Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1862-11-08
LETTER FROm n


RICHMOND, October 90, 1862.
RumOrs of q disaster to our arms on the line
of the Petersburg and Norfolk railroad, hav e
happily dwindled down into an account of the
loss of six of our pickets, taken by the Yankee
force, which is said positively to have crossed
the Blackwster in considerable streDgth-eigh-
teen or twenty thousand men. 1t was thought
last night that a battle was imminent at Zun a
wsysido station on the railroad, some thirty
miles southeast of Petersburg. Our forces there
are under the command of General French. The
march upon Petersburg is most probably a feint,
for if the enemy designs any important movement
in that direction before winter sets in upon Us, he
will doubtless strike at Weldon, in North Caro-
lima, where be might work very great mischief.
At Weldon the two southern lines of railroad
strike OF to Raleigh and Charlotte and to VIII
mington and Charleston, and communication d.
rectly with the latter city and Savannah, would
be cut off by the hostile occupation of The place
1 cannot believe that the government is so blind
to the possibilities of irreparable danger to our
cause as not to have provided sufficiently
against IN attack upon Weldon. Surprising it
to be attempted, celebrity of transportation and
vigilance on the part of orr commanders would
insure the destruction Of the Yankee force sent
upon the enterprise.
The Secretary of Wsr has written q note to
the agent of the Young Mems Christian Associ-
alton, to say That the army is in sore want of
any clothing that may be sent to them, es-
pecially of shoes and blsr kets, and this official
notification of the necessity of our troops, it IL
hoped will prove a great stimulus to the benev-
olence of our people. The Young Mems Chris
tan Assoc alton, of Richmond, has done noble
service IT gathering provisions and garments
for the soldiers, and its intelligent and active
treasurer, William P. Nunford, has been indie
fatigahle, ever since the war commenced, in the
coed work, giving several hours sdsy to it,
wishing the hospital, experimenting the making
up Of clothing, forwarding packages, etc, etc,
and all without thought of reward for his la
bors. He is now d~evoting himself with great
aTdor to the special wants Of the army in view
Of the coming winter. 1 saw to-day on The
street, Colonel P. w. Alexander, whose stirring
letters TO the Savannah Republican, have ex-
cited the non combatant citizens of the Con-
federacy everywhere to mwOnted e%1ertions in
the matter of shoes. Let US hope that his eff
forts will be rewarded with the knowledge that
every brave fellow in the service is saved the
suffering of doing duty barefoot during the win
ter campaign.
We have all the signs Of an early and most
winter. Ice of the thickness of the
window pRns has been formed here for
several nights past! This is most unusual.
Already, too, there are symptoms of an alarm
ing dearth in fuel. Inexhaustible mines of btu
coal of the finest quality, quite equal to
the Liverpool, lie thirteen miles from town, but
owing to the scarcity of labor aud of means of
transportation, it cannot be brought to the city.
company cannot work its shafts Tor want of
rope to let down and pull up the buckets !
Another has az unlimited quantity of good coke
seven miles up the canal, which cannot be
brought down because they can get no boats
Coal, which in old lines used to sell at 81 so
the load of twenty-five bushels, now commands
$l2, and you must beg to get it. I shudder to
think what must be the distress of the city
when the biting season of cold Fets in.
Garotting goes on unchecked. Two men
were knocked down and robbed last night.
Richard Yssrdon, of Charleston, is announced
as a distinguished arrival in the city.
We learn with great satisfaction that twenty
three continuous miles Of the Baltimore and
Ohio railroad, have been rendered useless by
the complete destruction of the track.
One square of property, on which stood a
single ancient dwelling house Of brick, sold
yesterday for $4,000.
The weather is magnificent. DIXTF