Daily national Republican., 1863-04-17
A Rebel Mail Bag
Has been captured by the New York Hcrald
We quote from some of the letters:

We 'lubNC IOlll hbIllt Ol tue lCllCTb!
Another letter from the rebel camp on the
BlaCkwatCT, dated "On the train, April 7, 1868, ,"
says: I'VE are stationed on the BlaCkwater,
and hope that ere long We shall cross it In the
direction of Suffolk. ] think that our generals
intend forward movement, as they are mass
ing large forces down here and arc bringing
down pUntUOn bridges"
Another letter, dated "Camp near U. S. Ford.
Rappahannock river, Spottsylvauia county,
Va, April 1, 1885, says 'We are CampGd all
in among the gold mines. We see the greatest
pits where they have been digging for gold that
ever you looked at. Write me word
what the people think about the war, and If the
Yankees are afraid much of us attacking Nor
folk Orders have been read to US to get clear
Of all the baggage that We cannot carry conve-
niCnuy, and get ready for an active spring
campaign. | think this time we will
come down towards Norfolk or out in North
Carolina. We will wake things up in
Suffolk and Norfolk before many months"
! soldier in hospital, writing from Richmond
on the 3Oth of March TO his mother in Ports
mouth, says 81 expect to leave Richmond on
Monday next to join my regiment in North
Carolina, where will have to endure long and
harrasSing marches aud participate In some Of
the desperate battles which will probably ill
the annals of the coming campaign.
Many, indeed ALL with a few exceptions, enter
tain the opinion that, after the approaching
/ campaign budll nave ldbbCu III scenes oil QCS
pCrate and bloody battles, more horrible and
decisive than any preceding, then blessed
peace, 30 Unexpectedly delayed, will finally
dawn upon us. If a victorious peace, we shall
certainly have cause for rejoicing. We have
certainly undergone and accomplished enough
TO entitle us to, and have no doubt we shall
obtain, the position of free and Independent
people. We have had horrible weather
here for some time. SNOW fell last week to the
depth Of eighteen or twenty inches, which in
Crcases ten-fUld the suflcTings of the army,
which are always great. Alas, the poor SOL
der dearly does he pay for the fOlles Of
others"
soldier writing from camp near FredcrlckG-
burg, March IL, says: 1--WE are going to have
a dreadful campaign this summer. went into
the battle of Manassas bareGOoted, and cut my
feet all to pieCes.'
Another soldier, writing from Drury's Bluh,
says that Stuart's cavalry Is at Fredericksburg.
He also writes: DO not send us any more
things, for we can make out very well with
what We draw"
| CAVALRY ENCOUNTER.
/ soldier writing from the United States
ford, on RHppahannOCk river, under date of
March 20, says: "The Yankee cavalry crossed
the river at Kelly's ford on the 18th inst, and
advanced five miles, when they were met by
young Gen. Lee, with his cavalry and artillery,
and after hot contest for several hours they
,
leaving the road strewn with men and horses.
Lee lost two of his valuable officers. Yankee
force, three thousand; ours, one thousand.
The general opinion is that the war
will certainly end this year. God grant II may,
for it has almost desOlated our once happy
country"
PEACE PRUPHEsYING SPRING.
This correspondent also vOuChes for the cor.
rectnCsb Of the following newspaper paragraph
furnished by a Fredericksburg correspondent
aud says he has himself seen the spring re,
iurrUd to running:
while speaking Of peace, there is legend
connected with spring near Fredericksburg
which will relate for the benefit of the curious
According to tradition this spring was discov.
cred running three months before the ReyOlu
tiOnary war. Three months before treaty oil
peace 1t dried up and ceased to run. 1t com,
mCnCCd running again three months before the
| war of 1912, and three months before its close
rs in the Revolutionary war, II again dried up
| and 80 with the Mexican war. Three month";
before the fall Of Fort Sumter it commenced
fttHning, and short time since dried up.
81 give as my author for this au aged man
| who was born and Is living near the spring
and who has considerable property, and otiurI
to bet 1t all that We will have peace in three
months from the drying up of the spring"
HARD FARE ~ THE REBEL ARMY.
An artillery man ON the Richmond dglCnCes,
guard bridge across the North Anna river
close to Fredericksburg, and had hard tim,
Of 1t. The Fedurals gave our army their hand,
full, and the losses were heavy on both sides
Our men must die for something to eat
They cannot stand these hard marches and hal
feed. We get a quarter Of pound Of pork anC
one loaf Of bread, and that ID all We get In one
day, and nothing else, and We have not beer
paid oil in three month";. We look fol
an early peace, aud that is all the cry at thi,
time. For my purt have lost all hope Of thil
unholy war coming to an end during old Abo'l
term. They say We will be sent TO West
urn Nirginiai but have seen enough of thu
mountains and would be glad if they would Lei
us stay where VIC are"
\ REBEL WHO DuES NOT WANT TO FIGIIT.
In another letter, dated " Fort Drcwry, Marcl
Is, 1868" the writer says lie was conBCriptcC
in Norfolk, but had the good fortuneBO Tar no
l to have been in any engagement, and Contesse
he Is not at all anxious 10 be in one.