Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1861-09-10
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q friend and ! engaged buggy anu fcde out
10 the scene to observe personally the stage Of
water and the general PTaCtica5ility Of the spot
for defense or advance. Turning from the
Point os Rocks road 10 the rish-, we rode
along s,me distance very pleasantly, but had
not proceeded far when the total absence Of /
wagon rats OF footprints, and the long line Of |
Fre,tsH cobwebs across the lane, together with .
unearthly silence, told Us plain We were /
i5urneviug along some UBiTeqTenteA il not /
dangerous route. Fastening our buggy 10 the /
fence, We proceeded d0En the incline on foot, |
Eunposin- the stTesm to be yet far distant
among The tall timber before and beneath us. /
4 sudden turn in the read, however, fully un-
deceived Us, FOR through The tall timber aad
thick shrubbeTy We saw the dark waters ai-
lsutIY ard rapidly flowing eastward. Over all
The scene scarce 4 ray of light could penetrate:
cobS5bs on trees and bush, ~ ao.5 Of Jll OF
ham OF bees, scarce flower decked The ,L.cE
rank grass CT bush: ald silence, like that
which reisns in old deserted mansions, ruled
with chilling solemHity Oh I'll things far aad
near. The old mill lower down on the NIrgi-
Ma side Peeped from among the trees to the
east, vet no curling smoke OF homestead rose
among the trees, and, except the sigbirg -
winds, all was s:iu as death UncerciouE og
danger we walked along, g.. ,..ra.nE 10 tie
left followed what once had been much fire.
cssnted foot-path along the river hank, ex-
pecting at aay moment TO obtain full view oi
the ferry and Federal camps. An unlocked
fer absence of slTUb5eTy brought us in full
view of boih, not more than 100 yards across /;
but while rec0nnGiteTiHg e. ON behind stump
our accustomed ears heard the a7pTos ch Of
''pickets," >" no ,crouchng like panther hunters,
were advancing to warn rs Of danger. and
dissuade rs from proceeding farther. Seated
behind stump We engaged in long aad pleas
ant chat, which was very much Gnl!VeHeG By
a"msdiclneH bottle we passed freely among
our iocuar quartelte. Our two pjckets were
OF the "sch Virginia." who had tracked with
us Ike old hunters, and, perhaps saved our
lives for he ResSians, thick as flies, were en-
Econsed opposite am0ng the ruins OF the ferry,
and behind timber where, from their rife pits,
they would occasionally send "Oiley at any
object moving on our side, the Virginia bank
being higher than theirs Inpeil-d from sOms
vghim or other we descended he bank upon the
sand and washed cur hands ID the T8tsT and
although feily exposed snd unprotected, we
obtained full and clear view Of the river, the
FORD, and surrounding hills; and it was not
anti ws ga " the enemy signale4 TO approach
bv a woman, and be foe disc ose Their Wei
nifty bY appearing in squads ard "leVeliEg" at
gs, that we sought the bushes again and re-
suuurG conversation. Yet every EOG md then
the MssissiPpid8s above Us would blaze away
and one could hear their heavy bullets crash
iag among the out-hoU=ss and timber. Liking
the SPOT I'VE. uHaTmet) fay c0mpsDion borrow
ed q ride from q cGnradP, and ffoF3 the fork OF
40 old tree obtained some capital shots, which
made the enemy repeatedly change tGslr where
abouts in great haste. Thus for several daYs
our pickets aud IA siTE have been amiCab!V aX
changing shots, with changing fortune, while
at night they frequently talk to each other
the " YsuEe" " staggering and clustering as
usual, n!v believing nearly ali ogT forces are
armed Wi'b old iiDt-locks, and that they have
daily "vIctgTies7 in all directions. Happy
ignorancel Nevertheless their main force has
moved to the interior out Of reach of our r ch-
rnonl howi-z-rs. thinking that Poolesyil'e Is
mere "heaithy'' neiEhb1Thocd than Wije's
ferry.
D. a-- -ies i= --r.F -. - ra%-'-'Ha= "a
fotn ard movement Of ctr troops toward Alex
sndria, which took place few nights ago. L
appears the foe becoming bold drove in our
tickets in the vicinity Of Falls Church, [with
severe loss TO themselves in killed and prison
crs however, when next afternoon the con-
pHment was returned with fearful interest,
gFliIa IN the dead Of night, Gen. LongslTeet
moved forward and drove them from high
F.li view Of Washington and Alexandria. being
bu eight miles from the former, and less than
tlEee from the latter city. The 'aH8iTS was
with he bayonet, took the enemy By surprise,
ana scattered them peil-meil, jus. before moon
Tise. Ninety prisoners are reported aptUrcd,
yyitn many arms, etc.-nUT loss about d zen.
Ingn obtaining possession, esTth-W0rks were
Immediately constructed, artillery sent for
war1, and al! things prepared for visit, :;
hut should the " Ianks'' attempt Z reca ptuTe,
Johnston may favor them with q genera fight
Tits place have heard called SaoateT's Hill,
but ! lGIU.. iJ 4 mistake, as that emlaenCe is
nearer Alexandra, and close to Fer. Els
worth That the place is OF importance, be-
liaye-some say it is the key to Arlington
dights, but Tins doubt also.
The enemy are evidently dishesrtened; yet,
despite all tyranny aEd surveillance over the
press. the truth of repeated disasters JUiE leak
out among their troops and should any action
shortly take place, We will be absolutely bur
tenrd with prisoners as It now IS, Gen.
Mansfield deVotes all his care TO the long lines
Of earthwofks iB and around Washington; the
defenders do not ike to cone out OF them,
either, and on every occasion eXPetIti0usiy run
10 such shelter.
observe that many Of your city items speak
Of Ssrelics Of Manassas etc. Let ne say 20
aEv enteFprisiug " dealers that, should be fee!
so disposed, / could ensure him several wagon
sacks, broken gun stocks, together with large
supply Of "nigbt-caps," O found in the Rhods
Island and Connecticut camps. Ia fact, while
thus write uneasily on piece Of plank, see
z fat Tennesseean lol!iUg on the straw dressed
out in tGe fancy Jacket Of an artillery
man: others have caPs. canteensJ pistols but
lets and shells while others have bsra rolling
round-shot on the grass till perfectly weary.
SaoHld " "CuIiosity-hunteFs| = be "sOnS OF Ca
len, there are vet very wide "fslds'' for their
sxpioraIion- skulls and bones from human
bodies are whitening In the sun, while among
The rank and VeIlOwish doWH-tTOdcen grass,
fragments of uniforms, broken bayonetss live
and exploded shell, swoT blades ana KNAPP
sacks, are vet 10 be found but should their
tastes run in Z different way, we can accom-
nodata them with a few fractured cannon
wheels The mania for relics, however,
hone NAV die away Those Who have been
actively engaged do.Hot value Fragments Of
shells, etc, as highly as those whose business
Il is to stand Far away from their Poetical"
nIght through the air, or rush through the tim
Der, bursting suddenly among us We're Il
Otherwise, have been IN spO where eighty
shells have burst over and among us with fear
ful rapdity, iu as many seconds while minnie
bullets fell like haii, and could therefore have
supplied your sanctum with pTinceIy liberah-
tg; bat when in memory look around and
miss many Of the regiment, who were left rent
know that gallant men, weary and bleeding,
rushed up tc Miles bTes6tWork, through ram
ister and grape, twenty feet in front, all thought
Of relics and souvenirs dies within ne, and /
feel a loathiDg for the yitiated who indusT-
cusiy seek them.
And Of another thing | would hazard re-
mark. ! see gllsome fattery paTagrspbed
through minor journals, regarding the parilcu-
lar galiantTy OF corps, or the promises Of rich
individuals, Such "puffs" were evidently writ
ten by country editors, or persons who know
little OF facts ; for, although just in some in
stances, nine cases in ten their foundation may
be traced 10 lively ina agins'ioR, or boItomIess
PROBABILITY. Where all did we'll, and States
were tuliy represented, let no foolish sCTibbler
take honoTs more than bis own. Regiments
Matl De IN reserve, companies must be in the
Eeid V Eilhout hiring shot, and, strange to say,
could enumerate more casualties in eor1s
held 10 ambush or reserve than actually befeU
bodies ming all day! Hence, let wisdom and
loretLousht govern al writing for the press
20 as not to wound the feelings of those. OF
sucb IKE uHfoTtunstes who have no rDsntion.
although 'undeT FIRE all dsy.D and not aIIovreF
10 disclose their position and strength by firing
shot AID as to individual gaIantrv. I have
u IN my power to mention instances that would
far eclipse all yet published, but that I am
aware that noU is not the moment. and tbat
p r-ED fsFr lie t.