What four Deserters Say

BALTIMORE, March 24. – Four deserters arrived by the Old Point boat to-day, from the rebel army, all citizens of Eastern States who were made prisoners by the rebels last May, at Cedar Keys, Florida, where they had gone with the schooner Slug, to load with timber, which was confiscated.  The schooner was loaded with cotton, but she was subsequently burnt to escape a Federal cruiser.

The four men were obliged to enlist in the 2d Florida regiment, last January.  The regiment was ordered to Richmond, where they arrived the day after the battle of Bull Run.  They were finally sent to Yorktown.  They state that Mcgruder’s [sic] force around Yorktown is composed of about a dozen regiments, and that he has not over 4,000 effective fighting men.  But at Great Bethel and other points through the peninsula he has not less than fifteen thousand men. – There are some heavy guns near Yorktown.

During the last few weeks these forces have been engaged in building casemates, but not of a very formidable character.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, March 29, 1862, p. 4

Statement of Four Deserters

BALTIMORE, March 24.

Four deserters arrived here by the old Point boat to-day, from the rebel army, all citizens of Eastern States, who were made prisoners last May, at Cedar Keys, Florida, where they had gone in the schooner Stag to load with timber, which was confiscated.  The schooner was loaded with cannon, but she subsequently made her escape from a Federal cruiser.  The four men were obliged to enlist in the 2d Florida regiment.  Last July the regiment went to Richmond where they arrived the day after the battle of Bull Run.  They were finally sent to Yorktown.  They state that Magruder’s force around Yorktown is composed of about a dozen regiments and that he has not over 6000 effective fighting men, but at Great Bethel and other points through the Peninsula, he has not less than 15,000.  Some heavy guns are mounted near Yorktown, there are also fortifications three miles below Wyoming Creek.

During the last few weeks the forces have been engaged in building casemates, but not of a very formidable character.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Tuesday Morning, March 25, 1862, p. 1