Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1861-06-28
Condition Of AGsirs at the South.

We have, at last, authentic advices from
the South, giving an inkling of what has
occurred there since the rebellion broke out.
1t has been furnished to us by a Northern
gentleman, just arrived, who has been en-
ployed upon one of the Southern railroads
for the past FIVE years, and who, from his
intelligence, knowledge of engineering and
tes imonials, is every way worthy of belief
in regard to the statements which he makes.
And first, as to the real condition of affairs
at the South he has not q doubt that there
are impressed into the rebel armies many
Northerners who are at heart Union men.
OF the Southerners generally, their almost
unanimous declaration was that they would
never submit to the domination of the North.
He conversed with many of the leading men,
and among others with Jefferson Davis, the
rebel President, of whom he inquired as to
the prospects Of the South in the coming
struggle. Mr.. Davis at that time had un-
bounded confidence in a division OF the
North, which would cripple their power, and
under such circumstances he had no doubt
of the ability of the South 10 maintain their
independence. This was also the opinion Of
the Southern people generally.
quiet. The rebel Government was making
this position camp for their troops-that
is, they were sending off the well drilled
troops to Virginia, and supplying their places
with new recruits, to be made into good
| soldiers. They have long ago given up the
| intention of taking Fort Pickens. He heard
of no scarcity of ammunition of the South.
They had now several powder-mills in oper-
alton, and he knew of his own knowledge of
five car loads of powder carried to Pensacola.
He also states from the best authority that
eighty thousand Enfield muskets fron Havana
were received at New Orleans Just before the
Brooklyn reached the Gulf to commence the
blockade. In regard to the important mat
ter of how large number Of rebel troops
have been sent to Virginia, our informant
does not speak by guess work or rumor, his
position upon the railroad enabling him to
state with considerable degree of accuracy.
He says that twenty one regiments had
passed through Montgomery on the way to
Virginia. Above Montgomery he can not
give the exact numbers but he has not the
least doubt, from what he has seen and
heard, that full eighty thousand men have
been forwarded to that State by the South.
He states that they will not compare in
stature with the men of the North; they are
we'll equipped, but not well clothed, and in
many cases without over coats. They are,
| as general thing, pretty well drilled, but
fail in discipline or subordination, as it may
be called. He especially admired Zouave
regiment from Louisiana, composed entirely
of Frenchmen, fully equipped; but even this
| regiment from want OF discipline sadly
| frightened the people of Montgomery. By
! some oversight they received no food on the
way TO Montgomery, and when they reacS
| that city they were perfectly savage, bt
ing into private dwellings and deman'
something to eat. Their officers fou
necessary to shoot five of them to
| order. There was no doubt that Lieu
| Stevens, a native of New Hampshire,
| full engineer, and formerly empleye
| the coast survey, was in the rebel
holding the position of Captain
| gineers.
At New Orleans no Union sentimentsN
| allowed. In the first stages of the rebelh,
the merchants held out tagainst it, but they
were finally obliged to come in. There is in
that city great scarcity of goods. One mer-
chant told our informant that not a yard Of
blue cloth for uniforms was to be had even
| II $40 per yard should be offered; they had
| dyed all the flannel for that purpose, but
even that had now given out Shoes also
were quite scarce. He witnessed in that city
a slight movement of the mob. News came
that the agent of Brown Brothers, 1.-THE great
English banking frm,) at New York, had
subscribed $4,000 to the soldiers fund Of
the North. Upon this, about FIVE thousand
men proceeded to the Office of the agent Of
the firm in New Orleans, took down his sign
and ordered him to leave the city. The Mayor
put up the sign, but the mob took il down
again, and the agent was obliged to leave.
In proceeding North from New Orleans our
informant met with many soldiers on the
way, generally rough looking set. he gives
a conclusive item in regard TO the continued
shipment of provisions 70 the South. He was
at Bowling Green, Kentucky, last Monday.
He there counted one hundred and two cars
loaded with bacon, and two hundred and
eight loaded with -four, all bound South. At
Union City, near the Kentucky line, there
was an army of eleven thousand men. No
Northerner was permitted 70 pass through
that place without thorough search