The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-11-29
WAR MOVEMENTS IN THE WEST.
OUR CAIRO CORRESPONDENCE.

Tj,cardS the Observation-Disclosures Against It's Edi
tors-Fseing of The Masses in Ken,tcIy-March Of the
Troops What They Sao and Hon They We're Receiped-
The Dssolations of War-Barbarl,y Of The Rebeis-TAe
Loss at The Battle Of Bemontore Incidents Of the Bat
lie, DC, dc.
The last has been the most excited and exciting week
OF the campaign thus far the West for aside from our
own local Affairs we have been continually looking Tor
and receiving the glorious from the sea
board and tho East that end has been put to our ap
parent ethargy period to the paragraph of our
national Close upon the track Of our own spen
did achievement Belmont tho news OF the fall OF
Beaufort the victory Of Pkevc. Hentzelmans success
full advances and tho Of the great army OF the
West from It's wild chase after Prices hordesrcturned,
untsr Hunter to the Mississippi to cooperate In the
more important service against the rebels in their strong
holds below us Then rejoice at tho vague report OF
the capture of the Sumter pirates in the Gulf and at tho
overhaulng of Mason and Sdel at the gallant uprising
Of the loyal in the mountains Of East Tennessee
and at tho check which government has put upon profit
gacy and mismanagement by the removal Of Fremont.
Have we not reason to rejoiceS
But whewe rejoice these things, we sadden and
scsen at the thought that while we citizen soldiers,
doing all that possibly be done to save the prestige
OF government clique shall be found nestled in
midst working openly and covertly aid the cause Of
leaders, and their dabolica attempts descending to
the most foul and callmnous lies perversons and mis-
representations Of all that pertains to the machinery Of
the in the West Conspicuous among those who
bending every energy TO destroy the confidence OF tho
people in thor government stands the Chicago Tribune,
around which twinkle little by nine satellites,
score or two of country village newspapersau finding,
meidlesome and mischicvous For long time there has
been feeling Of hostility manifested against its mag-
nant slurs and filings at the honesty or capacity Of
officers, at its ignorant criticisms Of every and
project, however great or small. But community OF
citizens and soldiers curbcd their suffered
it TO continue its attacks and vtupcraons until Thursday
last when their ebutons could longer be controlled,
and they gave veno sis long suppressed feelings OF
outraged justice by holding company and regmenta in
dignaton meetings, Mt which resolutions unani-
mously passed not to purchase read, or
Ia any tolerate aid its circulation
and agreeing that If any Editor connected with il should
visit the town camp to drum him out to the the
'Ro0ae March" Its principal editor was in town the
night before, but wisely loft early the morning. not
however, until he had been ordered Of General Grants
Office and given plainly to understand what was the sen
timeut against him Ho ordered by Captain
Lagow and compelled to 50 ashore from the steamer
Aleck Scott on the same evening upon which he had
struggled himself as she was about to down the
river under ag Of truce TO arrange for exchange OF
prisoners The immediate cause Of all this hue and cry
has been the appearance of series Of editorials and ro
ports stgmatizing splendid victory at Belmont as a
disastrous defeat and humatng repuse arraigning
Generals Grant and McCernand upon charge of
and incompotcncy and INDUCING in language derogatory
the brave troops who then and there the first great
triumph in tho West. Why tho Tribune should persist in
its perversons and examinations, in the face the most
a
get recovered Of its old abolition itch, and must needs
make upon everything that docs smack of its
own fanatcsm. Generals Grant and Mcclernaud are
both democrats their brigades are democratic bri
gades, their Colones Majors, Captains and officers and
rvates democrats they have fought like democrats
and when asporsed by malignant and hypocrtcai
elimination, vindcate themselves in democratic ia hion
In the tumnit Of cleaning incidents Of the battle OF
belmont sailing OF flags of truce, deaths Of the wounded
exchange Of prisoners visiting outposts and the thousand
aud miuute OF the fruits OF the engagement have
neglected TO write Of what observed Of tho feeling OF
the communities through which we passed in our march
from Cairo TO Observation-Disclosures OF Importance as
they mirror the state Of society and give Knowledge
Of the people with whom warning The most
notable ba observed tho route was the entrc
absence OF the male population The had gone TO the
camp Of Iea Thompson, leaving thor wives and families
10 the mercy of whoever might under whatever preex
marand over the country The women whom we saw
very generally tacturn and suen the negroes Jolly
and expectant Of immediate emancipation Some OF the
with whom conversed asseverated roundly
that their husbands pressed into Thompson's
army while others as strongly asserted the reason Of
their male friends absence that they were |
Union men" and had been obliged to nv the |
country to avoid impressmsnt Probably bloom.
field presented true picture of tho true state OF
feeling any place found upon the route The |
village bad been 80 huredy evacuated by tbs Missouri
state Guard Of JEFF. Thompson that time could be
Ioe by the vaiants in taking their wives and it,
lie the nrs OF whom they had been taught believe
would BIO outraged and ravished by the Northern hrcng
black republican abolition soldiers and the latter killed
cold blood check the grow Of rebellion AS a con.
sequence found the women in and trembling
fearful TO tho last degree few, very few defiant
boas.fn but the vast majority really seeming to believe
that they TO be made the victims horde Of mis-
crcan,s the Of the Northern cyties and the yery
dregs Of society," Little Children when they saw our
troops a coming" would fly to the beds and closets
and out Of the way places, screaming in terror and
frantic at what they believed to be immediate annhiIa
ton The only persons who seemed TO greet with any,
thing like appreciation few 'chattesn who came
camp with their little bundles clothes and trinkets
tied gorgeousy colored cotton and an
nounced themselves "mghty win' TO clar out ~ evil
IDENTIFY considering that the whole mission Of the Northern
army was 10 bera,c them from their masters 1t was
really ptul to see them when they told that they
could 60 TO 'Ilnoy' with us-hat came there 10
protect their masters and msresscs rather than to rob
them. But even this was not painful to witness
as the ignorance and infatuaton of the whites
conversed with many, and do not remember single case
where those with whom talked had any idea Of the
jects Of this They as firmly believed that were
iberate their blacks rob, plumber rayish md
burn, that had como 1t all and not a few names
given mo OF whole families who had ned to tho
woods upon our approach, and then starving or
feeding wild fruits In order TO themselves from
more terrible fate Our army was called only the
'sback republicans and only evil associated with
our presence but il II had been for few rovdy
squads in Some Of the regiments, who were continually
breaking out Of camp and committing misdemeanors l
believe that the impression which would have left bs
hind would have entirely removed the wild haucinaton
and confirmed the Of the whole community through
which passed to the Union. But unhappily some OF
the regiments unfortunate officers who
either would not could not control the men and the
result that ravages committed upon property
such will cause the blush TO the oya! cheek
when they recounted. However lest some repi.
ments who innocent mny suffer from the general
charge will state that the Twenty ninth Eighteenth and
Eleventh conducted themselves became who were
| fighting for principle and not for pillage
ought TO mention hore that found single family
at Bloomfield who had stood up bravely the Union
and avowed their principles in the face the rebel army
This family that OF old Father Norman
ated Methodist minister who had been and grown
| gray in tho community where found him. He was
PROSTATE upon bed Of sickness probably death when
entered the village but when he heard that we were
there he lifted his eyes and hands voice and heart 10
Heaven and with mingled smiles and tears Of Joy prayed
~ never heard pray before that presence and
our Union and our government might be perpetual HIS
daughter Sarah, beautiful young lady Of twenty sum
mers alone ct the street corner when our brave
troops fled ~ into town waving her handkerchief and
would have taken ten years from the old age Of the
most stoical old curmudgeon in Chr stendOm 10 have
heard blue coated suckers" cheer her when thcv
learned that she the only Union lady Bloomfield