Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1861-11-02
PersopneI of tho Confederate Omoer..

Personnel of the Confederate on GERS,
The New York HerGlfs correspondent
who visited the rebel camp at Columbus, at
the late exchange of prisoners, gives the fol-
lowing:
General Leonidas Polk, the Major. General
of the Western Division, l should Judge to
be a man of fifty winters, tall and straight,
bearing in every word aud look the impress
of the General rather than the divine; gray
eyes, deep set, keen and penetrating; nose
rather of the Roman order of architecture;
mouth sunken, lips tightly compressed; hair
and side whiskers "a lGmilitdire) precociously
frosted; quick spoken and ready, and withal,
affable in conversation. To give New York
ers better idea of the looks and bearing of
the rebel leader, would say, take the elder
Stetson, at the Astor House, add two inches
to his stature, sprinkle few more gray hairs
over his head and face, dress him in q Major
Generals suit, and they will have Leonidas
Polk to perfection. He is by no means an
austere man. if we are to Judge by his adj
dress during the three or four hours he re-
mained in our company; yet determination
sits upon everylineament of his countenance,
and frmness creeps out in every look and
gesture.
General Gideon,J. Pillow stands about five
feet nine and half inches in his shoes, a
finely formed man, and looks much younger
than his superior, though | am told if rank
in the army were based upon age he would
rank as the higher officer. A high and broad
forehead sets off a pleasing face to a very
fine advantage; small, keen, black or rather
hszel eye, full beard, classical nose, teeth
white and regular, and his whole personal
appearance betOkening him rather the gen.
tleman than the soldier. General Pillow is
strictly temperate in his habits, drinks moth
ing but water, uses no narcotics, employs no
physician, and bids fair to live to see several
more campaigns, unless, at an unlucky mo-
ment, he should fall into the hands of the
United States Government, when, in all pro-
liability, his suavity as a gentleman, his good
looks and temperate habits combined would
be Inadequate to prolong his existence.
General McCown has the exterior look of
being the fighting man of the staff-a tall,
well made, muscular man, face sunburnt
and hard from exposure; bluff and abrupt in
his manners, yet withal, not unpeasing-
lust such a man as one would choose for a
friend and fear as an enemy. Thirty FIVE
years of vigorous manhood, wrapped in
leather, nerVed with iron, propelled by light
ming and robed in the plainest and toughest
of common cloth, form the tout ensemble
When he speaks, one can almost imagine he
hears the snap and snarl of the bull-terrier;
yet his men love him, and he is a man to-
ward whom one feels drawn the more be
sees and knows of him.
OF the inferior officers l must be allowed
to say that a more gentlemanly, attentive
and kindly disposed set of men | have moi
seen any-w here. But of the troops Il ought
hardly to call them such, so rough, ill clad
and ununiformed did they appear) | may say
there seems to be vast field for improve
ment. l noticed, however, that the horses
of the camp were much superior to those o
our own army, and could not help indulg
ing in the most invidious comparisons be-
tween them and the poor, old, broken-down
spawned, heavy, rough. coated, knock-kneed
| purblind, wind broken, condemned things
that the War Department is furnishing oul
cavalry and artillery.
OF the forces at Columbus can say moth
ing, for our mission there was not to pry int
the secrets of their camp; but l discovered
that there was no lack of forts and cannon
OF tents and stables, and judge that il tn
place is ever taken, it will be at the expens
of more lives than the public at present im
agine.