Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1862-03-28
EXTRACTS FROM CONFEDERATE
LETTERS.

\ special correspondent of the y. y.
Tribune writing from the camp at Pea Ridge
Ark..-the theatre of the late Union victory
under date of March llth, gives the FOL
lowing
number Of rebel letters have been found
upon the battlefield and in the deserted
camrs Of the enemy, and as they show the
feelings and confidence Of tie Contederates,
l will make brief extracts FROM two OF them.
written evidently by officers Of intelligence.
The two epistles must have been completed
before the battle, and not being mailed TO
the parties addressed, were dropped in the
confusion of a, precipitate retreat.
The first letter Is FROM q Texis captain 10
his wife. and reads thus
NV FAYETTEVILLE, AIk.. March ., ls62.
Thank q 3D. dear Mary, we've got the Yankees
in a trap at last. They cannot escape Us now. We
have more than twice as many men as they aud We
have plan To cut them of, and annihilate them.
Before week has past, you will hear OF a terrible
defeat q she Linconites, such one az viii Of
set 20 some extent cur notifying surrender al
D0relson. We are certain Of success. and hope
l will be able to bring or y ankec prisoners 70
Galveston next summer.
"The Northern men VIII not fsut when they
can avoid il; but We intend to make them this
time, cut their threats
" The coming battle will free Arkansas ard Mis-
scuri from the invaders, ami VT will then march
On TO St. Loui., and take taat clifton city. aad
give the oppressed Soatterners there an oqportu
nifty 10 be free once more. We hear that We would
10 welcomed Ia 1t. Louis by at least 5o.0Jl peo-
pie VINO have long suffered from the tyranny Of
the meroenary Dutch"
The second letter, from a Louisiana Major
10 his sister. n resident If New Orleans, and
bearing date. " Little Rock, Feb. y, j.
quite different in tone, as will bc ca from
this quotation
Ds1r Sr,,e- Ctr,-.
You asked me ia your lass letter
what I thought of the prospect az car dearly he-
loved cluse. To be candid, have Lttle hops joy
its success now though lat December I ielt e. ui-
de we should be recognized before the coming
June. don't like the Yankees uit; / have been
educated 20 hate them, an 1o bate tleu hearth
": bat / must acknowledge the south has boon
sadly mistaken IA tleir character. We have al
ways b-iieved thai tte Yankees wuulI NOT fight
for any thing like VriUriTiei tllt tIry had no
chivlry-uo poetry iu their nature. Perhaps
they have not; but that they are brave, actc1min-
ci, rersevegil- they have proved beyond gucs-
ti0u.
TIE trouble with them is that they never got
tired 0t any hing. They lost al the battles az
first and alter Manassas we dCspiscd them. This
year has inaugurated a new order Of Affairs. We
are beaten at all points. We DO nothing but sur
render and evacuato; AMI while I hate the Linz
cllnites more than ever, ] respect them can't
help it-ior their dogged obstiuacy and the slow
but steady manner In which they carry ont their
plans.
l have lest heart in luF cause. There B. some
thing w1ons-somowhcrc JET Davis ari yu-
political leaders are either knaves or fools. They
drew u iu.o our present j faculties, and ROW ave
10 way oi showing us out Of them.
II the South bad known what would have been
the result Of Secession, no state unless south Car
olins, would have gene out Of tle Uni-u. Ne an
tbodght We could 20 out in peace; I know 1 old,
ami laughed at the idea Il the y ertl attempting
to keep Us in the Union by force q arms. lt was
the Free states. such step would be iougwcihy
a revelation at the North. and the turning Of old
Lincoln and all the Ab0litionis:s out Of office.
Oh, we'll, II can't be helped Carrie. We are IL
for it. Il Is too late 20 retreat. We must fgul
the thing out. l cannot
help believing we will be overpowe red. We arc
growing weaker every day, and tie North strong
er. fear 10 look az our future. We can't be
subjugated, we all say. 1 hope not; but If we do
not fly the country, l fear we will experience
something like subjusstion.
May be I'm gloomy to-day; / reckon 4n. y DO
wouldn't be l intend 10 fight as lard a. l can;
but | can't see ms way out. Tear
up this letter. Don't let father or mother or any
OF our relatives see it. Ih4ve express d my heart
to you because you are ny dear sister, and l al
ways tell you what believe.