The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1863-09-23
Important Letter from a Rebel.
From the Toledo Blade.


Below we give letter picked up in
the streets of Brandon, Miss, BY Capt.
Dennis, OF the I'D o. " l. We have
the original in our possession. 1t is
written in unusually fair penmansbip,
and, as the reader will see, in a good
style of composition. It's writer is evil
IDENTIFY an intelligent man, and IN position
to speak correctly of shat whereof no
writes The letter is as follows
BRANDON, July l6 Il wrote to you
very hurredly yesterday, and :his morn
ing learn that General Johnston has or
dered this army to be marched across to
Enterprise, one hundred miles farther.
/. will take week longer. No provision
has been made along the route, and the
men are already much dissatisfied with
the vacillating policy. and hollow prom.
ises by which they have been drred SO
long Of the 10000 paroIed at Vicks-
burg, only one half are DOW together, and
ere We reach Enterprise this nomber will
be reduced to 5,0O0-they of the Geor-
gla, Aiabama, and Tennessee troops, who
also will leave. with or without furloughs,
SO soUn as they learn the alternative of
going into camp of parole. The army of
the Mississippi is completely lost.
meanwhile, General johnson holds
Jackson-we hear the guns constantly.
TIE enemy are making gradual approach.
es, aud alter j week longer will have tbs
place With it falls Mobile. This en-
tire section is fleeing eastward Georgia
will have u population of 100000 to
feed this year. Ruin, utter and entire
rum, ha> swept over this State. TIE
negro emancipation policy, at ,0hich zee
50 ,o"g hoofed, is The most potent leuey Of
oar orerthroU Ii steals upon as ana
troreS, and ere ace can do unything the
ptontations are deserted. tamii,es nth
out servants, camps a0tthOut necessary
attendants, lcOmen and children IN rant
Qnd misery. In short. the disadvantage.
TO as aow, arising from the negroes, are
tentotd greater than haze been oil the
udguatuges dericed from them earlier
IN the acar.
"It is useless to discuss the errors of
the past-possibly there are none that
conld have been avoided-but certainly
aoe are a defeated and ruined people,
shorn Of our streugth-powerless for s
successful solution of the problem under
taken or. rather ours was erroneous:
The solution has been shown US BY
more favored people.
Il have been staying with my friend
Manlove, who bought residence here
some time ago, and moved his family
from Vicksburg. Mrs. NJ. is to start
with her children, and the only two ser:
wants left her, for Mobile to-day thence
she goes farther East, with party from
Jackson, none know where Everything
save articles of absolute necessity, is sac:
rifced, aud Manlove, from great wealth.,
bas sunk to poverty. His case is type
OF all.
"Provisions cannot be bought here at
arg price. The enemy fed our army for,
ten days-save them FIVE days ratiols Of
everything (iucuding coffee and tea(, tg
make this march upon. Now the nsh
are going about with empty haversacks--
living on green corn and fruit. No com
uissary stores have been provided for
them by Gen. Johnston. The fact is,
that the greatest acknowledgement and
most ruiDous neglect have been the re-
ward, SO far, of this army. Such confa-
sion and dissatisfaction as is now pre-
sented here was never before witnessed,
aud unless the troops are moved out Of
town to, day, the ciizens of Brandon will
have more cause TO rue the advent OF
The Glorious Army OF Vicksburg,' than
they have had TO fear the approach or
'the vandal hordes Of Northern barba.~
rians." rst
If leave of absence is refused us, or
limited to thirty days | may not be able
TO get to you until ordered into Georgia.
Thirty days is no leave at all.
"Affcctionately, E."