Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1862-08-21
From Captain Drakc,s Company.

CAMr GREEN MEADOWS,
Mercer County, Va, August s. 1869.
! FmEND EsrILL.-I have no news of corsc.
Iqncncc to communicates as we still remain inactive,
the only movement the 23d has ma lie since last
wrote vas on the 18Th ult., from Flat Tor Noun.
tain to this place, miles cast of the former and
! five miles from Packs Ferr' on New River
where four Companies of this Regiment, and one
section of McNullin's lst OHIO Battery arc
stationed as a guard to keep in check our South.
ern brethren, and afford as much protect n as
here at home, who arc quietly pursurng their
vocations, aud depending upon Us to act a, yigils
to preserve the peace and tranquility Of their
ncghborhoods, by not allowing liberties to guar
Eilas aud bands OF robbers who profess to be
sQllicls acting Under the authority OF the Con
iedc.ate Government; but such parties, it seems,
have ungoycmabld passions, and are wont to
make predatory excursions into territory bcig-
crcut and not belIigcrent alike and plundcr
! from foe or pyolcsscd friend, combataut or non.
combataut, scarcely, in many instances, leaving
the necc,saries OF life, as plenty OF incontestable
evidence ean be produced to substnntiac his
latter statement, This has been, and still seems
to be the policy of our foe in Western Virginia
Everything the country produced and which
would serve as food for man or east was,
and is yet, seized, whore the enemy hold the
balance of power. Sometimes, in their ma snan-
unity, they would generously offer for the property
seized, Confederate notes, or other paper fully as
worthless, and if their trash was refused, the
argumentatiyc Sccesh would clearly dsmonstratc
that all these acts arc legal, and that a "military
necessity" makes them So You may readily
suppose that we are in country, which more
particularly at this time than any other is un-
productive and not at all rcmuneutiyc. Nature
has done but little for it in the way of fertile soil
or in so locating as to render easy its cultivation,
and besides, the inhabitants, generally speaking,
appear 10 compare !ayorably with the country,
lacking energy and ingenuity, quite elitcratc, and
not partial to books and educational matter.
Many families have, since the commencement
of the war, emigrated either Nroth or South, rs
their opinions led them, leaving, frequently, com.
parahyely comfortable houses ,tenantless and eve
rythng to waste and decay, sacrificing, as many
aver, property it took years to accumulate, for the
sake of principle. Some, know to be sincere
For instance, Squire CALDWELL, an influential
and respected citizen Of Monroe County started
with his family to Indiana about week ago
He loses fully $4,000 10y the movement, but Sc.
cures peace, and is not in fear of his life. For
some weeks, he had been with the 23rd Regiment
acting as scout and guide his family all the while
being in Monroe County, but be dared not visit
them, except at night and then in dread of be-
ing surprised and taken. Week before last de-
Nchment of four companies of 23rd Regiment
and Gilmore : Cavalry. crossed the river and rro.
ccedcd to the "sqnirc's" residence, and removed
the family from thence, being obliged to leave a
large amount Of personal property, which the rcb
els will or have conhscated, probably.
/ CT those families remaining, the head Of many,
or some other member is a soldier in the rebel sr-
vice, and we frequently see letters addressed to
citizens here, and post marked Columbus, signif
'cont of fact, which the chronicle of Fort Don,
eson discloses,
Right here where we are crops, fruit, and veg
etables are scarce, and as natural consequence
| the demand for them great, CORE spending with
scarcity; so much are vegetables called for that
titEc of that demand cannot be supplied. But
some of the soldiers have habit of "rcconnoit,
ering in force getting the "bearings," obtaining
a knowledge Of localities and positions during
the day time, and when the Ebon shades of night
envelor the earth in darkess, this knowledge is
brought into requisiton, pickcts are passed, gar
ueus and nOtatO. matches are Visitad and eoundad.
but "thereby hangs tale" which am just now
disclosing. One of the these tales, however, did
not end so felicitiously the actors intended, and
if their imnginations had conjured up visions of
good dinner Of potatoes, they were suddenly
dashed to pieces By some mistaken or miscal