The New York herald., 1862-11-10
INTERESTING FROM ARKANSAS.
Oar Helena Correspondence.

svs-TAeir S,ory-Ho,riNe Ba,ba,yty--Cond Of
Things al Le Rock--Sars and Bars versus Stars and
Strpes-Examp,e of Arksnsas Uniomias--T C.. Hind.
won-What His NesgAto1 Say Of Hina-A Nsso Way Of
S,osarino IN Mn, &C., &c.
Alarming stories OF danger this place are daily tee
graphed from Cairo and spread throughout the country
II is represented tina. fears entertained Of attack
from both sides Of the riverfrom Holly Springs and from
Little Rock. Gonorai Joe Johnston has sixty thousand
men at and Little Rock Cheatham and HOLMES have
twenty thousand between White river and HeIs
statement indeed conveying the Impression that
they are but few miles distant just outside Of lines
Price has nfty thousand at Helly Springs and sc on
ad irnismn. All ready to pounce upon and devour
this devoted place We TO be literally up, swal
lowed flesh bones and pckngs Nothing Is 10 be LEFT Of
us but memory
The folly and shortsightedness OF man proverbal,
and may be that about to add another 10 the
already iunumerabe instances demonstrve Of that fact
But certain is do not feet At all alarmed We eat,
drink and make ourselves merryat least much cir
custances and the very meagre market Of this vicinity
will permit. We sleep sonudy at night. aud dream sweet
dreams Of home aud friends undstubed By the slightest
note of wars Asrco alarm Unconscious Of Impending
doom, It may be, we can only state the fact, and
leave to others to moralize upon tho blindness and
weakness Of poor human nature
Seriously, however, these sensation stories the
Of either frightened fugitive who
walking. OF mischievous individual delghtng TO
impose upon the creduity Of nquisve reporters and
newsmongcrs. What force ir any Price may have at
Holly Springs have of knowing. and il is not
material that should Price is not a fool as he would
certainly be should no march his army this place
Having been recently soandly whipped it is not likely
that he will put himself in position where the operation
be speedily and successfully repeated Kebe! generals
not in the habit Of marching their armies directly up
to and within the range OF our fcn.ciad gunboats.
Neither they accustomed TO rivers guarded and
patrolled BY them SO IL may safely be concluded that
Price isn't coming here just yet As to Joe Johnstons
being al Little Rock. Il Is exceedingly pro-
bema,ioa,. Little Rock papers up 70 the 22d ult.,
which I have seen, make no mention OF the
presence Of distinguished individual That Holmes
is this side Of White river with twenty thousand men or
indeed with any force know to be false That no
in Little Rock lately the 22d ut also know upon
the unmpcachable authority OF his Adju,ant Gene
raj He al that date in command OF the Trans Mis-.
sssipp Department and surely Joe Johnston would not
be undcr him. Cheatham know is or aher was, ia
Kentucky. AS TO thcre being any considerable force be-
tween Helena aud White river, there is uone. Captain
Maddox one OF this Confederate officers board Of the
flag of boat which arrived here from Little Rock
Wednesday last, told me uneqnivsca,y that there
all that country but single regiment Colonel Parsons
Of which he himself was an officer. He was evidently
8nccre statement, ana u fult taSh and credit
One Of our own cavalry officers remarked day or two
in my hearing that he "coud take hundred men
and 60 clear TO White river with them" This Is the
general feeling ia camp aud these stories OF dangers and
threatened attacks are "news to US
As mentioned in my last letter, some ninety.eght OF
have recently returned from The dungeons Of
Little Rock. They we're In most deplorable condition,
having been robbed OF all they possessed Some had only
one. "@hsre % are your So".s - The reply was,'oh.
they captured" Said another q" had the honor OF
changing hats with sergeant" And so with ALL Every
hat avaP hQn alq had inrr
bly, exchanged for the atered and dapidated head
coverings Of some chivarc OF the South ln the mat
tor Of koots and shoes II often downright robbery
there being absolutely nothing to give retarn Some
looked ruddy ard hearty, bui most weak and
cated. All were dirty and ragged. some had changed
much at first to be scarcely recognized by their
friends Very few had been gone more than two mont hs
years wocld not have done al home As looked upon
them and heard their story, could not but bcsrurk
with the wonderful vitality and power Of endurance
should have endured u and lived
Nearly oil Of them had been captured BY Colonel Par
regiment, Of which have already spoken. Taken
10 tho keeper oS tho .pentontiary-a brute in human
form by Tho Of Wise. On The way they were gene
rally searched all thor money and yauables taken
from thcn This money 70. says one oi them deposited
u house along the road Tor safe keeping ana M he pro-
Tertiary they Immediately thrust into cell Just long
enough 70 lie down IN and into which comes only such
door they are upon fresh beef corn bread made Of
unsitcd meal without salt and wafer They are not
u "
ever. Any violation Of this regulation punished by
confinement In the stocks or by whippng sometimes
both Prisoners Of war are not usually whipped, ou.
visited every morning BY rebel physician, who is not
over careful attentive No attention IS paid 70 the
cells they are not even cleaned Of the ofa which
allowed accumulate. Sometimes this becomes 30 oien
ave that prisoners dare mol eat ss much as her appe
sSs Ts sa" c.n e rssye ny
their cells Political prisoners, OF whom there
three hundred are worked and treated the same as
GnVx hne hair head txnrxu
mAtreated. Only those who have been regularly
into the United States service considered prisoners OF
and OF these no labor exacted 0ceTs usually
treated with consider non but not always. AL
confined alike In css; but few sight privileges are con
ccdcd TO them.
such Ia the tale told by nearly a-in fact by nil whom
have heard alude 10 the subject at ALL That Il s true
Is beyond doubt. The cencurrng testimony Of SO many
witnesses would of fsc settle that but have even yet
positive evidence than this On stating the case,
much as have here written u, 10 MAJOR Gallagher.
General Holmes Adiutaut General IN charge Of the Gag oi
truce boat and asking him i Il he did not deny
u brt simply sad that f" the penentlary had been
sealed book 10 them - and that such ireitncnt
known 10 and horned BY General Holmes ih,t
had been taken 10 prevent u Tor the ure, anu
that the keepers OF the prison hal been indicted ana
would he properly puusbed. This may be So, aud do
doubt MAJOR GaIaghcrs word but still this outrageous
barbarity, this nhumen treatment Of men whose only
crime has been the expression o. their Opinions and tho
Offering their lives sacrifice 10 sustain thr honor
and ,cg of their county calls Tor sonc notice al the
hands OF the people and the government. Tbh such
h,nes sholld be- In the nineteenth century and acrg
men pretending 20 civilization and ,hfislnhly, wsai
nsgble wore ~ nor thsiluca ny tcts snd nc.
krowlei ICED by ihuse charged with u
From some tinse lst returned learn little or the
e. ndlt on d! things at Little ck. Richmond Itself s
more jaw,ess aud sorgauyed Sad one to me- "a
lie in Little Rock IL not worth that" snappag bis nuerr
by way OF illustration There is scarcity Of almost
ever y,ug. Salt sonc report pie ty, aud indeed IL
moi be very scarce, as Is sold nj iwo dollars aud ha
Jurhct the price bri0g hxed by an ccal order from
tsnea Holmes ard pl b!hed in the Little Rock papers
It,sh Wtalo,s are not 10 he had. 1ha same
with Hour Sweet rotsites sell at four dollars Icr
Snshc,. pins aud needles at i've dolars per paper;
cneoes at tao dollars and half per yard and 50 on
THIS W owing 10 tue inefficient payer blockade VIC nave
heard SO much OF.
Quite an amusing circumstance occurred Few da,s
since 10 the Office OF Colonel slack, conmaudcf Of The
N,ss,ssppi gentleman by the nalne Of Powell, who
owns pantaton ou the other side Of the river and who
has sufficient uniou,sm 10 be allowed 70 remain 70 aud