Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1863-03-21

EHe Proclamation
IcOrrespondence OF the Cleveland LEADER ]
Tr1USE, TESS., March a, 1868.
The season is bright and beautiful
nearly all traces Of winter are gone, tn
sun shines warm, the birds begin to sing
the green grass begins to put forth, an'
all nature seems 10 smile upon our effort
TO move soathWard and crush out Rebel
lion. What is called The bully brigade
Of General J. 3. sieedman's Division il
eneamped at this town, consisting Of thu
ID Minnesota, 9Th Ohio-both old Mil
springers-the 85th Ohio, s7th Indiana,
Battery from the 4ih Regulars, the Is
Esst Tennessee Cavalry, and some other
not necessary to enumerate, for it won't dc
to tell everything one knows, and you may
rest assured that anything contained il
my letters will not be considered contra
band, for being an old stager the contra.
band matter will be omitted.
Early yesterday morning Major Tracy
was sent out with four sqaadrons of the
1st East Tennessee Cavalry to act as an
advance for General JEFF. C. Davis Divi-
sion, which was encamped just below Tri-
une, and was going TO move on in south
easterly direction The Division is a
splendid one, and in frst-rate condition.
The health is very good, and the spirit Of
the men is right; they want to move up
and fight. General Davis himself is a
hrst-elass officer, and understands per-
fectly what he is about The whole DiVi-
sion stopped at Eagleville, nine miles from
Triune, st noon, 70 camp for the night.
The Cavalry was sent forward to see what
was to be seen, to cross over from the
Eagleville to the Chapel Hill pike, and
return TO camp.
General Davis captured one Of Van
Dorn's men at Eagleville, who had just
come home to see his wife. He said Van
Dorm, with his whole force, was at Chapel
Hill, this side Of Duck River; but three
quarters Of 8 mile this side Of EaeleviIle
the first rebel picket was come upon and
run in, they not tarrying long enough to
get in range Of our guns. On the eross
roads, called Riggs Cross Roads, between
the two pixies, which are three miles apart,
about midway the advance scouts Of the
,
rebels, who Immediately took the bush, and
ran 30 fast that it was impossible to get
within long range Of them. At the iunc-
tion Of Riggs Cross Roads with the Holms-
vile and Chapel Hill pike, there were two
rebel scouts who run their horses down the
pike with some half dozen Of our boys
after them. About a mile below there an
other picket Of four men was jumped up
and they took to their heels; our boys shot
ct one, got his hat and pocket-book, with a
S. Confederate note in it. They run the
rebels two miles further to a third picket,
which making the rebel force too strong
for them, they halted and returned. Riggs
Cross Roads is seven miles south Of Har.
peth River, and six miles north of Chapel
Hill, so our men run the rebels within three
miles Of Van Dorn's whole force, for the
report Of his being at Chapel Hill was con-
hrmed, and Van Dorm has at his command
at least 1900 or 1000 Cavalry. The re-
connoitering party returned without fur
ther incident, and were glad 10 see the
pickets Of the I'd Minnesota at Harpetb
River, where that regiment is at work re-
building the bridge over the river. which
was destroyed several months ago by the !
rebels.
As we returned to camp we met Sherri- |
dams Division just going into camp. a
mile or SO below Triune This was on its /
return from Franklin, where it went to
reinforce after Coburn was gobbled M |
with his brigade. Now would be a good
time to make Van Dorm take water at Dack
River, which is only two miles south of
Chapel Hill, or surrender. There is abun-
dant force in this vicinity to do It.
The lst East Tennessee Cavalry are per
feet whales, and are the pets of this divis-
ION They handle the rebels without
gloves on all occasions; they 20 on the
principle that those who are not for me
are against me" and deal with them ae-
sordingly. Their idea is to put down tAe
everything that is useful to the
enemy is taken or destroyed, whether of
my benefit to us or not. The people in
his section Of the cOuntry-which is truly
and fertile-have lust vaked m
md are finding out to their sorrow and
that there is a war. They
never knew until within the last two
weeks what war was; but they are learn
ng by bitter experience mighty fast
What war is. And it does the East Tennes-
'eans good who have been driven from
lone apd robbed Of all their property,
nd hsd their wives and children turned
Ihelterless out doors, to teach these rich.
snded, aristoeratic aSouthern Rights
men, what war is, and what they in their
tih necked selfshness have plunged this
ountry into. If they had their deserts, I
very one Of them would be hung by the !
Ieck but they won't be hung, their mon
y viii save them, and yet they deserve ]
anging or shooting four-fold more than .
he poor ignorant soldiers that they have
ired and forced into the reBl army.