The Oxford intelligencer. (Oxford, Miss.) 1860-18??, 1861-04-10
FROM OUR OWN Correspondent,
81 assaes1 CAMP Morn, MoRILE, ALA.,le
IA Ass ittse.s sra March 3Oth 1861.

DEAR FRANK:-We are all thus far on our
Journey, safe and we'll Our companies arrived
in Mobile this morning at six, after pleasant
two days travel The utmost good feeling and
good humor has prevailed, though, even up to
this hour some faces bear the traces of recent
tears. All the boys from Lafayette and Mar
shall counties are well. Our s,ahrch" has been
a complete triumph, almost You never saw
people so wrought up with the spirit of an in
,yincible patriotism as they are on the way from
Oxford here. Everywhere great crowds met us
at the various depots. and, amid shouts and the
waving of handkerchief, and the tears, as well
as. the hearty God-specd Of beautiful and true
women, We were cheered along the road which
We Mississippians have determined shall be the
pathway that leads us on to victory or DEATH
AT Grand Junction an immense multitude
were congregated. Such shouting as made the
welkin ring there, ought to have been heard at
Pensacola. Hon. j. w. O. Watson, Of Holly
Springs made brief and eioquently patriotic
speech to the citizens and soldiery and the
deeply feeling farewell, es he uttered it from the
bottom of his heart, brought the dewy tear TO
many an eye not used to weeping After Mr.
Watson had concluded, DR.. Longstreet, the
world-known President of South Carolina Col
lege, offered prayer to Heaven for our success
in the glorious war Of liberty we are wnging,
and for the health, physical and spiritual, Of the
corps. Not many there that day, who saw the
venerable man, and heard his petition in behalf
of the cause and of those engaged in it as he
stood with clasped hands and uncovered head
before the Eternal One, not many who saw and
heard him that day, will ever forget the impress
sive scene.
The Lamar Rifles accompanied us as far as
the junction, and parted from us with sincere
regret Not member of the company but
would bless the lucky fate that would shape
events so as to allow them the glorious privilege
of sharing in the capture Of Fort Pickens; and
all of us regret their absence and sympathize
deeply with the brave men composing the COM
pany Some Of the men were determined not
to be left behind, and so enlisted in other com
panies.. In Capt. Delays company are Privates
C. J. J. Shipp "a clsssmate Of ours,) Knight,
Higginbotham and Mitch McKic. Ensign Al
exandcr, and private Brown--well known TO
Reynolds customers--are in the Quitman Rife
Guards, Of Waterford In the Home Guards,
Capt. Tom Harris, of Holly Springs, are Ser
geant James A. Wiley and private Price, both
University boys IF there is any fighting to do,
rest assured that you will hear good account
Of these boys
We left Grand Junction amid the cheers of
the multitude and the prayers of those whom
we left behind us At every station, and be-
tween the stations, crowds had collected to show
their enthusiasm in the cause of Southern indie
pendcnce and to encourage the gallant soldiers
who were leaving homes, loved ones and all, to
fight, and, if need be, die for its maintenance.
At Corihth, we camped for the night the Holly
Springs companies under tents, the Lafayette
Guards and Capt McGowan's Quitman Rifles
in some unfinished buildings. Here commenced
the soldier experience Of most Of US. Guards
were stationed around The camp; fires were lit
and all the romance Of campliCe began. Your
Gown correspondent" was put on guard, and
marched up and down between two trees, with
a rotten stick instead Of rifle, threatening to
shoot every man who could not give the coun-
tersign If the old Roman law had been en-
forced against ''us," we would now be too boity
shot for scriting There was no lack of fun and
noise. Every mess had its joke. A stray mule
got into camp, and when the owner came to
hunt it, they led him q chase around the camp
by crying out, first from one tent and then an
other Here's your mule" Since then ''here's
your mule" has been quite by-word among
the boys This by-word reminded one Of the
boys of the rogue in Texas, who stole mule
and avertcd suspicion from himself as he rode
through the towns. by calling out: Heres your
mule; if you don't come and get him, I'll ride
him away" Some of the Oxford boys thought
it rather a strange thing in an assembly, that
everybody should be entitled TO hey'oor at one
time s -f m
Carlo Patti and his troupe gave Concert
Thursday night in the Corinth Court House.
The attendance was not large, but the music
was splendid. Marseillqise Hymn and Dixie
were received with especial vim. Prof Tepe, Of
Franklin College, Holly Springs, who is mem
Der of the Home Guards, played several fine
pieces by request
We left Corinth at eight o'clock Friday morn
ing. The corinth people treated us handsome
lv, and turned out in large numbers to see us
leave. At Fulton, Miss. we took on board the
Ben Bullard Rifles, Capt James Bullard, fine
company. numbering eighty-seven men This
made the 9Th company on board At 0kOlOna.
Sergeant Nat Lea, Of the JEFF Davis Rifles. join
ed his company AT West Point, bountifuI
repast was spreadso the battalion, and-~e were
welcomedfo TO the hospitalities of the place, in an
keloquent speech, BY Mr.. lCrump Wm- Brsck
was called upon, but excused himself At Ma
con, we were sgain handsomely welcomed. We
christened Macon the ''city of pretty women !"
and assuredly ] know of no place where the
number Of beautiful ladies is greater. At Craw-
ford. about two huHdred miles above Mobile,
we first came to yhers the woods had put on
th,ir new spring robes The contrast between
the naked beughs Of eur own backward portion
Of the State, and the green rObed groves Of this
Southern country. is very great, and decidedly
in favor of tho latter AT Enterprises. Miss, We
passed an encsmpment in which We understood
there were fSnF hundred troops among them