The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1862-09-17
Army Correspondence.
HEADQUARTERS, HELENA,
: ARKANSAS, July 25, '62. .


~ HEADQUARTERS, HELENA,
a Arkansas, July 25, '62. 81
Mr.. Eaitor-After a long series of
marching, and having endured many hard
ships in the State of Tennessee, at Fort
Donelson and sShilo. Those two battle
fields where our soldiers demonstrated
their courage and patriotism, and achieved
two of the greatest victories ever fought
on this continent, taking into considera-
ton the number of men that we had en-
gagged against such an overwhelming force
and numbers far SURPRISING ours.
I ever shall think thevietories at those
two places glorious achievements on our
part. As I have stated in the onset that
was eye witness of the battle-felds of
Fort Donelson and Shilo, where I have
seen the earth drenched with the blood
of union and disunion men, and the
ground strewed with the dead and dying,
and the horrid cries and groans of the
soldiers; such scene never want to wit
ness again. .ks
After the battle at Shilo General Lew
Wallace's division encamped near Shilo
Church, or Big Spring; and we marched
from there to Pea Ridge, some ten miles
from Corinth Gen. Wallace's division
with which was connected being on the
reserve, and after the evacuation of Cor
inth, we were ordered to Memphis about
one hundred and ten miles from Pea Ridge
On the march enroute to Memphis, VIC
passed through very fine farming coun-
try-some very large plantations. Quite
a number of the planters had deserted
their farms and gone into the Secesh Ar
my, and left their negroes on the planta-
tions. Everything was going to destruc
ton, their negroes had run off and come
in our lines. 8
When we arrived at Sumerville the cot
ton burners were just in advance of our
Army, and we found most all of the cotton
burned from Sumerville to Union depot,
a distance Of 80 miles Some few plant
ers had been successful in hiding their
cotton and saved it. The squads of guer-
rillas would call at farm house and put
their horses in the stable and feed them,
and 20 in the house and ransack the pan
try and cupboard and cat their satisfac-
ton Of jellies and nick -nacks, and the
Mistress of the house dare not say word,
they would then tell the inha bitants that
the dd Yankeys was coming on and
would carry off their negroes, burn up
their dwellings and i'll treat the, women,
and spread devastation and woe through
out the country, and then they would de-
mand of the planter to have his negroes to
roll out his cotton and apply the torch to
it and burn it up--the very article and
[only article that he had to sell to buy the
[necessaries of life with. s s....s...s
Those squads of desperadoes who were
detailed from the Southern Army by Gen.
Buregard to destroy tho cotton. SO that we
could not get it; the order gave them Ii
fcense to perpetrate any act their black
heart called them to ao-they had no mer-
Toy on Union man if they found him to
be such. Here in Arkansas If the ban
ditti find a Union man they either shoot
him down or hang him on the first tree
and go off and leave him.
Some of Curtis men tolled me that they
found some of their men that had beer
taken prisoners, tied up to tree and shot
full Of bullet holes, and left in that con.
dition t- $3.50
Reader, I will have to revert back q
little When we arrived in the City o.
Memphis, Gen. Wallace was received. by
the Union men with enthusiasm, while
the rebels looked very grim. We found
la great many Secesh in Memphis anG
still some left. A few days after our ar
rival in the City, Gen. Wallace and Stat
left for home on furlough, and his com
mand was filed by Brig. Gen. .Hovey
and after he took the command he ISSUED
AN order that all citizens who would no
take theoath Of allegiance to be true t.
the United States, and renounce all con
nection with the so-called Confederat,
States, should leave the City in six days
/ A great many of the citizens left the Cit,
and went into the State Of Mississippi
Gen. Hovey with his Division was order
ed to HELENA in Arkansas, to Join Gen
Curtis. e s29 -
i We left Memphis on the morning 0
the 24th, and arrived in the evening o
the same day, a,distance from Memphis Q
about 80 miles. Gen. Curtis had q fore,
before our arrival ofsome thirty thousand
and the probability is that we will go /,
Little Rock or Vicksburg in few days
III C1tlZcuS anu 1IItuuS VI OtQ- M0HfO6
when I reflect on your position you tha
are at your homes enjoying peace and plan
.Ity, no enemy to modest you by day no
disturb you by night, where you hav
[plenty to eat, and lay down ON your bed
and; take your repose in safety. Ialmoi
envy you your position; and in aamomen
1 I seem to be there, but recollection 500
hurfies nae away down in Dixie, where "
poor soldiers have the intense heat of tn
sunt to contend with by day, and the guer
Irilla bands of gallinapers and musquitoe
. to annoy us by night, and when on a marc
are liable to be picked off by the bush
whackers.1 81 bss8gaE9 isEsl gssa
Fellow citizens the Southern States al
! in a. deplorable condition, they in seceed
! ling from the Union have themselves lai
!, the axe at the root of Slavery, and the
much loved institution is already pei
fleet reck; hundreds of slaves are leavin
: their masters every day. There are SON
two thousand that have came into Men
! phis within the last month, and are
n 4