True Democrat., 1862-10-08
Gen. Curtis Proved a Liar.

i Gen. Curtis wrote and published letter deny ing that his troops had committed any excesse5 in Arkansas and asserting that he had paid for every thing his army had taken. This letter was com mented upon by the abolition journals, and they began to abuse him for not stealing and m urdering under the mistaken apprehension that he had not done so. The Chicago Tribune devoted an article to him, and in reply to it, chaplain ia one of his regiments comes to the rescue and manfulfy de- fends him by asserting that he did steal everything he could find, and stripped the country bare. Here is the parsons letter:
 HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE SoUTHwEsr,j
 Camp Gt Hetena, Ark, Aug. l6, '62. EDITOR CHICAGO TRIRUNt-
 My attention has been called to an article in your paper of the lst inst, headed " General Cur tiS' policy" charging him with exhibiting more care for the rebels than concern for his own troops. The army were on short rations for weeks, and the food taken has been paid for at about double the prices the planters could get for it if they hauled it to the rivers
 The entire article is false, unjust and perncious; not intentionally so, am sure, but so in fact Not one tenth of the provisions taken by Gen. Curtis army has been paid for. That which was paid for to loyal owners was at half the current rates and
 
 double the price received. Provisions on the river would be cheaper if trade were open, but prov- sions in Arkansas are haulded from the river to the country, not to the river. You say "Our past mode of dealing with the rebels was calculated to subdue them very soon or. hurt them much" The army of the southwest has stripped the country through which it passed, so bare that the poor and the rich of the inhabitants alike fear ac- tual starvation. Thousands are suffering to-day, l and around this camp are many who have followed the army in anxious apprehension of famine. The negroes especially must and do suffer- Thousands have nothing but corn, and occasionally fresh beei without salt. Much sickness is the consequence The negroes are generally in state of mutiny r consequence of this impov ershed condition of thei masters, and their desire for freedom is greatly augmented by the presence of thousands who have obtained free papers by the generals exercise o military power-he having claimed and exercised he power of the sword to weaken the foe by sever tng the chains that unties slave to belligeren iowner.
 The army of the southwest has for over si, months been an advance picket. It is encumberet with non -combatants that come from both sides from the enemy's camp to escapesoppression, an( from the States interior to carry on trade with th newly opened country. This latter class, mpelle( by prospects of California gains, intrude beyond the pickets offer exorbitant prices for assistance and hence many are sent away for transgression of military laws, and others because their hdelit, is suspected. We find those who at home hav' been secession sympathizers the most oficious spe culators, evidently more successful beyond ou pickets because they are sympathizers. Our enc mics at home easily get food for malice by list ening to lies invented by the gamblers excluded from the lines, and do not expect our friends tt repeat, and we feel that it is a poor compensa ton for weary campaign, in which we are almos daily under the fire of insdious foes that we hav driven a thousand miles, to say our ''past mode o dealing with the rebels was not calculated to sub due them"
 ]. c. FOREMAN,
 Char ol Mo Nois in tha army nf the south West