Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1861-07-31

From the Philadelphia Press, Of yesterday
The state OF AHairs In the south.
We had an interview yesterday with a
gentleman who left Savannah, Georgia, on
Monday, the 22d inst, from whom we
learned some interesting facts in relation
to the state of affairs in the South. AT
that time only the frat reports of the bat
tie at Bull Run had been received there,
aud there was go great disposition to re-
ioice over the result. The general feeling
was that it was q drawn battle, and as
Georgia had lost one of her generals. in
the person of General Francis Barlow, OF
Savannah; Florida another, IN tue person
of General Johnston, mot the General
Johnston who commanded at Harpers
Ferry y and as Gen. Bee, Col. Wade Hamp-
ton, of South Carolina, and Col. jackson,
besides large number of the rank and
file of the Southern army, were killed and
many wounded. there was but little eXul-
tation over their victory. When he ar
rived at Atlanta, news of the rapid retreat
of our army had been received, and caused
much rejoicing, and in Tennessee the same
pleeful spirit WAS evinced. In Kentucky
/ the Union men bore mp brayely against
| the news of our disaster, and they proudly
boosted that the United States Govern
ment was strou,: enough to stand a dozen
| such defeats, without being destroyed or
| sensibly weakened.
| He states that the news OF Gen. McClel-
lan's victories in Western Virginia had
cansed much depression among the insur-
gents in Georgia; and that the particularly
| regretted the death of Gen. Garnett, and
the destruction of his army, as a consider
able body of the crack troops OF that
State, who had been considered by their
friends unconquerable, had been under his
command.
He considers that the great error of the
North has been in underwriting the strength
4 of the Southern forces in Virginia. He
has seen reliable statements that they had
1876, 600 men under arms in that State, and
since then further reinforcements have ar
rived. They consider Virginia the battle
ground, and Howell Cobb expressed the
general conviction when he declared, re-
Gently, in Atlanta, that if the insurgents
could not retain possession of Virginia.
their whole cause was lost. There are
great efforts now being made 10 recruit
more soldiers, but they meet with cOmpar-
lively little success. Nearly all the good
available fighting material OF the South
has already been sent forward, and those
whom they are now trying 20 force into the
service have but little sympathy wish their
cause, and would prefer either not to fight
at all, or 10 sustain the Union. There is
also great difficulty in supplying with
arms, munitions and equipments their new
troops.
There will be great falling off in the
cotton crop of the SOuth, this year-at
least one-fourth. The planters are unde-
cided as to the best plan of disposing of
it. Some advise them to prepare it as
usual, and deposit large quantities of it at
New Orleans. Others are opposed to this
scheme, because, rs they allege, the accu-
mutation of such a stock of that precious
article would prove an irresistible temptn-
ton 20 Northern cupidity, and that the
Union army would probably capture 1t.
They therefore say that for the present it
should not be ginned, but simply deposited
in its raw state, on the plantations. The
effort to secure cotton subscriptions to the
Confederate loan meets with moderate
success. The large planters of George
appear TO be willing to subscribe freely, as
they are animated by such an intense hat
red of the North, that they are ready to
sacrifice everything they possess to pro-
mote the success OF the insurgent army.
They say they would much rather be sub
iects of Great Britain than citizens of the
United States. But the small planters
have little or no faith in the Confederate
bonds, and many of them refuse to sub
scribe a single bale to the proposed loan.
Its said that in the Northern part of the
State there is still strong Union Scnti-
meut. AT Atlanta, a soldier, who had been
visiting that section on II furlough, declared
when he heard man hurrah for JEFF Da-
Wis, that he had lately seen good many
Georgians who were ready to hurrah for
Lincoln.
In travelling upon the cars the passen-
gers are all very reserved and silent Each
man appears distrustful of his companion,
and fearful that he may in some way ex-
pose or betray uim.
The negroes generally are sullen and re-
served. Great pains have been taken to
disarm them, and there is but little fear ex-
pressed OF an insurrection, although among
some persons such apprehensions exist
Our informant illustrated the cautious con-
cealment of their feelings by a remark of a
slave of whom he asked, "Wbat do you
negroes think of all these military prepa-
rations 2" alludingto the formation of COM
panies and the march OF troops which he
had observed. The answer was, "Can't
say, massa, five do know anything, or the
white people will cut off our heads"
Previous to the attack on Fort Sumpter,
the conviction was almost universal in
Georgia that the Union WouIu ne TeCou-
structed. The Montgomery Government
was regarded as simply a temporary affair,
which was resorted to for the purpose of
obtaining from the North such concessions
as tho ultra Southern politicians demau-
ded. and it was this view of it. more than
Anything else, which led many men to
favor the Secession movement, as only an
airoit political mOnmuvre, that would re-
suit, not in final separation of the Union.
but merely in new guarantees to the South.
Since the war has fairly commenced, how
ever, many who for long period defended
the Union. have become the most bitter
and Proscriptive Sccessionists. the change
being caused, in some instances, by de-
sire to secure their personal safety, and in
others, perhaps, by sincere change of
views.