New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-08-12


sons has at some time within the past year met the
, enemy and exchanged compliments with him in the
shane of rifle shots and cannon balls These are the
! men who drove the enemy from Western Virginia,
ard chased jackson back through the Valley of the
T Shenandoah Blenkers Division the terror OF the
Rich Rebel planters, and also of those who were not
quite 80 rich, has an existence as a Division no
longer. enker himself is somewhere in the North,
snd his absence is not very much felt either by The
officers soldiers Of bis Division. The Brigades OF
which it was originally composed are now in the
Divisions Of Gems. Schenck Schurz, and Stenwehr.
Under these accomplished and able Generals II mean
what | say), the hardy and gallant Germans, over
flowing with animal vitality will become model
soldiers. Already marked change has been OBJ
served, and one hears almost daily inquiries with
| regard to the whereabou, Of Blenkers Division,
although the soldiers which originally composed II
are around us on every eide. L am beginning
to have q very great respect for German
soldiers. They wage war somewhat az war should
be wsged. With them this Is not ian extremely
c,rH war;" as Russell of Tire London Times calls
it. 1t is war, unreenting, vindictive war. They
believe not only in inhcting all the injury they can
UPON the enemy in battle but in woundDg or killing
him at any time and in any place. Ii on the march
they become hungry, they feed themselves; If
naked, they clothe themselves and 20 long as this
is confined to the rich Rebels, who can blame tbem
The machinery used In forcing contribution accord
ing to the rules of the War Department moves
slowly-was indeed never designed for an army OF
IUUUNU, ana III Clsc1pnue cOulu only De OObtTNeu,
should almost be in favor of letting these Germans
loose upon every big plantation on the line
Of their march. Ii is criminal, meaDly criminal
protect the ich Rebels and allow the poor to
be eaten out of house and home. Many Of the
prominent planters notwithstanding the fact that
they have taken the oath of allegiance, are as Bit
tery hostile at heart to the National Government as
they were. One Of them said TO me few /
days sine, You have compelled us to take the
oath. But for your bayonets we would have seen |
s.I g.,
1900 acres. few officers have been enter
tanned by him and have eaten a dozen or
two OF chickens and ducks Beyond that |
cannot discover that he has suffered In the .
least. lie sits upon bis broad piazza, smokes his 4
pine declares and is willing to bet the best in
bis stable, against any old cavalry horse, that we
will never take Richmond, and that jackson will
soon send Pope limping back to Washington. Taking
the oath. he considers good Joke Who would
not take an oath with pistol at MS head. You must
think we are all id fools. An oath taken under |
compusiou is not an OATH" And so he talks. The |
poor whites who rent snall portions OF hls planta-
lions almost starving. No guards protect their !
little garden pias. Every cabbage, beet, and onion
has long eGce passed down the gullet OF some Yam.
kee soldier.
An intelligent sergeant started off from his reg- |
ment few days since aud went up the mountain
side in search Of blackberIies. Almost upon the
summit of one of the many high peaks in this vicinity
he found family of poor whites living IN log nut
with but one room. The family consisted Of husband
wife, and five children. The husband was sick with l
the typhoid fever, the wife had just given birth TO
child, and the children presented the most pitiful
spectacle the sergeant had ever seen. Ooe
~ thsw. tho oldest. BOY about II, was
luna;ic, the second. pgl, was SUBJ !
iect to epeptic tits and the other two, beside
the babes, were nearly dying from starvation. The
father Of the family cultivated about ten acres Of
stony land on the ,ide OF the mountain. The sol /
ders, in search of berries, had found out bis garden
plat, ard stripped il clean. From the garden they .
went to the house In i t soe foppa lstle IHe,a
lee YYo Sud 81 & Tie, but together with the meal
and bacon, carried or and LEFT the family without
an ounce OF food in the house. Had not this kind
hearted sergeant fouud them, the family would have
literally starved 10 death. Through his exertiOns
tho family are now daily provided for IRON the
rations OF his company
In noticing the review OF yesterday forgot to
mention the division VI Gen. Steinwehr. IL was not
on the ground for the reason that it has been en-
gagged ior some weeks in holding an important
strategIcal point, and In making iOrays upon the
enemy in the direction of Luray and Newmarket.
Gen. Milroy aud Col Cluseret, with their brigades,
were not present, for similar reasons. Il
Nearly 800 citizens of Sperryville and the surround
ing county are to be sent beyond the lines to-mor
row. They would have been sent last week, but
many OF them requested time to settle their affairs
here and obtain clothing and other necessary articles,
aud it was granted then. large proportion, nearly
fifty per cent of those who have taken the oath can
not read or wIite. more ignorant, uninstructed
class If people your correspondent never saw. The
moment the wealthy planters began to take the
oath, these poor whites, who cannot write their
names, followed their example, although they
possessed hardly sufficient intelligence to conpre.
mend the nature of the OATH However, something
will be gained by requiring the oath or an instant
departure TO the South. An opportunity will be
afforded to shoot 1t sight all who are discoS cred
violating the oath know OF no other way TO send |,
TO ano her sphere these planerraitors who cause
much trouble.
A very pleasing incident occurred few days
since. beneath the old oaks surrounding the head
quarters Of Gen. Sigel, and also OF Gen. Schenck.
The officers of Gen. Schencks staff through Col.
n c. Mclean, son of Judge Mclean, presented
Gen. Schenek with magnificent sword as slight Il
testimonial of their high appreciation of the quail
ties If soldier, gentleman, friend, SO harmoniousiy
blended in his character.
Gen. henck seems TO possess the admiration and
aile, ton OF bis entire Diyision Indeed since your
CORRESPONDENT has been with tbs Corps, nothing has
pleased him more than he entire harmony aud good
feeling which seems 10 prevail between the soldiers
and their officers, and between the officers aud tue
Commanding Geler0l. That all these men VIII fight,
and fight like men determined TO be victorious or
TO die upon the battlefield, there Is not the least
doubt.
Brigade Surgeon William Hays is relieved from
duty with Gen Schenck and is assigned to the stall
of Gen. Sgel, as Medical Purveyor OF the lat Corps
of the Army of Virginia This promotion to
higher and more responsible sphere OF auty is con-
sideed by the officers upon The stan OF Gen. Schenck,
and his former companions and friends, as one in
every sense worthily bestowed. Mp.