Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1862-11-11
RLAG or TRUCE no LITTLE
RasGK.
EaFeresfirg FedeyaI Rep0rss fs0ns Il
haasals.

FLAG OF TRUCK TO LITTLE
ROCK.
Essferesfisg Federal Hep0rss fsOns sEs'
hsassas.
| From late st. Loals JournalI
1 From official dispatches received last evening
by Major General Curtis, from Helena, Arkan
| sas. we are permitted to collats the following
l unusually interesting narrative;
Colonel K. A. Cameron, of the 34th Indians
/ regiment, was rscentiy the bearer of flag Of
! truce TO General Hiadman, commanding the
rebel forces at Little Rock, Arkansas. The
| truce embraced Captain SerTeI OF the 24ih Indi-
ana infantry; Adjutant Mackenzie, Of the 9th
Iowa infantry, and eleven enlisted men as an es-
cort. They lett Helena, Arkansas, on the 2lsi
ult., took the route to Rock Roe ferry over
| White river, crossed the latter on the evening
| of the second day, and on the third day arrived
| At Brownsville, where was Captain Nolan, A
| @. NJ, G. s. a.. commanding this post Captain
Nolan telegraphed to General Holmes, who sent
Lieutenant Colonel s s. Anderson With train
on the Memphis and Little Rock railroad.
Taking the train, the truce party was escorted
to Little Rock, arriving at 3 A. NJ, Colinel
Cameron delivered his ispatches-cOnsisting Of
two letters from Msjor-Genersl Sherman, at
Memphis, Tennessee, to Major-Genersl Holmes,
in person. The delivery took place at half past
nine a. M and conversation ensued lasting
till near twelve, ~ The truce party left at P.
NJ, reached Brownsville at p. n, and returned
to Helena on the evening Of the 29sh.
General Holmes pIofessed his desire 10 cou-
duct the war upon honorable principles, under
the rules of warfare among civilized nations,
and even upon Christian principles; that be
was filed with horror at the tales of havoc and
desolation brought to bin, and which he said
he was forced to belisye. For instance, he al
legged, Mr.. Moore, living near Helena, reported
to his provost marshal general that party of
Federal soldiers en'ered his house, snd, finding
a feeble daughter and eHcients wife, threatened
and terrified them, and snapped caps on re-
volvers at them, causing the lady to suffer mis-
carriage at imminent peril to her life.
Colonel Cameron replied that the general
commanding had no knowledge Of such an Oc-
currence, and that if it had happened and the
guilty peTpetTstoTs could be found, they would
sssuredly be punished.
General Holmes then went on to say that q
deseTter had come to him, and stated as the
reason for dessrtion that tbe Federal soldiers
conduct was intolerable, saying, General,
have seen party of these soldiers rape mother
and hsr daughter, with my own eyes"
Colonel Cameron rejolned that he was fully
satisfied that the story was base fabrication,
for such an occurrence could not have taken
place without becoming known; that nothing
8 man who would desert would tell falsehood
General Holmes said he did net rely implicit
ly on what deserter might say but added that
in the route of General Curtis array, houses
were Iansacked, women and children's clothes
wers taken, and all kinds of damage dene to
the property of citizens.
COlouel Cameron said that statements Of this
kind might in some instances and to some e1-
tent be true, but that he was satisfied such con-
Al - L.
contrary to the positive orders of the command
ing officers Further, that the people of Arkan-
sss complained that Texan and Confederate sol
diers had stolen meat and chickens, and it was
to be regretted there were in both armies bad
men, whom it sometimes appeared almost i'm
possible to control
General Holmes said he knew General Curtis
in his youth aud had expected him to pursue a
fair and honorable warfare; thas he, for his part
was determined to resist organized forces as
long as It could be DONE but that unless their
Independence was acknowledged they should
fight until exteTminsted. While he fought with
organic forces, he had, he said, repressed the
patriotic sTdor OF his people near Helena and
restrained them from guerilla warfare; but
should Lee be beaten in Virginia, and Bragg in
Kentucky be crushed, their people would rise as
individuals, and each man take upon himself
the trust of e1pelling the invaders.
Colonel Cameron replied that he did not think
the Southern people felt 50 desperate as repre-
senbed.
He inquired if our army at Corinth had been
reinforced, and was assured in the negative,
with which he appeared satisfied and grsn6ed.
He said that on the 22d, the previous day, he
sent flag of truce boat with reply to General
Curtis former letter, by way Of the Arkansas
and Missouri MYERS. He liked the spirit of Gen.
Curtis letter, and had At once sent all the prs-
eneTs, nearly one hundred and his reply. The
cotton dealers taken by the Confederate soldiers
had been or would be released.
'' Yes" said the general, 9 we hate you with
a cordial hatred; you may conquer US aRd
parcel cut our lands among your soldiers, but
you must remember certain incident Of history,
that of all the Russians who settled in Poland,
not one died natural death"
Colonel Cameron replied that be did not, and
knew his people did not reciprocste the hatred
thus expressed.
The general then discourssd upon his former
love for the old Gag, and his present hatred at
the sight OF it, bus fell into pleasant vein Ia
regard to his former scquaintancss IN the Fed
erRl army
Colonel Cameron relates with remarkable aud
pTsiseEorthy minuteness the result of the inter-
view and his subsequent observations. BE found
three roads leading from Helena to White river,
all watered and supplied with forage Beyond,
the prsiries win soon be impossible The drOuth
has destroyed the crops and forage is seanty
The rebels are stacking prairie hay near Browns
vile, and by boats bringing corn from the bot
tom lands to Little Rock. Through scarcity of
forage they have dismounted q large part of the
cavalry force, including the 25th Texas, Colonel
Gidleshire. The Arkansas river is so low as to
be iDpfegnabe for the ightest draught boats,
while White river has Tisen twelve aud half
feet since August, and now has fifteen feet at the
lowest point up to Clarendon.
The rebels at Little Rock have information,
which they credit, that GalYest N, Sabine, Troy
and Houston have been captured BY the Fed
erals
Large quantities cf boots, quinine and other
articles fad their way to the Uonfederaies frem
Helena and Memphis. Boots sell at twenty
five dollars pair and qunins sl twenty dollars
per olluee