Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1862-12-02
Alistcllnnr.
(Our Var Corrtspcndenae.)
A Letter from the Western Department.

ASSISTANT QUARreRHAsTEE' OrrICE,
CoLunBrs, Ky, Nov. l6, 1867.
Mr.. WnLARD,--
engaged in my last 70 furn.h yoa a pen
and ink sketch OF this town or post, believing
chat the same would be an interesting para
graph IN your crowded columns of war news.
| suppose that we shall nave to admit that
Columbus is q Town; at the same time 1t would
require a srong argument TO coavIace a legIsla-
live committee on towns and corporations,
,hat such IS The fact. After a hearing Of all
she evidence, they would be very apt 70 vote il
a roukery Tor thieves and yagTants. 81 nrison
yard aud poor house Tor pau iers and convlcts at
large. | suppose 1t was chrlstened town be-
cause along the leyee n the course OF iOrty or
ffiy wears there has b en- erected a row Of poor,
cheap, lmsy and dapdAted tenements, ex
tending up and down the river about mile
Before the war broke the da,key up, imagine
that Sanbo moved IN the hr,, circles OF CJlum-
bus, selling cocktails, cards andi bowie knives Tor
the elite of the city. " hat will become OF 1t,
when the Niger breaks the war up, cannot
positively be known TIL after the " measures
of the next Congress are debated and matured.
We know tins, however, that when Uncle sam
orders the members aud friends Ut his family
away from here it wll bea good place lor rehels
to assemble to bury their dead ani make sword
presentations. The government has bullt here
some largr and fine buildings, such ~ depots,
ware hoUses Offices, hoep.ta markets, and
"homes' tor soldiers. " Ith these edlices aud
the .es flying from their busy fronts, there IL
some hte ana respectabllty about the place.
Back upon the bluffs, say halt mile from the
river. aud in the torm OF an are al q circle are
the slIoug works erected by the enemy, with
the guns OF which they comm nded the river.
These Qualifications ere now garrisoncd 10y our
troops. she ,2d Illinois iHtanIry. Between the
row of "cribs, and the bluff, is the contra
band camp of wall ANA Sbey te nts, huis aud
pens made of logs, sucks and mud
or the town, may now add Il is difficult to
understand why one was ever wanted here, or
WHY the Government allows such an one ss thus
now is. Aside from the buildings used by the
Government, nearly every tenement ls Jew
shop, or saloon for drinking, gambling
and brothel purposes, every" CRIB being well
patronIzod by soldiers aud Others u whum the
soldier Is supposed to look for exemplary de.
portm mt. Battle fields and Hospitals make wal
hldeous enough, but ii to these are to be added
the miserable wrecks OF deoaubh, vice and IL
centiousness it is Tar too early 10 estimate tht
ruin II may brlng to our doors.
Dntctly opposite here Ia the battlefield o
Belmont. Ii Is on 3" bottom ground covered
with scattering trees and thick unocrgrowth o
weeds and brush, with heavy lorest N the rear
Over two thousand dead are barred on this field
went over in company with u Lieutenant o
tho 7,h Iowa, ana his friends, who went t.
aalch Ior The grave OF u Sergeant, made over
year ago. IL was ioGnd, and a suitable head
board now marks the spot. This was done u
the request ol has wife, who IS expected her,
every oay 10 visit the grave, Poor woman,
pity you, and hope you will never know tia
your husbands lail helped 10 swell the premium
on gold IN Wall Street, aud 10 increase III
swinue 10 subsistence IA " hl.e Street. But E
tits.
have very happy introduction. Day be
fore yesterday, the nJon train brougat IN tbou
Two hundred prisoners, caE tured near loll
Springs. They belol ged to Il Tennessee clvalr
regiment, and were as srong, hearty, ragged an
eaucy lot OF Rebs as | have ever seen
Arrived at the platform, the cages were opene