The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-09-12

OUR RRESP0NDENCE.
Northeeston Vav1inia-An Encouraging pier Of III
Present Condition.

IFtsfHt IoHo"oh
CAMP BARROW, Sept. :, 1851
Northwestern Virginia has brought grief
and shame to the State and to the South by
her woful detection but by none is this felt
| more keenly than by those sons of that sec
ton who have left their homes, and in many
instances, their wives and little nes, to ba
for the right. They hear jeers and sneers
thrown out even at themselves, and endure
them with apparent patience, but with an in
ward resolve to testify on the battle field their
fidelity TO their cOuntry's cause.
The local position of the Northwest hitting.
up as it does In an acute angle between Ohio
and Pennsylvania, the Baltimore and Ohio
Railroad company, with its 1000 employees
and Its track affording the easiest means of
access to the heart Of our region, the dilatory
policy of the Virginia Government in permit
ting our people to sink into despair of assist.
ance from the East-a despair deepened and
confirmed by the miserable pretence of mill
tary display which picayune policy caused
the unfortunate Porterfield to exhibit--all
these, and other causes very paIpable to the
slightest observer. produced this Iamentable
detection of that valuable corner of the Old
Dominion. Believe me, the patriotism of
Northwestern Virginia sleeps but is not dcad
1t will yet awake from it's slumbers and if
need be, her sons will do works meet for re-
pentance.
Remember this is an anomalous war-that
under the circumstances, 1t is not strange that
this exposed border should hesitate much be-
AoIr COuStHtluS Id WdT, OF measures nkpIV to
produce it. As race, they are proverbially
more difficult to provoke to fight than East
ern Nirg nianS yet, when aroused they will
conquer or die. l make no plea for such vile
traitors as Garlic, Peirpont and others-those
wretched corruptors of our honest masses
Judge not the latter by those base leaders
many of whom, however, were born and edu.
Gated east of the Alleghanies and Blue Ridge
In the sequel, by these same masses such men
will be gibeted. Infamy will cling to their
very names On the Allegheny line there is
one regiment and one special battalion of
Northwestern Nirginians. The former com
manded by Lieutenant Colonel VIM L. Jack
son, and the latter by Lieutenant Colonel G.
w. Hansbrough---n all about one thousand
men. Praise to meii rs full of earnest deter
mnation to regain liberty and Independence
for their native land, is too idle thing to
afford them pleasure. Still the truth should
Dc stated so far as to say, that ha We they
shirKed danger, hardship or priyatiOn during
this arduous and unfortunate campaign. Ne
Yer have they failed to fill the minds even of
superior officers, before preiudiced against
them, with perfect reliance on their courage
and fidelity. Never have they done otherwise
than exhibit, even under trying circumstances,
Il discipline the example whereof would have
benehted regiments making greater preten-
slons. And yet, outside of the army, they
have received little credit.
short time since the bold and restless Rust
of the 18th Arkansas Regiment undertook a
daring and difficult enterprise the na ture o f
which, for military reasons, cannot here be
explained. His force WAS composed wholly
of yolunteers-52o Arkansians and Georgians
and 200 Northwestern Eirginians, under 1t
Col. Hansbrough. Let the result be what it
may, it may be safely said that the latter bore
themselves most gallantly, and not only over
come their leaders preconceived opinions, hut
caused him to declare that with an army of
such men he could fear no opposition. Yet
your correspondent spoke of the eX Xpedition as
one undertaken by "Arkansians Georgjans
and North Carolinians,' ignoring the very ex-
istence of my unfortunate comrades.
We are lying all but idle here, burning with
lmpatence to push forward to Onr homes in
Harrison, Marion, &c. The tidings brought
to lis by our CO. patriots who come and iOin
us by stealth, is full of encoura cement. Our
people are at length aroused by their utter
hopelessness Of safety to their lives or pro-
perty, save in success of Southern arms
Guerilla warfare is now incessant among
them. Yankees are in perpetual dread Of
| the crack of the!squirrel guns Prominent
Unionists dare not venture into the country.
No money could brihe Carlile. Peirpont and
many others to risk their precious lives in
their old haunts, though the same be occupied
by Yankee mercenarieS. Numbers of for
merly strong Union men are now in the
noun tains with rifles, side by side with Seces-
sioniStS. Yankees have plundered the houses
and insulted the families of all alike Though
parties of tnionisrs are springing up, MANY
say they were too hasty in taking sides and
regret their course most deeply. Companies
are organized and organizing secretly even in
the Pan Handle. Judge Thompson, long bi =
terly against secession, now writes that he
- sees no hope for constitutional liberty save
in the success of the arms of the Southern
Confederacy." BY excellent authority L am
assured that this feeling is gaining ground
most rapidly in that section. The Unionists
are alarmed They keep their "things
packed" ready TO leave at the first intelli :
gence of Lees approach. Peirpont is full
of guilty fears even in Wheeling, and has not
slept in that ''loyal city" for four weeks bu t
goes out every evening on the Hemp1eld Rail
road, to Washington, Pennsylvania.
Mr.. Editor, l cannot close this already lon z
communication without bearing testimony TO
the entire confidence this army feels in the
ability and vigilance of its Generals-Lee
Loring, and the amable and accomplished
Jackson. NORTHWEST.