Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1863-09-12
An In,porsnns Rebel Letter.
F,on tAe Tolodo Blade.

| from tie 1Otodo Btdde.
Below we give letter picked up in the
| streets ofBrandon, Miss, by Captain DENNIS,
of the Seventy y-second Ohio Volunteer Infan-
| try. We have the original in our possession.
1t IS written in unusually fair pcnmanship,
and, as the reader will see, in good style of
composition. Its writer is evidently an in
teligcnt man, and in position to speak
correctly of that whereof he writes.
| The letter is as follows
BRANDON, July 16. 1861 wrote to you
very hurriedly yesterday, and, this morning,
! learn that General JOHNSON has ordered this
army to be marched across to Enterprise, one
hundred miles further 1t will take week
longer. No provision has been made along
the route, and the men are already much
dissatisfied with the yacilating policy and
hollow promises by which they have been
duped so long. OF the thirty thousand pa
rolled at Vicksburg, only one-half are now
together, and ere we reach Enterprise, this
number will be reduced to five thousand
they, of the Georgia. Alabama and Tennessee
troops, who also will leave with or without
turloughs so soon as they learn the alternative
of going into camp of parole. The Army OF
the Mississippi is completely lost.
| Meantime. General JOHNSTON holds Jack
son; we hear the guns constantly. The
enemy are making gradual approaches, and
after a week longer will have that place
Whit falls Mobile. This entire section is flee
| ing eastward. Georgia will have population
of five millions to feed this year Ruin, utter
and entire ruin, has swept over this State.
The negro emancipation policy, at which
we so long hooted, is the most potent lever
of our overthrow. 1t steals upon us una
wares; and ere we can do anything the plan
tatons are deserted, families without men
and children in want and misery. In short,
/ the disadvantages to us now, arising from
the negroes, are ten-fold greater than have
been all the advantages derived from them
earlier in the war.
alt is useless to discuss the errors of the
past possibly there are none that could
have been avoided but certainly we are u
defeated and ruined people ; shorn of oui
strength, powerless for u success solution
of the problem undertaken, or rather ours
was erroneous. The solution has been showr
us by more favored people.
II have been staying with my friend MAN
LOVE, who bought residence here some
time ago, and moved his family from Vicks
burg. Mrs. MANLovE is to start with hel
children and the only two servants left her
for Mobile to-day; thence she goes further
East with party from jackson, none know
where. Everything, save articles absolutel,
necessary, is sacrificed, and MANLovE, from
great wealth has sunk to proverty. His
case is type Of all.
"Provisions cannot be bought here at any
price. The enemy fed our army for ten days
give them five days, rations of everything
Gncluding coffee and tca) to make this marcl
upon. Now the men are going about will
empty haversacks, living on green corn anC
fruit. No commissary stores have been pro
vided for them by General JOHNSTON. Th
fact is, that the greatest mismanagement ano
most ruinous neglect has been the reward
so far, of this army. Such confusion an(
dissatisfaction as is now.prcsented here, wa
never before witnessed and unless the troop
are moved out of town to-day, the citizens
Brandon will have more cause to rue the al
vent of GLORIOUS Army OF Nicksburg," thai
they have had to fear the approach of 18th
yandal hOrdes of Northern barbarians."
If leave of absence is refusedu us, or limite,
to thirty days, may not be able to get t.
you until ordered into Georgia. Thirty day
is no leave at all.
AtiectionatCly, L.