Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1861-12-13
From lks 4ISt.
CAMP QUraLxT, Dec

| NAAE RUlaLhhy Ooc. o lools
EDS. LEADER:-Eight dark but warm is
upon US. The weather has changed and is
now balmy as early spring, and our soldiers
are sinking into sleep and fOrgetfulness, or
rather to dreams-some of home, others Of
toilsome marches and hard won battles
The marches and battles will no doubt be
stern realities ere many moons have waxed
and waned. Whether the visions OF victory
and home are to be realized is yet TO be de-
termined. For one, ofthe ultimate triumph
Of our cause 1 am sure, but of immediate
success, though hopeful, am not sanguine.
Buckner is strongly fortified at Bowling
Green, and with force variouslY estimated
1t from forty to one hundred thousand !;
probably the last figures are more nearly
the truth, while the Union force being at
present concentrated against him is from
Afy to seventy Thousand. have purpose
" given margin in the last statement as
have no right to be exact, aud have penned
these facts because the tendency is to over
rate our own forces and underrate those Of
the rebels. I do not think our officers do
this, but reports are apt to give the public
very erroneous ideas, and hence to raise ex-
pectations which are destined never to be
realized and to weaken confidence in those
in the field, because they do not accomplish
oil that should be expected of them were
their circumstances what the public are led
to suppose them to be. For instance, 1 have
within a week seen it stated in some of the
public prints that Buckner had not over
twenty thousand men under his ommand.
and that the. Union forces in the department
we're over one hundred thousand strong
Expectations formed from such data must
of course be doomed to fail of being realized.
The moral of all this is, don't expect too
much of us. We have big job on hand,
and that big job we will yet do.
We are for the present assigned to Gen
Nelson's division, and move from here to
New Haven, KY. 1t was expected that we
were to move on the morrow, but no order
to that effect has yet been issued. We are
still to bepaid, andto receive dress coats &c.
Our band have been down to the city SER
snading and created quite a sensation, as
does also our battalion drills and dress pa
rades, which, since our arrival In this camp,
have bean witnessed by a Very fair repre-
sentation of the citizens of Louisville, both
as to numbers and position. The city itsslf
is one of the finest have ever seen. The
dwellings are very fine, principally of brick,
but many with stsne fronts, having a very
6ne and very substantial appearance. The
brick buildings are, almost without exeep-
tion, painted light drab color. There are
in the city some four or FIVE large hospitals,
and several of the first physicians in the
place devote their entire time TO the care of
the sick and wounded. The nursing in
seversl Of them is done entirely by the
Nuns, styled, believe, ''sisters Of Charity"
but the ladies of the city prove themselves
to many poor soldier angels of mercy by
providing for their comfort in the thousand
and one ways which only lady could think
of.
The extra police force OF the city Is en-
listed for three years unless sooner discharg-
ed, and is liable to be called whenever need
ed. It numbers about six hundred, and is
on duty every other day
The city is very quiet, and business,
though greatly curtailed, goes on as usual.
They bought of the North and sold to the
South, and hence their custom is cut of, but
they are quiet and hopeful.
The wages of teachers in the public
schools have been cut down S5 per cent,
but no school has been discontinued, and no
teacher has resigned.
Few cities have suffered more financially,
and none have proved themselves more
loyal. Kentucky is worth saving, and it is
said will not have a rebel company within
her limits by next New Years, all of which,
If do not steadfastly believe, ct least sim
cerely hope. Yours, T.