The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1862-03-01

his black servant with him. The neare
teok his masters leg in his lap, and like
washerwoman rubbed the mud out of
his pantaloons. At the table, this same
ofhcer was not waited Oh SO soon az he
wished by the free negro servant, when
he said he wished he had that Niger
at home-he'd blow him to i.
CHARACTER OF THE PRIVATE SOLDIERS.
Nearly all the pr1vates are ignorant
and ordinary men, who never owned a
slave and never will, but who have been
led mo the Rebellion by misconceptions
of the motives and designs of the Federal
Government. They confess they have
been fairly whipped and that they fear
we have so many good men and such
superior arms that they will be worsted
in the great encounter between the
North ard Sou h.
l have rarely seen more resigned men
han the Rebel prisoners; they seem to
think they have enlisted in bad cause,
and one which will never prosper: and
that they are heartily tired of fighting,
no one who talks any time with them
can doubt.
INTERVIEW BETWEEN TIE COMMANDING
GENERALS.
Gen. Buckner asker leave Cor an in err
view with Gen. Grant. 1t was given,
and l was present. Some business
about rations was transacted. Grant is
about 40 years ofage, sandy complexion,
reddish beard, medium hight, pleasant
twlnkllng eyes, and he weighs about
ITO pounds He smokes continually.
Buckner is about the same age and
hight, very broad across the chest, and
may weigh $50 pounds. His hair is
cloudy with coming gray, and pushed
back around his ears His beard is in
the French style. He wore light gray
overcoat and had a plaid scarf thickly
and loose folded around his neck. lie
is man of ability. | noticed that he
uses such phrases as " Like l do" In
their business, the negro question came
up, and Gen. Grant decided that no
negroes found within the lines chould be
suffered to depart, for the reason that
200 had long worked on the Notifications:
officers could take their servants along,
but they could not be liberated. "We
want laborers, let The negroes work for
u.s." saw master receive this deci-
slon-he retired silent and sullcn.
STRENGTH OF DoNELsoN AND BRAVERY
OF OUR TROOPS.
The country is succession of hills,
most of them covered with timber
Our troops are seen on every hill, and
everywhere our flag is flying. When it
is considered that their works were we'll
planned, and the nature Of the ground
itself capable of being easily defended,
and also that they fought with dcspara-
ton, our success is wonderful. The
truth is, we came upon them in force,
fully $4,000, with the determination to
conquer. Our men have endured
unparalleled fatigue. 1t has rained or
showed half the time. They have had
few tents, and for three successive days
they fought like tigers. Whether the
igh:ing was more desparac than in any
battle of war, let those Judge who con-
slider the strength of their position, and
that not only the fate of Nashville, but
also of johnson s army at Bowling
Green, depended upon this conflict.
The victory exceeds any other ever
won on this continent, and this Sunday
morning will be rendered for thousand
years. Nevertheless, may the Union
speedily be restored, and may we forget
everything about the war but that
Freedom is the birthrlght Of all.
LOSSES ON BOTH SIDES.
have learned from good authority
that the siegc-guns and piccs of artillery
taken at Fort Donelson number 46,
and that the value of the munitions of
war and stores, including arms, cannot
be much less than $2,000,000.
Upon diligent inquiry from the Union
surgeons, am convinced that our loss IN
killed and qpounded during the three
duys' engagement at Fort Donelson dots
not erceed seuen hundred at the outside
while believe the rebel loss has been
understated. | heard Secession officer
state confdentially this morning, to some
of his compatriots, that they must have
had 1000 killed, and that the wounded
could hardly be enumerated.
If their loss was not very heavy, why
did they surrender with so many as 20,-
600 men in the Fort, especially as the
force actively opposing them was not
above $4,000! The enemy must have
been greatly alarmed, or they certainly
would not have given up without fur
Their struggle so much valuable and to
them entirely necessary property
Their captured arms they cannot replace,
and they need them now more than ever
before.
DESPERATE REBLS.
Several of the Rebels showed during
the engagement recklessness of life
that proved their desperation. One Of
them mounted the breastworks in full
view of our forces, and defcd the ID
Yankees but hardly had his defiance
passed his lips before be fell pierced ny
a score of bullets.
Another remained outside of the rifle
pits after all his companions had re-
treated behind them, and fought with
his sword against half dozen of the
Unionists who had surrounded him and
were anxious to lake him prisoner
They asked him several times to sur
render, but he declared lie would rather