Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1862-10-17
Correspondence Of the Fremont journal.
Letter from the 72d Regiment.
FoRT PIcK ERINa, Memphis Tenn,
Spntetnber O0th 1859

september 18th, 1862.
| WEEK IN THE CITY.
During the week ending Thursday last, the
! I'D were ON Provost Guard duty in the city. II
is found necessary to keep at least one regiment
ON guard duty in the city, to maintain order
suppress disturbances, make all needful arrests
look after traitors and enforce the civil and mill.
tary government Of the city in general During
our week Of duty the city was quiet, though il
needs little effort to discover that il is the awe
inspired by tho military presence here that
keeps 1t so. The more l see of the people OF
Memphis the firmer becomes my conviction that
they are intensely disloyal in sentiment, and
most heartily desire the overthrow of the Union
cause. The first wish OF their hearts is TO see
Memphis again in rebel hands. j do not say
there are no Union men in Memphis; but / do
say there are vc,y far They are men, too, of no
considerable influence in community, and are
too few in numbers to form any thing like I'm.
ion sentiment There is no use of blinking the
fact of this unaniniity of rebel sentiment. Il
may as well be known and admitted that we can
depend upon no Unionism at the South no aid
from any considerable number of men here, that
we may shape our course accordingly.
Memphis, at this time, socially and morally,
is In state OF degradation. As regards law the
people seem utterly lcentious. Stealing il
nearly universal. Drunkenness there is much
or But let it be noted that most of the stealing
is done by rebel sympathisers, or rebels, who
come in from the surrounding country. Smug-
Cling contraband ofwar goods through the lines
ls another tavorite occupation. And in this in
famous work the worst characters are those per-
sons who have come here from the North, and
disguise themselves under a pretence of LOYALTY
They enjoy the protection Of our arms while
they come here to sell goods at enormous profits,
yet they are continually engaged in clandestine-
ly and Illegally smuggling goods forbidden to
be sent out from here through our lines to the
rebels in arms.
The city itself has a murky, sullen appear
ance. Business is dull. Dry goods stores are
doing but a small trade. Liquor saloons have
all the run of business. Not machine shop or
mandatory is in operation. N Not a car is in
motion. The visible community consists of a
mixture of all classes Of men. The reader can
readily imagine what sort of men would be al
lowed TO the city by the prospect of gain and
the love of lucre. They come because the law is
weak, and because they suppose there will be
nothing in the way to frustrate their crafty de-
signs. They come for gain and gain they will
have, no matter whether by gambling SNUG
Cling, selling worthless goods at enormous pri-
ces, swindling or by any means; they are after
lucre, no d ference how Illegal and unscrupulous
their conduct may be. The citizens of the
place, male and female, delight to show their
hatred and contempt for the National Flag, and
for national soldiers. All in ALL Memphis is
Just such place as well disposed man, who
loves sobriety aud law, peace and order would
not desire long to remain in.
Guerrillas are, 10 say the least, becoming ra-
ther troublesome along the river both above and
below us. Recently they attempted the cap
ture of the steamboat Eugene at Randolph
They were foiled in their attempt Other boats
were fired upon. Gen. Sherman promptly WIS.,
tied the guerrillas with a terrible retribution.
The 10th Regiment Ohio volunteers, Col. VOL
cott and section of Co. A, Chicago Artillery,
were sent up TO Randolph and the place was
laid in ruins Further depredations having been
committed, Gen. Sherman issued an order of
which send you copy notifying the rebels
that for every boat fired upon, ten of the fami-
lies of known rebels shall be expelled from
Memphis These guerrillas will find they have
hard road to travel when they encounter Ma
ior General Sherman.
The Presidents Proclamation seems to be well
received by soldiers and officers, and is gener-
ally regarded as long step forward in the right
direction. The papers here condemn the Pro-
clamation, as illegal, unconstitutional, and inn
polite. Yet they do not propose to withdraw (D
from the support of the government, which is
indeed little strange for this secession cline
They condemn the President for manfully ac-
cepting an issue which the rebels have forced
upon the nation.
What the effect of the Proclamation will be,
cannot now be told. Legally the slaves will be
free on the day appointed, and the occurrence of
the condition. Practically, and in fact, they
will only be free as they come within our lines,
or are reached by our advancing arms. Whe-
ther, then, the Proclamation be the consurnma-
tion of great, glorious event, remains to be
determined by the progress we make in crush
ing the rebellion. And it will not make the sub
lection of the rebel hosts SO much easier as
many imagine. If the slaves will abandon their
masters very well. We believe they will gem
orally do so. But they have many obstacles to
overcome that people are not aware Of For my
self trust the end of slavery may come as /
regard it as fruitful and perpetual source of
evil and mischief It'll almost certainty that
slavery viii end with the war, But let all 10y
al people go vigorously about putting down the
rebels, relying upon acts, rather than words, up
on heavy columns, rather than sounding Pro-
clamations. The former may, the latter never
will, crush the insurrection.
OoroBKR I'd, 1862.
Rebels continue their prating that Breckin-
ridge, Price or some other confederate chieftain
is sabout to capture this place or is advancing
upon it with great numbers. Some lackbrain
recently despatched the Missouri Democrat that
and Price were very near here"
with only 100000 men," The fellow proved
his fitness for the lunatc asylum, or his fitness
for punishment for those redoubtable rebel lead
ers combined have not half the number of troops
mentioned, and the latter has not been near
Memphis, We may be attacked but it is one of
the very doubtful things; we do not expect an
attack and certainty do not fear one.
The health of the regiment continues usually
good, This is owing in great degree to the care
ful discipline of our Colonel and the precautions
he takes to guard against disease, and to the
very able and skillful medical staff Of the I'D.
Lieut.. A. B. Putnam arrived here on the oath
ult,, with 81 recruits for the regiment Lieut..
Putnam takes the position vacated by Lieuten-
ant Donnels in company l.
Chaplain A. B. Poe, returned on the 26th ult,
apparently much improved by his visit home.
Gen. Sherman yesterday reviewed the third
Brigade, Gen. Denver and the Cd Brigade, Col.
Mcdowell. The display was a splendid one,
and the appearance Of the troops must have been
highly satisfactory to the General commanding.
SEVENTY SIX.
sThe following is the order referred TO by our
correspondent above Ed. Journal.
Special Order, No. 254. savoy HaN
Headquarters Fifth Division
~ Army Of Tennessee,
Memphis, September 81, 1862.
Whereas, many families of known Rebels and
Confederates in arms against us have been per-
mtted to reside in peace and comfort in Mem
phis; and, whereas, the Confederate authorities
either sanction or permit the firing on unarmed
boats carrying passengers and goods for the use
and benefit of the inhabitants of Memphis; IL is
ordered that for every boat so fired on ten fam
lilies must be expelled from Memphis
The Provost Marshal will extend the list al
ready prepared, SO rs to have on il at least 30
names and on every occasion when boat is