The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1862-02-11
- From the Cincinnati Gazette. Feb. I.
Late and Interesting fi0m the South.

|
! A gentleman who formerly resided in this
city, hut lived in tho South for eighteen months
past arrived in town yesterday from Memphis,
which plac. he left on Sunday, Jan. l9th.-
In an interview with him we learned tho fol-
lowing facts:
Business in Memphis is completely prost,a.
ted. Two thirds Of the business b, uses are
closed altogether; the Others keep open from
8 o'clock in the morning until in the after.
noon. The streets ars d isolate, and not moro
than one.half of the dwellings occupied
Shortly after the breaking out of the war
about 1000 men left for the North. Since
then nine tenths Of the abebodied men Of the
city have enlisted in the Southern army
The women are very Jealous 10 the cause OF
Secession, and have formed more than twenty
societies for tho manufacture Of wearing ap
parel for the soldiers. Provisions are very high
ia the South, as our readers are already aware.
In Memphis -four sells from 90 to &l2 per Dbl. (;
bacon brings 35 to 40 cents per pound
Fresh pork is 50 d at 0 cents per pound-the
lowness Of the price being accounted for by the
fact that salt is 80 scarce as 10 command $ll
per ck. Coffee is sold at from go 10 rs cents
per poundt and would be dearer still but for the
plentitude of substitutes, which are so freely
used as 10 make the demand for the genuine
article very small. The leading men Of the
South have SO long been accustomed to the use
OF Rye, that they find it easy to take instead
orr o.
Unless tn. blockade is raised very soon the
Dixisnic provinces will be resolved into one
grand state-a state of Egyptaia darkness.-
Candles are in demand at 81 25 per pound :,
and these very poor quality. The scarcity
of coal has compelled the manufactures Of gas
to mix great deal of rosin with the black
dimonds. The consequence is, that the peo
pie of Memphis see through the gas darkIy,
and are constantly crying for "light-more
Ii htT Soap is another scarce article. 1t
sells as high as caudles-not less than s. per
pound. In boarding houses, as conse
queCce, one ather has to suLerve the purpo>e
Of several faces. But the article which the
Southern heart most feels the need Of its
whisky, and that has gone up to SO SO per
gallon hardly to be had even at that.
Clothing is very dear. Overcos.s, such as
can be obtained here for $l5, are sold 10
Memphis r $40. Pantaloons aud other
articess in prop rtion. Boots, sucl. as are
sold here for ST. command $40 there. 10
the way of 'notions' there is great dearth
also. A paper of needles, worth ten cents
here, cannot be had for less than 81 25 there.
Confe derate notes are taken at par 10 pay
ment for gools and deb's. They constitute
the principal circulating medium. Southern
bank notes are also taken at par. Shinplas-
ters flooded the whole country, and pass cur
rent everywhere. Gold ana silver are scarce,
the former at premium of As per cent, the
latter at premium Of 35 to 40 per cent.
1t isa great mistake to suppose. notwith-
standing all these troublous indications, that
the peop,e of the South are not in earnest in
their effort to overthrow the Government
They may be little Of the dormant Union
spirit in tennessee, but it seems to have no
desire to burst forth. The Souherners are
confident that success will crown their efforts,
and they have united to make bold st ruggIe.
One thing that serve" partly to keep up their
spirits, is the unf1inching disposition to lie
evinced by tho Secession newspapers. In
Memphis, they have heard of but one Federal
victory since the fall Of Sumpter-the battle
OF Rich Mountain. In all the other engage
ments the federals. according to the rebel jour.
mails, were ro uted and killed, in numbered
rangeing from 1000 to 10000.
When our informant reached Hopkinsville
on the 23d Of January-General Clark was
expecting an attack from Gen. Crittendeu,
and feared the worst in case il was made
The Confederate forces at that point number
about five tbousand-nearly one half Of whom
are on the sick list. Six hundred men were
sent TO Clarksvlle between the 18th and 23d
of last month. OF he Seventh Texas Reg-
ment stationed there, lss prvates, 2s non.
officers and commissioned
officers are in the hospit,ls. OF Mississippi
regiment also there, l63 rrivatcs, 20 non
officers aud 8 commissioned
officers are sick.
At Felicana, IL miles from Fort Henry,
on the Tennessee river, there are 200 cav
airy. In Fort Henry there are 5000.
Our informal gives us the following items
Of news in regard to the strength Of the Con.
federatrs at different points:
At New Orleans there are 10000; at Lake
Borgene there are two batteries of artillery;
and at Lake Pontchartrain there are three.
At Mobile rher are 1000, in command of
Gen. Walker ex Secretary Of ar.
Between Charleston and Savannah, on the
railroad line. th re are 10000.
At Pencacoa there are betW cen $4,000
and 20 600.
Al Columbus there are 5000
JEFF. Thompson is at New Marid, 10 com.
mand Of 200 men.
Gen. Floyd is at Scottsville, 95 miles from
Bowling Green, with 5000 men. 1t is be
lievAd in the South thai he lefi Western Vir
ginia, not because he was defeated, but be
cause Of the scarcity OF provisions. They say
his men lived on boile chestnuts and died
apples for two months previous to their retreat
fro Virgins.
Ben. Mccullough is in command Of regi-
" ent Of cavalry near Manassas
Gen. d. NJ. Frost, Of Camp Jackson no.
toriety. is at Jacksonport, Ark. recruiting a
brig de. He has rails $50 men this far, or
rather that number was raised for him IN
Mcmphis.
There Arc no troops whatever 10 Memphis
nothing that looks like war, except the man
ufscture Of army clothing, DC.
II was reported and fully credited 10 Mem
phis and New Orleans few days before our
informant left the former place, that the rebels
had evacuated Galveston. Texas, and bad