The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1862-04-12
Correspondence. Of tn. lr.. Trader.
From Our Boys in Tennessee.
CAMP Hrrr, near

| correspondence q the 4roo TreooIs
From Our Boys in Tennessee.
| CAMP HIrr, near &
SAVANNAH, Tenn, March 29, 60
Mr.. Editor You have probably learned
before this that our regiment, (the SD, J
was ordered from Camp Douglas to the
''seat of war; and can only add on that
point that we had very pleasant trip
our brass and martial bands enlivening
US with excellent music; almost every
one in the highest spirits-not ardent, mind
you-a and the boys elated with the pros
pect of an early fight with the secesh as
well as being particularly we'll pleased to
get away from the snow, mud, red tape
and domineering, all of which abounded
at Camp Douglas.
All through Kentucky and Tennessee,
men, women, children and niggers cheered
us and the Union, waved Union flags,
swung hats, caps and bonnets, joyful ap-
parently at the prospect of Uncle Sans
resuming his sway over these rebel States /;
and they have good cause to be joyful,
for the rebellion has used them up pretty
thoroughly. One man said to me, Eve
are completely ruined here; the rebel
troops have eaten up everything we had i;
we have nothing to sell, but little to eat ;
no money to buy anything with, and but
little encouragement to plant SO long as
this state of things lasts. i sincerely
hope that you will put this rebellion
down, and l think you will in few
weeks"
The rebels are collected in great num-
bers at Corinth, Miss, % miles from here,
and there will soon be a terrible battle
there presume. 1t is said there are 120,-
600 rebels there, and that we have now
III this region not less than 10000 men,
with more coming on both sides every
day. 1t would appear that the rebels are
to make a desperate stand at that place,
and, that if defeated, the rebellion will be
crushed. Our leaders, confident of sue
cess, are allowing them 70 collect in great
numbers, with the expectation of defeating
them and Of bagging the lot. If we lose
the dav, the war must be considerably
prolonged, for success will encourage the
now dispirited rebels and ena BILE their
leaders to again deceive the people and
make them think that they may yet sue
coed; but if we defeat them, as now seems
almost certain they must know (taking
into account our recent victories), that
there can be no hope for tn EN-. The
people will refuse to be humbugSed longer
and will gladly aid in restoring or bring
ing about that peace which all sd ardently
desire-at least such is my opinion.
i find that some newspaper correspond
ents rdicule the idea of there being any
Union sentiments in this State, but such
is not my opinion. At Camp Douglas l
became acquainted with quite number
Of good intelligent men, belonging to the
50th Tenn, and they all said they had
been outrageously deceived; that they
found the people of the North held far
different views from what they had been
ed TO believe; that they were heartily
sick of the rebellion were an xious to
take the oath of aliegisnce and 60 home,
and that there were not ten m4n in the
whole regt who did not vote TO remain in
the Union at the time when that election
was held.
Here in this place, saw an intelligent
planter who told me that this county
gave Union majority, but that the lead /
ers and politicians had told them so often
that if our army came here the troops /
would steal all they had, prostitute their |
wives and daughters, and play HI gene /
rsiy, and that he at one time believed 1t, |
and was a secesIi ~. si.7r. %;--,s because 4
he could not. as man, take any other (
course. lie had now, however, found out !
his error, and hoped we would give them !
particular Jesse in the shortest possible |
time.
have kept my eyes and ears open, |
and am now finally convinced, as indeed |
have thought for long time, that if the !
people only had fair show, more than |
one half of all the South would today /
vote for the Union.
i
cipate in the expected battle or not. Gen. |
Grant is here. There are two other
regiment. in this place besides ours, to-
yether with Co. A, of the 4th cavalry. 1t
S thought by some, that we shall remain
here as long as he does, and that he will |
not change his head quarters till after the !
battle. Still, if the fight is to be so ex-
.ensive and so desperate as is supposed, it |
seems to me probable that We shall be .
ordered on with the rest of the troops.
We have very beautiful camp, named |
Camp Hit, in honor of our Lieut.. Colonel,
situated on Fair Ground in the edge of /
he timber, with the Tennessee river near
~ on the west The buds on trees are
swelling and nearly ready to burst-some
n fact have already done so. Flowers are
bringing up around and the peach trees
IN the adjoining plantations are covered
With beautiful blooms.
The weather is delightful-much like
hat of early June at Homeland not so
not as to be uncomfortable, particularly
when one is in his shirt sleeves, as / am
,ow There are two men sleeping in my
ent at this mo ment, and both are entirely
30th 1t is reported to-day that the
enemy have thrown a small body OF troops
n our rear, north-at all events our
,ickets brought in four of the enemy's
asst night-regular butternuts" like all
he rest But come when and as they
choose, they can not surprise as, for our
Colonel fully understands his duty, and
lis position has numerous guards and