An almost daily incident of the Federal blockading fleet was the rescue from frail boats of negro slaves, officially reported by the Federals as "intelligent contrabands," who at the risk of their lives deserted their owners and escaped to the Federal warships several miles from the beach. They numbered several hundred during the war, and I am informed that very few of them returned from the North, where many settled in their new-found freedom. Some of the more industrious prospered, but a larger proportion died from exposure to the rigorously cold winters of the North. Specimens of the official reports of such cases follow: "U.S.S. 'Monticello,' "Off Wilmington, N.C., "_September 22, 1862_. "Sir: I beg leave to forward you the following information obtained from the within named persons, who came off to this vessel this morning: "Frank Clinton, aged thirty-five years, belonging to Robert H. Cowan. "Samuel Mince, aged twenty-three years, belonging to Mrs. Elizabeth Mints. "Thomas Cowen, aged twenty-four years, belonging to Mrs. J.G. Wright. "Charles Millett, aged twenty-eight years, belonging to Mrs. John Walker. "James Brown, aged twenty-three years, belonging to John Brown. "Horace Smith, aged twenty-two years, belonging to Mrs. William Smith. "David Mallett, aged twenty-six years, belonging to Mrs. John Walker. "The gunboat _North Carolina_ is to be launched next Saturday and is to be clad with railroad iron down to the water's edge. The sides of the boat are built angular, and the guns are to be mounted on a covered deck. The lower part of the hull is of pine and the upper of heavy oak. This vessel is to be fitted up by Mr. Benjamin Beery and the engine she is to have is to come out of the steamer _Uncle Ben_, formerly a tugboat. The contrabands state that they are sanguine of having her ready by the 10th of October, 1862. These contrabands are from in and about Wilmington city, and they all agree in stating that that city is completely entrenched and guns mounted at every half mile upon the works. From their account Cape Fear River has several batteries upon its banks. The first is called Camp Brown, two miles from the city, which is an earth and log work on the right-hand side going up the river, and mounts two guns; opposite to it are obstructions in the river, consisting of sunken cribs. The next fort below is called Mount Tirza and mounts two guns and is on the same side of the river. The next is Fort St. Philip, a large work, mounting sixteen guns, near Old Brunswick, on the left-hand side of the river going up. Opposite this last-named work the obstructions in the river are heavy piles with a narrow passageway through them. At this point the lightboat, which was taken from Frying Pan Shoals, is anchored inside the obstruction and mounts four guns. There is also a lightboat anchored inside Zeek's Island, mounting a like number of guns. One of these contrabands is from Fayetteville, N.