Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1863-06-03
Camp near Memphis. Tenn,
Nav 22d, 1868.

about that would interest YOU, but so far
l have found it pretty hard matter for
one of no more note than myself to get in
possession or an overstock OF information,
but from the observations ! have made |
am fully satisfied that the rules and reg
ulatlons here relative to citizens passing
IN and out of our lines need a very great
deal Improvement, and need to be more
strict In the first place ] cant believe
that over one fifth of the residents inside
Of the lines are loyal, and of tn Sc out
side not over one half of them loyal and
still any one representing himself as a
citizen can come into the lines without
pass and 90 out when he choose, Nv sim-
DIV hang :, pass from the Provost Mar
shall And the trouble is, man known
to the Provost NAV 70 and get pass for
himself, and give il to whom he pleases
and 1t Will pass the bearer through the
plckets. 1t IL true they are examined as
they 20 through the lines, but they are
not examined so closely but what there
are many ways in which they could SNUG
gle out information and things contraband
to the rebels
can tell nothing about the amount of
forces here. They are estimated at all
the way from to 20, 900 However | do
know the position IL a strong one and we'll
fortified, and should the rebels attack us,
think we could whip 3 to l.
The guerrillas are lowering around us
all the time. They aud our pickets ex-
change shots almost daily; our cavalry
bring in more or less prisoners every day.
Some of the prisoners say they ran away
from the rebel army because they were
starving; 9th RS because they are sick of
-, a L., - y
legiance, and some are home visiting
their fanatics and get caught some one
way and some another
l have talked with several rebel prs-
oners since have been in Dixie, and
there seems TO be quite difference of OPP
inion among them relative to the causes
final results &c, OF this war Some seem
to think they can never be whipped that
they have plenty Of men, and plenty to
eat, and that they will never give up un-
til they are totally obliterated from t. e
face G: The earth while others say their
case is utterly hopeless, that they have no
men. nothing to eat. no credit, and that
their armies are thoroughly demoralized,
and viii not stand IL much longer Such
are the differences of opinion expressed
by the rebel prisoners.
As have riyen YOU the difference of
opinion of the rebel soldiers, ! will now
proceed to- give vou my opinion of the
matter. The Confererates are vastly our
superiors in the art Of spreading plausj
bic report-acting together like one man.
A falsehood from headquarters i at once
disseminated from Richmond to New Or
leans, and the North is promptly victim
lied
At present their game is 10 make Us
discredit their own forces having learn
ed that our belief in the extent Of their
army is only n stimulus to Northern ex
ertions The truth is, the Confed, rncs
never had so large an army as at present
or in such excellent condition They have
been gathering up the odds and ends -
They have learned day by dav to make
better soldiers Of them. They have an
abundance of food, are on the whole well
armed, and 1t is rank folly in us to rely
on their weakness. Should we this in
slant consent to the Independence Of the
Confenracy, it would not he accepted -
The Southenor, easily depressed by de
fat, becomes arrogant in the hour Of vie
tory. and would exact such conditions ~
we could not endure. The whole South is
full Of crops raised by slaves, and the
Virginia Press triumphant!Y proclaims
the success of the first part OF the great
experiment, a success worth TO them lar
greater sacrifices than they have alreadt
undergone. The negro it seems as slave
can support the Southern Confederacy-
iced and clothe 1t. One year of war has
proved this. However, the question is nos
now what n .ye been done year ago, it is
what they hope for and wha, they are ca
payable of doirg
We, on the other hand, who have no ne
groes TO plant for Is, who must pay our
TURNER'S tar more than the wretched binca
earns, have no mudsill whereon to rest
We are manufacturers, and cannot form
permanent military nation we hold in
horror the idea of Il standing army, and
of having our young men who mig 1t grow
up wealthy and learned become garrison
soldiers for life we love learn1ne. cui
ture, independence, ana progress. Year
by year sees noble schools rising amonr
us-schoes in which every mans son
may obtain an excellent free education
and qualify himself for any position in so
cietv
The South cares nothing for all these
things 1t loathss the very name Of free
schools, despises industry and ingenuity.
and scorns the mechanic. and is aItoreth
CT as a community far behind us
The man who believes in peaceable So
cession must be an idiot Secession means
military nation living side bv side with
Il non military nation with it hates
and will do Its best to crush ii - means
conserl ative traitors and doughface sconn-
drels, stirring up riot and ruin among US
At every corner with no man to make
them afraid
live DO not rise IN our might and crush
this rebellion, root and branch we shall
lie crushed, and no honest obSeryant man
can deny it. TIRE aud Wa er NAV as well
miug!e as we hope to nhabit the same
continent IL is hammer or auvi! with
rs now, and 40 escape They realize
with delight that our year OF procrastina
ton has been two years Of preparation
with them, and Sc confident are they Of
success a. TO even wish to conceal their
true numbers.
But | have already written al consider
able lenght, an ! must necessarily say
something about the Bloody 34th bef,re
close. We lett Columbus on the 18Th inst
IN company with the DIST Missouri Wis
ana arrived here about noon the naxtd,v
I burln- the afternoon We managed Ia ,ser
All al orr camp equipage, baggage &c out
20 camp, som" two miles back ol. the rjty
he location j. a pleasant one and fh. -
ter good. W are now attached 70 -;