The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1862-11-22

this days march the improvements of the
farmers are of the very best kind. There
are some actually splendid residences
such as would adorn any country. But
here, as elswhere along this great thorough
1are, everything bears the desolating signs
OF a dreadful war
The tenth day we made II miles. pass
1 ing through Bowling Green and miles
beyond to this place, known as Camp Lost
hiver. bowling Green was once a very
handsome town and contained some 5000
inhabitants. But many of the finest build
ings have been destroyed by fire The
rebels, VINO occupied this place for many
months previous to the battle of Mill
Springs, drove out all the Union people.
and reduced their houses TO ashes Whole
blocks OF brick walls, blackened by the
destroying elements, still stand as testimo-
mails OF the barbarity of the rebel invaders.
The Big Barren river runs along the east
side OF the town. Across this stream were
two splendid bridges-one for the turn
| pike and the other for the Railroad
These were both destroyed. The Railroad
bridge was constructed Of iron, and seems
to have been a structure Of unusual beauty
and strength. Te effect its destruction
the rebels blew up The piers. 1t is, how
ever, now sufficiently repaired to allow
the trains to pass The other was a
wooden structure and was burned 4
pontoon bridge across the river is now tn e
only means to approach the town from
that side.
Southwest Of the town is a high round
mound upon which is erected 1ortifca-
ton which commands nearly all the ap-
proaches 10 the place. and is now occupied
by our troops The country in tho imnIe-
diate vicinity Of the town is hilly and ad~
mirabiy adapted for defence, and it is sur
ptising that the enemy should ever aban-
doncd it without a more desperate strug-
gle
Lost River, on which we are now en-
camped, is one Of the oldest freaks Of
nature Of nature | ever beheli The
stream heads in the mountains some -
miles south Of Bowling Green, and in its
eccentric meanderings through the hills
and valleys, frequently disappears under
the ground, ami is invisible for miles
| Then it boils up again, and flows rapidly
along IN its limpid streams purity, when it
. again disappears, and again rises, until it
reaches this point. Here it flows into the
jaws of an immense concern and Is no
more heard Of In the opening Of this
, cave, IN former times, stood m4. The
work OF the mill are still here. The dam
was built a few rods above the cave and
furnished an excellent water power for
number OF year., but suddenly the bottom
OF the river gave way and the water found
a su5terranean passage underneath the
dam and the mill was left high and dry
Just below the old dam, the water boI!s
up again and then continues rs course
INTO the bowels of the earth.
This vast caTcrn Is next Ia grandeur TO
the favous Mammoth Cave. We have ex
plored il for several miles. 1t Is like al
other caverEs | have ever seen, divided off
into large and small apartments. Some of
these rooms are OF immense size, and uuc-
qually decorated with satellites OF the
most eccentric FORM imaginable But il IS
useless for me to attempt to convey TO You
any adequate idea of this singular forIna-
ton. No one can form any conception of
it unless he takes his torn in hand aud
examines it for himself
On our arrival here, Gen. Rosencrans
took formal command of the army OF the
Cumberland. He Is now engaged in re-
organizing his army: which numbers some
$1,000 men. Our brigade Is now com
nlanded by Col. Scott a small, dandy
looking young STRIPPING. What his quail
hcations are remains yet 10 be seen
Judging, however, from his bunrling work
while on general review yesterday, | infer
he has much yet 10 learn. | was in hopes
that when I've arrived here we would be
placed under the command of some abler
and experienced officer, one in whose
ability we could place implicit confidence.
but in this we have been most woefullv
disappointed. / hope, however, Col Scott
may prove himself more OF a man than
his appearance indicates. At Louisville
we were assigned to Col. Limbergs bri
gade. This Limberg was another of Du
monts pets, but he soon played himself
out. He has been court martialed and
dismissed the service for making, too free
use OF certain property which got into his
hands Col Scott looks good deal like
Limberg.
Gen. Rosencrans is plain looking man,
but has the appearance OF good soldier.
His career is SO well known TO the country
that it needs no comments from me-
Since our arrival here the weather has
been cold and dsagreeable. To day it
rains and SHOWS, ard cold wind blows
from the north The men, however, are
generally well. We have none seriously
sick, and but one or two unfit for duty.
WheE we left Frankfort, we left Dennis ]
Murphy, Thomas Ryan, Timothy Cunning
ham, and David Dourvilie, in the hospital
at that place, but all have since come up
except Tim. Cunningham, who is said TO
be in precariots condition, and was sent
to Louisville, where he still remaihs Ed
ward Richardson and Fred SundeImann
were left at BeardStown, and have not vet
come up. Surdermamn was sick with
fever, and Richardson had got something
into one Of his eyes, which proved so
dsinful that the surgeon advised him to
remain back to have it attended to.
SELDOM get the Free Trader What is
the reason? No paper is more anxiously
looked after here, and yet less frequently
received.
We shall probably remain here a few
days longer and then move on towards
Nashville or Chattanooga. The men stood
the march remarkably well, though many
Of them have made up their minds that
soldering is verythlng but holiday work.
NJ