The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1863-09-16
Army correspondence.
HEADQUARTERS 9TH MICH. CAVALRH,
Near Ealmouth Va Sent. 3. '6S.

Near Falmouth, Va, Sept 3, 'oS.
/ " CrSrafh, Esq,-DEAK SIR:-The rea-
s,n ehy have not written before s, nothing OF
importance has occurred in the Division 20 write
about Il Is very quiet along the line. and Is
likely 60 be for -oHe tue, and If ! should Judge
by tie friendly feeling manifest by the soldiers
on bolh sides OF the river II would De 80 forever.
There is more friendly feeling existing than one
would suppose could exist between deadly ene-
mics. The exchange Of papers trading coffee
for ahisky trading horses. and trading horses
for tobacco is a daily practice A general order,
however. from Gen fitzpatrick yeterias has put
a stop to a brisk but dangerous and illeeitimate
business
! Our Division headquarters is near Hart Wood
church. Oar Brigade. the left, have iheir
pickets and scouts as tar as Falmouth and Belle
Plain. while the right of the army Of the Poto.
mac extends TO Thoroughiarc Gap Headquar
ters OF Gen Mead is supposed TO BE- about War
renton C. Il Our supplies come on the Orange
and Alexandria Railroad We receive our sup.
plies ard mail from warrenton junction. Speak
ing about ma-Our mail was captured by guer-
riilas, one day last week, between Warrenton
and ibis place. one OF the escort shot and two
wounded Last week two side wheel steamers,
carrying guns, reconnotering on the Rappahan-
mock we're decOyed into an ambuscade and cap
tured The pretense was that certain parties in
distress wanted TO escape North. and wanted
their assistance at certain point on the river
When they got there they found the cheat, but
too late to escape. Kilpatrick's cavalry wer,
ordered down to re-capture or destroy the CUR
boats The land -pirates took the hirt, removed
the guns and valuables, and fed TO a safe place
: and left the boats to their fate.
There is large force OF rebels at Port Royal
on the Rappahannock; also at Culpepper COur
House. but nothing but pickets around Fred
erickssurgh The rebels manifest great IN
? willingness to have another battle. They say
, they have fought enough, aud il it not FOL
the strict watch kept at the Fords, they woulC
desert by hundreds. They do brisk business
in deserving. as il is The soldiers, as far as
know, sincerely wish that the war might b.
prosecuted with vigOr, and finished this fall
Per haps the powers that be wait for the fate 0
Charleston. If Charleston falls, Richmond mus
be evacuated, and in the turmoil of evacuation
would be good time to strike the fatal blow Il
the retreating enemy
For an old settled country this is the mos
desolate and lonely-the farms turned TO com
- mons and grown over with weeds, briars, stunte'
pines and cedars-empty negro huts and mass
gone from home. There is not one family il
thirty that are raising corn ard potatoes enough
o to last them two months. | have this from thei
: own lips Flour $40 a barrel-in their currenc
none for sale at that on this side Of the river
' How they are going TO spend the winter can b.
o better imagined than told.
= used 10 think it very undemOcratc fo
southern men TO have TO vote at their election
, siya voce instead OF by ballot The reason TO
i, Is, aud il is a very good one, there il so larg
Z a proporii,n gi The southern voters who cAnno
read that the learned politicians might conspir
to make the southern gentlemen vote for th
r wrong
. The health of the army is good aud the seaso
Is delightful
g Yours, very respectfully,
J. SOMERVILLE.