Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1862-02-08

Tbs indianapolis journal publishes .
Stsianent of De. william B. Fletcher, Of
that city, who hAs been imprisoned at
Richmond, aad Who Il endorses as one
that tho Journal knows Is perfectly reliA.
Die in all that he says. The Doctor had
unusual facilities for gaining information
In RiohnOnd, being out on parole since
Christmas OF the defsnees Of Richmond,
he ssays:
Very large and formidable earthWorks
hars been constructed, but not = gun IL
nountad upon them. The city could be
taken Without any di1ionlty II an army
can ever reach it. But the roads are ali
too strongly guarded, the defsnses being 80
arranged as 10 enable one 70 defend an
other, or, il taken BY an enemy, 10 assail
1t The citizens Of Richmond, who either
escaped drafting OF procured substitutes,
have formed companies 10 man the in
trsuohments, in case they are attacked,
but they would hardly be formidable COM
batants aFainst disciplined men.
Fresh provisions ia Richmond are Rbun-
dnnt and cheap enough But there was
great deslitution Of salt meats and Of salt.
Medicines are almost totally exhausted.
Morphine is $S5 an ounce, quinine $z5 En
ounCa, and ohlorofcTm or ether cannot be
got ct ell. There is none in the city.
OF The Union feeling in Richmond the
Doetor SAYS more than We deem it proper
70 publish. All that can be safely said is
that there is q strong and organised Union
feeling there, which is ready 10 show it
self On the first opportunity. He speaks
what be knows in this, and not from ru-
mor. he knows the leaders, their places
Of meeting, their preparations, and their
numbers The rebels know that the feel
ing is there, but are baffisd in finding It.
One rebel officer said in Mr.. F's hearing
one day that " II the Federal army should
sntsr Richmond there would be ten thous-
and Union flags hoisted in an hour"
a Tes," said another, and it is the same
way in every city where these commercial
seoundrels are.
The rebels at Richmond are considerably
dishesrtsned hy the defeat ct Somerset.
Gen. Huger, who commands ct Norfolk,
seemed greatly depressed By il. For the
first time they admit that they have been
besten. ID all previous conflicts they have
claimed ihs victory till SO long after the
ssvent thst the effect Of admitting q defeat
would be lost. But now they confess
fully. The oommisssry Of the prison. Cap
tain Warner, on the day the news came to
Richmond entered the prison and said to
thamen: 1--WE have been whipped. We
confess Il honestly. You never admit It
when Jon ere whipped"
The most important news, however,
brsa.zht BY Dr.. r, is in reference to the
. disSSnsiing Of the rebel forces. In another
pSses viii Be seen an account Of the dis
bandfDe oc On Alabama regiment at Pensa-
cola. TIE meN refusing to re-enlist in spite
of all that coulSt be said or done to induce
Il. DR.. F. SAYS This is but specimen Of
what will occur on 8 large scale very soon.
A large part Of the rebel army is enlisted
for one wear only, and the time viii expire
in February and March with most Of them.
The men in most cases will not re-enlist,
The rebels are in much perpleKity about IT.
The papers say nothing about il, but DR.. F.
heard plans proposed and discussed - eoD'
Tsrsstion hundred times, to remedy the
terribls calamity Of being left with no ar
ny at this critical state OF the war From
ali BE heard hr is confident that the rebels
fear that their army win ks dissolved 10
good part, and that they see no escape from
The difiouIsy. While IN the rebel army 81
Huhtsrsville, prisoner, he heard the men
say hundreds Of times that if they vert
once cat Of the service they would never g
back, and he thinks it would be impossible
to retain any considerable portion Of the
discharged men. TIE Alabama regiment
he takes it, viii be initiated By most Of th
others. If 50 the rebels are 70 meet tn
hardest part of the hght pretty soon.