The recent expedition of the enemy to Elizabeth City, N. C.
That Beast Butler had organized an expedition of negro troops into Elizabeth City, N. C., has been announced. It appears that the beast selected a fit representative to command the expedition.--The Raleigh (N. C.) Journal says: ‘ The expedition was commanded by Brig. Gen. Wilde, and consisted of two regiments of negroes, one of which was commanded by Ex Gov Todd, of Ohio. They landed at Elizabeth City on Friday, 18th ult., and spent some eight days before they returned, during which they destroyed ten buildings in the counties of Pasquotank, Camden, and Currituck, and outraged and plundered the people in the most heartless manner. Whilst in Elizabeth City the officers were all quartered on the most respectable families, indiscriminately, (the commissioned officers being white, the non-commissioned black,) and did not pay a dollar for anything they received. In most cases they compelled the white ladies to cook and wash for them. Reporting at Wilde's headquarters daily, they were questioned to know if they had been treated as "gentlemen," and particularly if any of the male members of the families they were quartered on talked secession doctrine. ’ On the streets the ladies of the place were jostled by the negro troops, and had to permit them to walk by their side and converse with them, on pain of arrest and punishment for insulting "United States troops!" Any information laid by a negro against man or woman was received as conclusive evidence and brought swift punishment upon the alleged offender. The negro ran riot during the Yankee stay in the Albemarle country. The commands of Capt. T. J. Elliott, 66th N. C. troops, and of Capt. Sandlin, came up with these villains twice, and succeeded in killing some forty to fifty of them, and wounding many more. They fled like wild deer on being fired upon, and were shot as they ran. A bright mulatto was captured and mistaken for a white man, and sent as a prisoner to Richmond by Capt. Elliott. On learning this, Gen. Wilde seized three ladies, one a relative of Capt. Elliott, and ironed them and took them off, notifying Capt. E. that if his negro soldier was hanged he would hang the ladies. Capt. E. Replied that he would do his duty unawed by the General's threat. With these helpless women a number of men were also captured. All of them were kept confined in the garret story of a house in Elizabeth City, in one room, the women being made to cook for the men, and this for several days. One of Col. J. R. Griffin's men, 62d Georgia cavalry, was captured, and on the bare statement of a negro was hanged by Gen. Wilde as a guerilla. This murder was ordered and witnessed by Wilde. On the Yankee retreat he was taken, with the other prisoners, as far as Hinton's Cross Roads, and there, in the presence of the women and the negro troops, he was hanged from a cross beam of an old house, where his remains were found forty-four hours afterwards by his Colonel, and buried with military honors. On the back or the murdered soldier was a label with the following words: ‘ "Here hangs a guerilla of Pasquotank county, Daniel Bright, by order of Brig. Gen. Wilde." ’ The unfortunate man's name was Daniel Bright, co L, 62d Georgia cavalry. We are indebted to Gov. Vance for the following letters from Wilde to Captains Rhott and Sanderlin, which show the brutal character of the wretch who penned them. Even if they had the right to use negroes as soldiers, which we deny, who ever heard of ladies being held as homages for soldiers captured by an enemy:[Copy.]
--I hold Major Gregory as a hostage for the colored soldier captured near Shiloh. I shall treat him exactly as your people treat that soldier. If they hang him, I shall hang Major Gregory; and you know by this time that I keep my word. Let the soldier be sent to Deep Creek Village, at the end of Dismal Swamp Canal, and Major Gregory shall be at once restored.[Copy.]
--I still hold in custody Mrs. Munden and Mrs. Weeks as hostages for the colored soldier taken by you. As he is treated so shall they be, even to hanging. By this time you know that I am in earnest. Guerillas are to be treated as pirates — You will never have rest until you renounce your present course or join the regular Confederate army.Any day that you will send your colored prisoner to Deep Creek Village, at the terminus of Dismast Swamp Canal you will find them women returned there the next day. This is on the faith of one who keeps his word.
These ladies were kept in handcuffs until taken to Norfolk, where they are kept in jail. They were guarded by negroes, who escorted them even to discharge the calls of nature. We have not space to narrate the many heartless cases of cruelty perpetrated by these fiends. One or two cases will suffice as examples. They entered the house occupied by the wife of Capt. Elliott's Quartermaster. As the poor woman sat at the fire she saw them deliberately cut a hole in the middle or the floor and fluid a fire therein to consume her house over her. She asked them if they could do that? They replied they could and would."Then burn," was the lady's patriotic response, "and I'll be a stronger Confederate than ever." A little before daylight the woman's husband returned and found his wife and four children huddled together in the corner of a fence in sight of the ashes of their late home! In one other case they fired a residence without giving any notice to the sleeping inhabitants, who were saved from death only by the timely waking up of a faithful slave.
