Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1862-11-05
PARkERsnrRa, Va, Oct. 81. 1862.

-" AAoSAs
PARKERsBuRG, Va, Oct 81. 1862.
In the expedition, referred to in Colonel
FrQst's communication, | Obeyed his or
ders throughout. He told me before start
ing, that he would not have me fail in my
reconnaissance for any consideration, aud
that Col. MCCook, had only consentedto it
as n personal favor to him (Col. Frost).
He planned the expedition, and told me
that by night surprise 1 might throw the
rebels into such confusion that they would
run, and that if could keep them going
l might pursue them to Charleston. did
not go quite to Charleston, however, but
went far enough to know that never could
catch up to the rebels At the rate they were
going. URIAH LYTIE.
I'd Lieut.. Go. l, l1th Va, Vol. Tuft.
Conversation with n secesh Captain.
BuILTowN, Oct. 81, 1862.
Editors IntelHyeneer:
j. Braxtou, attorney for tue Commonwealth
for the counties Of Clay, Braxton and Nj
| cholas, who accompanied Adjutant Bough-
ner's unfortunate expedition, and was cap
tused along with the AdIutaDt and others.
After crossing Birch, Capt. Baldwin,
| who was in command of the expedition,
feeling safe from danger of pursuit, took n
slower pace, and as they rode leisurely
| along up Birch Mountain, entered into con-
versation with Mr.. Braxton, suggesting va
rious motives, as love of money, political
and professional ambition, &C.. ms having
induced him to enlist in the Federal SER
vice. Mr.. BraXton rejoiued that he had
not been actuated by any of these motives,
bet simply by devotion to the Government
: of our fathers and loyalty to the ConEtitu-
tion and laws of the country, and the
union of the States. The Captain then
spoke of the relative social condition of
the people of the two sections of the coun-
try, claiming that the southern people were
much better educated and more enlight-
ened than the people of the North.
Mr.. Baxter reminded him that the census
returns for 1850 show that one out of every
twelve of tho adult population of Virginia
could neither read nor write; whilst the
State Of Connecticut had only one to FIVE
hundred and eighty-six, and that there
were but two of the free States at that time
that were behind the most advanced of the
slave States, Louisiana, which had but one
out of thirty-eight of her adult population
that could neither read nor write and that
those two were new States, and settled
principally oy citizens from the slave States
aud foreign countries. The Captain said he
had not examined the census reports, but ar
gued that the Southern people having slaves
to perform their labor, had the time and
the means to educate their people better
than could a people where all, or nearly so,
were compelled to work for living. To
this Mr.. Baxter again replied with his sta
tistics, reminding the Captain that there
were only about $4,000 shareholders 10
the South and that consequently Civ.
ing the widest calculation for their
families, there could not be more than
100000 of the people of the South
interested in the institution of slavery,
which would leave 6,O00, 900 of the people
without auy interest in it whatever, aud
made the inquiry what provision bad been
made for the class of poor white laborers
In the South. The Captain confessed that
be had not paid any attention to the statis-
tics bearing on this question, but said that
whilst he would admit that little smat-
teTipg OF education was more generally diff
fused in the North, yet the South could
produce more men of high literary merit
than the North could. Mr.. Baxter replied
that he knew the men of the South who
had achieved national reputation ms pol
iticinns, but was acquainted with but few
Southern names that had achieved literary
fame. He said he was familiar with the
names of Longrellow. Irving. SAKE, Arthur,
Bryant, Reade, and many others of NORTH
ern origin, but Gs for the literary men Of
the South, he should have to do as the Cap
tain had done with his census Statistics
The Captain was a good natured, clever
sort of a man, aud proposed a song. He
then proceeded to sing the song, "Wife,
Children and Friends" which he sang in
in rather clever style, and closed with the
remark, that the North could produce moth
ing equal to that.
At Summersville, Mr.. Baxter fell in with
DR.. Kinknid, formerly of Braxton county
and an old acquaintance. who informed
him that the war was virtually over; that
nothing now remained but some little
form tlIties about the recognition of the
Southern ConfederRcy, and the agreeing
upon the terms of a treaty of peace be-
tween tho Confederacy and the United
States; that the Confederates had posses
sion of Nashville. and had regained the
possession of the Southwest; that Jackson
had recently concealed himself on the
south bank Of the Potomac and killed 49,
600 of the Federal troops who were attemp-
ting to cross, and wounding many. more, so
that the river was literally damned up for
a long distance with dead and wounded,
and ran Blood; with much more news of a
like character. E.