New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-11-21
sou KERN NEWS THROUGH CON.
FEDERATE SOURCES.

f. FEDERATE SOURCES.
The onfcderase Invasion of Kentucky ere
DcInced n Failure, and Bragg bitseriy
ensured - Destitute Condition q she
Confederate Soldiers - Approximations
about the Negroes. ......,
The following intercepted letters afford an illss-
tratiOn Of the spirit of discoutent prevailing n the
Confederate army: .. a tr.F h
| To Mr.. e NJ. Luces
| THrRrY-rwo- NILE Horss. g. c.,
~, C.sP NEAR KKoxvILLs, Tenn, Oct 30, ls67
time you have become acquainted with the account
OF Brsgg'e retreat from Kentucky. Don't you think
II shameful piece Of business When We went IN
kentu1ky thought we were we'll prepared 70 meet
our Zoe ana ready for anything, ard that before We
left Kentucky would be free and ours.
But coon ss the enemy appeared in force, Bra.g
turns about and runs ike the devil, and nearly
killed all his men from fatigue and starvation. We
have hard times ever soldiers have seen.
For fourteen days we arched steady without rcss,
averaging twenty miles day, over mountains and
rocks, and most of the men barefooted and, worst
of ell, nothing TO eat. Four days, We eat nothing
but Iarched corD and the bslsnce Of the time half
pound Of -four and piece OF fresh beef without SALT
Our retreat quickly got up that no prepara.
tons made for provisions. Ii is what YOU
may term a regular stampede.
Our army, think, is M very dsorRanizcd state,
and we will have to get some one else in command
before IL is ever organized again. And what looks
80 bad is that we are stationed near rsilrosd
where the men expect TO get Things and no clothing
or shoes have been procured vet Lat plight, our
Quartermaster drew and issued to our regiment
about tuenty pairs shoes, Miyty unforms, and 100
overcoats How ridiculous 10 give that little 10 500
men, BIO are every entirely destitute Of cloth
ing and shoes. Men are suffering what devils have
never suffered.
Imagine lying down at night barefooted and IN
old, WORKOUT Summer uniform on, with ragged
blanket to cover with, and next morning awake
covered in snow, and almost frozen TO death. suf
fered the same myself, but bad Oh shoes. Whes !
awoke, found my very hair frozen, and snow all
over us. They have given out about two tents 70 =
regiment for the sick TO sleep in. have the promise
of one. II l ever get it, will be glad. expect
you will think me very complaining to-day, out IL IL
only giving you an idea OF what we have TO 70
through feel first-rate to-day, aud bright ~
lark, and ready to pitch sbt III.
hear soms talk Of our going to Murfreesboro
soon. I don't know If there is any truth In 1t.
One officer from each company was sent homo 10.
day to get clothing for their men They will resuru
In twenty days. Lieut.. G. e. White, Company A,
went from that company. You may see him ~
Georgetown. hope and trust you may be success
full with the Notifications ct Dsver, aud keep the
damn Yankees out. Look out for their stells What
nice sounds they make when they come whlzLinS
through the air. Remember me TO Willie 0larm.
Hope lie may distinguish his talents 10 fort-bnilder
Your saectionste brother L. T. L.
To Col Ed MASrGAuLT South SaBtes Fsryt s. @.
CsNP EIenr MnEs IRON KSoxvIIx. Tenn.
DEAR EDWARD: The rest of the last three
or four days has been very acceptable. ahd indeed
almost necessary 10 the Army Ut the Mississippi
especially. The long and continued marches, exc
po-ure and priyatious 10 which the men had been
subjected had very nearly worn them ont; most OF
them having entirely worn out their sboes-many
without auy-heir clothes in rags, but few blankets,
ard part Of the time without rations, at other
times with only half ratious.
Our retreat Il can scarcely explain it did not seem
to me TO be ssary; OF, at least that IL soou!d
have been commenced 30 suddenly and with 20 little
prepal atiou made for it. We lost several most ex.
celent opportunities OF fighting to great advsnsage
one immediately after the surrender Of Aunles4s.
vile, and again when Buen wee endcsvcsisg -
reach Louisville by q forced march, Gen. bsaeg
ouietiy moving out of his road to allow the former
90 20 Nv, which he aid, haeooaDts arc 70 b rehed
on. with his army in most disorgsnsed state. We
were at that time fully equal to bin In numbers, aud
with an army in other respects superior to bis.
1t is said by Gen. Braggs friends that his instruc-
tions from tie Government were not TO risk gen.
ersi engagement; but it was evident toevery one,
after having had an opportunity of judging Of the
sentiments Of the people OF Kentucky, that unless
we me; and fought the Cnionists, aud were VIC
torious over them, the kentuckans themselves
would render no assistance. They evidently wanted
confidence in our ability TO relieve them. and unless
we could do what had been promised BY Bragg IN
his proclamation, they preferred not compromising
themselves.
l must confess that l never was more mortified
and chaurined than when l became aware that
retreat had commenced. Great disappointment he's
been the result, and much dissatisfaction expressed
toward our commanding General Our division
was not in the Perryyile fight, but Was with por-
ton Of Gen. Smiths army on duty elsewhere. The
miserable laundering of Withen caused that exps-
dition to fail under the most promising auspices,
and he has been relieved from his command aud saint
elsewhere, where no opportunity likely 10 occur
for him to mar well-arrangej plsss. We have been
several times in line OF battle; but excepting three
small skirmishes have done nothing but march and
coun'ermarch. -
do not know what your and brother Gabr'ls
plans are about the negroes from White Gal. What.
ever il done by either OF you 10 relation 10 them VIII
he satisfactory to me; but feel some apprehension
sbont them. and their location 90 near the coast.
Would il not be better TO send them greater dis-
lance into the interior have not heard from
brother g., and do not know what sort OF place b
purchased in Sumter.
Whether 1t is of any size, sufficiently large for the
cultivation Of provisions or not hso, could they
mot be sent there, or placed on some plantation
inland where they could work, and N arrangement
be made with the owner 70 supper ana ieed tnem
am afraid there will be much trouble on the
coast Of South Carolina this winter, and the teUpta:
tions and influences to which they may be exposed
NAV prove too much for their hdelity. II 10 more
than doubtful If will be able to return homo thls
winter; indeed, do not think OF making any sppli'
cation TO do co. except in case of the most Urgent
cewity-iness, &e.-ss think it my duty 70 ~
main with the men with whom I came, and OF course
no furlonghe are granted them
I have no idea what the plans Of the Government
or nersl-conmandng In this department are, but
hear that We will be removed in u few days o. .
week from Chattanooga. doubt very much II The
army goes into Winter quarters, bat AN certain that
no offensive operations can b undertaken by these
forces until completely re-equipped.
Yonr s6setiopsts brothsr, A. N. AAN10AuLT.