Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-09-06
Correspondence Of the Daily Patriot.
NEwMAx's REGIa EMF,
Vicinity of Cumberland Gap,

i " lcIufty Vi OumDcTlduQ zap, +
August 81, 1861.
| Since my last letter nothing has ira inspire
to disturb the reace of our camps or mai
the regular routine of our military exercises
save the continuous rains which have fallen
upon US for the past eight or ten days. II
commenced raining here on last Mo nday and
continued for more than three days almost
without intermission. 50 The windows Of
heaven were opened" and the floods de.
seconded without let or hindrance. Our boys
aud some of the tents did not present the
most favorable appearance, as the water
rushing through some OF them, forced the
occupants to seek quarters somewhere else
Their exit from the tents did not by any
means present the sunny side of a soldiers
life. As general thing we all kept comfor-
table and dry; we, however, found it quite
troublesome to keep our fires burning until
we could get something cooked for dinner.
A few of Us succeeded by dint of careful
nursing, and the protecting branches of a
large oak to cook few cakes of bread, and
prepare cup of strong coffee, which fully
repaid Us for our trouble.
This morning about sun up, or few mo-
ments before roll call, we were all startled,
not by al attack of the enemy, but by a
bona fide earthquake. We first heard it by a
low rumbling sound, rolling along the sur
face, with an occasional defamation, deep
and intense, as if from the very bowels of
mother earth to those lying upon the
ground a vibatory motion was plainly per-
ceptible. An officer laying in his cot was
awakened by its violent shaking; nurse
who was in brick building (our present
hospital) Informed me that it made the glass
rattle and the mortar fly from the bricks.
The sound came from the West, it appeared
to me, and fell off parallel with the noun
tains to the East. 1t is phenomenon that
we seldom meet with, and never fails to fill
US with awe and respect for that Supreme
Being who holds in the hollow of his hand
the destiny of nations"
Since our departure from Russelville,
owing to the difficult and rapid marches we
were forced to make. we have felt some con-
traction in the Commissary Department, with
which we deeply sympathised, but only for
a short time; thanks to the energy OF our
acting Commissary, we were soon beautifully
supplied. We believe from what we have
seen that there is great deal of knowledge
amongst the Commissariats as to the capaci-
ty of mans stomach, the exact dimensions
of which they are able to take, so that there
is nothing left, neither more nor less.
Of
thing that could give contentment to SOL
der; bacon, fat mutton, beef, meal, flour,
beans, potatoes, and molasses made from
the Chinese Sorghum, manufactured in this
and which are exceedingly
palatable. Nothing is wanting to make our
larder complete, save hogshead or two of
sugar, with which the real soldier can al
ways dispense with. If we could only draw
cool milk and butter fresh from the we'll. we
could prepare feast at anytime that would
satisfy the veriest gormand in the land
Dur friends may rest satisfied as to the guam
Lity and manuer in which we are fed. All
kinds of vegetables are brought by the coun-
Try people, who evidently bear to US friend
ship and good will. Our prospects are fat
tering to live well so long as we remain in
Powell's Vally. This mountain lies at the
base and runs parallel with Cumberland
and is drained by river of the
same name, tributary of the Clinch, run
ming parallel with the mountains on the
Tennessee side great distance. Some por-
tons of it are exceedingly fertile and well
cultivated, where we find intelligent people,
who are quite sociable and agreeable, and
have no sympathy with the tory leaders,
who by operating upon the ignorance and
prejudice of the uneducated, have attempted
TO plunge this portion of the State into
ratricidal war, but who have most 81 gnally
ailed. We have heard some of the most i'm
probable stor les which the tory leaders have
circulated, and would be believed by none
save the most profoundly ignorant-such as
the death of Beauregard, and the great Fed
eral victory at Manassas; and through such
gross misrepresentation, have the tory lead
ers attempted to inspire confidence in dy-
ing cause.
We are all looking forward with eagerness
10 the time when Kentucky will throw off
the masque, and present her true colors.-
Upon her action depends the lives of thou
sands. A strict neutrality ensures peace
upon her borders; cast it aside and her sons
rush forth to war; the arm of the son raised
against the father, and her name will reap
near in history as in the legend of the In