Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1862-11-17
EmE vvAR IN rmR WEST.
E7eErrGF SiRHNffOsi ss west Z'essnesse-sIEs
raWStsssy By fhe .E6OFfsf0ss SofdsesS.


ron of country nearly the whole way, and al
though somewhat hilly and broken in one or
two pieces tho farms are large, evidently fertile,
aud under high state of cultivation. Several
magnificent valleys of aS 6se land as can be
found out7ide the great Northwest stretched
away in the distance ON either side OF the ros.s
snd whole plantations OF Gotten stood untouehed
by the rosdside, every fsw miles. These plzE-
tstions have been in ssms instances deserted
by their owners on learning Of the approach OF
our troops. Oshers have been deserted by the
negroes, vho lsfs a. ole msssa to tux keer Of de
cotton hissslf" and rushed TO the embrace Of
I" Massa Lir COINS folks as they call the armies
Of tie United States From what we have seen
and heard, where the negro refugees have been
OF the feminine persuasion, their advances
have been net st least halfway, with 6
moral abandon that will afford . fruitful
Theue for the future historian, But, in either
case, the result has bsen the same to the
planter His crop yet stands in the field waiting
to be picked, and, without more fair weather
thsn usually falls to our share in this latitude at
this season Of the year, must rot on the soil
where it grew. With raw cotton selling st irty
cents per pound By th4 bale st every station en-
the rairosd between this aud CeluhbEs, Ky,
and with lazy, geod-ioT-nothing derkies hang
ing round every Federal csmp in the country,
supported At government expense, ii does seem
IS though some rTesss might have been devised
to make the negroes work, and thus have
saved Hbulous amounts of cotton. II is not
only here that the crop remains unpicked, but
snowy fields present themselves to the eye Of tho
traveller every few miles, from the Mississippi
Tiver 70 C0rintA. The crop yet standing on one
plantation in sight of where I now sit, is eStim-
sted to be worth seventy-five thousand dollars.
The OwEer deserted several days ago, and dove
his bands Of TO the South, preferring rather TO
lose his cotton than his negroes.
Several brigsdss left Bolivar on Msnday, and
the rear Of these wsre overtaken BY Us near the
little town Of Van Bursn, that lies sbsus niEe
miles south Of Bolivar, and three east Of the
railroad. From there to within 8 mile OF this
place al the roads were literally blocked With
troops and trains. The doy wGS the hReSt pos
.sbe, aRd nothing but the dust caused any com
plant OF this too much cannot be said when
Treating il as qusntity, either known or un-
known. Il exceeded all my former experiences
a million times over, and this is an admission L
nsvsr expected to make. To say one couldn't
see for the dust don't half express the anguish
Of It's development You could feel, taste,
smell breatha nothing but dust, except when
friendly breeze lifted its pondeTous volume and
revealed your surroundings for an instant or
two. One brigade passed, we would have com
parative comfort till another was overtsken,
when the same fierce oldeal was again to be
gone through.
From Van Buren to LAG snEe the march Of
the army can be tracked by fire. The road rms
through narrow lanes vita farms on both sides
nearly al the way, and, from what we witnessed
in passing, it is not probable that mile Of it is
lett uaburned. In mauy cases thsflsmes spread
through the stubblefsds, or caught in the
standing corn, and swept across the field with
tbs wind. Ia others the flames reached dwelling
houses barns, and out-buildings, and nothing
could slay It's rsvsges. The forests are equally
dry ard combustibe. No rain has fallen here
lately. The recent frOSts have covered the
grounA with dry leaves, and the black Jack and
scrub oak EndergrOwth burns as fercslJ aud
spreads the flames as rapidly as ths famous
prsiries Of Illinois A gentleman who rode from
Boivsr here last night declared he knew nothing
Of the road, bus actually followed it, and was
lighted by tns hIes along H. lie passed num-
Der OF burning dwellings on the way.
Ii is pretty evident that the fires were ms
iici0usly kindled by Btragglsrs, bat perhaps this
might be hard of proof Orders were given to
officers to do all in their power to prevent the
spreading, aud punish severely any one caught
in this or any other act Of vandalism. General
Grant was especially indignant, and declared
that, on sufficient proof Of any ofiesr permitting
such ltwlessaes he would send hiA TO Alton
PROMPTLY A few individuals probably started
it, The whole army could not have suppressed
it Trains were delayed in many places, and
csias0ns had TO be taken 70 una, and through
fields.
Oar destination proved 10 be LaGrsnge, IN
stesd sf Grand function, aud Col. Mobiles 2i
Illinois cavalry, in advance, gslloped iBto tOEn
not ten minutes AFTER the rsbsi pickets galloped
out Indeed, one Lieutenant aud private, who
still cluRg to tbs fsEh-potE Of Egypt, were sur
prised and captured al a dinner table. Their
frst knowledge Of our preseRre Vas the gsllsp
of our troopers at tbs door. The infaEtTy and
artillery sOsn poured into the place, and totk
the position assigned tkem in the suburbs Of the
town. Gen. Grants headquarters were estab-
lisEed at Msjor Winston's, and before this
reacheg you will DO wholly aud permanently
removed from Jackson. On Tuesday Hight cur
pickets were thrown out about two miles south,
the rebel picket5 confronting shem az ths dis
tauce Of few hundred yards only They only
fell back as compelled to, to p7eveRt capture.
What force they may nave TO support them, OF
how near it is, may be known TO ths general il
command, sut certainly is not to me. This
morning reconnaissance in force were made in
several directions, while tho bulk Of the army is
stationary
Undertaking that considerable rebel cav
airy was at SOmeTVille some ten miles Horth Of
the memphis anu SuRflENbOA EaliIuAus hhu bSn
or fifteen from here, 8 foTcs wss dispatched to
intercept thers, IL possible, and, by cutting of
their retreat. pei them to 6ght or surrender
A mart Of the second Illinois cavalry, under
Major Mudd, took the advance, ssd st the
present writing have not returned. Unless they
have learned of our OeeupS60n Of LaGrauge
and fallen back TO point south of the Railroad
their capture is csrtair.
On Saturday n ing General Hamilton BE-
gan his march from Oorinth 10 Grssd Juvesion,
and arrived there yesterday with lsres force
Of effective men. His troops are al in exeslleut
spirits. We hear, ehd eager for the fray" At
an esrly hsur this morniHg part Of his force
moved southwest from thers 3 few miles, Walch
brings them neaTly south of here. Ons division
from here was marched sn squal diEtsnce nearly
southwest also, or directly owsrd Holly Springs
As this section is likely to become an interesting
one for awhile, state, en- pGssaat, thas LemphB
IL tifty-two miles vest, Corinth ffiy miles east
Holly Syringe tgsnty five miles south, Bolivar
nineisen, and Jackson thirty-siI miles north
The railroad to Jackson will be ia running order
tomorrow. The one east aud west is torn up
The one south is in good condition now, hut will
probably De destroyed by General Price, as our
army advances Everything indicates marching
and fighting. and you may expect to hear shrring
thrilling news E0m here soon.
As elsewhere in tbe South the women Of Is
Grange are the veriest rebe.s In eKistence Tbs
more intelligent they are the bitterer their ami
mostly seems to be. Nearly all have sons, broth
srs or husbands ia the ConisdsTate army, and
feel proud OF 1t. They express fall confidence in
the ability of the South to force a recognition Of
It's Independence, and profess to believe people
rBver fought in a mors sscred cause. 1heir de-
voti0u TO their cause cannot b5 questioned, aud
throws an incsicuisble weight in the scale, BY
rervirg the arms Of these who have gone to
fight
An incident occurred to-day that eclipses Fall
STATS Ezsn IN buckram, and fortunately tormina-
ted as bloodlessiy Capt. Osborn (who formerly
kept a cigar store under the rrsmept House, and
SIX men were sent outside Of the lines 10 look in
a suspected quarter for lot Of horses. Return
ing by another road, they were fred on By our
niclLaLs Milhont the nanal waning. N1 DAMAGE