Fremont Journal

Major Seward, of the 2d Cavalry, who with his command was in the famous raid made under Wilson from Grant's army in speaking in a letter of the return of the troops within our lines, says:

Those who witnessed the attack of the rebels upon the unarmed blacks, who were huddled together in a hollow so as not to impede the escape of the white men, call it the most heart-sickening scene they ever beheld. The black cloud was composed of all ages, "from one to a hundred years." A large number were females. On these the rebels fired repeatedly and charged sabre in hand. Papers say many were recaptured; I have seen no mention of the slain. About four hundred did escape with Wilson. They were not allowed to travel in column, and dared not fall in rear. So they took to the woods and fields, keeping up with the head of the column, which trotted for the first two hours and maintained a fast gait all the way through. You can imagine the fear and dread these poor people felt at being retaken, when mothers in their rapid flight would throw their helpless children into a fence corner or elsewhere, and leave them to perish.

During our long and tedious march I knew we were treading on dangerous ground; knew that rebels were on each flank and in rear, ready to fall upon us at the favorable time;—knew that but few could return, possibly none. This would naturally make a man sad when he thought of friends at home, but to see the poor slaves flocking to us for protection, like doves to their windows, and knowing at the same time the impossibility of one in a hundred getting through in safety, was not only cause of sadness, but of tears. I am not ashamed to acknowledge that amount of weakness. The result proved my forebodings, although more escaped than I thought would be able to do so.