Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1862-07-04
From the Free Press.
Letter from Captain Drew.
SALISBURY, N. c., May 20, 1862.

SALISBURY, N. T., May 29, 1862.
Our wanderings, since we were com
PEELED to accept the Hospitality of tn
South have been greater than those O
Ulysses,and our Imprisonment much NOR
unPleasanthe being detained by GOODIES
we by, well, will call no names
From Charleston and Richmond we were
hurried off to the tune of Yankee guns
Had our feet attacked Charleston, al
the people there expected, it would hav,
fallen at once. There were not 30O(
troops there and the forts were entirely
unprepared. say this on absolute knowl
edge Again, had our gunboats run up
the James river as soon as the Merrimac
was destroyed, they could have come to
Richmond, for no distractions were IN
the river and the ammunition had moi
gone down to Bluffs Battery. This
know to be true. They would have
found hundreds of Union men in prison
and out, and a city glad to be captured.
Then what fall in shinpasters!' To
show you how confederate notes were
regarded there, notice sold, on being
ordered South, $50 in gold for $50 in
confederate money, and a SO U. S
treasury notes for two $40 confederate
notes. This tells the confidence of the
people with vengeance /! When we
were sent south last summer, at every
place were greeted with loud shouts for
JEFF. Davis and groans for the Yankees
generally and Abe Lincoln in particular.
This time the crowds were smaller and
silent. / heard but one shout for Jeff.
Davis, land that fellow was drunk. Every
one that spoke said: Il wish the war
was over 1t begins to look dark to
them. Ruin stares them in the face, and
yet in their ignorance they think it is
the L. S. government that is to blame.
The thousands of Union men in North
Carolina and Virginia are as powerless
to act as infants, for about them are armed
desperadoes who are always glad of any
chance to plunder and any pretext to
murder.
Nothing can exceed the destitute cordi-
ton of the South of everything save
The necessaries of life. Medicines are
few and hard to be procured at fabulous
prices. For the 1900 prisoners that have
been here for months not enough medi-
zine to fill haversack was procured
Men have lain with their limbs blackened
~ scurTy and nothing done for them.
All the Yankee notions are gone;
eedles, thread, pins, paper, and the
housand articles of comfort are no m ore
r if they exist are only to be bought by
aging enormous prices.
Luxury will not destroy the rebels
or such thing is not known. They
ay they give US as good as they have,
nd this is what we get: a half ration
le poorest kind of pork, and half ration =
le meanest kind of flour. We get t
her things at our own expense. Coffee
'sts 81 30 per h., butter 81, sugar SOC. '
ut amid all these disadvantages they q
i'll fight for years Those who expect '
subdue them at once or by any one S
ctory are greatly mistaken. The mass o
of the rebel soldiers are of the poor b
hites' who never Jared better in their h
yes ; never bad so much money never c.
good chance to plumber. Besides, r,
ere is no Disgusting the fact that the tc
,ense of war is very taking TO the is
uthern mind. Ruin may fall on the h
ealthy and influential, but these are m
It small part of the people. The OF
ultitude have nothing to lose. These Ia
e the fellows that talk so patriotically o'
out burning cotton and towns and q,
les and leaving nothing but blackened cl
ins TO welcome the Yankees If they bl
e beaten from Richmond and Corinth TO
ey can never take up another line of o. g.
fense with any hope of success, yet w,
" will fight in detached parties for re
lrs. Success at Richmond or Corinth IL
i give them time to concentrate and =,
siPline the monster army they intend in
raise by the conscription act. These
ops will be better than any other they 49,
re raised, for the better classes will ~,
escape being drafted. Their 'pet on
eme' is to throw $4,000 men into on
'ryland and carry the war into Africa pa
j. T. DREW. we "a
but
81 The first man, Adam, made fool ere
himself, and cursed the whole human lig