The Grand Haven news. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1858-18??, 1862-02-05
ARMY CORRESPONDENCE.
BENToN BARRACKS, Mo,
Third Mich. Cavalry, Jan'y 2s, 1862.

write you occasionally. But if you, or
your readers, expect nything in the shape
of news that you have not already heard
you will be greatly disappointed. ] have
thought, sometimes, of trying my hand
on sensation dispatch, but find the man
ufacturing process is not as easy as many
imagine, With a map of Missouri be-
fore me, showing the relative disposition
of the forces, it would net be difficult TO
place them on paper so Price should be
surrounded and cut off-and | am some
times inclined 10 think that is the only
way We shall get at him, for he is both
foxy and ferocious, and an ugly devil to
get along with, the best way we can fix it.
He has been fighting with all kinds of
troops and materials, but has made up in
industry and generalship what he lacked
in men aud money, and these industrious
men, you will notice arc bad men to OPP
pose in any kind of business. Price is
at or near Springfield, at present idle with
the main body of his troops, but sending
out scouting expeditions to gather sup
plies, burn bridges, pick up stragglcrs, and
render the country so destitute generally
that, if he can't occupy it himself, it will
not be worth a straw to any body else.
Our troops are all around him, and they
have been all around him for the past
three months, but MS vet he does not
seem TO be very much troubled, and watch
es their motions with sang froid that
betokens the philosopher, if not the gen.
eral. But reckon he will be started out
OF that sense of security before long, and
compelled 10 show his dexterty further
South, for our Generals seem to think as
the Irishman did, when he was shipwreck-
ed, that, "As praying was no use, be ja-
bers, something would have to be did !"
Something wW have TO be did, and be-
fore long, too, or we are swamped. This
is the case, not only in Missouri, but thro'-
out the entire country; and the seceshers
have held out so long that they have now
actually got the idea into their heads that
they can hold out altogether. The miser-
able devils After we get them decent
ly failed they should be punished by hav-
ing transferred TO them the most viscious
and contemplate Of orr northern popula-
ton. We can spare the entire body of
abolitionists, and all of them, have talk
ed with about it, have protested an entire
willingness to 90, if there was chance
for them to get plantation, vel! stocked
with niggers.
The ultra coniscation bills that have
been introduced in Congress mean some
thing; and, as there is no class of SOL
diers that fight as well as those who have
booty ahead, you need not be surprised
if the close of this war shows an entire
change of views in many Of the most
jealous members of the abolition persua-
sion. Whether secesher would sit down
quietly in spirit of christian resignation,
and see an abolition confscator enjoy his
plantation and niggers, male and female,
remains to be seen. / think | sec one
now, looking on with phiz indicative Of
all the heavenly graces. But suppose the
secesher shoots the aboitioner, and is then
hung! ha, la, ha are not all unreason-
able? and you can imagine the state Of
society that will exist in confscated set
Elements. You know l never had such
serious objections to American slavery
as many entertain, and think, if q good
plantation was offered, / might be induced
to accept; but, before going on, as a con-
fiscator, | should want to be well prepar-
ed to die. This stepping out of the world
upon the movement Of hair-trigger leads,
if theologians are correct, to very solemn
consequences, and it is very natural for n
man to wish 10 be little more DELHI
crate in his going off. 'Tis this that
makes the soldier business very serious
avocation; and, although, as yet, we have
not been placed in situation where there
was anything more alarming than the
measles, inflammation of the bowels, con-
gestion of :he lungs, diptheria, typhoid
fever, putrid sore throat, gonorrhea, jaun-
dice and small pox, we don't know how
soon we may be. But when we do get
the order 10 more, you may expect to
hear of stirring events. do not expect
to perform any such feats as those Of the