The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1862-06-14
Army Oorrespondenoe.



DsSAneMRxf I'm Mlssn1Dsnr1
0en. Grants Division, Gear OsEinth.)
CanP 500 IN. RsoiMxH1, Hay oosh, le6e
Friend Osman-This morning the, to me,
astounding news was brought in by q
deserter that Corinth was eyacuatedI
would not 1t FIRST believe it for last MIGHT
some Of the General officers along our line
fully believed that the rebels had been
strengthening their left, and that our
right would b stacked early in the
morning. Hearing this statement, an
dressed myself by pulling off my cap only,
and did not half sleep at any time during
the night. As constantly heard the roll
ing, rumbling of the cars, or the whistling
OF the locomotives. and very early in the
morning was thoroughly startled by the
reports of three big rockets which went
cavorting through the air. About seven
o'clock also, there were several loud ex-
plosions which sounded neither like shot
OF shell, and which completely nonplused
me. Soon, however, came an order for
the SD, the SD Iowa, and Mann's Bat
terry, all under command of Col Cushman,
to advance to Corinth, and We were very
soon on the march.
After marching about half . mile, We
came to the rebel works, completely de.
derted, which we found to be tolerabiy
we'll located, but not half as good or
strong as our regt could and has made i.
six hours of course expected TO find
something deserving the name Of forti6-
cations, as We approached the town, but
judge of my astonishnent when / saw
that these slight dirt piles were all that
the rebels had to our progress Spies in
our army must be very scarce or inefficient
or certainly our Generals must have found
this out long ago, and thus have been able
to have bagged many, if not all, of these
Dragging rebels We found very pretty
little village, containing many pleasant
residences, and giving some evidences of
being business town, but also showing
very strikingly the Fad effect of war, for
most of the houses were deserted Some
had, / am sorry to say, been ransacked
either by secesh or Union troops, and in
portion of the town were blackened
walls and large piles of smoking cotton
and commissary stores, the work of the
rebels before retreating, who also blew up
at least q portion Of their magazines,
causing the questionable sounds alluded
to above.
saw enough in the deserted camps to
convince me that the stories about the
rebels being short Of provisions, on half
rations, &c, were all humbug They GER
tainly had enough to eat of as good, if not
better, quality than that furnished our
own troops. Army bread, ffeur, corn
meal, rice, beans, god syrup, sugar, &c,
were scattered about in great abundance,
aud their camping grounds showed that
they were also well provided with tents.
learned from a secesh druggist who
had ventured to remain, that they had
been sending off supplies for tro weeks,
that none but the sick and wounded had
gone off on the cars, and that the able
bodied troops had left in different direc-
tons across the country, thus strikingly
proving the correctness of the opinion Of
Col Cushman, who nearly two months
ago insisted that the rebels would not
fight US at Corinth, but would at once
evacuate on the approach Of our troops !;
and, had his advice been followed, we
would have heen in Corinth at least two
weeks ago.
am told that part OF our troops have
followed the retreating enemy, and have
had skirmishes, if not q battle. with hin,
to day but of this l know nothing that
is certain.
It. was at firstyannounced that the 4th
Division Ito which We are attached) would
occupy and hold the place, but ABOUT 4
o'clock the order was given to "about
face" and Col Cushman marched his
brigade back to the camp occupied by
them in the morning. Enough troops,
however, are left at Corinth to hold it
and to protect the inhabitants, many of
whom have returned by this time What
the programme is for the future, am en-
tirely at loss to conjecture. nor am
disposed to give an opinion after being so
completely at fault before. Excuse haste.
REvEILLE.