Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1862-08-22
For the Waterman.
LETTER FROM MISSOURI-No 2

ST. LOUIS, Aug. II, 1862.
Mr.. EDTroR.-How you people up in good
old Vermont, so far removed from those
scenes Of excitement, which the war produces
in the border state cities, may regard these
times, do not know, but here every man,
whether loyal or disloyal, seems to think the
times are big with the fate Of Ce ar and Of
Rome"
Secession, with its authorized aud unau-
thorized agents, its open supporters and its
secret aids, its aimed soldiers and guerrillas
in the state, and its dark and plotting sympa-
1hisers in the city, is on the alert, and every
advantage that the hend gains is followed up !;
and people in the interior who retire at night
feeling themselves perfectly safe, may before
the morning be aroused by the dash of hos
tile hoofs in their defenceess streets, and
find themselves in short time robbed of all
they have by an unmerciful, lawess and ub-
quitous foe. And all this is not merely for
the sake Of booty. Whoever thinks that
these desperadoes have no cause at heart but
to secure plumber, is much mistaken. All
Union men here think they are mnions OF
that govornment-that despotism rather. that
anarchy Of Davisism, which had its birth in
treason and must have its grave in hell. nd
all this bushwhacking is simply to the land
what the rebel priyateering was to the sea. 1t
is all authorized, and the letter Of instructions
unquestionably tells them to let loose every
evil, arouse every bad passion, and II wanting
in material which they are not, seek even the
shades below" for precedent. 1t is an aw-
iul thing And these poor Union people
/ that have to suffer by it, that have lost their
property, their friends in the bloody conflict
and their dearest hopes in life, only need to
be seen and heard to awake one to an appre-
citation OF the terrible horrors Of war. The
city is full of these poor men and women
who six OF eight weeks ago were reposing
peaceably at home, and just beginning to
reap the fruits Of an abundant harvest, and
they have been-not sent, but-driUen forth,
without purse or scrip, OF shoes, and here
they are seeking protection and employment
night we have received the news Of the
fall Of Independence, after four hours hard
fighting, and Lexington-the second immor-
tai Lexington--is severely threatened.
We have news by letter to-day, also, o.
the burning of Warrensburgh, the capital o
Johnson County, about two hundred mile
west from here. and there is no part of thu
State from which we may not hear similar
tdings every day. The only safety for
man out Of the city is in his holding secesi
procliyites. or in his being in the immediate
presence of large force OF our troops. AnC
we have but few of the latter here no
hali-no, not quarter so many as we mus
have before we can rid the State of these dreau
full foes.
And, too, there is dash that characterize
all their movements, that startles soldiers a
well as civilians, and surprises even thos
who expect nothing but recklossness. Las
night | saw man riding at furious rat
though one of the principal streets OF TIN
city, and though not expecting to see on
here, his wild rough looks and suspicious ap
pearance, made me think at once that b
was a guerrilla. The result proved him
be so. He rode past the Gratiot Street Pris
on and shouted to the rebel prisoners therein
to be patient-"we will have you all clear /
day or two" He was arrested before h
went very far, and is now in close conint
ment That is but one of million example
of their dash and devil insolence in thi
State. Imagine anything that no human be
ing would think OF doing, and be not SUI
prlsed to find that those bushwhackers hay
already done it. They confidently talk
the capture of st. LOUIS but nobody
, afraid they will do il. Still, there is littl
to oppose them. Three thousand soldier
according to some authority, could not be II
sisted by all the force now here. And as fC
our citizens have nothing to say. The
: would 90 on both sides, in such an event, an
fear many more on one side than may no
seem. But the authorities are prompt. The
E are doing all they can. Enlistments are yer
5 slow, but drafting will commence Friday, an
5 if troops are not called out of the State
think Missouri will be able to fight her ow
battles But the draft will fall hard upo
this state. 1t must be upon the basis OF Il
. census of 1860, which included the rebel
as well as the loyal people, and to make !
the quota, the places Of those rebels must
filled by Union men.
Bushes is very dull. Stores are dai
closed at four o'clock to enable merchants al
clerks to drill. Weather is very hot. We
terday there were cath deaths by sun-strol
stroke in town. Would that the sun won
strike rebellion dead l think its bad habi
render it an easy prey, Yours,