The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1862-05-21
TFRoA OUR Army coRsEspoNprur1 !

CoRlSrz. Miss. Thursday, May s 1882.
AL quiet around us. The sun IL shsddiug a
oalmy wsrmth,a a ger tie breex Is il making music
among the whispering leaves, and but for the
OCCASIONAL claster CT passing cavalry, the
rumoltng OF baggage trains And commissary
wagons, and the returning regiments from
duty on picket. one would hardly select this
staid old town and Its environs a. the focus of
tho eyes Of nation. Looking around me, not
camp IL visible. The troops are scattered
through tbs woods, on hill sides, aud In the
valleys. few Generals have their head.
quarters here, In cottages whose dowery sur.
roundings are suggestive at once Of peaceful
tenants. and other buildings, great and small
are appropriated to various army purposes
soIas for ordnance, some for stores Of provis.
ions, aoinp Tor grain. and some fo- blacksmita
shops; bat aside from the bustling life visible
Immediately around these, there II nothing to
indicate the proximity Of that great army
which constitutes the Chinese wall of the DOT.
ton States. You only recognise its existencs
Ia the stiffness Of night, when "tatoo" rinss
from wood to wood, and the music Of various
regimental baod, reverb srates swse.ly in the
quiet air.
Go to the front, however, and there the
Eicture OF war bursts upon the vision In all its
grim grandeur. You may trace the camps for
miles. The canvas homes OF the men loom up
everywhere. Cavalry are staksd of among
shady trees; batteries whose brazen throlss
navx belchsd defiance to the foe now nestle in
pieasan. siovss; and m en- loil isziiy on the SOFT
grass, and nwaft coming events with an In
difference almost amounting to stolidity. An
iLtense caimaess pervades everything.
Our preparations are complete. Little re.
mains 70 be done excep: to feed the army, and
the 0rSS OF battle thnt aOundQ in 0uf
will find welcome response In every hears,
a. relief to the monotony Of present camp
existence. \ recent tour amcnE various regi
ments, and personal conference with both Of
ficsra and men, satlAfles me that an eclat and
spirit anima,es the army which has not been
eQualled since its organization. The battle OF
Shiloh fully tested the comparative strength
OF the two forcea, and though on the second
day we were com pelled to withdraw, the sub
seQuent analysis, by the common sense of the
men. OF the two days fiyh. has fully prove en
the superiority OF our arms.
The fact is beginning TO be generally under.
stood that OF Monday Ma had not more than
twelve or fifteen thousand men on tae field
10 contend with the fresh and Overwhe Inning
reinforcements OF Buell., md our obstinate re.
sisancs on that occasion has given the en-.
eourEgsment, that With tha additional forces
now at &C mmand, AID the splendid reorgan-
tzation which has taken place, we shall be in
truth invincfb!e. Again, 1t is to be borne In
mind .hat IN the fight of Sunday VS. took the
steel out OF forty thousand men. They wno
punished us NJ UOnelsOn found their match at
Shiich. and fed like routed sheep TO The cover
OF their gunboats 20 thoroughly whipped
that they never will figh, as we'll again.
Again, there is not an individual In the
army OF the Mississippi who does not daily
reallza the superiority OF our position, the
extent of our prepara sicns, ard the apps.e0 at
imprsEuahtlity Of cur foruficati0ns. Conf.
dence in our Generals Is supreme, and q spiri.
Ct emulation has been born smong the vari-
GUS regiments that will result in deeds Of
vator Of which Shiloh CLIQUE can be parallel
We have an abundance ofamm unit;on, ar,i.-
lsry, small arms, and men. Add to these tbs
Iebie impulses :hst acsna!e the latter, and
Wlat more - needed - give US the victory
Our principal fear now is that the enemy
will charge his tactics, and either lis idle l..
his camp, or retreat down the Tennessee to-
wards Memphis and New Orleans. Every
day or TWO We hear OF their recCnnoiss .r ces
along Ias lines, and occasionally the heavy
booming of artillery tells OF skirnisb bu:
We query whether thsse damoHst-a,ions are
nc: Il ers fsints a scout To-day briggs Intel.
iissncs that the ederais ara digging or
trsncnIaents at Pit;sburs, Shiloh, and W.
riCus places between here and there. An.
other report Is hat they have broaght heavy
tory 20 the ATTACK. and will advance upon us
by system OF regular approaches. il
tnis Information 6e correct, q battle Is
imminent. 1t rot, We can gather nothing
from the silence OF the enemy as 20
his intentions. 20 remarked in my
last, he will hardly be Likely to fail back oni
this point upon . mississippi. and allow Us
to get In nis rear and threaten rae cOu. try he
las Jost lett. II ne advances upo the Cot Cn
STA es, Ii must he over us, Or not at ali This
bords. of the river is valueisss to him as 10 Ig
as this army remains intact and uncefe6 ted
ina: is, he II ay establish g river police 81 gun
beats, bat 70 garrison the cities q ,ntu red
would % an undertaking hazardous in the
extreme. a great ear Is that the okjact Of
en:renching himself on the line OF the r e.
nessse is TO cempes us 70 assume the Offensive,
or remain idle. In tnis case, tbs o me order
Of things would bs created which so long ex-
isted on the Potomac, with the exception thar
we may ''attack a: once and furiousiy."
All Is matter OF speculation, however, for,
even as write, the enemy are vigorously
bombarding our outposts. Windows rattle
pol OF the bursting she'll fails upon the ear
as distinctly II the crack OF a rifie. These
skirmishes may be tns prelude OF q baIIls
within twtnty-four or forty. eight hours, ba.
pointed among GU, selves that II il useless TO
look hey DAD present events. : anticipate .rou
Bile frhm what have Al OW become its daily har-
bingers.
kvxNIsG, TAuRsDAY.
Since writing the above. several OF the
wounded have pascal by the dOoc of my hut,
some ON foot and some Ia the rude ambulances
which the surrounding country IL made TO
AFFORD Though you cannot see the latter SUI.
fer ers thei. grcaus the vehicle rolls TOuga ally
along are terrible. One poor fellow just gons
lower part dangling by lew shrsds Of skin.
Others are wounded in the head, and tins
blood has streamed down end dried upon their
faces and clothing. The sight IL PAINFUL and
not less Decauss within The past year II as
been VI frequent repetition
lcanEot now obtain Reliable details OF the
akirmish. though q thousand reports are i'll
circ niation; bat before the closing OF the mail
Il