Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1862-04-15
1--WE Secession Letters.

Among the rebel letters found in the de
serted secesh camp after the battle Of Sugar
Greek Hills pea RIDGE were the follow
ing two. They were written before the
battle, but not mailed, but left behind in
the confusion IF precipitate retreat.
The first letter is from Texas captain
to his wife, and reads .hus:
Near Fayetteville, Ark, March 5.
Thank God, dear Mary, we've got the
Yankees in trap at last. They cannot
escape us NON. We have more than twice
as many men as they, and we have Plan
to cut them of and annihila;e them. Be
fore week has past yuu viii hear Of
terrible defeat Of the Lincolnites, such
one as will offset to some extent our morti,
fyiBg surrender at Douelson. We are GER
tain of success, and hone will be able
to bring five or six Yankee prisoners to
Galveston next Summer.
The Northern men will not fight when
they can avoid it, but we intend 90 mako
them this time, or cut thcis threats.
The coming battle will free Arkansas
and MISSOURI from the invaders, and we
will then march on 10 ST. Louis, and take
that Abolition city, and give the oppressed
Southerners there an opportunity 30 be free
welcomed N ST. Louis by at least 5000
people, who have loos suffered from the
tyranny OF the me.censTy D0tcb."
The second lsttel, from Louisiana Ma
jor to his sister, y resi6eu; o. So9 Orleans,
aud bearing Gate Little Rock, Feb. - Is
quite difsrsn, in tone, as will be seen by
the quotation:
DEAR SIsTEE CARRIE: You asked in
your last letter what | thought 81 the prcs-
pect of our dearly beloved Cause. To be
candid. have little hopes for its success
now, though last December felt confident
that we should be recognized before the
coming June. don't like the Yankees b
bit; have been educated to hate them,
and do hate them heartily; but / D,ust
acknowledge that the South has been great
ly mistaken in their character. We have
always believed that the Yankees would
not SIGHT for anything like principle; that
they had no chivalry or poetry in their
nature. Perhaps they have not, but that
they are brave, determined ana preserving
they have proved beyond question.
The trouble with them is thst they never
get tired Of anything. They lost all the
battles at first, and after Manassas we des-
pissed them. This year has iDsugurated a
new order of things. We are heaten at oil
points. We do nothing but surrender aud
evacuate aud while hate the Lincoluites
more than ever, l respect them, can't help
it, for their logged obstiDacy and the slow
but steady manner in which they carry out
all their plans.
/ have lost heart in cur cause. There is
something wrong somewhere. JEFF Davis
and our political leaders are either knsves
or fools. They draw Us into our difficulties
and now have no way Of showing Us out Of
them.
If the South had known what would
have been the result of Secession, no State.
unless South Carolina, would have gone
out. of the Union. We all thought we
could 60 out in peace; know did ADD
| laughed at the idea Of the North attempt
ing to keep US in the Union by force oi
arms. IL was not possible, we said. We
had too many friends il the Free States
| Such y step would be followed by O revolu
ton in the North, aud the turning of old
Lincoln and all the Abolitionists cat Ct Of
fee.
Oh, we'll. it can't be Carrie. We are in
| for it. 1t is too late to retreat. We mus
fight the thing out. | cannot help believ-
ing we will be overpowered. We are grow
| ing weaker every cay anu the North Is
growing stronger. ! fear to look OF our fu
ture. We can't be suhjugated, we all say
/ hope not but if We do not fly the coun-
try, am afraid we will experience some
thing like sutjugatiou.
May be am gloomy to day. i reckon
am. Who wouldn't be? intend to fsh
as hard as can, but can't see my way
! out.
Tear up this letter. DoD't let mother o.
father or any Of our relatives see IT.
have expressed nav heart to you because
you are my dear sister, and | always tel