fact that this lex non scripta is repealed, or at least played out.
Since one of our soldiers went into a Catholic cathedral in Mexico and requested a priest to give him one of the tapers to light his cigar, there has probably nothing been done by American troops so offensive to the feelings of the natives of a conquered country as was perpetrated when the first negro soldier stepped up to one of the scions of the chivalry here and asked him for a light, "But things like this, you know, must be, after a famous victory." as the uncle of little Peter Kinvey judiciously remarked.
The Massachusetts Fifty-fifth.
On Tuesday evening, about 7 o'clock, we heard prolonged and hearty cheering in a neighboring street. I ran in the direction indicated by the shouts, and found that the Massachusetts Fifty- fifth (colored) regiment had just landed in the city.
‘ John Brown's body lies a mouldering in the grave,
John Brown's body lies a mouldering in the grave,
John Brown's body lies a mouldering in the grave,
His soul is marching on!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
We go marching on!
We'll hang Jeff. Davis on a crab-apple tree,
We'll hang Jeff. Davis on a crab-apple tree,
We'll hang Jeff. Davis on a crab-apple tree,
As we go marching on'
’
Imagine, if you can, this stirring song chanted with the most rapturous, most exultant emphasis, by a regiment of negro troops, who had been lying in sight of Charleston for nearly two years — as they trod with tumultuous delight along the streets of this pro-slavery city, whose soil they had just touched for the first time — imagine them, in the dim light of the evening, seeing on every side groups of their own race — men, women, maidens and little children, who greeted them with a joy that knew no bounds save that of physical ability to express itself fully — imagine them, as they finished their song of triumph, unite with equal ecstasy in joining in that other thrilling melody:
‘ Down with the traitor,
Up with the flag--
’
Imagine them cheer, as only triumphant troops can cheer, in honor of the "stars and stripes," and "Massachusetts," and "Governor Andrew," and you may conceive, (albeit very faintly,) the sublime and unequalled scene that I had the privilege of witnessing on Tuesday night in Charleston.
I heard a lieutenant of the Fifty-fifth, in command of company I, give the order, " Shoulder Arms," and in a minute afterward shook hands with him, for he was an old acquaintance. Who do you think he was? The son of William Lloyd Garrison!
A Complimentary dinner — comic songs by the Colored Brethren.
Mr. Getty, the agent of the Philadelphia bounty to Savannah, invited a large party to dinner to commemorate the day. General Webster (chief of General Sherman's staff) presided. The dinner was held at the house of a colored man, noted (like the New York Downings and the Boston Smith) for being the chief of the class of caterers in Charleston.After the dinner (probably the best that has been eaten in this lean and empty-bellied city since the blockade began), the following toasts were proposed, responded to, and drunk with the customary honors:
"The Memory of Washington: First in peace, first in war, first in the hearts of his countrymen."
"The President of the United States: Here, in the 'last ditch' of the rebellion, we love him for his fidelity, honor him for his integrity, and praise him for his steadfastness to our cause and principles."
By Captain Hunt, of the Shenandoah.
"Peace: Not that peace which passeth understandingly, of which we hear as we sit by the side of the murmuring Brooks and the copperhead- haunted Woods of New York, but a peace founded on Liberty and Justice, which shall revive commerce, trade and arts, and give us full security for the past and indemnity for the future."
By James Redpath, of Boston.
"The Poor of Charleston: Wherever we find the traitor we strike him down; wherever we find his victim we lift him up."
Response by Captain Fowler, chief commissary of the district. When the rebels evacuated Charleston they left 500,000 bushels of rice, which had been captured, 50,000 bushels of which were cleaned. It had been determined to distribute this large supply (2,000,000 of rations) to the poor of Charleston without distinction of color. Captain Fowler has the distribution of these stores, and these facts furnished him with the materials of his speech in response. He offered as a volunteer toast:
Our Colored Soldiers--Which was enthusiastically received.
Colonel Markland gave as a volunteer toast:
The Loyal Men of the South--Which was responded to by Messrs. Rooks and Daley, two citizens of Charleston who have been faithful to their country.
The entertainment passed off very pleasantly, and concluded by a comic song (of genuine negro humor) by a party of colored men. It was one of the few comic songs that are of negro origin, for most of their melodies are sad and plaintive. A colored band (Robert Lord's) was in attendance, and did credit to themselves, as well as added much to the festivity of the assembly.
A Newspaper office Goes up the "Espout."
There was a rather humorous scene at the office of the Charleston Courier. --The editors had run away, but the business man remained and hoped to save his property. Colonel Woodford called at the office at an early hour, and the following conversation took place:Colonel W.--"Whom have I the pleasure of addressing, sir?"
Newspaper proprietor.--"Mr. L--, sir."
Colonel W.--"Will you do me the favor, sir, to loan me a sheet of paper."
Mr. L. (looking at the Colonel's shoulder-straps.)--"Certainly, sir, certainly. "
Colonel W.""Thank you, Mr. L--, might I trouble you for pen and ink? "
Mr. L.--"With pleasure, sir."
Colonel W.--(Begins to write.)--"Really, sir, I am sorry to trouble you so much, but this ink won't flow; will you be good enough to get another bottle?"
Mr. L.--"Oh, certainly, sir; no trouble at all."
Colonel W.--(writes)
Office Provost-Marshal-General D. S.,
Charleston, South Carolina,
February 28, 1865.
Special Orders, No. 1. "The Charleston Courier establishment is hereby [Mr. L. saw the writing and looked startled and troubled] taken possession of by the United States."
Mr. L. Soult not endure this any
