The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1863-08-13

Sir:-While this army was at Jackson
my Company was on picket, and we COB
bled one Of the Contrabands used by the
Southern Cavalry. as q mail boy. I found
several letters in his possession from the
natives to their friends in Johnson's army.
] send you copy of one in order to give
your readers an idea of the feeling pre- vail.
ing among the citizens of this State. 1t is
a good exponent Of the whole South West.
1t will also show the immortal Copperheads
that they have now nothing to sympatize
with
Respectfully.
To. COLLARS.
"verbatum ct literatum ct punctuatnm")
Gerenton, Miss, July l4th 1868.
DEAR Bon =
Yours by Tom is just received and we
are all glad to hear from you, and to know
that you are still in the land of the living,
and | do hope you will live to kill many a
Yankee yet.
Your notion about putting the negro boys
in the army is good one and would sc nd
them to you If had them here. willie
has Just left for the bottom to tell the over
seer to have everything ready for moving
Immediately. have not yet determined
which way to move whether East or West.
would not move at all but am not WILL
ing that my negro fellows should he forced
TO take up arms against my country and nv
own Sons. Should yon conclude tn take
the boys with you in the army send for
them Immediately or let me know where ia
send them. for You have no time to delay
and will send them to any point you may
direct. but if should not hear from yon BE-.
fore leave with nv own I will take them
with me, but think YOU had better PM
them in the army. So attend to 1t right
away
am afraid that our State has gone up. !
not the whole Southern Confederncy and
all our troubles have been caused by tn
incompetency or treachery of JEFF Davis
bad appointments Lowell and Pemberton
Northern gentleman 18th Southern princi
pies. The fall of Vicksburg is the heavies,
lick we have vet received, and it will b
sometime before we get over it, if epsr VI
do. Just to think of seventeen Thousand
five hundred men surrendering. and the,
Southern gentlemen at that. don >
know how to believe it, it does not seen
that il can be &c.
Bob, whatever you conclude to do witt
your negroes do quickly, for as before re
marked there is no time to be lost. Wher
we heard from Price last he was quite sicl
and had to be left bv his Regiment which
he hated know. 7 wish the government
would force every man in the Southern
Confederacy into the army that is able Il
hear arms, both white and black Hoist tn
Black Flag and fight it to the death.
think such course would save the countr,
from Yankee Rule. wish I was in tn
Empire Of Brazil with all nv negroes
clear away from jeff Davis and Lincoln, o
II was in the interior Of Texas or Georgi
would like it much better than where
am. I never was at point where coul'
not come TO some conclusion before, nov
don't know how to act or what to do but d
something and that soon, and in trying t
do the best may do the very worst. l
Heaven does not come to our rescue we ar
used up people. I am afraid |! but I in
tend to face the music somehow or othe
and not cry over it at that, for that does n
good and it's as we'll to laugh as cry and
can't help but laugh sometimes to save m,
life, to see the confusion and panic there i
in the co untry.
Alphonso and Hern and several othe
boys are here from the army but have no
seen any of them. never expected to se
such times in the States, hope never t
see it again. There has been Z or 8 hund
red Wagons passed through Walden in tn
last few days on their way East. hav,
just learned that Gen. Lee has Arlington
Nights and is shellrng Washington City
and that 10 johnson has WHIPPED Grant an
has driven him back over Big Black Rive,
and that fool j. N. Brown, after whippin
the Yankees at Yazoo City burnt all tn
transports and evacuated Yazoo City, an,
did not even spike his guns. Ma. aunt an
all hands join me in love to you. Writ
whenever you can.
Yours truly
JOHN D. McELMORE.