The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1862-12-02

minger's attention had better be turned
to the condition of his finances, as the
visnette Of Mrs. Pickens is at sad dis
count in La Grange. But short dist.
ance from the town lines, planter whose
property in 1861 was considered worth
two hundred thousapd dollars. Being
firm adherent Of Jeff Davis & Co. he
gave Of money and negroes freely, and
his residence became sort of general
rendezvous for strag Cling parties Of gueril-
las, who lived high, plundering the
trains on the road and burning down
bridges. Four of his sons are in the
rebel army, and the old gent himself
would take the field were il not for the
govt, which confines him the most Of
the time to his room. Since the advent
of federal soldiers within their midst,
the old man has come out, and as he
watches the long columns defle past his
spacious grounds, amuses himself with
heaplng curses on the heads of the
Yankee thieves, as he calls them. In
their eagerness to secure his chickens
and yams, the soldiers almost run over
him, and the old man, frantic with rage,
applied to the General for safe uard
Says the General, stick out the stars and
stripes, that is all the safeguard that you
need. Not while my name is Morris,
says the old man, and back he went TO
his home, minus chickens, horses and
niggers. Nearly III the center of the
town stands the female seminary, fine
building, surrounded with a splendid
park filled With forest trees. The sembl-
ance of school is still kept, but the
pupils will not number over thirty, ana
are under the charge of matron who
still adheres to the fashion of Queen
Eliza beth S time. She looks with kind
Of pleased surprise upon the soldiers as
they pass through the streets, and believe
that she is not conscious of an i'll feeling
between the North and South. Ii SO
she certainly exhibits sang froid and
GOODNESS that is highly commendabs.
General Grant has taken up quarters in
small house of most unpretending APP
pearance, and evidently intends making
this bis base of operations. Our advance
now occupies Holly Springs, and the
two wings Of the army are stretched out
on The Memphis and Corinth r. R.
Quinby's division is now at Moscow, ten
miles west, and will probably remain
there for some time. This is a severe
disappointment to many who were con
fident two weeks ago that general
forward movement was to be made. In
on the ground, exposed to all the in
clemencles Of the weather, while the
enemy are quietly intrenching themselves
at Abbeyille. The same inaclion that
weighed like an incubus on the army of
the Potomac, is apparent here Here
with force stronger by far than the
combined hordes of the rebels, amply
furnished with supplies, flushed with
recent victories, and confident of sue.
Cess, the federal army is kept back when
they could as well be sweeping the
whole State and threatening Mobile.
General Grant may be good fighting
man, but his campaigns certainly lack
administrative ability, while the army
is demoralized to degree that could
never have occurred under Rosecrsns
There appears to be no controlling pow
er, no system, no spirit of concert or
action. Why is the strength of his
army to be fritted away in senseless
reviews, and military farew wells, while the
hospitals are being filled with suffering
mortals. and vast debt is slowly but
surely accumulating. Every private
feels that this fall and winter must de-
eide the fate Of the republic, and they
are anxious to be led forward. These
men have met and measured their
strength with the enemy, and have over
| thrown him in every instance, why now
should they be held back when a vigor
Gus campaign OF four weeks would close
the war in the southwest. There is
something which needs explanation.
The intelligent contrabands, still con
tinue to arrive in vast numbers, and are
sent north or detailed for duty around
the various hospitals. They make ex
cellent walters, are patient, willing and
obedent, and are very useful. The
general hospital under the charge of
Surgeon Culvertson and Darrow OF the
Fifth Iowa, is established here. The
College building is used. and can be
made to accommodate FIVE hundred
patients. But the mail is just leaving
and | will close