, 1862-08-09
TEE ARMY mAIL$.
How Newspapers dntI their way TO
lhe Army--DksIr1bU1iou of the
EsAf1s--EsrtFate Enterprise Vs. the
United States.

4 gentleman late trom Corinth gives us
some valuable Information In regard to the
mode OF distributing newspapers to thearmyi
Near the headquarters Of Gen. Rosecrans
issthe general post office Of the Army of the
Mississippi, and in tent Near at hand IL the
news depot. at this depot there is received
the daily papers from The prominent cities.
Being at the depot On the arrival Of the mills,
he was surprised at the amount OF the5t d.ilJ
papers, four-horse mule team d!aTins au
army wagon loaded down With its 74luAble
freight, the mails filing another wagon iu g
similar wsy. The packages were assorted and
the mounted newsbo9s were soon loaded and
of for the various camps, the furthest Boone
Tille] rear twenty miles distant. These pa
pers arc sold st ten cents each and find ready
sale-from 100 70 800 to the regiment, .
: The CHICAGO TRIBUNE comes in ths largest
supply aud is first sold. For three days Ia
succession he could not obtain d copy from the
newsboys, and in one instance within two
hours Of. the arrival of the paper st the dcpot.
The Cincinnati Commercial Is the next in order
Of demand. The st. Lcuis Democrat and Re-
publican, Chicago Times, Cincinnati Ga=etts,
and Louisville Journal, are about equally di-
yided. But fea Of the New York papers find
sale, except the pictorials, which have prst-
ty vide circulation. These are sold at twenty
cents.
twill thus be seen that the Army Of the
Mississippi Is abuudant1y supplied with the
early news. These pspers are read by all, aaa
have an Immense Influence on the army. Ths
Chicago Times is sold only to the Democrats,
and is bitterly denounced by many for its
| want OF sympathy with the soldiers. No
| other PAPER appears to meet with any hos:.i!-
| ity, though oi course not widely patronfsed.
| He thiuks it Il waste Of time and money to
send papers to the soldiers per mail, unless it
should be county paper containing some To-
| cal T31ue, as the express men and neWsboYs
are days ahead Of the mail.
HOW THE MAILS ARE Distributed.
The mills, after arriving at the army post
office, are distributed by hrigades and sent to
| brigade headquarters. Here they are distri-
butcd to the regiments; at the regiments they
are distributed By the adjutauts, and handed
over to the orderiies Of the respectives COM.
panies, who hand them to the parties to whom
they are addressed.
t A null arriving aa four ?. H., will reach the
division Headquarters the same evening, and
the third day will be delivered to the parties
No letters can be had at the postoaice thai
you can mail there, or at any Of tie hsadq1as
ters, whether regiuienta1 or otherwise. THU
| it will be seen that while private enterprise
will deliver the newspaper to the most di5tan
regiment within sixteen hours, it takes Unc,,
Samuel from three to four days TO deliver hi
! letters and State news.
The mail matter passing through SCI era
hands, hut few of whom are familiar with til
business, a large number OF letters are miss
ing, and Of course will be c long time in RI
turning, if rot lost entirely. This will az
| count for the tardy reception Of letters alnon
the soldiers. Each army corps should have
.. postmaster, whcse Guty it should be to di<
tribute the mails to regiments and send it
} | them direct.