American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1851-1863, 1863-06-12
Letter from Madison Light Artillery.
Ii CAMP NEAR IvER DEPoT, VA,
Nav %. 1863.

JNo. F. BoswoRTH, ESQ. This is beau
tiful forenoon, May sunshine from a serene
sky, and the atmosphere rs fragrant with the
perfume of flowers which bloom around US
Sweet songsters greet our ear with delightful
melody, but our hearts are sad, and "mel-
ancholy sits broodng DER our SOULS
And why should it not? We have been pom
dering over the probable loss Of our beloved
homes by the vandalc foe that now threat
ems to engulf all that is lovely and dear to
US. The thought of our homes being desc
Grated; wives, mothers, sisters and daughters
exposed to the taunts and insults Of their iu-
solent enemy, is more than the heart of man
can endure, however callous it may have
come. When the news reached US that Gen.
Grant was marching on Jackson with
heavy force, not having any opposition to
encounter, our company, as one man, wished
to be in Mississippi to aid in repelling the
accused minions of Lincoln from the soil
they are in no wise worthy to tread.
You cannot imagine with what cagerness
we await the news from Mississippi that is
to inform US that Grant, with his whole force,
is either coopod up or driven in dismay I'M
der his gunboatS, there to pine over the
broken bowl of his earthly ambition. We are
all yet hopeful, yea confident, that with our
army, led by the noble Johnston, we will yet
Hriv M ,oI 80 Al, Ia
prepared for the Devil and his angels. john
ston is great General, and worthy, in heart
and head the confidence of Southern people,
and the time is not far distant if not already
come, when o United States Grant will be non
'nventus est upon Mississippi soil. "Mene,
Meme, Tekil Upharsin," will be written in
bloody hieroglyphics, and Johnston will be
the Daniel that will interpret its meaning in
this wise Nene-Thy days are numbered and
! have finished them. TekJ-Thy General
ship is weighed in the balance and found
wanting. Pris-Thy army is divided and
whipped by Pemberton and me. Then will
johnson be enshrined in the hearts of the
Southern people, chain of gold will be put
around his neck, and they will issue a proca-
nation that he shall be called the first man in
the peoples hearts and the nations graft
tude. There is a rumor in camp that Cen
sral Davis has gone to Mississippi for the
purpose of getting his brigade transferred to
the Department of Mississippi This meets
the undivided appreciation of US all, for moth
ing short of peace would give US more pleas
ure than to combat the enemy upon our home
soil. We are told that Gen. Davis has been
trying for some time to get his brigade so
transferred, and if successful hearts of graft
tude will ever give praise to him. This brig
ade proud of Gen. ]. r. Davis, and we have
cause to be, for the indefatigable industry
he has given to the comfort of his troops,
we wish to fight the Yankees on Mississippi
soil, commanded by Mississippi General,
and there is none preferred to our honored
commander. | deem it due to our friend and
countyman Maj. Jas. S. Ried, to say that lie
ls the right man in the right place; says what
he pleases and does what he thinks right
pays us our money punctually and provides
us good clothing in abundance. will men
ton by the way that we have the latest Com
mis'ary, rides the finest horse and supports
as manly a moustache as any man in the ser.
vice, and feeds US as well as any when he has
1t but unfortunately, he does not always get
IT. May he live long and happily and his
commissariat never give out, but grow more
abnndantly every day