The weekly sun. (New York [N.Y.]) 1851-1869, 1862-03-29
Rebel Letters Found After the Pea Ridge
Victory.

The first is from Texan captain to his wife,
and reads thus.
"NKw FAYErrEVIiIR, Ark, March 3, 1862.
"Thank God, dear MARY, we've got the Yam
kocs in trap at last. They cannot escape us
now. We have more than twice as many men
a. they, and we have plan to cut them Oh, and
annihilate them. Before "a week has past YOU
will hear Of terrible defeat Of the l.incolnite.
such q one as will offset to some extent our
morIiiying surrender AT DonelsOn. We arc ccr-
bring ~ five su ST sf and hope WIN he allie to
next Summer. INV"
"The Northern men will not fight when they
can avoid 1t; but we intend to make them this
time or cut their throats
'The coming battle will free Arkansas and
Missouri from the invaders, and we will then
march on to st. Louis, and take that Abolition
city, and give the oppressed Southeners there
an opportunity to be free once more. We hear
that we would be welcomed in ST. Louis by at
least 90, 900 people who have long suffered from
the tyranny Of the mercenary Dutch"
The second letter is from a louisiana Major
10 his sister, resident Of New Orleans and
bearing date, Little Rock, February 81"
DEAR SISTER CARRIE: You asked me in yeur
last letter what thought Of the prospect Of our
dearly beloved cause. To he candid have lit
tie hope for its success now, though last Dccem-
Der | felt confident We would he recognized
before the coming June. | don't like
the Yam KEGS a bit; have been educated
to hate them, and | do hate them heartily;
but | must acknowledge the South has been
sadly mistaken in their character. We have al
ways believed that the Yankees would not fight
for anything like principle; that they had no
chvalry, no poetry in their nature. Perhaps
they have not; but that they are brave deter
mined, persevering they have proved beyond
question.
The trouble with them is that they never cot
tired Of anything. They lost all the battles at
first, and after Manassas we dcspised them.
This year has inaugurated "A new order OF
affairs. We are beaten at all points. We do
nothing but surrender and cvacuate; and while
hate the Lincolnites more than ever, I.respect
them-l can't help it-ior their dogged obstina-
cy, and the slow, but steady manner in which
they carry out their plans.
have lost heart in our cause. There is some
thing wrong-somewhere. jeff. Davis and orr
political leaders are either knayes or fools. They
drew US into our present difficulties, and now
have no way Of showing us out Of them.
If the South had known what would have
been the result Of secession, no State, unless
South Carolina, would have gone out OF tho
Union. We all thought we could 20 out in
peacei know did, and laughed at the idea Of
the North attempting 10 keep us in the Union
by force OF arms. II was not possible, we said
We had too many friends in the free States.
Such n step would be followed 10y revolution in
the North and tie turning Of Old Lincoln and
all the Abotionists out of office.
Oh, well, it can't be helped Carrie. We are
IN for il. Il is too late to retreat We must
fight the thing out. cannot
help believing we will be overpowered. We are
growing weaker every day, and the North
stronger fear to look at our future. We
cam be suhluPated we all say. | hope not /;
Oul we 90 not fly the country, fear We will
experience something like suhiugation
May be I'm gloomy TODAY / reckon | am,
VINO wou'Ih Ge' intend TO fight as hard az
can, but | can't see my way out
Tear up this letter. Don't let mother or father
or any OF ouI relatives see It, have expressed
my heart TO you because YOU are my dear sister
and | always tell you what believe.