The daily Evansville journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1862-1863, 1862-06-28
ARMY CORRESPONDENCE
TUscUMBIA, Ala, June IL, 1852. {

I
Corinth was evacuated The soldiers swore
and wept until weary, and then prepared to
again follow after the rebels The great
amy we had at Corinth is now dis
tributed to different points where it is sup
posed to be needed. Gen. Hascall is here
with three regiments of his brigade, and a
small cavalry and artillery force. We are
now in camp on the commons in the su-
burbs of Tuscumbia the Fair grounds.
The town, which contains population of
about l, 200, half a doz n pleasant residen-
ces, and large number of old dilapidated
buildings and shops, is spread out on the
hill side east of our camp. Between US and
| the town, a sheet Of water, two feet deep
beneath ledge of rocks, and flows on rap
idly, forming a beautiful creek. The In
dian called these the Tuscumbia, or, in our
language, the sweetwater springs; and so
sweet pure and clear are they, that for miles
below, the water is excellent, and the fish
can be seen playing on the bottom where
the water is six feet deep.
The country, for miles around our camp,
aud for the last thirty miles of our journey,
has been delightful. The soil is not so fer
tile as the bottom land of Indiana, but it is
well adapted to the culture of cotton, and
produces good corn and wheat. The couu-
try is generally elevated, rising gradually
like the waves Of the ocean, yet level
enough to be easily titled. The entire
has the very finest of water. The days are
warm, and the nights cool. This week the
thermometer at meridian has stood at ninety
degrees, and at day Zig ht at fifty five degrees.
We find here a very enterplising class of
farmers and planters, and their lands under
high state of cultivation.
| The Franklin county Fair Grounds,
where we are now eucamped, are equal to
those in our best counties in Indiana. On
one side is a large building, containing an
$4,000. The other buildings are equally
convenient, and the grounds are well ar
ranged generally.
Our route here lay in a southeast direc-
ton, along the Memphis and Charleston
railroad. The last day we were continu-
ally in sight of fine plantations, beautiful
mansions, we'll cultivated fields, and luxuri-
ant crops. Indian corn and Alabama wheat
waves before our eyes from morn till eve.
At one place on my left saw 1000 acres
of corn in body, and on my right, half as
mush wheat. | saw dozens of fields of corn
during the day containing seventy FIVE, one
hundred, and one hundred aud fifty acres
each. In sight of the road, on twenty miles
of this route, at least 10000, 900 bushels of
corn, and one-third that much wheat will
be raised. | did not see a stalk of cotton
on the whole route. Cotton is the staple
article generally, but as there is now no
market, and the planters generally expected
rebel soldiers would get it when they
planted it, they were anxious to get in as
little as possible. Crops are much further
advanced here than in Indiana. Corn is as
high as the fence, wheat and rye are being
cut, and potatoes are nearly full size. Fruit
aud berries were plenty all along our route.
Backberries are getting ripe, and peaches
and apples are two thirds their full size.
Fish are now plenty in the streams, and
raccoon, OpoSsums and rabbits are abundant
in the woods. Southwest of us is a piece
Of wilderness country, v here deer and tur-
key are plenty, aud now and then bear
and an American panther are seen. Rattle |
snakes, also, are occasionally seen all over !
this country, and another kind, nearly as |
poisonous, which the natives call " eotton |
mouth"
Between Corinth and Tuscumbia the reb-
els burnt three bridges-one over Spring
Creek, another over Buzzard Roost (small /
streamsl and the third over Big Bear
River, a stream about two hundred feet
wide these were all railroad bridges. The
lst Michigan, a regiment of Engineers and
Mechanics, is along our line, and with the
fssiftgnfGs 500 fHP 8S these Bfigsg c6h
structed and the road again in running or
6Ar- ETha t~abalc 4. I
railroads here, except burning bridges and
destroy ing portion of the cars. The day
we crossed Big Bear River, the Lieutenant
Colonel of the 40th Indiana was discovered !
riding in a skiff, when it upset and he was
thrown out He was an excellent swim
mer, but having his pistols, sword, spurs
and uniform on, he was unable to swim,
and sank to rise no more. His name is
Kirkpatrick, and | understand he lived in
Lafayette.
We ind many yirulent rebels here, bat
notice many able bodied men are at home
all through the country, and they appear to
look as if they; had some interest in Sd
have talked with many who I am salts
fed would be Union if they were not afraid z
OF their lives and property. Il appears that
whenever we get into the billy country we
fad Union men. 1t has been so in all ages; I
while the men of the mountains fought Tor
liberal institutions, the men of the plains
were apparently acontented and happy
wheE the very bell of the tyrant was upon
he necks. When Scion took the rebels in
Athens, Rollin tells US that the people who
lived upon the mountains We're for fEeea
government, aud those in the lowlands
wished. an oligarchy, and we all know that
when Italy and the countries upon the
Mediterranean generally were cursed with
tpTannV that "A
rs free as the eagle that made its home amid
me cliffs of their mountains. 5fs
The country here is full of negroes, who i